Photo-stabilising performance of a hindered piperidine compound in polypropylene film: Anti-oxidant/light stabiliser effects

The effect of various primary and secondary anti-oxidants and light stabiliser systems on the photo-stabilising performance of a hindered piperidine compound bis[2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl]-sebacate, in polypropylene film has been examined. None of the anti-oxidants or light stabilisers gave an additive effect with the hindered piperidine compound. In many cases antagonistic effects were observed. The effects observed are discussed in relation to our current understanding of the mechanistic behaviour of these hindered piperidine systems.     

The photophysical properties of a julolidene-based molecular rotor

The photophysical properties of 9-dicyanovinyljulolidine are sensitive to solvent viscosity but are little affected by changes in polarity. In fluid solution, the lifetime of the first-excited singlet state is very short and triplet state formation cannot be detected by laser flash photolysis. Decay of the excited singlet state is strongly activated and weak phosphorescence can be observed in a glassy matrix at 77 K. Temperature dependent 1H NMR studies indicate that the molecule undergoes slow internal rotation in solution, for which the activation energy has a value of ca. 35 kJ mol(-1). This process is unlikely to account for the poor fluorescence quantum yield found in fluid solution. Instead, it is considered that the target compound undergoes rapid rotation around the dicyanovinyl double bond from the excited singlet state. The rate of rotation depends weakly on the viscosity of the solvent in a range of linear alcohols at room temperature. This might represent the fact that the rotor is relatively small and can pack into cavities in the solvent structure. In glycerol, the rate of rotation is more sensitive to viscosity effects but a quite complex temperature dependence is observed in ethanol. Here, the rate is almost activationless in a glassy matrix and in fluid solution at high temperature but strongly activated at intermediate temperatures.     

The photo-stabilisation of polypropylene: A review

The incorporation of antioxidants and light stabilisers in polymers is important in order to preserve their long-term use in the environment. The mechanisms of photo-stabilisation are complex and with continued research grow even more in complexity. The processes involved are further complicated by the effects of processing which can in many cases dramatically influence the performance of the additives. This review presents an in-depth account of the complex mechanisms involved in both thermal and photochemical oxidation of polyolefins, with particular emphasis on polypropylene and the interactions that take place thermally.     

ToF-SIMS depth profiling analysis of the uptake of Ba2+ and Co2+ ions by natural kaolinite clay

The sorption behavior of Ba(2+) and Co(2+) ions on a natural clay sample rich in kaolinite was studied using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Depth profiling at 10-A steps was performed up to a 70-A matrix depth of the clay prior to and following sorption. The results showed that Co(2+) is sorbed in slightly larger quantities than Ba(2+), with significant numbers of ions fixed on the outermost surface of the clay. Depletion of the ions K(+), Mg(2+), and Ca(2+) from the clay lattice was observed to accompany enrichment with Co(2+) and Ba(2+) ions. The data obtained using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated insignificant structural and morphological changes in the lattice of the clay upon sorption of both Ba(2+) and Co(2+) ions. Analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the average atomic percentage (+/-S.D.) of Ba and Co on kaolinite surface were 0.49 +/- 0.11 and 0.61 +/- 0.19 , respectively, indicating a limited uptake capacity of natural kaolinite for both ions.     

Sensing nitrite through a pseudoazurin-nitrite reductase electron transfer relay.

Nitrite is converted to nitric oxide by haem or copper-containing enzymes in denitrifying bacteria during the process of denitrification. In designing an efficient biosensor, this enzymic turnover must be quantitatively assessed. The enzyme nitrite reductase from Alcaligenes faecalis contains a redox-active blue copper centre and a nonblue enzyme-active copper centre. It can be covalently tethered to modified gold-electrode surfaces in configurations in which direct electron transfer is possible. A surface cysteine mutant of the enzyme can be similarly immobilised on bare electroactive gold substrates. Under such circumstances, however, electron transfer cannot be effectively coupled with substrate catalytic turnover. In using either the natural redox partner, pseudoazurin, or ruthenium hexammine as an "electron-shuttle" or "conduit" between enzyme and a peptide-modified electrode surface, the coupling of electron transfer to catalysis can be utilised in the development of an amperometric nitrite sensor.     

Photostabilising action of Zn and Ni salts of 3,5-DI-t.-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid in polypropylene

The photostabilising action of two metal chelates of the commercial antioxidant Shell acid (3,5-di-t.-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid) viz. its zinc and nickel salts, is examined, using i.r. and derivative u.v.-visible spectroscopy and hydroperoxide analysis. The polymeric matrix was commercial polypropylene. The results show that both salts operate by inhibiting hydroperoxide formation during melt processing and thermo-oxidative conditions. The latter effect is attributed to a chain breaking donor mechanism which terminates, not alkylperoxyl, but macroalkyl radicals. Both salts are relatively efficient photostabilisers when compared with the parent antioxidant, probably because of their good photostability to both polychromatic and monochromatic radiation. The latter also shows that the nickel salt may also operate by scavenging alkoxyl and hydroxyl radicals during photo-oxidation. The addition of calcium stearate in conjunction with the salts produces some interesting effects which are explained in terms of metal exchange.     

