Reactivity of Diarylnitrenium Ions

Hydride abstraction from diarylamines with the trityl ion is explored in an attempt to generate a stable diarylnitrenium ion, Ar₂N⁺. Sequential H-atom abstraction reactions ensue. The first H-atom abstraction leads to intensely colored aminium radical cations, Ar₂NH^.+, some of which are quite stable. However, most undergo a second H-atom abstraction leading to ammonium ions, Ar₂NH₂⁺. In the absence of a ready source of H-atoms, a unique self-abstraction reaction occurs when Ar=Me₅C₆, leading to a novel iminium radical cation, Ar=N^.+Ar, which decays via a second self H-atom abstraction reaction to give a stable iminium ion, Ar=N⁺HAr. These products differ substantially from those derived via photochemically produced diarylnitrenium ions.     

Ion attachment to Van der Waals clusters

Mixed ionized clusters have been produced in a supersonic nozzle beam experiment by attachment of stagnant cations (i.e. NO⁺ and Xe⁺) to neutral van der Waals clusters (i.e.Ar _n ) within a Nier type ion source. This new ionization technique leads to less fragmentation than electron impact ionization and the measured cluster distributions exhibit icosahedral shell and subshell closures which have not been detected in the case of electron impact of Ar _n -clusters ionization so far. Additionally, the obtained appearance energies and metastable fractions give insight into the production mechanism and the stability of the resulting ions.     

Metastable decay of rare gas cluster ions: mechanism and kinetics

Metastable decay of cluster ions has been discovered only recently. It was noted that one has to take this metastable decay into account when using mass spectrometry to probe neutral clusters, because ion abundance anomalies in mass spectra of rare gas and molecular clusters are caused by delayed metastable evaporation of monomers following ion production. Moreover, it was found that(i) the individual metastable reaction rates k depend strongly on cluster size and cluster ion production pathways and that(ii) there exists experimental evidence (k=k(t)) and a theoretical prediction that a given mass selected cluster ion generated by electron impact ionization of a nozzle expansion beam will comprise a range of metastable decay rates. In addition, it was discovered that metastable Ar cluster ions which lose two monomers in the μs time regime decay via sequential decay series Ar _n ⁺ *→Ar _n?1 ⁺ *→Ar _n?2 ⁺ * with cluster sizes 7≤n≤10 andn=3 (similar results were obtained recently in case of N₂ cluster ions). Conversely, the dominant metastable decay channel of Ar ₄ ⁺ * into Ar ₂ ⁺ was found to proceed predominantly via a single step fissioning process.     

Cation,solvent, and substituent effects on the decay kinetics of alkali metal salts of diaryl disulfide radical anions in nonaqueous solutions

The transient diaryl disulfide radical anions (RSSR^?) were produced in nonaqueous solutions at room temperature by the flash photolysis of a solution of arylthiolate ion pair in the presence of the excess corresponding disulfide. The transient spectra were almost identical with those obtained from γ-radiolysis of the disulfides in 77 K 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (MTHF) glassy matrix. The spectra of disulfide radical anions in nonaqueous solutions were changed by cations, solvents, and para-substituents depending on the ion pair properties. The tighter ion pairs showed a shift of absorption band to the shorter wavelength. The disulfide radical anions decay by a unimolecular dissociation reaction to yield thiolate anion and thiyl radical. The decay kinetics were first-order in the initial time region. The rate constants obtained were changed by the counter cations in the order Na⁺ > K⁺ > Cs⁺ > Li⁺, and by solvents. The tighter ion pairs of the disulfide radical anions showed faster dissociation reaction. This is due to stabilization of a transition state with the counter cation.     

