Pd@SnO2 and SnO2@Pd Core@Shell Nanocomposite Sensors

Pd@SnO₂ and SnO₂@Pd core@shell nanocomposites are prepared via a microemulsion approach. Both nanocomposites exhibit high‐surface, porous matrices of SnO₂ shells (>150 m² g^?1) with very small SnO₂ crystallites (<10 nm) and palladium (Pd) nanoparticles (<10 nm) that are uniformly distributed in the porous SnO₂ matrix. Although similar by first sight, Pd@SnO₂ and SnO₂@Pd are significantly different in view of their structure with Pd inside or outside the SnO₂ shell and in view of their sensor performance. As SMOX‐based sensors (SMOX: semiconducting metal oxide), both nanocomposites show a very good sensor performance for the detection of CO and H₂. Especially, the Pd@SnO₂ core@shell nanocomposite is unique and shows a fast response time (τ₉₀ < 30 s) and a very good response at low temperature (<250 °C), especially under humid‐air conditions. Extraordinarily high sensor signals are observed when exposing the Pd@SnO₂ nanocomposite to CO in humid air. Under these conditions, even commercial sensors (Figaro TGS 2442, Applied Sensor MLC, E2V MICS 5521) are outperformed.     

Lie geometry of linear Weingarten surfaces

We show how linear Weingarten surfaces appear as special Ω-surfaces and give a characterization of those linear Weingarten surfaces that allow a Weierstrass type representation.     

A Facile Route to Backbone‐Tethered N‐Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Ligands via NHC to aNHC Rearrangement in NHC Silicon Halide Adducts

The reaction of 1,3‐diisopropylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene (iPr₂Im) with diphenyldichlorosilane (Ph₂SiCl₂) leads to the adduct (iPr₂Im)SiCl₂Ph₂ 1 . Prolonged heating of isolated 1 at 66 °C in THF affords the backbone‐tethered bis(imidazolium) salt [(^aHiPr₂Im)₂SiPh₂]²⁺ 2 Cl^? 2 (“^a” denotes “abnormal” coordination of the NHC), which can be synthesized in high yields in one step starting from two equivalents of iPr₂Im and Ph₂SiCl₂. Imidazolium salt 2 can be deprotonated in THF at room temperature using sodium hydride as a base and catalytic amounts of sodium tert‐butoxide to give the stable N‐heterocyclic dicarbene (^aiPr₂Im)₂SiPh₂ 3 , in which two NHCs are backbone‐tethered with a SiPh₂ group. This easy‐to‐synthesize dicarbene 3 can be used as a novel ligand type in transition metal chemistry for the preparation of dinuclear NHC complexes, as exemplified by the synthesis of the homodinuclear copper(I) complex [{^a(ClCu?iPr₂Im)}₂SiPh₂] 4 .     

The Potential of O‐MMT as a Reinforcing Filler for Uncured and Dynamically Cured PVC/XNBR Composites

Organic montmorillonite modified with quaternary ammonium (O‐MMT) was compounded with uncured and dynamically cured poly(vinyl chloride)/carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (PVC/XNBR) composites, using a Brabender Plasticorder at 130°C and 50 rpm rotor speed. The reinforcing efficiency of the O‐MMT was investigated in the uncured PVC/XNBR composite and the dynamically cured PVC/XNBR counterpart. Mixing and dynamic curing of the composites were monitored by typical torque‐time curves derived from a Brabender internal mixer. The torque‐time curves revealed that the dynamic curing process was successful and the incorporation of O‐MMT has no adverse effect on the processibility of the composites. It has been found that the introduction of crosslinks within the rubbery phase in the presence of the O‐MMT has further improved the tensile properties. DMA studies revealed that dynamically cured composite with O‐MMT showed higher storage modulus than the composite without O‐MMT. Furthermore, a one‐step tensile modulus vs. temperature curve and a related one peak tensile loss modulus vs. temperature curve were obtained, consequently, both are characteristics of a miscible polymers system. Further evidence on the composite miscibility was purchased by thermal scans from DSC, which showed a single glass transition temperature of PVC/XNBR composites. This claim was further supported by ATR‐IR spectra which revealed that hydrogen bonding is extensively involved in PVC/XNBR composites. This evidence unveiled the exact nature of the specific interactions responsible for miscibility and hence, enhanced mechanical properties. Furthermore, we proved in our studies the reinforcing role played by layered clay due to better dispersion, as well as improved interactions.     

