The response of substituents to pi-electron demand

The forms of responses of substituents to strongly changing pi-electron demands have been investigated using $\text{ab initio}$ molecular orbital calculations at the STO-3G level of approximation; the non-parallel responses depend strongly upon the nature of the substituent. For example, CN, CHO, and NO₂ act as pi electron donors in strongly electron deficient systems.     

Composite spectral density functions for the interpretation of the 13C NMR relaxation behavior of polymers containing hydrocarbon side chains. Free and restricted side chain motion

¹³C NMR NT₁ and NOE have been calculated by using composite spectral density functions describing polymer chain segmental motion and internal rotation of a hydrocarbon side chain attached to the polymer backbone. Numerical results at two magnetic fields are presented as a function of the various motional parameters characterizing the various models. NT₁ and NOE relaxation parameters are well behaved and appear to have practical value for describing the dynamics of these systems. The models have been applied to the relaxation data of poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) in toluene solutions. The dynamics of the two polymers are characterized by a very localized backbone motion and restricted internal rotation about successive C? C bonds of the side chains. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Investigation of the free radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of several 1,1-disubstituted ethylenes

A variety of 1,1-disubstituted ethylenes, having an electron-withdrawing (capto) and an electron-donor (dative) substituent on the same carbon, were synthesized and added to styrene polymerizations. The dative substituents investigated were alkoxy or alkylcarbonate. After the addition of a polystyryl radical to a disubstituted ethylene, the resulting alkoxy or carbonate radicals could potentially fragment, resulting in chain termination and the formation of alkyl radicals. This process is called addition-fragmentation chain transfer (AFCT). The polymers produced during this study were examined for evidence of copolymerization and AFCT. The relative stability of the radicals generated by the fragmentation process appears to be the predominant factor controlling the ratio of copolymerization versus AFCT. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of vinylpyridinium salts. III. Further studies on the interfacial and isotropic polymerization of 4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium methylsulfate

In the present study the polymerization of 4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium methylsulfate at liquid–liquid interfaces is investigated. Various experimental procedures that may favor the interfacial mode of polymerization over the isotropic one are discussed. The effectiveness of the methods was evaluated by physical characterization studies and particularly polymer tacticity. This last property is directly associated with the achieved organization of the monomers at interfaces. ¹³C-NMR technique was used for tacticity determination. According to tacticity, random polymers are primarily obtained that result from an isotropic polymerization in the aqueous phase, where the monomer is extremely soluble. The small predominance of the syndiotactic triad over the isotactic one is explained by the occurrence of an interfacial polymerization induced by the orientation of the monomers. A polymerization model is proposed that justifies the stereospecificity modification of polymerization.     

Conformational properties of the macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxin verrucarin A in solution

Phase-sensitive nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments, (3)J couplings and computational molecular modeling (MM2* and MMFF force fields) were employed to examine the conformational properties of verrucarin A in chloroform solutions. The MMFF force field calculations resulted in a family of 12 low-energy structures along with their populations, the latter being determined by the NMR analysis of molecular flexibility in solution(NAMFIS) deconvolution analysis. The concluded model was capable of reproducing successfully the experimental NOESY cross-peak volumes and the proton-coupling constants. Among the 12 conformers, the one which was similar to the structure of verrucarin A in the solid state was the predominant accounting for 75% of the total relative population, although other low-energy conformations contributed to a lesser degree in order to explain the experimental data.     

Non-Kramers' behavior of the chain local dynamics of PVC in dilute solution. Carbon-13 NMR relaxation study

Carbon-13 spin-lattice, spin-spin relaxation times, and NOE values were measured as a function of temperature at two magnetic fields for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in three solvents: chloroform, dioxane, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The relaxation data were interpreted in terms of chain local motions by using the bimodal time-correlation function of the Dejean-Laupretre-Monnerie (DLM) model. Using this model, the correlation times obtained in this study, as well as those from an earlier study in dibutyl phthalate and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane did not follow a linear relationship with solvent viscosity. Instead, the chain local dynamics showed a 0.60 power dependence on solvent viscosity, indicating that PVC deviates from the hydrodynamic Kramers' theory. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

31P NMR spectroscopy in the quality control and authentication of extra-virgin olive oil: a review of recent progress

This review is a brief account on the application of a novel methodology to the quality control and authentication of extra-virgin olive oil. This methodology is based on the derivatization of the labile hydrogens of functional groups, such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, of olive oil constituents with the phosphorus reagent 2-chloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyldioxaphospholane, and the use of the (31)P chemical shifts to identify the phosphitylated compounds. Various experimental aspects such as pertinent instrumentation, sample preparation, acquisition parameters and properties of the phosphorus reagent are reviewed. The strategy to assign the (31)P signals of the phosphitylated model compounds and olive oil constituents by employing 1D and 2D NMR experiments is presented. Finally, the capability of this technique to assess the quality and the genuineness of extra-virgin olive oil and to detect fraud is discussed.     

Local chain motions of poly(β-hydroxyoctanoate) in the bulk. 13C NMR relaxation study

Variable-temperature ¹³C NMR spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) and Nuclear Overhauser Enhancements (NOE) at two magnetic fields have been used to study the dynamics of the amorphous part of a semicrystalline sample (33% of crystallinity) of poly(β-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO). The interpretation of the relaxation data of the backbone carbons was made by employing a number of motional models. Among these, the DLM model offered the best interpretation of the relaxation data in terms of conformational transitions and librational motions of the backbone C? H vectors, and proved to be superior to unimodal distribution functions. The interpretation of temperature- and frequency-dependent T₁ and NOE data of the carbon nuclei in the n-pentyl side chain was made by employing a newly developed composite spectral density function for multiple internal C? C bond rotations of restricted amplitude and chain segmental motion. The temperature dependence of the linewidths of the various protonated carbon resonances of PHO has been discussed in terms of the semicrystalline character of this polymer. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.