Lamellar Organo-Bridged Silicones

The acid-hydrolysis of an organo-bridged bisdiethoxysilylated molecular precursor bearing urea groups, (EtO)₂MeSi(CH₂)₃NHCONH(CH₂)₁₂NHCONH(CH₂)₃SiMe(OEt)₂, has been performed in pure aqueous medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the resulting insoluble solid revealed plate-like forms with a lamellar structure as determined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studies with a sharp peak at 28.5 Å. The solid state ²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectrum of this bridged siloxane hybrid is consistent with a moderately condensed material with complete preservation of the Si–C bonds throughout the hybrid network. In comparison, the classical sol–gel hydrolysis-condensation of the molecular precursor in ethanol with stoichiometric amount of water and fluoride anion as catalyst produced an amorphous featureless solid.     

Solute absorption into molten polystyrene

The equilibrium volatilities at near infinite dilution of various solutes absorbed in molten polystyrene have been determined by a gas chromatographic technique. This method is much more rapid, although, with the present apparatus, probably less accurate than conventional static techniques. The primary parameters obtained from measurements of retention volumes are the Henry's law constants, from which are derived the weight and volume fraction activity coefficients, the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters, and the heats of dilution and solution. Of the solutes investigated, 2-butanone (MEK) was the least, and benzene the most compatible (highest and lowest volume fraction activity coefficients, respectively) with molten polystyrene. A small, but definite, variation of the activity coefficients with polystyrene molecular weight was observed.     

Syntheses of Two Potential Ligands for Tc-99m Labeling as Diagnosis Agents of Alzheimer''''s Disease

Two types of ligands-biphenyl and stilbene derivatives, whichcan be labeled with Tc-99m for the diagnosis of Alzheimer'sdisease (AD) have been synthesized successfully. The key stepsin these two syntheses involved Suzuki reaction and Wittig reac-tion respectively. The new discovered debromination reactionmay be expanded to the compounds with double or triple bondadjacent to the carbon atom bearing the bromine atoms. Thesetypes of syntheses provide a route to a series of biphenyl andstilbene derivatives that will benefit the search of new imagingagents for AD.     

On the dissolution processes of Na2I+ and Na3I2+ with the association of water molecules: mechanistic and energetic details

The sequential association energies for one through six water molecules clustering to Na(2)I(+), as well as one and two water molecules clustering to Na(3)I(2)(+), are measured. The association energies show a pairwise behavior, indicating a symmetric association of water molecules to the linear Na(2)I(+) and Na(3)I(2)(+) ions. This pairwise behavior is well reproduced by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. DFT calculations also suggest that a significant separation of charge for the Na-I ion pair occurs when four or more water molecules cluster to a single sodium center. Two different solvent-separated ion pairs have been identified with the DFT calculations. Experiments also show that the dissolution processes, loss of a neutral NaI unit, occurs when six or more water molecules have been added to Na(2)I(+) cluster. However, one or two water molecules are able to detach an NaI unit from the Na(3)I(2)(+) cluster. The difference in solubility of the Na(2)I(+) and Na(3)I(2)(+) ions is due to the difference in the energies required to lose an NaI unit from these two species. The experiment also confirms that the loss of a neutral NaI unit, instead of an Na(+) ion, occurs during the dissolution processes of Na(3)I(2)(+). The microsolvation schemes proposed to explain our experimental observations are supported by DFT and phase space theory (PST) calculations.     

Effect of added alpha-lactalbumin protein on the phase behavior of AOT-brine-isooctane systems

We have found that the presence of <1 wt% of the globular protein alpha-lactalbumin has a significant impact on the equilibrium phase behavior of dilute sodium bis(ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/brine/isooctane systems. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Karl Fischer titration, and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used to determine the surfactant, oil, water, and protein content of the organic and aqueous phases as a function of the total surfactant and protein present. As a small amount of alpha-lactalbumin is added to the mixture, there is a substantial increase (up to 80%) in the maximum water solubility in the water-in-oil microemulsion phase. Dynamic light scattering measurements indicate that this increase is due to a decrease in the magnitude of the (negative) spontaneous curvature of the surfactant monolayer, as droplets swell in size. As the molar ratio of alpha-lactalbumin to AOT surpasses approximately 1:300, the partitioning of water, protein, and surfactant shifts to the excess aqueous phase, where soluble assemblies with positive curvature are detected by dynamic light scattering. Significant amounts of isooctane are solubilized in these aggregates, consistent with the formation of oil-in-water microemulsion droplets. Circular dichroism studies showed that the tertiary structure of the protein in the microemulsion is disrupted while the secondary structure is increased. In light of these findings, the protein most likely expands to a molten-globule type conformation in the AOT interfacial environment, but does not substantially unfold to become an extended chain.     

