Comment and evaluation concerning some partial wave electron scattering factors frequently used in gas electron diffraction

An evaluation is presented of some recently published partial wave electron scattering factors for neutral atoms which are frequently used in structural studies by gas electron diffraction. Significant corrections are given for 3 of the 75 elements which were treated.     

Mannich reactions of heterocycles with dimethyl(methylene) ammonium chloride: A high yield,one-step conversion of estazolam to adinazolam

The readily prepared ammonium salt, (CH₃)₂N⁺ = CH₂Cl^?, 4 , functionalized heterocycles differently, but in a predictable fashion, under neutral, basic or acidic conditions. Triazolo- and imidazobenzophenones 1b ′ and 5 , which primarily underwent intramolecular isomerization to indolols 2a ′ and 6a rather than intermolecular electrophilic substitution under conditions of the normal aqueous Mannich reaction, were converted with 4 to the desired benzophenone derivatives, 1c ′ and 7 , respectively, in moderate yields. The 1-unsubstituted triazolo- or imidazobenzodiazepines, 10a (estazolam) and 10b , were transformed to the corresponding 1-(dimethylamino)methyl derivatives, 11a (adinazolam) and 11b , in good to moderate yields (61% and 32%, respectively.) Under acidic reaction conditions, 1-methyl triazolobenzodiazepine, 10d (alprazolam), afforded 12e , the product of attack at C-4 of the triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine ring system. Under strongly basic conditions in which the anion of 10d was generated prior to reaction with 4 , both 12e and its isomer, 15 , were formed. These results complement the report that 4 may be used to functionalize the 1-methyl position of triazolobenzodiazepines, and further demonstrate the versatility of reagent 4 in heterocyclic synthesis.     

Paraquat enzyme-immunoassays in biological samples: assessment of the effects of hapten-protein bridge structures on assay sensitivity

Previously unreported paraquat derivatives were prepared and used to develop enzyme-immunoassay methods for paraquat in serum and urine matrices. The study involved comparison of the effects of novel paraquat derivatives made of methyl and ethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium and cyanuric chloride (heterologous bridges) or valeric acid (homologous bridges) on the ability of paraquat standards to inhibit binding of the antibody to adsorbed hapten-protein plate coating antigens prepared by coupling the derivatives to gelatine. The comparison showed striking differences in assay sensitivity due to the hapten bridge binding phenomenon where the heterologous bridge conjugates enabled achievement of sensitivity levels several orders of magnitude greater than the homologous structures. The constructed ELISA showed minimal detection limit in the range 4 pg mL(-1) in the buffer systems and less then 100 pg mL(-1) in charcoal-stripped human and horse sera and human urine. The study presents details of synthesis of novel paraquat derivatives and a highly sensitive ELISA. In addition the investigation demonstrates the critical importance of judicious selection of hapten-bridge structures to achieve improved levels of detection limits of paraquat immunoassays. The reported assay is suitable for use in monitoring of paraquat levels in exposed persons or animals and for emergency diagnostic tests.     

On the validity of using the TKR sum rule to place zero angle electron impact spectra on an absolute scale

The use of the Thomas—Kuhn—Reiche (TKR) sum rule to place electron impact spectra on an absolute scale is only rigorously correct if the observed intensities can be extrapolated to their first Born zero momentum transfer limit. This note investigates the error involved in using the TKR sum rule at zero scattering angle instead of zero momentum transfer. By considering an expansion of the generalized oscillator strength at zero angle it is shown that the first order correction to the TKR sum rule can be written as ($\text{1}\text{3}\text{k}{}^2$)[|E_o|?($\text{4}\text{5}$)$\text{V}$_ee] for target systems randomly oriented in space where k² is the incident electron energy and |E_o| and $\text{V}$_ee are the magnitude of the total electronic energy and the electron—electron repulsive energy of the ground state of the target system respectively. Estimates based on Hartree—Fock calculations indicate a 0.27% error in the use of the TKR sum rule for F and 0.79% for Ar at an incident electron energy of 25 keV.     

Stereospecificity and enantioselectivity in the binding of the platinum(II) complex [PtCl2(tmdz)] (tmdz = 5,5,7-trimethyl-1,4-diazacycloheptane) to dinucleotides and oligonucleotides

