Random Copolymers of 1,5-Dioxepan-2-one

ABSTRACT

Copolymers of 1,5-dioxepan-2-one (DXO) and e-caprolactone (?-CL), δ-valerolactone (δ-VL) or L-lactide (LLA) have been synthesized and characterized. High molecular weight copolymers were obtained using stannous-2-ethyl hexanoate as catalyst in bulk. Reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of DXO and δ-VL were determined at 110°C as r_VL=0.5 and r_DXO=2.3. At high conversion, depolymerization of δ-VL occurred, resulting in lower molecular weight and variations in the copolymer composition.

Physical properties, such as crystallinity and melting temperature of the DXO-copolymers proved to be strongly dependent on the choice of comonomer and on the molar composition of the copolymers. DXO appears to be incorporated into the poly-?-caprolactone (PCL) crystals and to some extent into the poly-δ-valerolactone (PVL) crystals, resulting in a more gradual decrease in crystallinity with increasing amount of DXO.     

The microwave spectrum,structure and dipole moment of 1,4-pentadiyne

The microwave spectra of 1,4-pentadiyne and 1,4-pentadiyne-1,5-d₂ are assigned and rotational and centrifugal distortion constants obtained. A unique structure could not be determined. However, analysis of the moments of inertia indicates that the bond distances in C₅H₄ are close to typical values found in other related compounds. An interaction involving the acetylene moieties is evidenced by the derived bond angles. The data are consistent with either the central CCC angle being close to the tetrahedral value with the acetylene groups pushed away from linearity by approximately 3–4° or opening of the central CCC angle to about 113° along with linear acetylene groups. A range of structures between these two is also possible. The dipole moment is determined to be 0.516(5) D.     

Reaction products from a discharge of N2 and H2S: The microwave spectrum of two conformers of sulfur diimide (HNSNH)

The rotational spectra of two conformations of sulfur diimide (HNSNH) are reported. The HNSNH species are produced in a low-pressure microwave discharge of N₂ and H₂S. The microwave spectrum of the normal isotopic form, HNSNH, and dideutro form, DNSND, of the cis,trans and cis,cis forms have been observed. The electric dipole moment components of both forms have been determined. The molecular structures were determined from the experimental rotational constants and from geometry optimized ab initio calculations with 4-31G Gaussian basis sets and CEP-31G basis sets including polarization. The experimentally and theoretically derived molecular properties are found to be in good agreement.     

Rotational spectrum of cyclohexyl sarin

The rotational spectrum of cyclohexyl sarin (also known as GF) has been measured in a jet-cooled expansion using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Two spectra have been observed, each having splittings associated with the internal rotation of the CH₃P group. The observed V₃ barriers are similar in magnitude to those reported for other organophosphonate nerve agents. The two conformational structures of GF have been identified from comparisons of the observed rotational constants and dipole moment magnitudes with ab initio predictions at the MP2/6311G (d,p) level. These two structures are distinguished by the placement of the fluorophosphonate group at the equatorial and axial positions of the cyclohexane ring. The data also suggest that both conformers prefer a positioning of the FP group with the PO oxygen in an eclipsed orientation relative to the C₁ hydrogen on the ring.     

The Rotational Spectra, Structure, Internal Dynamics, and Electric Dipole Moment of the Argon-Ketene van der Waals Complex

Pulsed-beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy was used to observe and assign the rotational spectra of the argon-ketene van der Waals complex. Tunneling of the hydrogen or deuterium atoms splits the a- and b-type rotational transitions of H(2)CCO-Ar, H(2)(13)CCO-Ar, H(2)C(13)CO-Ar, and D(2)CCO-Ar into two states. This internal motion appears to be quenched for HDCCO-Ar where only one state is observed. The spectra of all isotopomers were satisfactorily fit to a Watson asymmetric top Hamiltonian which gave A=10 447.9248(10) MHz, B=1918.0138(16) MHz, C=1606.7642(15) MHz, Delta(J)=16.0856(70) kHz, Delta(JK)=274.779(64) kHz, Delta(K)=-152.24(23) kHz, delta(J)=2.5313(18) kHz, delta(K)=209.85(82) kHz, and h(K)=1.562(64) kHz for the A(1) state of H(2)CCO-Ar. Electric dipole moment measurements determined &mgr;(a)=0.417(10)x10(-30) C m [0.125(3) D] and &mgr;(b)=4.566(7)x10(-30) C m [1.369(2) D] along the a and b principal axes of the A(1) state of the normal isotopomer. A least squares fit of principal moments of inertia, I(a) and I(c), of H(2)CCO-Ar, H(2)(13)CCO-Ar, and H(2)C(13)CO-Ar for the A(1) states give the argon-ketene center of mass separation, R(cm)=3.5868(3) ?, and the angle between the line connecting argon with the center of mass of ketene and the C=C=O axis, θ(cm)=96.4 degrees (2). The spectral data are consistent with a planar geometry with the argon atom tilted toward the carbonyl carbon of ketene by 6.4 degrees from a T-shaped configuration. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Rotational spectra, nuclear quadrupole hyperfine tensors, and conformational structures of the mustard gas simulent 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide

Rotational spectra have been recorded for both the ³⁵Cl and ³⁷Cl isotopic forms of two structural conformations of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES). The rotational constants of the ³⁵Cl and ³⁷Cl isotopomers were used to identify the conformational isomers. A total of 236 hyperfine transitions have been assigned for 47 rotational transitions of the ³⁵Cl isotope of a GGT conformer, and 146 hyperfine have been assigned for 37 rotational transitions of the ³⁷Cl isotopomer. For the second conformer, a total of 128 (110) hyperfine and 30 (28) rotational transitions have also been assigned to the ³⁵Cl (³⁷Cl) isotopes of a TGT conformation. The extensive hyperfine splitting data, measured to high resolution with a compact Fourier transform microwave spectrometer, were used to determine both the diagonal and off-diagonal elements of the ³⁵Cl and ³⁷Cl nuclear quadrupole coupling tensors in the inertial tensor principal axis system. The experimental rotational constant data, as well as the ³⁵Cl and ³⁷Cl nuclear quadrupole coupling tensors, were compared to the results from 27 optimized ab initio (HF/6-311++G^∗∗ and MP2/6-311++G^∗∗) model structures.     

Microwave spectrum and structure of methyl phosphonic difluoride

The rotational spectrum of methyl phosphonic difluoride has been reinvestigated using a pulsed-molecular-beam Fabry-Perot cavity microwave spectrometer. The enhanced resolution of the Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometer (compared to the original work done in a conventional Stark spectrometer) has allowed the measurement of small A-E splittings of many of the rotational transitions caused by the internal rotation of the methyl top. The barrier to internal rotation, V₃ = 676 (25) cm⁻¹, has been determined experimentally from the A-E splittings of the rotational transitions in the ground vibrational state. This barrier height is substantially lower than the previously determined value for the barrier, which was 1252 (14) cm⁻¹. High-level ab initio calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level predict a barrier to internal rotation of 638 cm⁻¹, in agreement with the experimentally determined value found here. The high sensitivity of the FTMW spectrometer has also permitted the measurement of the ¹³C and ¹⁸O isotopomers in natural abundance. The addition of these two isotopomers has allowed an improved structural determination.     

Structural evidence of anomeric effects in the anesthetic isoflurane

The conformational and structural properties of the inhalational anesthetic isoflurane (1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether) have been probed in a supersonic jet expansion using Fourier-transform microwave (FT-MW) spectroscopy. Two conformers of the isolated molecule were identified from the rotational spectrum of the parent and several (37)Cl and (13)C isotopologues detected in natural abundance. The two most stable structures of isoflurane are characterized by an anti carbon skeleton (τ(C(1)-C(2)-O-C(3)) = 137.8(11)° or 167.4(19)°), differing in the trans (AT) or gauche (AG) orientation of the difluoromethyl group. The conformational abundances in the jet were estimated from relative intensity measurements as (AT)/(AG) ≈ 3:1. The structural preferences of the molecule have been rationalized with supporting ab initio calculations and natural-bond-orbital (NBO) analysis, which suggest that the molecule is stabilized by hyperconjugative effects. The NBO analysis of donor-acceptor (LP → σ*) interactions showed that these stereoelectronic effects decrease from the AT to AG conformations, so the conformational preferences can be accounted for in terms of the generalized anomeric effect.     

Reaction products from a discharge of N2 and H2S: The microwave spectrum of NH2SH

Thiohydroxylamine has been identified as one of the reaction products from the discharge reaction of N₂ + H₂S. Both cis and trans conformers have been observed. The rotational spectra have been studied from 56 to 170 GHz for the normal species and several deuterated isotopic species of each conformer. The electric dipole moments of both conformers have been determined. A number of the transitions of the cis conformer exhibit splittings due to the nuclear quadrupole moment of the ¹⁴N nucleus. A least squares fit of the frequency splittings have led to an analysis of the eQq values. Ab initio calculations using a 4-31G basis set both with and without polarization functions have been carried out to aid in the analysis and to provide a final structural comparison with the microwave results.