Studies on olefins. IX—proton NMR study of some CH2CR1R2 and CHR3CR1R2 alkenes

The proton NMR spectra of 2,3,4,4-tetramethyl-3-t-butylpent-1-ene rotarners have been completely assigned by low temperature NOE measurements. Chemical shifts and cis and trans allylic coupling constants are unambiguously determined. It is shown that other 2-substituted propenes can be assigned on the basis of the coupling constants, but not from the chemical shift data. In 1,2-disubstituited propenes, however, the transoid coupling constant falls in the range of the cisoid coupling constant values of the 2-substituted propenes. Coupling constants cannot, therefore, be used in the 1,2-disubstituted propene series as a criterion for determining structure.     

Crosslinked polyamide based on main‐chain type polybenzoxazines derived from a primary amine‐functionalized benzoxazine monomer

Two types of main‐chain type polybenzoxazines with amide and benzoxazine groups as repeating units in the main chain, termed as poly(amide‐benzoxazine), have been synthesized. They have been prepared by polycondensation reaction of primary amine‐bifunctional benzoxazine with adipoyl and isophthaloyl dichloride using dimethylacetamide as solvent. Additionally, a model reaction is designed from the reaction of 3,3′‐(4,4′‐methylenebis(4,1‐phenylene))bis(3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[e][1,3]oxazin‐6‐amine) with benzoyl chloride. The structures of model compound and polyamides are confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopies. Differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR are also used to study crosslinking behavior of both the model compound and polymers. Thermal properties of the crosslinked polymers are also studied by thermogravimetric analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Dually fluorescent silica nanoparticles

The cationic dyes 9-aminoacridine (9AA) and safranine (Sf) were entrapped into silica spheres of about 0.2 μm diameter prepared by modified Stöber method. The fluorescent materials are investigated by steady-state and time-resolved emission, in addition of confocal fluorescence microscopy. Silica particles containing 9-aminoacridine (SP9AA) and safranine (SPSf) or both dyes (SPSf9AA) are emissive particles. When both dyes are present in the same particle but loaded in sequential stages 9AA emission is quenched as a consequence of energy transfer from 9AA (donor) to Sf (acceptor). This result suggests that particle growing processes where the acceptor is incorporated first into the core do not prevent donor/acceptor pairs to be close due to an overlay of the concentration gradients of both dyes in a radial core-shell like distribution.     

Proposal for an optical laser producing light at half the Josephson frequency

We describe a superconducting device capable of producing laser light in the visible range at half of the Josephson generation frequency with the optical phase of the light locked to the superconducting phase difference. It consists of two single-level quantum dots embedded in a p-n semiconducting heterostructure and surrounded by a cavity supporting a resonant optical mode. We study decoherence and spontaneous switching in the device.     

Cathodic corrosion as a facile and effective method to prepare clean metal alloy nanoparticles

The cathodic corrosion method described here is a simple, clean, and fast way of synthesizing nanoalloys with high catalytic performance. Using a series of Pt-Rh alloys as an example, we show that this one-step method can convert a bulk alloy electrode into an aqueous suspension of nanoparticles, retaining the composition and crystal lattice structure of the starting alloy. Compared to pure metals, these alloy nanocatalysts are more active toward CO and methanol oxidation and nitrate reduction reactions. Nanoparticles made of PtRu, PtIr, PtNi, AuCo, AuCu, and FeCo bulk alloys demonstrate the universality of this synthesis method.