Polyesters by a Radical Pathway: Rationalization of the Cyclic Ketene Acetal Efficiency

Radical ring‐opening polymerization (rROP) of cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) combines the advantages of both ring‐opening polymerization and radical polymerization thereby allowing the robust production of polyesters coupled with the mild polymerization conditions of a radical process. rROP was recently rejuvenated by the possibility to copolymerize CKAs with classic vinyl monomers leading to the insertion of cleavable functionality into a vinyl‐based copolymer backbone and thus imparting (bio)degradability. Such materials are suitable for a large scope of applications, particularly within the biomedical field. The competition between the ring‐opening and ring‐retaining propagation routes is a major complication in the development of efficient CKA monomers, ultimately leading to the use of only four monomers that are known to completely ring‐open under all experimental conditions. In this article we investigate the radical ring‐opening polymerization of model CKA monomers and demonstrate by the combination of DFT calculations and kinetic modeling using PREDICI software that we are now able to predict in silico the ring‐opening ability of CKA monomers.     

Complexation of metal ions in Langmuir films formed with two amphiphilic dioxadithia crown ethers

The two new crown ethers presented in this study were synthesized in order to investigate two important features of ionophores, namely metal cation complexation and interfacial properties, and the way in which they interrelate. The two derivatives were conceived as analogs of membrane phospholipids with respect to their amphiphilicity and geometry. They contain a hydrophilic 1,1'-dioxo-3,3'-dithio-14-crown ether headgroup and bear two myristoyl or stearoyl lateral chains. The length of the myristoyl and stearoyl derivatives in an extended conformation is comparable with the thickness of the individual leaflets of cell membranes. The membrane-related and complexation properties of the two crown ether derivatives were studied in monomolecular films spread on pure water and on aqueous solutions of mono-, di-, and trivalent metal salts. The properties of the monolayers are described quantitatively using thermodynamic models. The compression isotherms of the monolayers formed on different subphases show a clear-cut differentiation of the monovalent and di- or trivalent cations with both ligands. This differentiation was interpreted in terms of conformational changes occurring in the crown ether derivatives upon complexation. Molecular modeling indicates that the mono- and divalent cations are coordinated differently by the ligands, yielding complexes with different conformations. The differences of the conformations of the mono- and di- or trivalent cation complexes may be important from the point of view of the interactions with lipid membranes and the biological activity of these potential ionophores.     

Synthesis of highly labile SG1-based alkoxyamines under photochemical conditions

Highly labile SG1-based alkoxyamines were synthesized using the photodecomposition of both azo compounds and dithiocarbamates. The former method was a straightforward procedure to obtain the alkoxyamines, but a high [azo]/[nitroxide] ratio is needed. The latter method required only a stoichiometric amount of dithiocarbamate and allowed the recovery of the disulfide after irradiation. This enabled combination of the two methods in a process where only 0.75 equiv of azo compound is needed and where sulfurous compounds acted only as intermediates.     

Formation of the active species of cytochrome p450 by using iodosylbenzene: a case for spin-selective reactivity

The generation of the active species for the enzyme cytochrome P450 by using the highly versatile oxygen surrogate iodosylbenzene (PhIO) often produces different results compared with the native route, in which the active species is generated through O(2) uptake and reduction by NADPH. One of these differences that is addressed here is the deuterium kinetic isotope effect (KIE) jump observed during N-dealkylation of N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) by P450, when the reaction conditions change from the native to the PhIO route. The paper presents a theoretical analysis targeted to elucidate the mechanism of the reaction of PhIO with heme, to form the high-valent iron-oxo species Compound I (Cpd I), and define the origins of the KIE jump in the reaction of Cpd I with DMA. It is concluded that the likely origin of the KIE jump is the spin-selective chemistry of the enzyme cytochrome P450 under different preparation procedures. In the native route, the reaction proceeds via the doublet spin state of Cpd I and leads to a low KIE value. PhIO, however, diverts the reaction to the quartet spin state of Cpd I, which leads to the observed high KIE values. The KIE jump is reproduced here experimentally for the dealkylation of N,N-dimethyl-4-(methylthio)aniline, by using intra-molecular KIE measurements that avoid kinetic complexities. The effect of PhIO is compared with N,N-dimethylaniline-N-oxide (DMAO), which acts both as the oxygen donor and the substrate and leads to the same KIE values as the native route.     

Double cation adduction in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of electron deficient anthraquinone derivatives

Six anthraquinone derivatives were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS). Clear (pseudo) molecular ions were observed for all the compounds. Interestingly, for some derivatives, strong ions with double cation adduction were also recorded in the positive mode. It is remarkable that all these ions are singly charged. In this work, possible mechanisms for the double cation adduction were investigated and discussed. It appears that the double cation adduction was due to the electron deficient nature of the derivatives, and formed by taking up two singly charged cations and one electron. Substituents on the anthraquinone ring were found to have a significant effect on the double cation adduction. In contrast, no considerable influence of the acidity of MALDI matrix/solution was observed, even on the double proton adduction. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that double cation adduction might occur in the MALDI gas-phase plume. In addition to the anthraquinones, three more electron deficient compounds of different types, i.e. a perylene bisimide derivative (PB), 3,7-decanoylamino-4,8-dihydrobenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-4,8-dione (TQ) and 6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), were also analyzed with MALDI TOF MS. The results indicate that the 'abnormal' double cation adduction might be a 'normal' phenomenon in the MALDI TOF MS analysis of many electron deficient compounds.     

