Single electron transfer–degenerative chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET–DTLRP) of vinyl chloride initiated with methylene iodide and catalyzed by sodium dithionite

Single electron transfer–degenerative chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET–DTLRP) of vinyl chloride (VC) initiated with methylene iodide (CH₂I₂) and catalyzed by sodium dithionite (Na₂S₂O₄) in water at 35 °C produces a telechelic poly(vinyl chloride) (LRP–PVC) with two different active chain ends: ICH ₂ (CH₂CHCl)_n‐1CH₂ CHClI , and 2.0 functionality. The reactivity and initiator efficiency of CH₂I₂ in SET–DTLRP of VC was lower than those of iodoform. A possible mechanism for the CH₂I₂‐initiated SET–DTLRP of VC was suggested. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 773–778, 2005     

Universal iterative strategy for the divergent synthesis of dendritic macromolecules from conventional monomers by a combination of living radical polymerization and irreversible TERminator multifunctional INItiator (TERMINI)

A new synthetic concept named TERMINI that stands for irreversible TERminator Multifunctional INItiator is reported. Suitable combinations of TERMINI and living polymerizations provide access to strategies for the design and synthesis of unprecedented complex molecular and macromolecular architectures from a diversity of commercial monomers. TERMINI represents a masked multifunctional initiator designed to quantitatively and irreversibly interrupt a chain organic reaction or a living polymerization. After demasking, the TERMINI repeat unit enables the quantitative reinitiation, in the presence or absence of a catalyst, of the same or a different living polymerization or a chain organic reaction in more than one direction, thus becoming a branching point. The demonstration of this concept was made by using a combination of metal-catalyzed living radical polymerization (LRP) and (1,1-dimethylethyl)[[1-[3,5-bis(S-phenyl 4-N,N'-diethylthiocarbamate)phenyl]ethenyl]oxy]dimethylsilane as TERMINI, to elaborate a novel iterative divergent method for the synthesis of dendritic macromolecules based on methyl methacrylate (MMA).     

Influence of acceptor functionality on charge transfer interactions in mixtures of poly(9-vinylcarbazole) with nitroaromatic compounds

Charge transfer interactions in mixtures of poly(9-vinylcarbazole) with three nitro compounds (4,4′dinitrodibenzyl, ethyl 3,5-dinitrobenzoate and 2,2′,4,4′-tetranitrodibenzyl) were examined.     

Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase-transfer catalysis. 16. Influence of sequence distribution on the mesomorphic properties of thermotropic copolyethers containing 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl

Random and alternating thermotropic liquid-crystalline copolyethers have been synthesized from 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl and a 1/1 mol ratio of 1,5-dibromopentane and α,ω-dibromoalkanes by a two-phase (organic solvent-aqueous NaOH) phase-transfer-catalyzed polyetherification. Random copolyethers were prepared from α,ω-dibromoalkanes having six to twelve methylene units. Their phase behavior was compared with those of the perfectly alternating copolyethers containing five methylene units in one spacer and eight, nine, or eleven methylene units in the other, respectively. An odd-even dependence in thermal transitions has been observed in both oligomeric systems. In all cases, alternating copolyethers, even though comparatively lower in molecular weight, have given rise to higher melting and isotropization temperatures. Since the increase in the melting temperature is larger than the increase in the isotropization temperature, the thermal stability range of the mesophase has narrowed for alternating copolyethers with respect to their random copolyether counterparts.     

Solar Water Splitting with a Hydrogenase Integrated in Photoelectrochemical Tandem Cells

Hydrogenases (H₂ases) are benchmark electrocatalysts for H₂ production, both in biology and (photo)catalysis in vitro. We report the tailoring of a p‐type Si photocathode for optimal loading and wiring of H₂ase through the introduction of a hierarchical inverse opal (IO) TiO₂ interlayer. This proton‐reducing Si|IO‐TiO₂|H₂ase photocathode is capable of driving overall water splitting in combination with a photoanode. We demonstrate unassisted (bias‐free) water splitting by wiring Si|IO‐TiO₂|H₂ase to a modified BiVO₄ photoanode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell during several hours of irradiation. Connecting the Si|IO‐TiO₂|H₂ase to a photosystem II (PSII) photoanode provides proof of concept for an engineered Z‐scheme that replaces the non‐complementary, natural light absorber photosystem I with a complementary abiotic silicon photocathode.     

Soluble polyarylenes containing alternating binaphthylene and biphenylene structural units

This article describes the synthesis of a novel series of soluble polyarylenes containing alternating binapthylene and biphenylene structural units. They were obtained by the cation-radical polymerization of bis(1-naphthyl) biphenyls. The following monomers were synthesized and polymerized : 4,4′-bis(1-naphthyl) biphenyl ( 9 ), 3,3′-bis(1-naphthyl) biphenyl ( 10 ), 2,2′-bis(1-naphthyl)biphenyl ( 11 ), and 2,5-bis(1-naphthyl)biphenyl ( 14 ). All polymerizations were performed in nitrobenzene using FeCl₃ as oxidant. Polymers with number average molecular weights of up to 4000 g/mol were obtained.