Voltage enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cell using (001)-oriented anatase TiO2 nanosheets

A nanocrystalline TiO₂ (anatase) nanosheet exposing mainly the (001) crystal faces was tested as photoanode material in dye-sensitized solar cells. The nanosheets were prepared by hydrothermal growth in HF medium. Good-quality thin films were deposited on F-doped SnO₂ support from the TiO₂ suspension in ethanolic or aqueous media. The anatase (001) face adsorbs a smaller amount of the used dye sensitizer (C101) per unit area than the (101) face which was tested as a reference. The corresponding solar cell with sensitized (001)-nanosheet photoanode exhibits a larger open-circuit voltage than the reference cell with (101)-terminated anatase nanocrystals. The voltage enhancement is attributed to the negative shift of flatband potential for the (001) face. This conclusion rationalizes earlier works on similar systems, and it indicates that careful control of experimental conditions is needed to extract the effect of band energetic on the current/voltage characteristics of dye-sensitized solar cell.     

Thiazonaphthalimide derivatives: Synthesis and interaction with DNA

The synthesis of several thiazonaphthalimide derivatives is described. The exclusive formation of angular rather than linear isomers was unequivocally demonstrated by NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Their photophysical properties and ability to bind calf-Thymus DNA with affinities in the range of 10⁴ makes them interesting candidates to probe DNA by fluorescence.     

Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds catalyzed by iron oxide nanoparticles

Several iron oxides nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃@Fe₂O₃, Fe°@Fe₂O₃, GO@Fe₂O₃ and calcinated Fe₂O₃) have been assessed as catalysts in the 1,4-addition of a cyclic β-ketoester onto methyl vinyl ketone under neat conditions. It appeared that calcinated Fe₂O₃NP are efficient catalysts at 1?mol% loading for the Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds onto various enones.     

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of Sr4Mn2NiO9

The crystal structure of Sr₄Mn₂NiO₉ has been refined on single crystal. This phase belongs to the series A_1+x(A^′_xB_1–x)O₃ (x=1/3) related to the 2H-hexagonal perovskite. The structure contains transition metals in chains of oxide polyhedra (trigonal prisms and octahedra); neighboring chains are separated from each other by the Sr atoms. The sequence of the face sharing polyhedra along the chains is two octahedra + one trigonal prism. Mn occupies the octahedra and Ni is disordered in the trigonal prism with ≈80% in the pseudo square faces of the prism and ≈20% at the centre. This result has been confirmed by XANES experiments at Mn K and Ni K edges, respectively. Sr₄Mn₂NiO₉ is antiferromagnetic with a Néel temperature at T=3 K. The Curie constant measured at high temperature is in good agreement with ≈80% of the Ni²⁺ ions in the spin state configuration S=0.     

The syntheses of 16a'-homo-leurosidine and 16a'-homo-vinblastine. Generation of atropisomers

The synthesis of 16a'-homo-leurosidine was achieved through enantioselective generation of a ring D'-seco-precursor 33 (without requirement of a chiral auxiliary). Its cyclization provided the N(b')-quaternary salt 35 with a configuration corresponding to the atropisomeric form 8a rather than 8b of the target product. On debenzylation, the amine 8a was obtained and found not to isomerize thermally to the anticipated atropisomer 8b (in contrast to its lower homologue, with its formation of natural leurosidine). However, on protonation, a 1:1 mixture of atropisomers of 16a'-homo-leurosidine was obtained. A synthesis of 16a'-homo-vinblastine provided two atropisomers 5a and 5b for the free base at equilibrium (1:2.3 at room temperature in CDCl(3)), with a shift to the major conformer 5b with increasing solvent acidity or decreasing temperature. The synthesis was achieved through a stereoselective inversion of the tertiary hydroxyl function in the enantioselectively generated C-20' progenitor 39.     

A 1:1:1 chloro­form/tetra­hydro­furan solvate of p-tert-butyl­tetra­homo­dioxa­calix­[4]­arene

The title compound, 7,13,21,27-tetra-tert-butyl-3,17-di­oxa­penta­cyclo­[23.3.1.1^5,9.1^11,15.1^9,23]ditriaconta-1(29),­5,­7,­9(30),11(31),­12,­14,­19(32),­20,­22,­25,­27-do­deca­ene-29,­30,­31,­32-tetraol, crystallizes as a solvate with one mol­ecule of chloro­form and one mol­ecule of tetra­hydro­furan, C₄₆H₆₀O₆·CHCl₃·C₄H₈O. The calixarene assumes a cone-like conformation stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds involving both phenolic and ether O atoms. The two solvent mol­ecules are located in each of the two half-cone cavities of the calixarene.     

A Torquospecific 1,5-Electrocyclization

Saponification of homodiazepine 1a and 1b , in the absence of any proton donors, led to the formation of the 6π electron anionic species A which, by virtue of a 1,5-electrocyclization, is in equilibrium with the allylic anion B . This latter tricyclic species is thermodynamically less favoured than its bicyclic isomer A . Nevertheless, B could be trapped by acylation and led tupe- 2 compounds which are the major reaction products. This is due to the fact that B is more nucleophilic and, therefore, much more reactive than A . The transoid topology of the tricyclic products 2 was demonstrated by ¹H-NMR and by an X-ray diagram of 2d . The transoid geometry of 2 is a consequence of a torquospecific 1,5-electrocyclization (of A ), which is due to a steric, and possibly even to an electronic factor.     

Application of a chemical equilibrium model to thermodynamic functions of transfer of alcohols from water to aqueous surfactants

In ternary aqueous solutions, hydrophobic solutes such as alcohols tend to aggregate with surfactants to form mixed micelles. These systems can be studied by meas of the functions of transfer of hydrophobic solutes from water to aqueous solutions of surfactant. These thermodynamic functions often go through extrema in the critical micellar concentration (CMC) region of the surfactant. A simple model based on interactions between surfactant and hydrophobic solute monomers, on the distribution of the hydrophobic solute between water and the micelles and on the shift in the CMC induced by the hydrophobic solute, can simulate the magnitude and trends of the transfer functions using parameters which are mostly derived from the binary systems. In order to check the model more quantitatively, volumes and heat capacities of transfer of alcohols from water to aqueous solutions of a nonionic surfactant, octyldimethylamine oxide, were measured. A quantitative agreement was achieved with three adjustable parameters. Good fits are also obtained for the transfers to the ionic surfactants, octylamine hydrobromide and sodium dodecylsulfate. When the equilibrium displacement contribution is small, the distribution constants and the partial molar properties of the alcohols in the micellar phase agree well with the parameters obtained with similar models.