Novel approach to synthesizing hydrophobically associating copolymer using template copolymerization: the synthesis and behaviors of acrylamide and 4-(omega-propenoyloxyethoxy) benzoic acid copolymer

Hydrophobically associating copolymers of acrylamide (AM) with a small amount of 4-(omega-propenoyloxyethoxy) benzoic acid (PEBA, <2.5%) were synthesized by template copolymerization in the presence of poly(allylammonium chloride) (PAAC) as a template in an aqueous medium. These template copolymers exhibited remarkable thickening properties due to the effective hydrophobic association, which were similar to those copolymers with a multiblock structure obtained by the micellar process. The pH of the reaction medium and the molecular weight of the template strongly influenced the thickening properties of the products. In the experimental range, the higher the PEBA content, the larger the thickening capacity of these hydrophobic copolymers. The aggregate behaviors of these copolymers were studied by fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and light scattering techniques. The apparent critical interpolymer aggregate concentration (cac) of the copolymer solution was about 0.5 g/dL. As the concentration of the copolymer became higher than the cac, the aggregates changed their morphology from small hollow spheres to big flower-shaped aggregates. All the above results indicated that the template copolymerization gave access to a very simple and powerful means for the preparation of hydrophobically associating copolymers and other functional polymer materials.     

Ligand design for alkali-metal-templated self-assembly of unique high-nuclearity CuII aggregates with diverse coordination cage units: crystal structures and properties

The construction of two unique, high-nuclearity Cu(II) supramolecular aggregates with tetrahedral or octahedral cage units, [(mu(3)-Cl)[Li subset Cu(4)(mu-L(1))(3)](3)](ClO(4))(8)(H(2)O)(4.5) (1) and [[Na(2) subset Cu(12)(mu-L(2))(8)(mu-Cl)(4)](ClO(4))(8)(H(2)O)(10)(H(3)O(+))(2)](infinity) (2) by alkali-metal-templated (Li(+) or Na(+)) self-assembly, was achieved by the use of two newly designed carboxylic-functionalized diazamesocyclic ligands, N,N'-bis(3-propionyloxy)-1,4-diazacycloheptane (H(2)L(1)) or 1,5-diazacyclooctane-N,N'-diacetate acid (H(2)L(2)). Complex 1 crystallizes in the trigonal R3c space group (a = b = 20.866(3), c = 126.26(4) A and Z = 12), and 2 in the triclinic P1 space group (a = 13.632(4), b = 14.754(4), c = 19.517(6) A, alpha = 99.836(6), beta = 95.793(5), gamma = 116.124(5) degrees and Z = 1). By subtle variation of the ligand structures and the alkali-metal templates, different polymeric motifs were obtained: a dodecanuclear architecture 1 consisting of three Cu(4) tetrahedral cage units with a Li(+) template, and a supramolecular chain 2 consisting of two crystallographically nonequivalent octahedral Cu(6) polyhedra with a Na(+) template. The effects of ligand functionality and alkali metal template ions on the self-assembly processes of both coordination supramolecular aggregates, and their magnetic behaviors are discussed in detail.     

Sandwich-type transition metal complexes [(CBO)n]2M with carbon boronyl ligands (CBO)n (n=4–6)

A density functional theory investigation on a series of sandwich-type transition metal complexes [(CBO)_n]₂M (n=4–6; M=transition metals) with carbon boronyls (CBO)_n as effective aromatic ligands has been presented in this work at B3LYP level. The ground-states of these complexes possess staggered D_nd symmetries, while the corresponding eclipsed D_nh structures exist as transition states with slightly higher energies (within 5.8 kJ/mol). Carbon boronyl complexes [(CBO)_n]₂M are confirmed to be much more stable than their boron carbonyl isomers [(BCO)_n]₂M, which, on the other hand, take eclipsed ground-states with D_nh symmetries. The carbon boronyl complexes [(BCO)_n]₂M proposed in this work parallelize the well-known sandwich-type hydrocarbon complexes [C_nH_n]₂M in coordination chemistry with boronyl groups –BO isolobal to –H atoms in corresponding ligands.     

A unique cyanide-bridged three-dimensional (3-D) copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymer containing 1-D water tapes with cyclic pentamer units

A unique cyano-bridged copper(II)-copper(I) mixed-valence polymer, {[Cu(3)(CN)(4)(H(2)O)(3)](H(2)O)(2)}(n) (1), has been prepared and structurally determined by X-ray diffraction. The cyanide anions with (mu(2),eta(2)) and (mu(3),eta(2)) bridging modes connect the copper centers into a complicated zeolite-like 3-D network. Of further interest, coordinated and lattice water molecules in this structure form 1-D hydrogen-bonded water tapes consisting of linked cyclic pentamer clusters.     

