Preparation of transparent,monolithic silica xerogels with low density

A new process to make monolithic and transparent silica xerogels with similar properties as silica aerogels by drying at ambient pressure has been studied. The xerogels are produced by strengthening the gel structure by additional precipitation of silica after the initial gelation. The additional precipitation of silica is achieved by ageing the alcogels in solutions of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and the aging is followed by a relatively rapid drying (<48 h) at ambient pressure. Due to the increased strength of the alcogels it is shown that the shrinkage during drying can be reduced and hence low density xerogels are obtained even if new monomers are added.     

Chemical structure and surface properties of the polyurethane cationomers

Polyurethane cationomers were synthesised in the reaction of various diisocyanates with polyoxypropylene glycol and two N-alkyldiethanolamines. The obtained isocyanate prepolymers were then extended in the aqueous medium by means of 1,6-hexamethylenediamine; stable aqueous dispersions were thus obtained, which were applied to and distributed over the poly(tetrafluoroethylene) surface. After evaporation of water from those dispersions, thin polymer coatings were produced. The analyses with the use of ¹H, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy methods confirmed chemical structures of synthesised cationomers. Also, attempts were made to quantitatively characterise polarities of those structures by means of factors that were defined especially for that purpose. Moreover, the physical model of van Oss–Good and wetting angles for coatings obtained from the polyurethane cationomers in question, measured with the use of standard liquids with various polarity specifications, were utilised to determine the surface free energy values for the obtained ionomers.     

The structure of a triosmium carbonyl cluster-phenylarsine oxide derivative

The reaction between the dihydride of decacarbonyltriosmium [H₂Os₃(CO)₁₀] and phenyl arsine oxide (PAO) in benzene yields only one product [Os₃(O)₉(μ-H){μ-PhAs(O)OAsPh}] (1), which is characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), Fast Atomic Bombardment Mass Spectrometry (FAB)⁺, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The solid state X-ray diffraction study of compound (1) shows that the molecule is polycyclic and has an osmium triangle with a bridging hydride bonded to a PhAs(O)-O-AsPh ligand.     

Statistical optimization of the silylation reaction of a mercaptosilane with silanol groups on the surface of silica gel

Thiol-modified silica is often used as an intermediate product for further synthesis of modified stationary phases for chromatography or purification processes. Different conditions were used to synthesize such thiol-modified particles, but systematic optimizations remained scarce. In this study the reaction conditions for the synthesis of mercaptopropyl-modified silica were optimized. The general synthetic method consists in slurrying the silica gel in toluene before adding 3-mercaptopropyldimethoxymethylsilane together with a tertiary amine as catalyst (here dimethylaminopyridine). Reaction time and temperature were optimized using a full factorial design of experiment (DoE) from 3 to 25 h with temperature varying between 45 and 105 °C. The surface coverage of the silica with mercaptopropyl-groups was analyzed by two different ways (elemental analysis and chemical surface reaction with 2,2′-dipyridyl disulfide followed by HPLC-UV analysis of stoichiometrically liberated pyridyl-2-thione). We obtained a three-dimensional (3D) plot of the surface coverage as a function of reaction time and temperature. The arch-shaped hyperplane allowed us to determine an optimum with regard to time and temperature, which yields to the highest surface coverage possible. We also verified that the increase of the surface coverage does not lead to a decrease of the stability of the surface modification by subjecting the gels to treatment with high temperature and acidic conditions. The stability was monitored by different chromatographic methods. Moreover, ²⁹Si cross-polarization-magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) NMR spectra of materials prepared by different conditions allowed to confirm that the Si species on the surface were essentially the same, while there was only a minute difference in signal intensities for the individual Si species for materials obtained by distinct temperatures.     

Covalent grafting of organoalkoxysilanes on silica surfaces in water-rich medium as evidenced by <Superscript>29</Superscript>Si NMR

This paper addresses two questions related to functionalization of silica particles: (1) is the grafting of hydrophobic organoalkoxysilanes on a silica surface possible in water-rich medium and (2) how to prove the formation of covalent bonds with the surface? Trimethylethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane have been reacted with precipitated silica in water-rich medium (water/ethanol 25/75 v/v) and ²⁹Si MAS NMR was used to answer both questions: ²⁹Si chemical shift values of the organosilicon units in the case of trimethylethoxysilane and dimethyldiethoxysilane clearly distinguished between self-condensation reactions and surface reactions through covalent bonds.     

