Measuring surface and bulk relaxation in glassy polymers

We present a comprehensive study of gold nanoparticle embedding into polystyrene (PS) surfaces at temperatures ranging from T _g + 8 K to T _g − 83 K and times as long as 10⁵ minutes. This range in times and temperatures allows the first concurrent observation of and differentiation between surface and bulk behavior in the 20nm region nearest the free surface of the polymer film. Of particular importance is the temperature region near the bulk glass transition temperature where both surface and bulk processes can be measured. The results indicate that for the case of PS, enhanced surface mobility only exists at temperatures near or below the bulk T _g value. The surface relaxation times are only weakly temperature dependent and near T _g , the enhanced mobility extends less than 10nm into the bulk of the film. The results suggest that both the concept of a “surface glass transition” and the use of glass transition temperatures to measure local mobility near interfaces may not universally apply to all polymers. The results can also be used to make a quantitative connection to molecular dynamics simulations of polymer films and surfaces.     

Synthesis, characterization, and multielectron reduction chemistry of uranium supported by redox-active α-diimine ligands

Uranium compounds supported by redox-active α-diimine ligands, which have methyl groups on the ligand backbone and bulky mesityl substituents on the nitrogen atoms {(Mes)DAB(Me) = [ArN═C(Me)C(Me)═NAr], where Ar = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (Mes)}, are reported. The addition of 2 equiv of (Mes)DAB(Me), 3 equiv of KC(8), and 1 equiv of UI(3)(THF)(4) produced the bis(ligand) species ((Mes)DAB(Me))(2)U(THF) (1). The metallocene derivative, Cp(2)U((Mes)DAB(Me)) (2), was generated by the addition of an equimolar ratio of (Mes)DAB(Me) and KC(8) to Cp(3)U. The bond lengths in the molecular structure of both species confirm that the α-diimine ligands have been doubly reduced to form ene-diamide ligands. Characterization by electronic absorption spectroscopy shows weak, sharp transitions in the near-IR region of the spectrum and, in combination with the crystallographic data, is consistent with the formulation that tetravalent uranium ions are present and supported by ene-diamide ligands. This interpretation was verified by U L(III)-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and by variable-temperature magnetic measurements. The magnetic data are consistent with singlet ground states at low temperature and variable-temperature dependencies that would be expected for uranium(IV) species. However, both complexes exhibit low magnetic moments at room temperature, with values of 1.91 and 1.79 μ(B) for 1 and 2, respectively. Iodomethane was used to test the reactivity of 1 and 2 for multielectron transfer. While 2 showed no reactivity with CH(3)I, the addition of 2 equiv of iodomethane to 1 resulted in the formation of a uranium(IV) monoiodide species, ((Mes)DAB(Me))((Mes)DAB(Me2))UI {3; (Mes)DAB(Me2) = [ArN═C(Me)C(Me(2))NAr]}, which was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and U M(4)- and M(5)-edge XANES. Confirmation of the structure was also attained by deuterium labeling studies, which showed that a methyl group was added to the ene-diamide ligand carbon backbone.     

Brillouin light scattering studies of the mechanical properties of polystyrene/polyisoprene multilayered thin films

We have used Brillouin light scattering (BLS) to investigate the mechanical properties of thin polystyrene (PS) and polyisoprene (PI) films incorporated in a multilayer geometry consisting of alternating layers of the two polymers. All samples had a total thickness h ∼ 1600 Å, and consisted of between 2 and 10 individual polymer films; individual layer thicknesses were as small as 160 Å. Ellipsometry was used to determine the thickness of the PS and PI layers. The velocities of several high-frequency film-guided mechanical waves were measured using BLS and the results are compared with values calculated using an effective medium approach. The effective elastic constants of the multilayered films were obtained from those determined for thick films of PS and PI. Remarkable agreement was obtained between the measured and calculated velocities even for samples in which the individual layer thicknesses were much less than the unperturbed size of the polymer molecules. These results suggest that the mechanical properties of polymers change very little even when the molecules are forced into highly confined geometries. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Diruthenium(III,III) bis(alkynyl) compounds with donor/acceptor-substituted geminal-diethynylethene ligands

Reported in this contribution are the preparation and characterization of a series of Ru(2)(DMBA)(4) (DMBA = N,N'-dimethylbenzamidinate) bis(alkynyl) compounds, trans-Ru(2)(DMBA)(4)(X-gem-DEE)(2) [gem-DEE = σ-geminal-diethynylethene; X = H (1), Si(i)Pr(3) (2), Fc (3); 4-C(6)H(4)NO(2) (4), and 4-C(6)H(4)NMe(2) (5)]. Compounds 1-5 were characterized by spectroscopic and voltammetric techniques as well as the single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 2 and 3. Both the single-crystal structural data of compounds 2 and 3 and the spectroscopic/voltammetric data indicate that the gem-DEE ligands are similar to simple acetylides in their impact on the molecular and electronic structures of the Ru(2)(DMBA)(4) core. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations revealed more extensive π delocalization in aryl-donor-substituted gem-DEEs and that the hole-transfer mechanism will likely dominate the charge delocalization in Ru(2)-gem-DEE-based wires.     

