Luminescence properties and quenching mechanisms of Ln(Tf2N)3 complexes in the ionic liquid bmpyr Tf2N

The emission properties, including luminescence lifetimes, of the lanthanide complexes Ln(Tf(2)N)(3) (Tf(2)N = bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide); Ln(3+) = Eu(3+), Tm(3+), Dy(3+), Sm(3+), Pr(3+), Nd(3+), Er(3+)) in the ionic liquid bmpyr Tf(2)N (bmpyr = 1-n-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium) are presented. The luminescence quantum efficiencies, η, and radiative lifetimes, τ(R), are determined for Eu(3+)((5)D(0)), Tm(3+)((1)D(2)), Dy(3+)((4)F(9/2)), Sm(3+)((4)G(5/2)), and Pr(3+)((3)P(0)) emission. The luminescence lifetimes in these systems are remarkably long compared to values typically reported for Ln(3+) complexes in solution, reflecting weak vibrational quenching. The 1.5 μm emission corresponding to the Er(3+) ((4)I(13/2)→(4)I(15/2)) transition, for example, exhibits a lifetime of 77 μs. The multiphonon relaxation rate constants are determined for 10 different Ln(3+) emitting states, and the trend in multiphonon relaxation is analyzed in terms of the energy gap law. The energy gap law does describe the general trend in multiphonon relaxation, but deviations from the trend are much larger than those normally observed for crystal systems. The parameters determined from the energy gap law analysis are consistent with those reported for crystalline hosts. Because Ln(3+) emission is known to be particularly sensitive to quenching by water in bmpyr Tf(2)N, the binding properties of water to Eu(3+) in solutions of Eu(Tf(2)N)(3) in bmpyr Tf(2)N have been quantified. It is observed that water introduced into these systems binds quantitatively to Ln(3+). It is demonstrated that Eu(Tf(2)N)(3) can be used as a reasonable internal standard, both for monitoring the dryness of the solutions and for estimating the quantum efficiencies and radiative lifetimes for visible-emitting [Ln(Tf(2)N)(x)](3-x) complexes in bmpyr Tf(2)N.     

Electric-field enhancement inducing near-infrared two-photon absorption in an indium-tin oxide nanoparticle film

An enhancing factor: the enhancement of the electric properties of a dye molecule (IR26) by indium-tin oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs, see picture) has been shown by measuring the near-infrared two-photon-excited transient absorption spectra. The dye molecule was excited much more efficiently in the presence of an ITO NP layer.     

Solution of partial differential equations by a modified random walk

A new Monte Carlo technique is applied to solve difference equations of elliptic and parabolic partial differential equations with given boundary values. Fixed random walk is extended to modified random walk, whereby a random walk is made on a maximum square. The average number of steps and the computational time in a modified random walk is much less than in a fixed random walk. Numerical examples support the utility of this method.     

Time-resolved investigation of the de-excitation of xenon excimer by SF6 and N2 excited with synchrotron radiation

An attempt has been made 'o measure the rate constant for the de-excitation of a state-specified excimer using the pulse character of synchrotron radiation. The rate constants have been obtained for de-excitation of a vibrationally relaxed excimer Xe₂^*(O_u⁺; low v) by SF₆ and N₂ as 9 × 10^?10 and 7 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 respectively.     

Adjacent- versus remote-site electron injection in TiO2 surfaces modified with binuclear ruthenium complexes

Nanocrystalline thin films of TiO2 cast on an optically transparent indium tin oxide glass were sensitized with ruthenium homo- and heterobinuclear complexes, [LL'Ru(BL)RuLL']n+ (n = 2, 3), where L and L' are 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine (dcb) and/or 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and BL is a rigid and linear heteroaromatic entity (tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3",2"-h:2'",3'"-j]phenazine (tpphz) or 1,4-bis([1,10]phenanthroline[5,6-d]imidazol-2-yl)benzene (bfimbz)). The photophysical behavior of the RuII-RuII diads in solution indicated the occurrence of intercomponent energy transfer from the upper-lying Ru --> bpy charge-transfer (CT) excited state of the Ru(bpy)(2) moiety to the lower-lying Ru --> dcb CT excited state of the Ru(bpy)(dcb) (or Ru(dcb)(2)) subunit in the heterobinuclear complexes. These sensitizer diads adsorbed on nanostructured TiO2 surfaces in a perpendicular or parallel attachment mode. Adsorption was through the dcb ligands on one or both chromophoric subunits. The behavior of the adsorbed species was studied by nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as by photocurrent measurements. In the TiO2-adsorbed samples where BL was bfimbz, the electron injection kinetics was very fast and could not be resolved because an electron is promoted from the metal center to the dcb ligand directly linked to the semiconductor. In the TiO2-adsorbed samples where BL was tpphz, for which, in the excited state, a BL localization of the lowest-lying metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) is observed, slower injection rates (9.5 x 10(7) s(-1) in [(bpy)(2)Ru(tpphz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(-))](3+)/TiO2 and 5.5 x 10(7) s(-1) in [(bpy)(dcb)Ru(tpphz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(-))](3+)/TiO2) were obtained. Among the systems, the heterotriad assembly [(bpy)(2)Ru(bfimbz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(2-))](2+)/TiO2 gave the best photovoltaic performance. In the first case, this was attributed to a fast electron injection initiated from a dcb-localized MLCT; in the second case, this is attributed to improved molecular orientation on the surface, which was due to rigidity and, at the same time, linearity of the heterotriad system, resulting in a slower charge recombination between the injected electron and the hole.     

