Preparation and properties of the biodegradable graded blend of poly(L‐lactic acid) and poly(ethylene oxide)

We prepared biodegradable poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(L ‐lactic acid) (PLLA) graded blends by the dissolution–diffusion process, and discussed the biodegradability and tensile strength of the graded blends by comparing isotropic blend and PLLA only. All the graded blends were degraded more largely than the PLLA only and isotropic blend (PEO: 37.5 wt %), which had the same content as the total content of those graded blends. The graded blend having most excellent wide compositional gradient was degraded most largely with the enzyme. Thus, graded structure of the blends promoted their biodegradabilities large. It was considered that the dissolution of PEO with water increased the surface area attacked by the enzyme, while PEO caught PLLA oligomers to promote the biodegradation of PLLA. Then, the biodegradabilities of the graded blends were suppressed by the increasing crystallinity of PLLA. Furthermore, the strengths of all the graded blends were larger than those of the isotropic blend. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2972–2981, 2007     

Synthesis and properties of poly(amic acid)s and polyimides based on 2,2′,6,6′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride

Poly(amic acid)s (PAAs) having the high solution stability and transmittance at 365 nm for photosensitive polyimides have been developed. PAAs with a twisted conformation in the main chains were prepared from 2,2′,6,6′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (2,2′,6,6′‐BPDA) and aromatic diamines. Imidization of PAAs was achieved by chemical treatment using trifluoroacetic anhydride. Among them, the PAA derived from 2,2′,6,6′‐BPDA and 4,4′‐(1,3‐phenylenedioxy)dianiline was converted to the polyimide by thermal treatment. The heating at 300 °C under nitrogen did not complete thermal imidization of PAAs having glass‐transition temperatures (T_g)s higher than 300 °C to the corresponding PIs. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6385–6393, 2006     

Characteristics of a protein error in determination of serum protein in the presence of inorganic salt.

There is a possibility that the color development of the dye-binding method based on a protein error of a pH indicator is affected by the coexisting inorganic salt. Thus, the author theoretically and experimentally investigated the effect of the inorganic salt on the protein error. In a theoretical analysis, the anion of an inorganic salt, like the dissociated dye and buffer anions, was assumed to react with the protein, forming a colorless anion-protein complex. The calculated results were compared with those obtained by experiments using three pH indicators and various kinds of inorganic salts. The calculated results obtained are as follows: (1) The color development decreases with increasing the concentration of the inorganic salt and the equilibrium constant of the reaction between the inorganic salt and protein; (2) The rate of the absorbance decrease is larger for a lower concentration of the inorganic salt than for a higher one; (3) The larger is the equilibrium constant, the larger is the absorbance decrease. The absorbance decrease was caused by the anion, and was increased by increasing the anion concentration. The magnitude of the effect of the anion was iodide > bromide > chloride, which was associated with their ionic radius. The difference in the effect of the anion was thought to indicate that the equilibrium constant, in other words, the bonding strength of the anion to protein is iodide > bromide > chloride.     

Base-labile tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group on phenols

Phenols are deprotected with weak bases from their tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) derivatives. Boc deprotection with bases can avoid side reactions during the deprotection with acids. We note the lability of the Boc to bases and are able to utilize it as a new cleavage condition for synthetic studies.     

Cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by phosphorus compounds containing halogens

Polymerization of vinyl monomers having large negative e values in the presence of phosphorus compounds containing halogens was studied in order to examine the cationic initiation ability of phosphorus compounds. N-Vinylcarbazole was effectively polymerized by phosphorus compounds such as PCI₃, PBr₃, PCI₂C₆H₅, PCI(C₆H₅)₂, POCI₃, and POCI₂C₆H₅ even in benzene. The initiation ability of phosphorus compounds decreased in the order; PCI₂ ? PBr₃ > PCI₂C₆H₅ > PCI(C₆H₅)₂, and also POCI₃ > POCI₂₆₅. On the other hand, PCI₃ and PBr₃, which were less effective than POCI₃, showed initiation ability for the polymerizations of styrene and α-methylstyrene in nitrobenzene as a solvent. The results of the copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate by PCI₃ in nitrobenzene, the result of solvent dielectric constant effect, and the effect of additives such as water, tert-butyl chloride, triethylamine, and hydroquinone, indicate the polymerization of styrene by PCI₃ to proceed by a cationic mechanism.     

