Morphology and molecular organisation of liquid-crystalline perylene-3,4,9,10-tetra-(n-hexylester) deposited on a solid substrate

Liquid-crystalline perylene-3,4,9,10-tetra-(n-hexylester) forms characteristic dendritic or flower-like structures at room temperature when it is deposited on a hydrophilic glass substrate using the zone-casting technique. It was found that such unique structures were not possible to be created simply by recrystallisation of this dye from a liquid-crystalline columnar phase. On the basis of the observations using a confocal microscope and the study of wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) as well as the analysis of the absorption and fluorescence spectra, some conclusions, concerning the molecular organisation in the dendritic structure, are drawn. Based on the research, one can assume that the dendrites are formed by columnar molecular aggregates with the column axes parallel to the substrate. Such an organisation of the molecules can be interesting from the point of view of organic electronics.     

Orientational order and dynamics of fluorescent probes in aligned lyotropic phases by fluorescence depolarization spectroscopy. Perylene in a nematic discotic phase. A comparison with 2H NMR

Abstract

The orientational order and dynamics of perylene in the nematic discotic phase (N_dII) of the potassium laurate/KCl/decanol/water system has been investigated by fluorescence depolarization (FD) spectroscopy. The order parameters of perylene-d ₁₂ in the same phase had been previously determined by ²H NMR. FD experiments were performed with the phase-modulation technique in the temperature range between 10°C and 50°C. At each temperature we could determine <P ₂> and <P ₄> for the axis of the transition moments of perylene, together with the rotational correlation time Θ_R. All these quantities assume reasonable values and show regular trends as functions of temperature. In particular, <P ₂> is in good agreement with that determined by ²H NMR.     

Synthesis and characterization of new highly soluble and thermal-stable perylene-PPV copolymers containing triphenylamine moiety

Three new copolymers containing poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) and triphenylamine (TPA) moieties carrying N-(n-butyl)-N′-ethoxy-1,6,7,12-tetra-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bisimide (PERY) pendant groups were successfully synthesized by Wittig condensation. The molar percentage of perylene pendants in copolymers was controlled by tuning the initial feed ratio of the perylene-bisaldehyde monomer. The structures and properties of three copolymers were characterized and evaluated by FT-IR, NMR, UV, FL, and photovoltaic analyses. The copolymers were highly soluble in conventional solvents such as toluene, CHCl₃, THF, DMF, etc., and they were thermally stable (?396 °C). Three copolymers have emission spectra with characteristic features of the perylene unit, however, and their luminescence are largely quenched with the increasing amount of PERY units in copolymers. The photophysical study in solution has shown that singlet-singlet energy transfers from PPV backbone to perylene in the copolymers. The photovoltaic devices ITO/PEDOT:PSS/copolymers/Ba/Al were fabricated, and the energy conversion efficiency of the device is only about 0.0005%, further indicating that an efficient energy transfer has taken place from PPV to perylene in the copolymers.     

Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Perylene‐TiO2 Nanoassemblies

The photosensitization effect of three perylene dye derivatives on titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) has been investigated. The dyes used, 1,7‐dibromoperylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetracarboxy dianhydride (1), 1,7‐dipyrrolidinylperylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetracarboxy dianhydride (2) and 1,7‐bis(4‐tert‐butylphenyloxy)perylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetracarboxy dianhydride (3) have in common bisanhydride groups that convert into TiO₂ binding groups upon hydrolysis. The different substituents on the bay position of the dyes enable tuning of their redox properties to yield significantly different driving forces for photoinduced electron transfer (P_eT). Recently developed TiO₂ NPs having a small average size and a narrow distribution (4 ± 1 nm) are used in this work to prepare the dye‐TiO₂ systems under study. Whereas successful sensitization was obtained with 1 and 2 as evidenced by steady‐state spectral shifts and transient absorption results, no evidence for the attachment of 3 to TiO₂ was observed. The comparison of the rates of P_eT (k_PeT) for 1‐ and 2‐TiO₂ systems studied in this work with those obtained for previously reported analogous systems, having TiO₂ NPs covered by a surfactant layer (Hernandez et al. [2012] J. Phys. Chem. B., 117, 4568–4581), indicates that k_PeT for the former systems is slower than that for the later. These results are interpreted in terms of the different energy values of the conduction band edge in each system.     

Crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) fractions: Crystallization isotherms

The crystallization kinetics of a range of fractions of poly(ethylene oxide) are presented and analyzed. It is concluded that deviations from the Avrami equation with exponent of 3 are mainly due to rejection of low molecular weight molecules for the low molecular weight fractions (M?_n < 6,000) and to a process of crystal perfecting for the high molecular weight fractions (M?_n > 6,000).     

