2-fluoro-3-nitroaniline and 2-fluoro-1,3-phenylenediamine

2-Fluoro-3-nitroaniline (I), erroneously reported in the literature, has been synthesized by partial reduction of 2-fluoro-1,3-dinitrobenzene (II). Total reduction of (II) gives 2-fluoro-1,3-phenylenediamine (V). The NMR parameters of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (IV), 2-fluoro-5-nitroaniline (III) and compounds (I), (II) and (V) are reported.     

The effect of frequency on the plasma polymerization of ethane

The plasma polymerization of ethane has been studied in the frequency range of from 50 Hz to 13.56 MHz. The rate of polymer deposition is strongly dependent on frequency, with significantly higher rates being observed at frequencies below 6 MHz. The effects of frequency can be interpreted in terms of a mechanism that assumes that polymer is formed by the reaction of surface free radicals, created by the bombardment of the growing polymer by charged species, with gas phase free radicals, formed by collisions of energetic electrons with monomer molecules.     

Electron-impact induced fragmentation of 3-hydroxy quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H) dione,pyridopyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)diones,lumazine and alloxazine

Electron-bombardment of the N-3-hydroxy derivatives of the above-mentioned condensed uracils revealed that the major fragmentations involved the heterocyclic ring. The most intense ion proved to be the M-32 ion which was created by the loss of the NHOH radical from the molecular ion. Mechanisms for this transition are presented. Other fragmentations common to these systems are discussed and compared with those reported for the corresponding N-3 deoxy analogs of the title compounds. The mass spectral fragmentations of the O-methyl-, N-methyl- and O,N-dimethyl derivatives of 3-hydroxyquinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)dione were analyzed and were consistent with those expected from these structures. Electron bombardment of the 3-benzenesulfonyloxy derivatives of the title compounds resulted primarily in the scission of the sulfonate group in preference to that of the heterocyclic dione ring. These sulfonates also showed ions which indicated that a Lossen rearrangement had taken place in the mass spectrometer.     

Synthesis of CdS and ZnS nanowires using single-source molecular precursors

Single-source molecular precursors were used to synthesize II-VI compound semiconductor nanowires for the first time. Cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide nanowires were prepared using cadmium diethyldithiocarbamate, Cd(S2CNEt2)2, and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, Zn(S2CNEt2)2, respectively, as precursors in a gold nanocluster-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid growth process. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that the CdS and ZnS nanowires are single-crystal wurtzite structures with stoichiometric compositions. In addition, photoluminescence measurements demonstrate that these nanowires exhibit high-quality optical properties. The applicability of our approach to the synthesis of other compound and alloy semiconductors nanowires as well as nanowire heterostructures of these materials is discussed.     

pH as a trigger of peptide beta-sheet self-assembly and reversible switching between nematic and isotropic phases

The hierarchical self-assembly of rationally designed synthetic peptides into beta-sheet tapes, ribbons, fibrils, and fibers opens up potentially useful routes to soft-solidlike materials such as hydrogels, organogels, or liquid crystals. Here, it is shown how incorporation of Glu (-CH(2)CH(2)COOH) or Orn (-CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2)) into the primary structure of an 11 amino acid peptide enables self-assembly to be rapidly (seconds) and reversibly controlled by simply changing pH. Solutions of monomeric peptide, typically at concentrations in excess of 0.003 v/v, can be switched within seconds to, for example, nematic gel states comprised of interconnected orientationally ordered arrays of fibrils or vice versa. This is to be compared with the lyophilized peptide dissolution route to nematic fluids and gels which is impracticably long, taking many hours or even days. An important design principle, that stabilization of fibrillar dispersions requires of the order of one unit of net positive or negative charge per peptide molecule, is first demonstrated and then used to design an 11 amino acid peptide P(11)-3 (CH(3)CO-Gln-Gln-Arg-Phe-Gln-Trp-Gln-Phe-Gln-Gln-Gln-NH(2)) whose self-assembly behavior is independent of pH (1 < pH < 10). pH control is then incorporated by appropriately positioning Glu or Orn side chains so that the peptide-peptide free energy of interaction in the tapelike substructure is strongly influenced by direct electrostatic forces between gamma-COO(-) in Glu(-) or delta-NH(3)(+) in Orn(+), respectively. This design principle is illustrated by the behavior of two peptides: P(11)-4 (CH(3)CO-Gln-Gln-Arg-Phe-Glu-Trp-Glu-Phe-Glu-Gln-Gln-NH(2)) which can be switched from its nematic to its isotropic fluid state by increasing pH and P(11)-5 (CH(3)CO-Gln-Gln-Orn-Phe-Orn-Trp-Orn-Phe-Gln-Gln-Gln-NH(2)) designed to exhibit the converse behavior. Acid-base titrations of fibrillar dispersions reveal deprotonation of the gamma-COOH of Glu or of the delta-NH(3)(+) of Orn(+) occurs over wide bands of up to 5 pH units, a feature of polyelectrolytes. The values of the energy parameters controlling self-assembly can therefore be smoothly and continuously varied by changing pH. This enables isotropic fluid-to-nematic transitions to be triggered by relatively small additions of acid or base, typically 1 part in 10(3) by volume of 1 M HCl or NaOH.     

