Cationic para‐phenyl‐substituted α‐diimine nickel catalyzed ethylene and 4‐methyl‐1‐pentene (co)polymerizations via living/controlled chain‐walking

Upon activation with diethylaluminium chloride (Et₂AlCl), a series of phenyl‐substituted α‐diimine nickel precatalysts conducted 4‐methyl‐1‐pentene (4MP) and ethylene (E) (co)polymerizations via controlled chain‐walking to generate branched amorphous polymers with high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n < 1.6). The obtained poly(4MP)s were amorphous elastomers with glass transition temperature (T_g) of ?10 ~ ?24 °C, which are higher than that of E‐4MP copolymer ( ? 63.0 °C). At room temperature (25 °C), 4MP polymerization proceeds in a living manner. The microstructures of the produced poly(4MP)s indicated the 2,1‐ and 1,2‐insertion followed by chain‐walking, the latter being predominant. The NMR analyses of the polymers showed that the obtained poly(4MP) possessed methyl, isobutyl, 2,4‐dimethylpentyl and 2‐methylhexyl groups, while the isobutyl and 2,4‐dimethylalkyl branches derived from 4MP were observed in the E‐4MP copolymer. The branch structures and the insertion‐type of monomer were depended on the polymerization temperature, and the content of methyl branch increased with an increase in the polymerization temperature.     

Higher α‐olefin polymerizations catalyzed by rac‐Me2Si(1‐C5H2‐2‐CH3‐4‐tBu)2Zr(NMe2)2/Al(iBu)3/[Ph3C][B(C6F5)4]

Polymerizations of higher α‐olefins, 1‐pentene, 1‐hexene, 1‐octene, and 1‐decene were carried out at 30 °C in toluene by using highly isospecific rac‐Me₂Si(1‐C₅H₂‐2‐CH₃‐4‐^t Bu)₂Zr(NMe₂)₂ (rac‐1) compound in the presence of Al(iBu)₃/[CPh₃][B(C₆F₅)₄] as a cocatalyst formulation. Both the bulkiness of monomer and the lateral size of polymer influenced the activity of polymerization. The larger lateral of polymer chain opens the π‐ligand of active site wide and favors the insertion of monomer, while the large size of monomer inserts itself into polymer chain more difficultly due to the steric hindrance. Highly isotactic poly(α‐olefin)s of high molecular weight (MW) were produced. The MW decreased from polypropylene to poly(1‐hexene), and then increased from poly(1‐hexene) to poly(1‐decene). The isotacticity (as [mm] triad) of the polymer decreased with the increased lateral size in the order: poly(1‐pentene) > poly(1‐hexene) > poly(1‐octene) > poly(1‐decene). The similar dependence of the lateral size on the melting point of polymer was recorded by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). ¹H NMR analysis showed that vinylidene group resulting from β‐H elimination and saturated methyl groups resulting from chain transfer to cocatalyst are the main end groups of polymer chain. The vinylidene and internal double bonds are also identified by Raman spectroscopy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1687–1697, 2000     

An efficient synthesis of telechelic poly (N‐isopropylacrylamides) and its application to the preparation of α,ω‐dicholesteryl and α,ω‐dipyrenyl polymers

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)s (PNIPAMs) with cholesteryl or pyrenyl moieties at each chain end (CH‐PNIPAMs or Py‐PNIPAMs) were prepared via end‐group modification of α,ω‐dimercapto poly(N‐isopropylacrylamides), ranging in molecular weight from ～ 7000 to 45,000 g mol^?1 with a polydispersity index of 1.10 or lower. The telechelic thiol functionalized PNIPAMs were obtained by aminolysis of α,ω‐di(isobutylthiocarbonylthio)‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)s (iBu‐PNIPAMs) obtained by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide in the presence of the difunctional chain transfer agent, diethylene glycol di(2‐(1‐isobutyl)sulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl‐2‐methyl propionate) (DEGDIM). The self‐assembly of the polymers in water was assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy, using the intrinsic emission of Py‐PNIPAM or the emission of pyrene added as a probe in aqueous solutions of CH‐PNIPAM. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 314–326, 2008     