Polymorphism of phenylpyruvic acid studied by IR, Raman and solid state C NMR spectroscopy

Polymorphs I and II of phenylpyruvic acid are obtained as mixtures of both crystal forms or relatively pure crystals, from different solvents. Polymorph I is more stable than polymorph II at room temperature. Spectral characteristics of these polymorphs are discussed on the basis of IR, Raman and solid state ¹³C NMR spectra. Also, the assignment of the IR features observed in the 1600–1700 cm⁻¹ region is re-investigated by referring to the spectra of heavy-atom substituted derivatives. It is suggested that the C=O stretching band is split by the crystal field for both polymorphs.     

Physicochemical characterisation of sugar cane bagasse lignin oxidized by hydrogen peroxide

The oxidation of soda lignin extracted from sugar cane bagasse was studied in acid medium. Soda lignin was precipitated from black liquor by adding (36N) sulphuric acid until the pH of the resultant solution was close to 2. The resultant, dried, material was oxidized using hydrogen peroxide. Soda lignin oxidized at different times was investigated by CHNS and EDX chemical analysis, GPC, FTIR and solid state CP-MAS ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Oxidation increased the amount of carboxylic groups, while that of associated carbohydrates decreased. In addition, self-condensation with increase of molecular weight was observed.     

13C and1H NMR spectra of substituted dihydropyrroles prepared by the reaction of 2-aminooxazoles and maleimide

Substituted dihydropyrroles were characterized by¹³C and¹H NMR spectra. The spectral patterns of these compounds and reversible hydrogen—deuterium exchange are discussed. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 697–700, April, 2000.     

The stereochemistry of a nine-membered ring analogue of nefopam,a nonnarcotic analgesic drug

The solid-state structure of a (±)-homonefopam hydrogenfumarate salt having an-O(CH₂)₃N-fragment was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Homonefopam hydrogenfumarate gave crystals belonging to the monoclinicP2₁/c space group, and at ambient temperaturea=10.220(1),b=18.187(2),c=10.687(2)A,=94.43(1),V=1980.5(5)å³ Z=4,R(F)=0.039,R _w =0.039,R _W (F)=0.025. The¹H NMR spectrum of homonefopam hydrochloride in CD₂Cl₂ solution showed two species (7:1 ratio) at the prototropic shift-nitrogen inversion slow exchange limit. The solution-state major species has the same conformation andtrans-to-phenyl axial N-methyl disposition found in the crystal as evidenced by three antiperiplanar vicinal³ J (HH) coupling constants in the oxytrimethyleneamino fragment and vicinal coupling constants involving theN-H proton. TheR-ratio method was used to estimate 64(2) O-C(3)-C(4)-C(5) and 75(3) C(3)-C(4)-C(5)-N(6) dihedral angles for the major species in CD₂Cl₂ solution in accord with its proposed structure. The finding of C(3)-C(4) bond time-averaged magnitude³ J (HH) values and severe broadening of signals from other minor species protons suggests conformational heterogeneity for the solution-state minor species.     

Reactive processing of polymers: Structural characterisation of products by H and C NMR spectroscopy for glycidyl methacrylate grafting onto EPR in the absence and presence of a reactive comonomer

Grafted GMA on EPR samples were prepared in a Thermo-Haake internal mixer by free radical melt grafting reactions in the absence (conventional system; EPR-g-GMA_CONV) and presence of the reactive comonomer divinyl benzene, DVB (EPR-g-GMA_DVB). The GMA-homopolymer (poly-GMA), a major side reaction product in the conventional system, was almost completely absent in the DVB-containing system, the latter also resulted in a much higher level of GMA grafting. A comprehensive microstructure analysis of the formed poly-GMA was performed based on one-dimensional ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and the complete spectral assignments were supported by two-dimensional NMR techniques based on long range two and three bond order carbon-proton couplings from HMBC (Heteronuclear Multiple Bond Coherence) and that of one bond carbon-proton couplings from HSQC (Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence), as well as the use of Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT) NMR spectroscopy. The unambiguous analysis of the stereochemical configuration of poly-GMA was further used to help understand the microstructures of the GMA-grafts obtained in the two different free radical melt grafting reactions, the conventional and comonomer-containing systems. In the grafted GMA, in the conventional system (EPR-g-GMA_CONV), the methylene protons of the GMA were found to be sensitive to tetrad configurational sequences and the results showed that 56% of the GMA sequence in the graft is in atactic configuration and 42% is in syndiotactic configuration whereas the poly-GMA was predominantly syndiotactic. The differences in the microstructures of the graft in the conventional EPR-g-GMA_CONV and the DVB-containing (EPR-g-GMA_DVB) systems is also reported     

