Surface activity and thermodynamic properties of water‐soluble polyester surfactants based on 1,3‐dicarboxymethoxybenzene used for enhanced oil recovery

The surface activity and thermodynamic properties for eight low molecular weight nonionic co‐polyester (PE) surfactants have been investigated. Surface and interfacial tensions (IFT) of surfactants in aqueous solutions were measured using the spinning drop technique. From these measurements, the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the surface pressure at CMC (Y_CMC), the maximum surface concentration (Γ_max), the minimum area/molecule at the aqueous solution/air interface (A_min), the effectiveness of surface tension reduction (Π_CMC), the alkane carbon number (n_min) and the IFT at n_min (Y_min) were determined. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization (ΔG_mic, ΔH_mic and ΔS_mic) and of adsorption (ΔG_ad, ΔH_ad and ΔS_ad) for these polymeric surfactants were also calculated. Structural effects on micellization and adsorption are discussed in terms of these parameters. The results show that the ΔG_ad values were more negative than ΔG_mic values for these compounds, so that they favored adsorption before the micellization process. They exhibited IFT in the order of 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁴ mN/m against the thin alkane carbon number range 6–9. This range seemed to be prefered for enhanced oil recovery. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local and Collective Motions in Precise Polyolefins with Alkyl Branches: A Combination of 2H and 13C Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy

Branching out : The mobility of linear polymers changes upon branching, which has a pronounced effect on processability and drawability. Regularly branched model polyolefins were studied by advanced solid‐state NMR spectroscopy, and twist defects around the branches in the crystalline regions are identified. For lower branch content, the twisting motions are decoupled; for higher content, collective motion is found (see picture).

     

All‐in‐One Target‐Cell‐Specific Magnetic Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Molecular Imaging and siRNA Delivery

Cancer‐cell‐targeted gene silencing was observed with a magnetic‐nanoparticle platform (MEIO, magnetism‐engineered iron oxide) on which a fluorescent dye, siRNA, and a RGD‐peptide targeting moiety were attached (see picture). The different functionalities enable the macroscopic (magnetic resonance) and microscopic (fluorescence) imaging of target cells. This system may be suitable for concurrent diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

     

Nanosphere formation in copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with poly(ethylene glycol) macromonomers

Polymeric nanospheres consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cores and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) branches on their surfaces were prepared by free radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with PEG macromonomers in ethanol/water mixed solvents. PEG macromonomers having a methacryloyl (MMA‐PEG) and p‐vinylbenzyl (St‐PEG) end group were used. It has become clear that the obtained polymer dispersions form three kinds of states, particle dispersion (milky solution), clear solution, and gel/precipitation. It was found that the reaction parameters such as MMA concentration, molecular weight, and concentration of PEG macromonomers, and water content can affect nanosphere formation in a copolymerization system. The water volume fraction of mixed ethanol/water solvents affected the particle size of the nanospheres. These differences in the formation of nanospheres were due to the solvophilic/solvophobic balance between the copolymers and solvents during the self‐assembling process of the copolymers. The sizes of nanospheres can be controlled by varying concentration of PEG macromonomer and water content in solvents. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1811–1817, 2000     

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Diels–Alder Trapping of Photochemically Generated Hydroxy‐o‐Quinodimethanes

The photoenolization/Diels–Alder strategy offers straightforward access to synthetically valuable benzannulated carbocyclic products. This historical light‐triggered process has never before succumbed to efforts to develop an enantioselective catalytic approach. Herein, we demonstrate how asymmetric organocatalysis provides simple yet effective catalytic tools to intercept photochemically generated hydroxy‐o‐quinodimethanes with high stereoselectivity. We used a chiral organic catalyst, derived from natural cinchona alkaloids, to activate maleimides toward highly stereoselective Diels–Alder reactions. An unconventional mechanism of stereocontrol is operative, wherein the organocatalyst is actively involved in both the photochemical pathway, by leveraging the formation of the reactive photoenol, and the stereoselectivity‐defining event.     

Rainbow hamilton cycles in random graphs

One of the most famous results in the theory of random graphs establishes that the threshold for Hamiltonicity in the Erd?s‐Rényi random graph G_n,p is around . Much research has been done to extend this to increasingly challenging random structures. In particular, a recent result by Frieze determined the asymptotic threshold for a loose Hamilton cycle in the random 3‐uniform hypergraph by connecting 3‐uniform hypergraphs to edge‐colored graphs. In this work, we consider that setting of edge‐colored graphs, and prove a result which achieves the best possible first order constant. Specifically, when the edges of G_n,p are randomly colored from a set of (1 + o(1))n colors, with , we show that one can almost always find a Hamilton cycle which has the additional property that all edges are distinctly colored (rainbow).Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 44, 328‐354, 2014     

Multicentre hydrogen bonds in a 2:1 aryl­sulfonyl­imidazol­one ­hydro­chloride salt

The title compound, (S)‐(+)‐4‐[5‐(2‐oxo‐4,5‐di­hydro­imidazol‐1‐yl­sulfonyl)­indolin‐1‐yl­carbonyl]­anilinium chloride (S)‐(+)‐1‐[1‐(4‐amino­benzoyl)­indoline‐5‐sulfonyl]‐4‐phenyl‐4,5‐di­hydro­imidazol‐2‐one, C₂₄H₂₃N₄O₄S⁺·Cl^?·C₂₄H₂₂N₄O₄S, crystallizes in space group C2 from a CH₃OH/CH₂Cl₂ solution. In the crystal structure, there are two different conformers with their terminal C₆ aromatic rings mutually oriented at angles of 67.69 (14) and 61.16 (15)°. The distances of the terminal N atoms (of the two conformers) from the chloride ion are 3.110 (4) and 3.502 (4) Å. There are eight distinct hydrogen bonds, i.e. four N—H?Cl, three N—H?O and one N—H?N, with one N—H group involved in a bifurcated hydrogen bond with two acceptors sharing the H atom. C—H?O contacts assist in the overall hydrogen‐bonding process.