Concentration-resolved 2D correlation gel permeation chromatography study of aggregate-aggregate interactions in the polymerization products of triethoxysilyl-terminated polystyrene silane-coupling agent

Concentration-resolved 2D correlation gel permeation chromatography (GPC) has been used to examine the intricate details of the HCl-catalyzed polymerization of a polymeric silane-coupling agent (SCA), triethoxysilyl-terminated polystyrene (TESiPS). The concentration-resolved 2D correlation GPC maps directly reflect the marked difference in the aggregate-aggregate interactions of dilute and concentrated monomeric units, which govern the differences in the polymerized products. There is an optimum concentration of SCA for the enhancement of interfacial strength and subsequent polymerization. Thus, the concentration-resolved 2D correlation GPC technique can be used as a powerful tool for elucidation of aggregate-aggregate interactions and reaction mechanisms in a surface- or interface-enhanced reaction system. It has been shown that the yield value of polymerization products can be improved to a marked extent by choosing a high initial monomer concentration, due to the increase in the production of oligomers. Multiple reaction processes are promoted by the self-assembly of the monomeric and oligomeric components.     

Zinc-mediated allylation and alkylation of aminals in the presence of TMSCl and diisopropylamine

An alkylation of aminals with organozinc reagents derived from allyl bromide, benzyl bromide, alpha-bromoacetate, and alpha-bromonitrile proceeded efficiently in the presence of TMSCl and diisopropylamine. This reaction system was applied to the synthesis of an antispasmodic: butaverine.     

Nucleation process in the cavity of a 48-tungstophosphate wheel resulting in a 16-metal-centre iron oxide nanocluster

The 16-Fe(III)-containing 48-tungsto-8-phosphate [P(8)W(48)O(184)Fe(16)(OH)(28)(H(2)O)(4)](20-) (1) has been synthesised and characterised by IR and ESR spectroscopy, TGA, elemental analyses, electrochemistry and susceptibility measurements. Single-crystal X-ray analyses were carried out on Li(4)K(16)[P(8)W(48)O(184)Fe(16)(OH)(28)(H(2)O)(4)]66 H(2)O2 KCl (LiK-1, orthorhombic space group Pnnm, a=36.3777(9) A, b=13.9708(3) A, c=26.9140(7) A, and Z=2) and on the corresponding mixed sodium-potassium salt Na(9)K(11)[P(8)W(48)O(184)Fe(16)(OH)(28)(H(2)O)(4)].100 H(2)O (NaK-1, monoclinic space group C2/c, a=46.552(4) A, b=20.8239(18) A, c=27.826(2) A, beta=97.141(2) degrees and Z=4). Polyanion 1 contains--in the form of a cyclic arrangement--the unprecedented {Fe(16)(OH)(28)(H(2)O)(4)}(20+) nanocluster, with 16 edge- and corner-sharing FeO(6) octahedra, grafted on the inner surface of the crown-shaped [H(7)P(8)W(48)O(184)](33-) (P(8)W(48)) precursor. The synthesis of 1 was accomplished by reaction of different iron species containing Fe(II) (in presence of O(2)) or Fe(III) ions with the P(8)W(48) anion in aqueous, acidic medium (pH approximately 4), which can be regarded as an assembly process under confined geometries. One fascinating aspect is the possibility to model the uptake and release of iron in ferritin. The electrochemical study of 1, which is stable from pH 1 through 7, offers an interesting example of a highly iron-rich cluster. The reduction wave associated with the Fe(III) centres could not be split in distinct steps independent of the potential scan rate from 2 to 1000 mV s(-1); this is in full agreement with the structure showing that all 16 iron centres are equivalent. Polyanion 1 proved to be efficient for the electrocatalytic reduction of NO(x), including nitrate. Magnetic and variable frequency EPR measurements on 1 suggest that the Fe(III) ions are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled and that the ground state is tentatively spin S=2.     

