Thermal degradation studies of alkyl-imidazolium salts and their application in nanocomposites

Increasing the thermal stability of organically-modified layered silicates is one of the key points in the successful technical application of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites on the industrial scale. To circumvent the detrimental effect of the lower thermal stability of alkyl ammonium-treated montmorillonite, a series of alkyl-imidazolium molten salts were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry (TGA) and thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDMS). The effect of counter ion, alkyl chain length and structural isomerism on the thermal stability of the imidazolium salts was investigated. Alkyl-imidazolium-treated montmorillonite clays were prepared by ion exchange of the imidazolium salts with Na-montmorillonite. These organically-modified clays were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TDMS and thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR), and compared to the conventional quaternary alkyl ammonium montmorillonite. Results indicate that the counter ion has an effect on the thermal stability of the imidazolium salts, and that imidazolium salts with PF₆⁻, N(SO₂CF₃)₂⁻ and BF₄⁻ anions are thermally more stable than the halide salts. A relationship was observed between the chain length of the alkyl group and the thermo-oxidative stability; as the chain length increased from propyl, butyl, decyl, hexadecyl, octadecyl to eicosyl, the stability decreased. The results also show that the imidazolium-treated montmorillonite has greater thermal stability compared to the imidazolium halide. Analysis of the decomposition products by FTIR provides an insight about the decomposition products which are water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.     

1-烷基-4-氨基-1,2,4-三唑硝酸盐含能离子液体的蒸气压及其摩尔汽化焓的理论研究

合成了1-烷基-4-氨基-1,2,4-三唑硝酸盐含能离子液体([RATZ]NO₃),并通过核磁和红外进行了结构表征;采用Gaussian09/B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)密度泛函理论,计算了[RATZ]NO₃的离子间相互作用能及摩尔体积;在298 K-323 K温度范围内,测定了不同配比[RATZ]NO₃-EtOH混合溶液的饱和蒸气压,其中乙醇摩尔分数分别为0.984、0.996、0.999以及1.000。系统研究了[RATZ]NO₃-EtOH混合溶液的饱和蒸气压、[RATZ]NO₃的蒸气压及摩尔汽化焓与温度、离子间相互作用能以及结构之间的关系。结果表明：[RATZ]NO₃-EtOH混合溶液的饱和蒸气压随着温度的升高、离子间作用能的减小以及阳离子体积的增大而增大,其沸点比纯溶剂高,且在298 K-323 K温度范围内[RATZ]NO₃的平衡蒸气压均低于250 mPa,因此说明含能离子液体具有不挥发性,蒸气压极低,并通过理论计算得到的离子间相互作用能及体积,解释了[RATZ]NO₃的摩尔汽化焓随烷基链增长而降低的原因。     

烷基咪唑离子液体对脂肪酶催化酯水解反应活性的影响

考察了1-烷基-3-甲基咪唑类离子液体对柱状假丝酵母脂肪酶(CRL)催化橄榄油水解反应活性的影响,利用电导法确定了磷酸盐缓冲液中Br^-,Cl^-,[BF₄]^-系列咪唑离子液体的临界胶束浓度(CMC)和[PF₆]^-系列咪唑离子液体的溶解度.结果显示,离子液体的阴、阳离子对酶活性的影响规律与离子液体的Kosmotropicity性质无明显关联,但与离子液体在体系中的含量密切相关,在最适离子液体含量时,酶活性达到最高;阳离子[C_nMIM]⁺中的n越大,可促进酶活性的离子液体适宜含量越低;Br^-,[BF₄]^-系列离子液体的浓度超过CMC时则抑制酶活;阴离子对酶活性的最大促进作用顺序为Br^->Cl^->[BF₄]^->[PF₆]^-.离子液体对酶活性的影响随体系pH和温度的不同而改变,在最适离子液体浓度时的最适pH均为7.000.在pH 7.000,30 ^oC以及[C₈MIM]Br离子液体浓度为47.6 mmol/L的最佳条件下,最高相对酶活力和比活力分别达到1734%和54.4 U/mg protein.     

