Modeling and simulation of free radical polymerization of styrene under semibatch reactor conditions

The first part of this approach is concerned with the elaboration of a radical polymerization model of styrenne, based on a kinetic diagram that includes chemical and thermal initiation, propagation, termination by recombination and chain transfer to the monomer. Furthermore, volume contraction during polymerization is considered, as well as the gel and glass effects. The mathematical formalism that describes the model in terms of moments is explored in detail. The model was then used to predict the changes in monomer conversion and molecular weight after intermediate addition of initiator and monomer. The results of this operation are dependent on the conditions of the reaction mass, quantity, and moment of substance addition. Therefore, the simulations were performed at different times with respect to the gel effect; before, during and after this phenomenon, and also with respect to different temperatures and initiators. Increasing the initiator concentration before the gel effect leads to an earlier appearance of the phenomenon and to a decrease in molecular weight. The ratio reveals a polydispersity index smaller for the intermediate addition of initiator. No significant changes take place during or after the gel effect. If along with the initiator, unreacted monomver (used to dissolve the initiator) enters the reactor, a small dip in conversion is observed. The general conclusion of this paper reveals the intermediate addition of initiator as a method to control polymer properties and to prevent the “dead-end” polymerization of styrene.     

Synthesis and structural revision of naturally occurring ayapin derivatives

The synthesis of three highly oxygenated naturally occurring coumarins, 8-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin, 5-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin and 5,8-dimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin is described for the first time, together with a new method for the preparation of ayapin (6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin). Comparison of the spectroscopic data of the synthetic tetraoxygenated coumarin 5,8-dimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin with literature reports resulted in the structural revision of several natural coumarins. Two coumarins, both identified as 5,8-dimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin must have other structures, while the structure of another coumarin, described as the isomeric 7,8-dimethoxy-5,6-methylenedioxycoumarin has to be revised to 5,8-dimethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin.     

Diheteroarylmethanes. 6.(1) Probing the Electron-Withdrawing Rank of Heteroaryl Groups by Conformational Studies of Push-Pull Ethylenes. Isolation of NH-Enamine Tautomers of alpha,alpha-Diheteroarylacetaldehydes (Heteroaryl = 2-Benzoxazolyl, 2-Benzothiazolyl)

Enamines and enol ethers substituted in the beta position by the 2-benzoxazolyl and 2-benzothiazolyl group have been obtained by condensing dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal and ethyl orthoformate, respectively, with bis(2-benzoxazolyl)methane and bis(2-benzothiazolyl)methane. A dynamic NMR and semiempirical (PM3) investigation on rotational energy barriers has been carried out in order to rank the electron-withdrawing capacity of the heterocyclic rings. The NMR-based evaluation of the energy barriers corresponding to the rotation along the enaminic double bond has shown that the pi-electron-withdrawing power of benzothiazole is larger than that of benzoxazole, in full accord with previously obtained charge demand values based on (13)C and (15)N pi-charge/shift relationships. The NMR and the computational approaches have led to consistent results. The X-ray crystal structure of alpha,alpha-bis(2-benzothiazolyl)-beta-(dimethylamino)ethene shows that only one heteroaryl ring is coplanar with the enaminic double bond, while the second one is twisted by 73 degrees relative to such a plane. Moreover, in this case calculations closely reproduce the experimental results. In the calculated transition states corresponding to the rotational process along the enamine double bond, the two heteroaryl groups become coplanar and conjugation develops between the enaminic nitrogen electron pool and both heterocycles. The lower rotational barrier observed in the case of the 2-benzothiazolyl derivatives, with respect to the 2-benzoxazolyl derivatives, is therefore a direct consequence of the higher electron-withdrawing power of the former group. Furthermore, a stabilizing intramolecular nonbonded S.S interaction in the rotational transition state of the benzothiazolyl derivatives is evidenced by the calculations. An unprecedented isolation of the NH-enamine tautomer involving the benzoxazolyl and benzothiazolyl ring in alpha,alpha-diheteroacetaldehydes has been performed, confirming these heterocycles as strong electron-withdrawing substituents.     

