Biocompatible polystyrenes containing pendant tetra(ethylene glycol) and phosphorylcholine groups

The synthesis and characterization of styrene‐based polymers and copolymers containing pendant tetra(ethylene glycol) and phosphorylcholine groups is reported. These polymers are obtained via radical polymerization reactions using α,α′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) as the initiator, and are developed as protective biocompatible coatings for implantable biosensors. Cell morphology studies show that none of the synthesized polymers and copolymers are toxic, and that the rate of cell growth can be tuned by changing the monomer composition. The presence of tetra(ethylene glycol) groups in the coatings lowers the protein adsorption, thereby influencing the rate of cell growth. An equally profound effect is observed when a low percentage of phosphorylcholine groups is present in the polymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 468–474, 2001     

Synthesis and polarized light‐induced birefringence of new polymethacrylates containing carbazolyl and azobenzene pendant groups

Low T_g copolymers of [11(N‐carbazolyl)undecylmethacrylate] and [2,5‐dimethylphenyl‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)azo]‐phenoxyalkylmethacrylate] have been synthesized and the polarized light‐induced birefringence of thick films (70 μm) has been investigated at a constant deducted temperature relative to T_g (T − T_g = 10 °C). The optical properties of these copolymers have been studied in relation to the azo‐dye content and the length of the alkyl spacer between the azo‐dye and the methacrylic backbone. They have been compared with the dispersion of (4‐methoxy‐2,5‐dimethylphenyl)‐(4‐nitrophenyl)diazene (DMNPAA) within a poly[11(N‐carbazolyl)undecyl‐methacrylate] and a poly[N‐vinylcarbazole] (PVK) matrix. The experimental curves have been fitted by biexponentials, so emphasizing the effects of the copolymer structure on the kinetics of the writing process. The photoinduced orientation is more than three orders of magnitude higher in a grafted material compared to the dispersion version. The azo‐dye concentration also has an important role in both the amplitude and the dynamics of the photo‐orientation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 205–213, 2000     

Synthesis of photoreactive calixarene derivatives containing pendant cyclic ether groups

New photoreactive calixarene derivatives containing cationically polymerizable pendant oxetane groups (calixarenes 1a , b , 2a , b , and 3a , b ) were synthesized in good yields by the substitution reaction of C‐methylcalix[4]resorcinarene (CRA), p‐methylcalix[6]arene (MCA), and p‐tert‐butylcalix[8]arene (BCA) with (3‐methyloxetan‐3‐yl)methyl 4‐toluenesulfonate and (3‐ethyloxetan‐3‐yl)methyl 4‐toluenesulfonate with potassium hydroxide as a base and tetrabutylammonium bromide as a phase‐transfer catalyst in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, respectively. Calixarene derivatives containing cationically polymerizable pendant oxirane groups (calixarenes 4 , 5 , and 6 ) were also prepared in good yields by the substitution reaction of CRA, MCA, and BCA with epibromohydrin, respectively, with cesium carbonate as a base in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone. The thermal stability of the obtained calixarene derivatives containing pendant oxetane groups or oxirane groups was examined with thermogravimetric analysis, and it was found that these calixarene derivatives had thermal stability beyond 340 °C. The photochemical reaction of calixarenes 1 , 2 , and 3 containing pendant oxetane groups was examined with certain photoacid generators in the film state. In this reaction system, calixarene 1a , composed of a CRA structure and pendant (3‐methyloxetan‐3‐yl)methyl groups, showed the highest photochemical reactivity when bis‐[4‐(diphenylsulfonio)phenyl]sulfide bis(hexafluorophosphate) was used as the catalyst. The photochemical reaction of calixarenes 4 , 5 , and 6 containing pendant oxirane groups was also examined, and it was found that the photoinitiated cationic polymerization of calixarenes 4 , 5 , and 6 proceeded smoothly under the same conditions; however, the reaction rates were lower than those of the corresponding calixarenes 1 , 2 , and 3 containing pendant oxetane groups. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1169–1179, 2001     

