Some applications of thermal methods of analysis to polymers

Some examples are given of the application of thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, thermomechanical analysis, torsional braid analysis, stress relaxometry and dynamic viscoelastometry to the study of cross-linked polymer systems. The information derived by the use of each technique is outlined and the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are compared.

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Zusammenfassung Einige Beispiele der Anwendung der Thermogravimetrie, Differential Scanning Kalorimetrie, thermomechanischen Analyse, Torsionsfadenanalyse, Streßrelaxometrie und dynamischen Viscoelastometrie zur Untersuchung quervernetzter Polymersysteme werden gegeben. Die an Hand des Einsatzes der einzelnen Techniken erhaltenen Informationen werden beschrieben und die Vor- und Nachteile der verschiedenen Methoden miteinander verglichen.

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Résumé On donne quelques exemples de l'application de la thermogravimétrie, de l'analyse calorimétrique différentielle (DSC), de l'analyse thermomécanique, de l'analyse au fil de torsion, de la mesure de la relaxation des tensions, de la viscoélastométrie dynamiques, à l'étude des polymères à réseau tri-dimensionnel. On souligne les renseignements obtenus en utilisant chacune de ces techniques et on compare les avantages et les inconvénients de ces différentes méthodes.

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Luminescence quenching by DNA-bound viologens: effect of reactant identity on efficiency and dynamics of electron transfer in DNA

Photoinduced electron transfer from two intercalating photoactive donors, Ru(phen)2dppz2+ and ethidium, to intercalating viologen acceptors of the N,N'-dialkyl-6-(2'-pyridiniumyl)phenanthridinium family has been investigated through steady-state and time-resolved luminescence quenching measurements. Efficient quenching of the emission from these donors bound to DNA is observed at low concentrations of acceptor (1-10 eq.), and in time-resolved emission experiments it is determined that electron transfer occurs on the nanosecond time scale. Furthermore, transient absorption measurements confirm that the quenching is the result of a charge-transfer process; upon photoreaction of intercalated Ru(phen)2dppz2+ with a viologen acceptor, an intermediate with spectral properties resembling the expected charge-separated pair is observed. The quenching yields and kinetics obtained with this quencher are in marked contrast to those observed with these same donors paired with Rh(phi)2bpy3+ as an acceptor. The differing efficiencies of electron transfer for these donor/acceptor pairs bound to DNA as compared to others previously described are discussed qualitatively in terms of the structural and electronic properties of the different reactants.     

Phosphine-boranes as bidentate ligands: formation of [8,8-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] and [9,9-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)] from [8,8-(eta(2)-dppm)-8-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] and [9,9-(eta(2)-dppm)-9-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)], respectively

The two clusters [8,8-(eta(2)-dppm)-8-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] (1) and [9,9-(eta(2)-dppm)-9-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)] (2) (dppm = PPh(2)CH(2)PPh(2)), both of which contain pendant PPh(2) groups, react with BH(3).thf to afford the species [8,8-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] (3) and [9,9-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm))-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)] (4), respectively. These two species are very similar in that they both contain the bidentate ligand [(BH(3)).dppm], which coordinates to the Rh center via a PPh(2) group and also via a eta(2)-BH(3) group. Thus, the B atom in the BH(3) group is four-coordinate, bonded to Rh by two bridging hydrogen atoms, to a terminal H atom, and to a PPh(2) group. At room temperature, the BH(3) group is fluxional; the two bridging H atoms and the terminal H atom are equivalent on the NMR time scale. The motion is arrested at low temperature with DeltaG++ = ca. 37 and 42 kJ mol(-1), respectively, for 3 and 4. Both species are characterized completely by NMR and mass spectral measurements as well as by elemental analysis and single-crystal structure determinations.     

