Interface induced crystal structures of dioctyl-terthiophene thin films

Temperature dependent structural and morphological investigations on semiconducting dioctyl-terthiophene (DOTT) thin films prepared on silica surfaces reveals the coexistence of surface induce order and distinct crystalline/liquid crystalline bulk polymorphs. X-ray diffraction and scanning force microscopy measurements indicate that at room temperature two polymorphs are present: the surface induced phase grows directly on the silica interface and the bulk phase on top. At elevated temperatures the long-range order gradually decreases, and the crystal G (340 K), smectic F (348 K), and smectic C (360 K) phases are observed. Indexation of diffraction peaks reveals that an up-right standing conformation of DOTT molecules is present within all phases. A temperature stable interfacial layer close to the silica-DOTT interface acts as template for the formation of the different phases. Rapid cooling of the DOTT sample from the smectic C phase to room temperature results in freezing into a metastable crystalline state with an intermediated unit cell between the room temperature crystalline phase and the smectic C phase. The understanding of such interfacial induced phases in thin semiconducting liquid crystal films allows tuning of crystallographic and therefore physical properties within organic thin films.     

From σ to π Coordination: Tetraisopropylcyclopentadienyl dichlorides [(C5HR4)ECl2] (R = CHMe2) of phosphorus,arsenic, antimony,and bismuth

[(C₅HR₄)PCl₂] ( 1a ), [(C₅HR₄)PBr₂] ( 1 b ), [(C₅HR₄)AsCl₂] ( 2 ), and [(C₅HR₄)SbCl₂] ( 3 ), have been obtained from the corresponding pnicogen trihalides and sodium tetraisopropylcyclopentadienide (R = CHMe₂). The molecular structures of 1, 2 , and 3 as well as the related structure of [(C₅HR₄)BiCl₂] ( 4 ) display increasing π character of hetero atom to cyclopentadienyl bonding with increasing metallic character of the hetero atom.     

Fundamental Characterization,Photophysics and Photocatalysis of a Base Metal Iron(II)-Cobalt(III) Dyad

A new base metal iron-cobalt dyad has been obtained by connection between a heteroleptic tetra-NHC iron(II) photosensitizer combining a 2,6-bis[3-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]pyridine with 2,6-bis(3-methyl-imidazol-2-ylidene)-4,4′-bipyridine ligand, and a cobaloxime catalyst. This novel iron(II)-cobalt(III) assembly has been extensively characterized by ground- and excited-state methods like X-ray crystallography, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, (spectro-)electrochemistry, and steady-state and time-resolved optical absorption spectroscopy, with a particular focus on the stability of the molecular assembly in solution and determination of the excited-state landscape. NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy reveal dissociation of the dyad in acetonitrile at concentrations below 1 mM and high photostability. Transient absorption spectroscopy after excitation into the metal-to-ligand charge transfer absorption band suggests a relaxation cascade originating from hot singlet and triplet MLCT states, leading to the population of the ³MLCT state that exhibits the longest lifetime. Finally, decay into the ground state involves a ³MC state. Attachment of cobaloxime to the iron photosensitizer increases the ³MLCT lifetime at the iron centre. Together with the directing effect of the linker, this potentially makes the dyad more active in photocatalytic proton reduction experiments than the analogous two-component system, consisting of the iron photosensitizer and Co(dmgH)₂(py)Cl. This work thus sheds new light on the functionality of base metal dyads, which are important for more efficient and sustainable future proton reduction systems.     

Enabling a circular economy for chemicals in plastics

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Fourier interferometric stimulation (FIS) in biology and medicine

A continuously scanning Michelson interferometer was developed to modulate an intensive light source spectrally. The interferogram is used as a stimulus to investigate spectral sensitivities in insects and man. The FIS-method is fast and precise and shows many advantages which are partly based on the advantages of Fourier spectroscopy. The existing applications are summarized.     