Triphenylpyrylium salt-sensitized photoreactions of 1,4-diaryl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes through competitive single electron-transfer pathway and proton-catalyzed pathway

2,4,6-Triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate (TPPBF₄)-sensitized photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) reactions of 1,4-diaryl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes 5 (a: Ar¹ = Ar² = p-MeOC₆H₄, b: Ar¹ = Ar² = p-MeC₆H₄, c: Ar¹ = Ar² = Ph) underwent novel fragmentation through their radical cations to give 1,4-diarylbutan-1,4-diones 6 accompanied by elimination of ethylene. On the other hand, 4-aryl-cyclohex-3-en-1-ones 7, p-substituted phenols 8, and 4-aryl-4-aryloxycyclohexanones 9 were produced through proton-catalyzed pathways when the PET reactions of 5 were performed in the absence of a certain base such as 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (DTBP). Particularly, the formation of 9 is consistent with the novel cationic rearrangement involving nucleophilic O-1,2-aryl shifts and C-1,4-aryl shifts.     

Quantum-chemical approach to the ion pair formation (IPF) equilibrium constants of nitrobenzene radical anions with univalent cations and water molecul

The simple HMO method extended to problems of ionic association of cations with organic radical anions by McClelland [1] and Goldberg and Bolton [2] was successfully used not only in the case of ion pair formation between nitrobenzene radical anion and univalent cations (eqn. (1)) but also when interactions are between this radical and water molecule (eqn. (2)). p]Inspection of a plot of log K_ass against E^HMO_ass for eqns. (1) and (2) leads to the conclusion that the treatment considered here, although very empirical, can be applied advantageously to prediction of association constants for equilibria like (1) and (2). The simplicity of this treatment suggests wide applications for more complex systems.     

Aryl ring twists in tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)-z tripod ethers: X-ray analysis of an isostructural series of triarylpropellers

Tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)amine has been synthesized and its molecular and crystal structure determined by X-ray diffraction. This structure completes the series of isosteric compounds Ar₃Z, where Z=B, C^., N, and Ar=2,6-dimethoxyphenyl. Structures for the tris(2-methoxy-6-methylphenyl) borane and tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)methyl cation triiodide (Ar₃C⁺I₃ ^–) are also reported. The Ar₃B and Ar₃N structures are isomorphous. The triiodide and the earlier reported tetrafluoroborate salt (Ar₃C⁺BF₄ ^–) are also quite similar, as are the two boranes above and the known trimesitylborane, which all tend toward D₃ symmetric conformations. In contrast, the radical Ar₃C^., intermediate between Ar₃B and Ar₃N, is markedly unsymmetrical. Taken together, these findings support an earlier conjecture that the solid-state conformation of Ar₃C^. does not represent a minimum energy structure for the free radical in solution. Crystal seeding by radical oxidation products is offered as an explanation for the radical's markedly unsymmetrical crystal geometry.     

Elimination of Interferences in the Determination of Arsenic and Determination of Arsenic in Percolate Waters from an Industrial Landfill by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The determination of arsenic in environmental samples suffers interference by chloride which gives rise to the polyatomic interference of ⁴⁰Ar³⁵Cl on ⁷⁵As. Mathematical correction methods based on the ratios ⁴⁰Ar³⁷ Cl/⁴⁰ Ar³⁵Cl, ³⁵Cl¹⁶O/⁴⁰ Ar³⁵Cl or ³⁷Cl¹⁶O/⁴⁰ Ar³⁵Cl, are discussed and compared with each other. The method is applied for the determination of arsenic in treated percolate water from a landfill where arsenic containing waste is landfilled. The results obtained when applying the different equations were in good agreement with each other. The results for the untreated percolate water, which could be diluted far enough to eliminate matrix effects and showed negligible interference from chloride, were in good agreement with results obtained with Capillary Zone Electrophoresis. Hydride generation made it possible to determine As(III) and by difference As(V) in both waters. 99.7% of the arsenic present in the percolate water was As(V), which means that during the landfilling, possibly by the infiltration of rainwater, the arsenic is oxidised because the original industrial waste contained 100% As(III).     

