Synthesis and styrene polymerization properties of dinuclear half-titanocene complexes with xylene linkage

The new dinuclear half-sandwich complexes of titanium with xylene bridge, [Ti(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)Cl₂L]₂[CH₂-C₆H₄-CH₂] (L = Cl (3), L = O-2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃ (4), L = N(SiMe₃)(2,6-Me₂C₆H₃) (5)), have been synthesized. The complexes 4 and 5 have been prepared by the reaction of the complex 3 with the corresponding lithium salts of aryloxy and anilide. Structure of these complexes has been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The change of substituent from chloride, 3, to anilide, 5, at titanium resulted in chemical shift change of cyclopentadienyl protons from 6.92 and 6.79 to 6.13 and 5.95 ppm probably due to the positive electron density delivery from the anilide group. It was found that all three half-titanocenes were effective catalyst for the generation of SPS (syndiotactic polystyrene). Xylene bridged dinuclear catalyst (4) with aryloxy substituent exhibited very high activity (458 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h), at 40 °C, whereas the analogous hexamethylene bridged dinuclear half-titanocene catalyst (7) showed a lower activity (80.7 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h) under the same conditions. While the catalyst 3 was the most active catalyst among three complexes less than 40 °C the catalyst 5 exhibited the highest activity at 70 °C. Xylene linkage was suggested to be too stiff to permit any kind of intramolecular interaction between two active centers. Lack of steric disturbance due to the rigidity of the xylene bridge might give rise to the similar properties of dinuclear metallocene to the corresponding mononuclear metallocene to result in not only the facile coordination of monomer at the active center to lead high activity but also the easier β-H elimination comparing to the dinuclear catalysts with the flexible bridge to result in the formation of lower molecular weight polymer.     

Formation of crystalline TiO2−xNx and its photocatalytic activity

Amorphous precursors to nitrogen-doped TiO₂ (NTP) and pure TiO₂ (ATP) powders were synthesized by hydrolytic synthesis and sol-gel method (SGM), respectively. Corresponding crystalline phases were obtained by thermally induced transformation of these amorphous powders. From FT-IR and XPS data, it was concluded that a complex containing titanium and ammonia was formed in the precipitate stage while calcination drove weakly adsorbed ammonium species off the surface, decomposed ammonia bound on surface of precipitated powder and led to substitution of nitrogen atom into the lattice of TiO₂ during the crystallization. The activation energies required for grain growth in amorphous TiO_2−xN_x and TiO₂ samples were determined to be 1.6 and 1.7 kJ/mol, respectively. Those required for the phase transformation from amorphous to crystalline TiO_2−xN_x and TiO₂ were determined to be 129 and 142 kJ/mol, respectively. A relatively low temperature was required for the phase transformation in NTP sample than in ATP sample. The fabricated N-doped TiO₂ photocatalyst absorbed the visible light showing two absorption edges; one in UV range due to titanium oxide as the main edge and the other due to nitrogen doping as a small shoulder. TiO_2−xN_x photocatalyst demonstrated its photoactivity for photocurrent generation and decomposition of 2-propanol (IPA) under visible light irradiation ().     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of trimethoxysilylbenzene with aryl bromides and chlorides using phosphite ligands

Phosphites were employed as ligands in palladium-catalyzed Hiyama coupling reactions. The optimized reaction conditions were equimolar amounts (5 mol % each) of Pd(acac)₂ and phosphite 1 in p-xylene at 80 °C with TBAF as an additive. This catalyst system exhibited high activities in the reactions with trimethoxysilylbenzene and aryl bromides that have electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups. In the case of aryl chlorides, substrates possessing electron-withdrawing groups gave the coupled products in high yields.     

An efficient synthesis of cyclic urethanes from Boc-protected amino acids through a metal triflate-catalyzed intramolecular diazocarbonyl insertion reaction

A simple and efficient synthesis of cyclic urethanes and related oxazinanones 1a-l from diazoketones 3a-l is described. The transformation involves generation of carbenes by activation of diazo groups using metal triflates in intramolecular diazocarbonyl insertion reactions in high overall yields.     

Mg3Ir3Si8, ein neues Magnesium‐Iridium‐Silicid mit Tetraedern und gekappten Tetraedern aus Silicium‐Atomen

Mg₃Ir₃Si₈, a New Magnesium Iridium Silicide with Si₄ Tetrahedra and Si₁₂ Truncated Tetrahedra The ternary silicide Mg₃Ir₃Si₈ (cubic, a = 1221.4(1) pm, space group , 8 formula units per unit cell) was prepared by reaction of the elemental components in a sealed molybdenum container (1000 °C, 1 d, cooled with 100 °/h). The crystal structure was determined from single crystal data. Short distances in the three‐dimensional iridium silicon network indicate strong Ir‐Si‐bonding (d(Ir‐Si) = 240.5(2) and 245.6(1) pm). In addition, homonuclear bonding seems to be important, resulting in the formation of Si₄‐tetrahedra (d(Si‐Si) = 257(1) pm), and Mg centered Si₁₂‐polyhedra with the shape of truncated tetrahedra (d(Si‐Si) = 241(1) and 261.0(9) pm). Furthermore, Mg₄‐tetrahedra with Mg‐Mg‐distances of 355(2) pm are formed. The structure may be derived from the structure of the isotypic compounds Mg₅Pd₁₀Si₁₆ and Mg₅Pt₁₀Si₁₆ by adding a Mg siteset and subtracting a platinum metal siteset. It can be described by an expanded cubic “close” packing of MgIr₆‐octahedra in which Si₄‐tetrahedra reside in the octahedral holes while Mg₄‐tetrahedra and MgSi₁₂‐units occupy one half of the tetrahedral holes each.     

The dipolar route to naphtho[2,1‐c]isoxazoles from the baylis‐hillman adducts of 2‐alkynylbenzaldehydes

A new synthesis of 4‐carbomethoxynaphtho[2,1‐c]isoxazoles 4a‐d from methyl 3‐(alkynylphenyl)‐2‐nitromethyl‐2‐propenoates 2a‐d by the intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition is described. The latter are readily obtained from 2‐alkynylbenzaldehydes through the Baylis‐Hillman adduct acetates 1a‐d followed by nucleophilic substitution of nitrite anion.     

Facile approach for diblock codendrimers by fusion between Fréchet dendrons and PAMAM dendrons

For the first time, a simple and facile approach for the synthesis of diblock codendrimers by fusion between the azide focal point functionalized Fréchet-type polyether and the propargyl focal point functionalized Tomalia-type PAMAM dendrons has been described based on click chemistry, i.e., the copper-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between alkyne and azide.     

Fourier-domain low-coherence interferometry for differential mode delay analysis of an optical fiber

We propose a novel mode analysis and differential mode delay measurement method for an optical fiber using Fourier-domain low-coherence interferometry. A spectral interferometer based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer setup was used with a broadband source and an optical spectrum analyzer to detect relative temporal delays between the guided modes of a few-mode optical fiber by analyzing spectral interference signals. We have shown that experimental results of the proposed method agree well with those results obtained by using a conventional time-domain measurement method. We have demonstrated that this new mode analysis technique has high sensitivity (<60 dB) and very good resolution (<1 ps/m).     

Interconversion of Planar Networks and Vesicles Triggered by Temperature

Dumbbell‐shaped amphiphiles based on an elongated rod segment can self‐assemble into planar networks with in‐plane hexagonally ordered pores in aqueous solution. On increasing temperature, the 2D networks change into hollow capsules passing through the closed sheets as an intermediate structure due to a LCST behavior of the oligoether dendritic exterior. The primary driving force for this interesting feature seems to originate from a consequence of the energy balance between hydrophobic interactions of anisotropic rod segments and alkyl chains, and repulsive interactions between dissimilar blocks. This dynamic structural variation triggered by external stimuli in a self‐assembling system can provide a useful strategy to create smart supramolecular materials and biomimetic systems.

     

Effectiveness of a multi-channel volumetric air receiver for a solar power tower

In this study, the heat transfer performance of a multi-channel volumetric air receiver for a solar power tower was numerically analyzed. The governing equations, including the solar radiation heat flux, conduction, convection and radiation heat transfer for a single channel, were solved on the basis of valid related references and a methodology that can predict the temperature distribution of the receiver wall and the heat transfer fluid for specific dimensions and input conditions. Furthermore, a mathematical model of the effectiveness of the receiver was derived from an analysis of the temperature profiles of the wall and the heat transfer fluid. The receiver effectiveness as an appropriate criterion to assess economic feasibility regarding geometric size was investigated, as it would be applied to the design process of the receiver. The main parameters for the thermal performance simulations described in this paper are the air mass flow rate, receiver length and the influence of these parameters on the heat transfer performance from the viewpoint of receiver efficiency and effectiveness.