High-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance of high-spin manganese(III) in tetrapyrrole complexes

High-field and -frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) spectroscopy has been used to study three complexes of high spin Manganese(III), 3d4, S = 2. The complexes studied were tetraphenylporphyrinatomanganese(III) chloride (MnTPPCI), phthalocyanatomanganese(III) chloride (MnPcCl), and (8,12-diethyl-2,3,7,13,17,18-hexamethylcorrolato)manganese(III) (MnCor). We demonstrate the ability to obtain both field-oriented (single-crystal like) spectra and true powder pattern HFEPR spectra of solid samples. The latter are obtained by immobilizing the powder, either in an n-eicosane mull or KBr pellet. We can also obtain frozen solution HFEPR spectra with good signal-to-noise, and yielding the expected true powder pattern. Frozen solution spectra are described for MnTPPCl in 2:3 (v/v) toluene/CH2Cl2 solution and for MnCor in neat pyridine (py) solution. All of the HFEPR spectra have been fully analyzed using spectral simulation software and a complete set of spin Hamiltonian parameters has been determined for each complex in each medium. Both porphyrinic complexes (MnTPPCl and MnPcCl) are rigorously axial systems, with similar axial zero-field splitting (zfs): D approximately -2.3 cm(-1), and g values quite close to 2.00. In contrast, the corrole complex, MnCor, exhibits slightly larger magnitude, rhombic zfs: D approximtely -2.6 cm(-1), absolute value(E) approximately 0.015 cm(-1), also with g values quite close to 2.00. These results are discussed in terms of the molecular structures of these complexes and their electronic structure. We propose that there is a significant mixing of the triplet (S = 1) excited state with the quintet (S= 2) ground state in Mn(III) complexes with porphyrinic ligands, which is even more pronounced for corroles.     

Variants of Solid-State and Solution Structures of (η3-Allyl)- {2-[2′-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]-4,5-dihydrooxazole-P,N}palladium(II) hexafluorophosphates and tetraphenylborates

Crystal and solution structures of the enantiomerically pure and the racemic pairs of (η³-allyl) {2-[2′-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-4-phenyloxazole}palladium(II) hexafluorophosphates ( 1 , and rac- 1 , resp.) and tetraphenylborates ( 2 , and rac- 2 , resp.) as well as (η³-allyl){2-[2′-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-4-isopropyloxazole}palladium(II) tetraphenylborate ( 3 ) were characterized by X-ray crystallography and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. In the solid state, rac- 1 and rac- 2 proved to be disordered with both diastereoisomeric complexes in the crystal. The complexes 2 and 3 exist only in the ‘exo’ form. The X-ray structures show that the [Pd^II(η³-allyl)] moiety may adopt different configurations between a nearly symmetrical three-electron Pd^II(π³-allyl) system and an asymmetrical allyl group with a η¹- and a η²-bonding to the metal center. The [Pd^II(η³-allyl)] system of rac- 1 and of ‘endo’ rac- 2 is closer to the former, and that of 2 , ‘exo’-rac- 2 , and 3 closer to the later geometry. The ¹H-NMR spectra of the hexafluorophosphates 1 and rac- 1 show two sets of signals of the allylic protons in an ‘exo’/‘endo’ ratio of 2:3. The tetraphenylborates 2, rac- 2 , and 3 give only one set of broad signals of the allylic protons.     

Design, synthesis, and photophysical studies of a porphyrin-fullerene dyad with parachute topology; charge recombination in the marcus inverted region

As part of a continuing investigation of the topological control of intramolecular electron transfer (ET) in donor-acceptor systems, a symmetrical parachute-shaped octaethylporphyrin-fullerene dyad has been synthesized. A symmetrical strap, attached to ortho positions of phenyl groups at opposing meso positions of the porphyrin, was linked to [60]-fullerene in the final step of the synthesis. The dyad structures were confirmed by (1)H, (13)C, and (3)He NMR, and MALDI-TOF mass spectra. The free-base and Zn-containing dyads were subjected to extensive spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical studies. UV-vis spectra of the dyads are superimposable on the sum of the spectra of appropriate model systems, indicating that there is no significant ground-state electronic interaction between the component chromophores. Molecular modeling studies reveal that the lowest energy conformation of the dyad is not the C(2)(v)() symmetrical structure, but rather one in which the porphyrin moves over to the side of the fullerene sphere, bringing the two pi-systems into close proximity, which enhances van der Waals attractive forces. To account for the NMR data, it is proposed that the dyad is conformationally mobile at room temperature, with the porphyrin swinging back and forth from one side of the fullerene to the other. The extensive fluorescence quenching in both the free base and Zn dyads is associated with an extremely rapid photoinduced electron-transfer process, k(ET) approximately 10(11) s(-)(1), generating porphyrin radical cations and C(60) radical anions, detected by transient absorption spectroscopy. Back electron transfer (BET) is slower than charge separation by up to 2 orders of magnitude in these systems. The BET rate is slower in nonpolar than in polar solvents, indicating that BET occurs in the Marcus inverted region, where the rate decreases as the thermodynamic driving force for BET increases. Transient absorption and singlet molecular oxygen sensitization data show that fullerene triplets are formed only with the free base dyad in toluene, where triplet formation from the charge-separated state is competitive with decay to the ground state. The photophysical properties of the P-C(60) dyads with parachute topology are very similar to those of structurally related rigid pi-stacked P-C(60) dyads, with the exception that there is no detectable charge-transfer absorption in the parachute systems, attributed to their conformational flexibility. It is concluded that charge separation in these hybrid systems occurs through space in unsymmetrical conformations, where the center-to-center distance between the component pi-systems is minimized. Analysis of the BET data using Marcus theory gives reorganization energies for these systems between 0.6 and 0.8 eV and electronic coupling matrix elements between 4.8 and 5.6 cm(-)(1).     

