Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of [2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate and its derivatives

A new type of methacrylate monomer, [2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate (APEMA), was synthesized. The oxime, 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazone, and thiosemicarbazone derivatives of poly{[2‐oxo‐2‐(4‐acetyl) phenyl amino] ethylene methacrylate} [poly(APEMA)] were prepared with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine, and thiosemicarbazone hydrochloride, respectively. The radical homopolymerization of APEMA was performed at 65 °C in a 1,4‐dioxane solution with benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The monomer and its homopolymer were characterized with Fourier transform infrared and NMR techniques. The thermal stabilities of poly(APEMA) and its derivatives were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The ultraviolet stability of the polymers were compared. The solubility and inherent viscosity of the polymers were also determined. The number‐average and weight‐average molecular weights and polydispersity index of the polymers were determined with gel permeation chromatography. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of the monomer and the polymer and its derivatives were also investigated on various bacteria and fungi. The activation energies of the thermal degradation of the polymers were calculated with the Ozawa method. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3157–3169, 2004     

Feasibility Exploration of Laser‐based Techniques for Characterization of a Flashing Jet

Two‐phase flows hold an interest in many areas of science and engineering. In the safety field, one such topic is the accidental release of flammable and toxic pressure‐liquefied gases. In case of such a release, a flashing vapor explosion takes place resulting in a very dense two‐phase cloud. If the released substance is flammable, this cloud can be combustible and can lead to deflagration or detonation. For understanding the source processes of flashing and risk assessment, data related to cloud characteristics (i.e. droplet size, velocity etc.) is needed especially in the near region of the release. Due to the non‐equilibrium nature of the near field regions accurate data measurement is not possible with intrusive techniques. Therefore, laser‐based optical techniques (like Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Particle Tracking Velocimetry and Sizing (PTVS), Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) etc.) present the only possibility to obtain information for particle diameter and velocity evolution in this harsh environment.     

Non-gravitating scalars and spacetime compactification

We discuss role of partially gravitating scalar fields, scalar fields whose energy–momentum tensors vanish for a subset of dimensions, in dynamical compactification of a given set of dimensions. We show that the resulting spacetime exhibits a factorizable geometry consisting of usual four-dimensional spacetime with full Poincaré invariance times a manifold of extra dimensions whose size and shape are determined by the scalar field dynamics. Depending on the strength of its coupling to the curvature scalar, the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the scalar field may or may not vanish. When its VEV is zero the higher-dimensional spacetime is completely flat and there is no compactification effect at all. On the other hand, when its VEV is nonzero the extra dimensions get spontaneously compactified. The compactification process is such that a bulk cosmological constant is utilized for curving the extra dimensions.     

Novel Enantioselective Synthesis of Both Enantiomers of Furan‐2‐yl Amines and Amino Acids

A new enantioselective synthesis of furan‐2‐yl amines and amino acids is described, in which the key step is the oxazaborolidine‐catalyzed enantioselective reduction of O‐benzyl (E)‐ and (Z)‐furan‐2‐yl ketone oximes to the corresponding chiral amines. The chirality of the furan‐2‐yl amines is fully controlled by the appropriate choice of the geometrical isomer of the O‐benzyl oxime. Oxidation of the furan ring furnished amino acids in high yields.     

Analytical TEM examinations of CoPt-TiO2 perpendicular magnetic recording media.

For this analytical TEM study, nonmagnetic oxygen-rich boundaries were introduced into Co-Pt-alloy perpendicular recording media by cosputtering Co and Pt with TiO2. Increasing the TiO2 content resulted in changes to the microstructure and elemental distribution within grains and boundaries in these films. EFTEM imaging was used to generate composition maps spanning many tens of grains, thereby giving an overall depiction of the changes in elemental distribution occurring with increasing TiO2 content. Comparing EFTEM with spectrum-imaging maps created by high-resolution STEM with EDXS and EELS enabled both corroboration of EFTEM results and quantification of the chemical composition within individual grain boundary areas. The difficulty of interpreting data from EDXS for these extremely thin films is discussed. Increasing the TiO2 content of the media was found to create more uniformly wide Ti- and O-rich grain boundaries as well as Ti- and O-rich regions within grains.     

Charge transfer efficiency in hybrid bulk heterojunction composites

On the basis of recently published electrochemical measurements, the charge transfer efficiency within CdSe nanocrystal/conducting polymer heterojunction composites was investigated by means of luminescence interaction strength. It was found that poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] and poly-9-vinylcarbazole luminescence was not totally quenched by nanocrystals, whereas poly-3-octylthiophene and polyvinylpyrrolidone was completely quenched. In case of poly-3-hexylthiophene, the nanocrystal luminescence was quenched. The results are in complete agreement with the electrochemical findings and thus, the CdSe nanocrystal/Polyvinylpyrrolidone composite should be a promising material for electroluminescent devices.     

Selective one-pot synthesis of substituted pyrrole-3-phosphonates from α-cyanomethyl-β-ketoesters

A one-step synthesis of 5-alkoxypyrrole-3-phosphonates is presented starting from suitable α-cyanomethyl-β-ketophosphonates. The key step in the synthesis involves a one-pot addition and heteroannulation sequence. The zinc perchlorate-catalyzed addition of alcohols to the nitrile carbon of α-cyanomethyl-β-ketophosphonates followed by annulation furnished 5-alkoxypyrrole-3-phosphonates. The addition-annulation process is carried out in the presence of water and 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-pyrrole-3-phosphonates (pyrrolinones) are obtained in good yields.     

Synthesis, spectral and thermal properties of homo- and copolymers of 2-[(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)amino]-2-oxo-ethyl methacrylate with styrene and methyl methacrylate and determination of monomer reactivity ratios

The methacrylate monomer, 2-[(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)amino]-2-oxo-ethyl methacrylate (IAOEMA), was synthesized by reacting 2-chloro-N-(5-methylisoxazol)acetamide dissolved in acetonitrile with sodium methacrylate in the presence of triethylbenzylammoniumchloride (TEBAC). The free-radical-initiated copolymerization of IAOEMA, with styrene (ST) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) solution at 65 °C using 2,2^′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator with different monomer-to-monomer ratios in the feed. The monomer (IAOEMA) and copolymers were characterized by FTIR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectral studies. The copolymer composition was evaluated by nitrogen content in polymers led to the determination of reactivity ratios. The reactivity ratios of the monomers were determined by the application of Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tüdös methods. The analysis of reactivity ratios revealed that ST and MMA are more reactive than IAOEMA, and copolymers formed are statisticalle in nature. The molecular weights (M_w and M_n) and polydispersity index of the polymers were determined using gel permeation chromagtography. Glass transition temperatures of the copolymers were found to increase with an increase in the mole fraction of IAOEMA in the copolymers. The apparent thermal decomposition activation energies (E_d) were calculated by Ozawa method using the SETARAM Labsys TGA thermobalance.     

Synthesis of a bipyridine-derived achiral thiourea trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt and its application as an additive in organocatalytic asymmetric reactions

The host–guest complex of a proline–thiourea bipyridine trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt can catalyze organocatalytic asymmetric reactions such as aldol, Michael, and Mannich in polar protic medium with high stereoselectivities. The privileged bipyridine backbone and the thiourea motif are essential to the activity and enantioselectivity through hydrogen bonding interactions.     

Study of asymmetric aldol and Mannich reactions catalyzed by proline–thiourea host–guest complexes in nonpolar solvents

A proline–thiourea host–guest complex has been described as a good catalyst for asymmetric reactions such as aldol and Mannich reactions. High stereoselectivities were obtained under optimal conditions. Thiourea was observed to have an important effect on the reactivity and selectivity, even in an unconventional nonpolar reaction medium and without the need to utilize low temperatures. This proline–thiourea host–guest system has the ability to participate in a hydrogen bonding network.