Block copolymers based on 2‐vinyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐5‐oxazolone by RAFT polymerization: Experimental and computational studies

The ability of 2‐vinyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐5‐oxazolone (VDM), a highly reactive functional monomer, to produce block copolymers by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) sequential polymerization with methyl acrylate (MA), styrene (S), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated using cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB) and 2‐cyanoisopropyl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) as chain transfer agents. The results show that PS‐b‐PVDM and PMA‐b‐PVDM well‐defined block copolymers can be prepared either by polymerization of VDM from PS‐ and PMA‐macroCTAs, respectively, or polymerization of S and MA from a PVDM‐macroCTA. In contrast, PMMA‐b‐PVDM block copolymers with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity can only be obtained by using PMMA as the macroCTA. Ab initio calculations confirm the experimental studies. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

(Thiocarbonyl‐α‐thio)carboxylic acid derivatives as transfer agents in reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerizations

Ethyl S‐(thiobenzoyl)thioacetate, ethyl S‐thiobenzoyl‐2‐thiopropionate, and S‐(thiobenzoyl)thioglycolic acid were used as chain‐transfer agents for the reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of styrene, methyl methacrylate, and butyl acrylate. Of these polymerizations, only those of styrene and butyl acrylate with any of the transfer agents showed molecular weight control corresponding to controlled/living polymerizations. The best molecular weight control was observed for the polymerizations of styrene and butyl acrylate with ethyl (S)‐thiobenzoyl‐2‐thiopropionate. Semiempirical PM3 calculations were performed for the investigation of the relative heats of reaction of the chain‐transfer equilibria between the aforementioned chain‐transfer agents and dimer radicals of the three monomers. The molecular weight control of the polymerizations correlated with the stability trend of the leaving‐group radical of the chain‐transfer agent. This relatively simple computational model offered some value in determining which transfer agents would show the best molecular weight control in RAFT polymerizations. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 555–563, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10143     

Novel thermoresponsive fluorinated double‐hydrophilic poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} block copolymers

Novel thermoresponsive double‐hydrophilic fluorinated block copolymers were successfully synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Poly[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide] (P2F) was synthesized via RAFT polymerization of N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide (M2F) using 2‐dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl‐2‐methylpropionic acid (DMP) as the chain transfer agent (CTA) and 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The resulting P2F macroCTA was further chain extended with N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide (M1F) to yield poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} (P2F‐b‐P1F) block copolymers with different lengths of the P1F block. Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The average molecular weight (M_n) of the resulting polymers ranged from 2.9 × 10⁴ to 5.8 × 10⁴ depending on the length of the P1F block. The molecular weight distribution was low (M_w/M_n = 1.11–1.19). Turbidimetry by UV‐Visble (UV‐Vis) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and in situ temperature‐dependent ¹H NMR measurements demonstrated that the P2F block underwent a thermal transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which in turn induced self‐assembly from unimers to aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that polymeric aggregates formed from an aqueous solution of P2F‐b‐P1F at 60 °C were disrupted by cooling down to 20 °C and regenerated by heating to 60 °C. Temperature‐triggered release of a model hydrophobic drug, coumarin 102, was also demonstrated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Living free‐radical polymerization of sterically hindered monomers: Improving the understanding of 1,1‐disubstituted monomer systems