Well‐defined polymers containing high density of pendant viologen groups

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of a viologen‐containing methacrylate, 1‐propyl‐1′‐[2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]‐4,4′‐bipyridinium dihexafluorophosphate, is reported. To achieve good polymerization control, it was essential to use the viologen‐based monomer with a hexafluorophosphate instead of halide counterion, and 2,2′‐bipyridine as the ligand for the Cu‐based ATRP catalyst. The solubility of produced cationic polymers could be tuned by anion metathesis: the polymers with hexafluorophosphate counterions were soluble in organic solvents (e.g., acetone, DMF), and those with chloride counterions were water‐soluble. In aqueous solutions, the polymers (chloride salts) formed large aggregates, the sizes of which ranged from about 200 to about 400 nm (based on dynamic light scattering measurements) depending on the molecular weight. Upon addition of electrolytes (e.g., NaCl), the aggregates underwent dissociation. The apparent diffusion coefficients of the aggregates existing in aqueous solutions and the products of their electrolyte‐induced dissociation were measured by diffusion‐ordered NMR spectroscopy. The association–dissociation processes were also studied by fluorescence spectroscopy: the aqueous polymer solutions, which were originally fluorescent (λ _em = 402 nm at λ _ex = 350 nm), lost their fluorescence in the presence of NaCl. The addition of small amounts of the viologen‐containing polyelectrolytes to solutions of inorganic salts (NaCl) altered the crystal morphology of the salts due to interaction of the multiple charged pendant groups with small ions. In the presence of reducing agents, the pendant viologen groups were converted to viologen radical‐cations, which are prone to dimerize reversibly in aqueous solutions. Indeed, marked dimerization of viologen radical cations (with absorbance maxima at 520 and 870 nm) was observed in relatively dilute aqueous solutions (4 mg mL^?1) upon addition of reducing agents (hydrazine). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 55 , 1173–1182     

Exploring amino acid‐tethered polymethacrylates as CO2‐sensitive macromolecules: A concealed property

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)‐responsive polymers have been gaining considerable interest because of their reactions with CO₂, giving rise to gas‐switchable properties, which can easily be reversed by mild heating or purging with inert gases. Herein, the synthesis of a series of side‐chain amino acids (alanine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan) appending poly(meth)acrylates carrying primary amine (? NH₂) groups via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization method was reported. It was found that alanine, leucine, isoleucine containing polymers displayed solubility–insolubility transition behavior and their associated property changes (solution transmittance, electrical conductivity, pH, zeta potential, and hydrodynamic diameter) in water upon alternate bubbling of CO₂/N₂ at room temperature. Among the three CO₂‐sensitive polymers only leucine based macromolecule was further chain extended with a thermoresponsive motif, di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (DEGMMA), via RAFT polymerization. CO₂‐tunable lower critical solution temperature and self‐assembling behavior of the diblock copolymer was carefully examined by UV–vis, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and field emission‐scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) to establish dual thermo and gas‐tunable flip–flop micellizaion from the as‐synthesized block copolymer. Formation of polyammonium methacrylate bearing bicarbonate as counter anion is responsible for pendant primary amine containing polymer induced CO₂‐responsiveness. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2794–2803     

Synthesis of phenylquinoxaline oligomers containing pendant electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups

A series of extended 6‐substituted quinoxaline AB monomer mixtures, 2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐[4‐(4‐hydroxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐6‐substituted quinoxaline and 3‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐2‐[4‐(4‐hydroxyphenoxy)phenyl]‐6‐substituted quinoxaline, were prepared and polymerized to afford phenylquinoxaline oligomers. High‐molecular‐weight polymers could not be obtained because of the formation of cyclic oligomers. On the basis of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight analysis and molecular modeling results, the formation of a cyclic dimer could be a favorable process resulting in low‐molecular‐weight oligomers. They were completely soluble and amorphous, with glass‐transition temperatures varying from 165 to 266 °C, and they had thermooxidative stability, with samples displaying 5% weight loss temperatures of 419–511 °C in nitrogen. The thermal properties of the monomers and resultant polymers dramatically depended on the polarity of the substituents. The monomers and resultant oligomers displayed high fluorescence in tetrahydrofuran solutions and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone solutions, respectively. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6465–6479, 2005     

A facile approach to biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-based polyurethanes containing pendant amino groups

A novel biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-based polyurethanes (PCL-PEG-PU) with pendant amino groups was synthesized by direct coupling of PEG ester of NH₂-protected-(aspartic acid) (PEG-Asp-PEG diols) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) diols with hexamethylene dissocyanate (HDI) under mild reaction conditions and by subsequent deprotection of benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz) groups. GPC, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR studies confirmed the polymer structures and the complete deprotection. DSC and WXRD results indicated that the crystallinity of the copolymer was enhanced with increasing PCL diols in the copolymer. The content of amino group in the polymer could be adjusted by changing the molar ratio of PEG-Asp-PEG diols to PCL diols. Thus the results of this study provide a good way to prepare polyurethanes bearing hydrophilic PEG segments and reactive amino groups without complicated synthesis.     

