Keggin ion mediated synthesis of hydrophobized Pd nanoparticles for multifunctional catalysis

Development of simple and reliable protocols for the synthesis of organically soluble catalytically active metal nanoparticles is an important aspect of research in nanomaterials. We demonstrate herein the formation of Pd nanoparticles by reduction of aqueous Pd(NO(3))(2) by photoexcited Keggin ions (phosphotungstate anions). This results in the formation of Pd nanoparticles capped with with Keggin ions that render the particles negatively charged. The Keggin ion capped Pd nanoparticles may then be phase transferred into nonpolar organic solvents such as toluene by electrostatic complexation with cationic surfactants such as octadecylamine at the liquid-liquid interface. This results in a new class of catalyst wherein both the Pd core and Keggin ion shell may be used in a range of catalytic reactions leading to a truly multifunctional catalyst dispersible in organic solvents.     

Nucleation and growth of palladium nanoparticles stabilized by polymers and layer silicates

Palladium nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous medium via reduction by hydrazine using various polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone and polystyrene sulfonate) and the clay mineral hectorite as stabilizers. The kinetics of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation processes was studied by UV-visible spectrophotometry. The effect of the polymer and concentration of the silicate and palladium ions on particle formation rate was investigated. The size of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy. Both polymers and the silicate lamellae were found to be capable of stabilizing the particles. The rate of reduction is decreased by increasing amounts of stabilizing agents and increased by increasing concentrations of precursor ions. The kinetics of heterogeneous nucleation was determined by the adsorption of the palladium species at the clay mineral particles and the viscosity of the hectorite dispersion.     

Structures of micelles formed by synthetic alkyl glycosides with unsaturated alkyl chains

Three new alkyl glycosides with similar molecular structures (oleyl and oleoyl alkyl chains and various head groups: disaccharide, trisaccharide and disaccharide with an additional amidoethoxy spacer) were synthesized and their supramolecular structure in aqueous solution was investigated. Small angle neutron scattering, surface tension measurement and the contact preparation method were applied to get molecular structure-property relationships. Although the chemical structures differ only in small details, their CMC values, lyotropic phase behaviour, surface area per surfactant molecule in the micelle and at the liquid-air interface, and the size and shape of the micelles are very different. We have found three different types of aggregates: spherical, cylindrical and polymer-like micelles in dilute solutions.     

Gas flow in a layer of chains formed from permeable clusters of nanoparticles

The Stokes–Brinkman flow field has been calculated in a model deposit, i.e., a row of parallel chains formed from porous spherical clusters of nanoparticles and oriented perpendicularly to the gas flow direction. The force of drag to an air flow has been calculated for the row of chains taking into account their permeability and the distance to neighboring chains. The drag forces have been found for nanodendrites composing clusters with allowance for the gas slip effect. Corresponding approximation formulas have been derived. A method has been proposed for calculating the pressure drop across a highly porous deposit of clusters of aerosol nanoparticles deposited onto a filter.     

The infra-red spectra of layer silicates

The infra-red absorption bands arising from the structural hydroxyl groups of a number of dioctahedral and trioctahedral layer silicates are reported with grating resolution in the 3750–3500 cm⁻¹ region. The frequency differences and orientation behaviour of these bands are discussed in terms of the known structures of the minerals. The effect of the deviation from hexagonal symmetry shown by the tetrahedral layers of dioctahedral minerals on their vibrations is theoretically analyzed, and shown to account for some of the principal differences between the spectra of dioctahedral and trioctahedral layer silicates in the 1300 to 400 cm⁻¹ region. Comparison of the spectra of random and oriented specimens of dioctahedral layer silicates in this region permits an assignment of some of the principal absorption bands to particular vibrational modes of the crystal lattice, and reveals some surprising differences between corresponding vibrational frequencies in related structures. Effects on the spectra of Al-for-Si substitution in the lattice of both dioctahedral and trioctahedral minerals are reported. A striking effect of particle size on the appearance and position of some of the stronger absorption bands of the kaolin minerals is related to the direction of the dipole moment change associated with these vibrations. Minerals examined include pyrophyllite, beidellite, rectorite, muscovite, margarite, montmorillonite, nontronite, celadonite, lepidolite and kaolins in the dioctahedral series, and talc, hectorite, saponite, phlogopite and biotite in the trioctahedral series.     

