Triphilic pentablock copolymers with perfluoroalkyl segment in central position

Adding perfluoroalkyl (PF) segments to amphiphilic copolymers yields triphilic copolymers with new application profiles. Usually, PF segments are attached as terminal blocks via Cu(I) catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The purpose of the current study is to design new triphilic architectures with a PF segment in central position. The PF segment bearing bifunctional atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator is employed for the fabrication of triphilic poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-b-PF-b-poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-b-poly(propylene oxide) PPO-b-PGMA-b-PF-b-PGMA-b-PPO pentablock copolymers by a combined ATRP and CuAAC reaction approach. Differential scanning calorimetry indicates the PF-initiator to undergo a solid–solid phase transition at 63°C before the final crystal melting at 95°C. This is further corroborated by polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. The PF-initiator could successfully polymerize solketal methacrylate (SMA) under typical ATRP conditions producing well-defined Br-PSMA-b-PF-b-PSMA-Br triblock copolymers that are then converted into PPO-b-PSMA-b-PF-b-PSMA-b-PPO pentablock copolymer via CuAAC reaction. Subsequently, acid hydrolysis of the PSMA blocks afforded water soluble well-defined triphilic pentablock copolymers PPO-b-PGMA-b-PF-b-PGMA-b-PPO with fluorophilic central segment, hydrophilic middle blocks, and lipophilic outer blocks. The triphilic block copolymers could self-assemble, depending upon the preparatory protocol, into spherical and filament-like phase-separated nanostructures as revealed by transmission electron microscopy.     

Gas-phase 21Ne NMR studies and the nuclear magnetic dipole moment of neon-21

Gas-phase ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were measured at the natural abundance of ²¹Ne isotope for samples consisting of pressurized neon up to 60 bar at room temperature and applying the magnetic field of the strength B₀ = 11.7574 T. It showed that the nuclear magnetic resonance frequency is linearly dependent on the density of gaseous neon. The resonance frequency was extrapolated to the zero-density point, and it permitted the determination of the ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic moment, μ(²¹Ne) = 0.6617774(10) μ_N. The present value of μ(²¹Ne) is not influenced by the bulk magnetic susceptibility of neon and interactions between neon atoms; therefore, it is more precise and reliable than the previous result obtained for μ(²¹Ne).     

Prasad L. Polavarapu (Ed.): Chiral analysis: advances in spectroscopy,chromatography, and emerging methods, 2nd ed.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry -     

Probing the Catalytic Activity of Reduced Graphene Oxide Decorated with Au Nanoparticles Triggered by Visible Light

Hybrid materials in which reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is decorated with Au nanoparticles (rGO–Au NPs) were obtained by the in situ reduction of GO and AuCl₄^?_(aq) by ascorbic acid. On laser excitation, rGO could be oxidized as a result of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation in the Au NPs, which generates activated O₂ through the transfer of SPR‐excited hot electrons to O₂ molecules adsorbed from air. The SPR‐mediated catalytic oxidation of p‐aminothiophenol (PATP) to p,p′‐dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) was then employed as a model reaction to probe the effect of rGO as a support for Au NPs on their SPR‐mediated catalytic activities. The increased conversion of PATP to DMAB relative to individual Au NPs indicated that charge‐transfer processes from rGO to Au took place and contributed to improved SPR‐mediated activity. Since the transfer of electrons from Au to adsorbed O₂ molecules is the crucial step for PATP oxidation, in addition to the SPR‐excited hot electrons of Au NPs, the transfer of electrons from rGO to Au contributed to increasing the electron density of Au above the Fermi level and thus the Au‐to‐O₂ charge‐transfer process.     

Enhancing the Water Stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐NH2 via Postsynthetic Modification

The resistance of metal–organic frameworks towards water is a very critical issue concerning their practical use. Recently, it was shown for microporous MOFs that the water stability could be increased by introducing hydrophobic pendant groups. Here, we demonstrate a remarkable stabilisation of the mesoporous MOF Al‐MIL‐101‐NH₂ by postsynthetic modification with phenyl isocyanate. In this process 86 % of the amino groups were converted into phenylurea units. As a consequence, the long‐term stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh in liquid water could be extended beyond a week. In water saturated atmospheres Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh decomposed at least 12‐times slower than the unfunctionalised analogue. To study the underlying processes both materials were characterised by Ar, N₂ and H₂O sorption measurements, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and chemical analysis as well as solid‐state NMR and IR spectroscopy. Postsynthetic modification decreased the BET equivalent surface area from 3363 to 1555 m² g^?1 for Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh and reduced the mean diameters of the mesopores by 0.6 nm without degrading the structure significantly and reducing thermal stability. In spite of similar water uptake capacities, the relative humidity‐dependent uptake of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh is slowed and occurs at higher relative humidity values. In combination with ¹H‐²⁷Al D ‐HMQC NMR spectroscopy experiments this favours a shielding mechanism of the Al clusters by the pendant phenyl groups and rules out pore blocking.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of (η5-Dp)Ru(PPh3)2H (Dp = C8H9−, 1,2-dihydropentalenyl)

Transition Metal Chemistry - (η5-Dp)Ru(PPh3)2H (Dp?=?C8H9?, 1,2-dihydropentalenyl) was synthesized in 90% yield by reaction of (η5-Dp)Ru(PPh3)2Cl with sodium formate....