Spectroscopic studies of poly(N-acyldehydroalanines) containing asymmetric nucleic acid base derivatives as pendant groups

Water-soluble polynucleotide analogs having a poly(N-acyldehydroalanine) {poly(α[–(N-acylamino)acrylate])} backbone were studied by 360-HMz ¹H-NMR, UV, and CD spectroscopies. Significant UV hypochromicity values for the polymers versus monomer model compounds as well as peak shifts in the NMR spectra implied a high degree of base stacking in these systems. The CD spectrum of poly{(-)-2-[2-(thymin-l-yl) propanoamido] propenoic acid} (p(-)TDHA), having an optically active side chain, was remarkably insensitive to the degree of neutralization of the polymer, but was very sensitive to the ionic strength of the solution. Continuous variation mixing experiments revealed no base-pairing interactions between complementary charged polymers, and weak interactions between charged and uncharged polymers and model compounds. These results suggest that the polymers are conformationally restricted in solution.     

Well‐defined thermosensitive,water‐soluble polyacrylates and polystyrenics with short pendant oligo(ethylene glycol) groups synthesized by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization

We report the synthesis and thermosensitive properties of well‐defined water‐soluble polyacrylates and polystyrenics with short pendant oligo(ethylene glycol) groups. Four monomers, methoxydi(ethylene glycol) acrylate (DEGMA), methoxytri(ethylene glycol) acrylate (TEGMA), α‐hydro‐ω‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)tris(oxyethylene) (HTEGSt), and α‐hydro‐ω‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)tetrakis(oxyethylene) (HTrEGSt), were prepared and polymerized by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization with 2,2,5‐trimethyl‐3‐(1‐phenylethoxy)‐4‐phenyl‐3‐azahexane as an initiator. Kinetics and gel permeation chromatography analysis showed that the polymerizations were controlled processes yielding polymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. All polymers could be dissolved in water, forming transparent solutions, and undergo phase transitions when the temperature was above a critical point. The thermosensitive properties were studied by turbidimetry and variable‐temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The cloud points of the polymers of DEGMA, TEGMA, HTEGSt, and HTrEGSt were around 38, 58, 13, and 64 °C, respectively. For all four polymers, the cloud point increased with decreasing concentration and increasing molecular weight in the studied molecular weight range of 5000–30,000 g/mol. The removal of the nitroxide group from the polymer chain end resulted in a higher cloud point. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2454–2467, 2006     

Zinc phyllosilicates containing amino pendant groups

Two new zinc silicate hybrids were synthesized via sol-gel process from the reaction of zinc ions with trialkoxyaminesilanes in aqueous basic medium at room temperature and at 373 K. The inorganic-organic hybrids obtained, named SILZn (x=1 or 2) are related to 3-aminopropyl- and N-propylethylenediaminetrimethoxysilane, respectively. From nitrogen content, the number of pendant moles of organic groups in the matrices SILZnx (x=1 to 2) were determined as 5.14 and 3.25 mmol g⁻¹, respectively. The thermogravimetric curves showed mass losses of 50.7% and 58.0% for the same sequence of hybrids, to give the oxides as residue. X-ray diffraction patterns gave basal distances of 2065 and 2814 pm for SILZnx (x=1, 2), with well-formed particles of irregular shapes and sizes, as a characteristic of such material obtained from sol-gel process. The infrared spectra confirmed the attachment of the organic moieties on siloxane groups on the inorganic framework.     

Thermal degradation behavior of polymethacrylates containing amine side groups

The thermal degradation behavior of polymethacrylates containing amine groups such as poly(N,N-diethyl aminoethyl methacrylate), PDEAEM, and poly(N-ethyl-m-tolyl-aminoethyl methacrylate), PMEET, has been studied using thermogravimetry coupled with infrared spectroscopy (TGA/FTIR). PDEAEM showed two degradation stages whereas PMEET displayed only one. The thermal degradation of PDEAEM initially takes place through ester cleavage of the polymethacrylate, generating volatile tertiary amines and alcohols and polymethacrylic anhydride in the remaining solid material. This is followed by further fragmentation of the modified polymeric chain formed. It was also observed that storage of the original polymer affected the thermal decomposition behavior of PDEAEM. The main thermal degradation pathway for PMEET is an immediate backbone chain scission to yield oligomers.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the formation of glycol esters: Benzoic acid–ethylene glycol system