The sterically hindered, 1,1‐disubstituted monomers di‐n‐butyl itaconate (DBI), dicyclohexyl itaconate (DCHI), and dimethyl itaconate (DMI) were polymerized with reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) free‐radical polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Cumyl dithiobenzoate, cumyl phenyl dithioacetate, 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate, 4‐cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate, and S‐methoxycarbonylphenylmethyl dithiobenzoate were employed as RAFT agents to mediate a series of polymerizations at 60 °C yielding polymers ranging in their number‐average molecular weight from 4500 to 60,000 g mol^?1. The RAFT polymerizations of these hindered monomers displayed hybrid living behavior (between conventional and living free‐radical polymerization) of various degrees depending on the molecular structure of the initial RAFT agent. In addition, DCHI was polymerized via ATRP with a CuCl/methyl benzoate/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine/cyclohexanone system at 60 °C. Both the ATRP and RAFT polymerization of the hindered monomers displayed living characteristics; however, broader than expected molecular weight distributions were observed for the RAFT systems (polydispersity index = 1.15–3.35). To assess the cause of this broadness, chain‐transfer‐to‐monomer constants for DMI, DBI, and DCHI were determined (1.4 × 10^?3, 1.3 × 10^?3, and 1.0 × 10^?3, respectively) at 60 °C. Simulations carried out with the PREDICI program package suggested that chain transfer to monomer contributed to the broadening process. In addition, the experimental results indicated that viscosity had a pronounced effect on the broadness of the molecular weight distributions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3692–3710, 2006     

Poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone)–polydimethylsiloxane amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers

Triblock copolymers of N‐vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using two different types of difunctional telechelic PDMS‐based dixanthate macroinitiators. The incorporation of PDMS into the triblock copolymers was evidenced by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and varied between 4 mol % and as high as 20 mol %, dependent on reaction time and monomer conversion. The copolymer homogeneity was characterized in terms of molecular weight distribution determined by GPC to estimate the level of control over the chain length. Monomodal molecular weight distributions were observed, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy indicated the copolymers had number average molecular weights (M_n) ranging between 28,000 and 160,000 g/mol. In addition, thin film phase separation and critical micelle concentrations for these copolymers were analyzed via transmission electron microscopy and surface tension measurements, respectively. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3387–3394     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene using the novel initiator ethyl 2‐N,N‐(diethylamino)dithiocarbamoyl‐butyrate

The atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRPs) of styrene initiated by a novel initiator, ethyl 2‐N,N‐(diethylamino)dithiocarbamoyl‐butyrate (EDDCB), in both bulk and solution were successfully carried out in the presence of copper(I) bromide (CuBr) and N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine at 115 °C. The polymerization rate was first‐order with respect to the monomer concentration, and the molecular weights of the obtained polymers increased linearly with the monomer conversions with very narrow molecular weight distributions (as low as 1.17) up to higher conversions in both bulk and solution. The polymerization rate was influenced by various solvents in different degrees in the order of cyclohexanone > dimethylformamide > toluene. The molecular weight distributions of the produced polymers in cyclohexanone were higher than those in dimethylformamide and toluene. The results of ¹H NMR analysis and chain extension confirmed that well‐defined polystyrene bearing a photo‐labile N,N‐(diethylamino)dithiocarbamoyl group was obtained via ATRP of styrene with EDDCB as an initiator. The polymerization mechanism for this novel initiation system is a common ATRP process. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 32–41, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of well‐defined poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene)‐graft‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) by sequential controlled polymerization

A new graft copolymer, poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene) ‐graft‐poly(?‐caprolactone), was prepared by combination of reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) with coordination‐insertion ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). The copolymerization of styrene (St) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was carried out at 60 °C in the presence of 2‐phenylprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate (PPDTB) using AIBN as initiator. The molecular weight of poly (2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene) [poly(HEMA‐co‐St)] increased with the monomer conversion, and the molecular weight distribution was in the range of 1.09 ～ 1.39. The ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ?‐caprolactone was then initiated by the hydroxyl groups of the poly(HEMA‐co‐St) precursors in the presence of stannous octoate (Sn(Oct)₂). GPC and ¹H‐NMR data demonstrated the polymerization courses are under control, and nearly all hydroxyl groups took part in the initiation. The efficiency of grafting was very high. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5523–5529, 2004     