Grain shape influence on semiconducting metal oxide based gas sensor performance: modeling versus experiment

A model for sensing with semiconducting metal oxide (SMOX)-based gas sensors was developed which takes the effect of the shape of the grains in the sensing layers into account. Its validity is limited to materials in which the grains of the SMOX sensing layer are large enough to have an undepleted bulk region (large grains). This means that in all experimental conditions, the SMOX properties ensure that the influence of surface phenomena is not extended to the whole grain. The model takes the surface chemistry and its impact on the electrical properties of the sensing material into consideration. In this way, it relates the sensor signal—defined as the relative change of the sensor’s conductance—directly to the concentration of the target gas and also exhibits meaningful chemical parameters, such as the type of reactive oxygen species, the reaction constants, and the concentration of adsorption sites. The validity of the model is confirmed experimentally by applying it to data gathered by measuring homemade sensors in relevant conditions.     

Selective,Transition Metal-free 1,2-Diboration of Alkyl Halides,Tosylates, and Alcohols

Defunctionalization of readily available feedstocks to provide alkenes for the synthesis of multifunctional molecules represents an extremely useful process in organic synthesis. Herein, we describe a transition metal-free, simple and efficient strategy to access alkyl 1,2-bis(boronate esters) via regio- and diastereoselective diboration of secondary and tertiary alkyl halides (Br, Cl, I), tosylates, and alcohols. Control experiments demonstrated that the key to this high reactivity and selectivity is the addition of a combination of potassium iodide and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA). The practicality and industrial potential of this transformation are demonstrated by its operational simplicity, wide functional group tolerance, and the late-stage modification of complex molecules. From a drug discovery perspective, this synthetic method offers control of the position of diversification and diastereoselectivity in complex ring scaffolds, which would be especially useful in a lead optimization program.     

Comparison of Electrochemical Oxidation of Flavonols and Calculated Proton Affinity and Electron Transfer Enthalpy in Water

Flavonols, a class of flavonoids, are present in flowers, fruits and vegetables. They are jointly responsible for antioxidant activity as free radical acceptors. The redox behaviour of myricetin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, fisetin, morin and kaempferol is investigated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. Quantum chemical calculations of proton affinities and electron transfer enthalpies were performed to identify possible reactive sites and radical species to compare them with measured oxidation potentials of the flavonols. Regarding to their chemical structure, these flavonols showed an oxidation order: myricetin > quercetin > isorhamnetin > fisetin > morin > kaempferol.     

C,C‐ and N,C‐Coupled Dimers of 2‐Aminotetraphenylporphyrins: Regiocontrolled Synthesis,Spectroscopic Properties,and Quantum‐Chemical Calculations

β,β′‐Bisporphyrins are intrinsically chiral porphyrin dimers with fascinating properties. The configurational stability at their axes can be directed by variation of the central metal atoms. Herein, we present a regioselective functionalization of the monomeric 2‐amino‐tetraphenyl‐porphyrin as a versatile substrate for dimerization by oxidative coupling. By simple variation of the reaction conditions (solvent and oxidant), the oxidation selectively gave either the axially chiral C,C‐coupled diaminobisporphyrin in high yields or, under Ullmann conditions, the twofold N,C‐linked achiral dimer, also in good yields. A generalized mechanism for the coupling reaction is proposed based on DFT calculations. The axially chiral β,β′‐coupled porphyrin dimers were isolated as racemic mixtures, but can be resolved by HPLC on a chiral phase. TDDFT and coupled‐cluster calculations were used to explain the spectroscopic properties of the aminoporphyrins and their dimers and to elucidate the absolute configurations of the C,C‐coupled bisporphyrins.