Nickel-manganese sulfido carbonyl cluster complexes. synthesis, structure, and properties of the unusual paramagnetic complexes Cp2Ni2Mn(CO)3(mu 3-E)2, E = S, Se

The reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S(2)) with [CpNi(CO)](2) yielded the paramagnetic new compound Cp(2)Ni(2)Mn(CO)(3)(mu(3)-S)(2) (1) and a new hexanuclear metal product Cp(2)Ni(2)Mn(4)(CO)(14)(mu(6)-S(2))(mu(3)-S)(2) (2). Structurally, compound 1 contains two triply bridging sulfido ligands on opposite sides of an open Ni(2)Mn triangular cluster. EPR and temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements of 1 show that it contains one unpaired electron. The electronic structure of 1 was determined by Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations which show that the unpaired electron occupies a low lying antibonding orbital delocalized unequally across the three metal atoms. The selenium homologue Cp(2)Ni(2)Mn(CO)(3)(mu(3)-Se)(2) (3) was obtained from the reaction of a mixture of Mn(2)(CO)(10) and [CpNi(CO)](2) with elemental selenium and Me(3)NO.2H(2)O. It also has one unpaired electron. Compound 1 reacted with elemental sulfur to yield the dinickeldimanganese compound, Cp(2)Ni(2)Mn(2)(CO)(6)(mu(4)-S(2))(mu(4)-S(5)), 4, which can also be made from the reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S(2)) with [CpNi(CO)](2) and sulfur. Compound 4 was converted back to 1 by sulfur abstraction using PPh(3). The reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(10) with [CpNi(CO)](2) in the presence of thiirane yielded the ethanedithiolato compound CpNiMn(CO)(3)(mu-SCH(2)CH(2)S) (5), which was also obtained from the reaction of Mn(4)(CO)(15)(mu(3)-S(2))(mu(4)-S(2)) with [CpNi(CO)](2) in the presence of thiirane. Compound 5 reacted with additional quantities of thiirane to yield the new compound CpNiMn(CO)(3)[mu-S(CH(2)CH(2)S)(2)], 6, which contains a 3-thiapentanedithiolato ligand that bridges the two metal atoms. Compound 6 was also obtained from the reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(10) with [CpNi(CO)](2) and thiirane. The molecular structures of the new compounds 1-6 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.     

Z‐bpy,a New C2‐Symmetric Bipyridine Ligand and Its Application in Enantioselective Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Cyclopropanation of Olefins

A rigid C₂‐symmetric chiral bipyridine ligand Z‐bpy with a triptycene‐like backbone was designed and synthesized from simple chemicals in a scalable route. Using this new ligand, copper(I) catalyzed cyclopropanation of styrenes with commercial ethyl diazoacetate produced various corresponding cyclopropanes in high yields, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity up to 97% ee.     

NIR TADF emitters and OLEDs: challenges,progress, and perspectives

Near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting materials show excellent potential applications in the fields of military technology, bioimaging, optical communication, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), etc. Recently, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters have made historic developments in the field of OLEDs. These metal-free materials are more attractive because of efficient reverse intersystem crossing processes which result in promising high efficiencies in OLEDs. However, the development of NIR TADF emitters has progressed at a relatively slower pace which could be ascribed to the difficult promotion of external quantum efficiencies. Thus, increasing attention has been paid to NIR TADF emitters. In this review, the recent progress of NIR TADF emitters has been summarized along with their molecular design strategies and photophysical properties, as well as electroluminescence performance data of their OLEDs, respectively.

This review presents the recent progress of NIR TADF emitters along with their molecular design strategies and photophysical properties, as well as the electroluminescence performance data of the emitters and their OLEDs.     

Analysis of secondary electron emission using the fractal method

Based on the rough surface topography with fractal parameters and the Monte–Carlo simulation method for secondary electron emission properties, we analyze the secondary electron yield(SEY) of a metal with rough surface topography. The results show that when the characteristic length scale of the surface, G, is larger than 1 × 10^-7, the surface roughness increases with the increasing fractal dimension D. When the surface roughness becomes larger, it is difficult for entered electrons to escape surface. As a result, more electrons are collected and then SEY decreases. When G is less than 1 × 10^-7,the effect of the surface topography can be ignored, and the SEY almost has no change as the dimension D increases. Then,the multipactor thresholds of a C-band rectangular impedance transfer and an ultrahigh-frequency-band coaxial impedance transfer are predicted by the relationship between the SEY and the fractal parameters. It is verified that for practical microwave devices, the larger the parameter G is, the higher the multipactor threshold is. Also, the larger the value of D,the higher the multipactor threshold.