Fluoride bridges as structure-directing motifs in 3d-4f cluster chemistry

The use of kinetically robust chromium(III) fluorido complexes as synthons for mixed 3d-4f clusters is reported. The tendency toward linear {Cr(III)-F-Ln(III)} units dictates the cluster topology. Specifically, we show that reaction of cis-[Cr(III)F(2)(NN)(2)]NO(3) (NN = 1,10-phenanthroline ("phen") or 2,2'-bipyridine ("bpy")) with Ln(NO(3))(3)·xH(2)O produces isostructural series of molecular {Ln(2)Cr(2)} squares (1-9) with linear fluoride bridges. In a parallel fashion, fac-[Cr(III)F(3)L], where L = N,N',N″-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane ("Me(3)tacn"), reacts with Nd(NO(3))(3)·6H(2)O to form a fluoride-centered penta-nuclear complex and fac-[Cr(III)F(3)L'], with L' = 1,1,1-tris-((methylamino)methylethane) ("Me(3)tame"), reacts with [Ln(hfac)(3)(H(2)O)(2)] (hfacH = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone) to yield an isostructural series of {Ln(3)Cr(2)} (10-14) trigonal bipyramids with no central ligand. The formation of the latter is accompanied by a partial solvolysis of the Cr(III) precursor but without formation of insoluble LnF(3). The magnetic properties of the gadolinium containing clusters allow quantification of fluoride-mediated, antiferromagnetic Gd-Cr exchange interactions of magnitude between 0.14 cm(-1) and 0.71 cm(-1) (? = J(12)?(1)·?(2) formalism) and vanishingly small J(Gd-Gd) of 0.06(0) cm(-1). The large spin and small anisotropy together with weak exchange interactions in the {Gd(3)Cr(2)} (11) cluster give rise to a very large magneto-caloric effect of -ΔS(m) = 28.7 J kg(-1) K(-1) (μ(0)H = 90 to 0 kOe).     

EPR Spectroscopy of a Family of CrIII7MII (M = Cd,Zn, Mn,Ni) “Wheels”: Studies of Isostructural Compounds with Different Spin Ground States

Spinning wheels : The presented highly resolved multifrequency continuous wave EPR spectra (e.g., see figure) of the heterooctametalic “wheels” Cr₇M provide rare examples of high nuclearity polymetallic systems where detailed information on the spin‐Hamiltonian parameters of the ground and excited spin states is observed.

     

Error Bounds for Asymptotic Expansion of the Conditional Variance of the Scale Mixtures of the Multivariate Normal Distribution

Let X= A ^1/2 G be a scale mixture of a multivariate normal distribution with X, G ⁿ , Gis a multivariate normal vector, and A is a positive random variable independent of the multivariate random vector G. This study presents asymptotic results of the conditional variance-covariance, Cov(X ₂|X ₁), X ₁ ^m , m < n, under some moment expressions. A new representation form is also presented for conditional expectation of the scale variable on the random vector X ₁ ^m , m < n. Both the asymptotic expression and the representation are manageable and in computable form. Finally, an example is presented to illustrate how the computations are carried out.     

Ground state spin-switching via targeted structural distortion: twisted single-molecule magnets from derivatised salicylaldoximes

The use of derivatised salicylaldoximes in Mn chemistry has led to the isolation of a plethora of beautiful new SMMs ranging in nuclearity from three to eight and with spin ground states as large as S = 12-including a Mn6 complex with the largest energy barrier to magnetisation reversal yet reported. The deliberate chemically-induced structural distortion of the [Mn6] molecule allows the isolation of analogous family members displaying remarkably different magnetic properties and this in turn allows for a rare semi-quantitative magneto-structural correlation which enables prediction of the magnetic properties of new family members.     

