Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of some fluorinated phenyl 4-[(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)ethynyl]benzoates

Eight homologous series of fluorinated phenyl 4-[(4-n-alkoxyphenyl)ethynyl]benzoates have been synthesized. Textural observations by polarizing microscopy and DSC measurements of the phase transitions show that most of these compounds are thermotropic liquid crystals with nematic and smectic A phases; furthermore, several show monotropic high order smectic phases. The results showed that the SmA phase is enhanced with increasing degree of fluorosubstitution on the para- and meta-positions of the terminal phenyl groups. The mesomorphic properties of these compounds are also affected by the direction of ester bonds. The effect of triple bonds is also discussed.     

Determination of limonin in dog plasma by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A highly sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of limonin in beagle dog plasma using nimodipine as internal standard. The analyte and internal standard (IS) were extracted with ether followed by a rapid isocratic elution with 10 mm ammonium acetate buffer–methanol (26:74, v/v) on a C₁₈ column (150 × 2.1 mm i.d.) and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 469.4 → 229.3 and m/z 417.2 → 122.0 were used to measure the analyte and the IS. The assay was linear over the concentration range of 0.625–100 ng/mL for limonin in dog plasma. The lower limit of quantification was 0.312 ng/mL and the extraction recovery was >90.4% for limonin. The inter‐ and intra‐day precision of the method at three concentrations was less than 9.9%. The method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of limonin in dogs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dislocation decoration and raft formation in irradiated materials

Experimental observations of dislocation decoration with self-interstitial atom (SIA) clusters and of SIA cluster rafts are analysed to establish the mechanisms controlling these phenomena in bcc metals. The elastic interaction between SIA clusters, and between clusters and dislocations is included in kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations of damage evolution in irradiated bcc metals. The results indicate that SIA clusters, which normally migrate by 1D glide, rotate due to their elastic interactions, and that this rotation is necessary to explain experimentally-observed dislocation decoration and raft formation in neutron-irradiated pure iron. The critical dose for raft formation in iron is shown to depend on the intrinsic glide/rotation characteristics of SIA clusters. The model is compared with experimental observations for the evolution of defect cluster densities (sessile SIA clusters and nano-voids), dislocation decoration characteristics and the conditions for raft formation.     

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of 4-[(4-n-polyfluoroalkoxy-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)ethynyl]phenyl fluoro-substituted benzoates

A series of 4-[(4-n-polyfluoroalkoxy-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)ethynyl]phenyl fluoro-substituted benzoate liquid crystals have been synthesized. Their phase transition temperatures have been measured by optical polarizing microscopy and confirmed by DSC. The results show that a highly fluorinated terminal chain impairs mesomorphic properties.     

Mesogens containing p-polyfluoro-m-nitrobenzoate and 2,3-difluorotolane groups

A series of 4-(4-n-heptoxy-2,3-difluorophenylethynyl)phenyl 3-nitro-4-polyfluoroalkoxybenzoate liquid crystals was synthesized and their phase transition behaviours were studied by optical polarizing microscopy and DSC. The results show that the mesogens containing long polyfluoroalkoxy chain tend to exhibit the smectic A phase.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of main chain polymeric metal complexes containing 1,10‐phenanthroline metal complexes conjugating alkyl fluorene or alkoxy benzene by C═C bridge for dye‐sensitized solar cells

Four main chain polymeric metal complexes (P1–P4) based on 1,10‐phenanthroline metal complexes via the Heck coupling have been synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, UV–Vis absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, elemental analysis, and cyclic voltammetry. To investigate their photovoltaic properties, the dye‐sensitized solar cells based on these polymers dyes are studied, under the illumination of AM 1.5G, 100 mW/cm². The study results show the four polymers exhibit good thermally stable and the solar cells based on them have good device performance, and the maximum power conversion efficiency is up to 0.735% for the solar cells based on P3 with a short‐circuit current (J_sc) of 1.68 mA/cm² and an open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 0.62 V. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric Michael Addition of Aldimino Esters with Chalcones Catalyzed by Silver/Xing‐Phos: Mechanism‐Oriented Divergent Synthesis of Chiral Pyrrolines

The mechanism‐oriented reaction design for the divergent synthesis of chiral molecules from simple starting materials is highly desirable. In this work, aromatic amide‐derived nonbiarylatropisomer/silver (silver/Xing‐Phos) complex was used to catalyze the Michael addition of glycine aldimino esters to chalcones and successfully applied to the subsequent cyclocondensation to afford substituted cis‐Δ(1)‐pyrroline derivatives with up to 98 % ee. Besides the inherent performance of the chiral Ag/Xing‐Phos catalyst system, it was found that the workup of such reactions played an important role for the stereoselective construction of stereodivergent Δ(1)‐pyrrolines, in which an epimerization of the cis‐Δ(1)‐pyrrolines to the trans‐isomers during was revealed.