Development of a Water-Dispersible Supramolecular Complex of Polyphenol with Polypeptides for Attenuation of the Allergic Response using a Mechanochemical Strategy

The prevalence of allergic disorders has increased worldwide in recent decades. Polyphenols, including resveratrol and curcumin, are posited to have potential as therapeutic agents for allergy; however, their use has been limited by poor water solubility. Accordingly, a highly concentrated, water dispersible, supramolecular complexes of polyphenols with polypeptides (poly-L-lysine, poly-γ-glutamic acid) and gelatin using high-speed vibration milling are developed. The complex exhibits resistance to photobleaching and thermal radiation. Treatment of a rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3) with polypeptide complexes containing resveratrol is suppressed allergic responses in vitro. Moreover, aerosolized administration of polypeptide complexes demonstrates excellent bioavailability and inhibition of immediate hypersensitivity reactions in ear tissue in vivo. Furthermore, the method avoids the use of organic solvent and therefore reduces undesirable biological responses.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Heteroarene‐Fused Cyclooctatetraenes through Dehydrogenative Cyclodimerization

Arene‐fused cyclooctatetraenes (COTs) possess unique structural and electronic properties that originate from their saddle‐shaped π‐conjugated architectures. Considerable attention has been paid to the transition‐metal‐mediated synthesis of these cyclic compounds; however, there have been limited achievements to date in the efficient construction of heteroarene‐fused COTs. In this contribution, we report a novel Pd‐catalyzed dehydrogenative cyclodimerization of biheteroarenes through four‐fold C−H activation toward the synthesis of a series of heteroarene‐fused COTs. A set of mechanistic investigations indicated the involvement of high‐valent Pd species prior to the dimerization event in the catalytic cycle. The redox behavior of the obtained COTs is also described briefly.     

Determination of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate by automated in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

We have developed a simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) by on-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). PFOA and PFOS were separated within 10 min by high-performance liquid chromatography using an Inertsil ODS-3 column and 10 mM ammonium acetate/methanol (35/65, v/v) as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL min⁻¹. Electrospray ionization conditions in the negative ion mode were optimized for MS detection of PFOA and PFOS. The optimum in-tube SPME conditions were 20 draw/eject cycles with a sample size of 40 μL using a CP-Pora PLOT amine capillary column as the extraction device. The extracted compounds could be desorbed easily from the capillary by passage of the mobile phase, and no carryover was observed. Using the in-tube SPME LC-MS method, good linearity of the calibration curve (r = 0.9990 for PFOA, r = 0.9982 for PFOS) was obtained in the range of 0.05-5 ng mL⁻¹ each compound. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for PFOA and PFOS were 1.5 and 3.2 pg mL⁻¹, respectively. The method described here showed about 100-fold higher sensitivity than the direct injection method. The within-day and between-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were below 3.7 and 6.0%, respectively. This method was applied successfully to the analysis of PFOA and PFOS in environmental water samples and to the elution test from a Teflon^®-coated frying pan without interference peaks. The recoveries of PFOA and PFOS spiked into river samples were above 81%, and PFOA was detected at pg mL⁻¹ levels in environmental water samples and eluate from the frying pan.     

Nitrite sensor based on multilayer film of Dawson-type tungstophosphate α-K7[H4PW18O62]·18H2O immobilized on glassy carbon

A nitrite sensor based on immobilized Dawson-type tungstophosphate α-K₇[H₄PW₁₈O₆₂]·18H₂O (PW₁₈) in multilayers of charged polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) on a glassy carbon electrode is described. A nitrite sensor manufactured with 10 layers has a sensitivity of ∼4 nA/μM nitrite, fast response time (<6 s), low detection limit (∼0.1 μM), high selectivity towards endogenous interferences such as nitrate and molecular oxygen, a linear range from 0.1 μM to at least 20 mM nitrite and was stable for at least 2 months. In addition, such nitrite sensors can operate in a pH range from 1 to 9, and the sensitivity can be increased by increasing the number of layers at the expense of increasing the response time.     