Elastic constants,viscosity and dielectric properties of bent-core nematic liquid crystals doped with single-walled carbon nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are dispersed in (4’-fluoro phenyl azo) phenyl-4-yl 3-[N-(4’-n-hecyloxy 2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino]-2-methylbenzoate (6–2M-F) a bent-core nematic (BCN) liquid crystalline medium composed of bent-shaped molecules with short core, reduced bend angle possessing polar fluoro substituent in longitudinal direction and methyl group in bent direction. Such molecules are at the borderline of typical bent-core and rod-like molecules resembling hockey stick shape with intermediate properties. The elastic anisotropy is negative for 6–2M-F (bend elastic constant K₃₃ < splay elastic constant K₁₁); similar to other BCNs reported earlier with smectic-like clusters; but turns to high positive (K₃₃ > K₁₁) value by insertion of SWCNT (concentration ≥0.05 wt.%) in 6–2 M-F. The ratio of K₃₃/K₁₁ becomes comparable to the calamitic liquid crystals (LCs) in doped system. Dielectric anisotropy increases in the nanocomposite implying enhanced nematic ordering due to π–π electron interaction between CNTs and the LC molecules. Threshold voltage at first increases and then decreases with increasing CNT concentration owing to the respective variations in splay viscosity of the system. The present study demonstrated the interaction of SWCNTs with BCN molecules and reveals significant modifications in viscoelastic, dielectric and ionic properties of the host.     

Nonlinear Dependence of Bioconcentration Factors on n-Octanol-Water Partition Coefficients of Chlorinated Dibenzofurans and Dibenzo-p-Dioxins

Abstract

A nonlinear thermodynamic model is applied to the prediction of both the bioconcentration factor (K_bw) in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) and the n-octanol-water partition coefficient (K_ow) of chlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins. To this end molar liquid volumes, heats of vaporization and empirically fitted parameters of the pertinent solute and solvents are used. Calculated log K_bw and log K_ow values are obtained with correlation coefficients (r = 0.85 and 0.992) and mean deviations (< dev > = 0.19 and 0.17), which compare favourably with experimental data.

In addition the model enables an explanation of the well-known nonlinear log-log relationship between the two properties for compounds with high K_ow values on the basis of differences between the properties of biotic lipid and n-octanol. It is suggested that the breakdown of the linear relationship is caused by entropic effects related to the number of chlorine atoms in the solute molecules and to the structures of the lipid and n-octanol.     

Host proficiency of N,N′-bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)ethylenediamine for pyridine and the methylpyridine guests – a competition study

N,N′-Bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)ethylenediamine proved to be an extremely efficient host compound for pyridine and the isomeric methylpyridines. Furthermore, this host displayed selective behaviour during equimolar guest competitions, consistently favouring 3-methylpyridine in binary, ternary and quaternary experiments. Selectivity orders were 3-methylpyridine >> 4-methylpyridine > 2-methylpyridine, and 3-methylpyridine > pyridine > 4-methylpyridine > 2-methylpyridine, for equimolar ternary and quaternary solutions, respectively. When guest concentrations in binary competitions were varied, 3-methylpyridine remained the favoured guest, even at low 3-methylpyridine concentrations. Single crystal X-ray diffraction showed that all four complexes were isostructural (monoclinic, P2₁/n) while guests occupy discrete cavities in the crystal. Only 3-methylpyridine experiences (guest methyl)C–H???π(host) and (guest methyl)C–H???H–Ar(host) interactions, explaining the observed affinity of the host for this guest. DSC analyses provided further affirmation for the host preference: endotherm peak temperatures for the guest release processes correlated directly with the selectivity order for the three methylpyridine isomers.     

Angle resolved fluorescence depolarization experiments on smectic mesophases

Second and fourth rank order parameters (<P₂> and <P₄>) have been determined for some smectics from measurements of the angle-resolved fluorescence depolarization profile of a probe embedded in the systems. It is shown that the degree of order can be separated from the preferential molecular orientation when both <P₂> and <P₄> are known. The degree of order could be described by an extended mean field potential.     

