Studies on the Magnetic Ground State of a Spin Möbius Strip

Here we report the synthesis, structure and detailed characterisation of three n‐membered oxovanadium rings, Na_n[(V=O)_nNa_n(H₂O)_n(α, β, or γ‐CD)₂]?m H₂O (n=6, 7, or 8), prepared by the reactions of (V=O)SO₄?x H₂O with α, β, or γ‐cyclodextrins (CDs) and NaOH in water. Their alternating heterometallic vanadium/sodium cyclic core structures were sandwiched between two CD moieties such that O‐Na‐O groups separated the neighbouring vanadyl ions. Antiferromagnetic interactions between the S=1/2 vanadyl ions led to S=0 ground states for the even‐membered rings, but to two quasi‐degenerate S=1/2 states for the spin‐frustrated heptanuclear cluster.     

Microrheology of polysaccharide nanogel-integrated system

The viscoelastic behavior of a cholesterol-modified pullulan (CHP) nanogel at various concentrations was measured using passive particle-tracking microrheology. Microrheology measures stress–strain relationships in small volumes of material by monitoring the response of probes embedded in the medium. Although microrheology is a useful way to overcome sample volume limitations, the application of the method to CHP nanogel systems has not been reported. The viscoelastic spectra of the CHP nanogels obtained from the microrheological measurements were in good agreement with the bulk rheological measurements for each sample, demonstrating that microrheological measurement is effective in CHP nanogel systems. The gelation behavior of CHP nanogel dispersions containing pullulans of different molecular weights was also investigated by microrheology. CHP nanogels made from 1.0 or 4.0?×?10⁵ molecular weight pullulans formed a macrogel at around 3.0 wt%, whereas the CHP nanogel consisting of 0.55?×?10⁵ molecular weight pullulan did not form a macrogel. This suggests that the mechanical properties of the system can be controlled by the molecular weight of the pullulan used. These insights into gelation behavior should be useful in predicting the most favorable conditions for developing novel materials.     

9Be and 31P NMR analyses on the influence of imino groups on Be2+ complex stabilities of a series of cyclo‐μ‐imido triphosphate anions

The complexation behaviors of Be²⁺ with cyclo‐μ‐imido triphosphate anions, cP₃O_9?n(NH)_n^3? (n = 1, 2), have been investigated by both ⁹Be and ³¹P NMR techniques at ?2.3 °C in order to clarify the coordination structures of the complexes. The spectra showed that cP₃O_9?n(NH)_n (n = 1, 2) ligands form ML, ML₂, and M₂L complexes with Be²⁺ ions, and the formation of complexes coordinating with nitrogen atoms of the cyclic framework in the ligand molecule has been excluded. These complexation trends are very similar to those of Be²⁺‐cP₃O₆(NH)₃^3? system, which has been reported by us. The peak deconvolution of ⁹Be NMR spectra made these beryllium complexes amenable to stability constant determinations. The stability constants of the complexes increase with an increase in the protonation constants of the ligands as the number of imino groups, which constitute the ligand molecules, is ascended. This increase is primarily attributable to the lower electronegativity of nitrogen atoms than oxygen atoms, which are directly bonded to central phosphorus atoms; moreover, tautomerism equilibrium in the entire of the imidopolyphosphate molecule is also responsible to the higher basicity. ³¹P NMR spectra measured concurrently have verified the formation of the complexes estimated by the ⁹Be NMR measurement. Intrinsic ³¹P NMR chemical shift values of the phosphorus atoms belonging to ligand molecules complexed with Be²⁺ cations have been determined. Not only the protonation constants but also the stability constants of all Be²⁺ complexes increase approximately linearly with an increase in the number of imino groups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proton conduction properties of nano-titania modified by sulfuric acid impregnation

The proton conduction properties of sulfuric acid-modified nano-titania prepared by impregnation method were investigated. The proton conductivity of sulfuric acid-modified nano-titania was almost the same as that of hydrous sulfated nano-titania investigated in our previous work when the amount of adsorbed sulfate groups was almost the same. The highest conductivity was obtained at an adsorbed sulfate group amount of 0.42?mmol/g, not 0.97?mmol/g. This result indicates that the enhancement of conductivity with increasing amount of adsorbed sulfate groups is limited. This might be attributable to insufficient water molecule adsorption on the Ti⁴⁺ site coordinated with a bidentate sulfate group due to the prevention by excess sulfuric acid.     

Synthesis,Electronic, and Morphological Properties of Tetrahedral Oligothiophenes with n‐Hexyl Terminal Groups

A series of tetrahedral oligothiophenes bearing n‐hexyl groups at the α‐positions of the terminal thiophene rings, (n‐C₆H₁₃(C₄H₂S)_n)₄C (Hex‐TnTM; n=1–4), has been synthesized by Kosugi–Migita–Stille coupling as a key reaction. Thanks to the improved solubility afforded by the terminal n‐hexyl groups, the largest homologue (n=4) was successfully obtained. Whereas the smaller derivatives (n=1, 2) were obtained as liquid substances, the larger derivatives (n=3, 4) were obtained as solids. Hex‐T3 TM partially adopts syn conformations between the adjacent thiophene rings in the crystal, probably owing to the packing force. Hex‐T3 TM not only appeared in the crystalline state but also the amorphous state, which was stable to up to 80 °C. Regardless of the terminal groups, the derivatives of n=2 exhibited a broad fluorescence with large Stokes shifts compared to the corresponding linear analogues, thereby suggesting the presence of intramolecular interactions between the bithiophene moieties. Interactions between terthiophene branches was also suggested in the radical cations of Hex‐T3 TM by cyclic voltammetry measurements.