Potential of thermal analysis as applied to studying the kinetics of thermal degradation of polymers

The kinetics of thermal degradation of low-density polyethylene was studied by TGA and DSC at heating rates from 0.5 to 40 deg min^–1. Causes of significant discrepancies in the published effective kinetic constants of the overall reaction of thermal degradation of the polymers, determined using different experimental methods and different data treatment procedures, were analyzed. The possibility of using random break model as an alternative approach to describing polymer thermal degradation curves obtained by thermal analysis methods was demonstrated by the example of polyethylene.     

Cross section for the subbarrier fission of <Superscript>244</Superscript>Cm

The cross section for ²⁴⁴Cm fission induced by neutrons of energy in the range between 0.07 eV and 20 keV was measured by using the lead slowing-down spectrometer (LSDS-100) of the Institute for Nuclear Research (Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow). The parameters of the resonance areas were determined for the lowest eight s-wave neutron resonances, and the respective fission widths were evaluated. Also, the parameters of the intermediate structure in the cross section for the subbarrier fission of ²⁴⁴Cm nuclei were evaluated. The results were compared with available data and recommendations based on evaluations.     

Stable azomethine imines having a 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline fragment and their cycloaddition to <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-arylmaleimides

Aroylation of 5,6,8,8a,13,14,16,16a-octahydro[1,2,4,5]tetrazino[6,1-a:3,4-a′]diisoquinoline or 1,3,4,8b-tetrahydro[1,2]diazireno[3,1-a]isoquinoline, as well as reactions of 2-(2-bromoethyl)benzaldehyde with aroylhydrazines followed by treatment with triethylamine, led to the formation of stable azomethine imines, aroyl(3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium-2-yl)azanides. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of the latter to N-mesitylmaleimide was stereoselective: the ratio of the trans- and cis-adducts was ∼(3–7): 1, the former prevailing. The reactions with N-arylmaleimides having no ortho-substituents in the aryl group gave the corresponding cis-adducts as the major products [trans/cis ratio ∼1: (2.5–10)].     

Generation of azomethine imines via opening of the diaziridine ring in unsymmetrically substituted 6-aryl-1,5-diazabicyclo-[3.1.0]hexanes and their transformations

Thermally induced opening of the diaziridine ring at the carbon-nitrogen bond in unsymmetrically substituted 6-aryl-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes is characterized by low regioselectivity which is likely to be determined by the inductive effect of substituents in the trimethylene bridge. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of the resulting azomethine imines to phenyl isocyanate is regioselective: it occurs at the double carbon-nitrogen bond with predominant formation of the corresponding cis adducts due to dipolarophile approach to Z-azomethine imine at the sterically less hindered side. Analogous approach of dipolarophile is also observed in the reaction with N-arylmaleimides.     

Thermal opening of the diaziridine fragment in 1-methyl-and 1,3,3-trimethyl-1,3,4,8b-tetrahydro-[1,2]diazirino[3,1-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>]isoquinolines in the presence of n-arylmaleimides

The thermal opening of the diaziridine ring in 1-methyl-and 1,3,3-trimethyl-1,3,4,8b-tetra-hydro[1,2]diazirino[3,1-a]isoquinolines in the presence of N-arylmaleimides leads to the predominant or exclusive formation of the trans isomers of the products of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. In the absence of dipolarophile, the conversion of the starting diaziridines is incomplete over the same time period, while the thermolysis products are N-[3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-isoquinolyl]-and N-[3,3-dimethyl-3,4-di-hydro-2(1H)-isoquinolyl]-N-methyleneamines formed as the result of isomerization of intermediate labile azomethineimines. Dedicated to the memory of A. A. Potekhin. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 7, pp. 1071–1079, July, 2008.