The effects of temperature and pressure on the lifetime of benzophenone emission

The variation in the lifetime of flash-excited gaseous benzophenone with pressure and temperature indicates that (1) self-quenching is a relatively inefficient process for the long-lived emission, k_sq = 9 × 10⁵ M^?1 s^?1 (estimated from solution data) at 25°C and 1.2 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 at 170°C and (2) the lifetime decreases with increasing temperature as a result of photochemical and photophysical decay pathways which have significant activation energies. The importance of diffusion to the walls on lifetime measurements is discussed.     

Surface layering in ionic liquids: an X-ray reflectivity study

The surface structure and thermodynamics of two ionic liquids, based on the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations, were studied by X-ray reflectivity and surface tensiometry. A molecular layer of a density approximately 18% higher than that of the bulk is found to form at the free surface of these liquids. In common with surface layering in liquid metals and surface freezing in melts of organic chain molecules, this effect is induced by the lower dimensionality of the surface. The concentrations of the oppositely charged ions within the surface layer are determined by chemical substitution of the anion. The temperature-dependent surface tension measurements reveal a normal, negative-slope temperature dependence. The different possible molecular arrangements within the enhanced-density surface layer are discussed.     

Anil-Synthese. 19. Mitteilung. Über die Herstellung von Stilbenyl-Derivaten des Isoxazols

Preparation of Stilbenyl Derivatives of Isoxazoles Schiff's bases derived from 3- and 5-(p-formylphenyl)-phenylisoxazoles and o- or p-chloroaniline are reacted with various p-tolyl substituted aromatic heterocycles in the presence of dimethylformamide and potassium hydroxide or potassium t-but-oxide to yield the corresponding heterocyclic substituted stilbenes (‘Anil synthesis’). 5-[4-(Chlorphenylimino-methyl)phenyl]-phenylisoxazoles react less readily than the corresponding 3-isomers.     

Lanthanum-based perovskites obtained in molten nitrates or nitrites

Lanthanum-based perovskites, LaMO₃ (where M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni), have been synthesised from lanthanum precursors and corresponding 3d transition metal salts in molten alkali metal nitrates or nitrites. The reactivity of eight precursors in three molten salts of different basicity was analysed. Single phase orthorhombic LaMnO_3.11, and orthorhombic LaFeO₃ have been obtained in molten NaNO₂ at 723 K, for 2 h. LaCoO₃ is also formed in molten nitrite, but an increase of basicity, by adding Na₂O₂, was necessary to obtain LaNiO₃. The reaction systems were investigated by thermal analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and specific surface area measurements (BET method) were used to characterise the synthesised nanopowders.     

Miscible blends through hydrogen bonding: effects on polymer properties

Miscible blends through hydrogen bonding have been intensively studied. The effects of a variety of miscible hydrogen bonded polymer blends on properties such as thermal and thermal oxidative stability, moisture sensitivity, modulus and glass transition temperature are discussed. In addition, the preparation of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) and studies of the effect of crosslinking on the miscibility in hydrogen bonded polymer blends are reviewed.     

Synthesis of new cyclic thionosulfites

The reaction of a series of 1,2-diols with S(2)Cl(2), 1,1'-thiobisbenzimidazole (4a), and 1,1'-dithiobisbenzimidazole (4b) provides the corresponding thionosulfites, ROS(S)OR (2), in moderate to good yield.     

Advanced approaches for the characterization of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide

We report here an advanced approach for the characterization of the folding pattern of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide by high-resolution methods. Incorporation of two fluorescence labels at the C- and N-terminus of the peptide chain as well as modification of two hydrophobic core positions by Phe/[15N,13C]Leu enable the study of the folding characteristics and of distinct amino acid side chain interactions by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and NMR spectroscopy. Results of both experiments reveal the antiparallel alignment of the helices and thus prove the design concept. This finding is also supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS) in combination with NMR experiments was used for verification of the oligomerization equilibria of the coiled coil peptide.     

Modification of polybenzimidazole: Synthesis and thermal stability of poly(N1-methylbenzimidazole) and poly(N1,N3-dimethylbenzimidazolium) salt

Poly(N₁,N₃-dimethylbenzimidazolium) (PDMBI) salt and poly(N₁-methylbenzimidazole) (PMMBI) were synthesized by methylation of commercial polybenzimidazole [poly-2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole (PBI)]. First, the N-lithium salt of polybenzimidazole was formed by treating polybenzimidazole solution of 1-methyl-2-pyrolidinone (NMP) with lithium hydride at 80°C for 18 h. Ninety percent substitution of PMMBI was obtained by treating the N-lithium salt of PBI with equimolar ratio of iodomethane at room temperature. Upon addition of excess iodomethane to the lithium salt of PBI at 80°C, a polymer was formed that showed 100% substitution on the N₁ nitrogen and about 30% substitution of the methyl group on the N₃ nitrogen in the form of N₁,N₃-dimethylbenzimidazolium iodide salt [PDMBI (30%)]. The content of the benzimidazolium iodide salt was increased to about 90% by dissolving PDMBI (30%) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and re-treating with excess iodomethane at 80°C overnight. The modified PBI polymers were characterized by NMR and FTIR. The modified PBI differed in solubility from PBI. PMMBI could be easily dissolved in NMP and PDMBI in DMSO at room temperature. The solution of PDMBI could be mixed with water in all proportions without precipitation. PDMBI could be also dissolved directly in a mixture of DMSO and water (1 : 1). Typical polyelectrolyte behavior of viscosity was found in solution of PDMBI (30%) and PDMBI (90%) when DMSO and a mixture of DMSO and water were used as solvents. A salt effect on viscosity was also found in the mixed solvent solution. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the methyl group on the imidazole ring was unstable above 180°C under nitrogen. When PDMBI was heated under nitrogen, one of the methyl groups was lost with the counterion to result in a neutral PMMBI. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.