A3‐type star polymers via click chemistry

We report a simple preparation of three‐armed (A₃‐type) star polymers based on the arm‐first technique, using a click‐reaction strategy between a well‐defined azide‐end‐functionalized polystyrene, poly(tert‐butyl acrylate), or poly(ethylene glycol) precursor and a trisalkyne‐functional initiator, 1,1,1‐tris[4‐(2‐propynyloxy)phenyl]ethane. The click‐reaction efficiency for A₃‐type star formation has been investigated with gel permeation chromatography measurements (refractive‐index detector). The gel permeation chromatography curves have been split with the deconvolution method (Gaussian area), and the efficiency of A₃‐type star formation has been found to be 87%. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6458–6465, 2006     

Entropy‐Driven Selectivity for Chain Scission: Where Macromolecules Cleave

We show that, all other conditions being equal, bond cleavage in the middle of molecules is entropically much more favored than bond cleavage at the end. Multiple experimental and theoretical approaches have been used to study the selectivity for bond cleavage or dissociation in the middle versus the end of both covalent and supramolecular adducts and the extensive implications for other fields of chemistry including, e.g., chain transfer, polymer degradation, and control agent addition are discussed. The observed effects, which are a consequence of the underlying entropic factors, were predicted on the basis of simple theoretical models and demonstrated via high‐temperature (HT) NMR spectroscopy of self‐assembled supramolecular diblock systems as well as temperature‐dependent size‐exclusion chromatography (TD SEC) of covalently bonded Diels–Alder step‐growth polymers.     

Glucocorticoid-loaded core-cross-linked polymeric micelles with tailorable release kinetics for targeted therapy of rheumatoid arthritis

Polymerizable and hydrolytically cleavable dexamethasone (DEX, red dot in picture) derivatives were covalently entrapped in core-cross-linked polymeric micelles that were prepared from a thermosensitive block copolymer (yellow and gray building block). By varying the oxidation degree of the thioether in the drug linker, the release rate of DEX could be controlled. The DEX-loaded micelles were used for efficient treatment of inflammatory arthritis in two animal models.     

Synthesis and characterization of [Ir(1,5-cyclooctadiene)(μ-H)]4: a tetrametallic Ir4H4-core, coordinatively unsaturated cluster

Reported herein is the synthesis of the previously unknown [Ir(1,5-COD)(μ-H)](4) (where 1,5-COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene), from commercially available [Ir(1,5-COD)Cl](2) and LiBEt(3)H in the presence of excess 1,5-COD in 78% initial, and 55% recrystallized, yield plus its unequivocal characterization via single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, electrospray/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and UV-vis, IR, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The resultant product parallels--but the successful synthesis is different from, vide infra--that of the known and valuable Rh congener precatalyst and synthon, [Rh(1,5-COD)(μ-H)](4). Extensive characterization reveals that a black crystal of [Ir(1,5-COD)(μ-H)](4) is composed of a distorted tetrahedral, D(2d) symmetry Ir(4) core with two long [2.90728(17) and 2.91138(17) ?] and four short Ir-Ir [2.78680 (12)-2.78798(12) ?] bond distances. One 1,5-COD and two edge-bridging hydrides are bound to each Ir atom; the Ir-H-Ir span the shorter Ir-Ir bond distances. XAFS provides excellent agreement with the XRD-obtained Ir(4)-core structure, results which provide both considerable confidence in the XAFS methodology and set the stage for future XAFS in applications employing this Ir(4)H(4) and related tetranuclear clusters. The [Ir(1,5-COD)(μ-H)](4) complex is of interest for at least five reasons, as detailed in the Conclusions section.     

Synthesis,antioxidant activity and SAR study of novel spiro-isatin-based Schiff bases

Molecular Diversity - A new series of 21 Schiff bases of spiro-isatin was synthesized, and their DPPH, CUPRAC and ABTS cation radical scavenging abilities were investigated for antioxidant...     

Macromolecular Surface Design: Photopatterning of Functional Stable Nitrile Oxides

The efficient trapping of photogenerated thioaldehydes with functional shelf‐stable nitrile oxides in a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition is a novel and versatile photochemical strategy for polymer end‐group functionalization and surface modification under mild and equimolar conditions. The modular ligation in solution was followed in detail by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to analyze the functionalized surfaces, whereas time‐of‐flight secondary‐ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) confirmed the spatial control of the surface functionalization using a micropatterned shadow mask. Polymer brushes were grown from the surface in a spatially confined regime by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) as confirmed by TOF‐SIMS, XPS as well as ellipsometry.     

Synthesis and characterization of two oxo-bridged oxo(arylimido) [tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato]molybdenum(V) complexes and crystal structure of [MoTp*(O)Cl](μ-O)[MoTp*(Cl)(≡NC6H4OMe)]

Reaction of the oxo-molybdenum(V) compound, [MoTp*(O)Cl₂], [Tp*=hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate] with p-methoxy and p-nitroaniline in the presence of Et₃N under N₂, afforded the oxo-bridged oxo(arylimido) molybdenum(V) complexes, [MoTp*(O)Cl](-O)[MoTp*(Cl)(NC₆H₄R)] (1, R=OMe; 2, R=NO₂). The new compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, i.r., mass, and ¹H-n.m.r. spectra. The single crystal X-ray crystallographic determination of [MoTp*(O)Cl](-O)[MoTp*(Cl)(NC₆H₄OMe)] was carried out to confirm that there is a Mo—O—Mo bridge and a near linear arylimido group in the structure.