New structural insights into mechanically interlocked polymers revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry

Mechanically interlocked polymers can possess significant additional physical properties, in comparison to those associated with their constituent parts. Their unique properties make them attractive for a range of potential applications, such as as biomaterials and molecular machines. Their efficient and reproducible synthesis is therefore of much interest. Both their synthesis and subsequent characterization are intriguing yet demanding. The properties of mechanically interlocked polymeric systems depend not only on the properties of their individual components but also on the topology of the subsequent product. Here traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry has been used to investigate the structural properties of a polyrotaxane system. Ion mobility studies reveal that this system remains linear in form with increase in size. Both ion mobility studies and tandem mass spectrometry studies indicate that the macrocycle preferentially remains associated with the ammonium moiety of the polymeric repeat unit and is impeded from moving freely along the axle. This is consistent with NMR observations of the average structure. Analysis of mechanically interlocked polymers by ion mobility mass spectrometry provides additional structural insights into these systems relating to dynamics, heterogeneity, and topology. This molecule-specific information is vital in order to understand the origin of a system's functional properties.     

Phosphasalen yttrium complexes: highly active and stereoselective initiators for lactide polymerization

Preparation and characterization of three yttrium alkoxide complexes with new phosphasalen ligands are reported. The phosphasalens are analogues of the well-known salen ligands but with iminophosphorane donors replacing the imine functionality. The three yttrium alkoxide complexes show mono- and dinuclear structures in the solid state, depending on the substituents on the ligand. The new ligands and complexes are characterized using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. The complexes are all rapid initiators for lactide polymerization; they show excellent polymerization control on addition of exogeneous alcohol. The mononuclear complex shows extremely rapid rates and a high degree of stereocontrol in rac-lactide polymerization, yielding heterotactic PLA (P(s) of 0.9). The phosphasalens are, therefore, excellent ligands for lactide ring-opening polymerization catalysis showing superior rates and stereocontrol versus salen ligands, which may be related to their excellent donating ability and the high degrees of steric protection they can confer.     

Nonionic diethanolamide amphiphiles with saturated hydrocarbon chains: Neat crystalline and lyotropic liquid crystalline phase behavior

The solid state and lyotropic phase behavior of a series of nonionic diethanolamide amphiphiles with increasing saturated hydrocarbon chain length (lauroyl, myristoyl, palmitoyl, and stearoyl) has been examined. All four saturated diethanolamide amphiphiles form a crystalline solid with two or three different polymorphic crystalline forms at room temperature. Melting points and associated enthalpies for these four amphiphiles increased with increasing chain length. Approximate partial binary phase diagrams have been constructed for each amphiphile/water system by combining Cross-Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM) and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) results. In the presence of water, all four diethanolamides form an L(α) phase, between 10% and 50% water content, and an L(2) phase with decreasing hydration and increasing temperature. In addition to the L(α) and L(2) phases, the shorter chain diethanolamide amphiphiles (lauroyl and myristoyl) also display a normal micellar phase (L(1)) at higher water contents, occurring to lower temperatures than the L(α) phase. By examining the effect of subtle molecular changes on both neat and lyotropic phase behavior, amphiphiles can be designed with properties tailored to a desired application.     

Synthesis and electronic properties of D-A-D triads based on 3-alkoxy-4-cyanothiophene and benzothienothiophene blocks

3-Alkoxy-4-cyanothiophene units are used as building block for the synthesis of conjugated donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) triads. The donor part consists of benzothienothiophene end groups associated with the alkoxy groups of the 3-alkoxy-4-cyanothiophene, while the central acceptor part is formed by combining the electron-withdrawing cyano group with thiophene or benzothiadiazole units.     

Studies on the Chemistry of [Cd(NH3)4](MnO4)2. A Low Temperature Synthesis Route of the CdMn2O4+x Type NOx and CH3SH Sensor Precursors

Abstract. [Tetraamminecadmium(II)] bis(permanganate) ( 1 ) was prepared and its crystal structure was elucidated with XRD‐Rietveld refinement and vibrational spectroscopic methods. Compound 1 has a cubic lattice consisting of a 3D hydrogen‐bonded network built as four by four distorted tetrahedral blocks of [Cd(NH₃)₄]²⁺ cations and MnO₄^– anions, respectively. The other four permanganate ions are located in a crystallographically different environment, placed in the cavities formed by the attachment of the building blocks. A low‐temperature (≈100 °C) solid phase quasi‐intramolecular redox reaction producing ammonium nitrate and amorphous CdMn₂O₄ could be established. Neither solid phase nor aqueous solution phase thermal deammoniation of compound 1 can be used to prepare Cd(MnO₄)₂ and [Cd(NH₃)₂(MnO₄)₂]. During deammoniation of compound 1 in aqueous solution a precipitate consisting of Cd(OH)₂ forms. Additionally, solid MnO₂ and ammonium permanganate (NH₄MnO₄) forms. The solid phase deammoniation reaction (toluene used as heat convecting medium) with subsequent aqueous leaching of the ammonium nitrate formed has proved to be an easy and convenient technique for the synthesis of amorphous CdMn₂O_4+x type NO_x and MeSH sensor precursors. The 1 ‐ D perdeuterated complex was also synthesized to distinguish the N–H(D) and O–H(D) fragment signals in the TG‐MS spectra and to elucidate the vibrational characteristics of the overlapping Mn–O and Cd–N frequencies.     

Layer-by-layer electrosynthesis of Pt–Polyaniline nanocomposites for the catalytic oxidation of methanol

A new composite material based on the electrochemical generation of a layer-by-layer structure of polyaniline (PANI) and Pt particles has been prepared. The number of layers and the nature of the external layer (PANI or Pt) determine the electrocatalytic performance of the composite for the oxidation of methanol. We demonstrate that the layer-by-layer approach to form the nanocomposite and modification of the Pt particles with a layer of PANI leads to substantially higher catalytic efficiency.     

Unprecedented Selectivity via Electronic Substrate Recognition in the 1,4‐Addition to Cyclic Olefins Using a Chiral Disulfoxide Rhodium Catalyst

From zero to hero? Sulfoxides are generally not considered useful ligand entities in asymmetric metal catalysis. However, a chiral disulfoxide as a chelating ligand in the rhodium‐catalyzed 1,4‐addition of aryl boronic acids to cyclic, α,β‐unsaturated ketones and esters gives impressive catalytic results, thus opening the door to future applications of this new chiral ligand class.

     

Microstructuralism and macromolecules: the case of moonlighting proteins

Microstructuralism in the philosophy of chemistry is the thesis that chemical kinds can be individuated in terms of their microstructural properties (Hendry in Philos Sci 73:864–875, 2006). Elements provide paradigmatic examples, since the atomic number should suffice to individuate the kind. In theory, Microstructuralism should also characterise higher-level chemical kinds such as molecules, compounds, and macromolecules based on their constituent atomic properties. In this paper, several microstructural theses are distinguished. An analysis of macromolecules such as moonlighting proteins suggests that all the forms of microstructuralism cannot accommodate them.     

Excited state dynamics and activation parameters of remarkably slow photoinduced CO loss from (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃ in n-heptane solution: a DFT and picosecond-time-resolved infrared study

The electronic structure of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? has been calculated using density functional theory and a molecular orbital interaction diagram constructed based on the Cr(CO)? and benzene fragments. The highest occupied molecular orbitals are mainly metal based. The nature of the lowest energy excited states were determined by time-dependent density functional theory, and the lowest energy excited state was found to have significant metal to carbonyl charge transfer character. The photochemistry of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? was investigated by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy with picosecond time resolution. The low energy excited state was detected following irradiation at 400 nm, and this exhibited ν(CO) bands at lower energy than the equivalent ν(CO) bands of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)?, consistent with metal to carbonyl charge transfer character, and is formed with excess vibrational energy, relaxing to the v = 0 vibrational state within 3 ps. The resulting "cold" excited state decays to form the CO-loss species (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? in approximately 70% yield and to reform (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? within 150 ps. The rates of relaxation from the vibrationally hot state to the cold excited state and its subsequent reaction to yield (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? were measured over a range of temperatures from 274 to 320 K, and the activation parameters for both processes were obtained from Eyring plots. The vibrational relaxation exhibits a negative activation enthalpy ΔH(?) (-10 (±4) kJ mol?1) and a negative activation entropy ΔS(?) (-50 (±16) J mol?1 K?1). A significant barrier (ΔH(?) = +12 (±4) kJ mol?1) was obtained for the formation of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? with a ΔS(?) value close to zero. These data are used to propose a model for the CO-loss process to yield (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? and to explain why low temperature irradiation of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)? with light of wavelengths greater than 400 nm produced relatively minor amounts of (η?-benzene)Cr(CO)?.