A New Main Group Metal Coordination Polymer: Synthesis,Structure, and Dielectric Constant Property of [Na(C6H4N5)(H2O)2]n

The reaction of NaOH with 4‐(2H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)pyridine affords the first tetrazole‐pyridine sodium coordination polymer with chain structure, [Na(C₆H₄N₅)(H₂O)₂]_n ( 1 ). The compound could be characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The temperature dependence of dielectric permittivity remains unchanged almost within the measured temperature range of 80 K to 270 K at 1 <SC>MH</SC>z, and the frequency dependence of the permittivity showed rapidly drops from 31.5 to 4.3 within the measured frequency range of 200 to 1 MHz at room temperature.     

A Study of the Interaction Between Cucurbit[8]uril and Alkyl‐Substituted 4‐Pyrrolidinopyridinium Salts

The interaction between cucuribit[8]uril (Q[8]) and a series of 4‐pyrrolidinopyridinium salts bearing aliphatic substituents at the pyridinium nitrogen, namely 4‐(C₄H₈N)C₅H₅NRBr, where R=Et (g1), n‐butyl (g2), n‐pentyl (g3), n‐hexyl (g4), n‐octyl (g5), n‐dodecyl (g6), has been studied in aqueous solution by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, electronic absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and mass spectrometry. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction revealed the structure of the host–guest complexes for g1, g2, g3, and g5. In each case, the Q[8] contains two guest molecules in a centrosymmetric dimer. The orientation of the guest molecule changes as the alkyl chain increases in length. Interestingly, in the solid state, the inclusion complexes identified are different from those observed in solution, and furthermore, in the case of g3, Q[8] exhibits two different interactions with the guest. In solution, the length of the alkyl chain plays a significant role in determining the type of host–guest interaction present.     

peri-Naphthylenediamines

4,5,4′,5′-Tetrakis(dimethylamino)-1,1′-binaphthalene, unknown previously, was obtained in ∼20% yield by the oxidation of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene with Tl(OAc)₃ or Pb(OAc)₄ at low temperatures. Treatment of the reaction product with excess Li and then with O₂ gave, depending on the reaction temperature, perylene or 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)-1,1′-binaphthalene in good yields, instead of expected 3,4,9,10-tetrakis(dimethyl-amino)perylene. For Part 23, see Ref. 1. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 93–98, January, 1998.     

Oriented Circular Dichroism Analysis of Chiral Surface‐Anchored Metal–Organic Frameworks Grown by Liquid‐Phase Epitaxy and upon Loading with Chiral Guest Compounds

Oriented circular dichroism (OCD) is explored and successfully applied to investigate chiral surface‐anchored metal–organic frameworks (SURMOFs) based on camphoric acid (D‐ and Lcam) with the composition [Cu₂(Dcam)_2x(Lcam)_2?2x(dabco)]_n (dabco=1,4‐diazabicyclo‐[2.2.2]‐octane). The three‐dimensional chiral SURMOFs with high‐quality orientation were grown on quartz glass plates by using a layer‐by‐layer liquid‐phase epitaxy method. The growth orientation, as determined by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), could be switched between the [001] and [110] direction by using either OH‐ or COOH‐terminated substrates. These SURMOFs were characterized by using OCD, which confirmed the ratio as well as the orientation of the enantiomeric linker molecules. Theoretical computations demonstrate that the OCD band intensities of the enantiopure [Cu₂(Dcam)₂(dabco)]_n grown in different orientations are a direct result of the anisotropic nature of the chiral SURMOFs. Finally, the enantiopure [Cu₂(Dcam)₂(dabco)]_n and [Cu₂(Lcam)₂(dabco)]_n SURMOFs were loaded with the two chiral forms of ethyl lactate [(+)‐ethyl‐D ‐lactate and (?)‐ethyl‐L ‐lactate)]. An enantioselective enrichment of >60 % was observed by OCD when the chiral host scaffold was loaded from the racemic mixture.     

Influence of the remanent polarisation on the liquid crystal alignment in composite films of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) and a cyanobiphenyl-based liquid crystal

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) and nematic 4-cyano-4?-n-hexylbiphenyl (6CB) or 4-cyano-4?-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) were prepared to study the effect of the remanent polarisation of the polymer on the liquid crystal alignment. We measured the macroscopic alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in the thickness direction by means of Infrared Transition-Moment Orientational Analysis. Electrical poling at 100 V/µm caused an increased order parameter up to 0.15. After subsequent annealing above the nematic-to-isotropic phase-transition temperature, the order parameter was reduced to 0.02. Nevertheless, the order parameter was still higher than for non-poled film indicating a slight orientation in thickness direction. Both values are lower than those expected from model calculations. In agreement with dielectric measurements, we attribute this result to the shielding effect of mobile charge carriers within the liquid crystal inclusions.     

