Electro‐optical switches based on polymer and dendrimer filled nematics

Two‐phase systems which can be switched electrically between a light scattering and a transparent state can be prepared based on either a dispersion of well‐defined sub‐micron sized crosslinked polymeric particles in a liquid crystal (LC) matrix (Polymer Filled Nematics, PFN's) or on a dispersion of palmitoyl‐functionalised poly(propylene imine) dendrimers in an LC (Dendrimer Filled Nematics). The present paper describes the preparation of both systems and their properties. The PFN's can be electrically switched between a scattering and a transparent state by an appropriate choice of materials and refractive indices. The preparation of the disperse polymeric phase is separated from the preparation of the polymer/LC blend, which enables control over the morphology of the system. Rather surprisingly, it is found that, due to the rheological properties of the PFN blends, stable films of the blends can be simply produced by conventional coating processes. The dendrimer‐stabilised nematics require extremely low switching voltages to switch from a scattering to a highly transparent state. Moreover, the switching process is totally reversible and hysteresis effects appear to be absent.     

Enantioselective room temperature phosphorescence detection of non-phosphorescent analytes based on interaction with beta-cyclodextrin/1-bromonaphthalene complexes

Menthol (MT) induces strong room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of 1-bromonaphthalene (1BrN) in aqueous β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) suspensions, even under non-deoxygenated conditions. Interestingly, (−)-MT and (+)-MT enantiomers give rise to different phosphorescence intensities, the difference being 19 ± 3%. It is argued that the signal can be mainly ascribed to the formation of ternary complexes β-CD/1BrN/MT which show different RTP lifetimes, i.e. 4.28 ± 0.06 and 3.71 ± 0.06 ms for (−)-MT and (+)-MT, respectively. Most probably, the stereochemical structure of (−)-MT provides a better protection of 1BrN against quenching by oxygen than (+)-MT. This interpretation is in line with the observation that under deoxygenated conditions the phosphorescence intensity difference for the two complexes becomes very small, i.e. only about 4%.The lifetime difference under aerated conditions enables the direct determination of the MT stereochemistry. For mixtures, in view of the 0.06 ms uncertainty in the lifetime, enantiomeric purity can be determined down to 10%. Furthermore, in the case of MT the concentration of the least abundant enantiomer should be at least 3 × 10⁻⁴ M, since otherwise complex dissociation would obscure the lifetime difference.     

Pre-organization induced synthesis of a crossed alkene-bridged nisin Z DE-ring mimic by ring-closing metathesis

An alkene-bridged mimic of the complex DE-bisthioether-ring system of the antibiotic nisin was prepared in one step from the linear precursor.     

Thermochemical behavior of mixtures ofN,N-dimethylformamide with dimethylsulfoxide,acetonitrile, andN-methylformamide: Volumes and heat capacities

Densities and molar heat capacities have been measured for mixtures ofN,N-dimethylformamide with dimethylsulfoxide, acetonitrile, andN-methylformamide at 25°C over the complete mole fraction range. From these data the apparent molar volumes and heat capacities have been calculated for both components. These quantities, as a function of the mole fraction, deviate very little from their molar values, indicating that the mixtures can be regarded as almost ideal.     

Determination of Biacetyl in Beer by Liquid Chromatography with Sensitized Phosphorescence Detection

Abstract

A new determination method for biacetyl in beer is developed. After a simple sample preparation method and separation by HPLC, biacetyl is detected by sensitized room temperature phosphorescence. A detection limit of 0.5ppb biacetyl in beer can be obtained. The linearity of response is 0.5–150ppb; the relative standard deviation is 4.2% at the 16ppb level. Prepared samples are stable for at least 20 hours when kept in closed vials. The separation of biacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, an α-diketone also present in beer, is described. It is found that sensitized phsophorescence detection is about a factor of 30 less sensitive for 2,3-pentanedione. The reliability of the method is demonstrated by comparison with a routine head space gas chromatography method.     

The alkali cation effect on the 1H NMR chemical shifts of the indenyl carbanion

The complex character of the temperature dependence of the ¹H NMR chemical shifts of indenyl-lithium and -sodium in dimethoxyethane is explained. It is shown that the cation causes a polarisation of the C? H bonds and thus influences the proton shifts of the anion, both directly by its electric field along the bonds (the direct effect) and indirectly via its effect on the π-electron distribution (the indirect effect). The indirect effect is inferred from ¹³C NMR chemical shift data. By subtracting the temperature dependent contribution of the indirect effect from the experimental ¹H data, the direct effect is visualised. It appears that information on ion paris obtained by ¹H and ¹³C NMR on the one hand and optical spectroscopy on the other hand is complementary. Apparently, aggregation of ion pairs does not seriously affect the chemical shift data.