Alkyl (C<Subscript>10</Subscript>, C<Subscript>12</Subscript>, C<Subscript>14</Subscript> and C<Subscript>16</Subscript>) triphenyl phosphonium bromide influenced cloud points of nonionic surfactants (Triton X 100, Brij 56 and Brij 97) and the polymer (Polyvinyl methyl ether)

The clouding points (CP) of the nonionic surfactants p-tert-octyl phenyl polyoxyethylene ether (Triton X 100), Brij-56 and Brij-97, and the water soluble polymer polyvinylmethylether (PVME) have been measured in the presence of the ionic surfactants alkyl (C₁₀, C₁₂, C₁₄ and C₁₆) triphenyl phosphonium bromides (ATPBs). The threshold additive concentrations required for efficient CP enhancement of the systems that were studied have been determined. Considering CP as the threshold state of phase separation, the energetics of the process at different additive concentrations has been evaluated. The spontaneity of free energy of the clouding process (G _c ⁰ ) at the transition concentrations followed the order PVME > TX 100  Bj 56 > Bj 97. The clouding process has been found to be energetically endothermic with fairly large enthalpy and entropy changes that nicely compensate each other. The compensation temperature has been evaluated and compared with different types of the clouding agents.This revised version was published online in January 2005 with corrections to the names of the authors.     

Absolute configuration of C2-symmetric spiroselenurane: 3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-1,1'-spirobi[3 H,2,1]benzoxaselenole

The enantiomers of 3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-1,1'-spirobi[3 H,2,1]benzoxaselenole have been separated on a chiral preparative chromatographic column. The experimental vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra have been obtained for both enantiomers in CH(2)Cl(2). The theoretical VCD spectra have been obtained by means of density functional theoretical calculations with the B3 LYP density functional. From a comparison of experimental and theoretical VCD spectra, the absolute configuration of an enantiomer with positive specific rotation in CH(2)Cl(2) at 589 nm is determined to be R. This conclusion has been verified by comparing results of experimental optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) to predictions of the same properties using the B3 LYP functional for the title compound.     

Electrophilic fluorinating reagent mediated synthesis of fluorinated alpha-keto Ethers,benzil, and 6,6'-dialkoxy-2,2'-bipyridines

Interactions of various fluorinated and nonfluorinated alcohols with trans-stilbene in the presence of electrophilic reagents were studied. Under neat conditions, reactions of trans-stilbene (1) with fluorinated alcohols, R(f)OH (R(f) = CF3CH2-, CFH2CH2-, CF3CF2CH2-, CF2H(CF2)3CH2-, (CF3)2CH-, (CF3)3C- (2a-f) in the presence of an electrophilic reagent, 1-(chloromethyl)-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Selectfluor) or N,N-difluoro-2,2'-bipyridinium bis(tetrafluoroborate) (MEC-31), gave alpha-keto ethers (3a-f) and benzil (4) in good to moderate yields. alpha-Keto ether and benzil formation was very much dependent on the reaction time, the degree of fluorination of the alcohols, and whether a solvent such as CH3CN, DMF or DMA was utilized. In solution, alpha-keto ethers and benzil did not form. Interestingly, under neat conditions, nonfluorinated alcohols, ROH (R = CH3-, CH3CH2-, CH3CH2CH2-, CH3CH2CH2CH2-, CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2-) (5g-k) did not react with trans-stilbene in the presence of MEC-31 but gave 6,6'-dialkoxy-2,2'-bipyridines (6g-k), regioselectively, in excellent isolated yields. On the other hand, fluorinated alcohols did not react with MEC-31. Reaction of MEC-31 with an excess of diethylene glycol (7) gave the bipyridine derivative (8) in 88% isolated yield. Reaction of 8 either with diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) or bis(2-methoxyethyl)aminosulfur trifluoride (Deoxofluor) readily produced the corresponding difluoro derivative (9) in 85% isolated yield. All new compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic and elemental analysis.     