The invention of new radical chain reactions. part X: High yield radical addition reactions of αβ-unsaturated nitroolefins. An expedient construction of the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 side chain from bi

Radicals derived from thiohydroxamic esters $\text{3}$ readily add to nitroolefins $\text{5}$ (Z = NO₂) to give good yields of α-nitrosulphides. These adducts, where the structure permits, are easily oxidised to carboxylic acids $\text{8}$ by treatment with alkaline hydrogen peroxide. Reductive cleavage to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones $\text{9}$ is efficiently carried out by the action of TiCl₃. Addition of methyl magnesium iodide to the methyl ketone derived from 3α-acetoxy 11-oxo cholanic acid gives steroid $\text{10}$ possessing the 25-hydroxycholesterol side chain of the vitamin D₃ metabotites. Radical additions to 1-phenylthio-2-nitropropene $\text{11}$ have been briefly studied.     

Sequence dependence of charge transport through DNA domains

Here we examine the photooxidation of two kinetically fast electron hole traps, N4-cyclopropylcytosine (CPC) and N2-cyclopropylamine-guanosine (CPG), incorporated in DNA duplexes of various sequence using different photooxidants. DNA oxidation studies are carried out either with noncovalently bound [Ru(phen)(dppz)(bpy')]3+ (dppz = dipyridophenazine) and [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+ (phi = phenanthrenequinone diimine) or with anthraquinone tethered to DNA. Because the cyclopropylamine-substituted bases decompose rapidly upon oxidation, their efficiency of decomposition provides a measure of relative hole localization. Consistent with a higher oxidation potential for CPC versus CPG in DNA, CPC decomposes with photooxidation by [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+, while CPG undergoes ring-opening both with photoexcited [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+ and with [Ru(phen)(dppz)(bpy')]3+. Anthraquinone-modified DNA assemblies of identical base composition but different base sequence are also probed. Single and double base substitutions within adenine tracts modulate CPC decomposition. In fact, the entire sequence within the DNA assembly is seen to govern CPC oxidation, not simply the bases intervening between CPC and the tethered photooxidant. These data are reconciled in the context of a mechanistic model of conformationally gated charge transport through delocalized DNA domains. Photooxidations of anthraquinone-modified DNA assemblies containing both CPC and CPG, but with varied distances separating the modified bases, point to a domain size of at least three bases. Our model for DNA charge transport is distinguished from polaron models. In our model, delocalized domains within the base pair stack form transiently based upon sequence-dependent DNA structure and dynamics. Given these results, DNA charge transport is indeed remarkably sensitive to DNA sequence and structure.     

DNA mediated charge transport: characterization of a DNA radical localized at an artificial nucleic acid base

DNA assemblies containing 4-methylindole incorporated as an artificial base provide a chemically well-defined system in which to explore the oxidative charge transport process in DNA. Using this artificial base, we have combined transient absorption and EPR spectroscopies as well as biochemical methods to test experimentally current mechanisms for DNA charge transport. The 4-methylindole radical cation intermediate has been identified using both EPR and transient absorption spectroscopies in oxidative flash-quench studies using a dipyridophenazine complex of ruthenium as the intercalating oxidant. The 4-methylindole radical cation intermediate is particularly amenable to study given its strong absorptivity at 600 nm and EPR signal measured at 77 K with g = 2.0065. Both transient absorption and EPR spectroscopies show that the 4-methylindole is well incorporated in the duplex; the data also indicate no evidence of guanine radicals, given the low oxidation potential of 4-methylindole relative to the nucleic acid bases. Biochemical studies further support the irreversible oxidation of the indole moiety and allow the determination of yields of irreversible product formation. The construction of these assemblies containing 4-methylindole as an artificial base is also applied in examining long-range charge transport mediated by the DNA base pair stack as a function of intervening distance and sequence. The rate of formation of the indole radical cation is >/=10(7) s(-)(1) for different assemblies with the ruthenium positioned 17-37 A away from the methylindole and with intervening A-T base pairs primarily composing the bridge. In these assemblies, methylindole radical formation at a distance is essentially coincident with quenching of the ruthenium excited state to form the Ru(III) oxidant; charge transport is not rate limiting over this distance regime. The measurements here of rates of radical cation formation establish that a model of G-hopping and AT-tunneling is not sufficient to account for DNA charge transport. Instead, these data are viewed mechanistically as charge transport through the DNA duplex primarily through hopping among well stacked domains of the helix defined by DNA sequence and dynamics.     

Tuning the DNA reactivity of cis-platinum: conjugation to a mismatch-specific metallointercalator

A novel bimetallic conjugate combining a rhodium intercalator that selectively binds DNA mismatches and a reactive cis-platinum analogue that targets DNA by coordination has been prepared. The site-selectivity of the bimetallic complex in forming coordination adducts is examined using mismatched and well-matched oligonucleotides of different sequences. The results indicate that through the bifunctional complex, the platinum center can be targeted near mismatched sites. Interestingly, with mismatched, DNA both intrastrand and the less common interstrand cross-linked adducts are formed. The recognition of a DNA mismatch by the bulky Rh intercalator appears to direct the Pt unit, depending upon steric contraints, to react preferentially with mismatched DNA at a site that may or may not be the preferred site of Pt coordination. Thus, the presence of a permanent link to a site-specific intercalator is able to tune the reactivity of the cis-platinum analogue.     

DNA charge transport leading to disulfide bond formation

Here, we show that DNA-mediated charge transport (CT) can lead to the oxidation of thiols to form disulfide bonds in DNA. DNA assemblies were prepared possessing anthraquinone (AQ) as a photooxidant spatially separated on the duplex from two SH groups incorporated into the DNA backbone. Upon AQ irradiation, HPLC analysis reveals DNA ligated through a disulfide. The reaction efficiency is seen to vary in assemblies containing intervening DNA mismatches, confirming that the reaction is DNA-mediated. Interestingly, one intervening mismatch near the thiols promotes an increase in efficiency, which we attribute to increased base dynamics. Hence, here, where the reaction is on the backbone rather than within the base stack, stacking perturbations do not necessarily lead to an inhibitory effect on DNA CT.     

Biphenylenes-xxxi: Condensation of benzocyclobutene-1,2-dione with aliphatic and heterocyclic 1,2-diamines and the synthesis of cis-2-cyano-3-(2'-cyanovinyl)-1,4-diaz

As possible routes to 1,4-diazabiphenylene and its 2,3-disubstituted derivatives we have studied the condensation of benzocyclobutene-1,2-dione (BBD) with various 1,2-diamines. Instead of giving the 1,4-diazabiphenylene ring system, BBD reacted with ethylenediamine, diaminomaleonitrile, 4,5-diaminopyrimidine, 2-aminopyridine, also 2,3- and 3,4-diaminopyridine to give, respectively, 2-o-carboxyphenylimidazolidinium acetate 4, 3,4-dicyano-2,5-dihydro[2,5]benzodiazocine-1,6-dione 10, 4-amino-5a,9b-dihydro-5-,9b-dihydroxybenzo [3',4']cyclobuta[1',2'-4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidine 14, 5a,9b-dihydro-5a,9b-dihydroxybenzo[3',4']cyclobuta[1',2'-4,5] imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine 17, the 4-amino derivative 16 of the latter, and the zwitter ion 18 of 4-amino-3(2-carboxy-benzylideneamino) However, BBD reacted with 4,5-diaminobenzotriazole to give the expected 1,2,3,6,11-penta-aza-1-H-indeno [4,5-b]biphenylene 20, which, on amination followed by oxidation, gave a very low yield of cis-2-cyano-3-(2'-cyanovinyl)-1,4-diazabiphenylene 3. In model experiments, 7,8-diphenylfurazano [3,4-f]quinox-aline 28 was reduced to 2,3-diamino-5,6-diphenyl quinoxaline 29, which on oxidation, gave a mixture of cis- and trans-2-cyano-3-(2'-cyanovinyl)5,6-diphenylpyrazine, 30 and 31. The pentacyclic compounds, 1,3,6,II-tetra-aza-2-oxa-2H-indeno [4,5-b]biphenylene 23 and 1,3,5,10-tetra-aza-1-H-indeno[5,6-b] biphenylene 25, were formed from BBD and the appropriate 1,2-diamines but the 5-membered heterocyclic rings could not be cleaved by reduction and hydrolysis respectively) to give tetracyclic diamines which might have undergone oxidation to give derivatives of 1,4-diazabiphenylene. Compounds 14, 16, 20, 23, 25 and 28 are derivatives of new heterocyclic systems.