Chemical synthesis and electric properties of the conducting copolymer of aniline and o‐aminophenol

A copolymer, poly(aniline‐co‐o‐aminophenol), was prepared chemically by using ammonium peroxydisulfate as an oxidant. The monomer concentration ratio of o‐aminophenol to aniline strongly influences the copolymerization rate and properties of the copolymer. The optimum composition of a mixture for the chemical copolymerization consisted of 0.3 M aniline, 0.021 M o‐aminophenol, 0.42 M ammonium peroxydisulfate, and 2 M H₂SO₄. The result of cyclic voltammograms in a potential region of ?0.20 to 0.80 V (vs.SCE) indicates that the electrochemical activity of the copolymer prepared under the optimum condition is similar to that of polyaniline in more acid solutions. However, the copolymer still holds the good electrochemical activity until pH 11.0. Therefore, the pH dependence of the electrochemical property of the copolymer is improved, compared with poly(aniline‐co‐o‐aminophenol) prepared electrochemically, and is much better than that of polyaniline. The spectra of IR and ¹H NMR confirm that o‐aminophenol units are included in the copolymer chain, which play a key role in extending the usable pH region of the copolymer. The visible spectra of the copolymers show that a high concentration ratio of o‐aminophenol to aniline in a mixture inhibits the chain growth. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5573–5582, 2007     

Comparison of short range interactions in nematic liquid crystals A 2H-NMR study of 5CB-d19 as a solute

Previous studies using dideuterium as a solute have demonstrated the importance for orientation of the interaction between the solute molecular quadrupole moment and the average electric field gradient present in liquid crystals. With the aim of learning about additional orientational mechanisms, we have studied the temperature dependence of the ²H-NMR spectra of the liquid crystal 5CB-d₁₉ as the solute in three liquid crystal mixtures: 55 wt % 1132/EBBA, 56·5 wt % 1132/EBBA and 70 wt % 5CB/EBBA. In these mixtures, the contribution from the environment to the average electric field gradient at the ²H nucleus of dideuterium is zero. The spectra of 5CB-d₁₉ in the mixtures 55 wt % 1132/EBBA and 56·5 wt % 1132/EBBA are equivalent, but are different from those in 70 wt % 5CB/EBBA. The spectra of 5CB in 55 wt % 1132/EBBA and 70 wt % 5CB/EBBA are analysed using two different models for the short range potential, and param eters of the models are used to compare the potentials in the different mixtures. For a given spectral splitting of the chain C₁ deuteron, the reduced short range potential is the same in all three mixtures studied. The spectral differences observed are a consequence of different nematic-isotropic phase transition temperatures combined with the effect of trans/gauche-isomerization in the hydrocarbon chain.     

The intertwining lifting theorem for ordered groups

Sz.-Nagy's dilation theorem for a contraction on a Hilbert space has been extended by Mlak to the case of a contraction semigroup whose indices are the positive elements of a totally ordered discrete group. We generalize to this case the intertwining lifting theorem of Sz.-Nagy and Foias. Some previous interpolation results on ordered groups are obtained as consequences.     

Dynamics of the surface layer in cyanobiphenyl-aerosil nanocomposites with a high silica density

Composites were prepared from an aerosil and 4-n-alkyl-4'cyanobiphenyls with five to eight carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Their high silica density of ∼7 g aerosil in 1 cm³ of liquid crystal (LC) allows the observation of the behaviour of a thin cyanobiphenyl layer (having nearly a monolayer structure) on the silica particles. The systems are investigated by dielectric spectroscopy (10^-2-10⁹ Hz) in a large temperature range (220-370 K). All the composites show a (main) relaxation process at frequencies much lower than the processes observed for the bulk LC that was assigned to the dynamics of the molecules in the surface layer. The temperature dependence of its characteristic frequencies obeys the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law, which is found to be typical for glass-forming liquids. The quasi two-dimensional character of the glass transition in the surface layer is discussed for the first time. At the nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature of the bulk, the composites show a continuous decrease of the characteristic frequencies as a function of the alkyl chain length, while the bulk LCs show the well known odd-even behaviour. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the slow relaxation process in the composites (molecules on an outer surface) agree with those of the same molecules confined to the nanopores of molecular sieves (internal surface).     

A highly sensitive and rapid assay for protein determination in human urine and penicillin using a Rayleigh light-scattering technique with benzeneazo-8-acetylamino-1-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid sodium salt.