RAFT Polymerization of N‐Isopropylacrylamide and Acrylic Acid under γ‐Irradiation in Aqueous Media

Summary: The ambient temperature (20 °C) reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and acrylic acid (AA) conducted directly in aqueous media under γ‐initiation (at dose rates of 30 Gy · h⁻¹) proceeds in a controlled fashion (typically, < 1.2) to near quantitative conversions and up to number‐average molecular weights of 2.5 × 10⁵ g · mol⁻¹ for PNIPAAm and 1.1 × 10⁵ g · mol⁻¹ for PAA via two water‐soluble trithiocarbonate chain transfer agents, i.e., S,S‐bis(α,α′‐dimethyl‐α″‐acetic acid)trithiocarbonate (TRITT) and 3‐benzylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl propionic acid (BPATT). The generated polymers are successfully chain extended, which suggests that the RAFT agents are stable throughout the polymerization process so that complex and well‐defined architectures can be obtained.

An increase of the monomer/CTA ratio leads to an increase of the molecular weight for the RAFT polymerization of NIPAAm under γ‐radiation in water using TRITT at ambient temperature.     

Synthesis of Novel Pyrazino[2,1‐a]isoindolediones via Intramolecular Hydroamination of 2,3‐Dihydro‐3‐oxo‐2‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)‐1H‐isoindole‐1‐carboxamides

Novel derivatives of pyrazino[2,1‐a]isoindolediones were synthesized through 6‐exo‐dig intramolecular hydroamination of 2,3‐dihydro‐3‐oxo‐2‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)‐1H‐isoindole‐1‐carboxamides followed by 1,3‐H shift, in the presence of sodium hydride in DMF at 80°. All products were obtained in good yields (60 – 80%) within short reaction time (40 – 60 min).     

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer/miniemulsion polymerization of butyl methacrylate in the presence of β‐cyclodextrin

In the presence of β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD), reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization has been successfully applied to control the molecular weight and polydispersity [weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight (M_w/M_n)] in the miniemulsion polymerization of butyl methacrylate, with 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate as a chain‐transfer agent (or RAFT agent) and 2,2′‐azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. β‐CD acted as both a stabilizer and a solubilizer, assisting the transportation of the water‐insoluble, low‐molecular‐weight RAFT agent into the polymerization loca (i.e., droplets or latex particles) and thereby ensuring that the RAFT agent was homogeneous in the polymerization loca. The polymers produced in the system of β‐CD exhibited narrower polydispersity (1.2 < M_w/M_n < 1.3) than those without β‐CD. Moreover, the number‐average molecular weight in the former case could be controlled by a definite amount of the RAFT agent. Significantly, β‐CD was proved to have a favorable effect on the stability of polymer latex, and no coagulum was observed. The effects of the concentrations of the RAFT agent and AIBN on the conversion, the molecular weight and its distribution, and the particle size of latices were investigated in detail. Furthermore, the influences of the variations of the surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and costabilizer (hexadecane) on the RAFT/miniemulsion polymerization were also studied. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2931–2940, 2005     

Cobalt‐based metal coordination polymers with 4,4′‐bipyridinyl groups: highly efficient catalysis for one‐pot synthesis of 3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐ones under solvent‐free conditions

