Vinylation and polymerization with trivinylaluminum. I. Vinylation of organic halides as a model for termination in cationic polymerization leading to vinyl end groups

An improved synthesis of trivinylaluminum (V₃Al) is described. The proton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectrum of V₃Al was recorded and analyzed. A new vinylation method involving the use of V₃Al as the vinylating agent has been developed, and the vinylation of organic halides by V₃Al was studied at ?30, ?50 and ?70°C. Primary alkyl chlorides, such as methyl and methylene chloride, do not react with V₃Al and were used as solvents. Secondary chlorides such as 2-chloropropane also do not react. t-Butyl chloride gives rise to t-butylethylene (70–98%), depending on reaction conditions, and the allylic chlorides, 3-chloro-1-butene, and 3-chloro-3-methyl-1-butene, yield the expected vinylated products and their isomers (～90%). Allyl and benzyl chloride do not react under the conditions tried. The reaction between V₃Al and the ditertiary dichloride 2,6-dichloro-2,6-dimethylheptane yields several isomeric C₁₃H₂₄ and C₁₁H₂₀ hydrocarbons; however, surprisingly, C₉H₁₆ does not form. The C₁₃ hydrocarbons arise by divinylation at the termini of the dichloride, while the C₁₁ hydrocarbons are formed by vinylation at one and proton elimination at the other terminus of the dichloride. The presence of unsaturated C₁₃H₂₄ and C₁₁H₂₀ isomers is most likely due to proton induced isomerization. These results are explained by a proximity effect involving vinylation at one end of the dichloride by V₃Al followed by rapid reaction of the second chlorine (mostly) by V₂AlCl generated in situ during the first vinylation in the proximity of the chloride. At the other chlorine terminus V₂AlCl causes either a second vinylation (leading to C₁₃ hydrocarbons) or a proton elimination (leading to C₁₁ hydrocarbons). The absence of C₉H₁₆ among the reaction products indicates that V₃Al exclusively effects vinylation. The RCl + V₃Al ← RV + V₂AlCl reaction may be regarded as a model for initiation followed by immediate termination in cationic olefin polymerization, a process leading to vinyl-ended polymers.     

[η5-cyclopentadien-1-YL-η4-tetraphenylcyclobutadienecobalt]diphenylmethylium hexafluorophosphate: A metal-stabilized carbonium ion salt

Mercuration of η⁵-cyclopentadienyl-η⁴-tetraphenylcyclobutadienecobalt, followed by transmetalation with n-butyllithium and reaction of the lithium derivative with benzophenone gave η⁴-Ph₄C₄Coη⁵-C₅H₄CPh₂OH. Treatment of this alcohol produced the [η⁴-Ph₄C₄CoC₅H₄CP₂]⁺ cation. This species reacted as a carbon electrophile with methanol, monomethylamine and N-methylpyrrole, as a cobalt electrophile with N,N-dimethylaniline and anisole. In the latter process the C₅H₄CPh₂ ligand was displaced and the η⁶-arene-η⁴-tetraphenylcyclobutadienecobalt complexes were formed. Similar reactions with benzene, toluene and mesitylene proceeded only in the presence of aluminum chloride. The bonding in the cation is discussed on the basis of this chemistry and ¹³C NMR studies.     

An ammonium ion-specific electrode

An ammonium ion-specific electrode was prepared by coupling a hydrophobic ammonia-permeable membrane to a Beckman monovalent cation electrode. At physiological pH values the ratio of ammonia to ammonium ion is only 0.01, yet the gas-transport mechanism is still operable; an electrode designed on this principle was able to detect ammonium ion produced via the urea-urease reaction. The electrode can be operated in an air stream or in an aqueous medium. The electrode can also be used in an ultra-sensitive mode by pH stripping of ammonia from the test solution.     

New phosphate fluorosurfactants for carbon dioxide

Anionic phosphate fluorosurfactants were shown to self-assemble into water-in-carbon dioxide microemulsions. The surfactants, having either two fluorinated chains or one fluorinated chain and one hydrocarbon chain, facilitated significant water uptake in CO2. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements of surfactant/water/CO2 solutions confirmed the presence of nanometer-scale aggregates, indicative of microemulsion formation.     

Stereoselective diversity-oriented solution and solid-phase synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline-based polycyclic derivatives

A diversity-oriented solution and solid-phase synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline-based tricyclic derivatives has been achieved from enantiomerically pure, natural product-like bicyclic scaffold. The solution synthesis of enantiopure bicyclic scaffold was developed by asymmetric hetero Michael reaction. Our approach for the synthesis of polycyclic derivatives utilized regio- and stereoselective hetero Michael reaction and ring-closing metathesis as key steps in solution and on solid phase.     

Xanthones and other constituents of Allanblackia monticola (Guttiferae)

A xanthone derivative, 3,6,7-trihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone has been isolated from the stem bark of Allanblackia monticola together with other known compounds, 2,6-dihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone, allanxanthone A, epicathechin and oleanolic acid acetate. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by spectroscopic methods.     

Comparison of silanization/hydrosilation and organosilanization modification procedures on etched capillaries for electrokinetic chromatography

Etched capillaries for use in open tubular electrochromatography are modified by silanization/hydrosilation and organosilanization. The migration behavior of both types of capillaries is evaluated with small basic molecules, peptides and proteins. Comparisons of peak symmetry and efficiency are used to measure the effectiveness of the two methods for modifying the etched surface. From this information, the suitability of each method for use with etched capillaries can be determined.     

Hyperpolarizability approximations

The approximation of hyperpolarizabilities through the use of operator inequalities is sketched. Previously applied methods to ordinary polarizabilities are extended. They lead to expressions involving moments of oscillator strength distributions related through sum rules to ground state properties. Systematic applications of new formulae are suggested.     

Thin-film antimony trisulphide photoelectrodes

The properties of n-type thin polycrystalline films of antimony trisulphide obtained by tarnishing reactions have been studied by photoelectrochemical and spectroellipsometric techniques. The photoelectrochemical behaviour is analysed using a recombination model.     

ICP-MS for elemental speciation studies

The use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) coupled with separation techniques for the purpose of elemental speciation has recently gained a lot of attention. Much of this is due to ever improving separation capabilities of Chromatographic techniques, the high sensitivity of ICP-MS, and the continuing development of better interface techniques. Additionally, there is a growing awareness of the need to monitor various species of an analyte, rather than just total analyte concentrations, due to their often varying natures. For the sake of learning from different elemental speciation approaches, this review brings together some selected types of elemental speciation which have been recently seen in literature. These include separations using various forms of liquid chromatography, such as reversed phase, reversed phase ion pairing, micelle, ion exchange, and size exclusion. Elemental speciation employing gas Chromatographie separations and supercritical fluid separations are discussed as well as elemental speciation using capillary electrophoresis.