Synthesis of 2′-deoxyribofuranosyl indole nucleosides related to the antibiotics SF-2140 and neosidomycin

The 2′-deoxyribofuranose analog of the naturally occurring antibiotics SF-2140 and neosidomycin were prepared by the direct glycosylation of the sodium salts of the appropriate indole derivatives, with 1-chloro-2- deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-α-D-erythropentofuranose ( 5 ). Thus, treatment of the sodium salt of 4-methoxy-1H- indol-3-ylacetonitrile ( 4a ) with 5 provided the blocked nucleoside, 4-methoxy-1-(2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-β- D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indol-3-ylacetonitrile ( 6a ), which was treated with sodium methoxide to yield the SF-2140 analog, 4-methoxy-1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indol-3- ylacetonitrile ( 7a ). The neosidomycin analog ( 8 ) was prepared by treatment of the sodium salt of 1H-indol-3-ylacetonitrile ( 4b ) with 5 to obtain the blocked intermediate 1-(2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl) ?1H-indol-3-ylace-tonitrile ( 6b ) followed by sodium methoxide treatment to give 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H- indol-3-ylacetonitrile ( 7b ) and finally conversion of the nitrile function of 7b to provide 1-(2-deoxy-β-D- erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indol-3-ylacetamide ( 8 ). In a similar manner, indole ( 9a ) and several other substituted indoles including 1H-indole-4-carbonitrile ( 9b ), 4-nitro-1H-indole ( 9c ), 4-chloro-1H-indole-2-carboxamide ( 9d ) and 4-chloro-1H-indole-2-carbonitrile ( 9e ) were each glycosylated and deprotected to provide 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indole ( 11a ), 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indole-4- carbonitrile ( 11b ), 4-nitro-1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indole ( 11c ), 4-chloro-1-(2-deoxy-β-D- erythropentofuranosyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxamide ( 11d ) and 4-chloro-1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)- 1H-indole-2-carbonitrile ( 11e ), respectively. The 2′-deoxyadenosine analog in the indole ring system was prepared for the first time by reduction of the nitro group of 11c using palladium on carbon thus providing 4-amino-1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)- 1H-indole ( 16 , 1,3,7-trideaza-2′-deoxyadenosine).     

Synthesis and supramolecular properties of molecular clips with anthracene sidewalls

Novel molecular clips with anthracene sidewalls (1 a-c) were synthesized; they form stable host-guest complexes with a variety of electron-deficient aromatic and quinoid molecules. According to single-crystal structure analyses of clip 1 c and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) complex 14@1 b, the clips' anthracene sidewalls have to be compressed substantially during the complex formation to provide attractive pi-pi interactions between the aromatic guest molecule and the two anthracene sidewalls in the complex. The compression and expansion of aromatic sidewalls are calculated by molecular mechanics to be low-energy processes, so the energy required for compression of the anthracene sidewalls during complex formation is apparently overcompensated by the gain in energy resulting from the attractive pi-pi interactions. The finding that complexes of the clips 1 a-c are more stable than those of the corresponding clips 2 a-c can be explained in terms of the larger van der Waals contact surfaces of the anthracene sidewalls in 1 a-c (relative to the naphthalene sidewalls in 2 a-c). Color changes resulting from charge-transfer (CT) bands are observed in complex formation by 1 a-c: from colorless to red or purple with TCNB (14), and from yellow to green with 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone TNF (17). Independently, the host 1 b and guest 14 fluoresce from their respective excited singlet states, whilst in the complex 14@1 b the charge-transfer state quenches the higher-energy singlet states of the two components, and as a result luminescence is only observed from this new CT state. To the best of our knowledge, complex 14@1 b is the first example of CT luminescence from a host-guest complex. The binding constant determined for the formation of the TCNB complex 14@1 b from a UV/Vis titration experiment (Ka = 12 400 m(-1)) agrees well with the value (K(a) = 12 800 m(-1)) obtained by 1H NMR titration.