The effect of silica nanoparticles on the morphology, mechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics of PMMA

Silica-PMMA nanocomposites with different silica quantities were prepared by a melt compounding method. The effect of silica amount, in the range 1-5 wt.%, on the morphology, mechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics of PMMA was investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ¹³C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C{¹H} CP-MAS NMR) and measures of proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T_1ρ(H)), in the laboratory frame (T₁(H)) and cross-polarization times (T_CH). Results showed that silica nanoparticles are well dispersed in the polymeric matrix whose structure remains amorphous. The degradation of the polymer occurs at higher temperature in the presence of silica because of the interaction between the two components.     

Synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted colloidal silica particles with improved stability in aqueous solvents

The known grafting procedures of colloidal silica particles with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) lead to grafting layers that detach from the silica surface and dissolve in water within a few days. We present a new grafting procedure of PEG onto silica with a significant improvement of the stability of the grafting layers in aqueous solvents. Moreover, the procedure avoids any dry states or other circumstances leading to strong aggregation of the particles. To achieve the improved water stability, St?ber silica particles are first pre-coated with a silane coupling agent (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APS) to incorporate active amine groups. The water solubility of the pre-coating layer was minimized using a combination of APS with bis-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)amine (BTMOSPA) or bis-(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTEOSE). These pre-coated particles were then reacted with N-succinimidyl ester of mono-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) carboxylic acid to form PEG-grafted silica particles. The particles form stable dispersions in aqueous solutions as well as several organic solvents.     

Synthesis and Properties of Hyperbranched Polyimides Combined with Silica

Summary: The novel hyperbranched polyimide - silica hybrid materials containing theoretically 16 wt% of an inorganic phase were prepared via a sol-gel process. An amine terminated polyimide precursor (hyperbranched polyamic acid) was prepared from commercially available monomers 4,4′,4″-triaminotriphenylmethane and 4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride in molar ratio 1:1. Tetramethoxysilane and/or 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (also used as a coupling agent) were used as silica precursors. During thermal exposition the polyimide precursor was transformed to hyperbranched polyimide and hydrolyzed alkoxy groups reacted mutually to form silica. The final products were self-standing films, whose structure was characterized by using IR and ¹³C and ²⁹Si solid state NMR spectroscopy. The influence of the amount of silica and/or coupling agent on their structure and thermal properties was described.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance of donor atoms as a tool for determination of the structure of platinum metal complexes in solutions

Data on the NMR spectroscopy of C, N, O, Si, P, and Sn donor atoms of platinum metal complexes in solutions are surveyed. The chemical shift of a donor atom mainly depends on the ligand in the trans-position (due to the trans-effect). The chemical shift of a donor atom on a particular coordinate of the complex (coordinate shift, CSh) is an attribute of this coordinate and can be used to identify such a coordinate in platinum metal complexes and to determine the structures of complexes. Based on the known data, CSh diagrams were composed for ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁴N, ¹⁷O, ¹⁹F, ³¹P, and ¹¹⁹Sn. Examples of using the CShs for determining the structures of platinum metal complexes in solutions are presented.     

Structure Determination of an Unusual [2.2]paracyclophane Derivative by NMR Spectroscopy

Our ongoing study on cycloaddition reactions of dienes with different dienophiles afforded a great variety of derivatives with interesting molecular structures and electronic behavior. A new type of angularly annelated [2.2]paracyclophane (3) has been synthesize by the Diels–Alder reaction of 4-(2-propenyl[2.2]paracyclophane (1) and 1,4-benzoquinone (2) under high pressure conditions. The structure determination of this compound has been achieved by NMR measurements and semiempirical calculations.     

Synthesis of SiO2 thin films by sol-gel method using photoirradiation and molecular structure analysis

The SiO₂ thin films were prepared by a process which combines a sol-gel method and photoirradiation. The HF etch rate and microhardness of a film prepared by this process were better than those of a film furnace-fired at same temperature. The Raman and ²⁹Si solid state NMR spectra of film prepared by this process were similar to those of a film furnace-fired at higher temperature. There are many unstable folded non-linear SiO₂ species in the film prepared at low temperature. On treatment at higher temperature, unstable folded non-linear Si-O-Si rearranges to the stable linear Si-O-Si bond. Photoirradiation enhances this structure change. The process provided denser and harder SiO₂ thin films, even at low temperature, than the conventional furnace-firing method did.     