Esterification-hydrolysis and condensation-glycolysis are the principal equilibria entailed in a system comprised of benzoic acid, ethanediol, ethanediol monobenzoate, ethanediol dibenzoate, and water. These equilibria are characterized by three interrelated equilibrium constants that pertain to the hydrolysis of both ethanediol monobenzoate and ethanediol dibenzoate and to the condensation of ethanediol monobenzoate. The rate constants related to these reactions and to the corresponding reverse reactions were all found to be functions of the concentration of carboxy groups. Antimony triacetate, a well-known transesterification catalyst, catalyzed the condensation reaction strongly but did not affect the esterification reaction. Based on a mechanism that entailed the considered three principal equilibrium reactions, a set of both the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters was obtained by a nonlinear regression procedure. With these parameters the nonlinear rate equations were integrated numerically, using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. Excellent agreement between the values thus calculated and the experimental data were obtained in all cases except when considerable concentrations of both benzoic acid and ethanediol dibenzoate were present in the system. It has been concluded that in these instances the formation of the dibenzoate is paralleled by a pyrolysis reaction that is strongly catalyzed by carboxy groups.     

Synthesis and pH‐responsive assembly of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) with pendant carboxyl groups

pH‐responsive methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) bearing pendant carboxyl groups mPEG‐b‐P(2‐CCL‐co‐6‐CCL) was synthesized based on our newly monomer benzyloxycarbonylmethly functionalized ε‐caprolactone. Their structure was confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectrum spectra. In addition, SEC results indicated that the copolymers had a relatively narrow polydispersity. WXRD and DSC demonstrated that the introduction of carboxymethyl groups had significant effect on the crystallinity of the copolymers. Furthermore, the solution behavior of mPEG‐b‐P(2‐CCL‐co‐6‐CCL) has been studied by various methods. The results indicated that mPEG‐b‐P(2‐CCL‐co‐6‐CCL) had a rich pH‐responsive behavior and the micelles could be formed by pH induction, and the mPEG‐b‐P(2‐CCL‐co‐6‐CCL) could existed as unimers, micelles or large aggregates in different pH range accordingly. The mechanism of which was supposed to depend on the counteraction between the hydrophobic interaction from PCL and the ionization of the carboxyl groups along the polymer chain. Moreover, the mPEG‐b‐P(2‐CCL‐co‐6‐CCL) copolymers displayed good biocompatibility according to the preliminary cytotoxicity study. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 188–199     

Potentiometric and viscosimetric titration of poly(N-acyldehydroalanines) containing asymmetric nucleic acid base derivatives as pendant groups

The potentiometric and viscosimetric titration curves of poly(N-acetyldehydroalanine) (PNAcDHA) were compared with those of the nucleic acid base-containing dehydroalanine backbone polymers poly{(+ ?) and (?)? [2-(thymin-1-yl]{propanoamido}propenoic acid} (PTDHA and P(?)TDHA)). The behavior of PNAcDHA was similar to polyacids such as poly(acrylic acid), but PTDHA and P(?)TDHA displayed very strong nearest neighbor interactions, since the pH curves had an additional inflection at half neutralization that was sensitive to the ionic strength of the medium and the viscosity curves showed little expansion of the polymer coil with increasing ionization. NAcDHA–TDHA copolymers were prepared which showed similar behavior. These results suggested that PTDHA and P(?)TDHA were extended and conformationally restricted in aqueous solution compared to PNAcDHA, findings that agreed with the results of spectroscopic studies of these polymers.     

Synthesis and enzymatic hydrolysis of lactic acid–depsipeptide copolymers with functionalized pendant groups

Since poly(lactic acid) is the biodegradable polyester having low immunogenicity and good biocompatibility, it is utilized as a medical material. However, poly(lactic acid) is a water-insoluble crystalline polymer having no reactive side-chain group. Thus, the use of poly(lactic acid) is limited. To modify the properties of poly(lactic acid) and to introduce the functionalized pendant groups to poly(lactic acid), we synthesized two kinds of lactic acid-depsipeptide copolymers with reactive pendant groups, namely poly[LA-(Glc-Lys)] and poly[LA-(Glc-Asp)]. This was done through ring-opening copolymerizations of L-lactide with the corresponding protected cyclodepsipeptides, cyclo[Glc-Lys(Z)] and cyclo[Glc-Asp(OBzl)], and subsequent deprotection of benzyloxycarbonyl and benzyl groups, respectively. By changing the mole fraction of the corresponding depsipeptide units, the solubility, thermal transition and degradation behavior of the modified poly(lactic acid) could be varied. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of helical polyisocyanides bearing aza‐crown ether groups as pendant

We, herein, present a novel synthesis of responsive helical poly(aryl isocyanide)s bearing aza‐crown ethers as pendant groups. Chiral aryl isocyanide monomers bearing an aza‐crown ether as a pendant were designed and synthesized, piror to polymerization using a Pd‐Pt µ‐ethynediyl complex as an initiator to give the corresponding polymers in good yield. The resulting polyisocyanides adopted a stable helical structure in solution, as confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopic analysis. In addition, the polymers were soluble in various solvents. Furthemore, the addition of suitable alkali metal ions to the crown ether of the sidechain on the helical polyisocyanide to form host‐gest complexes resulted in deformation of the helix due to electrostatic repulsion, and these phenomena depended on the size of metal cations. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 496–504.     