Electronic structural studies of pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids for electrochemical application

Electrochemical stability and noncovalent interactions escorting the cyclic ammonium-based ionic liquids composed of N-alkyl-substituted N-methyl pyrrolidinium (P_yr1R) (R = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl) cations and four anions hexafluorophosphate (PF₆), tetrafluoroborate (BF₄), bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl-imide (TFSI), and trifluoromethane sulfonate (TFO) have been analyzed using the density functional theory. Electronic structures, electrochemical window, frontier orbital energy difference (HOMO-LUMO gap), binding energies, vibrational spectra of these ion pairs were characterized. It has been established that ion pair formation is largely reigned by C H⋯F interactions between anionic fluorine for BF₄⁻ and PF₆⁻ anions and C H⋯O interactions between anionic oxygen for TFSI and TFO anions and pyrrolidinic proton, methyl, or alkyl group protons of the cations. The effect of alkyl chain length and pairing anions of the alkyl substituted N-methyl pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids on the electrochemical window was investigated. The results revealed that the HOMO energy of pairing anions is the key factor to decide the electrochemical window. Further quantification of noncovalent interactions in terms of electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions has been brought out employing a novel method with the aid of Mulliken and Merz-Singh-Kollman charges, prevailed in pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids.     

一种电荷转移晶体的磁和介电弛豫性质

在外加电场下,利用分子的旋转和取向运动是组装分子介电马达以及弛豫型分子介电体的一个主要策略。在本论文中,我们制备并表征了一个新的电荷转移晶体[C₁₀-DMPy][Ni(mnt)₂](1)(C₁₀-DMPy⁺=1-decanel-N, N-dimethylpyridinium, mnt^2-=马来二氰基二硫烯)。在一定的频率范围内,该化合物展现了介电弛豫行为,我们将此归于平衡阳离子的动力学位置取向和阴、阳离子间的电荷转移。该化合物的介电弛豫过程遵循Cole-Cole方程,偏离理想的Debye模型。单晶X-射线衍射表明该化合物的阴、阳离子分别独立堆积成柱状,柔性的有机阳离子与刚性的磁性阴离子构筑块间存在电荷协助氢键作用。此外,该化合物的磁行为展现为弱的铁磁耦合作用。     

Effects of alkyl chain length on properties of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium fluorohydrogenate ionic liquid crystals

A series of 1‐alkyl‐3‐methylimidazolium fluorohydrogenate salts (C_xMIm(FH)₂F, x=8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18) have been characterized by thermal analysis, polarized optical microscopy, IR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and anisotropic ionic conductivity measurements. Liquid crystalline mesophases with a smectic A interdigitated bilayer structure are observed from C₁₀ to C₁₈, showing a fan‐like or focal conic texture. The temperature range of the mesophase increases with the increase in the alkyl chain length (from 10.1 °C for C₁₀MIm(FH)₂F to 123.1 °C for C₁₈MIm(FH)₂F). The distance between the two layers in the smectic structure gradually increases with increasing alkyl chain length and decreases with increasing temperature. Conductivity parallel to the smectic layers is around 10 mS cm^?1 regardless of the alkyl chain length, whereas that perpendicular to the smectic layers decreases with increasing alkyl chain length because of the thicker insulating sheet with the longer alkyl chain.     

On the behaviour of the (Z)-phenylhydrazones of some 5-alkyl-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles in solution and in the gas phase: kinetic and spectrometric evidence in favour of self-assembly

Rate constants, k_A,R, for the rearrangement of the (Z)-phenylhydrazones (1a-e) of a series of 5-alkyl-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles substituted at C(5) with linear alkyl chains of different length (from C₄ up to C₁₂) into the relevant 4-acylamino-2,5-diphenyl-1,2,3-triazoles (2a-e) have been measured in dioxan/water in the base-catalyzed region (pS⁺ 10.5-12.6). For each substrate log k_A,R are linearly related to pS⁺. The significant decrease of the slopes of these straight lines (from 0.96 down to 0.78) upon increasing the length of the linear alkyl chain at C(5) and that of the reactivity (down to 14-26%) upon increasing the substrate concentration suggest a decrease of the polarity of the ‘actual’ reaction medium and provide indirect evidence of the tendency of the substrates (Z)-1a-e to self-assemble. To confirm the above outcome direct evidence of the formation of self-assemblies in solution were obtained from ¹H NMR and spectrofluorimetry measurements while ESI-MS experiments point out the presence of aggregated substrates also in the gas phase.     