Preparation and Characterization of Binder for Inorganic Composites Made from Amorphous Mineral Raw Material

The preparation and characterization of a composite binder made through a sol-gel route from an amorphous mineral raw material has been studied. The amorphous mineral raw material is alumino-silicate based but contains also alkaline earth and some transition metal oxides. A stable sol can be prepared by dissolving the raw materials in formic acid. The drying and heat treatment of the subsequent gel has been studied by thermogravimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy as well as X-ray diffraction studies. The different constituents of the raw material have shown to play a major role during the drying and heat treatment of the gels. The binding effect of the binder was evaluated to be good by studying paper-binder composites as well as wetting properties.     

A study of the redox properties of MoOx/SiO2

A sample of MoOx/SiO2, in which all of the Mo cations are present as isolated mono-oxo molybdate moieties, was prepared and investigated to understand the redox chemistry of such molybdate species and their ability to exchange oxygen with O2 and H2O. Raman spectroscopy was used to monitor the exchange of 18O for 16O in the Mo=O bond of isolated molybdate species, whereas mass spectrometry was used to follow the isotopic composition of the gaseous species, i.e., O2 and H2O. Reduction in H2 at 920 K results in the loss of one O atom per Mo atom, and consistent with this, all of the Mo(VI) cations are reduced to Mo(IV) cations. Raman spectroscopy shows that virtually all Mo=O bonds of the original molybdate species are lost upon reduction. While reoxidation of Mo(IV) cations by O2 is quantitative, studies using 18O2 reveal that only a small part of the newly formed Mo=O bonds are 18O labeled, and that the balance are 16O labeled, indicating that O-atom exchange between the support, SiO2, and the supported MoOx species occurs during reoxidation. Rapid exchange of O atoms was observed upon exposure of both bare SiO2 and MoOx/SiO2 to H2(18)O at 920 K, and the presence of MoOx species was found to enhance the rate of exchange. By contrast, very slow exchange of O atoms was observed when the oxidized catalyst was exposed to 18O2 at 920 K. In situ observations of the catalyst during exposure to a mixture of H2 and 18O2 at 920 K showed that all of the Mo cations remained in the VI oxidation state and that O atom exchange occurred at a rate comparable to that observed upon exposure to H2(18)O. The results of this investigation suggest that reoxidation of Mo(IV) cations following H2 reduction involves the formation of a Mo-peroxide species and subsequent O atom migration from such a species to the SiO2 support. It is proposed that the steady-state oxidation of H2 also involves the formation of Mo-peroxide species by interaction of O2 with a small number of Mo(IV) centers. The Mo-peroxide species are then rapidly reduced by H2 to form H2O and a Mo=O bond. The rapid exchange of O atoms between the gas phase and the catalyst observed during steady-state oxidation of H2 is attributed to interactions of the product H2O with the catalyst, rather than to O atom migration originating from the Mo-peroxide species formed on the catalyst surface.     

Fragmentation and reactions of two isomeric O-alkyl S-(2-dialkylamino)ethyl methylphosphonothiolates studied by electrospray ionization/ion trap mass spectrometry

An initial investigation into the electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI/ITMS) of simple organophosphorus compounds [1] demonstrated that detailed structural information could be obtained by sequential fragmentation of the ions using collision induced dissociation (CID). Several novel fragmentations/rearrangements were observed and it was apparent that the full potential of this approach could not be exploited until a more detailed understanding of the ion fragmentations was obtained. Such an understanding will only result from a detailed study of a wide range of compounds. The present paper describes the investigation of two isomeric organophosphates of particular relevance to chemical warfare convention (CWC) considerations.     

Dianion metallation reactions of n,n-dimethylvanillylamine and n,n-dimethylisovanillylamine

The utility of dianion chemistry in the synthesis of polyfunctional aromatics is demonstrated by the direct lithiation of the vanillylamine 1 and by the metal-halogen exchange reaction of the bromo isovanillylamines 9 and 10.     

The generation and photochemistry of indenone o-oxide and fluorenone o-oxide in low temperature matrices

The photolysis of diazoindene and diazofluorene at 12K in N₂ matrices containing O₂ has been studied, using i.r. spectroscopy. The carbonyl oxides, indenone $\text{O}$-oxide and fluorenone $\text{O}$-oxide, were formed by the reaction of O₂ with the corresponding carbenes, and under appropriate conditions could be detected as very photolabile species. Photolysis of indenone $\text{O}$-oxide gave indenone and isocoumarin; similar photolysis of fluorenone $\text{O}$-oxide gave fluorenone and dibenzopyran-6-one.