Isomerization mechanisms from cis to trans form in polyacetylene

Mechanisms of cis-trans irreversible isomerizations occurring in both thermal treatment and doping of polyacetylene are presented and examined by means of MINDO/3 molecular orbital calculations on some finite polyenes. It is predicted that the thermal isomerization proceeds along the internal rotation of (-CH=CH-) unit around two carbon-carbon double bonds via the transition state having a biradical nature. Meanwhile, the isomerization by doping is rationalized by the mechanism that the cis segment between two doping sites is converted into the trans-cisoid form which rotates easily around two single bonds to yield some trans forms in (CH)_x chain.     

METHYLMERCURY: PHOTOCHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION OF MERCURIC SULFIDE INTO METHYLMERCURY IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS1

Abstract. The photochemical reaction of mercuric sulfide was studied in aqueous solutions. The photo-solubilization of mercuric sulfide occurred under irradiation with light of ≤650nm and was enhanced in the presence of oxygen and electrolytes. The resultant mercuric ions were easily methylated in the presence of acetate ions via the photosensitized reaction by the simultaneously produced "photo-sulfur" under irradiation with light of ≤420nm. The photoelectrochemical studies of mercuric sulfide electrode revealed that black mercuric sulfide was an n -type semiconductor and the photo-current due to the dissolution as mercuric ions was observed on anodic polarization. The photo-solubilization of mercuric sulfide may be interpreted in terms of the local-cell mechanism.     

Weighted energy-dissipation functionals for doubly nonlinear evolution

This paper is concerned with the Weighted Energy-Dissipation (WED) functional approach to doubly nonlinear evolutionary problems. This approach consists in minimizing (WED) functionals defined over entire trajectories. We present the features of the WED variational formalism and analyze the related Euler-Lagrange problems. Moreover, we check that minimizers of the WED functionals converge to the corresponding limiting doubly nonlinear evolution. Finally, we present a discussion on the functional convergence of sequences of WED functionals and present some application of the abstract theory to nonlinear PDEs.     

Helical carbon and graphitic films prepared from iodine-doped helical polyacetylene film using morphology-retaining carbonization

In this communication, we report a novel preparation of the helical carbon nanofibril-fabricated thin film from the iodine-doped filmy helical polyacetylene through a carbonization process. Carbonization of the helical polyacetylene films by way of iodine doping is found to afford carbon and graphitic films completely preserving morphologies and even helical nanofibril structures.     

Solid-phase synthesis of phthalocyanine and tetraazaporphyrin triangular prisms

A solvent-free, solid-phase one-step reaction between tetra-tert-butylated oxotitanium(IV) phthalocyanine and tetraazaporphyrin with 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene yields novel azaporphyrin cyclic trimers with triangular prismatic orientations. The fluorescence arising from the phthalocyanine and tetraazaporphyrin chromophores is significantly quenched upon trimerization.     

Morphological alignment of liquid crystalline conducting polyacetylene derivatives

We have synthesized novel liquid crystalline conducting polymers by introducing liquid crystalline group into acetylene monomer and polymerizing them with Ziegler-Natta [Fe(acac)₃ - AlEt₃] and metathesis [M0Cl₅ - Ph₄Sn] catalysts. The liquid crystalline group is composed of a phenylcyclohexyl (PCH) or biphenyl (BP) moiety as a mesogenic core, a trimethylene chain [-(CH₂)₃-] as a spacer, and an alkyl chain (-C_nH_2n+1, n = 2, 3, 5 ∼ 8) as a terminal group. The polymers are abbreviated as PPCHn03A and PBPn03A. All polymers prepared exhibited solubility in organic solvents and smectic liquid crystallinity characterized with fan-shaped texture in polarizing optical microscopy. Phase transitions and the corresponding enthalpy changes were also evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Macroscopic alignments of the polymers were performed in the liquid crystalline phase by shear-stress or magnetic force field of 0.7 − 1.0 tesla, which resulted in an enhancement by two orders in electrical conductivity of iodine-doped cast films. Changes of the electronic and geometrical structures of the polymer upon the iodine-doping were elucidated by examining the effective conjugation length of a polyene chain, cis and trans thermal isomerization, and spin distribution of unpaired electrons through ultraviolet / visible (UV-Vis) and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements.