Effect of particle agglomeration and interphase on the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites

In this article, we utilize finite element modeling to investigate the effect of nanoparticle agglomeration on the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites. The case of an attractive interaction between polymer and nanofiller is considered for which an interphase domain of gradient properties is developed. This model utilizes representative volume elements that are created and analyzed with varying degrees of nanoparticle clustering and length scale of interphase domain. The viscoelastic properties of the composites are studied using a statistical approach to account for variations due to the random nature of the microstructure. Results show that a monotonic increase in nanofiller clustering not only results in the loss of interphase volume but also obstructs the formation of a percolating interphase network in the nanocomposite. The combined impacts lead to a remarkable decrease of T_g enhancement of clustering nanofillers in comparison with a well‐dispersed configuration. Our simulation results provide qualitative support for experimental observations that clustering observed at high nanofiller concentrations negatively impacts the effects of the nanofiller on overall properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Biodegradable thermo‐ and pH‐responsive hydrogels for oral drug delivery

In this article, novel smart hydrogels based on biodegradable pH sensitive poly(L ‐glutamic acid‐g‐2‐hydroxylethyl methacrylate) (PGH) chains and temperature‐sensitive hydroxypropylcellulose‐g‐acrylic acid (HPC‐g‐AA) segments were designed and synthesized. The influence of pH and temperature on the equilibrium swelling ratios of the hydrogels was discussed. The optical transmittance of the hydrogels was also changed as a function of temperature, which reflecting that the HPC‐g‐AA part of the hydrogels became hydrophobic at the temperature above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). At the same time, the LCST of the hydrogels had a visible pH‐dependent behavior. Scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed the morphology of the hydrogels before and after enzymatic degradation. The biodegradation rate of the hydrogels was directly related to the PGH content and the pH value. The in vitro release of bovine serum albumin from the hydrogels were investigated. The release profiles indicated that both the HPC‐g‐AA and PGH contents played important roles in the drug release behaviors. These results show that the smart hydrogels seem to be of great promise in pH–temperature oral drug delivery systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Trifluorosulfane ligand as an analogue of the nitrosyl ligand: highly exothermic fluorine transfer reactions from sulfur to metal in the chemistry of SF3 metal carbonyls of the first row transition metals

The variety of known very stable PF(3) metal derivatives analogous to metal carbonyls suggests the synthesis of SF(3) metal derivatives analogous to metal nitrosyls. However, the only known SF(3) metal complex is the structurally uncharacterized (Et(3)P)(2)Ir(CO)(Cl)(F)(SF(3)) synthesized by Cockman, Ebsworth, and Holloway in 1987 and suggested by electron counting to have a one-electron donor SF(3) group rather than a three-electron donor SF(3) group. In this connection, the possibility of synthesizing SF(3) metal derivatives analogous to metal nitrosyls has been investigated using density functional theory. The [M]SF(3) derivatives with [M] = V(CO)(5), Mn(CO)(4), Co(CO)(3), Ir(CO)(3), (C(5)H(5))Cr(CO)(2), (C(5)H(5))Fe(CO), and (C(5)H(5))Ni analogous to known metal nitrosyl derivatives are all predicted to be thermodynamically disfavored with respect to the corresponding [M](SF(2))(F) derivatives by energies ranging from 19.5 kcal/mol for Mn(SF(3))(CO)(4) to 5.4 kcal/mol for Co(SF(3))(CO)(3). By contrast, the isoelectronic [M]PF(3) derivatives with [M] = Cr(CO)(5), Fe(CO)(4), Ni(CO)(3), (C(5)H(5))Mn(CO)(2), (C(5)H(5))Co(CO), and (C(5)H(5))Cu are all very strongly thermodynamically favored with respect to the corresponding [M](PF(2))(F) derivatives by energies ranging from 64.3 kcal/mol for Cr(PF(3))(CO)(5) to 31.6 kcal/mol for (C(5)H(5))Co(PF(3))(CO). The known six-coordinate (Et(3)P)(2)Ir(CO)(Cl)(F)(SF(3)) is also predicted to be stable relative to the seven-coordinate (Et(3)P)(2)Ir(CO)(Cl)(F)(2)(SF(2)). Most of the metal SF(3) complexes found in this work are singlet structures containing three-electron donor SF(3) ligands with tetrahedral sulfur coordination. However, two examples of triplet spin state metal SF(3) complexes, namely, the lowest energy (C(5)H(5))Fe(SF(3))(CO) structure and a higher energy Co(SF(3))(CO)(3) structure, are found containing one-electron donor SF(3) ligands with pseudo square pyramidal sulfur coordination with a stereochemically active lone electron pair.     

Oleanane‐Type Triterpenoids from the Endophytic Fungus Pestalotiopsis clavispora Isolated from the Chinese Mangrove Plant Bruguiera sexangula

Three new triterpenoid derivatives, named (15α)‐15‐hydroxysoyasapogenol B ( 1 ), (7β,15α)‐7,15‐dihydroxysoyasapogenol B ( 2 ), and (7β)‐7,29‐dihydroxysoyasapogenol B ( 3 ), were isolated from cultures of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis clavispora. Their structures and relative configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and X‐ray crystallography.     

