Zero shear viscosity in miscible polymer blends of polystyrene and poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene ether)

The dynamic viscosities of blends of high molecular weight, narrowmolecular-weight distributed polystyrene and poly(2, 6-dimethylphenylene ether) are studied. The zero shear viscosity η_o depends on the weight average molecular weight M̄_w and on the average entanglement molecular weight M̄_e in the blend according to η_o ≈︁ M̄^3.4 _w(blend)/M̄^2.4_e(blend).     

Mono and dinuclear copper(II) complexes of 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1, 3,5-triazine and halide or pseudohalide ions: Synthesis and spectral studies

Summary By inhibiting the copper(II) assisted TPT (TPT = 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine) hydrolysis, monomeric and dimeric copper(II) complexes having as general formulae Cu(TPT)X, · nH₂O (X = Cl, Br, NCS, NCO or N₃) and [Cu(TPT)X]₂(PF₆)₂ · nH₂O (X = Cl, Br, NCS or N₃) have been synthesized and characterized by i.r., electronic and e.p.r. spectra, x-ray powder diffraction and analytical data. Spectroscopic results indicate five-coordinate geometry around the copper(II) ion, intermediate between trigonal-bipyramid and square-pyramid structures. The half-field absorption in the M_S = 2 region of powdered X-band e.p.r. spectra has been observed for the dimeric species.     

Diastereoselective synthesis and estimation of the conformational flexibility of 6-oxoperhydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives

alpha,beta-Didehydroglutamates have been diastereoselectively transformed into 6-oxoperhydropyridazine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives (OPCAs), which constitute a new class of cyclic amino acid derivatives. Acylation at N-1 renders dipeptides which show considerable conformational rigidity. Semiempirical calculations suggest that OPCAs might force peptide turns with different amplitudes depending on the substitution pattern and relative stereochemistry of the substituents of the pyridazinone ring.     

Nonlinear optical properties of ferrocene- and porphyrin-[60]fullerene dyads.

A series of novel [60]fullerene-ferrocene and [60]fullerene-porphyrin dyads, in which a fullerene and an electron donating moiety are attached through a flexible triethylene glycol linker are synthesized and their nonlinear optical (NLO) response studied. Specifically, the third-order susceptibility chi(3) of all fullerene derivatives are measured in toluene solutions by the optical Kerr effect (OKE) technique using 532 nm, 35 ps laser pulses and their second hyperpolarizability gamma are determined. All fullerene dyads studied exhibit enhancement of their NLO response compared to pristine fullerenes which has been attributed to the formation of a charge separated state. All experimentally measured hyperpolarizability gamma values are also calculated by the semiempirical methods AM1 and PM3. A good correlation is found between the theoretical and experimental values, suggesting that simple semiempirical methods can be employed for the designing and optimization of the fullerene-containing dyads displaying improved nonlinear responses.     

A novel synthesis of N-methyl asparagine,arginine, histidine,and tryptophan

[reaction: see text] N-Methyl amino acid residues in peptides modify several pharmacologically useful parameters, but synthesis of alkylated peptides is hampered by unavailability of N-methylated monomers. The syntheses of four N-methyl amino acids with basic side chains are presented. The side chains of these basic amino acids needed to be specially protected or constructed. This completes the set of 20 common L-amino acid N-methyl derivatives prepared via 5-oxazolidinone intermediates by our group.     

Multipurpose organically modified carbon nanotubes: from functionalization to nanotube composites

We show that covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is a powerful method for enhancing the ability to process CNTs and facilitating the preparation of hybrid composites, which is achieved solely by mixing. CNTs were functionalized with phenol groups, providing stable dispersions in a range of polar solvents, including water. Additionally, the functionalized CNTs could easily be combined with polymers and layered aluminosilicate clay minerals to give homogeneous, coherent, transparent CNT thin films and gels.     

Improving photocurrent generation: supramolecularly and covalently functionalized single-wall carbon nanotubes-polymer/porphyrin donor-acceptor nanohybrids

Novel nanohybrids based on covalently and noncovalently functionalized single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been prepared and assembled for the construction of photoactive electrodes. Polymer-grafted SWNTs were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of (vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride. Poly[(vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride] (PVBTAn+) was also noncovalently wrapped around SWNTs to form stable, positively charged SWNT/PVBTAn+ suspensions in water. Versatile donor-acceptor nanohybrids were prepared by using the electrostatic/van der Waals interactions between covalent SWNT-PVBTAn+ and/or noncovalent SWNT/PVBTAn+ and porphyrins (H2P8- and/or ZnP8-). Several spectroscopic, microscopic, transient, and photoelectrochemical measurements were taken to characterize the resulting supramolecular complexes. Photoexcitation of the nanohybrids afforded long-lived radical ion pairs with lifetimes as long as 2.2 micros. In the final part, photoactive electrodes were constructed by using a layer-by-layer technique on an indium tin oxide covered glass support. Photocurrent measurements gave remarkable internal photon-to-current efficiencies of 3.81 and 9.90 % for the covalent ZnP8-/SWNT-PVBTAn+ and noncovalent ZnP8-/SWNT/PVBTAn+ complex, respectively, when a potential of 0.5 V was applied.     

Effect of carbon nanofiber functionalization on the adsorption properties of volatile organic compounds

The effect of the chemical activation, using HNO3, of a commercial carbon nanofiber (CNF) on its surface chemistry and adsorption properties is studied in this work. The adsorption of different alkanes (linear and cyclic), aromatic compounds and chlorohydrocarbons on both the parent and the oxidized CNF were compared. Temperature-programmed desorption results, in agreement with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments, reveal the existence of oxygen groups on the surface of the treated CNF. Capacity of adsorption was derived from the adsorption isotherms, whereas thermodynamic properties (enthalpy of adsorption, surface free energy characteristics) have been determined from chromatographic retention data. Both the capacity and the strength of adsorption decrease after the oxidant treatment of the carbon nanofibers, although in the case of chlorinated compounds the specific component of the surface energy shows an important increase. For n-alkanes and cyclic compounds, it was demonstrated that the presence of oxygen surface groups does not affect their interaction, the morphology of the surface being the key parameter. The oxidation of the nanofiber leads to steric limitations of the adsorption. In the adsorption of aromatic compounds, these limitations are compensated by the nucleophilic interactions between the aromatic ring and surface oxygenated groups, leading to similar performances of both materials. The absence of nucleophilic groups in the chlorinated compounds hinders their adsorption on the activated nanofibers.     

Stereoselectivity control in the Rh(I)-catalyzed conjugate additions of aryl and alkenylboronic acids to unprotected hydroxycyclopentenones

[reaction: see text] The stereoselective Rh(I)-catalyzed conjugate addition reaction of aryl and alkenylboronic acids to unprotected 2-phenyl-4-hydroxycyclopentenone is presented. The free OH group on the substrate is responsible for the stereochemistry, which is cis for arylboronic derivatives. In the case of the alkenylboronic compounds, the stereochemistry can be tuned to either a cis (bases as additives) or trans addition (CsF as additive) without the need of protecting groups.