Carbon monoxide molecules in an argon matrix: empirical evaluation of the Ar·Ar,C·Ar and O·Ar potential parameters

A potential force field has been evaluated for the calculation of the properties of the solid CO-Ar system. The CO·Ar potential energy has been expressed as a sum of the C·Ar and O·Ar interatomic interactions. The (6-exp) Buckingham form of the atom—atom potential, ? = ?Ar^?6 + B exp (?αr), has been used (r is the interatomic distance). The values of the A, B and α numerical parameters for the C·Ar and O·Ar potential have been obtained from those for the C·C, O·O, and Ar·Ar potentials using known combining rules. These values are the following: A_C·Ar = 3379 kJ/mol A⁶, B_C·Ar = 3.12 × 10⁵ kJ/mol, α_C·Ar = 3.493 A^?1, A_O·Ar = 2737 kJ/mol A⁶, B_O·Ar = 3.28 × 10⁵ kJ/mol, α_O·Ar = 3.706 A^?1. The three parameters of the Ar·Ar potential function (A_Ar·Ar = 6554 kJ/mol A⁶, B_Ar·Ar = 3.27 × 10⁵ kJ/mol, α_Ar·Ar = 3.305 A^?1) have been fitted to a set of experimental data for the Ar crystal (zero-temperature lattice spacing and energy, and the value of the isothermal compressibility). The CO·Ar potential surface has been calculated showing the most favourable position of an Ar atom near the CO molecule and the orientational dependence of the CO·Ar interactions. The CO·Ar separation distance at the potential minimum and the depth of the potential well are equal to 3.63 A and ?1.321 kJ/mol, respectively. Comparison has been made of the derived Ar·Ar and Co·Ar potential functions with other such functions available in the literature.     

Fluorinated block copolymers containing poly(vinylidene fluoride) or poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) blocks from perfluoropolyethers: Synthesis and thermal properties

PFPE‐b‐PVDF and PFPE‐b‐poly(VDF‐co‐HFP) block copolymers [where PFPE, PVDF, VDF, and HFP represent perfluoropolyether, poly(vinylidene fluoride), vinylidene fluoride (or 1,1‐difluoroethylene), and hexafluoropropylene] were synthesized by radical (co)telomerizations of VDF (or VDF and HFP) with an iodine‐terminated perfluoropolyether (PFPE‐I). Di‐tert‐butyl peroxide (DTBP) was used and was shown to act as an efficient thermal initiator. The numbers of VDF and VDF/HFP base units in the block copolymers were assessed with ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. According to the initial [PFPE‐I]₀/[fluoroalkenes]₀ and [DTBP]₀/[fluoroalkenes]₀ molar ratios, fluorinated block copolymers of various molecular weights (1500–30,300) were obtained. The states and thermal properties of these fluorocopolymers were investigated. The compounds containing PVDF blocks with more than 30 VDF units were crystalline, whereas all those containing poly(VDF‐co‐HFP) blocks exhibited amorphous states, whatever the numbers were of the fluorinated base units. All the samples showed negative glass‐transition temperatures higher than that of the starting PFPE. Interestingly, these PFPE‐b‐PVDF and PFPE‐b‐poly(VDF‐co‐HFP) block copolymers exhibited good thermostability. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 160–171, 2003     

Synthesis and characterization of a new fluorinated polyether glycol prepared by radical grafting of hexafluoropropylene onto polytetramethylene glycol

A new fluorinated polyether glycol (PTMG-g-HFP) was prepared by radical grafting of hexafluoropropylene (HFP) onto polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) in the presence of different initiators. The structure of PTMG-g-HFP was characterized by means of IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. The effects of nature and amount of initiator, reaction time and reaction temperature on grafting HFP onto PTMG were investigated. The results showed di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) was the most efficient in the reaction and the optimal reaction conditions were: [DTBP]₀/[PTMG]₀, 0.12; reaction temperature, 140 °C; reaction time, 6 h.     