The two stereoisomers formed on reaction of each of the enantiomers of [PtCl2(tmdz)] with d(GpG) have been identified by using one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy. For both isomers formed with the R enantiomer the 3'-H8 shifts are downfield from those for the 5'-H8. For the S enantiomer the reverse is observed, showing that the bulky tmdz ligand determines the pattern of shifts. Models of these isomers generated by molecular mechanics show that the bulky tmdz ligand limits the rotation of the guanine bases and enforces right-handed (R2) canting for both isomers formed by the R enantiomer and left-handed (L1) canting for those formed by the S enantiomer. The pattern of H8 shifts is the opposite to that expected for these cantings; this suggests that other factors may play a role in determining these shifts. The interactions between the tmdz and d(GpG) ligands are also shown by molecular mechanics and the broadness of the H8 NMR signals to influence the tendency of the coordinated guanine bases to rotate about their Pt-N7 bonds. Reaction of each of the enantiomers with a 52 base-pair nucleotide, with a total of six GpG binding sites, resulted in the formation of only one of the stereoisomers in each case, the first reported case of complete stereoselectivity, or stereospecificity, in the reaction of Pt complexes with DNA. The observed stereoisomers were identified by comparison with the properties of the d(GpG) complexes. Molecular mechanics models of the adducts with duplex DNA show that the nonformation of one stereoisomer is consistent with the steric bulk of the tmdz ligand preventing closure from the monofunctional adduct to the bifunctional adduct. Enantioselectivity is also observed in that the R enantiomer forms more monofunctional adducts than bifunctional (59:41), whereas the S enantiomer forms more bifunctional adducts (27:73). The origins of this enantioselectivity must be at the level of monofunctional adduct formation and this has been investigated by molecular mechanics modelling.     

Engineering Pt in ceria for a maximum metal-support interaction in catalysis

Conventional supported metal catalysts are metal nanoparticles deposited on high surface area oxide supports with a poorly defined metal-support interface. Typically, the traditionally prepared Pt/ceria catalyzes both methanation (H2/CO to CH4) and water-gas shift (CO/H2O to CO2/H2) reactions. By using simple nanochemistry techniques, we show for the first time that Pt or PtAu metal can be created inside each CeO2 particle with tailored dimensions. The encapsulated metal is shown to interact with the thin CeO2 overlayer in each single particle in an optimum geometry to create a unique interface, giving high activity and excellent selectivity for the water-gas shift reaction, but is totally inert for methanation. Thus, this work clearly demonstrates the significance of nanoengineering of a single catalyst particle by a bottom-up construction approach in modern catalyst design which could enable exploitation of catalyst site differentiation, leading to new catalytic properties.     

Novel copolymers of styrene. 7. Some ring-disubstituted butyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted butyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH?C(CN)CO₂C₄H₉ (where R is 2-bromo-5-methoxy, 3-bromo-4-methoxy, 5-bromo-2-methoxy, 2-chloro-3-methoxy, 3-chloro-4-methoxy, 2-chloro-6-methyl, 3-chloro-4-methyl, 2-fluoro-4-methoxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and butyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500ºC range with residue (1-6% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800ºC range.     

Unexpected Molecular Weight Dependence to the Physical Aging of Thin Polystyrene Films Present at Ultra‐High Molecular Weights

The physical aging behavior, time‐dependent densification, of thin polystyrene (PS) films supported on silicon are investigated using ellipsometry for a large range of molecular weights (MWs) from M_w = 97 to 10,100 kg mol^?1. We report an unexpected MW dependence to the physical aging rate of h < 80‐nm thick films not present in bulk films, where samples made from ultra‐high MWs ≥ 6500 kg mol^?1 exhibit on average a 45% faster aging response at an aging temperature of 40 °C compared with equivalent films made from (merely) high MWs ≤ 3500 kg mol^?1. This MW‐dependent difference in physical aging response indicates that the breadth of the gradient in dynamics originating from the free surface in these thin films is diminished for films of ultra‐high MW PS. In contrast, measures of the film‐average glass transition temperature T _g(h) and effective average film density (molecular packing) show no corresponding change for the same range of film thicknesses, suggesting physical aging may be more sensitive to differences in dynamical gradients. These results contribute to growing literature reports signaling that chain connectivity and entropy play a subtle, but important role in how glassy dynamics are propagated from interfaces. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 1224–1238     

Streamlined ellipsometry procedure for characterizing physical aging rates of thin polymer films

Existing studies in the research literature showing conflicting changes in physical aging rates with decreasing film thickness in nanoconfined polymer films highlight the need for a single experimental technique to efficiently characterize physical aging rates in thin polymer films of varying chemical structure. To that end, we have developed a streamlined ellipsometry procedure to measure the structural relaxation of thin glassy polymer films. We evaluate different methods of calculating a physical aging rate β from the measured thickness h(t) and index of refraction n(t) data. We present extensive measurements of β as a function of aging temperature and aging time for polystyrene (PS) films supported on silicon, and determine that the physical aging rate β can be easily and reliably determined from β = −1/h₀ dh/d(log t), where h₀ is the initial measure of the film thickness at an aging time of 10 min. We have also carried out oxygen permeation studies on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films from 800 μm down to 190 nm in thickness, and find no change in the permeability with film thickness or physical aging at room temperature for up to 65 days, which suggests that gas permeation may be insensitive to physical aging in such low free volume polymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2509–2519, 2009