Influence of addition of olefins on the alternating copolymerization of carbon monoxide and ethylenimine by azobisisobutyronitrile or by γ-ray irradiation

The alternating copolymerization of carbon monoxide and ethylenimine to give poly-β-alanine could be initiated by γ-irradiation but hardly by α,α'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). It was found that in the case of the addition of olefin, this system could be copolymerized even by AIBN and that, in the γ-ray copolymerization of carbon monoxide and ethylenimine, the addition of olefin brought about an increase in the copolymer yield. No difference was observed between the nature of copolymers obtained by AIBN and those obtained by γ-irradiation, except in the system carbon monoxide–ethylenimine–ethylene. An increase in the amount of reacted olefin gave rise to an increase in copolymer yield. The melting points of the copolymers were in the range 295–335°C. The infrared spectra, x-ray diffraction diagrams, and NMR spectra of the copolymers were almost identical with that of poly-β-alanine obtained by the hydrogen-migration polymerization of acrylamide. Paper chromatographic analysis of the hydrolysis product of the copolymer showed the existence of β-alanine, ethylamine, and δ-aminovaleric acid homolog in the products. From these results, it was concluded that terpolymerization of carbon monoxide, ethylenimine, and olefin took place in the presence of AIBN or γ-irradiation which gave a crystalline solid copolymer containing the units of nylon 3 and nylon 5. A mechanism of this copolymerization was proposed on the basis of these results.     

Mechanism for binding to the flexible cavity of permethylatedα-cyclodextrin

The cavity of -cyclodextrin (-CDx) is too small to includeo-toluic acid (o-TA) while it is filled byp-toluic acid (p-TA) to form a relatively stable inclusion complex. Such strict selectivity is ascribed to a rigid structure of the -CDx cavity which is stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the O(2) hydroxyl groups and the O(3) hydroxyl groups of adjacent glucopyranose units. Meanwhile, the substrate selectivity of hexakis (2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)--CDx (TMe--CDx) remains somewhat obscure because of the flexible nature of its cavity. The absence of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds seems to cause the flexible nature of the TMe--CDx cavity leading to an induced-fit type inclusion. The structures of the inclusion complexes have been presented on the basis of the¹H NMR data. The thermodynamic parameters indicate that the complexation of TMe--CDx witho-TA orp-TA is the entropically favorable process. The entropically favorable complexation of TA with TMe--CDx seems to occur through dehydration from the CO₂H group of TA which is situated at the hydrophobic CDx cavity. The dipole-dipole interaction has been regarded as the force which dominates the orientation of the polar guest molecule in the CDx cavity.     

An in vitro selection system for TNA

(3'-2')-alpha-l-Threose nucleic acid (TNA) is an unnatural polymer that possesses the rare ability to base-pair with RNA, DNA, and itself. This feature, coupled with its chemical simplicity, makes TNA of interest as a possible progenitor of RNA during the early history of life. To evaluate the functional potential of TNA, we have developed a system for the in vitro selection of TNA. We identified the Therminator DNA polymerase as a remarkably efficient DNA-dependent TNA polymerase capable of polymerizing more than 50 tNTPs. We have also developed a method of covalently linking a DNA template to the TNA strand that it encodes, thus obviating the need for a TNA-dependent DNA polymerase during cycles of selection.     

Facile synthesis of polystyrene bearing highly branched perfluorinated groups

A novel styrene monomer with a highly branched perfluoroalkenyl group was readily prepared in good yield from hexafluoropropene trimer and hydroxystyrene. The fluorinated monomer radically polymerized yielded a white powdery polymer which was soluble in fluorinated solvents and had good water repellency. The polymer had a unique high glass transition temperature despite the introduction of perfluorinated groups. The monomer was copolymerized with styrene, and their monomer reactivity ratios were determined.