Photochemical cleavage and release of carboxylic acids from alpha-keto amides

In aqueous media, alpha-keto amides LGCH(2)COCON(R)CH(R')CH(3) (1a, R = Et, R' = H; 1b, R = (i)()Pr, R' = Me; 1c, R = Ph, R' = H) with various carboxylate leaving groups (LG) at the C-3 position undergo photocleavage and release of carboxylic acids with formation of diastereomeric 5-hydroxyoxazolidin-4-ones 2a,c in the cases of 1a,c or 5-methyleneoxazolidin-4-ones 3b in the case of 1b. For 1a,b, Phi(photocleavage) = 0.24-0.38, whereas Phi(photocleavage) = ca. 0.05 for 1c. The proposed mechanism involves transfer of hydrogen from an N-alkyl group to the keto oxygen to produce zwitterionic intermediates 4a-c that eliminate carboxylate anions. The resultant imminium ions, H(2)C=C(OH)CON(+)(R)=C(R')CH(3) 5a-c, cyclize intramolecularly to 3b or undergo intermolecular addition of water followed by tautomerization and cyclization to give 2a,c. These inter- or intramolecular trapping reactions of 5 release protons that decrease the pH and cause bleaching of the 620 nm band of the pH indicator, bromocresol green. Determination of the bleaching kinetics by laser flash photolysis methods in the case of 1a gives time constants of 18-137 mus, depending on the leaving group ability of the carboxylate anion, whereas amides 1b show only a small leaving group effect. For 1a, the large leaving group effect is consistent with rate-limiting carboxylate elimination from 4a, whereas the proton release step would be largely rate determining for 1b. Photolyses of 1a (LG = CH(3)CO(2)(-), PhCH(2)CO(2)(-)) in neat CH(3)CN results in carboxylate elimination to form imminium ion 5a, followed by internal return to give aminals.     

Phase equilibria for binary systems of octane boosters with 2,2,4-trimethylpentane

Isobaric vapor–liquid equilibrium data at 95.96 kPa for the three binary systems of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane with methyl tert-butyl ether, di-isopropyl ether and dimethoxymethane are determined. A Swietoslawski type ebulliometer is used for the measurements. The experimental T–x data are used to estimate Wilson parameters and the parameters, in turn, are used to calculate vapor phase compositions and activity coefficients. All the systems studied here do not exhibit azeotropes and behave like non-ideal solutions.     

Electro-oxidation and electro-reduction of some iron (II), cobalt(II) and nickel(II) polypyridyl complexes in acetonitrile

Cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry studies of 2,2′-bipyridyl, 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl and 2,2′, 2″-terpyridyl complexes of Fe(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) in acetonitrile are described. E_1/2 values for M(III)/M(II) and M(II)/M)I) couples are compared and crystal field effects discussed. A series of M(I) and M(III) polypyridyl complexes have been prepared by controlled potential electrolysis; these include a number of 3+ and 1+ oxidation state complexes of nickel which have not previously been isolated — [Ni(bipy)₃]-(ClO₄)₃, [Ni(dimbipy)₃](ClO₄)₃, [Ni(terpy)₂](ClO₄)₃ and [Ni(bipy)₂]ClO₄.     

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Two Different Types of Heterobimetallic Glycolate Complexes of Niobium(V)