A convergence of photo‐bergman cyclization and intramolecular chain collapse towards polymeric nanoparticles

Employing enediynes as crosslinking precursors, a novel yet efficient strategy, namely photo‐triggered Bergman cyclization, was integrated with intramolecular chain collapse to yield polymeric nanoparticles with the size regime below 20 nm. Enediyne motif was designed delicately to possess a high photo‐reactivity, with the double bond locked in a methyl benzoate ring while triple bonds substituted with phenyls. Single electron transfer‐living radical polymerization was conducted to provide linear acrylate copolymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. Poly(butylarylate‐co‐ 5 ) went through UV‐irradiation with a concurrent Bergman cyclization, resulting in well‐defined ultrafine polymeric nanoparticles. Results from NMR, Raman scattering, photoluminescence and UV‐vis spectra corroborated the presence of conjugative structures in the polymeric nanoparticles, indicating the occurrence of photo‐induced Bergman cyclization. A series of other acrylate‐based nanoparticles were investigated to confirm the applicability of such a unique strategy in thermal sensitive but UV‐stable polymeric structures, making photo‐Bergman cyclization a promising tool towards polymeric nanoparticles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Magnetic Properties of Novel Cobalt(II) and Copper(II) Complexes with 5‐(Isonicotinamido)isophthalate Ligand

Two new complexes, {[Co(INAIP) · H₂O] · 2H₂O}_n ( 1 ), and {[Cu(INAIP)] · H₂O}_n ( 2 ) [H₂INAIP = 5‐(isonicotinamido)isophthalic acid] were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray structure determination, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray powder diffraction, and magnetic studies. In complex 1 both Co^II atoms and INAIP^2– ligands act as four‐connected node, whereas in 2 both Cu^II atoms and INAIP^2– ligands act as three‐connected node.     

Photo‐induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate/cyclodextrin complex in aqueous solution

Polymerization of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) complex of methyl methacrylate (MMA) (MMA/HP‐β‐CD) was carried out under UV irradiation in aqueous solution with Irgacure 2959 (4‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)phenyl‐(2‐hydroxy‐2‐propyl)ketone) as a photoinitiator at room temperature. The effects of some principal factors, including UV irradiation intensity, initiator concentration, and the ratio of HP‐β‐CD to MMA, on the polymerization were investigated in detail. Compared to the corresponding thermal polymerization, photo‐induced polymerization of the MMA/HP‐β‐CD complex could be accomplished at a higher speed; the polymerization conversion in photo‐induced polymerization reached 94% within 30 min, while it was only 62% for the thermal polymerization of 16 hr at 70°C. The number‐average molecular weight (M_n) and polymerization conversion decreased with the increase in UV intensity and initiator concentration. The resulting PMMA precipitated spontaneously from the solution during polymerization in the absence of any precipitator. About 95 wt% of the HP‐β‐CD remained in the solution after polymerization and the reusability of the residual HP‐β‐CD was experimentally demonstrated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tautomerism of monochalcogenosilanoic acids CH3Si(O)XH (X = S,Se, Te) in the gas phase and in the polar and aprotic solution: An ab initio computational investigation

Computational investigations by an ab initio molecular orbital method (HF and MP2) with the 6‐311+G(d,p) and 6‐311++G(2df, 2pd) basis sets on the tautomerism of three monochalcogenosilanoic acids CH₃Si(?O)XH (X = S, Se, and Te) in the gas phase and a polar and aprotic solution tetrahydrofuran (THF) was undertaken. Calculated results show that the silanol forms CH₃Si(?X)OH are much more stable than the silanone forms CH₃Si(?O)XH in the gas‐phase, which is different from the monochalcogenocarboxylic acids, where the keto forms CH₃C(?O)XH are dominant. This situation may be attributed to the fact that the Si? O and O? H single bonds in the silanol forms are stronger than the Si? X and X? H single bonds in the silanone forms, respectively, even though the Si?X (X = S, Se, and Te) double bonds are much weaker than the Si?O double bond. These results indicate that the stability of the monochalcogenosilanoic acid tautomers is not determined by the double bond energies, contrary to the earlier explanation based on the incorrect assumption that the Si?S double bond is stronger than the S?O double bond for the tautomeric equilibrium of RSi(?O)SH (R?H, F, Cl, CH₃, OH, NH₂) to shift towards the thione forms [RSi(?S)OH]. The binding with CH₃OCH₃ enhances the preference of the silanol form in the tautomeric equilibrium, and meanwhile significantly lowers the tautomeric barriers by more than 34 kJ/mol in THF solution. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Modular peripheral functionalization of thiophene dendrons and dendrimers

A series of thiophene dendrons and dendrimers with peripheral functional groups were designed and synthesized. Two methodologies using thiophene dendrons and dendrons as synthetic building blocks, namely, (1) periphery functionalization; (2) a combination of focal and periphery functionalization have been demonstrated.