Mesogenic aromatic esters with sulphur containing alkyl chains

A new series of aromatic esters, 1 and 2 with a sulphur atom in one of the side chains, is described. They exhibit nematic and/or smectic A/C mesophases as a function of the length of the alkyloxy chain. The presence of sulphur in the 4-position of the alkanoyloxy chain depresses both the clearing and the melting points with respect to the corresponding carbon analogues 3, resulting from the higher conformational mobility of the thiaalkyl chain. In 2, the presence of a methyl group in the 2-position of the alkanoyloxy chain induces a S_A phase below room temperature.     

Thermally stable organically modified layered silicates based on alkyl imidazolium salts

A series of imidazolium salts having various substituents and functional groups were synthesized and characterized by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. Organic modification of natural and synthetic layered silicates involving montmorillonite (MMT), laponite (lap), and synthetic mica (mica) was carried out by ion-exchange reaction. The obtained organo-clays were characterized by FTIR and powder X-ray diffraction techniques. Results indicate that these organically modified clays have much higher thermal stabilities compared to their corresponding imidazolium halides. It was also observed from TGA analysis that thermal stability does not depend on the functional group present at the 3-position of the imidazolium salts. These studies strongly supports premise that the removal of halide is necessary to improve the thermal stability of the organo-clay produced.     

Phase studies of long-chain alkanol complexes with alkylammonium layer silicates

Measurements of basal spacings ofn-tetradecylammonium-n-tetradecanol complexes of beidellite and montmorillonite in a wide range of tetradecanol concentrations have been carried out. Three different intercalate phases have been established at room temperature. In definite concentration ranges two of the phases coexist. These miscibility gaps disappear when the temperature is increased above 80°C. They appear again at cooling. This reversibility with temperature confirms the equilibrium nature of the phases observed. Additional information about the structure of the phases has been obtained by basal spacing measurements at constant temperature and alkanol concentration with all nine members of then-alkyl homologs with 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the chains. The structures of the interlayers in the different phases have been discussed.     

Ordered arrays of organometallic iridium complexes with long alkyl chains on graphite

Iridium(III) fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) fac-[Ir(ppy)3] complexes equipped with long alkyl chains were prepared to examine their capability to form organized arrays on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The molecules form lamellar arrays at the 1-phenyloctane/HOPG interface. From the analysis of the STM images, it was concluded that the molecules align with alkyl chains being interdigitated. Similar lamellar arrays were also obtained at the air/HOPG interface upon drop-casting of toluene solutions. The lamellar structure at the molecular level leads to rectangular two-dimensional crystalline domains a few hundred nanometers long (nanoslips). Infrared external reflection spectroscopy suggested that the adsorbed alkyl chains adopt the trans-zigzag conformation in the nanoslip, although the orientations of the zigzag plane of the alkyl groups are mixed. Cyclic voltammetry indicates fast electron transfer between the adsorbed molecules and the substrate and significant intermolecular electronic interactions. It was found that annealing at high temperatures is an effective method to prepare ordered assemblies more than a few micrometer scale (microslips). The orientations of the nanoslips prepared from the racemic mixture exhibited an apparent 12-fold symmetry, while its optically active enantiomer resulted in more irregular domains with a six-fold symmetry, implying an important role of chirality on packing at the molecular level and on the orientation of the domains at larger scales. When drop-cast from more concentrated solutions than a few hundreds of micromolar, multilayers were obtained, in which the alkyl chains in the molecules are more or less perpendicular to the surface. This structure can be transformed into the nanoslips upon standing.     