Solid-phase synthesis of polymers using the ring-opening metathesis polymerization

We report a general method for the solid-phase synthesis of polymers via the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The method involves polymerization in solution to form a block copolymer, immobilization of the polymer via reaction of one block with a resin-bound functional group, modification of the other block, and liberation of the polymer from the resin. We demonstrated the utility of this approach by generating a block copolymer with an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester-substituted block (for on-resin functionalization) and a maleimide-substituted block (for conjugation to the resin). We showed that the Diels-Alder reaction can be employed to immobilize the polymers and that amines of diverse structure can be used to modify the resin-bound polymers. The reversibility of the furan-maleimide Diels-Alder adduct was exploited to liberate the polymer from the support. Specifically, treatment of the resin with cyclopentadiene resulted in complete polymer release. The resulting polymers are functional: they were as potent in assays with the lectin concanavalin A as polymers generated by traditional solution routes. We anticipate that this method can be used for the rapid synthesis of diverse polymers via ROMP.     

Friedel-crafts cyclisation—VI: Polyphosphoric acid-catalysed reactions of crotonophenones and chalcones

Polyphosphoric acid-catalysed cyclisation of derivatives of crotonophenone and chalcone is shown to be a general reaction which occurs without migration of aryl substituents evident with other Friedel-Crafts catalysts. Two other reactions, however, may intervene: hydrogenation and α-carbonyl cleavage. Thus 4-bromochalcone gives 3 - (p - bromophenyl) -1 - phenylpropan -1 - one, 3 - (p - bromophenyl)indan -1 - one and some benzole acid. A mechanism for the cyclisation is discussed in comparison with those reported for cyclisations of α,β-unsaturated esters and divinyl ketones. The formation of intermediate Wheland complexes is predicted to be conrotatory.     

QSAR and CoMFA Study of Cocaine Analogs: Crystal and Molecular Structure of (–)-Cocaine Hydrochloride and N-Methyl-3β-(p-Fluorophenyl)Tropane-2β-Carboxylic Acid Methyl Ester

A QSAR and CoMFA study including 78 cocaine analogs has been completed. These analogs have varied functional groups on the 2 and 3 positions of the tropane ring and include various stereoisomers. The CoMFA program was used to calculate the steric and electrostatic interaction energies as a probe atom or probe charge interacts with the molecules. Shaded contour maps show regions of the cocaine analogs where an increase in bulky substituents is desirable for increased pharmacological activity. The maps also show that small electronegative substituents on the phenyl ring are favored for enhanced activity. The X-ray crystal structures of (–)-cocaine hydrochloride (1) and N-methyl-3-(p-fluorophenyl)tropane-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (2) are reported. These molecules are mostly rigid except for some rotational flexibility in the orientation of the phenyl and benzoyl functional groups. Crystallographic data: (1) C₁₇H₂₁NO₄·HCl, orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, a = 7.622(1)Å, b = 10.285(1)Å, c = 21.428(3)Å, Z = 4, final R = 0.035 for 960 observed reflections (I>3(I)). (2) C₁₆H₂₀FNO₂, monoclinic space group C2, a = 22.572(7)Å, b = 5.810(1)Å, c = 15.752(4)Å, = 133.65(2)°, Z = 4, final R = 0.059 for 1511 observed reflections (I>3(I)).     

Spectroscopic properties of dipicolinic acid and its dianion

If robust spectroscopic techniques are to be developed for the detection and identification of pathogens, one must understand the relevant spectroscopic properties of the target molecules. In this paper, we employ density functional theory (DFT) to study the structural, electronic, vibrational, optical, and magnetic properties of dipicolinic acid (DPA) and its dianion DPA⁻². Our full geometrical optimization and Mulliken charge analysis show that DFT does not lead to the significant discrepancies between charges on symmetric carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that are found in less accurate calculations based on the complete active space MCSCF method. Our calculated vibrational frequencies, Raman spectra, and infrared spectra for ground-state DPA and DPA⁻² are in good agreement with experiment, and this is also true of the four calculated ¹³C NMR spectral lines (for α, β, γ, and carboxyl sites). Our time-dependent DFT study of the optical excitation and absorption of both DPA and DPA⁻² provides the first interpretation of the observed near ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence spectra. Finally, we discuss for the first time the effect of a solvent on the spectral properties of DPA.