Synthesis and styrene polymerization properties of dinuclear half-titanocene complexes with xylene linkage

The new dinuclear half-sandwich complexes of titanium with xylene bridge, [Ti(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)Cl₂L]₂[CH₂-C₆H₄-CH₂] (L = Cl (3), L = O-2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃ (4), L = N(SiMe₃)(2,6-Me₂C₆H₃) (5)), have been synthesized. The complexes 4 and 5 have been prepared by the reaction of the complex 3 with the corresponding lithium salts of aryloxy and anilide. Structure of these complexes has been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The change of substituent from chloride, 3, to anilide, 5, at titanium resulted in chemical shift change of cyclopentadienyl protons from 6.92 and 6.79 to 6.13 and 5.95 ppm probably due to the positive electron density delivery from the anilide group. It was found that all three half-titanocenes were effective catalyst for the generation of SPS (syndiotactic polystyrene). Xylene bridged dinuclear catalyst (4) with aryloxy substituent exhibited very high activity (458 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h), at 40 °C, whereas the analogous hexamethylene bridged dinuclear half-titanocene catalyst (7) showed a lower activity (80.7 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h) under the same conditions. While the catalyst 3 was the most active catalyst among three complexes less than 40 °C the catalyst 5 exhibited the highest activity at 70 °C. Xylene linkage was suggested to be too stiff to permit any kind of intramolecular interaction between two active centers. Lack of steric disturbance due to the rigidity of the xylene bridge might give rise to the similar properties of dinuclear metallocene to the corresponding mononuclear metallocene to result in not only the facile coordination of monomer at the active center to lead high activity but also the easier β-H elimination comparing to the dinuclear catalysts with the flexible bridge to result in the formation of lower molecular weight polymer.     

Analysis of optodynamic sources generated during laser-induced breakdown in water

We propose a method for evaluating the size of the laser-induced breakdown region in water based on the detection and analysis of optodynamic waves. The breakdown region is an optodynamic source of pressure waves that propagate into the surrounding liquid as an ultrasonic pulse. In the experiment the optical breakdown was generated by a standard ophthalmic Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 10 ns and a maximum energy per pulse of 10 mJ. The pulses were detected inside the liquid with a laser-beam deflection probe. The waveforms were captured in the far-field and analyzed. The analysis provides information about the apparent size of the optodynamic source, which is directly related to the size of the breakdown region. The proposed method can be adapted for online monitoring.     

The synthesis of 12-membered macrocycles containing a C1–C8 alkene unit via ring-closing metathesis

Model cross and ring-closing metathesis strategies toward the C1–C8-linear carbon skeleton are presented. The introduction of a four-atom tether enables the formation of 12-membered rings in good-to-excellent yields and stereoselectivity. Furthermore, the study revealed that the cross-metathesis approach and the formation of medium ring sizes via ring-closing metathesis are much less favorable.     

A short synthetic route to biologically active (+/-)-daurichromenic acid as highly potent anti-HIV agent

The efficient total synthesis of biologically interesting (+/-)-daurichromenic acid is accomplished starting from 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid or 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzaldehyde in one or two steps.     

Synthesis of 7-Hydroxyspiropyran

The 7-acetoxyspiropyrans (4a and 4b) have been prepared by the reaction of Fischer's bases (3) with 2,4-diacetoxybenzaldehyde in refluxing ethanol in moderate yields. The acetyl group of 7-acetoxy-spiropyran 4a was easily removed to give a 7-hydroxyspiropyran 6 in high yield under the basic condition.     

Synthesis of 1,3-Diketones by Reaction of α-Haloketones with Acyl Cyanides Promoted by Samarium Diiodide

α-Haloketones reacted with acyl cyanides to form 1,3-diketones in the presence of samarium diiodide. The reaction was assumed to proceed via a mechanism involving samarium enolates formed in situ from α-haloketones.     

Multi-criteria risk evaluation model for developing ventilator-associated pneumonia

Central European Journal of Operations Research - Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a hospital-acquired infection of the lungs occurring in mechanically ventilated patients. An active risk...     

Functionalization of Polyurethane/Urea Copolymers with Amide Groups by Polymer Treatment with Ammonia Plasma

Samples of porous foam from polyurethane/urea copolymers based on polyethylene glycol (PURPEG) were prepared in the form of 1-mm-thick discs of diameter 10 cm and exposed to ammonia plasma created by inductively coupled radiofrequency discharge in either low density (E mode) or high density (H mode). The evolution of surface composition and structure upon plasma treatment was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Treatment in the H mode caused depletion of oxygen even after 2 s of treatment, whereas treatment in the E mode caused gentle functionalization with amide groups. The concentration of functional groups depended on the discharge power, and the best results were obtained at moderately high power just before the transition from E to H modes.     

First Total Synthesis of Mappain with a Prenylated and Geranylated Stilbene

The first total synthesis of naturally occurring mappain has been achieved by a convergent sequence. The key strategy involved in the synthesis of mappain was a (E)‐stilbene formation by Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction of the corresponding prenylated benzaldehyde with a geranylated benzyl phosphonate.