Some Aspects About Kinetics of Isothermal Degradation of Layered Hydrous Titanate Intercalated with n-Alkyldiamines

Thermogravimetric data were used to calculate the kinetics of isothermal degradation of layered tetratitanate intercalated with n-alkyldiamines H₂N(CH₂)_nNH₂ (n=2, 3, 4, 6 or 8). The hydrous matrix showed two mass loss steps from the thermogravimetric curve, corresponding to the release of physisorbed and lattice water molecules. For the intercalated matrices a third mass loss was observed due to the release of organic moiety. From these values, the amine intercalated matrices can be ordered in the following sequence of thermal stability; C4>C2>C3≅C6>C8. Kinetic studies were carried out to the release of lattice water molecules. The kinetic model that best adjusted the experimental isothermal TG data was the diffusion mechanism controlling process. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Structural study of the 1:1 clathrate of an asymmetric calix[4]arene and acetone

The crystal and molecular structure of the 1:1 clathrate of the asymmetric calix[4]arene,1, and acetone has been determined by X-ray analysis. The crystal data are: tetragonal, space groupP4/n,a=b=12.574(6),c=12.572(6) Å,V=1988(2) ų,Z=2,D _x =1.111 g cm^–3,D _m =1.108 g cm^–3. Least-squares refinement based on 1131 observed reflections withF ₀>3(F ₀) and anisotropic temperature factors led toR=0.096. In spite of the molecular asymmetric calixarene1 the crystal structure has high symmetry, because a part of the host and guest molecules are in disordered states.     

不同氟取代基对苝酰亚胺电子迁移率的影响

利用空间电荷限制电流(SCLC)法测试了二种氟代苝酰亚胺的电子迁移率, 一种是N,N'-二(五氟代苯基)-3,4,9,10-苝四羧基二酰亚胺(1), 另一种是N,N'-二(1,1-二氢十五氟代辛基)-3,4,9,10-苝四羧基二酰亚胺(2). 结果发现, 化合物2的电子迁移率要比1高1～2个数量级. UV-Vis, XRD, SEM和AFM等表征手段证明, 这一现象可以用不同的氟取代基导致不同的聚集态结构来解释: 对于化合物1而言, 苯环平面与苝环平面之间存在大的夹角, 破坏了苝酰亚胺分子的平面性, 再加上刚性的氟代苯环大的空间位阻作用, 化合物1分子无法依靠相邻苝环之间的重叠排列而结晶, 只能无序堆积形成非晶膜; 与之相反, 在化合物2分子中苝环上的端基是柔性的锯齿状氟代烷基链, 空间位阻小, 化合物2分子能通过相邻苝环之间相互接近而形成的π-π偶合作用而结晶, 因此有利于电子在苝酰亚胺分子间的跳跃传输.     

Surface Tension and the Solubility of Polymers and Biopolymers: The Role of Polar and Apolar Interfacial Free Energies

Surface tension data can be used for estimating the solubility of polymers in liquids. By determining the apolar and the polar components of the surface tension of polymers and of solvents, the attractive free energy, δG ₁₂₁, of a polymer (1) in a given solvent (2) can be established. By also taking into account the contactable surface area of two polymer molecules, immersed in a liquid, δG ₁₂₁ can be expressed in units of kT. Solubility then is favored when -1.5 kT < δG ₁₂₁ < 0 for apolar systems, and when -1.5 kT < δG ₁₂₁ for polar systems. In polar solvents, hydrogen bonding can often increase δG ₁₂₁ from <-1.5 kT to > + 1.5 kT. Positive values are frequently attained and this strongly shifts the behavior from insolubility to solubility. A number of proteins exemplify this behavior.     

Influence of the alkyl chain length of some mesogenic molecules on their Langmuir film formation ability

Langmuir films of members of two homologous series, the 4‐n‐alkyl‐4′‐cyanobiphenyls (nCB) for n = 2–14 and trans‐4‐n‐alkyl(4′‐cyanophenyl)cyclohexanes (PCHn) for n = 2–12, have been studied by recording surface pressure/area isotherms and by Brewster angle microscopy. It has been found that the compounds with very short chains (n3) and very long chains (n>12 for nCB, n>10 for PCHn) are unable to form compressible monolayers at the air–water interface. Other members of both series can form stable Langmuir films, but both their rigidity and stability as well as the molecular packing vary with the alkyl chain length. The isotherms and BAM images imply that the organization of the liquid crystal molecules in the films is to some extent correlated with their ability to form corresponding mesophase in the bulk: nematogenic compounds tend to form rounded droplet‐like domains, whereas smectogenic compounds tend to form flat domains.