An entirely new class of heterobimetallic homoleptic glycolate complexes of the type Nb(OGO)₃{Ta(OGO)₂} [where G=CMe₂CH₂CH₂CMe₂ (G¹) (3); CMe₂CH₂ CHMe(G²) (4); CHMeCHMe (G³) (5); CH₂CMe₂CH₂ (G⁴) (6); CMe₂CMe₂(G⁵) (7); CH₂CHMeCH₂ (G⁶) (8); CH₂CEt₂CH₂ (G⁷) (9); CH₂CMe(Prⁿ)CH₂ (G⁸) (10)] have been prepared by the reactions of Nb(OGO)₂(OGOH) [G=G¹ (1a); G² (1b); G³ (1c); G⁴ (1d); G⁵ (1e); G⁶ (1f); G⁷ (1g); G⁸ (1h)] with Ta(OGO)₂ (OPrⁱ) (G=G¹ (2a); G² (2b); G³ (2c); G⁴ (2d); G⁵ (2e) G⁶ (2f); G⁷ (2g); G⁸ (2h). In addition to the novel derivatives (2)–(10), our earlier investigations on heterobimetallic glycolate-alkoxide derivatives have been extended to derivatives of the type Nb(OGO) [where M=A1 n=3, G=G³ (11);G⁴ (12); G⁶ (13) G⁷ (14); G^s (15); G⁹=CH₂CH₂CH₂ (16) and M=Ti (n=4, G=G⁴) (17), Zr(n=4,G=G⁴) (18)], which are conveniently prepared by the reactions of metalloligands Nb(OGO)₂(OGOH) [G=G³ (1c); G⁴ (1d); G⁶ (1f); G⁷ (1g); G⁸ (1h); G⁹ (1i)] with different metal alkoxides. All of these new complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations, and spectroscopic (I.r. and ¹H, ²⁷Al-n.m.r.) studies. Structural features of the new derivatives have been elucidated on the basis of molecular weight and spectroscopic data.     

Sol-gel-derived micron scale optical fibers for chemical sensing

We report for the first time on the preparation of organically-doped room temperature processed sol-gel-derived micron scale optical fibers as platforms for chemical- and bio-sensors. Micron scale optical fibers are drawn from fluorescent dye-doped tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)-derived sol-gel solution processed under ambient conditions. Such a simple methodology to entrap organic and even bioactive species within the optical fiber offers many advantages over more conventional ways of immobilizing organic probes for the development of optical sensors. Specifically, we report on the photophysical properties of fluorescein (a pH sensitive fluorescent dye) and rhodamine 6G (R6G; laser dye) entrapped within sol-gel-derived optical fibers. We present the preliminary results on the viability of such doped optical fibers for chemical sensing. Our results demonstrate that a fluorescein-doped sol-gel-derived optical fiber responds to ammonia and acid vapors with a response time of 1–2 seconds.     

Thermal decomposition of 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium halochromate complexes

Thermal decomposition studies of 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium halochromates have been carried out upto 1000°C at a linear heating rate of 10 deg·min^?1. The complexes undergo two stage decomposition. First one corresponds to the redox decomposition of the complex along with the loss of a phenyl halide molecule and 3/2 mol of oxygen. While, the second step corresponds to the oxidation of the formazan type structure formed in the first step. The first step decomposition follows diffusion controlled reaction mechanism in a sphere governed by the equationg(α)=[1?(1?α)^1/3]². Activation energy and pre-exponential factors have been determined by Coats-Redfern model and Dixit-Ray model. Activation energy decreases as the electronegativity of the halide ion decreases.     

The binding of single-stranded DNA and PNA to single-walled carbon nanotubes probed by flow linear dichroism

The binding of single-stranded DNAs and a neutral DNA analogue (peptide nucleic acid, PNA) to single-walled carbon nanotubes in solution phase has been probed by absorbance spectroscopy and linear dichroism. The nanotubes are solubilised by aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate, in which the nucleic acids also dissolve. The linear dichroism (LD) of the nanotubes, when subtracted from that due to the nanotubes/nucleic acid samples, gives the LD of the bound nucleic acid. The binding of the single-stranded DNA to the single-walled nanotubes is quite different from that previously observed for double-stranded DNA. It is likely that the nucleic acid bases lie flat on the nanotube surface with the backbone wrapping round the nanotube at an oblique angle in the region of 45 degrees . The net effect is like beads on a string. The base orientation with the single-stranded PNA is inverted with respect to that of the single-stranded DNA, as shown by their oppositely signed LD signals.