Phase diagram of the La–Si binary system under high pressure and the structures of superconducting LaSi5 and LaSi10

The La–Si binary phase diagram under a high pressure of 13.5 GPa was experimentally constructed. New superconducting silicides LaSi₅ and LaSi₁₀ were found, which have peritectic decomposition temperatures at 1000 and 750 °C, respectively. The single crystal X-ray structural analysis revealed that there are two polymorphs in LaSi₅. The α-form obtained by heating a molar mixture of LaSi₂ and 3 Si at about 700 °C or by a rapid cooling from 1000 °C under pressure crystallizes with the space group C2/m and the lattice parameters a=15.11(3), b=4.032(6), c=8.26(1) Å, and β=109.11(1)°. The β-form obtained by a slow cooling from 800–950 °C to 600 °C under pressure has the same space group but with slightly different lattice parameters, a=14.922(7), b=3.906(2), c=8.807(4) Å, and β=107.19(1)°. The β-form is formed during the incomplete transformation of the α-form on cooling, and has always been obtained as a mixture with the α-form. The compound can be characterized as a Zintl phase with a polyanionic framework with large tunnels running along the b axis hosting lanthanum ions. In the β-form, three of the five Si sites are disordered. The two polymorphs contain one dimensional sila-polyacene ribbons, Si ladder polymer, running along the b axis. The α-form showed superconductivity with the transition temperature T_c of 11.5 K. LaSi₁₀ crystallizes with the space group 6₃/mmc and the lattice parameters a=9.623(4), c=4.723(3) Å. It is composed of La containing Si₁₈ polyhedra (La@Si₁₈) of hexagonal beer-barrel shape, which form straight columns by stacking along the c-axis via face sharing. One-dimensional columns of La@Si₁₈ barrels are edge-shared, and bundled with infinite Si trigonal bipyramid chains via corner sharing. The Si atoms in the straight chains have a five-fold coordination. LaSi₁₀ became a superconductor with T_c=6.7 K. The ab initio calculation of the electric band structures showed that α-LaSi₅ and LaSi₁₀ are metallic, and the conduction electrons mainly come from Si-3p orbitals.     

ε-Keggin-based coordination networks: Synthesis, structure and application toward green synthesis of polyoxometalate@graphene hybrids

Four coordination networks based on the {ε-PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)(OH)(4)Zn(4)} Keggin unit (εZn) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. (TBA)(3){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(36)(OH)(4)Zn(4)}[C(6)H(4)(COO)(2)](2) (ε(isop)(2)) is a 2D material with monomeric εZn units connected via 1,3 benzenedicarboxylate (isop) linkers and tetrabutylammonium (TBA) counter-cations lying between the planes. In (TPA)(3){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(37)(OH)(3)Zn(4)}[C(6)H(3)(COO)(3)] (TPA[ε(trim)](∞)), 1D inorganic chains formed by the connection of εZn POMs, via Zn-O bonds, are linked via 1,3,5 benzenetricarboxylate (trim) ligands into a 2D compound with tetrapropylammonium (TPA) cations as counter-cations. (TBA){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)Zn(4)}(C(7)H(4)N(2))(2)(C(7)H(5)N(2))(2)·12H(2)O (ε(bim)(4)) is a molecular material with monomeric εZn POMs bound to terminal benzimidazole (bim) ligands. Finally, (TBA)(C(10)H(10)N(4))(2)(HPO(3)){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)Zn(4)}(2)(C(10)H(9)N(4))(3)(C(10)H(8)N(4)) (ε(2)(pazo)(4)) is a 1D compound with dimeric (εZn)(2) POMs connected by HPO(3)(2-) ions and terminal para-azobipyridine (pazo) ligands. In this compound an unusual bond cleavage of the central N[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond of the pazo ligand is observed. We report also a green chemistry-type one-step synthesis method carried out in water at room temperature using ε(2)(pazo)(4) and ε(isop)(2) as reducing agent of graphite oxide (GO) to obtain graphene (G). The POM@G hybrids were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry.