"Separated" versus "contact" ion-pair structures in solution from their crystalline states: dynamic effects on dinitrobenzenide as a mixed-valence anion

Qualitative structural concepts about dynamic ion pairs, historically deduced in solution as labile solvent-separated and contact species, are now quantified by the low-temperature isolation of crystalline (reactive) salts suitable for direct X-ray analysis. Thus, dinitrobenzenide anion (DNB(-)) can be prepared in the two basic ion-paired forms by potassium-mirror reduction of p-dinitrobenzene in the presence of macrocyclic polyether ligands: L(C) (cryptand) and L(E) (crown-ethers). The crystalline "separated" ion-pair salt isolated as K(L(C))(+)//DNB(-) is crystallographically differentiated from the "contact" ion-pair salt isolated as K(L(E))(+)DNB(-) by their distinctive interionic separations. Spectral analysis reveals pronounced near-IR absorptions arising from intervalence transitions that characterize dinitrobenzenide to be a prototypical mixed-valence anion. Most importantly, the unique patterns of vibronic (fine-structure) progressions that also distinguish the "separated" from the "contact" ion pair in the crystalline solid state are the same as those dissolved into THF solvent and ensure that the same X-ray structures persist in solution. Moreover, these distinctive NIR patterns are assigned with the aid of Marcus-Hush (two-state) theory to the "separated"ion pair in which the unpaired electron is equally delocalized between both NO(2)-centers in the symmetric ground state of dinitrobenzenide, and by contrast, the asymmetric electron distribution inherent to "contact"ion pairs favors only that single NO(2)-center intimately paired to the counterion. The labilities of these dynamic ion pairs in solution are thoroughly elucidated by temperature-dependent ESR spectral changes that provide intimate details of facile isomerizations, ionic separations, and counterion-mediated exchanges.     

Silver(I) complexation of (poly)aromatic ligands. Structural criteria for depth penetration into cis-stilbenoid cavities

Silver(I) complexes with aromatic donors are thoroughly analyzed (with aid of the Cambridge Crystallographic Database) to identify the basic structural factors inherent to the bonding of an arene ligand. Most strikingly, the distance parameter d (which simply measures the normal separation of Ag from the mean aromatic plane) is singularly invariant at d = 2.41 +/- 0.05 A for all silver/arene complexes, independent of the hapticity (eta 1 or eta 2), hybridization, or multiple coordination. As such, a systematic series of stilbenoid ligands has been successfully designed to precisely modulate the penetration of silver(I) into the ligand cleft, and a multicentered poly(arene) ligand (X) designed to form a one-dimensional assembly of Ag/arene units. Simply stated, the depth penetration of silver(I) into the aromatic cavities of various cis-stilbenoid donors can be precisely predicted with a single parameter gamma that measures the separation of the two cofacial aryl groups comprising the cleft. This simple geometric consideration must be taken into account in any successful design of novel (poly)aromatic ligands for silver(I) complexation to constitute new molecular architectures.     

Molecular aggregation of solid aromatic polymers. II. Mechanical properties of aromatic polyimide film

Molecular aggregation of the aromatic polyimide poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide) is influenced by the initial imidization temperature and by cold drawing. The effect of molecular aggregation in polyimides on their mechanical properties has been investigated. The density of a polyimide in which molecular aggregation gives an amorphous state is increased slightly by cold drawing. On the other hand, if molecular aggregation leads to a heterogeneous two-phase structure, the density is decreased by cold drawing. With increasing initial imidization temperature, the α absorption peak in dynamic tensile measurements becomes broader and smaller, and shifts to a higher temperature. From analysis of correlations between molecular aggregation and mechanical properties, it is concluded that the mode of molecular motion corresponding to the α dispersion in polyimide is a long-range cooperative motion of the main chain which is associated with the glass transition.     

