Electron energy loss spectroscopy of liquid glycerol

The inelastic scattering of low energy electrons from liquid glycerol has been studied. For the first time, electron energy loss spectra of liquids are sufficiently well resolved to permit the identification of vibrations corresponding to individual bonds, namely the C–H and O–H stretching vibrations in glycerol. The angular distribution of the specular peak is very broad, indicating the absence of long-range order at the surface of the liquid. The measurement of the loss signals as a function of the primary electron energy suggests a hybrid mechanism of excitation. The excitation mechanism for the O–H vibration has a stronger impact character as compared to the C–H vibration. A negative ion resonance of glycerol is found at a primary energy of 8 eV. The signal intensities measured as a function of the specular angle of the electron beam appear to be influenced by the angular dependence of the dipole and impact scattering cross-section and a possible preferred orientation of the C–H and O–H groups at the surface of the liquid.     

Angle resolved ion scattering spectroscopy reveals the local topography around atoms in a liquid surface

Neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy under normal incidence is known to yield the concentration depth profiles of all elements except hydrogen at the surface of liquids and other amorphous material. In the evaluation of the data one tactically has to assume that the top surface layer and the adjacent layers are laterally homogeneous. In the present paper we establish that the angular resolved mode of this spectroscopy is able to test with high accuracy whether the lateral homogeneity is valid and-if this is not the case-in which way the top layer is structured. In particular, it is possible to map out the local environment of selected atoms. We expect that this so far inaccessible information on the local topography at liquid surfaces will have an impact on the understanding of reactions at the gas/liquid interface.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of 1,3,5-tris(arylalkynyl)-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzenes

A number of C₃-symetric 1,3,5-tris(arylalkynyl)-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzenes which carry electron withdrawing aryl substituents at the acetylenic periphery and donating methoxy groups on the central benzene ring are prepared via Sonogashira coupling. The utility of two different synthetic routes is evaluated as well as the effect of the nature of the aryl and ethynyl starting compounds in the coupling reaction. Finally, a correlation between the substitution pattern of the alkynyl compounds and their UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopic properties is established.     

Heterogeneous polymer systems. IV. Mechanism of rubber particle formation in rubber-modified vinyl polymers

A mechanism for the formation of rubber particles in the polymerization of solutions of rubber in vinyl monomers is presented. A polymeric oil-in-oil emulsion is formed in the first phase of the polymerization. This polymeric oil-in-oil emulsion is transtormed into a solid dispersion of rubber in vinyl polymer in the second phase of the polymerization. A phase inversion takes place in the emulsion in the first phase of the polymerization. Rubber solution droplets are formed at the phase inversion point. These droplets harden as the polymerization proceeds and are gradually transformed into the solid, crosslinked rubber particles of the final polymer.     

Computer Simulation of the Kinetics of Complicated Gas Phase Reactions

Modern digital methods and powerful computers make it possible to simulate the time behavior of chemical reactions. These calculations can be performed on systems containing an almost unlimited number of elementary reactions. Generally, however, the reaction models used should contain only those elementary reactions which describe the bulk of the conversion. Such a reaction model may be obtained by reduction of the complete set of elementary reactions. Another possibility is analysis of the chemical system starting from conditions ensuring a simple chemistry, which is generally the case at low temperatures and low conversions. The reaction model may then be extended into the range of the reaction variables (temperature, time) of interest. Mathematical simulations may be helpful during the development of the reaction model, and sometimes even decisive. These methods were applied to the pyrolysis of ethylbenzene and n-hexane, and to CO oxidation. They yield information on the reaction paths, the importance of particular elementary reactions, and reaction stability. Furthermore, quantitative data can be obtained concerning the influence of single elementary reactions on the product distribution. The sensitivity matrix shows, e.g., whether the determination of kinetic parameters of an elementary reaction from kinetic data of the overall reaction is possible in principle, and how high the accuracy of the rate constants should be for simulation of the reaction. Both results are important for modeling chemical reactions.     

Determination of halogen species of humic substances using HPLC/ICP-MS coupling

A mass spectrometric method for the determination of chlorine, bromine and iodine species of humic substances (HS) has been developed by coupling a HPLC system with ICP-MS. Using size exclusion chromatography, the method was applied to the characterization of natural water samples (ground water, seepage water from soil, brown water) and a sewage water sample. Quantification of iodine/HS species was carried out by the on-line isotope dilution technique, which was not possible for bromine and chlorine species because of mass spectroscopic interferences by using a quadrupole ICP-MS. Characteristic fingerprints of the halogen/HS species, correlated with the corresponding UV chromatogram, were obtained dependent on the different origin of HS. Biological influences were indicated when following changes of the iodine/HS species composition by aging. The formation of iodine/HS species from inorganic iodide was investigated by labelling experiments with an ¹²⁹I^– spike solution, resulting in the finding that specific HS fractions are preferably iodinated.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched atrolactic acid and other α-hydroxy acids

The α-anions of 2-substituted 1,3-dioxolan-4-ones derived from chiral mandelic and lactic acid ($\text{2a}$, $\text{2b}$; $\text{3a}$; $\text{10a}$, $\text{10b}$) were alkylated with high stereoselectivity. The products formed were hydrolysed to α-hydroxy acids with 65–85% e.e. ((S)(+)-$\text{5}$,$\text{7}$,$\text{9}$, (R)(–)-$\text{13}$).     

Segregation of inorganic ions at surfaces of polar nonaqueous liquids.

We present a short review of recent computational and experimental studies on surfaces of solutions of inorganic salts in polar nonaqueous solvents. These investigations complement our knowledge of aqueous interfaces and show that liquids such as formamide, liquid ammonia, and ethylene glycol can also surface-segregate large polarizable anions like iodide, albeit less efficiently than water. For liquids whose surfaces are covered with hydrophobic groups (e.g. methanol), the surface-ion effect all but disappears. Based on the present data a general picture of inorganic-ion solvation at the solution-vapor interface of polar liquids is outlined.