Three new metal coordination complexes, namely [Co(BPY)₂(H₂O)₂](BPY)(BS)₂(H₂O)₄ ( 1 ), [Co(BPY)₂(H₂O)₄](ABS)₂(H₂O)₂ ( 2 ) and [Co(BPY)(H₂O)₄](MBS)₂ ( 3 ) (BPY = 4,4′‐bipyridine, BS = phenylsulfonic acid, ABS = p‐aminobenzenesulfonic acid, MBS = p‐methylbenzenesulfonic acid), were obtained under hydrothermal conditions. Complexes 1 , 2 , 3 were structurally characterized using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. All of them display low‐dimensional motifs: complex 1 displays a two‐dimensional structure; and complexes 2 and 3 exhibit a one‐dimensional tape structure. Through strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions and weak packing interactions, all of them further stack to generate a three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture. Catalysts 1 , 2 , 3 were involved in the green synthesis of a variety of 3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐ones under solvent‐free conditions through Biginelli reactions. The corresponding catalytic product was obtained in quantitative yields (99%) under eco‐friendly synthesis conditions for the variety of reactions. Catalysts 1 , 2 , 3 exhibit excellent efficiency for the desired product, and their catalytic performance shows the following order: 2  >  1  ≈  3 , which can be ascribed to the hydrophobic interactions of different phenylsulfonate groups. The catalytic performance for the Biginelli reaction is not only dependent on the selected solvents, but also inversely proportional to the polarities of the solvents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Poly(4‐acryloylmorpholine) oligomers carrying a β‐cyclodextrin residue at one terminus

A straightforward synthesis of amphiphilic β‐cyclodextrin‐poly(4‐acryloylmorpholine) (β‐CD‐PACM) polymers of controlled molecular weight, consisting of the radical polymerization of 4‐acryloylmorpholine in the presence of 6‐deoxy‐6‐mercapto‐β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD‐SH) as chain‐transfer agent, has been established. These derivatives carry a single β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) moiety at one terminus and their average molecular weight is in the order of 10⁴. Thus, their β‐CD content is ～ 10% by weight. No evidence of un‐functionalized PACM was found in the final products. The chain‐transfer constant (C_T) of β‐CD‐SH was found to be 1.30 by independently determining the reaction constants of both chain‐transfer and propagation reactions. This ensures that the molecular weight, hence the β‐CD content of the polymers, does not significantly vary with conversion. These β‐CD‐PACM polymers are highly soluble in water as well as in several organic solvents such as chloroform and lower alcohols. They proved capable of solubilizing in water poorly soluble drugs such as 9‐[(2‐hydroxyethoxy)methyl]guanine (Acyclovir) and of gradually releasing them in aqueous systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1607–1617, 2008     

Proton transfer‐controlled anionic polymerization of methyl‐substituted β‐lactams with potassium t‐butoxide and subsequent coupling reaction with saccharides

The potassium t‐butoxide‐catalyzed ring‐opening polymerization of 3,3‐dimethyl‐ and 4,4‐dimethyl‐2‐azetidinone proceeds quantitatively in a mixture of N,N‐dimethylacetamide and 5–10 wt % of lithium chloride at 25°C to give the corresponding monodisperse polyamides. The addition of methyl α‐D ‐glucoside into the living polyamide system gives a novel polyamide linked with the glucose moiety at one chain end. A new graft copolymer composed of a water soluble polysaccharide (dextran) backbone and many monodisperse polyamide branches was also prepared by a similar coupling method. The difference in acidity among the lactam monomers, the corresponding polyamides, and the alcohols was essential for the attainment of such a proton transfer‐controlled system composed of the living polymerization and the subsequent coupling reaction. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 909–915, 1999     

Synthesis of amphiphilic copolymer brushes: Poly(ethylene oxide)‐graft‐polystyrene

A well‐defined amphiphilic copolymer brush with poly(ethylene oxide) as the main chain and polystyrene as the side chain was successfully prepared by a combination of anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The glycidol was first protected by ethyl vinyl ether to form 2,3‐epoxypropyl‐1‐ethoxyethyl ether and then copolymerized with ethylene oxide by the initiation of a mixture of diphenylmethylpotassium and triethylene glycol to give the well‐defined polymer poly(ethylene oxide‐co‐2,3‐epoxypropyl‐1‐ethoxyethyl ether); the latter was hydrolyzed under acidic conditions, and then the recovered copolymer of ethylene oxide and glycidol {poly(ethylene oxide‐co‐glycidol) [poly(EO‐co‐Gly)]} with multiple pending hydroxymethyl groups was esterified with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide to produce the macro‐ATRP initiator [poly(EO‐co‐Gly)_(ATRP). The latter was used to initiate the polymerization of styrene to form the amphiphilic copolymer brushes. The object products and intermediates were characterized with ¹H NMR, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and size exclusion chromatography in detail. In all cases, the molecular weight distribution of the copolymer brushes was rather narrow (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.2), and the linear dependence of ln[M₀]/[M] (where [M₀] is the initial monomer concentration and [M] is the monomer concentration at a certain time) on time demonstrated that the styrene polymerization was well controlled. This method has universal significance for the preparation of copolymer brushes with hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) as the main chain. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4361–4371, 2006     

Cyclodextrins in Polymer Synthesis: Photoinitiated Free‐Radical Polymerization of N‐Isopropylacrylamide in Water Initiated by a Methylated β‐Cyclodextrin/2‐Hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐1‐phenylpropan‐1‐one Host/Guest Complex

Methylated β‐cyclodextrin (Me‐β‐CD) was used to complex a free‐radical photoinitiator, 2‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐1‐phenylpropan‐1‐one ( 1 ), yielding the water‐soluble 1 : 1 host/guest complex 1 a . The structure of complex 1 a was verified by means of IR, UV/vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The influence of Me‐β‐CD as the host on the photopolymerization kinetics of N‐isopropylacrylamide was studied. Compared to the photopolymerization carried out under nearly identical conditions but without cyclodextrin, an increase in the polymerization rate was registered in the presence of complex 1 a .     

Synthesis of Chiral 2‐Aroyl‐1‐tetralols: Asymmetric Transfer Hydrgenation of 2‐Aroyl‐1‐tetralones via Dynamic Kinetic Resolution

The dynamic kinetic resolution of 2‐aroyl‐1‐tetralones was achieved via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation using (S,S)‐RuCl(p‐cymene)TsDPEN (TsDPEN=N‐(tosyl)‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine) in formic acid/triethyl‐ amine (5:2, molar ratio), afforded the desired products in good yields (up to 85%) with diastereomeric ratio up to >99:1 and high enantiomeric excesses (up to >99%). The absolute configuration of major the product was confirmed by X‐ray crystal structure analysis.     

Four novel lanthanide complexes with 4‐ethylbenzoic acid and 5,5′‐dimethy‐2,2′‐bipyridine: Structures,luminescent, thermal properties and bacteriostatic activities

Four new lanthanide complexes [Ln(4‐EBA)₃(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)]₂·2C₂H₅OH (Ln = Ho ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), Er ( 3 )); [Ln(4‐EBA)₃(4‐EBAH)(5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy)]₂ (Ln = Eu( 4 ); 4‐EBA =4‐ethylbenzoate; 5,5′‐DM‐2,2′‐bipy =5,5′‐dimethy‐2,2′‐bipyridine; 4‐EBAH = 4‐ethylbenzoic acid) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectra. The single crystal results reveal that complexes 1 – 3 are isostructural. It is worth noting that the mole ratios of the carboxylate ligands and neutral ligands is 4:1 in complex 4 , which is different from the former and has been rarely reported. Nevertheless, all complexes are connected to form 1D chain by π ···π wake staking interactions. Additionally, the complexes 2 (Tb(III)) and 4 (Eu(III)) exhibit characteristic luminescent properties, indicating that ligands can be used as sensitizing chromophore in these systems. The thermal decomposition mechanism of the complexes has been investigated by TG/DSC–FTIR technology. Stacked plots of the FTIR spectra of the evolved gases show complexes broken down into H₂O, CO₂, and other gaseous molecules as well as the gaseous organic fragments. The studies on bacteriostatic activities of complexes show that four complexes have good bacteriostatic activities against Candida albicans but no bacteriostatic activity on Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus . Additionally, the complexes 1 to 3 have better bacteriostatic activities on Candida albicans than complex 4 .