Molecular-topological structure of γ-irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene

The molecular-topological structure of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has been studied in the range of ?100 to +450°C by thermomechanical spectrometry. Revealed in this temperature range is a fourblock topological structure composed of one amorphous (T _g = 16°C) and three crystalline (low-melting (T _m = 315°C), intermediate (T _m ¹ = 355°C), and high-melting (T _m ² = 388°C)) polymorphs. At a dose of 1 kGy, the long-range orientation of chains in the intermediate and high-melting crystalline blocks of PTFE is replaced by short-range orientation of the cluster association structure. At doses of 100?C500 kGy, the latter structure transitions to the amorphous state and the irradiated samples acquire a semicrystalline structure of the two-block type. The molecular-mass distribution function of interjunction chains of the pseudo-network of the amorphous block is bimodal in character and its maxima are noticeable shifted toward lower masses with an increase in the radiation dose. As the dose increases, the crystallinity decreases and the molecular mobility of amorphized chains is enhanced. As a result, both the glass transition and the molecular flow onset temperatures of the polymer are reduced.     

Molecular-topological structure of γ-irradiated ftorlon polytetrafluoroethylene

Six topological structures (an amorphous and five crystalline blocks) have been detected in a polytetrafluoroethylene film with a pseudo-network structure. During the Γ-irradiation of the polymer in air, the crystalline fractions degrade and gradually convert into amorphous and cluster states with the increasing radiation dose. After irradiation at a dose of 90 kGy, the polymer loses its capability for crystallization and forms a completely amorphous topological structure. However, regardless of dose in the range of 3–90 kGy, the topological structure of the polymer irradiated in a vacuum remains unchanged and consists of amorphous, cluster, and crystalline blocks.     

The Battle of Calicheamicin γ

The first total synthesis of calicheamicin γ was achieved approximately a year ago. In this article, the author presents a personal account of the events, in chronological order, that led to this success story in total synthesis.     

The influence of γ-rays irradiation on the structure and crystallinity of heteropoly acid doped PVA

This contribution represents the manufacturing of a hybrid organic–inorganic proton conducting compound, which involves the introduction of heteropoly acid (HPA) of different concentrations into poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). These compounds were irradiated by γ-rays at different doses of 10, 20, 30, and 40 kGy. The unirradiated and irradiated compounds were characterized by XRD and DSC. The XRD results showed that the crystallinity and d-spacing were strongly influenced by the amount of HPA and irradiation doses. The DSC results showed that the melting point was decreased as a result of HPA concentration and irradiation doses. The degree of crystallinity calculated from XRD is in good agreement with that calculated from DSC. The activation energy of the Unirradiated and irradiated compounds was calculated using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa model.     

The hierarchical structure of chemical engineering

Around the turn of the present century,scholars began to recognize chemical engineering as a com-plex system,and have been searching for a convenient point of entry for refreshing its knowledge base.From our study of the dynamic structures of dispersed particles in fluidization and the resultingmulti-scale method,we have been attempting to extend our findings to structures prevailing in othermultiphase systems as well as in the burgeoning industries producing functional materials.Chemicalengineering itself is hierarchically structured.Besides structures based on space and time,such hier-archy could be built from ChE history scaled according to science content,or from ChE operation ac-cording to the expenditure of manpower and capital investment.     

The thermodynamic properties of alkylated γ-lactones

The enthalpies of formation of γ-pentanolactone (I), γ-hexanolactone (II), and γ-nonanolactone (III) were determined by combustion calorimetry. The enthalpies of vaporization of these lactones were measured by the transfer method. Conformational analysis was performed and equilibrium structures, sets of fundamental vibrations, moments of inertia, and total energies of the stablest conformers of I, II, and III were calculated by the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), G3MP2, and CBS-QB3 methods. The experimental IR spectra and calculated vibrational frequencies were used to obtain sets of fundamental vibrations of the stablest conformations. The thermodynamic properties of I–III in the ideal gas state were determined over the temperature range 0–1500 K. Additive and quantum-chemical methods were applied to estimate the Δ_f H ^o(g) values of a number of γ-lactones. Composite quantum-chemical methods were used to obtain the energies of monomethyl γ-butyrolactones and estimate their relative stability depending on the position of the methyl substituent in the ring.     

The complex structure of γNH band contours for pyrazole vapor and its C-deuterium substituted analoguesa

Relative intensities for the additional subbands present in the γ_NHband contour observed in the F.T.-i.r. spectra of pyrazole vapor, obtained at a resolution of 0.06 cm⁻¹, have been measured at 20 and 52°C. These permit an assignment to hot transitions to be proposed for such subbands. Following this precise assignments are given for the bands observed in the 460-550 cm⁻¹ range for pyrazole vapor and its C-deuterium substituted analogues.     

Effect of γ-irradiation on the molecular-topological structure of Viton® fluoroelastomers

The molecular–topological structure of a terpolymer based on vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, and tetrafluoroethylene has been studied for the first time with the use of thermomechanical spectrometry. A five-block topologically amorphous and crystalline pseudo-network structure with crystallites, which have different initial melting temperatures, as branching points has been detected in the terpolymer at temperatures from–100 to 250°C. When γ-irradiated at a dose of 30 kGy, the crystalline blocks of high-temperature modifications assimilated into one cluster block with the formation of a pseudo-network with a 1.5fold increase in the block-average molecular weight and a decreased initial molecular flow temperature.     

The effect of γ-irradiation on laser ablation of polyketone

Results of a pioneering study of the effect of laser radiation in vacuum on the surface of a polyketone (alternating terpolymer of ethylene, propylene, and carbon monoxide, POK) plate are presented. It has been found that laser beam irradiation leads to the surface heating of the plate, its melting, and the formation of a characteristic surface microrelief, an ablation crater, from which the gas flow of the ablation plume carries away products that are deposited on surfaces outside the laser beam area to form a coating with a chemical composition close to that of the substrate POK. A rim grows from molten POK around the crater. The melting point of the crystalline modification (377 K), the molecular flow temperature (427 K), and the molecular weight of the coating (25560) are much lower than those of the initial POK (464 K, 477 K, and 159200, respectively), thereby indicating laser-induced chain degradation of POK. The preliminary γ-irradiation of POK to a dose of 100 kGy enhances its laser ablation rate.     

The chemist’s concept of molecular structure

The concept of molecular structure is fundamental to the practice and understanding of chemistry, but the meaning of this term has evolved and is still evolving. The Born–Oppenheimer separation of electronic and nuclear motions lies at the heart of most modern quantum chemical models of molecular structure. While this separation introduces a great computational and practical simplification, it is neither essential to the conceptual formulation of molecular structure nor universally valid. Going beyond the Born–Oppenheimer approximation introduces new paradigms, bringing fresh insight into the chemistry of fluxional molecules, proteins, superconductors and macroscopic dielectrics, thus opening up new avenues for exploration. But it requires that our ideas of molecular structure need to evolve beyond simple ball-and-stick-type models.

The Crystallinity of γ-Irradiated Poly(tetrafluoroethylene)

The influence of absorbed -radiation dose over the range 0–220 kGy on the heat of fusion and the crystallinity of industrial specimens of bulk PTFE and PTFE films were studied using the techniques of adiabatic and differential scanning calorimetry. The thermodynamic characteristics of transitions in the interval 287–310 K in the original and the irradiated polymer were determined. Based on the results obtained, a new crystal modification other than the one present in the unirradiated material was assumed to be formed during -irradiation.     

The three-dimensional structure of trichosanthin refined at 2.7resolution

The three-dimensional structure of trichosanthin crystallizing in space group C2 has beenrefined at 2.7 resolution from a previously reported starting model at 3 resolution based on asolvent flattened map and the revised primary structure consisting of 247 amlno-acids.The finalR-factor is 19.2% with the root mean-square deviations of 0.018 from ideal bond lengths andof 2.2° from ideal bond angles.Trichosanthin molecule is composed of two domains,the largedomain consisting of 181 amino-acld residues starting from N-terminus and the small domain con-sisting of the rest of the amino-acid residues.The molecule contains eight α-helices,five β-sheetsmade of sixteen β-strands,and some reverse turns.It is noteworthy that some of the α-helicesand β-sheets show irregular hydrogen bonding patterns.Six of the thirteen residues absolutelyconserved in eleven ribosome-inactivating proteins are located in a cleft near the interface ofthe two domains and they are likely to be active sites.Three additional conservative residueslocated in the cleft region might make some functional contribution as well.     

The structure of adducts of benzaldoxime and m-chlorobenzaldoxime dehydrodimers with styrene

The reaction of m-chlorobenzaldoxime dehydrodimer with styrene gives two 1:1 adducts.The main product 7 is a bisnitrone. The minor product 8 has been shown by X-ray diffraction anal-ysis to possess the structure: ArCH(N=O)CH_2CH (Ph)O--N=CHAr. The two C=N bonds areall in Z configuration. The structure of the adducts from benzaldoxime dehydrodimer and styrene isalso assigned.     

The molecular structure and conformation of 1,1′-dimethyl-bicyclopropyl

The molecular structure and conformation of 1,1′-dimethyl-bicyclopropyl have been studied by the gas electron diffraction method, extended by normal coordinate and molecular mechenics calculations. The experimental data are in accordance with all molecules having the gauche conformation, with a dihedral angle of 58°.