Environment-induced surface dynamics of a biomimetic ionomer studied using in situ second harmonic generation

The environmental-induced surface dynamics of the biomimetic phosphoryl choline (PC)-functionalized poly(trimethylene carbonate) ionomer has been studied and compared to its unfunctionalized counterpart using in situ second harmonic generation measurements. Whereas the nonpolar liquid n-hexane did not induce any surface dynamic processes in the ionomer under study, the presence of water initiated a Debye-type dynamic reaction at the surface of the PC ionomer, which had no equivalent in the unfunctionalized material. This first-order reaction was attributed to a surface enrichment process of the functionalized ionomer in the hydrophilic environment involving movement of the PC endgroups from aggregates in the bulk to the surface. The time constant of the process was found to be about 6 min, and the corresponding activation energy was 0.4 eV. The dehydration process of the PC-functionalized ionomer in nitrogen gas atmosphere could be described by two time constants, one slightly below 1 min and the other one just above 13 min. The results presented in this work show that SHG measurements are well suited for the study of polymer surface restructuring dynamics in response to environmental changes. Such information is very important for the successful design and implementation of biomimetic polymers intended for biomedical applications.     

Polaron dynamics of heavily doped regioregular and regiorandom poly(3-alkylthiophenes) revealed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Electron spin resonance (ESR) features in heavily doped conjugated polymers are investigated through the comparison of temperature dependences of ESR spectra between head-to-tail coupled regioregular (RR) and regiorandom (RRa) poly(3-octylthiophenes) (P3OTs). RR-P3OT, used as a model of having crystalline grains in the solid film, is found to exhibit anisotropic ESR spectra, whereas RRa-P3OT gives almost isotropic ESR spectra similar to those of usual heavily doped conjugated polymers. This difference in the degree of spectral anisotropy primarily arises from a difference in their film morphology. Spectral simulations show the anisotropy observed in RR-P3OT to be caused by g-anisotropy. The presence of the g-anisotropy in RR-P3OT indicates that its polarons spend most of the time within a single crystalline grain that has some domains with a common direction of the g-tensor. The g-anisotropy turns out to decrease with increasing temperature. This result is explained by thermally activated hopping motions between crystalline grains. We emphasize that the decrease in the g-anisotropy with temperature should be associated with its activated type of temperature dependence of conductivity. In RRa-P3OT, its isotropic ESR spectra are suggested to be caused by the interchain motion as well as the intrachain one.     

Origins of selectivity in a colorimetric charge-transfer sensor for diols

Bispyridyl hydrogen bonding receptor 1 forms colored charge transfer (CT) complexes with complementary phenols and naphthols. Despite its low association constants of approximately 10(1) M(-1), receptor 1 was highly selective forming CT complexes of varying color and intensity with different diol guests. The selectivity of 1 was correlated with the ability of its CT band to simultaneously yield information about the association constant and the electronic structure of the phenols and naphthols.     

Synthesis of 1(2H)-isoquinolones by the nickel-catalyzed denitrogenative alkyne insertion of 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(3H)-ones

1,2,3-Benzotriazin-4(3H)-ones reacted with internal and terminal alkynes in the presence of a nickel(0)/phosphine catalyst to give a wide range of substituted 1(2H)-isoquinolones in high yield. The reaction proceeded through denitrogenative activation of the triazinone moiety and the following insertion of alkynes.     

Allenyl azide cycloaddition chemistry. photochemical initiation and CuI mediation leads to improved regioselectivity

Irradiation of 2-(3-alkenyl)allenylphenyl azides in the presence of excess CuI furnished functionalized 2,3-cyclopentenylindoles in good yield with only trace amounts of competitive C-N-bonded regioisomeric products. These results represent a significant departure from the modest-to-nonexistent regioselectivity that attended thermal cyclization of these allenyl azide substrates.     

Cations Determine the Mechanism and Selectivity of Alkaline Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Pt(111)**

The proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a long-standing enigma in electrocatalysis. Despite decades of research, the factors determining the microscopic mechanism of ORR-PCET as a function of pH, electrolyte, and electrode potential remain unresolved, even on the prototypical Pt(111) surface. Herein, we integrate advanced experiments, simulations, and theory to uncover the mechanism of the cation effects on alkaline ORR on well-defined Pt(111). We unveil a dual-cation effect where cations simultaneously determine i) the active electrode surface by controlling the formation of Pt−O and Pt−OH overlayers and ii) the competition between inner- and outer-sphere PCET steps. The cation-dependent transition from Pt−O to Pt−OH determines the ORR mechanism, activity, and selectivity. These findings provide direct evidence that the electrolyte affects the ORR mechanism and performance, with important consequences for the practical design of electrochemical systems and computational catalyst screening studies. Our work highlights the importance of complementary insight from experiments and simulations to understand how different components of the electrochemical interface contribute to electrocatalytic processes.     

An Electron-Deficient CpE Iridium(III) Catalyst: Synthesis,Characterization, and Application to Ether-Directed C−H Amidation

The synthesis, characterization, and catalytic performance of an iridium(III) catalyst with an electron-deficient cyclopentadienyl ligand ([Cp^EIrI₂]₂) are reported. The [Cp^EIrI₂]₂ catalyst was synthesized by complexation of a precursor of the Cp^E ligand with [Ir(cod)OAc]₂, followed by oxidation, desilylation, and removal of the COD ligand. The electron-deficient [Cp^EIrI₂]₂ catalyst enabled C−H amidation reactions assisted by a weakly coordinating ether directing group. Experimental mechanistic studies and DFT calculations suggested that the high catalytic performance of [Cp^EIrI₂]₂ is due to its electron-deficient nature, which accelerates both C−H activation and Ir^V-nitrenoid formation.     

Solid Phase Extraction of Neutral Analytes through Silica Gel Coated with Layers of Au Nanoparticles Self‐Assembled with Alkanethiols

In this study, we used Au nanoparticle (NP)‐coated silica gel as a solid phase extraction sorbent for the preconcentration of neutral analytes (steroid drugs). The sorbent was fabricated using two alkanethiol self‐assembly processes: one to deposit the Au NPs onto a 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane‐modified silica gel and the other to functionalize the surfaces of the Au NPs. A large volume of the steroid solution was passed through the silica gel to facilitate adsorption mediated by hydrophobic interactions between the steroids and the hydrophobic moieties on the silica gel surface. Extraction of the steroids was accomplished by flushing the silica gel with a low‐polarity solvent. In this preliminary study, we found that the particle size of the silica gel and the number of layers of Au NPs coated on the silica gel both affected the preconcentration performance for the steroids. When using six layers of Au NPs coated on 5–20‐μm silica gel, the detection limits for steroids were below 80 ng L^?1; the preconcentration efficiency was over 170‐fold higher than that of the original steroid solution. Our findings provide further evidence that nanotechnology has much to benefit analytical science.     

Diarylheptanoids from the Rhizomes of Alpinia officinarum

A novel dimeric diarylheptanoid, (5R,5′R)‐7,7′‐(6,6′‐dihydroxy‐5,5′‐dimethoxy[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐3,3′‐diyl)bis[5‐methoxy‐1‐phenylheptan‐3‐one] ( 1 ), and two new diarylheptanoids, (4E,6R)‐6‐hydroxy‐7‐(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐1‐phenylhept‐4‐en‐3‐one ( 2 ) and (4E,6R)‐6‐hydroxy‐1,7‐diphenylhept‐4‐en‐3‐one ( 3 ), together with seven known diarylheptanoids, were isolated from the rhizomes of Alpinia officinarum. Their structures were elucidated by application of extensive spectroscopic analyses and the modified Mosher method.