Surface ionization state and nanoscale chemical composition of UV-irradiated poly(dimethylsiloxane) probed by chemical force microscopy, force titration, and electrokinetic measurements

The surface chemistry and ionization state of cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) exposed to UV/ozone were studied as a function of treatment time. Various complementary and independent experimental techniques were utilized, which yielded information on the macroscopic as well as the nanometric scale. The average chemical composition of the PDMS surface was quantitatively investigated by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). It was found that the top 1-2 nm surface layer was dominated by silanol groups (-SiOH) for which the concentration increased with increasing treatment dose. The lateral distributions of the silanol groups were analyzed on the nanometer scale by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) with chemically functionalized tip probes in aqueous buffer solutions at varying pHs. Spatially dependent pull-off force curves (also called "force volume" imaging) indicated the presence of strong chemical heterogeneity of the probed surface. This heterogeneity took the form of patches of silanol functionalities with high local concentration surrounded by a matrix of predominantly hydrophobic domains at low pH. The average pull-off forces for the entire surface scanned were significantly reduced for pH values larger than a characteristic pK(a) constant (in the range between 4.5 and 5.5). The extent of the decrease in the pull-off force and the particular value of pK(a) were found to be a function of treatment time and to differ from the commonly reported values for silanol functional groups on a homogeneous silica surface. These dependences were ascribed to the evoking of a protonation/deprotonation process of the surface silanol groups which was sensitive to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of their close molecular environment. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding may also account for the shifts in the surface pK(a). Furthermore, depending on the nature of the electrolyte, a third effect related to double layer composition, as determined by specific ion adsorption, was quantitatively analyzed by streaming potential measurements in the presence of sodium chloride and phosphate electrolytes.     

Conformations in dioctyl substituted polyfluorene: a combined theoretical and experimental Raman scattering study

The structural properties of polyfluorenes (PF) are extremely sensitive to the choice of functionalizing side chains. Dioctyl substituted PF (PF8) adopts metastable structures that depend upon the thermal history and choice of solvents used in film forming conditions. We present a detailed study of the changes in the backbone and side chain morphology in PF8, induced by the various crystallographic phases, using Raman scattering techniques. The vibrational frequencies and intensities of fluorene oligomers are calculated using hybrid density-functional theory with a 3-21G(*) basis set. The alkyl side chains are modeled as limiting conformations: all anti, anti-gauche-gauche, and end gauche representations. The calculated vibrational spectra of single chain oligomers in conjunction with our experimental results demonstrate the beta phase, which is known to originate in regions of enhanced chain planarity as a direct consequence of the alkyl side chain conformation.     

Polymers in an external periodic field: the effect of the excluded volume interactions

By developing and making use of the "transfer operator" formalism, we calculate the number density and average Flory end-to-end distance of the polymers placed in an external periodic field. The considered mathematical problem is of immediate relevance for such realistic physical systems as the homopolymers immersed in the host structure of alternating layers that have different affinities for homopolymers (e.g., lamellar microphases of copolymers, ripple morphology of the mixed brush, and lipidwater systems). In contrast to the conventional ground state dominance approximation, the developed method makes it possible to calculate the characteristic size (Flory radius R(F)) of the polymers in the direction of applied external periodic field, with the effect of the excluded volume taken into account. The excluded volume interactions are shown to qualitatively change the behavior of R(F) as a function of the reduced field strength theta relative to the case of ideal Gaussian polymers. In particular, in the limit of strong fields theta>1 the average Flory radius R(F) is found to saturate to its minimal value, which is calculated as a function of the excluded volume parameter u. This finding is in distinct contrast to the result for the Flory radius R(F) in the case of ideal polymers where R(F) approaches zero as the interaction parameter theta increases.     

Oxidative and reductive carbodiazenylation of nonactivated olefins

Procedures for the carbodiazenylation of nonactivated olefins with a wide range of aryldiazonium salts have been developed. The azo compounds obtained can serve as valuable precursors for beta-arylamines (carboamination products), beta-amino acids, ketones, and various heterocyclic structures.     

Nitro-substituted stilbeneboronate pinacol esters and their fluoro-adducts. Fluoride ion induced polarity enhancement of arylboronate esters

A series of stilbeneboronate pinacol cyclic esters, containing none to three nitro groups, have been synthesized by various olefination reactions and characterized by X-ray single-crystal structure analysis. A stilbeneboronate ester bearing electron-acceptor groups experiences transition to a push-pull pi-electron system upon complexation with one fluoride ion at the boron atom. The UV-vis absorption maxima of the presented nitro-substituted stilbeneboronate esters are red-shifted upon addition of fluoride ions, indicating this binding event. The enhancement of the polarity of the investigated compounds and the changes in the electronic system were investigated by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and solvatochromism. Additionally, studies were performed by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and RI-CC2 calculations of the vertical excitation energies. The synergism of fluoride ion complexation and solvation upon the UV-vis band shift is interpreted in terms of linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) using the Kamlet-Taft solvent parameter set. It is found that the UV-vis absorption of the fluoro-boronates is strongly dependent on the solvents hydrogen-bond donating ability.     

Allylation and vinylation of aryl radicals generated from diazonium salts

Allylation and vinylation of aryl radicals generated from aryl diazonium salts provides rapid and efficient access to chlorinated and brominated derivatives of styrene and allylbenzene. Allyl chlorides were found to be better substrates than bromides due to decreased halogen transfer. Donor- and acceptor-substituted diazonium salts are well tolerated. The products represent important precursors for numerous further transformations.     

Synthesis of di-, tri- and tetranuclear platinum(II) and copper(I) acetylide complexes

Heterobimetallic {cis-[Pt](μ-σ,π-CCPh)₂}[Cu(NCMe)]BF₄ (3a: [Pt] = (bipy)Pt, bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine; 3b: [Pt] = (bipy′)Pt, bipy′ = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) is accessible by the reaction of cis-[Pt](CCPh)₂ (1a: [Pt] = (bipy)Pt, 1b: [Pt] = (bipy′)Pt]) with [Cu(NCMe)₄]BF₄ (2). Substitution of NCMe by PPh₃ (4) can be realized by the reaction of 3a with 4, whereby [{cis-[Pt](μ-σ,π-CCPh)₂}Cu(PPh₃)]BF₄ (5) is formed. On prolonged stirring of 3 and 5, respectively, NCMe and PPh₃ are eliminated and tetrametallic {[{cis-[Pt](η²-CCPh)₂}Cu]₂}(BF₄)₂ (6) is produced. Addition of an excess of NCMe to 6 gives heterobimetallic 3a.When instead of NCMe or PPh₃ chelating molecules such as bipy (7) are reacted with 3a then the heterobimetallic π-tweezer molecule [{cis-[Pt](μ-σ,π-CCPh)₂}Cu(bipy)]BF₄ (8) is formed. Treatment of 8 with another equivalent of 7 produced [Cu(bipy₂)]BF₄ (9) along with [Pt](CCPh)₂. However, when 3b is reacted with 1b in a 1:1 molar ratio then 10 and 11 of general composition [{[Pt](CCPh)₂}₂Cu]BF₄ are formed. These species are isomers and only differ in the binding of the PhCC units to copper(I). A possible mechanism for the formation of 10 and 11 is presented.The solid state structures of 6, 10 and 11 are reported. In 11 the [{cis-[Pt](μ-σ,π-CCPh)₂}₂Cu]⁺ building block is set-up by two nearly orthogonal positioned bis(alkynyl) platinum units which are connected by a Cu(I) ion, whereby the four carbon-carbon triple bonds are unsymmetrical coordinated to Cu(I). In trimetallic 10 two cis-[Pt](CCPh)₂ units are bridged by a copper(I) center, however, only one of the two PhCC ligands of individual cis-[Pt](CCPh)₂ fragments is η²-coordinated to Cu(I) giving rise to the formation of a [(η²-CCPh)₂Cu]⁺ moiety with a linear alkyne-copper-alkyne arrangement (alkyne = midpoint of the CC triple bond). In 6 two almost parallel oriented [Pt](CCPh)₂ planes are linked by two copper(I) ions, whereby two individual PhCC units, one associated with each Pt building block, are symmetrically π-coordinated to Cu.     

High-speed all-optical switching in ion-implanted silicon-on-insulator microring resonators

We demonstrate high-speed all-optical switching via vertical excitation of an electron-hole plasma in an oxygen-ion implanted silicon-on-insulator microring resonator. Based on the plasma dispersion effect the spectral response of the device is rapidly modulated by photoinjection and subsequent recombination of charge carriers at artificially introduced fast recombination centers. At an implantation dose of 1 x 10(12) cm(-2) the carrier lifetime is reduced to 55 ps, which facilitates optical switching of signal light in the 1.55 mum wavelength range at modulation speeds larger than 5 Gbits/s.     

Stereoselective aza Diels-Alder reaction on solid phase: a facile synthesis of hexahydrocinnoline derivatives

As part of our continuing studies of polymer-supported pericyclic reactions for preparing biologically interesting heterocyclic compounds, we have introduced a traceless solid-phase synthesis of hexahydrocinnolines. We developed a method in which mild reaction conditions can be used for the hetero-Diels-Alder reactions on a polymeric support. The dienoic 3-vinyl-2-cyclohexenol attached to a Wang resin through an ether linkage undergoes [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction with several azadienophiles. The highly stereoselective Diels-Alder reaction showed preferential formation of a single cycloadduct resulting from an anti attack of the dienophile on the polymer-bound diene. Trifluoroacetic acid-mediated cleavage of the polymer-bound cycloadducts yields fused nonaromatic hexahydrocinnolines in moderate yields in three steps.