(Perhalogenmethylthio)heterocyclen. X. Säurekatalysierte Substitutionen an (Perchlorfluormethylthio)pyrrolen und deren agrobiologische Wirkung

(Perhalomethylthio)heterocycles. X

1 IX. Mitt.: s. [1].

. Acid-catalyzed substitutions on (perchlorofluoromethylthio)pyrroles and their agro-biological activities In the presence of C₄F₉SO₃H the (perhalomethylthio)pyrroles 1a–c react with Cl_3?nF_nCSCl (n = 1–3) to give mixtures of the 2,5- and 2,4-disubstituted pyrroles 2a–f and 3a–h . 2a and 3a react with CF₃SCl (catalyst CF₃SO₃H) yielding 2,3,5-tris (trifloromethylthio)pyrrole ( 4a ), which under similar conditions reacts further to give 2,3,4,5-tetrakis (trifluoromethylthio)pyrrole ( 5 ). As a by-product during the conversion of 3a to 4a 2,3,4-tris (trifluoromethylthio)pyrrole ( 4b ) is formed. The pyrroles 2a , 4a and 5 form the mercury salts 6a–c ; compound 5 yields also a silver salt 7 . The ¹H- and ¹⁹F-NMR. spectra are discussed and the agro-biological properties of the compounds investigated.     

Designing generalized statistical ensembles for numerical simulations of biopolymers

Conformational properties of polymers, such as average dihedral angles or molecular alpha-helicity, display a rather weak dependence on the detailed arrangement of the elementary constituents (atoms). We propose a computer simulation method to explore the polymer phase space using a variant of the standard multicanonical method, in which the density of states associated to suitably chosen configurational variables is considered in place of the standard energy density of states. This configurational density of states is used in the Metropolis acceptance/rejection test when configurations are generated with the help of a hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm. The resulting configurational probability distribution is then modulated by exponential factors derived from the general principle of the maximal constrained entropy by requiring that certain average configurational quantities take preassigned (possibly temperature dependent) values. Thermal averages of other configurational quantities can be computed by using the probability distributions obtained in this way. Moments of the energy distribution require an extra canonical sampling of the system phase space at the desired temperature, in order to locally thermalize the configurational degrees of freedom. As an application of these ideas we present the study of the structural properties of two simple models: a bead-and-spring model of polyethylene with independent hindered torsions and an all-atom model of alanine and glycine oligomers with 12 amino acids in vacuum.     

Synthesis of novel 1,4‐dihydropyrido[3′,2′:5,6]thiopyrano[4,3‐c]‐pyrazoles and 5H‐pyrido[3′,2′:5,6]thiopyrano[4,3‐d]pyrimidines as potential antiproliferative agents

The synthesis of new planar derivatives characterized by the presence of a pyridothiopyranopyrazole or pyridothiopyranopyrimidine nucleus, carrying a substituted aryl group, is reported. The novel 1,4‐dihydropyrido[3′,2′:5,6]thiopyrano[4,3‐c]pyrazole derivatives were obtained by condensation of 2,3‐dihydro‐3‐hydroxymethylenethiopyrano[2,3‐b]pyridin‐4(4H)‐ones with appropriate hydrazines. The preparation of 2‐substituted pyrido[3′,2′:5,6]thiopyrano[4,3‐d]pyrimidines was accomplished from the intermediate 2,3‐dihy‐dro‐3‐dimethylaminomethylenethiopyrano[2,3‐b]pyridin‐4(4H)‐ones by reaction with the appropriate binucleophile amidines. The antiproliferative activity of some new products was tested by an in vitro assay on human tumour cell lines (HL‐60 and HeLa), but none of them showed any significant effects in the tests performed. Accordingly, linear flow dichroism measurements indicated their inability to form a molecular complex with DNA.     

BINOL catalyzed enantioselective addition of titanium phenylacetylide to aromatic ketones

An enantioselective addition of titanium phenylacetylide to ketones, promoted by BINOL, is described; this new enantioselective protocol gives high enantiomeric excess (up to 90% ee) with aromatic ketones using a simple procedure without pyrophoric or expensive reagents.