Shrinking nanowires by kinetically controlled electrooxidation

Nanowires composed of antimony, gold, and bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) were reduced in diameter by electrooxidation in aqueous solutions. When electrooxidation was carried out using low current densities (Jox < 150 microA cm(-2)), the mean wire diameter decreased in direct proportion to the oxidation time, as expected for a kinetically controlled process. Under these conditions, the diameter uniformity of nanowires remained constant as wires were shrunk from initial diameters of more than 120 nm to less than 40 nm, for Sb and Bi2Te3, and less than 60 nm for Au. Oxidized nanowires remained continuous for more than 100 microm. Electrooxidation at higher current densities rapidly introduced breaks into these nanowires. Electrochemical wire growth and shrinking by electrooxidation were integrated into a single electrochemical experiment that allowed the final mean diameter of nanowires to be specified with a precision of 5-10 nm.     

Competing fracture in kinetically controlled transfer printing

Transfer printing by kinetically switchable adhesion to an elastomeric stamp shows promise as a powerful micromanufacturing method to pickup microstructures and microdevices from the donor substrate and to print them to the receiving substrate. This can be viewed as the competing fracture of two interfaces. This paper examines the mechanics of competing fracture in a model transfer printing system composed of three laminates: an elastic substrate, an elastic thin film, and a viscoelastic member (stamp). As the system is peeled apart, either the interface between the substrate and thin film fails or the interface between the thin film and the stamp fails. The speed-dependent nature of the film/stamp interface leads to the prediction of a critical separation velocity above which separation occurs between the film and the substrate (i.e., pickup) and below which separation occurs between the film and the stamp (i.e., printing). Experiments verify this prediction using films of gold adhered to glass, and the theoretical treatment extends to consider the competing fracture as it applies to discrete micro-objects. Temperature plays an important role in kinetically controlled transfer printing with its influences, making it advantageous to pickup printable objects at the reduced temperatures and to print them at the elevated ones.     

The kinetically controlled methylation of conjugated polycyclic ketones

Addition at very low temperature of potassium t-butoxide to a solution of an α,β-unsaturated ketone and methyl iodide in tetrahydrofuran allows methylation at the methylenic position α′, via the kinetic enolate. The reaction leads easily to the α′-gem-dimethylated product, but it has been shown, that the reaction can be stopped at the α′-monoalkylated compound.     

Cellular automata models of kinetically and thermodynamically controlled reactions

Cellular automata simulations of the competition between kinetically controlled and thermodynamically controlled products of a reaction are described. The simulations are based on a stochastic first‐order cellular automata model described previously [ 20 ] and demonstrate an alternative to the traditional approach to such problems that relies on solution of a set of coupled differential rate equations. Unlike the traditional approach, the cellular automata models are applicable to finite numbers of elements and yield statistical information on the fluctuations to be expected in such finite cases. The usual deterministic solutions appear as limiting cases involving either very large numbers of reacting ingredients or a large number of trials for smaller sets of ingredients. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 529–534, 2000     

Ordering double perovskite hydroxides by kinetically controlled aqueous hydrolysis

The precipitation of crystals with stoichiometric and ordered arrangements of distinct metal cations often requires carefully designed molecular precursors and/or sufficient activation energy in addition to the necessary mass transport. Here, we study the formation of ordered double perovskite hydroxides, MnSn(OH)(6) and CoSn(OH)(6), of the generic chemical formula, BB'(OH)(6) (no A site), using kinetic control of aqueous hydrolysis from simple metal salt solutions. We find that the precipitation yields ordered compounds only when the B ion is Mn(II) or Co(II), and not when it is any other divalent transition metal ion, or Zn(II). The key step in forming the compounds is the prevention of rapid and uncontrolled hydrolysis of Sn(IV), and this is achieved by a fluoride counteranion. The two compounds, MnSn(OH)(6) and CoSn(OH)(6), are studied by high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction and from the temperature dependence of magnetic behavior. From maximum entropy image restoration of the electron density and from Rietveld analysis, the degree of octahedral distortion and tilting and the small extent of anti-site disorder are determined. From the nonoverlapping electron density, we infer strongly ionic character of bonding. As the first magnetic study of such materials, we report simple paramagnetic behavior with no long-range magnetic order down to 2 K for the Mn(II) compound, while the cobalt compound presents uncompensated antiferromagnetic interactions, attributed to the single-ion anisotropy of octahedral Co(II).     