Infrared Evidence for Hoffman Reaction During Calcination of Surfactant-Templated Silica Films and Analysis of the Resulting Surface Sites

Fourier Transform Infrared transmission spectroscopy is used to characterize surfactant-templated silica films on glass. The calcination process is followed in situ and evidence for the removal of the surfactant along the Hoffman reaction is given. Once calcined, the surface of the pores of the mesoporous films is proven by deuteration experiment to be hydroxylated. Bands are attributed to isolated and hydrogen-bonded silanols. Silylation reaction with hexamethyldisilazane only occurs with isolated silanol groups.     

Endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in metal clusters: analogy to endohedral noble gas atoms in fullerenes in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry

Nickel and palladium atoms with their closed-shell d(10) electronic configurations are encapsulated in the icosahedral clusters [Ni@Ni(10)E(2)(CO)(18)](4-)(E = Sb, Bi, Sb[rightward arrow]Ni(CO)(3), CH(3)Sn and n-C(4)H(9)Sn) and the geometrically related pentagonal antiprismatic cluster Pd@Bi(10)(4+) found in Bi(14)PdBr(16). Such endohedral d(10) atoms in pentagonal antiprismatic clusters are donors of zero skeletal electrons and interact only weakly with the atoms in the surrounding polyhedron so that they may be regarded as analogous to endohedral noble gases in fullerenes such as He@C(60). On the other hand, endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in 10- and 11-vertex flattened deltahedral bare metal clusters of group 13 metals without five-fold symmetry, such as Ni@E(10)(10-) found in Na(10)NiE(10)(E = Ga, In) and Pd@Tl(11)(7-) found in A(8)Tl(11)Pd (A = Cs, Rb, K), interact significantly with the cluster atoms, particularly those at the flattened vertices of the deltahedron. The role of endohedral d(10) atoms Ni and Pd in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry as "pseudo-noble-gases" can be related to their positions at the "composite divide" of the "Metallurgists' Periodic Table" proposed by H. E. N. Stone on the basis of alloy systematics as well as the equivalence of the five d orbitals in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry.     

Dendrimers as potential drug carriers; encapsulation of acidic hydrophobes within water soluble PAMAM derivatives

This paper describes the synthesis of three neutral water soluble poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer derivatives. The ability of the two larger dendrimers to bind small acidic hydrophobic molecules is reported. Spectroscopic data and pH behaviour suggested that the acidic hydrophobes were forming stable ion pairs with the dendrimer's internal, basic tertiary nitrogens. With respect to forming 1:1 and 2:1 substrate/dendrimer complexes, both of the larger dendrimers were equally efficient at binding. All dendrimer/substrate complexes were completely miscible with water in all proportions (i.e. infinitely water soluble). When the bound substrates are drug moieties, then the resulting complexes could be considered as potential drug delivery systems. Flow calorimetry demonstrated that the dendrimers were able to release their hydrophobic guests when in contact with a biological cell.     

Metal carbonyl catalysis of carbon monoxide and formate reactions

The water gas shift reaction (CO + H₂O = CO₂+ H₂) is catalyzed by aqueous metal carbonyl systems derived from simple mononuclear carbonyls such as Fe(CO)₅ and M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and bases in the 140–200 °C temperature range. The water gas shift reaction in a basic methanol-water solution containing Fe(CO)₅ is first order in [Fe(CO)₅], zero order in [CO], and essentially independent of base concentration and appears to involve an associative mechanism with a metallocarboxylate intermediate [(CO)₄Fe-CO₂H]^–. The water gas shift reactions using M(CO)₆ as catalyst precursors are first order in [M(CO)₆], inverse first order in [CO], and first order in [HCO₂ ^–] and appear to involve a dissociative mechanism with formatometallate intermediates [(CO)₅M-OCHO]^–.The Reppe hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde and 1-propanol in basic solutions containing Fe(CO)₅ occurs at 110–140 °C. This reaction is second order in [Fe(CO)₅], first order in [C₂H₄] up to a saturation pressure >1.5 MPa, and inhibited by [CO]. These experimental results suggest a mechanism where the rate-determining step involves a binuclear iron carbonyl intermediate. The substitution of Et₃N for NaOH as the base facilitates the reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol but results in a slower rate for the overall reaction.The homogeneous photocatalytic decomposition of the formate ion to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of Cr(CO)₆ appears to be closely related to the water gas shift reaction. The rate of H₂ production from the formate ion exhibits saturation kinetics in the formate ion and is inhibited by added pyridine. The infrared spectra of the catalyst solutions indicate an LCr(CO)₅ intermediate. Photolysis of the Cr(CO)₆/formate system in aqueous methanol in the presence of an aldehyde RCHO (R =n-heptyl,p-tolyl, andp-anisyl) results in catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde to the corresponding alcohol RCH₂OH by the formate ion. Detailed kinetic studies onp-tolualdehyde hydrogenation by this method indicates saturation kinetics in formate ion, autoinhibition by thep-tolualdehyde, and a threshold effect for Cr(CO)₆ at concentrations >0.004 mol L^–1. The presence of an aldehyde can interrupt the water gas shift catalytic cycle by interception of an HCr(CO)₅ ^– intermediate by the aldehyde.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1533–1539, September, 1994.