Unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in asymmetric waveguide arrays

We present an analytical proof of the existence of unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in a waveguide array system. It is shown that the presence of nonreciprocity in the system allows for a complete normal-mode dephasing in one of the propagation directions, resulting in a unidirectional breakdown in Bloch oscillations. A model system consisting of an array of transversely magnetized asymmetric Si/SiO2 waveguides with a magneto-optic cover layer is presented. Large index contrasts between film and cover are critical for practical realizations.     

Synthesis,characterization, and polymerization activity of [bis(4,4'-bis(neophyldimethylsilylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyridyl)copper(I)]+CuBr2- and Implications for copper(I) catalyst structures in atom transfer radical polymerization

A series of 4,4'-disilyl-substituted-2,2'-bipyridine ligands were prepared using a metathesis reaction of the dianion of 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine with several trialkylsilyl chlorides: 4,4'bis(tert-butyldimethylsilylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (dTBDMSbipy), 4,4'-bis(dimethylthexylsilylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (dTHEXbipy), and 4,4'-bis(neophyldimethylsilylmethyl)-2-2'-bipyridine (dNEObipy). It was observed that the side chain length correlated with the ability of the ligand to form hydrocarbon soluble complexes of copper(I) bromide, with dNEObipy forming the most soluble and easily crystallized complexes. The atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene using dNEObipy as the ligand displayed molecular weight control equivalent to other ATRP systems in which solubilizing ligands, such as 4,4'-di-5-nonyl-2,2'-bipyridine or 4,4'-di-n-heptyl-2,2'-bipyridine, were used. The one-to-one complex of dNEObipy with CuBr was prepared and its crystal structure was determined. The resulting complex had the ionic formulation [(dNEObipy)2Cu]+[CuBr2]- and displayed similar activities in styrene ATRP as the standard 2 dNEObipy/CuBr catalyst system. These and other polymerization results in addition to NMR experiments suggest that the predominant copper(I) species formed in ATRP solutions is the 2-to-1 ligand-to-copper(I) cation, [(dNEObipy)2Cu]+, with either a dihalocuprate or halide counteranion, depending upon the conditions.     

Soft matter dispersions with ordered inner structures, stabilized by ethoxylated phytosterols

This paper describes the formation and characterization of liquid crystalline dispersions based on the hexagonal phase of GMO/tricaprylin/water. As a stabilizer of the soft particles dispersed in the aqueous phase, a non-ionic, non-polymeric surfactant—ethoxylated phytosterol with 30 oxyethylene units (PhEO) was utilized. In contrast to Pluronic copolymers, normally utilized in the stabilization of liquid crystalline dispersions with ordered inner structure, use of such non-polymeric surfactant is not a common practice in this field. We revealed how properties of these particles, such as internal structure, size, and stability, can be rationally modified by the concentration of the stabilizing agent and processing conditions. The physical stability of the hexosomes was further examined by the LUMiFuge technique.Structural effect of PhEO solubilization on the properties of the bulk H_II mesophase system showed that phase behavior was greatly influenced following phase transitions: H_II → H_II + cubic → cubic + L_α → L_α. The decrease of hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyl and carbonyl groups of monoolein with water and simultaneous hydration of EO groups of PhEO appeared to be important for the observed behavior. The use of PhEO as a dispersant resulted in a soft matter multi-phase water dispersion with bimodal distribution of the particle population. Effective stabilization of hexosomes was obtained in an extremely narrow concentration range of PhEO (0.1–0.2 wt%), coexisting with small vesicles and disordered particles. At higher PhEO content, particles had disordered inner structure, and unilamellar and multilamellar vesicles, at the expense of hexosomes in consequence of incorporation of the dispersant into the hexosome structure. PhEO was found to induce lamellar phase formation, introducing disorder into the hexagonal LLC and reducing their domain size.Finally, hexosomes were evaluated as delivery vehicles for the therapeutic peptide desmopressin. Sustained release of this drug was observed during the first 10 h; however, permeation drastically increased in the 10–24 h range.     

The design and synthesis of novel IBiox N-heterocyclic carbene ligands derived from substituted amino-indanols

A synthetic route towards a number of novel IBiox N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands has been developed. The resulting ligands have restricted flexibility and high steric demand. Preliminary studies have shown these ligands to give high levels of asymmetric induction in the copper-free allylic alkylation of cinnamyl bromide.     

Effects of structure on properties of some new aromatic-aliphatic polybenzimidazoles

Polybenzimidazoles were prepared in poly(phosphoric acid) from isophthalic, m- and p-phenylene diacetic, succinic, adipic, suberic, and sebacic acids and 3,3′-diaminobenzidine, 3,3′,4,4′-tetraaminodiphenyl ether and 3,3′,4,4′-tetraaminodiphenylmethane. The thermal, mechanical, and bonding properties were studied. A 3:1 copolymer of isophthalic and m-phenylenediacetic acid with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine showed the best results as far as isothermal oxidation resistance and thermal and processing characteristics.     

Interaction of kerogen and mineral matrix of an oil shale in an oxidative atmosphere

The effects of the inorganic matrix of the oil shale on the oxidation of the kerogen at temperatures up to 1000°C in an air atmosphere were investigated Kerogen was isolated by successive HCl, HF and LiAlH₄ treatments. The initial shale and each product of every demineralization process were oxidized in a thermogravimetric system in an air atmosphere. The oxidation products were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Changes in the chemical structure of the organic material of the shale were correlated with the separated constituents of the inorganic matrix. Oxidation of the kerogen occurred in two stages. The first stage was complete at about 400°C. The oxidized product after the first stage contained a char of an aromatic ring system substituted with some aliphatic material and carbonyl groups. Calcium minerals increased the reactivity of the aromatic part of the organic material towards the oxidation reactions. Where calcium minerals were absent, mainly the aliphatic and the carbonyl groups decomposed. Silicates and pyrites did not affect the reactivity of the organic material in oxidation reactions.     

Redox Potential and Crystal Chemistry of Hexanuclear Cluster Compounds

Most of TM₆-cluster compounds (TM = transition metal) are soluble in polar solvents, in which the cluster units commonly remain intact, preserving the same atomic arrangement as in solids. Consequently, the redox potential is often used to characterize structural and electronic features of respective solids. Although a high lability and variety of ligands allow for tuning of redox potential and of the related spectroscopic properties in wide ranges, the mechanism of this tuning is still unclear. Crystal chemistry approach was applied for the first time to clarify this mechanism. It was shown that there are two factors affecting redox potential of a given metal couple: Lever’s electrochemical parameters of the ligands and the effective ionic charge of TM, which in cluster compounds differs effectively from the formal value due to the bond strains around TM atoms. Calculations of the effective ionic charge of TMs were performed in the framework of bond valence model, which relates the valence of a bond to its length by simple Pauling relationship. It was also shown that due to the bond strains the charge depends mainly on the atomic size of the inner ligands.     

Versatile and facile synthesis of diverse semisynthetic tetracycline derivatives via Pd-catalyzed reactions

A diverse collection of tetracycline derivatives has been synthesized utilizing Heck, Suzuki, and other palladium-coupling reactions via tetracycline arenediazonium and iodoarene salts. Large numbers of tetracyclines are now possible via these reactions, including numerous upper periphery derivatives of doxycycline, minocycline, sancycline, and methacycline modified at positions C7, C9, and C6-C13 on the tetracycline naphthacene ring. Application of palladium-coupling reactions to the tetracyclines has yielded new tetracycline classes with differing structural attributes, greatly increasing the structural diversity of this family of antibiotics, one of the last of the early antibiotic families to be expanded by organic and medicinal chemistry.