A simple and sensitive method was conducted for the determination of trace amounts of proteins with benzeneazo-8-acetylamino-1-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid sodium salt (azophloxine, AP) using a Rayleigh light-scattering (RLS) technique. At pH 2.60 and in the presence of an emulsifier OP microemulsion, the RLS of AP can be greatly enhanced by proteins, owing to the interaction between AP and protein. The enhanced intensity is proportional to the concentration of proteins. Four proteins, including bovine serum albumin (BSA), human serum albumin (HSA), lysozyme (Lys) and gamma globulin (gamma-G) have been tested. For example, the linear range of BSA was 0 - 0.06 microg mL(-1) with detection limits of 2.38 ng mL(-1). The method was applied to the analysis of protein in human urine and penicillin samples with satisfactory results. The relative standard deviation was in all instances less than 4.0%, and the recovery was in the range of 97.5 - 104%.     

Fragmentation processes of methylbutyl trifluoroacetates studied by tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry and isotope labeling

The fragmentation patterns of 3-methyl-2-butyl trifluoroacetate and 2-methyl-2-butyl trifluoroacetate were investigated by GC/MS/MS, with electron impact and collision-induced dissociation, on regular and isotope-labeled (deuterium and ¹⁸O) esters. The atoms found in various fragments could be traced back to specific positions in the parent molecules. In this way, molecular rearrangements potentially occurring during the formation of esters by trifluoroacetolysis of 3-methyl-2-butyl p-toluenesulfonate or trifluoroacetic acid addition to various 2-methylbutenes could be shown. Rearrangements also occurred during the fragmentation, particularly during the expulsion of the small fragments CO, C₂H₄ and F₂CO. For the decompositions of oxygen-containing ions these rearrangements were highly specific. By contrast, alkyl cations lead to fragments that are fully scrambled (statistical label distribution). Alkene radical cations ([C_nH_2n]^{+ ˙}) fragment to daughter ions that are extensively, but less than statistically scrambled. Hydrogen scrambling may also occur in fluoroalkyl cation fragments.     

An improved synthesis of 3-deazaeytosine, 3-deazauracil, 3-deazacytidine,and 3-deazauridine

3-Dcazacytosine (4-amino-2-pyridone, 3 ), 3-doazauracil (4-hydroxy-2-pyridone, 5 ), 3-deaza-cytidine (4-amino-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-2-pyridonc, 9 ), and 3-deazauridine (4-hydroxy-1-β-D-ribo-furanosyl-2-pyridone, 11 ) were prepared in high overall yields from 1-methoxy-1-buten-3-yne ( 1 ). Ethyl 3,5,5-triethoxy-3-pentenoate ( 2 ), obtained from acylatioti of 1 with diethyl carbonate and subsequent in situ conjugate addition of ethoxide, was cyelized with ammonia to provide 3 . Diazotization of 3 and subsequent in situ hydroxydediazotization afforded 5 . Nucleoside 9 was obtained from the stannic chloride-catalyzed condensation of bis-trimethylsilylated 3 and 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose ( 7 ), followed by ammonolysis of the blocking groups. Diazotization of 9 and subsequent in situ hydroxydediazotization afforded nucleosidc 11 .     

Vibrational analyses of silacyclopentanes

The complete infrared and Raman spectra of 1,1-difluoro-1-silacyclopentane and 1,1-dichloro-1-silacyclopentane have been recorded and analyzed. Furthermore, a number of the vibrational frequencies of the silacyclopentane and silacyclopentane-1, 1-d₂ molecules have been reassigned.A normal coordinate calculation for each of these molecules was carried out and this demonstrated the validity of the assignments. Considerable mixing of the modes was found especially where ring vibrations and SiX₂ motions were involved.     

On-line Separation and Detection of Peptides by Capillary Electrophoresis / Electrospray FT-ICR-MS

Recently, capillary electrophoresis/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CE/ESI- MS) has been rapidly developed as a powerful analytical tool for charged species ranged from small molecules such as carboxylic acids1, phenolic compounds2, metal species3, tetramines4, herbicides5, drugs and drug metabolites6 to peptides and proteins7, 8. The ESI mode has proven to be sensitive, versatile and relatively easy to use in combination with CE. CE confers rapid analysis and efficient separ…     

PHOTOPHYSICAL STUDIES OF PYRENE INCORPORATED IN NAFION MEMBRANES*

Abstract— High concentrations of organic chromophores, in particular pyrene, were found to incorporate into the cluster network of water swollen Nation. The vibrational structure of the fluorescent molecule and its fluorescence lifetime were used to probe the location of pyrene in this structure. Strong heavy-atom induced room temperature phosphorescence was observed from the chromophore in the water swollen membrane. Excimer formation in tm-butanol swollen Nation was observed and was utilized to estimate the micro viscosity in this system.