A detailed investigation of subsitituent effects on N-h bond enthalpies in aniline derivatives and on the stability of corresponding N-centered radicals

The N-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE's) of 40 anilines (pGC(6)H(4)NHY) from series 1 to 4 with alpha-Y and p-G substituents and the stability of related radicals (pGC(6)H(4)Ndot;Y) were studied using ab initio (MP2) and density functional methods (B3LYP) with large basis sets. The results show that both methods reproduce earlier experimental BDEs within 2-3 kcal/mol and satisfactorily predict the alpha and remote substituent effects on BDEs (DeltaBDEs), as they reproduced the experimental DeltaBDEs within less than 1 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the conventional radical stabilization enthalpy (RSE = - DeltaBDE) was found to be invalid to represent the trend of the radical stabilization because the molecule effect (ME) can contribute more to RSE than the radical effect (RE) for certain series (1 and 4). These radicals are in fact stabilized by electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs) but destabilized by electron-donating groups (EDGs), a phenomenon just opposite to the observed O-behavior of many other aromatic heteroatomic radicals studied so far. These radicals are thus assigned as a new radical class, Class counter-O (or O) according to Walter's terminology. Moreover, the excellent multi-parametric Hammett-type correlations indicated that the para substituent effects on BDEs originate mainly from polar effects, but those on radical stability originate from both spin delocalization and polar effects. The atomic charge and spin population variations at a radical center due to p-G substitution were also found to correlate satisfactorily with REs. These results show that the spin delocalization effect should be explicitly considered in accounting for both DeltaBDEs and radical stabilization effects. Finally, an overall subsituent effect scale for radical stability has been proposed, and the overall substituent effect on the N-radicals was found to conform to the Capto-dative Principle.     

Facile one-step synthesis of a thia-bridged bis-1,10-phenanthroline macrocycle

An efficient one-pot synthesis of a macrocyclic ligand, consisting of two 1,10-phenanthroline nuclei bridged by sulfur, is described. A spectrophotometric investigation reveals the isolated compound to be the mono-trifluoroacetate salt. Symmetrical NH- and S-bridged tetradentate ligands were also synthesized by the new method.     

Kinetic deoxyribose degradation assay and its application in assessing the antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds in a Fenton-type reaction system

Pro-oxidant properties of phenolic antioxidants, which are derived from their iron recycling reactivity, render the traditional deoxyribose degradation assay invalid to assess the hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity in Fenton-type reaction systems. In the present paper, we studied in detail the interactions between iron and phenolic compounds, and established a kinetic deoxyribose method by taking advantage of the distinct difference between the completion time of Fenton reaction and that of the iron-reducing process. With the newly established kinetic method, we investigated the effects of phenolics on hydroxyl radical formation in a Fenton-type system and determined successfully the second rate constants of hydroxyl radical-scavenging reactions. The site-specific and non-site-specific hydroxyl radical-scavenging ability suggested that both direct hydroxyl radical-scavenging potency and iron-chelating capacity accounted for their inhibitory effects on deoxyribose oxidation degradation. This method, more simple, time saving, and applicative than the traditional deoxyribose assay, produces as accurate results (RSD<0.05, with dynamic range from 7.5 to 575 μM) as typical methods, such as radiolysis technology, and may be of significance in evaluating and screen the hydroxyl radical-scavenging antioxidants.     

Preparation and properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/silica nanocomposites derived from copolymerization of vinyl silica nanoparticles and vinyl acetate

Nanocomposites of poly(vinyl alcohol)/silica nanoparticles (PVA-SNs) were prepared by in-situ radical copolymerization of vinyl silica nanoparticles functionalized by vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) and vinyl acetate with benzoyl peroxide (BPO, i.e., initiator), subsequently saponified via direct hydrolysis with NaOH solution. The resulting vinyl silica nanoparticles, PVA-SNs were characterized by means of fourier transformation spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the elemental analysis method. Effects of silica nanoparticles on viscosity and alcoholysis of PVA-SNs were studied by a ubbelohode capillary viscometer and the back titration method. The morphological structure of PVA-SN films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile test were used to determine the thermal and mechanical properties of PVA-SN films. The results indicated that the content of vinyl groups on the surface of the vinyl silica nanoparticles was up to 3.02 mmol/g and vinyl silica nanoparticles had been successfully copolymerized with vinyl acetate. Furthermore, compared to pure PVA, silica nanoparticles bonded with polymer matrix in a low concentration affected the viscosity and alcoholysis of the PVA-SNs materials. At the same time, it resulted in the improvement of the thermal and mechanical properties of the PVA-SN materials due to a strong interaction between silica nanoparticles and the polymer matrix via a covalent bond. It could be found that the optical clarity of the membrane was changed through UV-Vis absorption spectrum due to the introduction of silica nanoparticles.     

Thin-film polymerization and characterization of Sumitomo's Sumikasuper®-type liquid crystalline polymers

Using the thin film polymerization approach, we have studied the texture evolution when synthesizing a novel liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) system based on Sumikasuper^® LCPs. The main monomers used were p-acetoxybenzoic acid (ABA), 4,4′-biphenol (BP), isophthalic acid (IA), phthalic acid (PA) and terephthalic acid (TA). Polarizing optical microscopy (POM), FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to study the thin film polymerization process and characterize the products. The generation and evolution of liquid crystal phases were monitored; the results revealed that there exists a composition range for the monomers to react and form liquid crystal materials. The critical temperature for LC formation in ABA/BP/IA system decreased with increasing ABA content. FTIR results confirmed the formation of polymers. AFM investigation suggested a similar process of morphological change to that observed using POM. An increasing surface roughness of the thin films with the progress of polymerization was also obtained from AFM analysis. A nematic LC texture of the polymer system was suggested by XRD examination. Results obtained by replacing BP with acetylated BP, and by conducting polymerization using two-monomer systems, suggest that BP units are included in polymers obtained by the thin film polymerization method.     

Cooperative and substitution effects in enhancing strengths of halogen bonds in FCl⋯CNX complexes

In this paper, the cooperative effect of halogen bond with hydrogen bond has been used to make a halogen bond in FCl-CNH dimer vary from a chlorine-shared one to an ion-pair one. The halogen bond is strengthened in FCl-CNH-CNH trimer and its maximal interaction energy equals to -76 kJ∕mol when the number of CNH in FCl-CNH-(CNH)(n) polymer approaches infinity. Once the free H atom in FCl-CNH-CNH trimer is replaced with alkali metals, the halogen bond becomes strong enough to be an ion-pair one in FCl-CNH-CNLi and FCl-CNH-CNNa trimers. An introduction of a Lewis acid in FCl-CNH dimer has a more prominent effect on the type of halogen bond. A prominent cooperative effect is found for the halogen bond and hydrogen bond in the trimers. FH-FCl-CNH-CNH and FH-FCl-CNH-CNLi tetramers have also been studied and the interaction energy of halogen bonding in FH-FCl-CNH-CNLi tetramer is about 12 times as much as that in the FCl-CNH dimer. The atoms in molecules and natural bond orbital analyses have been carried out for these complexes to understand the nature of halogen bond and the origin of the cooperativity.     

Effect of cage size on the third‐order optical properties of endohedral metallofullerenes Sc3N@C2n (2n = 68, 70, 78, and 80): A theoretical study

Geometrical structures of the investigated endohedral metallofullerenes Sc₃N@C_2n (2n = 68, 70, 78, and 80) were optimized at the B3LYP/6‐31G* level. The analyses of electronic structures display that the contribution of fullerene cage to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital decreases as the cage size increases. Based on the optimized structures, the time‐dependent density functional theory combined with the sum‐over‐states method was used to investigate their nonlinear optical properties. Calculated third‐order polarizabilities γ and two‐photon absorption (TPA) cross‐section δ do not present the monotone variation with the size of fullerene cage, with largest γ of 0.48 × 10^?34 esu for Sc₃N@C₇₈ in static state, and largest δ of 12.374 GM for Sc₃N@C₇₀ in the wavelength of 902.5 nm. However, the obtained TPA resonant peaks shift red with the size of fullerene cage. By analyzing the electronic origin of the third‐order optical properties, it is found that the charge transfers from the fullerene cage to the encapsulated Sc₃N cluster make important contributions to the studied properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones using selenium ionic liquid

A new type of ionic liquid supported selenium reagents were synthesized and found to be an excellent catalyst in the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones in the presence of 30%H₂O₂.The predictable solubility of ionic liquids allows an easy separation of the oxidation products from the reaction mixture.Furthermore,the oxidation reaction can be carried out using an ionic liquid as the solvent,and the ionic liquid-supported selenium reagents can be recycled and used for four times with a little decrease in catalytic performance.     

Easily accessible chiral dicyclopentadiene ligands for rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective 1,4-addition reactions

A variety of novel C₁-symmetric chiral diene ligands based on the dicyclopentadiene (DCP) skeleton were easily prepared from commercially available DCP. The application of these diene ligands in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been examined and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) as well as good yields were achieved under mild reaction conditions.     

Eosin Y as a Direct Hydrogen‐Atom Transfer Photocatalyst for the Functionalization of C−H Bonds

Eosin Y, a well‐known economical alternative to metal catalysts in visible‐light‐driven single‐electron transfer‐based organic transformations, can behave as an effective direct hydrogen‐atom transfer catalyst for C?H activation. Using the alkylation of C?H bonds with electron‐deficient alkenes as a model study revealed an extremely broad substrate scope, enabling easy access to a variety of important synthons. This eosin Y‐based photocatalytic hydrogen‐atom transfer strategy is promising for diverse functionalization of a wide range of native C?H bonds in a green and sustainable manner.