Preferential sputtering observed in Auger electron spectroscopy sputter depth profiling of AlAs/GaAs superlattice using low‐energy ions

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) sputter depth profiling of an ISO reference material of the GaAs/AlAs superlattice was investigated using low‐energy Ar⁺ ions. Although a high depth resolution of ～1.0 nm was obtained at the GaAs/AlAs interface under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation, deterioration of the depth resolution was observed at the AlAs/GaAs interface. The Auger peak profile revealed that the enrichment of Al due to preferential sputtering occurred during sputter etching of the AlAs layer only under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation. In addition, a significant difference in the etching rates between the AlAs and GaAs layers was observed for low‐energy ion irradiation. Deterioration of the depth resolution under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation is attributed to the preferential sputtering and the difference in the etching rate. The present results suggest that the effects induced by the preferential sputtering and the significant difference in the etching rate should be taken into account to optimize ion etching conditions using the GaAs/AlAs reference material under low‐energy ion irradiation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radical solution copolymerisation of vinylidene fluoride with hexafluoropropene

The radical copolymerisation in solution of vinylidene fluoride (or 1,1-difluoroethylene (VDF)) with hexafluoropropylene (HFP) initiated by di-tert-butyl peroxide is presented. A series of eight copolymerisation reactions was investigated with initial [VDF]_o/[HFP]_o molar ratios ranging from 5.0/95.0 to 85.2/14.8. Both co-monomers copolymerised in this range of copolymerisation. Moreover, only VDF homopolymerised in these conditions. The copolymer compositions of these random-type copolymers were calculated by means of ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy which allowed the respective amount of each monomeric unit in the copolymer to be quantified. The Tidwell and Mortimer method led to the assessment of the reactivity ratios, r_i, of both co-monomers showing a higher incorporation of VDF in the copolymer (r_HFP = 0.12 ± 0.05 and r_VDF = 2.9 ± 0.6 at 393 K). Alfrey-Price's Q and e values of HFP were calculated to be 0.002 (from Q_VDF = 0.008) or 0.009 (from Q_VDF = 0.015) and +1.44 (versus e_VDF = 0.40) or +1.54 (versus e_VDF = 0.50), respectively, indicating that HFP is an electron-accepting monomer. The thermal properties of these fluorinated copolymers were also determined. Except for those containing a high amount of VDF, they were amorphous. Each showed one glass transition temperature (T_g) only, and from known laws of T_g, that of the homopolymer of HFP was assessed. It was compared with that obtained from the literature after extrapolation and is discussed.     

Quantification of water and plasma diagnosis for electrothermal vaporization–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry: the use of argon and argide polyatomics as probing species

The water content of the carrier flow originating from an electrothermal vaporization unit (ETV) attached to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was monitored by following the argon hydride ion (ArH⁺) at m/z=37. The goal was to measure the water expelled by the ETV at sample vaporization and evaluate the influence of this parameter on the ion-generation efficiency. Linear responses from the argon hydride were obtained when the water loading in the plasma injector flow was increased from 0 to 3.3 mg/min. Other argides and water-derived species (Ar⁺, Ar⁺₂ and O⁺₂) were also monitored simultaneously and the effects from operating parameters have been calculated for each species. The magnitude of these effects can eventually be used as diagnosis tools. It was also found that signals for zinc, copper, lead, antimony and arsenic were greatly influenced by slight variations in water loading at low water levels. These signal fluctuations are greatly attenuated and transients' shapes restored by convoluting each element transient with the ArH⁺ or Ar⁺₂ curves that were recorded simultaneously. Envisioned applications that would benefit from a water-enhanced signal include spray electrothermal vaporization, direct sample insertion and laser ablation for inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The argon dimer Ar⁺₂ seems more appropriate for making the correction since it provides a direct insight on the plasma temperature and provides a robust signal.     

Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated telomers containing vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropene from 1,6‐diiodoperfluorohexane

The synthesis of original fluorinated (co)telomers containing vinylidene fluoride (VDF) or VDF and hexafluoropropene (HFP) was achieved by radical telomerizations and (co)telomerizations of VDF (or VDF and HFP) in the presence of 1, 6‐diiodoperfluorohexane via a semisuspension process. tert‐Butyl peroxypivalate (TBPPi) was used as an efficient thermal initiator. The numbers of VDF and VDF/HFP base units in the (co)telomers were determined by ¹⁹F and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. They ranged from 10 to 190 VDF base units. Fluorinated telomers of various molecular weights (1200–12,600 g/mol) were obtained by the alteration of the initial [1,6‐diiodoperfluorohexane]₀/[fluoroalkenes]₀ and [TBPPi]₀/[fluoroalkenes]₀ molar ratios. The thermal properties of these fluorinated (co)telomers, such as the glass‐transition temperature and melting temperature, were examined. As expected, these telomers exhibited good thermal stability. They were stable at least up to 350 °C. The compounds containing more than 30 VDF units were crystalline, whereas all those containing VDF‐co‐HFP were amorphous with elastomeric properties, whatever the number was of the fluorinated base units. The structures of I–(VDF)_n–R_F–(VDF)_m–I and I–(HFP)_x(VDF)_n–R_F–(VDF)_m(HFP)_y–I (co)telomers were obtained, and the defects of the VDF chain and the ? CH₂CF₂I and ? CF₂CH₂I functionalities were studied successfully (where R_F = C₆F₁₂). The functionality in the iodine atoms was modified: the higher the VDF content in the telomers, the lower the normal end functionality (? CH₂CF₂I) and the higher the reversed extremity (? CF₂CH₂I). In addition, the percentage of defects increased when the number of VDF units increased. The molecular weights and molecular weight distributions of different telomers and cotelomers were also studied. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1470–1485, 2006     

Comprehensive Characterization of Chain End Groups of Vinylidene Fluoride Based Polymers

Summary: In this work an investigation of the chain end groups produced in the free radical copolymerization of vinilydene fluoride (VDF) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) is performed. Type and amount of chain end groups are evaluated by a meticulous analytical characterization of VDF/HFP copolymer. At first pulsed gradient spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (spin-echo NMR) is used to identify all the chain end groups also at very low concentration (equal to 0.1 mmol · Kg⁻¹). The instrument sensitivity is increased of an order of magnitude in comparison with the traditional NMR. Moreover potentiometric titration and ion chromatography (IC) are also used to study the chain end groups and, as a consequence, the nature and the amount of the acidity showed by the polymer chains. In details two intensity of acidity are detected by potentiometric titration, namely strong and weak. The strong acidity is associated to the presence of residual surfactant and can be removed washing the polymer, while the weak acidity is due to free molecules of fluoride acid (HF). The standard ion chromatography facility is properly modified to quantify the fluoride in the polymer matrix without any pre extraction in water. Thanks to this the HF concentration in the polymer is evaluated with high accuracy. A detailed kinetic scheme for the VDF/HFP polymerization is also proposed taking into account all the findings obtained studying the chain end groups.     

Synthesis and characterization of original alternated fluorinated copolymers bearing glycidyl carbonate side groups

