The effect of chain structure on the annealing and deformation behaviour of polymers

Summary In a tensile test ductile thermoplastics may give either uniform deformation or necking. Recently it has been found that those giving uniform deformation either, are known to have extended chain configurations in solution, or have chemical formulae with linear structures and relatively few flexible bonds. The observed differences in behaviour can be predicted from a viscosity retarded rubber elasticity model in which a constant related to chain flexibility is introduced, which quantifies the strain hardening of the material. It is argued that the early development of strain hardening generally interferes with the localization of plastic strain in shear bands or crazes (as well as in a neck) and correlates with the stress cracking performance of high density polythenes.There is now also some evidence that polymers with extended chain configurations have small values ofcp (the change in specific heat atTg) and that this figure has an apparent correlation with draw ratio for different polymers.In the case of P.V.C. however it is possible to cause a changeover from the normal necking behaviour to uniform deformation by quenching the hot material in ice water. This process is believed to eliminate a structure which develops slowly in P.V.C. and most other thermoplastics when they are annealed at temperatures near toTg. The elimination of this structure during yielding causes strain softening and also promotes plastic strain localisation.This physical ageing or annealing process is still not well understood. It almost certainly includes free volume effects but recent studies have shown that a redistribution of rotational isomers also occurs. These observation, if correct, have fundamental implications for the physics of glassy polymers.

---

Zusammenfassung Beim Zug-Test erfolgt bei dehnbaren Thermoplasten entweder eine gleichmäßige Deformation oder eine Einschnürung. Erstere tritt auf bei Vorliegen ausgestreckter Kettenkonfigurationen in Lösung oder bei Makromolekülen linearer Struktur und relativ unbiegsamer Bindungen. Die beobachteten Unterschiede wurden anhand eines ViskositätsModells mit verminderter Gummi-Elastizität unter Zugrundelegung von Literaturdaten diskutiert. Die Kettensteifheit wird rechnerisch durch Einfügung einer Konstanten berücksichtigt; sie steht in Konkurrenz mit der Lokalisierung der plastischen Dehnung und korreliert mit dem Auftreten einer Spannungsriß-Bildung im Polyäthylen hoher Dichte. Es wird darauf hingewiesen, daß sich die spezifische Wärme von Polymeren mit ausgedehnter Kettenkonfiguration beiTg nur wenig ändert; dieser Effekt steht mit dem Dehnungsverhältnis verschiedener Polymerer in Einklang.Bei PVC kann jedoch durch Abschrecken des heißen Materials in Eiswasser ein Übergang vom normalen Einschnürungsverhalten zu einer gleichmäßigen Deformation erzielt werden; dieser Effekt ist durch die Unterdrückung einer speziellen Struktur bedingt und kann auch bei der Temperung anderer thermoplastischer Polymerer nahe beiTg auftreten.Die sich bei der physikalischen Alterung und bei der Temperung abspielenden Vorgänge lassen sich noch nicht erklären. Sie umfassen sicherlich Effekte des freien Volumens und die Rückverteilung von Rotations-Isomeren. Beobachtungen dieser Art sind von grundsätzlicher Bedeutung für die Physik glasartiger Polymerer.

---

---

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Rehage on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

---

With 22 figures and 2 tables     

Structural constraints from proton-mediated rare-spin correlation spectroscopy in rotating solids

A novel solid-state NMR concept is introduced that allows for the detection of through-space proton-proton contacts in high spectral resolution. The proposed method not only can be utilized to infer sequential assignments and backbone or side chain conformation in solid-phase polypeptides, but it also provides information about the three-dimensional arrangement of the molecule of interest. As a result, the molecular structure can be studied without additional restrictions regarding sample labeling or magic angle spinning rates.     

The Synthesis of Unusual Organic Molecules Using Cyclic Peroxides. New synthetic methods (3)

The photodecarboxylation of malonyl peroxides into α-lactones^[1] and the thermal conversion of the 1,4-endo-peroxide 4,5-epoxy-3,6-epidioxy-1-cyclohexene into the novel benzene trioxide^[2] are two recent examples of the potential of cyclic peroxides in the synthesis of unusual organic molecules. The former transformation entails a fragmentation, the latter a rearrangement process. Most reported examples fall into one of these two gross reaction types. Of the numerous examples that have been reported in the literature during the last two decades, only those shall be focused on that lead to unusual compounds or constitute efficient syntheses of known compounds, in order to stress the convenience of cyclic peroxides in the synthesis of organic compounds.     

Examining the role of surfactant packing in phase transformations of periodic templated silica/surfactant composites

In this work, we examine the role of curvature and surfactant packing in controlling the structure of periodic silica/surfactant composites by driving such materials through a transformation from a hexagonal to a lamellar phase. We focus on how the interplay of desired packing and volume constraints dictates the resulting structures. In general, surfactants expand in a complex way upon heating, and this can cause a change in the optimal packing geometry. However, the presence of a rigid silica framework may prevent surfactants from reaching this preferred volume and/or curvature. Real-time in situ X-ray diffraction is used to monitor the structural evolution of these materials heated under hydrothermal treatments. Because the thermal-driven disorder of the surfactant tails drives the phase transition, we examine four types of composites with varying tail density. Ordinarily, composites consist of surfactants with one 20-carbon tail and one positively charged ammonium headgroup. Tail density is varied by replacing a small amount (0-16%) of these single-tail, single-head surfactants with single-tail, double-head 'gemini' surfactants. A greater head--tail ratio indeed produces different results, causing the phase transition to occur at higher temperatures. Using simple geometric models to gain better understanding of our experimental results, we find that, while both unfavorable curvature and limited volume may exist for the surfactants in these composites, the constrained curvature appears to be the dominant effect in driving structural rearrangement.     

Synthetically attractive indolization processes and newer methods for the preparation of selectively substituted indoles

The synthetically interesting processes available for indolization reactions are discussed and illustrated in tabular form and particular emphasis is placed on the more recent methods.     

Insoluble eggshell matrix proteins--their peptide mapping and partial characterization by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

Avian eggshell matrix proteins were studied by two analytical approaches. Peptide mapping was done by trypsin and pepsin followed by collagenase cleavage; analyses were carried out by capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Comparison of peptide maps obtained by both methods revealed a complex mixture of peptides in the insoluble layers of the eggshell; it was concluded that there are at least three different insoluble protein/peptide layers in the avian eggshell (cuticle, palisade, and mammillary layer). Partial characterization of peptides in each layer was made by HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis. There is an evidence that the eggshell insoluble proteins contain species susceptible to collagenase cleavage, however, the sequences split by this enzyme probably are not those typical for the main triple-helical core of collagenous proteins. It is proposed that the action of collagenase upon eggshell proteins is caused by the side effect of collagenase described previously with synthetic peptides. Some of the proteins present are probably glycosylated. Fatty acid content in the insoluble eggshell layers (after decalcification) was in the range of 2-4% (which reflected both lipid and lipoproteins bound fatty acids). Porphyrin pigments are dominant in the cuticle layer.     

DNA-templated three-branched nanostructures for nanoelectronic devices

Three-branched DNA molecules have been designed and assembled from oligonucleotide components. These nucleic acid constructs contain double- and single-stranded regions that control the hybridization behavior of the assembly. Specific localization of a single streptavidin molecule at the center of the DNA complex has been investigated as a model system for the directed placement of nanostructures. Highly selective silver and copper metallization of the DNA template has also been characterized. Specific hybridization of these DNA complexes to oligonucleotide-coupled nanostructures followed by metallization should provide a bottom-up self-assembly route for the fabrication and characterization of discrete three-terminal nanodevices.     

Preparative uv-laser photochemistry of the azoalkane spiro(2,3-diazabicyclo [2.2.1]hept-2-ene-7′,1-cyclopropane): Trapping of the 1,4-Diradical 2-(3-Cyclopentenyl) ethyl by Molecular Oxygen

Photo-extrusion of nitrogen from the azoalkane 1 in the presence of molecular oxygen gave besides the hydrocarbons 3 and 5, the endoperoxide 10 and hydroperoxide 11, the former via trapping of the 1,4-diradical 4 by triplet oxygen, the latter by ene-reaction-6f hydrocarbon 5 with singlet oxygen.     

Relative reactivity of peracids versus dioxiranes (DMDO and TFDO) in the epoxidation of alkenes. A combined experimental and theoretical analysis

Comparative analysis of the calculated gas-phase activation barriers (DeltaE++) for the epoxidation of ethylene with dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) and peroxyformic acid (PFA) [15.2 and 16.4 kcal/mol at QCISD(T)// QCISD/6-31+G(d,p)] and E-2-butene [14.3 and 13.2 kcal/mol at QCISD(T)/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)] suggests similar oxygen atom donor capacities for both oxidants. Competition experiments in CH(2)Cl(2) solvent reveal that DMDO reacts with cyclohexene much faster than peracetic acid/acetic acid under scrupulously dried conditions. The rate of DMDO epoxidation is catalyzed by acetic acid with a reduction in the classical activation barrier of 8 kcal/mol. In many cases, the observed increase in the rate for DMDO epoxidation in solution may be attributed to well-established solvent and hydrogen-bonding effects. This predicted epoxidative reactivity for DMDO is not consistent with what has generally been presumed for a highly strained cyclic peroxide. The strain energy (SE) of DMDO has been reassessed and its moderated value (about 11 kcal/mol) is now more consistent with its inherent gas-phase reactivity toward alkenes in the epoxidation reaction. The unusual thermodynamic stability of DMDO is largely a consequence of the combined geminal dimethyl- and dioxa-substitution effects and unusually strong C-H and C-CH(3) bonds. Methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane (TFDO) exhibits much lower calculated activation barriers than DMDO in the epoxidation reaction (the average DeltaDeltaE++ values are about 7.5 kcal/mol). The rate increase relative to DMDO of approximately 10(5), while consistent with the higher strain energy for TFDO (SE approximately 19 kcal/mol) is attributed largely to the inductive effect of the CF(3) group. We have also examined the effect of alkene strain on the rate of epoxidation with PFA. The epoxidation barriers are only slightly higher for the strained alkenes cyclopropene (DeltaE++ = 14.5 kcal/mol) and cyclobutene (DeltaE++ = 13.7 kcal/mol) than for cyclopentene (DeltaE++ = 12.1 kcal/mol), reflecting the fact there is little relief of strain in the transition state. Alkenes strained by twist or pi-bond torsion do exhibit much lower activation barriers.     

Chemoproteomic profiling of kinases in live cells using electrophilic sulfonyl triazole probes

Sulfonyl-triazoles are a new class of electrophiles that mediate covalent reaction with tyrosine residues on proteins through sulfur-triazole exchange (SuTEx) chemistry. Recent studies demonstrate the broad utility and tunability of SuTEx chemistry for chemical proteomics and protein ligand discovery. Here, we present a strategy for mapping protein interaction networks of structurally complex binding elements using functionalized SuTEx probes. We show that the triazole leaving group (LG) can serve as a releasable linker for embedding hydrophobic fragments to direct molecular recognition while permitting efficient proteome-wide identification of binding sites in live cells. We synthesized a series of SuTEx probes functionalized with a lipid kinase fragment binder for discovery of ligandable tyrosines residing in catalytic and regulatory domains of protein and metabolic kinases in live cells. We performed competition studies with kinase inhibitors and substrates to demonstrate that probe binding is occurring in an activity-dependent manner. Our functional studies led to discovery of probe-modified sites within the C2 domain that were important for downregulation of protein kinase C-alpha in response to phorbol ester activation. Our proof of concept studies highlight the triazole LG of SuTEx probes as a traceless linker for locating protein binding sites targeted by complex recognition elements in live cells.

Sulfonyl-triazole probes modified with a kinase recognition element are developed for live cell activity-based profiling to identify tyrosine sites located in catalytic and regulatory domains that are important for kinase function.