Preparation and properties of highly birefringent liquid crystalline materials: styrene monomers with acetylenes,naphthyl, and isothiocyanate groups

Two new series of styrene monomers with different alkyl chain length were successfully synthesised. The chemical structures of synthetic intermediates and monomers were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Their thermal stability, transition temperatures and phase sequences were investigated by polarised light microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and one-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The birefringent and photoelectric properties, UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were also measured using Abbe refractometer and fluorescent apparatus. The results indicated that all the monomers exhibited a liquid crystalline phase at higher temperature, high birefringence values between 0.4 and 0.7, and good photoluminescence properties. Optical anisotropy of homologous molecules was reduced with the increase of alkyl chain length due to the decrease of molecular polarisation. Moreover, a significant effect of the chemical structure on the photoluminescence properties was also found and discussed according to the length of π-conjugation.     

The effect of the alkyl chain length of the tetraalkylammonium cation on CO2 electroreduction in an aprotic medium

The effect of tetraalkylammonium cation (TAA⁺) chain length on CO₂ electroreduction is investigated on an Ag electrode in a DMF solution. Linear sweep voltammetric (LSV) studies show that the onset potentials of CO₂ reduction move to increasingly negative potentials upon increasing the alkyl chain length of the tetraalkylammonium cation of the supporting electrolyte. Density functional theory (DFT) computations indicate that the onset potential of CO₂ reduction is dependent on the strength of ion pairing between TAA⁺ cation and the electrogenerated CO₂^.−. CO₂ disturbance experiments reveal that the peak current of CO₂ reduction is determined by the quantity of TAA⁺ cation adsorbed on the Ag surface.     

离子液体1-乙基-3-甲基咪唑三氟甲基磺酸盐与水之间的氢键作用

通过衰减全反射红外（ATR-IR）光谱、二维红外相关谱结合量子化学计算研究了1-乙基-3-甲基咪唑三氟甲基磺酸盐（[emim][OTf]）和水之间的氢键作用. 结果表明,在[emim][OTf]^-水体系中,当水的浓度较低时（0.1< x（D₂O）< 0.3）,水分子的主要存在形式是包裹在离子液体中的没有缔合的单体. 水分子优先填充到[emim][OTf]的空隙中,并且与[emim][OTf]的阴离子形成“[OTf]^-…HOH…[OTf]^-”结构,水分子与[emim][OTf]的阳离子的相互作用位点是烷基氢而不是芳香氢;当水分子浓度较高时,水分子倾向于自身缔合形成小团簇结构,水分子与[emim][OTf]的阳离子的相互作用位点是芳香氢而不是烷基氢.     

An EPR study of thermally and photochemically generated oxygen radicals on hydrated and dehydrated titania surfaces

The formation of a series of oxygen-centred radicals on different TiO₂ samples (P25 and two different rutile materials) under various conditions was investigated using X-band c.w. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The radicals were formed either on thermally-reduced TiO₂, or by UV irradiation of the oxide under an oxygen atmosphere. The nature and stability of the radicals was also explored as a function of surface hydration. On thermally reduced TiO₂, containing surface and bulk Ti³⁺ centres, oxygen adsorption at 300 K results in the preferential formation and stabilisation of O₂ ^- anions on the P25 surface, but O^- and O₃ ^- anions are generated on the rutile surfaces. Superoxide anions (O^-) and trapped holes (O₂ ^-) were also identified after photo-irradiation of the thoroughly dehydrated TiO₂ samples under oxygen. The O^- anions were only visible at low temperatures under continuous irradiation, while the O₂ ^- anions were stable for days at 300 K. By comparison, on fully hydrated surfaces, no stable oxygen centred radicals could be detected on P25, while O₂ ^- anions were easily observed on the rutile surfaces. On partially hydrated P25, the O^-, O₂ ^- and HO₂ anions were detected after UV irradiation at 77 K; all radicals decayed upon warming to 298 K. On partially hydrated rutile, the O^- and O₂ ^- anions were detected and, unlike the case for P25, were found to be stable for days under the same conditions. The results illustrate the varied formation and stability of the oxygen centred radicals on TiO₂ surfaces depending on the pretreatment conditions.     