A vinyl ether bearing a carbonate side group (2‐oxo‐1,3‐dioxolan‐4‐yl‐methyl vinyl ether, GCVE) was synthesized and copolymerized with various commercially available fluoroolefins [chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE)] by radical copolymerization initiated by tert‐butyl peroxypivalate. Although HFP, PMVE, and vinyl ether do not homopolymerize under radical conditions, they copolymerized easily yielding alternating poly(GCVE‐alt‐F‐alkene) copolymers. These alternating structures were confirmed by elemental analysis as well as ¹H, ¹⁹F, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. All copolymers were obtained in good yield (73–85%), with molecular weights ranging from 3900 to 4600 g mol^?1 and polydispersities below 2.0. Their thermogravimetric analyses under air showed decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss (T_d,10%) in the 284–330°C range. The HFP‐based copolymer exhibited a better thermal stability than those based on CTFE and PMVE. The glass transition temperatures were in the 15–65°C range. These original copolymers may find potential interest as polymer electrolytes in lithium ions batteries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Electronic and atomic Collisions,proceedings of the XIth international conference on the physics of electronic and atomic collisions : Kyoto, 29 August–4 September 1979, edited by N. Oda and K. Takayanagi,North-Holland,Amsterdam, 1980, pp. xii + 844, price Dfl. 225

The dependence of volume fractions (%V) on the square of the refractive index (n²) has been determined for a series of intermolecular hydrogen-bonded systems. An additive linear relationship between %V and n² is obtained for weakly hydrogen-bonded solutions of acetone and methanol while mixtures of acetone/water and methanol/water give a parabolic shape for the refractive-index diagrams. Surprisingly, a quasi-linearity (but with singular and turning points not apparent on the refractive-index curves) is found for strongly hydrogen-bonded cases such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol(TFE)/water, TFE/acetone, TFE/methanol, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFP)/water, HFP/acetone and HPP/methanol. This unexpected observation is explained in terms of the coexistence of various stable hydrogen-bonded species corresponding to different geometrical isomers and polymer complexes in the mixtures. The proposed explanation is confirmed by MENDO/3 molecular orbital calculations.     

Photoreactions of aromatic compounds—XXXV: Nucleophilic photosubstitution of methoxy substituted aromatic compounds. Monophotonic ionization of the triplet

Methoxy groups exert an activating and ortho/para directing influence in light induced nucleophilic substitution reactions (cyanation, hydroxylation, etc) of aromatic compounds in aqueous media. The first chemical step in these processes is monophotonic ionization of the aromatic compound in its lowest triplet state, followed by reaction of the radical cation with the nucleophile Quantum yields of photocyanation of 4-fluoro- and 4-chloroanisole indicate that in 99% (mole fraction) water virtually all triplets formed undergo electron ejection.This hypothesis is in agreement with the results of charge density calculations for the radical cations. It is directly supported by the similarity of the product composition of these photochemical substitutions with that of anodic substitutions, where the intermediacy of an aromatic cation is generally accepted. The presence of an oxidizing agent (oxygen, or persulphate) is required only when a hydrogen is replaced. The nucleophilic photosubstitution at electron rich aromatic systems in solvents as water can therefore be classified as an S_r⁺n¹(³Ar^*) process.     

Synthesis of functional polymers—Vinylidene fluoride based fluorinated copolymers and terpolymers bearing bromoaromatic side‐group

The radical co‐ and terpolymerization of 4‐[(α,β,β‐trifluorovinyl)oxy]bromo benzene (TFVOBB) with 1,1‐difluoroethylene (or vinylidene fluoride, VDF, or VF₂), hexafluoropropene (HFP), perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE), and chlorotrifluroroethylene (CTFE) is presented. Although TFVOBB could be thermocyclodimerized, it could not homopolymerize under radical initiation. TFVOBB could be copolymerized in solution under a radical initiator with VDF or CTFE comonomers, while its copolymerization with HFP or PMVE were unsuccessful. The terpolymerization of TFVOBB with VDF and HFP, or VDF and PMVE, or VDF and CTFE also led to original fluorinated terpolymers bearing bromoaromatic side‐groups. The conditions of co‐ and terpolymerization were optimized in terms of the nature of the radical initiators, and of the nature of solvents (fluorinated or nonhalogenated). Various monomer concentrations in the co‐ and terpolymers were assessed by ¹⁹F and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. The thermal and physico chemical properties were also studied. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5077–5097, 2004