Installation/modulation of the emission response via click reaction

We have demonstrated the installation of a fluorescence property into a nonfluorescent precursor and modulation of an emission response of a pyrene fluorophore via click reaction. The synthesized fluorophores show different solvatochromicity and/or intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) feature as is revealed from the UV-visible, fluorescence photophysical properties of these fluorophores, and DFT/TDDFT calculation. We observed that some of the synthesized fluorophores showed purely ICT character while emission from some of them arose from the LE state. A structureless and solvent polarity-sensitive dual emission behavior was observed for one of the triazolylpyrene fluorophores that contains an electron-donating -NMe(2) substituent (fluorophore, 7a). Conversely, triazolylpyrene with an electron-withdrawing -CN group (fluorophore, 7b) showed a solvent polarity-independent vibronic emission. The effect of ICT on the photophysical properties of these fluorophores was studied by fluorescence emission spectra and DFT/TDDFT calculations. Fluorescence lifetimes were also measured in different solvents. All of our findings revealed the delicate interplay of structure and emission properties and thus having broader general utility. As the CT to LE intensity ratio can be employed as a sensing index, the dual emissive fluorophore can be utilized in designing the molecular recognition system too. We envisage that our investigation is of importance for the development of new fluorophores with predetermined photophysical properties that may find a wide range of applications in chemistry, biology, and material sciences.     

Single-pixel, single-layer polymer device as a tricolor sensor with signals mimicking natural photoreceptors

Color sensing procedures typically involve multiple active detectors or a photodetector coupled to a filter array. We demonstrate the possibility of using a single polymer layer based device structure for multicolor sensing. The device structure does not require any color filters or any subpixelation, and it distinguishes colors without any external bias. The color sensing relies on an appropriate thickness of the active polymer layer that results in a characteristic polarity and temporal profile of the photocurrent signal in response to various incident colors. The device characteristics reveal interesting similarities to the features observed in natural photosensitive systems including retinal cone cells.     

Arjunolic Acid in Molecular Recognition: First Synthesis and Cation Binding Studies of a novel Arjuna-18-crown-6

Arjunolic acid, a functionally rich chiral triterpenoid with a rigid pentacyclic backbone, has the potential to be used as a structural framework for the design of molecular receptors and supramolecular architectures. The design and synthesis of the first arjunolic acid-derived 18-crown-6 and its binding studies with metal and tert-butylammonium ions are reported.     

Copolymerization of Fullerene (C60) and Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) using Triphenylbismuthonium Ylide as a Novel Initiator and Characterization of the Copolymers (C60-MMA)

Copolymerization of fullerene (C₆₀) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out using triphenylbismuthonium ylide (abbreviated as Ylide) as a novel initiator in dioxan at 60°C for 4 h in a dilatometer under a nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction follows ideal kinetics: R_p∝ [Ylide]^0.5[C₆₀]^?1.0[MMA]^1.0. The rate of polymerization increases with an increase in concentration of initiator and MMA. However, it decreases with increasing concentration of fullerene due to the radical scavenging effect of fullerene. The overall activation energy of copolymerization was estimated to be 57 KJ mol^?1. The fullerene-MMA copolymers (C₆₀-MMA) were characterized by FTIR, UV–Vis, NMR and GPC analyses.     

Extensive Reduction in Back Electron Transfer in Twisted Intramolecular Charge‐Transfer (TICT) Coumarin‐Dye‐Sensitized TiO2 Nanoparticles/Film: A Femtosecond Transient Absorption Study

We report the synthesis, characterization, and optical and electrochemical properties of two structurally similar coumarin dyes ( C1 and C2 ). These dyes have been deployed as sensitizers in TiO₂ nanoparticles and thin films, and the effect of molecular structure on interfacial electron‐transfer dynamics has been studied. Steady‐state optical absorption, emission, and time‐resolved emission studies on both C1 and C2 , varying the polarity of the solvent and the solution pH, suggest that both photoexcited dyes exist in a locally excited (LE) state in solvents of low polarity. In highly polar solvents, however, C1 exists in an intramolecular charge‐transfer (ICT) state, whereas C2 exists in both ICT and twisted intramolecular charge‐transfer (TICT) states, their populations depending on the degree of polarity of the solvent and the pH of the solution. We have employed femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to monitor the charge‐transfer dynamics in C1 ‐ and C2 ‐sensitized TiO₂ nanoparticles and thin films. Electron injection has been confirmed by direct detection of electrons in the conduction band of TiO₂ nanoparticles and of radical cations of the dyes in the visible and near‐IR regions of the transient absorption spectra. Electron injection in both the C1 /TiO₂ and C2 /TiO₂ systems has been found to be pulse‐width limited (<100 fs); however, back‐electron‐transfer (BET) dynamics has been found to be slower in the C2 /TiO₂ system than in the C1 /TiO₂ system. The involvement of TICT states in C2 is solely responsible for the higher electron injection yield as well as the slower BET process compared to those in the C1 /TiO₂ system. Further pH‐dependent experiments on C1 ‐ and C2 ‐sensitized TiO₂ thin films have corroborated the participation of the TICT state in the slower BET process in the C2 /TiO₂ system.     

Protecting group directed cyclization: asymmetric synthesis of both cis- and trans-dihydrexidine from a common precursor

Protection group of amino- and tethered o-arene functionality of 1,4-aryl-2-amino-1-butanol derived from l-serine dictates the cyclization mode under acidic conditions leading to reverse diastereoselectivity. N-Boc and acetal protected amino alcohol undergo cascade cyclization providing exclusively cis-dihydrexidine via reduction, where formation of C-ring (isoquinoline unit) prior to Friedel–Crafts cyclization control the cis-stereochemistry of the B-ring. N-Cbz and O-benzyl protection direct first F–C cyclization yielding the trans-1-aryl-2-aminotetralin and subsequent deprotection-cyclization forming the C-ring afforded dihydrexidine.     

Organo clay mineral-melted polyolefin nanocomposites Effect of surfactant/CEC ratio

Clay mineral-polymer nanocomposites are prepared by dispersing solid organo clay minerals in two different melted polyolefin matrices, namely polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The organo clay minerals are prepared by adding different amounts of surfactant corresponding to the CEC of the pristine clay mineral. The characteristics of the organo clay minerals are obtained by XRD, IR spectroscopy, TGA, and swelling volume measurements. The amount of added surfactant has a direct effect on the interlayer separation and organophilicity-hydrophilicity balance of the clay mineral, evidencing a particular behavior transition about OMt1.2 The intercalation of PE is found to be dependent on the interlayer distance of the organo clay minerals while EVA intercalates in the organo clay minerals whatever the amount of surfactant (> 0.5CEC), leading to the same interlayer spacing (4 nm). The polymer intercalation is more homogeneous in clay minerals having high surfactant loading corresponding to 1.5 and 2 CEC. Cone calorimeter results of the studied nanocomposites show a PHRR reduction of 32% for PE-OMt1.5 and of 47% for EVA-OMt1. For both polymers, the best compromise between mechanical and thermal properties, is obtained for organoclay filler obtained with an amount of added surfactant in a range 1-1.5 CEC.