Structure and phase transitions of alkyl chains on mica

We use molecular dynamics as a tool to understand the structure and phase transitions [Osman, M. A.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2000, 104, 4433-4439. Osman, M. A.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2002, 106, 653-662] in alkylammonium micas. The consistent force field 91 is extended for accurate simulation of mica and related minerals. We investigate mica sheets with 12 octadecyltrimethylammonium (C(18)) ions or 12 dioctadecyldimethylammonium (2C(18)) ions, respectively, as single and layered structures at different temperatures with periodicity in the xy plane by NVT dynamics. The alkylammonium ions reside preferably above the cavities in the mica surface with an aluminum-rich boundary. The nitrogen atoms are 380-390 pm away from the superficial silicon-aluminum plane. With increasing temperature, rearrangements of C(18) ions on the mica surface are found, while 2C(18) ions remain tethered due to geometric restraints. We present basal-plane spacings in the duplicate structures, tilt angles of the alkyl chains, and gauche-trans ratios to analyze the chain conformation. Agreement with experimental data, where available, is quantitative. In C(18)-mica with less than 100% alkali-ion exchange, the disordered C(18) rods in the island structures [Hayes, W. A.; Schwartz, D. K. Langmuir 1998, 14, 5913-5917] break at 40 degrees C. At 60 degrees C, the headgroups of the C(18) alkyl chains rearrange on the mica surface, and the broken chain backbones assume a coillike structure. The C(18)-mica obtained on fast cooling of this phase is metastable due to slow reverse rearrangements of the headgroups. In 2C(18)-mica with 70-80% ion exchange, the alkali ions are interspersed between the alkyl chains, corresponding to a single phase on the surface. The observed phase transition at approximately 53 degrees C involves an increase of chain disorder (partial melting) of the 2C(18) ions without significant rearrangements on the mica surface. We propose a geometric parameter lambda for the saturation of the surface with alkyl chains, which determines the preferred self-assembly pattern, that is, islands, intermediate, or continuous. lambda allows the calculation of tilt angles in continuous layers on mica or other surfaces. The thermal decomposition seems to be a Hofmann elimination with mica as a base-template.     

The hydroxylation of alkanes and alkyl chains

A solution of 30% aqueous H₂O₂ in trifluoroacetic acid converts linear alkanes and cycloalkanes to an equilibrium mixture of secondary alcohols and their trifluoroacetates. There is no trace of further oxidation to ketones. Yields and conversions can be 70–90%, but are limited by elimination and epoxidation to form vicinal glycols. Linear alkyl chains are also hydroxylated in good yields with selectivity for introducing the alcohol group remote from electronegative substituents. The active reagent is trifluoroperoxyacetic acid, and it is effective in the presence of 4–10% water. When tertiary hydrogens are present, the oxidations are more complex.     

Electronic properties of artificial Au chains with individual Pd impurities

Artificial Au atomic chains with individual Pd impurities were assembled from single metal atoms with a scanning tunneling microscope on a NiAl(110) surface. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) revealed an electronic resonance 2.15 eV above the Fermi energy localized within 4 A of single Pd atom impurities and two electronic resonances 2.25 eV and 2.95 eV above the Fermi energy localized within 8 A of Pd dimer impurities. The emergence of these localized resonances was studied by STS at each stage of the atom-by-atom assembly. Additionally, conductance images of the chains revealed delocalized electronic density oscillations in the pure Au segments of the chains.     

Self-condensed nanoparticles of oligofluorenes with water-soluble side chains

Self-condensation of the amphiphilic fluorene trimer occurs in the solvent mixture, giving pure "green" fluorescent nanoparticles with controlled radii of 20-100 nm. The origin of the green fluorescence is attributed to the excimer emission via excitation of aggregated dimer structures in the nanoparticles rather than the keto-defects. The present study also suggests the possibility of spectral tuning of emissions from oligofluorene aggregates.     

Mass spectra of isomeric monoalkylanisoles and monoalkylphenols with straight alkyl chains

An analysis of the mass spectra of ortho, meta and para isomers of monoalkylanisoles and monoalkylphenols, the alkyls being n-amyl, n-octyl and n-undecyl, has been performed. The regularities found allow determination of the structure of such compounds by inspection of the mass spectrum only. It was shown that Hammett's equation may be used for evaluating a ration of intensities of peaks originating formally from the simple β-cleavage and that accompanied by hydrogen migration of the resulting fragment ions.     

Synthesis and UCST‐type phase behavior of polypeptide with alkyl side‐chains in alcohol or ethanol/water solvent mixtures

