Water and fluorinated alcohol mediated/promoted tandem insertion/aerobic oxidation/bisindolylation under metal-free conditions: Easy access to bis(indolyl)methanes

A green tandem reaction, including insertion/aerobic oxidation/bisindolylation, starting from indoles and diazo compounds has been developed. The combination of water and fluorinated alcohol plays dual roles as solvent and promoter in this chemical transformation. Molecular oxygen in the air acts as an oxidant. 3,3′-Bis(indolyl)methanes with quaternary carbon were produced under metal-free conditions. No any catalyst and additive were required. N₂ and water were released as sole by-products. Absence of water and fluorinated alcohol resulted in Wolff rearrangement product.     

Synthesis of UV‐cured acrylic–silica hybrid nanocomposites from dendritic acrylic oligomer and acrylic‐functionalized silica

An acrylic–silica hybrid polymeric nanocomposite, comprising well‐distributed silica nanoparticles in acrylic matrix, has been synthesized at a markedly rapid rate from a dendritic acrylic oligomer (DAO) and an acrylic‐functionalized silica (A‐silica) via UV‐curing. A‐silica was made by functioning colloidal silica nanoparticles with 3‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MATMS) and DAO was formed by reacting 1,5‐diamino‐2‐methylpentane (MPMDA) with trimethylopropane triacrylate (TMPTA). The MATMS has been found either doubly or singly bonded to silica nanoparticles but not triply bonded, and the inclusion of MATMS into the siloxane network structure increases the size of silica nanoparticles. The well distribution of A‐silica and its good compatibility with DAO cause an increase in T_d of the acrylic–silica hybrid material. Silica nanoparticles are too small to cause any significant light scattering, and do not have deleterious effects on transparency. The “hybrid‐on‐polyethylene terephathalate” films exhibited satisfactory hardness and surface roughness because of silica nanoparticles. The preparation as well as the characterization of the constituting species and the final hybrid material are described in detail. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8149–8158, 2008     

A simple approach toward low‐dielectric polyimide nanocomposites: Blending the polyimide precursor with a fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

This article describes a new and simple method for preparing polyimide nanocomposites that have very low dielectric constants and good thermal properties: simply through blending the polyimide precursor with a fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane derivative, octakis(dimethylsiloxyhexafluoropropyl) silsesquioxane (OF). The low polarizability of OF is compatible with polyimide matrices, such that it can improve the dispersion and free volume of the resulting composites. Together, the higher free volume and lower polarizability of OF are responsible for the lower dielectric constants of the PI‐OF nanocomposites. This simple method for enhancing the properties of polyimides might have potential applicability in the electronics industry. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6296–6304, 2008     

Synthesis of PMMA‐b‐PBA block copolymer in homogeneous and miniemulsion systems by DPE controlled radical polymerization

In this research, poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(butyl acrylate) (PMMA‐b‐PBA) block copolymers were prepared by 1,1‐diphenylethene (DPE) controlled radical polymerization in homogeneous and miniemulsion systems. First, monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA), initiator 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and a control agent DPE were bulk polymerized to form the DPE‐containing PMMA macroinitiator. Then the DPE‐containing PMMA was heated in the presence of a second monomer BA, the block copolymer was synthesized successfully. The effects of solvent and polymerization methods (homogeneous polymerization or miniemulsion polymerization) on the reaction rate, controlled living character, molecular weight (M_n) and molecular weight distribution (PDI) of polymers throughout the polymerization were studied and discussed. The results showed that, increasing the amounts of solvent reduced the reaction rate and viscosity of the polymerization system. It allowed more activation–deactivation cycles to occur at a given conversion thus better controlled living character and narrower molecular weight distribution of polymers were demonstrated throughout the polymerization. Furthermore, the polymerization carried out in miniemulsion system exhibited higher reaction rate and better controlled living character than those in homogeneous system. It was attributed to the compartmentalization of growing radicals and the enhanced deactivation reaction of DPE controlled radical polymerization in miniemulsified droplets. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4435–4445, 2009     

Multi-mode nonlinear vibration and postbuckling of antisymmetrically laminated imperfect angle-ply cylindrical panel with free straight edges

Summary A multi-mode solution to nonlinear vibration and postbuckling of the titled problem is presented for two straight edges free from forces and bending moments and the other edges subjected to identical variation of rotational stiffness and normal boundary forces. The dynamic Marguerre-type nonlinear equations are adopted. The transverse deflection and stress function are expanded into two series with timedependent coefficients. The Galerkin procedure furnishes an infinite system of ordinary differential equations for these time functions. The method of harmonic balance is used for a solution of a finite number of these equations. The postbuckling behavior is treated as a special case. Numerical results in nonlinear vibration and postbuckling of antisymmetrically laminated angle-ply panel are presented graphically for different panel parameters and also compared with available data.

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Nichtlineare Schwingung und Nachbeulen einer antisymmetrisch geschichteten, imperfekten zylindrischen Schale mit freien geraden Rändern

Übersicht Für das im Titel genannte Problem wird bei Normalkraftbelastung und Verdrehsteifigkeit der kreisbogenförmigen Ränder eine Lösung der dynamischen, nichtlinearen Marguerre-Gleichungen in Form verallgemeinerter Fourier-Reihen für die Durchbiegung und Spannungsfunktion mit zeitabhängigen Koeffizienten vorgestellt. Das Galerkin-Verfahren liefert ein System unendlich vieler gewöhnlicher Differentialgleichungen für diese Zeitfunktionen. Zur Lösung einer endlichen Zahl der Gleichungen wird die Methode der harmonischen Balance benutzt. Für verschiedene Schalenparameter werden numerische Resultate zur Schwingung und zum Nachbeulen in graphischer Form dargestellt und mit fremden Ergebnissen verglichen.