Novel aromatic polyamides bearing pendent diphenylamino or carbazolyl groups

Two new diamines, 2,4‐diaminotriphenylamine ( 3 ) and N‐(2,4‐diaminophenyl)carbazole ( 4 ), were synthesized via the cesium fluoride‐mediated aromatic substitution reactions of 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with diphenylamine and carbazole, followed by palladium‐catalyzed hydrazine reduction. Amorphous and soluble aramids having pendent diphenylamino and carbazolyl groups were prepared by the phosphorylation polycondensation of aromatic dicarboxylic acids with diamines 3 and 4 , respectively. The aramids derived from diamine 3 had sufficiently high molecular weights to permit the casting of flexible and tough films. They exhibited excellent mechanical properties and moderately high softening temperatures in the 221–298 °C range. However, the reactions of diamine 4 with aromatic diacids gave relatively lower molecular weights products that could not afford flexible films. For a comparative purpose, the parent aramids derived from m‐phenylenediamine and aromatic diacids were also prepared and characterized. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3302–3313, 2004     

Poly(phenylene vinylene)‐based copolymers containing 3,7‐phenothiazylene and 2,6‐pyridylene chromophores: Fluorescence sensors for acids,metal ions,and oxidation

A novel copolymer, poly(N‐hexyl‐3,7‐phenothiazylene‐1,2‐ethenylene‐2,6‐pyridylene‐1,2‐ethenylene) ( P3 ), containing N‐hexyl‐3,7‐phenothiazylene and 2,6‐pyridylene chromophores was synthesized to investigate the effect of protonation, metal complexation, and chemical oxidation on its absorption and photoluminescence (PL). Poly(N‐hexyl‐3,8‐iminodibenzyl‐1,2‐ethenylene‐1,3‐phenylene‐1,2‐ethenylene) and poly(N‐hexyl‐3,7‐phenothiazylene‐1,2‐ethenylene‐1,3‐phenylene‐1,2‐ethenylene) ( P2 ), consisting of 1,3‐divinylbenzene alternated with N‐hexyl‐3,8‐iminodibenzyl and N‐hexyl‐3,7‐phenothiazylene, respectively, were also prepared for comparison. Electrochemical investigations revealed that P3 exhibited lower band gaps (2.34 eV) due to alternating donor and acceptor conjugated units (push–pull structure). The absorption and PL spectral variations of P3 were easily manipulated by protonation, metal chelation, and chemical oxidation. P3 displayed significant bathochromic shifts when protonated with trifluoroacetic acid in chloroform. The complexation of P3 with Fe³⁺ led to a significant absorption change and fluorescence quenching, and this implied the coordination of ferric ions with the 2,6‐pyridylene groups in the backbone. Moreover, both phenothiazylene‐containing P2 and P3 showed conspicuous PL quenching with a slight redshift when oxidized with NOBF₄. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1272–1284, 2004     

One Alkenylphenol and Steroids from the Aquatic Plant Monochoria Vaginalis

Two new compounds have been isolated from the whole plant of Monochoria vaginalis and characterized as: (10Z)‐1‐(2,6‐dihydroxyphenyl)octadec‐10‐en‐1‐one ( 1 ) (20R, 24R)‐campest‐5‐ene‐3β, 4β‐diol ( 2 ) together with nine known ones. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidence.     

2‐Cyanoprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate mediated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of acrylonitrile targeting a polymer with a higher molecular weight

The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) mediated by 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl dithiobenzoate was first applied to synthesize polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with a high molecular weight up to 32,800 and a polydispersity index as low as 1.29. The key to success was ascribed to the optimization of the experimental conditions to increase the fragmentation reaction efficiency of the intermediate radical. In accordance with the atom transfer radical polymerization of AN, ethylene carbonate was also a better solvent candidate for providing higher controlled/living RAFT polymerization behaviors than dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. The various experimental parameters, including the temperature, the molar ratio of dithiobenzoate to the initiator, the molar ratio of the monomer to dithiobenzoate, the monomer concentration, and the addition of the comonomer, were varied to improve the control of the molecular weight and polydispersity index. The molecular weights of PANs were validated by gel permeation chromatography along with a universal calibration procedure and intrinsic viscosity measurements. ¹H NMR analysis confirmed the high chain‐end functionality of the resultant polymers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1272–1281, 2007     

Using Inquiry to Improve Pedagogy through K‐12/University Partnerships

This article focuses on the impact a collaborative project between university graduate fellows and K‐12 classroom teachers had on improved pedagogy in the classroom and in the future at the university. Nine teams participated in a yearlong professional development project to improve pedagogy and communication skills of the participants. This study shows that the participants, the fellows and the K‐12 teacher partners, made changes in planning, implementation, and even motivation for using inquiry‐based methods in their classroom. External observations of the teams further support the individuals' claims of improved pedagogy using inquiry and impact on student conceptual understanding. The Horizon Classroom Observation instrument was used for these observations. The teams showed an overall increase in scores, as well as overall effective and exemplarily implementation of their planning. The program design, the implementation, and the results of this three‐year study will be elaborated in this article.     

Solvothermal synthesis of TiO2: anatase nanocrystals and rutile nanofibres from TiCl4 in acetone

This work reports a new synthetic approach for single‐phase TiO₂ nanomaterials by solvothermal treatment of titanium tetrachloride in acetone at 80–110 °C. Small, uniform, and yet size‐tunable (5–10 nm) anatase titania nanocrystallites were obtained using a low concentration of TiCl₄ in acetone (i.e., at molar ratios of TiCl₄/acetone ≤ 1:15) in the temperature range of 80–110 °C, while rutile nanofibers were synthesized using a high concentration of TiCl₄ (e.g., TiCl₄/acetone = 1:10) at 110 °C. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.