A series of thermoresponsive polypeptides bearing 1‐butyl, 1‐hexyl, or 1‐dodecyl side‐chains (i.e., 6a ‐ 6c ) were synthesized by copper‐mediated 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with high grafting efficiency (>95%) between side‐chain “clickable” polypeptide, namely poly(γ‐4‐(propargoxycarbonyl)benzyl‐_L‐glutamate) ( 5 ) and 1‐azidoalkanes. 5 with different degree of polymerization (DP = 48–86) were prepared from triethylamine initiated ring‐opening polymerization of γ‐4‐(propargoxycarbonyl)benzyl‐_L‐glutamic acid based N‐carboxyanhydride ( 4 ). ¹H NMR, FTIR, and GPC results revealed the successful preparation of the resulting polypeptides. 6a ‐ 6c showed reversible UCST‐type phase behaviors in methanol, ethanol, and ethanol/water solvent mixtures depending on the polymer main‐chain length, alkyl side‐chain length, weight percentage of ethanol (f_w) in the binary solvent, and so forth. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of the van der Waals interaction between the alkyl pendants of polypeptides and alkyl groups of alcoholic solvents. Variable‐temperature UV‐vis spectroscopy revealed that the UCST‐type phase transition temperature (T_pt) increased as polymer main‐chain length or concentration increased. In ethanol/water solvent mixtures, polypeptide with short alkyl pendant (i.e., 1‐butyl group) and short main‐chain length (DP = 41) showed the widest f_w range and T_pts in the range of 61.0–71.1 °C. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3425–3435     

Room-temperature Negishi cross-coupling of unactivated alkyl bromides with alkyl organozinc reagents utilizing a Pd/N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst

A high-yielding cross-coupling reaction of unactivated alkyl bromides possessing beta-hydrogens with alkylzinc halides utilizing a Pd/N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyst at room temperature is described. A variety of Pd sources, Pd2(dba)3, Pd(OAc)2, or PdBr2, with the commercially available ligand precursor 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolium chloride (IPr.HCl) successfully coupled 1-bromo-3-phenylpropane with n-butylzinc bromide in THF/NMP. An investigation of different NHC precursors showed that the bulky 2,6-diisopropylphenyl moiety was necessary to achieve high coupling yields (75-85%). The corresponding ethyl analogue was moderately active (11%). A range of unsymmetrical NHC precursors were prepared and evaluated. The ligand precursor containing one 2,6-diisopropylphenyl and one 2,6-diethylphenyl afforded the coupling product in 47% yield, clearly suggesting a direct relationship between the steric topography created by the flanking N-substituents and catalyst activity. Under optimal conditions, a number of alkyl bromides and alkylzinc halides possessing common functional groups (amide, nitrile, ester, acetal, and alkyne) were effectively coupled (61-92%). It is noteworthy that beta-substituted alkyl bromides and alkylzinc halides successfully underwent cross-coupling. Also, under these conditions alkyl chlorides were unaffected.     

Polymerization of mixtures of alkyl methacrylates or alkyl acrylates with 4-methyl-1-pentene by Ziegler-Natta catalyst

Mixtures of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 4-methyl-1-pentene (4MP)(molar ratio MMA/4MP = 3–0.1) have been subjected to polymerization by VOCl₃/Al(C₂H₅)₃. The amorphous polymeric products, extractable with boiling methanol up to 75%, consist mainly of MMA monomeric units (～80%). The composition of the product was almost independent of the starting MMA/4MP ratio. Comparison of these results with thoseof homopolymerization experiments shows that the presence of MMA drastically reduces the polymerization rate of 4MP. Moreover, 4MP is polymerized with rather low stereospecificity in the presence of MMA. Fractionation by solvent extraction of the unchanged polymeric products as well as of hydrolyzed samples seems to exclude the formation of random copolymers, suggesting to us that the polymerization of the two monomers takes place by different mechanisms. On taking into account these data and analogous data obtained with 4MP and alkyl acrylates or tert-butyl methacrylate, is it suggested that, contrary to what has previously been proposed, the MMA polymerization by Ziegler-Natta catalysts does not take place at the same centers which polymerize 4MP; moreover a coordinated anionic mechanism for MMA polymerization does not seem to be very probable.     

Place exchange reactions of alkyl thiols on gold nanoparticles

The kinetics and equilibrium position of place exchange (alkylthiol-for-alkylthiol) reactions of gold nanoparticles are reported. These reactions were monitored via a gas chromatography analysis of structurally similar incoming and outgoing alkylthiols, as a function of time. The place exchange reactions described here proceed to an equilibrium position, where Keq approximately 1. The product-time data follow Langmuir diffusion kinetics.     

A new method for the synthesis of hydrophobized,catalytically active Pt nanoparticles

A single step method for the synthesis of catalytically active, hydrophobic Pt nanoparticles by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous PtCl(6)2- ions by hexadecylaniline molecules at a liquid-liquid interface is described.