Crystal growth rate in ultrathin films of poly(ethylene oxide)

Many dynamical properties of polymers, including segmental relaxation and chain diffusion, exhibit anomalies in thin‐film samples. We extend the studies of thin‐film dynamics to the case of semicrystalline polymers and present a study of the crystal growth rate for thin films of poly(ethylene oxide). We used optical microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance techniques to characterize the kinetics of crystallization for films with thicknesses from 40 to 1000 nm for a range of temperatures near the melting point. A remarkable slowing down of the crystal growth is observed at all temperatures studied for films with a thickness of less than ～100 nm. The results can be used to suggest reductions of the mobility of chains at the crystal/amorphous interface. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2615–2621, 2001     

Room temperature palladium-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes

A mild and facile Pd-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes is described. This reaction takes place at room temperature and is tolerant of synthetically useful acid-sensitive functional groups. The formation of hydroamination products rather than oxidative amination products is due to the use of a tridentate ligand on Pd which effectively inhibits beta-hydride elimination.     

Bulky Aryloxide Ligand Stabilizes a Heterogeneous Metathesis Catalyst

The reaction of [W(?O)(?CHCMe₂Ph)(dAdPO)₂], containing bulky 2,6‐diadamantyl aryloxide ligands, with partially dehydroxylated silica selectively yields a well‐defined silica‐supported alkylidene complex, [(?SiO)W(?O)(?CHCMe₂Ph)(dAdPO)]. This fully characterized material is a very active and stable alkene metathesis catalyst, thus allowing loadings as low as 50 ppm in the metathesis of internal alkenes. [(?SiO)W(?O)(?CHCMe₂Ph)(dAdPO)] also efficiently catalyzes the homocoupling of terminal alkenes, with turnover numbers exceeding 75 000 when ethylene is constantly removed to avoid the formation of the less reactive square‐based pyramidal metallacycle resting state.     

Gas-Phase Reactivity of Carboxylic Acid Functional Groups with Carbodiimides

Gas-phase modification of carboxylic acid functionalities is performed via ion/ion reactions with carbodiimide reagents [N-cyclohexyl-N′-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide (CMC) and [3-(3-Ethylcarbodiimide-1-yl)propyl]trimethylaminium (ECPT)]. Gas-phase ion/ion covalent chemistry requires the formation of a long-lived complex. In this instance, the complex is stabilized by an electrostatic interaction between the fixed charge quaternary ammonium group of the carbodiimide reagent cation and the analyte dianion. Subsequent activation results in characteristic loss of an isocyanate derivative from one side of the carbodiimide functionality, a signature for this covalent chemistry. The resulting amide bond is formed on the analyte at the site of the original carboxylic acid. Reactions involving analytes that do not contain available carboxylic acid groups (e.g., they have been converted to sodium salts) or reagents that do not have the carbodiimide functionality do not undergo a covalent reaction. This chemistry is demonstrated using PAMAM generation 0.5 dendrimer, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and the model peptide DGAILDGAILD. This work demonstrates the selective gas-phase covalent modification of carboxylic acid functionalities.      

In silico targeting PAD4 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Structural Chemistry - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic inflammation with periodic bursts of activity in multiple synovial joints which lead to irreversible...     

Size-dependent denaturing kinetics of bovine serum albumin adsorbed onto gold nanospheres

We have used localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) to monitor the kinetics of thermal denaturing of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed onto gold nanospheres of size 5 nm-100 nm. The effect of the protein on the LSPR was monitored by visible extinction spectroscopy. The wavelength of the peak extinction (resonance) is affected by the conformation of the adsorbed protein layer, and as such can be used as a very sensitive probe of thermal denaturing that is specific to the adsorbed (as opposed to free) protein. The time dependence of the denaturing is measured in the temperature range 60 °C–70 °C, and the lifetimes are used to calculate an activation barrier for thermal denaturing. The results show that thermally activated denaturing of proteins adsorbed onto nanoparticles has a nanoparticle-size-dependent activation barrier, and this barrier increases for decreasing particle size. This may have important implications for other protein-nanoparticle interactions.