Transition state theory thermal rate constants and RRKM‐based branching ratios for the N(2D) + CH4 reaction based on multi‐sState and multi‐reference Ab Initio calculations of interest for the titan's chemistry

Multireference single and double configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations including Davidson (+Q) or Pople (+P) corrections have been conducted in this work for the reactants, products, and extrema of the doublet ground state potential energy surface involved in the N( ² D) + CH₄ reaction. Such highly correlated ab initio calculations are then compared with previous PMP4, CCSD(T), W1, and DFT/B3LYP studies. Large relative differences are observed in particular for the transition state in the entrance channel resolving the disagreement between previous ab initio calculations. We confirm the existence of a small but positive potential barrier (3.86 ± 0.84 kJ mol^?1 (MR‐AQCC) and 3.89 kJ mol^?1 (MRCI+P)) in the entrance channel of the title reaction. The correlation is seen to change significantly the energetic position of the two minima and five saddle points of this system together with the dissociation channels but not their relative order. The influence of the electronic correlation into the energetic of the system is clearly demonstrated by the thermal rate constant evaluation and it temperature dependance by means of the transition state theory. Indeed, only MRCI values are able to reproduce the experimental rate constant of the title reaction and its behavior with temperature. Similarly, product branching ratios, evaluated by means of unimolecular RRKM theory, confirm the NH production of Umemoto et al., whereas previous works based on less accurate ab initio calculations failed. We confirm the previous findings that the N( ² D) + CH₄ reaction proceeds via an insertion–dissociation mechanism and that the dominant product channels are CH₂NH + H and CH₃ + NH. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Overtone vibrational spectroscopy in H(2)-H(2)O complexes: A combined high level theoretical ab initio, dynamical and experimental study

First results are reported on overtone (v(OH) = 2 ← 0) spectroscopy of weakly bound H(2)-H(2)O complexes in a slit supersonic jet, based on a novel combination of (i) vibrationally mediated predissociation of H(2)-H(2)O, followed by (ii) UV photodissociation of the resulting H(2)O, and (iii) UV laser induced fluorescence on the nascent OH radical. In addition, intermolecular dynamical calculations are performed in full 5D on the recent ab initio intermolecular potential of Valiron et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 129, 134306 (2008)] in order to further elucidate the identity of the infrared transitions detected. Excellent agreement is achieved between experimental and theoretical spectral predictions for the most strongly bound van der Waals complex consisting of ortho (I = 1) H(2) and ortho (I = 1) H(2)O (oH(2)-oH(2)O). Specifically, two distinct bands are seen in the oH(2)-oH(2)O spectrum, corresponding to internal rotor states in the upper vibrational manifold of Σ and Π rotational character. However, none of the three other possible nuclear spin modifications (pH(2)-oH(2)O, pH(2)-pH(2)O, or oH(2)-pH(2)O) are observed above current signal to noise level, which for the pH(2) complexes is argued to arise from displacement by oH(2) in the expansion mixture to preferentially form the more strongly bound species. Direct measurement of oH(2)-oH(2)O vibrational predissociation in the time domain reveals lifetimes of 15(2) ns and <5(2) ns for the Σ and Π states, respectively. Theoretical calculations permit the results to be interpreted in terms of near resonant energy levels and intermolecular alignment of the H(2) and H(2)O wavefunctions, providing insight into predissociation dynamical pathways from these metastable levels.     

Nanostructured SnO2-ZnO heterojunction photocatalysts showing enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic dyes

Nanoporous SnO(2)-ZnO heterojunction nanocatalyst was prepared by a straightforward two-step procedure involving, first, the synthesis of nanosized SnO(2) particles by homogeneous precipitation combined with a hydrothermal treatment and, second, the reaction of the as-prepared SnO(2) particles with zinc acetate followed by calcination at 500 °C. The resulting nanocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The SnO(2)-ZnO photocatalyst was made of a mesoporous network of aggregated wurtzite ZnO and cassiterite SnO(2) nanocrystallites, the size of which was estimated to be 27 and 4.5 nm, respectively, after calcination. According to UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, the evident energy band gap value of the SnO(2)-ZnO photocatalyst was estimated to be 3.23 eV to be compared with those of pure SnO(2), that is, 3.7 eV, and ZnO, that is, 3.2 eV, analogues. The energy band diagram of the SnO(2)-ZnO heterostructure was directly determined by combining XPS and the energy band gap values. The valence band and conduction band offsets were calculated to be 0.70 ± 0.05 eV and 0.20 ± 0.05 eV, respectively, which revealed a type-II band alignment. Moreover, the heterostructure SnO(2)-ZnO photocatalyst showed much higher photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methylene blue than those of individual SnO(2) and ZnO nanomaterials. This behavior was rationalized in terms of better charge separation and the suppression of charge recombination in the SnO(2)-ZnO photocatalyst because of the energy difference between the conduction band edges of SnO(2) and ZnO as evidenced by the band alignment determination. Finally, this mesoporous SnO(2)-ZnO heterojunction nanocatalyst was stable and could be easily recycled several times opening new avenues for potential industrial applications.