Reversible color changes in lamella hybrids of poly(diacetylenecarboxylates) incorporated in layered double hydroxide nanosheets

The present study is an investigation of a reversible thermal color change induced in lamella hybrids of poly(diacetylenecarboxylates) incorporated in layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets. These poly-[m,n]/LDH hybrids prepared by the photo- or gamma-ray-induced polymerization of diacetylenecarboxylates, i.e., CH(3)(CH(2))(m)()(-)(1)CC-CC(CH(2))(n)()(-)(1)CO(2)(-) (mono-[m,n]), and intercalated in LDH lamella sheets, were observed to develop colors ranging from yellow to blue. The change in color was found to depend greatly on the alkyl carbon numbers of the mono-[m,n] (m,n = 10,11; 5,11; 10,5; 16,1) values. Moreover, the conformational alignment of the mono-[m,n] within the LDH was observed to be a crucial factor in color development, which was greatly affected by the intercalation degrees and extent of poly(ene-yne) linkage elongation of the polymers. For the poly-[m,n]/LDH hybrids investigated, a reversible color change was found to occur repeatedly and remarkably for the poly-[10,11]/LDH hybrid. This color change occurred at temperatures between ca. 20 and 80 degrees C back and forth from purple red to bright orange, in stark contrast to the irreversible color change for poly-[10,11] without LDH. Moreover, DSC and Raman spectroscopic studies of the LDH hybrids showed that the thermochromic temperature corresponded to the phase transition temperature of 80 degrees C. XRD analysis also indicated that the poly-[m,n]/LDH hybrid could retain its lamella structure during such thermochromic color changes, enabling conformational recovery in the polymer chains by a cooling down of the hybrids to temperatures lower than the transition temperature, while the nonhybrid poly-[10,11] powders exhibited an irreversible color change at 60 degrees C, above which the polymer powder turned amorphous.     

Designed self-assembly of molecular necklaces

This paper reports an efficient strategy to synthesize molecular necklaces, in which a number of small rings are threaded onto a large ring, utilizing the principles of self-assembly and coordination chemistry. Our strategy involves (1) threading a molecular "bead" with a short "string" to make a pseudorotaxane and then (2) linking the pseudorotaxanes with a metal complex with two cis labile ligands acting as an "angle connector" to form a cyclic product (molecular necklace). A 4- or 3-pyridylmethyl group is attached to each end of 1,4-diaminobutane or 1,5-diaminopentane to produce the short "strings" (C4N4(2+), C4N3(2+), C5N4(2+), and C5N3(2+)), which then react with a cucurbituril (CB) "bead" to form stable pseudorotaxanes (PR44(2+), PR43(2+), PR54(2+), and PR53(2+), respectively). The reaction of the pseudorotaxanes with Pt(en)(NO(3))(2) (en = ethylenediamine) produces a molecular necklace [4]MN, in which three molecular "beads" are threaded on a triangular framework, and/or a molecular necklace [5]MN, in which four molecular "beads" are threaded on a square framework. Under refluxing conditions, the reaction with PR44(2+) or PR54(2+) yields exclusively [4]MN (MN44T or MN54T, respectively), whereas that with PR43(2+) or PR53(2+) produces exclusively [5]MN (MN43S or MN53S, respectively). The products have been characterized by various methods including X-ray crystallography. At lower temperatures, on the other hand, the reaction with PR44(2+) or PR54(2+) affords both [4]MN and [5]MN. The supermolecules reported here are the first series of molecular necklaces obtained as thermodynamic products. The overall structures of the molecular necklaces are strongly influenced by the structures of pseudorotaxane building blocks, which is discussed in detail on the basis of the X-ray crystal structures. The temperature dependence of the product distribution observed in this self-assembly process is also discussed.     

Reaction of 2-dialkylamino-5-phenyl-1,3-oxathiolium cation with sulphur ylides

The reaction of 2-dialkylamino-5-phenyl-1,3-oxathiolium cation 1 with sulphur ylides 2 was investigated. The behavior of 1 was solvent-dependent. In CH₂Cl₂, carbamate ester 3 was obtained: in CH₃CN, the intermediate sulphonium salt 5, which on hydrolysis gave 3, was isolated. On the other hand, reaction in MeOH gave the diphenacyl derivative 6. The reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Solvent extraction of sodium picrate with 15-crown-5 into carbon tetrachloride. The determination of the dimer-formation constant of a crown ether-univalent metal salt 1∶1∶1 complex

The theory is derived to determine the dimer-formation constant,K ₂, of a crown ethermetal salt 111 complex in organic solvents of low dielectric constant by solvent extraction. The theoretical predictions are verified experimentally by extraction of sodium picrate (NaA) with 15-crown-5 (15C5) into carbon tetrachloride. All the experiments were conducted at 25°C. The logK ₂ value of the Na(15C5)A complex in carbon tetrachloride has been determined to be 4.05±0.11. Moreover, the partition constant of the complex is calculated.