Yield optimization in the kinetically controlled enzymic peptide synthesis

The yield and its time-dependence in acylenzyme mechanism-based enzymic peptide synthesis are controlled by the proteinase kinetic specificity. The maximum yield is limited by a non-equilibrium constant K_max. Both K_max and the time, t_max, taken to attain the maximum yield, are directly related to the enzyme kinetic parameters. These relationships allow kinetic determination of yield optimization in kinetically controlled enzymic peptide synthesis.     

Cationic polyvinylamine binding to anionic microgels yields kinetically controlled structures

Polyvinylamine (PVAm) binding (absorption and adsorption) to carboxylated microgels gave colloidally stable, cationic microgels that can be centrifuged, washed, freeze dried, and redispersed in water with no loss in colloidal stability. Because both PVAm and the carboxylated microgels are pH sensitive, changes in microgel swelling and electrophoretic mobility in response to pH change can be positive or negative depending upon pH and the PVAm content of the microgels. For a given PVAm molecular weight, the steady-state saturated mass fraction of bound PVAm in the microgels varied by a factor of four in our experiments. We proposed that the PVAm content at saturation was controlled by the relative rates of the initial attachment of PVAm chains versus the rate of attached chain spreading on and into the microgel structure. This explanation was further supported by a series of quartz crystal microbalance measurements. Finally, PVAm binding to two types of PNIPAM microgels shows general features recently reported for other polyelectrolyte types. Specifically: (1) for surface localized anionic charges on the microgels, the mass fraction of bound PVAm increased with PVAm molecular weight and vice versa; (2) in virtually all conditions, the quantity of adsorbed cationic ammonium groups was much greater than the carboxylate content of the microgel; and (3) sodium chloride additions lowered the mass fraction of bound PVAm.     

Dual kinetically controlled native chemical ligation using a combination of sulfanylproline and sulfanylethylanilide peptide

Dual kinetically controlled native chemical ligation using a newly developed sulfanylproline-mediated reaction in combination with an N-sulfanylethylanilide peptide was successfully applied to a previously unreported sequential coupling of peptide fragments added simultaneously to the reaction.     

Quasi-chemical model of self-assembly and the formation of kinetically controlled structures

A quasi-chemical model of self-assembly among identical objects is proposed. The model rests on two main premises: (a) larger ensembles are more stable and (b) have slower rates of transformation, growth, and decomposition. These statements result from all paired interactions in the considered ensemble. This formulation of self-assembly is shown to be conducive to the formation of large ensembles with sizes distributed normally in a fairly narrow range, and with the concentrations of smaller ensembles being negligible. The existence of two critical points follows from the model. One is a critical concentration that initiates self-assembly in the system when exceeded. The other is a critical ensemble size that sets a threshold for the self-driven growth of ensembles in the system. The growth of ensembles nearly ceases at a point far from equilibrium, and the mean ensemble size and the ensemble’s size distribution are under kinetic control. Stable structures of this kind (with kinetic control of their organization) can serve as models for many natural self-organized systems.     

Transformation of a kinetically controlled nematic phase of a linear polymer into one which is thermodynamically controlled via cyclization [1]

The synthesis and characterization of cyclic main chain liquid-crystalline oligomers based on 1-(4-hydroxy-4'-biphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane (TPB) with 1,7-dibromoheptane (TPB-7(c)] are described. These oligomers were synthesized by the phase transfer catalysed polyetherification of TPB with 1,7-dibromoheptane under high dilution conditions and separated by column chromatography. Their cyclic structure was confirmed by 200 MHz ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic behaviour of TPB-7(c) was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. The cyclic dimer is only crystalline, while the cyclic trimer, tetramer and pentamer exhibit an enantiotropic nematic mesophase. The high molecular weight linear homologue TPB-7(1) exhibits a nematic mesophase which has an isotropization transition temperature located in the very close proximity of its glass transition temperature. Therefore, this nematic phase is kinetically controlled. Due to the higher rigidity of cyclics versus linear structures the cyclic trimer, tetramer and pentamer exhibit higher isotropization transition temperatures than their linear homologue. Subsequently, the kinetically controlled nematic mesophase of the linear homologue is transformed into a thermodynamically controlled phase via cyclization.     

Stereomutation and chiroptical bias in the kinetically controlled supramolecular polymerization of cyano-luminogens

The synthesis of two pairs of enantiomeric cyano-luminogens 1 and 2, in which the central chromophore is a p-phenylene or a 2,5-dithienylbenzene moiety, respectively, is described and their supramolecular polymerization under kinetic and thermodynamic control investigated. Compounds 1 and 2 form supramolecular polymers by quadruple H-bonding arrays between the amide groups and the π-stacking of the central aromatic moieties. In addition, the peripheral benzamide units are able to form intramolecularly H-bonded pseudocycles that behave as metastable monomer M* thus affording kinetically and thermodynamically controlled aggregated species AggI and AggII. The chiroptical and emissive features of compounds 1 and 2 strongly depend on the aggregation state and the nature of the central aromatic unit. Compounds 1 exhibit a bisignated dichroic response of different intensity but with similar sign for both AggI₁ and AggII₁ species, which suggests the formation of helical aggregates. In fact, these helical supramolecular polymers can be visualized by AFM imaging. Furthermore, both AggI and AggII species formed by the self-assembly of compounds 1 show CPL (circularly polarized light) activity of opposite sign depending on the aggregation state. Thienyl-derivatives 2 display dissimilar chiroptical, morphological and emissive characteristics for the corresponding kinetically and thermodynamically controlled aggregated species AggI and AggII in comparison to those registered for compounds 1. Thus, a stereomutation phenomenon is observed in the AggI₂ → AggII₂ conversion. In addition, AggI₂ is arranged into nanoparticles that evolve to helical aggregates to afford AggII₂. The dissimilar chiroptical and morphological features of AggI₂ and AggII₂ are also appreciated in the emissive properties. Thus, whilst AggI₂ experiences a clear AIE (aggregation induced emission) process and CPL activity, the thermodynamically controlled AggII₂ undergoes an ACQ (aggregation caused quenching) process in which the CPL activity is cancelled.

The emissive features of supramolecular polymers formed by cyano-luminogens depends on the nature of the central aromatic unit. Intramolecular H-bonded species influence the chiroptical properties and the resulting aggregated species can be kinetically controlled.     

Solvent-dependent, kinetically controlled stereoselective synthesis of 3- and 4-thioglycosides

Facile approaches to prepare 3- and 4-thioglycosides of the galacto, gulo, and gluco type from the parent triflates are presented. The dependencies of the solvent and the protecting group pattern, as well as the configuration of the neighboring and leaving groups, have been studied for these reactions. The results clearly show that the efficient stereoselective synthesis of methyl 3-thio-galactoside depends highly on the solvent and the nucleophile concentration.     

Self-repairing complex helical columns generated via kinetically controlled self-assembly of dendronized perylene bisimides

The dendronized perylene 3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PBI), (3,4,5)12G1-3-PBI, was recently reported to self-assemble in complex helical columns containing tetramers of PBI as basic repeat unit. These tetramers contain a pair of two molecules arranged side-by-side and another pair in the next stratum of the column turned upside-down and rotated around the column axis. Intra- and intertetramer rotation angles and stacking distances are different. At high temperature, (3,4,5)12G1-3-PBI self-assembles via a thermodynamically controlled process in a 2D hexagonal columnar phase while at low temperature in a 3D orthorhombic columnar array via a kinetically controlled process. Here, we report the synthesis and structural analysis, by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray and electron diffraction, and solid-state NMR performed at different temperatures, on the supramolecular structures generated by a library of (3,4,5)nG1-3-PBI with n = 14-4. For n = 11-8, the kinetically controlled self-assembly from low temperature changes in a thermodynamically controlled process, while the orthorhombic columnar array for n = 9 and 8 transforms from the thermodynamic product into the kinetic product. The new thermodynamic product at low temperature for n = 9, 8 is a self-repaired helical column with an intra- and intertetramer distance of 3.5 ? forming a 3D monoclinic periodic array via a kinetically controlled self-assembly process. The complex dynamic process leading to this reorganization was elucidated by solid-state NMR and X-ray diffraction. This discovery is important for the field of self-assembly and for the molecular design of supramolecular electronics and solar cell.