Ionic Association of the Ionic Liquids [C4mim][BF4], [C4mim][PF6], and [Cnmim]Br in Molecular Solvents

Considering the ionic nature of ionic liquids (ILs), ionic association is expected to be essential in solutions of ILs and to have an important influence on their applications. Although numerous studies have been reported for the ionic association behavior of ILs in solution, quantitative results are quite scarce. Herein, the conductivities of the ILs [C_nmim]Br (n=4, 6, 8, 10, 12), [C₄mim][BF₄], and [C₄mim][PF₆] in various molecular solvents (water, methanol, 1‐propanol, 1‐pentanol, acetonitrile, and acetone) are determined at 298.15 K as a function of IL concentration. The conductance data are analyzed by the Lee–Wheaton conductivity equation in terms of the ionic association constant (K_A) and the limiting molar conductance (Λ_m⁰). Combined with the values for the Br^? anion reported in the literature, the limiting molar conductivities and the transference numbers of the cations and [BF₄]^? and [PF₆]^? anions are calculated in the molecular solvents. It is shown that the alkyl chain length of the cations and type of anion affect the ionic association constants and limiting molar conductivities of the ILs. For a given anion (Br^?), the Λ_m⁰ values decrease with increasing alkyl chain length of the cations in all the molecular solvents, whereas the K_A values of the ILs decrease in organic solvents but increase in water as the alkyl chain length of the cations increases. For the [C₄mim]⁺ cation, the limiting molar conductivities of the ILs decrease in the order Br^?>[BF₄]^?>[PF₆]^?, and their ionic association constants follow the order [BF₄]^?>[PF₆]^?>Br^? in water, acetone, and acetonitrile. Furthermore, and similar to the classical electrolytes, a linear relationship is observed between ln K_A of the ILs and the reciprocal of the dielectric constants of the molecular solvents. The ILs are solvated to a different extent by the molecular solvents, and ionic association is affected significantly by ionic solvation. This information is expected to be useful for the modulation of the IL conductance by the alkyl chain length of the cations, type of anion, and physical properties of the molecular solvents.     

Synthesis of fusible and soluble conducting polyfluorene derivatives and their characteristics

Conducting polyfluorene derivatives with alkyl chains—poly(9-alkylfluorene)s and poly-(9,9-dialkylfluorene)s—have been synthesized by chemical polymerization utilizing FeCl₃ as an oxidizing agent. The polymers obtained are found to be soluble in conventional organic solvents such as chloroform and have been characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. The results indicate that the fluorene moeities are mainly linked in the 2,7′-fashion to yield the straight chain polymer. The degree of polymerization is estimated (by gel permeation chromatography) to be of the order of 10. The polymers are found to be fusible and the thermal properties of the polymers have been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. The glass transition temperature is found to decrease with an increase of the alkyl chain length. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

n-Butane,iso-Butane and 1-Butene Adsorption on Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids Studied with Molecular Beam Techniques

The interaction of molecules, especially hydrocarbons, at the gas/ionic liquid (IL) surface plays a crucial role in supported IL catalysis. The dynamics of this process is investigated by measuring the trapping probabilities of n-butane, iso-butane and 1-butene on a set of frozen 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ILs [C_nC₁Im]X, where n=4, 8 and X⁻=Cl⁻, Br⁻, [PF₆]⁻ and [Tf₂N]⁻. The decrease of the initial trapping probability with increasing surface temperature is used to determine the desorption energy of the hydrocarbons at the IL surfaces. It increases with increasing alkyl chain length n and decreasing anion size for the ILs studied. We attribute these effects to different degrees of alkyl chain surface enrichment, while interactions between the adsorbate and the anion do not play a significant role. The adsorption energy also depends on the adsorbing molecule: It decreases in the order n-butane>1-butene>iso-butane, which can be explained by different dispersion interactions.     

Protonated primary amines induced thymine quintets studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations

As the novel magic number clusters of nucleobases, the thymine quintets induced by ammonium ion (NH₄⁺), and particularly by its derivatives such as protonated alkyl amines and protonated aryl amines, have been studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The DFT‐optimized geometry of NH₄⁺ induced thymine quintet ([T₅ + NH₄]⁺) reveals some new features including three additional hydrogen bonds between NH₄⁺ and its surrounding thymine molecules when compared with that of the alkali metal ions induced thymine quintets. In addition, the fourth hydrogen atom of NH₄⁺ is sticking out the assembly, and, thus, it might be replaced by an organic group R to form the protonated primary amine induced thymine quintet ([T₅ + R ? NH₃]⁺), a hypothesis that has been confirmed by both DFT calculations and ESI‐MS experiments. Furthermore, the relative abilities of the different protonated primary amines for inducing the thymine quintets are investigated by ESI‐MS competition experiments, and the results have shown a clear trend of stronger ability as the alkyl chain gets longer or as the aryl ring gets larger for the alkyl amines or the aryl amines. Two basic influence factors are consequently identified: one is the ability of the alkyl amine to accept proton, another is the π–π stacking interaction between the aryl ring and the π‐surface of the thymine molecule(s), whose explanations are strongly supported by multiple types of thermochemical data, various control experiments and DFT calculations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of alkyl chain length of alpha olefin sulfonates on surface and interfacial properties

Alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS) with various alkyl chain lengths have been used to investigate the influence of alkyl chain length on the interfacial properties at air–water, liquid paraffin–water, and parafilm–water interfaces. It was found that the critical micelle concentration decreased with increasing alkyl chain length, while the efficiency of reducing surface tension was inverse relationship with alkyl chain length. The diffusion coefficient obviously reduced with an increase of surfactant concentration and alkyl chain length. The C_14-16AOS shows better wettability and emulsification than C_16-18AOS and C_20-24AOS. For foaming properties, the foamability and foam stability dramatically decreased with increasing alkyl chain length.     

Role of C2 methylation and anion type on the physicochemical and thermal properties of imidazolium-based ionic liquids

This study focused on the effects of methylation and different anions (Br^? and Cl^?) on the physicochemical and thermal properties of [C₁₆MIM]X and [C₁₆MMIM]X, belonging to the imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL) family. The effect of methylation on the transmittance in the fingerprint region of the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum was observed as a blue shift, and a new peak associated with the C-N stretching bond was obtained. In contrast, in the functional group region, the frequency shift was related to the change in the vibrational mode from C2-H-X to C2-methyl-X. In general, methylation resulted in an increase in decomposition temperature, an increase in melting temperature, and a decrease in melting enthalpy, leading to a reduction in entropy. The trends observed for the decomposition temperature, melting temperature, and melting enthalpy with different anions depended on the strength of the Brønsted acids and hydrogen bonds of the Br^? and Cl^? based anions. The thermal conductivity of the methylated ILs increased with an increase in temperature. In contrast, for the non-methylated (protonated) ILs, the thermal conductivity of [C₁₆MIM]Br decreased with an increase in temperature, while the opposite trend was observed for [C₁₆MIM]Cl. The data were compared with those of the short alkyl chain and weakly coordinating anion of NTf₂. The analysis was performed considering different phases, the prominent role and different behaviour in the hydrogen bonding at the C2 position of the imidazolium ring upon methylation, and the significant change in viscosity, which can influence the IL structure.     

Poly-α-n-alkyl Acrylic Derivatives: Synthesis,Influence of Molecuur Weight and n-Alkyl Group Length on Physical and Physicochemical Properties

Abstract

A series of α-n-alkyl acrylic acid monomers was synthesized and homopolymerized by a radical route. Methylation of polyacids using diazomethane led to the corresponding methyl esters and allowed physicochemical analysis. The thermal stability of polyacids and polymethyl esters is insensitive to the nature of the alkyl group and to the molecular weight. The glass transition temperature, T _g, classically decreases with increases in alkyl group length such as alkyl polymethacrylates. Molecular weight has a drastic influence on T _g for short alkyl groups.     

Dicarboxylic Acid Separation by Dynamic and Size‐Matched Recognition in Solution and in the Solid State

Bis(trimethylammonium) alkane diiodides dynamically encapsulate dicarboxylic acids through intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the I^? anions of the hosts and the carboxylic OH groups of the guests. A selective recognition is realized when the size of the I^????HOOC(CH₂/CF₂)_nCOOH???I^? superanion matches the dication alkyl chain length. Dynamic recognition is also demonstrated in solution, where the presence of the size‐matching organic salt boosts the acid solubility profile, thus allowing efficient mixture separation.     

Head-to-head and head-to-tail multilayer n-alkylsilsesquioxane films

Two lamellar organosilica films made up of stacks of head-to-head and head-to-tail alkyl bilayers were synthesized by a UV-driven polymerization of n-C₁₈H₃₇SiCl₃ and n-C₁₈H₃₇Si(OCH₃)₃, respectively. In addition to thermogravimetry and small-angle X-ray scattering, the characterization of these multilayer systems was focused on a variety of multinuclear solid-state NMR methods (¹H, ²⁹Si, ¹³C, 2D WISE). The chemical structure of the siloxane interlayer, the alkyl chain conformation and thermal stability were systematically investigated and compared. Through its marked sensitivity to molecular motion, solid-state NMR was used to investigate the effect of interdigitation on alkyl chain dynamics.