Dilute solution properties of a polybenzimidazole

Light scattering and viscometric studies have been carried out on dilute solutions of a polybenzimidazole in N,N-dimethylacetamide. The data, which span the molecular weight range 2.9 ≦ 10^?4M_w ≦ 23.3, and the temperature range 290 ≦ T/K ≦343, yield the dependence of the mean-square radius of gyration 〈s²〉_LS, the second virial coefficient A₂, and the intrinsic viscosity [η] on molecular weight M_w and temperature. The unperturbed mean-square radius 〈s〉_LS was calculated using experimental values of 〈s²〉_LS and A₂. It was found that excluded volume effects on 〈s²〉_LS are very small. The unperturbed hydrodynamic chain dimension 〈s〉_η was estimated by considering draining effects. A small value of the draining parameter was obtained. Analysis of the temperature dependence of A₂ and [eta;] leads to the conclusion that this system approaches a lower theta temperature with increasing temperature. The steric factor σ = 〈s〉/〈s〉f, based on the value of 〈s〉_f calculated for the polymer chain with free rotation, is nearly unity. Most of these properties can be interpreted in terms of long rotational units within the main chain.     

Charge-transfer forces in the self-assembly of heteromolecular reactive solids: successful design of unique (single-crystal-to-single-crystal) Diels--Alder cycloadditions.

Electron donor/acceptor (EDA) interactions are found to be a versatile methodology for the engineering of reactive heteromolecular crystals. In this way, a series of the charge-transfer pi-complexes between bis(alkylimino)-1,4-dithiin acceptors and anthracene donors are shown to form heteromolecular (1:1) crystalline solids that spontaneously undergo stereoselective [2 + 4] Diels--Alder cycloadditions. The flexible nature of the 1,4-dithiin moiety allows this homogeneous topochemical transformation to proceed with minimal distortion of the crystal lattice. As a result, a unique (single) crystal phase of the Diels--Alder adduct can be produced anti-thermodynamically with a molecular arrangement very different from that in solvent-grown crystals. Such a topochemical reaction between bis(methylimino)-1,4-dithiin and anthracene proceeds thermally and homogeneously up to very high conversions without disintegration of the single crystal. This ideal case of the mono-phase topochemical conversion can be continuously monitored structurally (X-ray crystallography) and kinetically (NMR spectroscopy) throughout the entire range of the crystalline transformation. The resultant "artificial" crystal of the Diels--Alder adduct is surprisingly stable despite its different symmetry and packing mode compared to the naturally grown (thermodynamic) crystal.     

A Kinetic Investigation of Thermal Shrinkage of Aromatic Polymers by Thermomechanical Analysis

The kinetics of thermal shrinkage of the stretched polypyromellitimide (PI) films, Du Pont Kapton H, were investigated by thermomechanical analysis (TMA) at a constant rate of heating. The two-stage model of extended polymers has been applied to analyze the TMA data. The activation energy of the contraction reaction could be obtained from TMA curves at various heating rates. The one-step shrinkage of the 12.5% stretched PI film gives an activation energy of 10 kcal/mole for the first shrinking. From the 30% stretched sample, the second activation of contraction is 25 kcal/mole, and from 40% sample the third one is 33 kcal/mole. These three contraction reactions are observed successively for the TMA curves for highly stretched samples, and correspond to the various kinds of molecular motion of this special rigid polymer structure, which are also observed in the dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of the same polymer.

Polypyromellitimide (PI) is a typical thermally stable polymer due to the rigid aromatic and heterocyclic ring structures in its backbone chain. This polymer is able to be cold-drawn in the glassy state, and it shrinks markedly on heating. The thermal shrinkage was investigated thermoanalytically by thermomechanical analysis (TMA) at a uniform heating rate. The activation energies of thermal shrinkage in three stages are estimated by this method.     

Rhodium-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov intermolecular hydroalkoxylation of terminal acetylenes

We report here the first transition-metal-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov intermolecular hydroalkoxylation of terminal acetylenes to give enol ethers in high yields without using bases. Arylacetylenes as well as alkenyl- and alkylacetylenes were coupled with aliphatic alcohols, and the products were obtained with high Z selectivity in most cases. Effective catalysts were 8-quinolinolato rhodium complexes, which are structurally simple but have been relatively unexplored as catalysts.     

Molecular aggregation and mechanical properties of Kapton H

Molecular aggregation of Kapton H (KH) was investigated by small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). Superstructure parameters were estimated using a one-dimensional model, taking into account that the SAXS from KH is anisotropic out of the film plane. The results show that KH has a two-phase structure with a volume ratio of the ordered to the less-ordered phase of about 1:1. The β dispersion in dynamic mechanical properties is reasonably ascribed to oscillations of p-phenylene groups in the main chain.