Tensammetric determination of microgram amounts of vanadium by catalytic oxidation of o-aminophenol

A tensammetric method is proposed for the determination of microgram amounts of vanadium, based on catalysis of the oxidation of o-aminophenol with sodium chlorate in acidic solution (pH 2.0). The oxidation product gives a very sensitive tensammetric wave; under optimum conditions, the wave-height is proportional to the concentration of va vanadium. From 0.2 to 3.0 mug of vanadium can be determined in a final volume of 50 ml. Mo(VI), W(VI), Mn(VII), Ce(IV) and large amounts of Al(III) and Fe(III) cause positive errors, and Hg(II) and thiosulphate negative errors. Interference from Fe(III), Al(III) and Cu(II) can be eliminated by solvent with oxine at about pH 8.0.     

General synthesis of sugar-pendant 1,3-propanediamines containing a C-glycoside linkage

A straightforward route to C-glycoside linked sugar-pendant 1,3-propanediamines is described. The three-step preparation procedure involves (1) C-glycosylation of an OH-protected α-glycosyl halide with malononitrile, (2) catalytic hydrogenation of the nitriles to amines, and (3) deprotection of acetyl groups via acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. In the case of the galactose derivative, excess sodiomalononitrile promotes the second addition of a carbanion in the first step. The β-anomeric configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallography of the glycosylated intermediates. This method demonstrates a general method to access a new class of carbohydrate-pendant C-glycoside chelators.     

Nature of the active component in the catalytic system prepared from titanium(III) chloride(AA), ethylaluminum dichloride,and tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane,in the polymerization of propylene

The chemistry of the titanium(III) chloride(AA)–ethylaluminum dichloride–tetrakis-(dimethylamino)silane system for the polymerization of propylene was studied. A complex of ethylaluminum dichloride with tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane was isolated. It was shown that this complex contains ethylaluminum dichloride and tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane in the ratio of 2:1. This complex with titanium(III) chloride is responsible for the polymerization activity.     

Polymerization of vinyl monomers by the reaction products of diphenyl sulphoxide with potassium

Diphenyl sulphoxide (DPSO) reacts with an equimolar amount of potassium (K) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at ?78° to form a reddish-black solution, giving an electron spin resonance (ESR) signal only below ?70°. The signal is attributed to a very labile DPSO anion radical. The solution of DPSO-K (1/1) reaction products reacts further with another molecular amount of K at this temperature to give no ESR signal. The DPSO-K (1/1) reaction products initiates the polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN), but not the polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (St) or isoprene (IP). The active species of the solution initiating the polymerization of AN is assumed to be potassium benzene sulphenate from analyses of the solution and the infra-red spectrum of AN oligomers obtained using the complex. The DPSO-K (1/2) reaction products solution initiates the polymerization of MMA, St and IP as well as AN. The active species initiating the polymerization of MMA, St or IP is assumed to be phenylpotassium.     

Polymerization of vinyl monomers by diphenylsulfone–potassium complexes

Diphenylsulfone (DPSO₂) was found to react with an equimolar amount of potassium in tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethoxyethane (DME), or diglyme (DG) at reflux or an elevated temperature to yield a reddish-black solution, giving an electron spin resonance (ESR) signal. The signal was attributed to the formation of relatively labile DPSO₂ anion radical. The apparent effects of solvents on the reactivity of DPSO₂ with potassium depended on the polarities and the solvation powers: benzene ? toluene ? dioxane ? tetrahydrofuran < monoglyme < diglyme. The monopotassium complex was found to react further with another molecular amount of the metal to yield a dark blue solution giving no ESR signal. The monopotassium complex initiated the polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN). It did not, however, initiate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (St), or isoprene (IP). The active species of the monopotassium complex that initiated the polymerization of AN was found from analyses of the reaction products and the infrared spectrum of oily oligomer of AN obtained by the complex to be potassium benzenesulfinate. The dipotassium complex was found to initiate the polymerization of MMA, St, IP and AN. The active species of the dipotassium complex that initiated the polymerization of MMA, St, or IP was found from analyses of the reaction products and the infrared spectrum of the oily oligomer of MMA obtained by the complex to be phenyl potassium.