Complete and 'incomplete' [2 x 2] grids by self-assembly with a sterically hindered ditopic imidazole hydrazone ligand--structural and magnetic studies

A ditopic hydrazone ligand (ioap) synthesized from the condensation of 4-methyl-5-imidazole carboxylic acid hydrazide with the iminoester of 2-pyridinecarbonitrile formed targeted [2 x 2] M(4)L(4) (M = Cu(II), Ni(II); L = ioap) grids, and a mixed oxidation state dinuclear cobalt complex. An 'incomplete' trinuclear M(3)L(4) (M = Mn(II)) grid, based on a [2 x 2] grid architecture, resulting from steric congestion of the imidazole methyl-substituent, was also produced. These results lead to the suggestion of one possible route to the self-assembly pathway of the [2 x 2] grids. The Mn(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes have hydrazone oxygen bridges between metal centres, which lead to antiferromagnetic exchange in the Mn(II)(3) and Ni(II)(4) cases, but, due to the presence of orthogonal bridging connections, to ferromagnetic exchange for the Cu(II)(4) example. Structural and magnetic properties are discussed based on the bridging connections.     

Ethylcyclopentane ring opening reaction over PtGe/Al2O3 catalysts prepared by controlled surface reaction

Platinum-germanium catalysts supported on a non-acidic Al₂O₃ have been prepared by adding Ge in amounts corresponding nominally to 1/8 (PtGe1/8/Al₂O₃); 1/2 (PtGe1/2/Al₂O₃); 1 (PtGe1/Al₂O₃) and 2 (PtGe2/Al₂O₃) monolayers by controlled surface reaction of Ge(n-C₄H₉)₄ to Pt/Al₂O₃. These catalysts were characterized by electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR of CO adsorption and H₂ chemisorption. The ring opening of ethylcyclopentane (ECP) was studied as a test reaction between 543 and 633 K. PtGe1/8/Al₂O₃ catalyst produced the most ring opening products (ROP) in the whole temperature range. A good agreement with statistical values of ROP was observed at low temperature, but at higher temperature, the opening became selective, producing mostly heptane. Bimetallic catalysts PtGe1/Al₂O₃ and PtGe2/Al₂O₃ led to a nonselective hydrogenolysis, similar to the monometallic platinum catalyst Pt/Al₂O₃. The catalysts PtGe1/Al₂O₃ and PtGe2/Al₂O₃ produced ROP with the lowest selectivity; instead, much aromatics and fragments were formed, in increasing amounts above 600 K.     

The C3N- anion: first detection of its electronic luminescence in rare gas solids

The 193 nm laser irradiation of cyanoacetylene (HCCCN) that was isolated in rare gas solids led to a long-lived luminescence (origin at 3.58 eV), which was assigned to the a (3)Sigma(+)-X (1)Sigma(+) system of cyanoacetylide (CCCN(-)). The identification, which involved (15)N and (2)H isotopic substitution studies, is based on vibronic spacings in the phosphorescence spectrum (compared to previous infrared absorption measurements and to theoretical results regarding CCCN(-) vibrational frequencies), as well as on a BD(T)/cc-pVTZ prediction for the singlet-triplet energy gap in this anion (3.61 eV). The same emission was also generated from KrHC(3)N mixtures subjected to a glow electric discharge immediately before the solidification (cold-window-radial-discharge technique).     

Quantitative determination of alpha-tocopherol distribution in a tributyrin/Brij 30/water model food emulsion

Until recently, determining the distribution of antioxidants, AOs, between the oil, interfacial and aqueous regions of opaque emulsions has not worked well because the concentrations of AOs in interfacial regions cannot be determined separately from their concentrations in the oil and water phases. However, our novel kinetic method based on the reaction between an arenediazonium ion and vitamin E, or alpha-tocopherol, provides the first good estimates for the two partition constants that describe alpha-tocopherol distribution between the oil/interfacial and water/interfacial regions of tributyrin/Brij 30/water emulsions without physical isolation of any phase. The reaction is monitored by a new derivatization method based on trapping unreacted arenediazonium ion as an azo dye and confirmed by linear sweep voltammetry, LSV. The results by both derivatization and LSV methods are in good agreement and show that alpha-tocopherol distributes strongly in favor of the interfacial region when the oil is tributyrin, e.g., ca. 90% when the surfactant volume fraction is Phi I=0.01. The second-order rate constant for reaction in the interfacial region is also obtained from the results. Our kinetic method provides a robust approach for determining antioxidant distributions in emulsions and should help develop a quantitative interpretation of antioxidant efficiency in emulsions.     

The effect of polymer architecture on the nano self-assemblies based on novel comb-shaped amphiphilic poly(allylamine)

Twelve novel poly(allylamine) (PAA)-based, comb-shaped amphiphilic polymers have been developed. Hydrophobic groups of cetyl, palmitoyl and cholesteryl were randomly grafted to PAA and quaternisation was carried out on some modified polymers. Polymers were characterised using ¹H NMR, elemental analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. All polymers formed nano self-assemblies in the aqueous solution with a positive zeta potential and were able to encapsulate a hydrophobic agent, methyl orange, in the core. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) and the microviscosity were found to be dependent on the polymer hydrophobicity. Being the most hydrophobic polymer, cholesteryl-grafted PAA had the lowest CAC (0.02 mg mL⁻¹) and the highest microviscosity. They appeared to form dense nanoparticles and were transformed into novel nanostructures in the presence of free cholesterol. Palmitoyl-grafted polymers formed nanoparticles while cetyl-grafted polymers formed polymeric micelles. The flexibility of cetyl chains possibly resulted in the formation of multicore polymeric micelles.     

Nematic and columnar ordering of a PEG-peptide conjugate in aqueous solution

The self-assembly in aqueous solution of a PEG-peptide conjugate is studied by spectroscopy, electron microscopy, rheology and small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS). The peptide fragment, FFKLVFF is based on fragment KLVFF of the amyloid beta-peptide, Abeta(16-20), extended by two hydrophobic phenylalanine units. This is conjugated to PEG which confers water solubility and leads to distinct self-assembled structures. Small-angle scattering reveals the formation of cylindrical fibrils comprising a peptide core and PEG corona. This constrained structure leads to a model parallel beta-sheet self-assembled structure with a radial arrangement of beta sheets. On increasing concentration, successively nematic and hexagonal columnar phases are formed. The flow-induced alignment of both structures was studied in situ by SANS using a Couette cell. Shear-induced alignment is responsible for the shear thinning behaviour observed by dynamic shear rheometry. Incomplete recovery of moduli after cessation of shear is consistent with the observation from SANS of retained orientation in the sample.     

Differentiation of heterocyclic regioisomers: a combined tandem mass spectrometry and computational study of N-acridin-4-ylbenzylamide and N-acridin-2-yl-benzylamide

Electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been used to differentiate two positional isomers of acridine derivatives, N-acridin-4-ylbenzylamide and N-acridin-2-ylbenzylamide. The study revealed that the isomeric ion structures produced by these heterocycles could be distinguished upon collision-induced dissociations (CID). In particular, the loss of a water molecule was shown to be a regiospecific reaction of the protonated N-acridin-4-ylbenzylamide, in which the location of the benzylamide substituent with respect to the acridinic nitrogen greatly assists proton migration by allowing the creation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. To a lesser extent, the two isomers could also be distinguished by the difference in the abundance of the benzoyl cation in the MS/MS spectra of the [M+H]+ ions, as this ion is produced with a much higher rate from N-acridin-4-ylbenzylamide. Calculations based on quantum-mechanical models have been performed to evaluate the stability of the ion structures and to support mechanisms proposed for these two dissociation reactions.     

On-line coupling of liquid chromatography at critical conditions with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the characterization of a nitroxide-mediated poly(ethylene oxide)/polystyrene block copolymer

Coupling of liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) with on-line mass spectrometry (MS) detection was implemented via an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface, using a mobile phase containing the cationizing agent. Critical conditions established for poly(ethylene oxide) were used to characterize a poly(ethylene oxide)/polystyrene block copolymer (PEO-b-PS) in both MS and MS/MS modes. As co-oligomer molecules were successfully separated according to the PS block size, structural information could be reached from simplified MS spectra. The microstructure of this copolymer, synthesized by nitroxide-mediated polymerization, could further be unambiguously characterized in LCCC/ESI-MS/MS experiments since the PS block size could be reached by both the co-oligomer chromatographic behavior and its MS/MS pattern.     

Coordination "oligomers" in self-assembly reactions of some "tritopic" picolinic dihydrazone ligands-mononuclear, dinuclear, hexanuclear, heptanuclear, and nonanuclear examples

"Tritopic" picolinic dihydrazone ligands with tridentate coordination pockets are designed to produce homoleptic [3 x 3] nonanuclear square grid complexes on reaction with transition-metal salts, and many structurally documented examples have been obtained with Mn(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions. However, other oligomeric complexes with smaller nuclearities have also been discovered and identified structurally in some reactions involving Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II), with certain tritopic ligands. This illustrates the dynamic nature of the metal-ligand interaction and the conformationally flexible nature of the ligands and points to the possible involvement of some of these species as intermediates in the [3 x 3] grid formation process. Examples of mononuclear, dinuclear, hexanuclear, heptanuclear, and nonanuclear species involving Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) salts with a series of potentially heptadentate picolinic dihydrazone ligands with pyrazine, pyrimidine, and pyridine end groups are described in the present study. Iron and cobalt complexation reactions are complicated by redox processes, which lead to mixed-oxidation-state Co(II)/Co(III) systems when starting with Co(II) salts, and reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) when starting with Fe(III). Magnetic exchange within the polynuclear structural frameworks is discussed and related to the structural features.