Transferring Lithium Ions in Nanochannels: A PEO/Li+ Solid Polymer Electrolyte Design

A new category of crystalline polymer electrolyte prepared by the supramolecular self‐assembly of polyethylene oxide (PEO), α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD), and LiAsF₆ is reported. The polymer electrolyte consists of the nanochannels formed by α‐CDs in which the PEO/Li⁺ complexes are confined. The nanochannels formed by α‐CD provide the pathway for the directional motion of Li⁺ ions and at the same time prevent the access of the anions by size exclusion, resulting in good separation of the Li⁺ ions and the anions. The conductivity of the reported material is 30 times higher than that of the comparable PEO/Li⁺ complex crystal at room temperature. By using state‐of‐art solid‐state NMR spectroscopy, the structure and dynamics of the material were investigated in detail. The dynamics of the Li⁺ ions was studied and correlated to the ionic conductivity of the material.     

First-principles molecular dynamics evaluation of thermal effects on the NMR (1)J(Li,C) spin-spin coupling

Car-Parrinello (CP) molecular dynamics were applied to sample conformations of various models of organolithium aggregates which are chosen to estimate (1)J(Li,C) NMR coupling constants. The results show that the deviations from the values computed using static (optimized) geometries are small provided no large-amplitude motions occur within the timescale of the simulations. In the case of the vinyllithium dimer, for which rotation of the vinyl chain is observed, this approach allows analysis of the various contributions to the experimentally measured constants. For the trisolvated methyllithium monomer, partial decoordination of solvating dimethyl ether is observed and results in a significant shift of (1)J(Li,C). All these results highlight that a varied physicochemical machinery is hidden behind general empirical formulas, such as the Bauer-Winchester-Schleyer rule used experimentally.     

Local and Collective Motions in Precise Polyolefins with Alkyl Branches: A Combination of 2H and 13C Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy

Branching out : The mobility of linear polymers changes upon branching, which has a pronounced effect on processability and drawability. Regularly branched model polyolefins were studied by advanced solid‐state NMR spectroscopy, and twist defects around the branches in the crystalline regions are identified. For lower branch content, the twisting motions are decoupled; for higher content, collective motion is found (see picture).

     

On the influence of charged side chains on the folding-unfolding equilibrium of beta-peptides: a molecular dynamics simulation study

The influence of charged side chains on the folding-unfolding equilibrium of beta-peptides was investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Four different peptides containing only negatively charged side chains, positively charged side chains, both types of charged side chains (with the ability to form stabilizing salt bridges) or no charged side chains were studied under various conditions (different simulation temperatures, starting structures and solvent environment). The NMR solution structure in methanol of one of the peptides (A) has already been published; the synthesis and NMR analysis of another peptide (B) is described here. The other peptides (C and D) studied herein have hitherto not been synthesized. All four peptides A-D are expected to adopt a left-handed 3(14)-helix in solution as well as in the simulations. The resulting ensembles of structures were analyzed in terms of conformational space sampled by the peptides, folding behavior, structural properties such as hydrogen bonding, side chain-side chain and side chain-backbone interactions and in terms of the level of agreement with the NMR data available for two of the peptides. It was found that the presence of charged side chains significantly slows down the folding process in methanol solution due to the stabilization of intermediate conformers with side chain-backbone interactions. In water, where the solvent competes with the solute-solute polar interactions, the folding process to the 3(14)-helix is faster in the simulations.     

A 13C NMR study of the effect of γ-irradiation on the chain dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide)

A comparison of solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of virgin and vacuum γ-irradiated poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) evidences marked differences. The unirradiated PEO shows a well-resolved amorphous resonance and a weak, broad envelope of crystalline resonances, while the irradiated PEO presents well-resolved resonances for both the crystalline and amorphous carbons. Upon recrystallization from the melt both PEO samples yield solid-state ¹³C NMR spectra that are closely similar to that of the virgin, unheated sample. Observation of both melt-recrystallized samples at ?60°C yields similar spectra with well-resolved crystalline resonances. Crosslinking is the predominant chemical change occurring during the γ-irradiation of PEO under vacuum and produces a change in the motional character of the crystalline phase. This change is not the result of a reduction in crystallinity as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) observations. The most probable explanation is that the crosslinks are concentrated at the surface of the crystalline lamellae with a resultant change in the low frequency molecular motions of the crystalline chains. This motional change shifts the T_1p^H such that the crystalline carbon nuclei can now be cross-polarized at room temperature and the resonance linewidth is reduced. Following melting and recrystallization the motional characteristics of the irradiated PEO are nearly identical to those of the unirradiated sample, probably as a result of a redistribution of the crosslinks throughout the amorphous phase during recrystallization.     

Evaluation of microstructural features of a new polymeric organic stationary phase grafted on silica surface: A paradigm of characterization of HPLC-stationary phases by a combination of suspension-state H NMR and solid-state C-CP/MAS-NMR

Silica-supported poly(octadecylacrylate) (Sil-ODA_n), polymeric octadecylsilyl silica (polymeric ODS), and monomeric octadecylsilyl silica (monomeric ODS) were studied by a combination of suspension-state ¹H NMR and solid-state ¹³C CP/MAS-NMR to probe the mechanisms underlying their functions as stationary phases for RP-HPLC. Sil-ODA_n, with a strong temperature dependent separation behaviour showed correspondent temperature dependent manifestations in both suspension-state ¹H NMR and solid-state ¹³C CP/MAS-NMR experiments. With a gradual increase in temperature, intensity of proton signals (¹H NMR) of octadecyl moieties (mainly methylene groups) rose dramatically. This dramatic rise was at the same temperature of an endothermic peak detectable in its DSC thermogram indicating a relatively complete solid to liquid phase transition. In addition temperature dependencies of the ratio of trans to gauche conformed well to temperature dependencies of the separation factor between naphthacene and triphenylene (as a simple indicator of shape selectivity). Therefore NMR spectra of Sil-ODA_n were used as a reference for ascertaining percentage of octadecyl moieties of liquid type mobility in the two other stationary phases. Using this method we determined percentage of liquid phase in polymeric ODS and monomeric ODS at various temperatures. We suggest a combination of suspension-state ¹H NMR and solid-state ¹³C CP/MAS-NMR for structure-dynamic characterization of various kinds of hydrocarbon chains grafted onto the silica particles.     

Organostannate derivatives of dicyclohexylammonium hydrogen 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate: solution/solid-state 13C,119Sn NMR and in vitro antitumour activity of bis(dicyclohexylammonium) bis(2,6-pyridinedicarboxylato)dibutylstannate,and the crystal structure of its monohydrate

Bis(dicyclohexylammonium) bis(2,6-pyridinedicarboxylato)dibutylstannate is assigned seven-fold coordination at tin on the basis of its ¹¹⁹Sn CP/MAS NMR chemical shift (δ=−424.9 ppm). The assignment has been corroborated by a crystal structure determination of its monohydrate, whose tin atom has the trans -C₂SnNO₄ pentagonal bipyramidal [Sn–C=2.040(9), 2.067(8) Å; C–Sn–C =168.9(5)°] geometry. One 2,6-pyridine- dicarboxylato group chelates to the tin atom (Sn–O=2.234(4), 2.260(4); Sn–N =2.279(5) Å) whereas the other binds through only one carboxyl –CO₂ end (Sn–O=2.416(5), 2.441(5) Å). Hydrogen bonds link the cation and the stannate into a linear chain parallel to the b -axis. The lattice water molecule is hydrogen-bonded to the free carboxyl end. The anhydrous compound showed higher in vitro antitumor activity than those of carboplatin and cisplatin when screened against breast (MCF-7, EVSAT), colonic (WiDr), ovarian (IGROV) and renal (A498) carcinoma, and melanoma (M19 MEL) cell lines. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphology and dynamics of the poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)‐b‐poly(L‐lactide) diblock copolymer and its inclusion compound with α‐cyclodextrin: A solid‐state 13C NMR study

A biodegradable diblock copolymer of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L ‐lactide) (PLLA) was synthesized and characterized. The inclusion compound (IC) of this copolymer with α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) was formed and characterized. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction showed that in the IC crystals α‐CDs were packed in the channel mode, which isolated and restricted the individual guest copolymer chains to highly extended conformation. Solid‐state ¹³C NMR techniques were used to investigate the morphology and dynamics of both the bulk and α‐CD‐IC isolated PCL‐b‐PLLA chains. The conformation of the PCL blocks isolated within the α‐CD cavities was similar to the crystalline conformation of PCL blocks in the bulk copolymer. Spin–lattice relaxation time (T₁C) measurements revealed a dramatic difference in the mobilities of the semicrystalline bulk copolymer chains and those isolated in the α‐CD‐IC channels. Carbon‐observed proton spin–lattice relaxation in the rotating frame measurements (T_1ρH) showed that the bulk copolymer was phase‐separated, while, in the IC, exchange of proton magnetization through spin‐diffusion between the isolated guest polymer chains and the host α‐CD was not complete. The two‐dimensional solid‐state heteronuclear correlation (HetCor) method was also employed to monitor proton communication in these samples. Intrablock exchange of proton magnetization was observed in both the bulk semicrystalline and IC copolymer samples at short mixing times; however, even at the longest mixing time, interblock proton communication was not observed in either sample. In spite of the physical closeness between the isolated included guest chains and the host α‐CD molecules, efficient proton spin diffusion was not observed between them in the IC. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2086–2096, 2005