Functionalization of one or two methyl groups in the [Cp*<Subscript>2</Subscript>RuBr]<Superscript>+</Superscript>Br<Superscript>−</Superscript> complex in the reaction with bromine

The reaction of [Cp*₂RuBr]⁺Br⁻ with bromine in CH₂Cl₂ (CD₂Cl₂) in an inert atmosphere at room temperature produces the complexes [Cp*Ru(Br)C₅Me₄CH₂Br]⁺Br₃ ⁻ (syn conformer), [Cp*Ru(Br)C₅Me₃(CH₂Br)₂]⁺ (syn and anti conformers), and [Ru(Br)(C₅Me₄CH₂Br)₂]⁺ (syn conformer). All complexes were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy; the former complex, by elemental analysis. These complexes were also prepared by the reaction of [Cp*RuC₅Me₄CH₂]⁺BF₄ ⁻ with bromine in CH₂Cl₂. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2712–2718, December, 2005.     

Triosmium clusters with bridging terpenic thioureato-like ligands

The reaction of acetone-4-(2-methoxy-phenyl)thiosemicarbazone with triosmium cluster Os₃(CO)₁₁(NCMe) results in the formation of the cluster with the μ₂ chelate-bridging ligand coordinated by S and N¹ atoms, which was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. Reaction of (3aR, 3bR, 4aR, 5aS)-5a-hydroxy-3,4,4-trimethyl-3a,3b,4,4a,5,5a-hexahydrocyclopropa[3, 4]cyclopenta[1,2-c]pyrazole-1-carbothioic acid amide with Os₃(CO)₁₁(NCMe) gives rise to the complex with the bridging ligand coordinated by sulphur atom. Further transformation of the complex in hot benzene results in tautomeric rearrangement of the organic ligand and the cleavage of the pyrazolinol cycle to form an open chain tautomer. Unusual silica gel induced oxidative cleavage of the cyclopropane ring in the open chain derivative and epoxidation of cycloalcane C-C bond are observed on the air.     

Ternary complexes of cobalt cysteinylglycine with histidylserine and histidylphenylalanine-stabilities and DNA cleavage properties

Interaction of cobalt cysteinylglycine with histidylserine and histidylphenylalanine was investigated in a 1 : 1 : 1 ratio at 35°C and 0·10 mol dm⁻³ ionic strength. Their stabilities and geometries were determined. Their DNA binding and cleavage properties were investigated. The intrinsic binding constants (K _b ) for DNA bound 1 and 2 (3·03 × 10³ M⁻¹ for 1 and 3·87 × 10³ M⁻¹ for 2) were determined. Even though the negative charge on the complexes reduced their affinity for DNA, there was an enhancement of binding through specificity. The degradation of plasmid DNA was achieved by cobalt dipeptide complexes [Co^II(CysGly)(HisSer)] (1) and [Co^II(CysGly)(HisPhe)] (2). Cleavage experiments revealed that 1 and 2 cleave supercoiled DNA (form I) to nicked circular (form II) through hydrolytic pathway at physiological pH. The DNA hydrolytic cleavage rate constants for complexes 1 and 2 were determined to be 0·62 h⁻¹, for 1 and 0·38 h⁻¹ for 2 respectively.     

Influence of silica fillers during the electron irradiations of DGEBA/TETA epoxy resins, part I: Study of the chemical modification on model compounds

The study of the chemical modifications of model compounds of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/triethylene tetramine (DGEBA/TETA) epoxy resins under electron irradiation is described. The reaction of butylamine and N,N′-diethylethylene diamine with DGEBA afforded model compounds of the DGEBA/TETA structure. Nanometric silica was used as filler for these model compounds. ¹H and ¹³C NMR analyses allowed identification of the chemical structures before and after irradiation. C-O and C-N scissions were observed with the formation of phenolic and methyl-ketone ends and of primary and secondary amines. For the model compounds containing the 1,2-diaminoethylene structure, the scission of the C-N bond is followed by the formation of an enamine end. The mechanisms of the different bond scissions are proposed. The presence of the nanometric silica fillers allows the protection of some C-N bonds. The reaction of the chemical species formed by electron irradiation with the reactive functions at the silica surface is proposed to explain the chemical modifications observed on the irradiated filled model compounds.