End group effect on the thermo‐sensitive properties of well‐defined water‐soluble polystyrenics with short pendant oligo(ethylene glycol) groups synthesized by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization

The effects of hydrophobic chain end groups on the cloud points of thermo‐sensitive water‐soluble polystyrenics were investigated. Well‐defined poly (4‐vinylbenzyl methoxytris(oxyethylene) ether) (PTEGSt) and poly(α‐hydro‐ω‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)tetrakis(oxyethylene)) (PHTrEGSt) were prepared by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization using α‐hydrido alkoxyamine initiators including two monomer‐based initiators. The polymers were reduced with (n‐Bu)₃SnH to replace the alkoxyamine end group with hydrogen. In the studied molecular weight range (M_n,GPC = 3000 to 28,000 g/mol), we found that the hydrophobic end groups decreased the cloud point by 1–20 °C depending on the molecular weight and the largest depression was observed at the lowest molar mass. The cloud points of PTEGSt and PHTrEGSt with two hydrophobic end groups, phenylethyl and alkoxyamine, exhibited a monotonic increase with the increase of molecular weight. For polymers with only one hydrophobic end group, either phenylethyl or alkoxyamine, the cloud point initially increased with the increase of molecular weight but leveled off/decreased slightly with further increasing molar mass. For polymers with essentially no end groups, the cloud point decreased with the increase of chain length, which represents the “true” molecular weight dependence of the cloud point. The observed molecular weight dependences of the cloud points of polystyrenics with hydrophobic end group(s) are believed to result from the combined end group effect and “true” molecular weight effect. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3707–3721, 2007     

Oligo(ethylene glycol) containing polymer brushes as bioselective surfaces

The nitroxide-mediated polymerization of styrenic monomers containing oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEGn) moieties was chosen for the preparation of biocompatible polymer brushes tethered to silicon oxide surfaces due to the broad range of monomer structures available and the use of a nonmetallic initiator. These surfaces were characterized by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and water contact angle measurements. The biocompatibility of these grown polymer brushes was studied and compared with deposited assemblies of surface-bound OEGn-terminated silanes with selected chain lengths. Grown polymer brushes with short OEGn side chains suppressed protein adsorption significantly more than the deposited assemblies of short OEGn chains, and this was attributed to higher surface coverage by the brushes. Cell adhesion studies confirmed that OEGn-containing polymer brushes are particularly effective in preventing nonspecific adhesion. Studies of protein adsorption and cell localization carried out with specific ligands on surfaces patterned demonstrated the potential of these surface-tethered polymer brushes for the formation of micro- and nanoscale devices.     

Lamellar zirconium phosphonates containing pendant sulphonic acid groups

The versatile sulphonic acid group has been introduced into the family of interlamellar anchored materials. Zirconium bis-3-sulphopropylphosphonate is an example of an aliphatic acid. Zirconium bis-2-(sulphophenyl)ethylphosphonate is an example with an aromatic sulphonic acid group. In general, the sulphonic acids are not as crystalline as the carboxylic acid analogs. This is probably due to the relatively large size of the sulphonic acid group compared to the available cross sectional area of the layer face. The aliphatic compounds are more crystalline than the aromatics, as is expected from size considerations. The sulphonic acid group in both crystalline and semi-crystalline examples is accessible to reaction with bases. A few preliminary experiments have demonstrated the utility of these compounds as both strong acid ion exchangers and Bronsted acid catalysts. The layered sulphonic acid—zirconium 3-sulphopropylphosphonate—is thermally stable to well over 200°C. This indicates good potential for applications in Bronsted catalysis. This stability compares favorably with organic resin based sulphonic acids.The sulphonic acid class of interlamellar anchored materials have now been established. Both aliphatic and aromatic examples have been prepared. The utility of the sulphonic acids has been demonstrated with the typical reactions of this functional group. Specifically, the acids have been shown to be strong acid cation exchangers and a Bronsted acid catalyst. In addition, we have begun to develop an insight into the structural ramifications of these compounds. The size constraints of the zirconium phosphate type backbone are evident. Further, the thermal stability of this group of compounds is encouraging relative to its applications potential.