Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s containing fluorinated moieties as proton exchange membrane materials

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s statistical copolymers with high molecular weights were synthesized via an aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. The sulfonation content (SC), defined as the number of sulfonic acid groups contained in an average repeat unit, could be controlled by the feed ratios of monomers. Flexible and strong membranes in sodium sulfonate form could be prepared by the solution casting method, and readily transformed to their proton forms by treating them in 2 N sulfuric acid. The polymers showed high T_gs, which increased with an increase in SC. Membranes prepared from the present sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone) copolymers containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene moiety (SPEEKK‐6F) and copolymers containing the pendant 3,5‐ditrifluoromethylphenyl moiety (SPEEKK‐6FP) had lower water uptakes and lower swelling ratios in comparison with previously prepared copolymers containing 6F units. All of the polymers possessed proton conductivities higher than 1 × 10^?2 S/cm at room temperature, and proton conductivity values of several polymers were comparable to that of Nafion at high relative humidity. Their thermal stability, oxidative stability, and mechanical properties were also evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2299–2310, 2006     

Chiral separation of synthetic vicinal diol compounds by capillary zone electrophoresis with borate buffer and beta-cyclodextrin as buffer additive.

The investigation on capillary electrophoretic enantioseparation of six synthetic compounds containing vicinal diol groups has been undertaken to acquire the optimum conditions using native beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) as chiral selector and borate as a background electrolyte. The separation was carried out in an uncoated capillary (58.5 cm x 75 microm i.d., effective length 48.5 cm) and the effects of several important factors were investigated in detail. The results showed that beta-CD as a chiral selector exhibited good enantioselectivity and that the enantioseparation was greatly influenced by the structure of the diols, the borate concentration and the buffer pH. The optimum performance was obtained for the chiral vicinal diols under the conditions of 200 mM borate buffer of pH 9.8 containing 1.7% beta-CD at an applied voltage of 15 kV and a capillary temperature of 20 degrees C. Under the conditions, four diols were baseline separated with fast analysis time and the good theoretical plate numbers (above 10 x 10(4)) and favorable migration-time reproducibilities (RSDs below 3.0%) were obtained. The separation results were satisfactory.     

Determination of 17 kinds of banned organochlorine pesticides in water by activated carbon fiber-solid phase microextraction coupled with GC-MS.

Activated carbon fiber (ACF) as extraction fiber for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and its application for the analysis of banned organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were investigated. Firstly, ACF was activated by different concentration of zinc chloride, which indicated that ACF activated by 60% zinc chloride had a reasonable specific surface area, pore volume and pore distribution. Secondly, the parameters for the ACF-SPME procedure, the adsorption and desorption conditions, were also optimized when coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirdly, the ACF-SPME was used to analyze 17 kinds of OCPs in water. The linearity of most pesticides was found to be between 0.2 and 50 microg/l with GC-MS under the selected ion monitoring (SIM) acquisition mode. The limits of detection (LOD) at the sub microg/l were obtained. The work demonstrated here shows that ACF is a promising alternative for the SPME procedure.     

Determination of inosine 5′-monophosphate and guanosine 5′-monophosphate in pig feed by capillary zone electrophoresis

A capillary zone clectrophoresis method was developed for the determination of IMP and GIMP, commonly used as flavor enhancers in poultry feed, in a real sample of complex composition. A baseline separation of inosine 5′-monophosphate and guanosine 5′-monophosphate was achieved within 10 min and the other components in the sample did not interfere with the separation. Quantitative results obtained from pig feed samples are presented. The separation conditions and experimental reproducibility are also discussed.     

An efficient preparation of isosteric phosphonate analogues of sphingolipids by opening of oxirane and cyclic sulfamidate intermediates with alpha-lithiated alkylphosphonic esters

D-erythro-(2S,3R,4E)-Sphingosine-1-phosphonate (1), the isosteric phosphonate analogue of naturally occurring sphingosine 1-phosphate (1a), and D-ribo-phytosphingosine 1-phosphonate (2), the isosteric phosphonate analogue of D-ribo-phytosphingosine-1-phosphate (2a), were synthesized starting with methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glycerate (4) and D-ribo-phytosphingosine (3), respectively. Oxirane 12 was formed in eight steps from 4, and cyclic sulfamidate 22 was formed in five steps from 3. The phosphonate group was introduced via regioselective ring-opening reactions of oxirane 12 and cyclic sulfamidate 22 with lithium dialkyl methylphosphonate, affording 13 and 23, respectively. The synthesis of 1 was completed by S(N)2 displacement of chloromesylate intermediate 14b with azide ion, followed by conversion of the resulting azido group to a NHBoc group and deprotection. The synthesis of 2 was completed by cleavage of the acetal, N-benzyl, and alkyl phosphonate ester groups.     

