THE PREPARATION OF TRIALKYL PHOSPHITES DIRECTLY FROM THE ELEMENT

Abstract

The reaction between finely divided white phosphorus and several alkoxide ions in the presence of tetrachloromethane and excess of alcohol has been investigated under a variety of conditions. High yields of trialkylphosphite are obtained when two equivalents of alkoxide are used. With one equivalent of alkoxide, dialkylphosphonate is formed in comparable yield. Maximum yields of triester are obtained within 1–3 h at room temperature. Prolonged treatment results in the conversion of trialkylphosphite to phosphate by reaction with tetrachloromethane. Phenolate ions are unreactive under the same experimental conditions. The mechanism of the reaction is discussed.     

THE PREPARATION OF SULPHIDES AND POLYSULPHIDES FROM β-KETO-ESTERS AND 1,3-DIKETONES

Abstract

We have found that the treatment of certain β-keto-esters or 1,3-diketones with thionyl chloride gives either a sulphide or a sulphinyl chloride together with the chloro-compound depending on the structure of the active methylene compound. In certain cases cyclisation of sulphide provides a useful route to a 1,4-oxathiin.     

Cyclic (ALN)n Compounds as Precursors to Aluminum Nitride: Synthesis and Structure of [(CH3)2AlNH2]3 and the Planar Species [(t-C4H9)2AlNH2]3

Abstract

The crystal and molecular structures of the title compounds, [(CH₃)₂AlNH₂]₃ 1 and [(t-C₄H₉)₂AlNH₂]₃ 2, have been determined in connection with their investigation as possible precursors to aluminum nitride. Both compounds have an (AlN)₃ ring-structure with distorted tetrahedral geometries for the ring Al and N atoms. The distortion from tetrahedral geometry is most pronounced for the N atoms where the endocyclic Al-N-Al bond angles average 125.3 for 1 and 134.2 for 2. The (AlN)₃ ring in 1 is in a skew-boat conformation with no unusual intra- or intermolecular contacts. Compound 2 on the other hand exhibits an unprecedented planar (AlN)₃ ring as required by a crystallographic three-fold symmetry axis. The effects of the Al and N substituents on the (AlN)₃ ring size and conformation, as well as on the endocyclic Al-N-Al bond angles, are discussed in the context of the structural results obtained for these and other (AlN)_n ring compounds.     

Complementary MS Methods Assist Conformational Characterization of Antibodies with Altered S–S Bonding Networks

As therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) become a major focus in biotechnology and a source of the next-generation drugs, new analytical methods or combination methods are needed for monitoring changes in higher order structure and effects of post-translational modifications. The complexity of these molecules and their vulnerability to structural change provide a serious challenge. We describe here the use of complementary mass spectrometry methods that not only characterize mutant mAbs but also may provide a general framework for characterizing higher order structure of other protein therapeutics and biosimilars. To frame the challenge, we selected members of the IgG2 subclass that have distinct disulfide isomeric structures as a model to evaluate an overall approach that uses ion mobility, top-down MS sequencing, and protein footprinting in the form of fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP). These three methods are rapid, sensitive, respond to subtle changes in conformation of Cys?→?Ser mutants of an IgG2, each representing a single disulfide isoform, and may be used in series to probe higher order structure. The outcome suggests that this approach of using various methods in combination can assist the development and quality control of protein therapeutics.      

How Constant Momentum Acceleration Decouples Energy and Space Focusing in Distance–of–Flight and Time–of–Flight Mass Spectrometries

Resolution in time–of–flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) is ordinarily limited by the initial energy and space distributions within an instrument’s acceleration region and by the length of the field–free flight zone. With gaseous ion sources, these distributions lead to systematic flight–time errors that cannot be simultaneously corrected with conventional static–field ion–focusing devices (i.e., an ion mirror). It is known that initial energy and space distributions produce non–linearly correlated errors in both ion velocity and exit time from the acceleration region. Here we reinvestigate an old acceleration technique, constant–momentum acceleration (CMA), to decouple the effects of initial energy and space distributions. In CMA, only initial ion energies (and not their positions) affect the velocity ions gain. Therefore, with CMA, the spatial distribution within the acceleration region can be manipulated without creating ion–velocity error. The velocity differences caused by a spread in initial ion energy can be corrected with an ion mirror. We discuss here the use of CMA and independent focusing of energy and space distributions for both distance–of–flight mass spectrometry (DOFMS) and TOFMS. Performance characteristics of our CMA–DOFMS and CMA–TOFMS instrument, fitted with a glow–discharge ionization source, are described. In CMA–DOFMS, resolving powers (FWHM) of greater than 1000 are achieved for atomic ions with a flight length of 285 mm. In CMA–TOFMS, only ions over a narrow range of m/z values can be energy–focused; however, the technique offers improved resolution for these focused ions, with resolving powers of greater than 2000 for a separation distance of 350 mm.      