Lysozyme complexes with thermo- and pH-responsive PNIPAM-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-PAA block copolymer

Lysozyme is an enzyme responsible for the damage of bacterial cell walls and is abundant in a number of secretions such as tears and human milk. In the present study, we investigated the structure, the physicochemical characteristics, and the temperature-responsiveness of lysozyme complexes with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) block polyelectrolyte in aqueous media. A gamut of light-scattering techniques and fluorescence spectroscopy were used in order to examine the complexation process, as well as the structure, solution behavior, and temperature response of the nanosized complexes. The concentration of copolymer polyelectrolyte was kept constant. The values of the scattering intensity, I ₉₀, which is proportional to the mass of the species in solution, increased gradually as a function of C _LYS, providing proof of the occurring complexation, while the size of the nanostructures decreased. The structure of the complexes became more open as the C _LYS increased. The increase of the salinity did not affect the structural characteristics of the supramolecular nanoparticulate aggregates. On the other hand, the physicochemical and structural characteristics of the complexes changed upon increasing temperature, and the changes depended on the initial ratio block polyelectrolyte/lysozyme. The knowledge on developing block polyelectrolyte/protein complexes through electrostatic interactions, obtained from this investigation, may be applied to the design of nutraceuticals.     

Ferromagnetic exchange in a twisted, oxime-bridged [Mn(III)2] dimer

The dimeric complex [Mn(III)(2)(Naphth-sao)(2)(Naphth-saoH)(2)(MeOH)(2)]·4MeOH (1·4MeOH), acts as a simple model complex with which to examine the magneto-structural relationship in polymetallic, oxime-bridged Mn(III) complexes. Dc magnetic susceptibility studies reveal that ferromagnetic exchange is mediated through the heavily twisted Mn-O-N-Mn moiety (J = +1.24 cm(-1)) with magnetisation measurements at low temperatures and high fields suggesting significant anisotropy. Simulations of high field, high frequency EPR data reveal a single ion anisotropy, D((Mn(III))) = -3.94 cm(-1). Theoretical studies on simplified model complexes of 1 reveal that calculated values of the exchange coupling and the anisotropy are in excellent agreement with experiment, with the weak ferromagnetism resulting from an accidental orthogonality between the Mn-N-O plane of the first Mn(III) ion and the Jahn-Teller axis of the second Mn(III) ion.     

Complexes of polyelectrolyte-neutral double hydrophilic block copolymers with oppositely charged surfactant and polyelectrolyte

Complexes between sodium (sulfamate-carboxylate)isoprene/ethylene oxide double hydrophilic diblock copolymers (SCIEO) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTMAB), as well as quaternized poly(2-vinylpyridine) (QP2VP), were studied in aqueous solutions, at pH 7. The complexes are formed due to electrostatic interactions between the anionic groups of the polyelectrolyte block of the copolymers and the cationic groups of the surfactant or the homopolyelectrolyte. The structure of the complexes was investigated as a function of the mixing ratio of the two components in solution and ionic strength by static, dynamic, and electrophoretic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The mass and size of the complexes depend on the mixing ratio between the components. A transition from intrachain to an interchain association was observed for block copolymer/ surfactant complexes. SCIEO/QP2VP complexes were found to respond to increasing concentrations of added salt. Spherical and ellipsoid shaped complexes with a core-shell micellar like structure were formed in the systems studied.     

Synthesis and self‐assembly of thermoresponsive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐poly(oligo ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) double hydrophilic block copolymers

We report on the synthesis of novel poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐poly(oligo ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) (PNIPAM‐b‐POEGA) thermoresponsive block copolymers using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization methodologies. The synthesized block copolymers are characterized by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques in terms of molecular weight and composition. Their thermoresponsive self‐assembly in aqueous media is investigated using dynamic and static light scattering. The PNIPAM‐b‐POEGA thermoresponsive block copolymers formed aggregates in water by increasing the temperature above the lower critical solution temperature value of PNIPAM block. Solution pH seems to affect the self‐assembly behavior in some cases due to the presence of ? COOH end groups. Therefore, the copolymers were utilized as “smart” nanocarries for the hydrophobic drug indomethacin, implementing a novel encapsulation protocol taking advantage of the thermoresponsive character of the PNIPAM block. The empty and loaded self‐assembled nanocarriers systems were studied by light scattering techniques, ultraviolet–visible, and FTIR spectroscopy, which gave information on the size and structure of the nanocarriers, the drug loading content and the interactions between the drug and the components of the block copolymers. Drug loaded nanostructures show stability at room temperature, due to active drug/block copolymer interactions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1467–1477