Microemulsion photopolymerization of methacrylates stabilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate and poly(N-acetylethylenimine) macromonomers

Methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate were polymerized in oil-in-water microemulsions that were stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). A poly(N-acetylethylenimine) (PNAEI) macromer was also included in the recipe, as a cosurfactant and a comonomer. Polymerizations were initiated by UV-irradiation. The average diameters of latex particles, obtained by STM, were in the range of 17-200 nm. The experimental data evidenced that the particle size was mainly dependent on the SDS/PNAEI ratio. Polymerization yields were around 75-85%. The synthesized copolymers have viscosity average molecular weights in the range of 2.1-2.4×10⁶ and glass transition temperatures of 38.0-43.5°C, lower than those obtained without using PNAEI. The investigation by means of FTIR and 1H-NMR techniques revealed that PNAEI was incorporated into the nanoparticles.     

A "traceless" Staudinger ligation for the chemoselective synthesis of amide bonds

[reaction: see text] Here we report a novel modification of our previously reported "Staudinger ligation" that generates an amide bond from an azide and a specifically functionalized phosphine. This method for the selective formation of an amide bond, which does not require the orthogonal protection of distal functional groups, should find general utility in synthetic and biological chemistry.     

Konformation und Circulardichroismus der Sesquiterpene vom Trichothecan-Typ und deren makrocyclischen Estern

The circular dichroism of keto derivatives with trichothecane skeleton and some of their rearrangement products has been measured. The sign (and sometimes even the magnitude) of all COTTON effects can be explained by applying the respective rules for the cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, enone and ene-ester chromophores. Thus conformations could also be determined in those cases which did not follow unambiguously from conformational analysis. The conformation of the muconic acid moiety of the macrocyclic ring of verrucarin A is the same in dioxane solution as in the crystalline state.     

Voltamperometric determination of kinetin with a carbon paste modified electrode

The electrochemical behaviour of kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine) on a carbon paste modified with OV-17 silicone electrode, is studied. The determination of kinetin is possible working in square wave voltammetric techniques, reaching limits of determination of 38.7 ng ml⁻¹. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the cytokinin in extracts of apples (previously spiked with kinetin) and the obtained results were in accordance with the results obtained with HPLC-UV.     

Sulfonated polypropylene ionomers

Polypropylene ionomers have been prepared by sulfonation of copolymers of propene and 7 methyl, 1-6 octadiene, followed by neutralization to cesium salts. Both WAXS and SAXS were used to study the morphology of the samples, while their thermal properties were studied by DSC and their mechanical properties by DMTA. The sulfonation process is shown to cause a further drop in crystallinity in addition to the effect of comonomer incorporation. Ion clustering is observed when the extent of sulfonation is high enough, the limit being dependent on the copolymer composition. The ion pairs which are not incorporated into the cluster cause a small-angle upturn in the WAXS pattern. The mechanical properties are strongly affected by the drop in crystallinity, but may be partly recovered due to ion clustering. No disruption of the ion clusters is observed before thermal decomposition of the polymer.     

cis- and trans-N-nitroso-2,4-diphenylazetidines

The synthesis of cis- and trans-2,4-diphenylazetidines as well as that of their N-nitroso derivatives is described. The “abnormal” reduction of the N-nitrosamines gives a cis-trans mixture of the expected 1,2-diphenylcyclopropanes. However, no stereochemical correlations could be made owing to the base-induced isomerization of the starting N-nitrosamines during the course of the reaction.     

Concentration and determination of trace organic pollutants in water

Organic pollutants in water are isolated on a mini-sampler tube containing a macroporous resin. The sorbed pollutants are next thermally transferred to a second sorption tube and then to an analytical column where they are separated and determined by temperature-programmed gas chromatography. Excellent recoveries were obtained for tests in which model organic compounds of various classes were added to water. The water sample is much smaller than that required with previous analytical methods.     

Automatic geometry optimization for molecules with d orbitals. I. General analytic formulas for derivatives of slater orbitals

General analytic formulas for derivatives of real Slater orbitals with respect to the Cartesian coordinates x and y have been derived. The application of this result to molecular geometry optimization or to the construction of a force constant matrix is briefly discussed.     

KINETIC STUDIES OF THE TRYPTOPHAN TRIPLET STATE IN SOLID FILM AND IN WOOL KERATIN

Abstract— The triplet state of tryptophan in the solid environments of a polyvinyl alcohol) (PVA) film and the protein wool keratin has been studied by emission and absorption spectroscopy at room temperature. The decay kinetics of the triplet state vary depending on the conditions under which the study is made. The observation of second order kinetics suggests triplet-triplet interactions play a major role in the deactivation of the tryptophan triplet state in PVA films plasticised by the presence of water vapour. For wool keratin in the presence of air the major mechanism appears to be a first order reaction between tryptophan residues and oxygen. The actual effects of moisture and oxygen on the tryptophan triplet state are discussed.