Coriatone and corianlactone, two novel sesquiterpenes from Coriaria nepalensis

Both coriatone (1). a novel highly oxygenated picrotoxane-type sesquiterpene, and corianlactone (2). with an unprecedented sesquiterpene basic skeleton, named coriane, were isolated from Coriaria nepalensis Wall. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by analysis of their two-dimensional NMR data, and the structure of 2 was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 showed no remarkable inhibitory activity toward K(562) cells. They are cytotoxic with IC(50) > 50 microg/mL (cis-platinim: IC(50) = 0.49 microg/mL).     

Guest sorption and desorption in the metal-organic framework [Co(INA)(2)] (INA=isonicotinate)--evidence of intermediate phases during desorption

The metal-organic framework [Co(INA)(2)]x0.5EtOH (INA = isonicotinate, NC(5)H(4)-4-CO(2)(-)), was synthesised under solvothermal conditions. Its X-ray crystal structure shows channels containing ethanol guests which are hydrogen-bonded to carboxylate oxygens of the framework. The pyridyl rings of the framework alternate between 'open' and 'closed' positions along the channels resulting in large variation in the channel cross-sectional area from ca. 1.4 by 2.3 A at the narrowest point to 4.9 by 5.3 A at the widest. Despite the very small windows, the ethanol guests (of van der Waals diameter ca. 4.2-6.1 A) may be reversibly desorbed and sorbed into the structure quantitatively, as shown by in situ variable-temperture IR spectroscopy and XRPD. The single-crystal structure of the desolvated form [Co(INA)(2)] shows that there is no change in the overall connectivity on desolvation, but the rotational positions of the pyridine rings are altered. This suggests that pyridyl rotation may occur to allow guests to pass in and out. When the synthesis was conducted in 1-propanol solvent [Co(INA)(2)]x0.5Pr(n)OHxH(2)O, was obtained, and a single-crystal X-ray structure revealed the same overall connectivity as in but with pyridine rings disordered over closed and open positions. There was no evidence of included guests from X-ray crystallography, suggesting that they are also highly disordered. Variable-temperature XRPD performed on bulk samples showed peaks which were unsymmetrical and exhibited shoulders, suggesting that for each pattern obtained the material actually consisted of several closely-related phases. The movements of the peaks during desolvation showed the presence of intermediate phases before the final desolvated product was formed. The peak positions of the intermediate phases matched more closely with the calculated pattern for than with or, suggesting that they may have disordered structures similar to. The results also suggest that the intermediate phase represents an initial increase in volume before a larger decrease in volume occurs to give the final desolvated material.     

Structures, stabilities, and electronic and optical properties of c(58) fullerene isomers, ions, and metallofullerenes.

The 1205 classical isomers of fullerene C58, as well as one quasi-fullerene C58 isomer with a heptagonal ring (labeled as Cs:hept) have been investigated by the quantum chemical methods PM3, HCTH/3-21G, and B3LYP/6-31G(d). Isomer C3v:0001, which has the lowest number of adjacent pentagons, is predicted to be the most stable isomer, but the quasi-fullerene isomer Cs:hept is only 2.50 kcal mol-1 higher in energy. Systematic investigations of the electronic properties of C3v:0001 and Cs:hept find that the C3v:0001 isomer has high vertical electron affinity (3.19 eV). The nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) value at the center of Cs:hept (-5.1 ppm) is more negative than that of C60 (-2.8 ppm). The NICS value at the center of the heptagonal ring in Cs:hept (-2.5 ppm) indicates weakly aromatic character. In contrast, the C58(6-) and C58(8-) ions of the C3v:0001 and Cs:hept geometries possess large aromatic character, with NICS values between -14.0 and -26.2 ppm. To clarify the thermodynamic stabilities of C58 isomers at different temperatures, the entropy contributions are taken into account on the basis of the Gibbs energy at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. The C3v:0001 isomer prevails in a wide range of temperatures, and the Cs:hept isomer is also an important component around 2800 K. The IR spectra of C58 isomers are simulated to facilitate experimental identification of different isomers. In addition, the electronic spectra and the second-order hyperpolarizabilities are predicted by ZINDO and the sum-over-states model. The static second-order hyperpolarizability of the C3v:0001 isomer is 96.5 % larger than that of C60, and its second-order hyperpolarizabilities at external field frequencies are at least nine times larger than those of C60.     

Direct determination of cadmium at parts-per-billion level in waters by derivative atomic absorption spectrometry using atom trapping technique

A method has been described for the direct determinations of trace cadmium using derivative atom trapping flame atomic absorption spectrometry with an improved water-cooled stainless steel trapping equipment. The characteristic concentration (gave a derivative absorbance of 0.0044) and detection limit (3sigma) of cadmium were 0.028 and 0.02 ng ml(-1) when collecting for a 1 min, respectively, which were 992 and 145-fold better than those of the conventional flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limit and sensitivity of the proposed method for a 2 min collection time were 1 and 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of conventional flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The present method was applied to the determinations of cadmium in water samples with a recovery range of 91 approximately 111% and a relative standard deviation of 4.7 approximately 5.6%.