Synthesis and Characterization of Triphenylphosphine Oxide-Containing Poly(Aryl Imide)-Poly(Dimethyl Siloxane) Randomly Segmented Copolymers

Abstract

Poly(aryl imide)-poly(dimethyl siloxane) randomly segmented copolymers were synthesized by essentially a one-step solution imidization process in a solvent system consisting of predominately o-dichlorobenzene with a small amount of n-methylpyrolidone. This solvent combination was selected because of its ability to afford homogeneous solutions throughout the polymerization process. This enabled copolymers of any desired poly(dimethyl siloxane) composition to be prepared. A hydrolytically stable triphenylphosphine oxide containing diamine, bis(3-amino-phenoxy-4′-phenyl)phenylphosphine oxide, was utilized as a chain extender and together with oxydiphthalic anhydride formed the hard segment in these copolymers. The soft segment was formed from α,ω-aminopropyl poly(dimethyl siloxane) oligomers of controlled molecular weight. The presence of phosphorus and silicon contributes several unique properties to the system, including enhanced solubility, thermal stability, and flame resistance. High molecular weight copolymers containing up to 60% (w/w) of the poly(dimethyl siloxane) segments were successfully prepared using this method. Gel permeation chromatography analysis, based on a universal calibration curve in CHCl₃, was performed to determine the molecular weights and distribution. These copolymers with 40-60% (w/w) poly(dimethyl siloxane) exhibited upper T_g values ranging from 130 to 180°C and showed substantial char yields at 750°C in air, which increased with siloxane content. Dynamic mechanical analysis confirmed the anticipated microphase behavior by the presence of two separate glass-transition regions. Both small angle x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy measurements determined on well-characterized transparent cast films were used to better demonstrate the multiphase nature of these copolymers.     

Rational Design of Macromolecular Structures: Focusing on the Embryonic Stages of Polymerization

Acetate-terminated oligomers of fluoral, chloral and bromal, prepared with the lithium alkoxides of tert-butanol and (-)-borneol, were analyzed by gas chromatography, polarimetry, NMR and mass spectroscopies, and by single crystal x-ray diffraction methods. The configurational and conformational properties of the “embryonic” adducts were found to depend strongly on the relative size of the trihalomethyl side group in these systems. The results of our efforts, summarized here, help to shed new light on the origins of helical geometry and crystalline order in polymers of the perhaloacetaldehydes.     

Radiation Degradation of Poly(olefin Sulfone)s: A Volatile Product Study

The predominant degradation reaction in the γ-irradiation of nine poly(olefin sulfone)s was found to be C-S bond scission with elimination of SO₂ and olefin. The extent of depolymerization, measured by the yields of the two comonomers, increased over five irradiation temperatures from 0 to 150° C and could be correlated with the ceiling temperature. Thus G (total volatile products) increased from 10 to 10,000 over this temperature range. Minor radiolysis products included the alkanes corresponding to (1) loss of the side chain group and (2) scavenging of the side chain radical by monomer olefin. There was a deficiency of olefin relative to SO₂, except at high temperatures, and isomerization of the product olefin in some cases. These observations are attributed to reactions of radiation-induced polymeric cations.     

Synthesis of Conjugated Optically Active Polymetallocenes

The development of methodology for synthesizing new materials in which metal atoms are linked by hydrocarbons whose electronic conjugation is unbroken is described. The fundamental idea is to twist the hydrocarbons into helices. By attaching bulky groups to their precursors, the helices can be made to twist mainly in one direction. The molecules synthesized are helicenes capped by five-membered rings to which metals are attached. If the size of the helix is chosen appropriately, a polymeric structure forms in which hydrocarbon rings and metal atoms alternate. An oligomer with Structure 22 is the first such material prepared. It and related structures might be precursors of molecular solenoids, examples of which are not yet known.     

Supramolecular assembly of lysine-b-glycine block copolypeptides at different solution conditions

Here we report the supramolecular assembly of poly(l-lysine)-b-polyglycine diblock copolypeptides at different solution conditions. Light scattering and confocal microscopy indicate that the supramolecular aggregates initially formed in solution are vesicles with a broad size distribution, depending strongly on the initial processing conditions. The vesicles formed after multiple pH cycles appear independent of the initial processing conditions and are related to the thermodynamic nature of the assembled supramolecular aggregates. Circular dichroism results verify that this change in size observed over pH cyclings tracks with the conformation changes of the lysine block confined in the vesicle membranes. This appears interesting for peptosome-based materials, implying a high level of fluidity in the membrane that allows the supramolecular aggregates formed in solution to respond to changes in pH. The results also show that the external stimulus, which is the change of pH in this study, provides an additional means to regulate polypeptide vesicle size and size distribution.