Drop deformation in polymer blends during uniaxial elongational flow

The deformation in uniaxial elongational flow of dispersed droplets in immiscible molten polymer blends was studied for negligible interfacial tension and for viscosity ratio p = η(drop)/η(matrix) between 0.005 and 13, with an original method based on quenching elongated specimens. Although drop deformation (drop major axis over initial diameter) was in the range 1 < λ_d < 5, a good overall agreement was found with the small deformation Newtonian theory, which predicts that the drop versus matrix deformation ranges from 5/3 to 0 when p increases from 0 to infinity. The theoretical prediction that for p lower than 1, the droplet should deform more than the faraway surrounding matrix, with a limiting ratio of 5/3 at vanishing droplet viscosity, was experimentally verified.     

Phosphonic systems. Part 15. Addition of diethyl prop-2-enylphosphonate to aldehydes: Fragmentation vs. isomerization of kinetic products

Lithiated diethyl prop-2-enylphosphonate adds to an aliphatic or an aromatic aldehyde, yielding a diastereomeric mixture of the kinetically controlled α-adduct. Upon warming, these adducts decompose back to starting materials to give finally the thermodynamically controlled γ-adducts, or undergo fragmentation to diethyl phosphate and (E) dienes. The distribution of the first product between these two pathways is a function of the aldehyde (aromatic vs. aliphatic) and of steric interactions operating within the two diastereomers of the adduct.     

Catalytic Synthesis of β-(Hetero)arylethylamines: Modern Strategies and Advances

β-(Hetero)arylethylamines appear in a myriad of pharmaceuticals due to their broad spectrum of biological properties, making them prime candidates for drug discovery. Conventional methods for their preparation often require engineered substrates that limit the flexibility of the synthetic routes and the diversity of compounds that can be accessed. Consequently, methods that provide rapid and versatile access to those scaffolds remain limited. To overcome these challenges, synthetic chemists have designed innovative and modular strategies to access the β-(hetero)arylethylamine motif, paving the way for their more extensive use in future pharmaceuticals. This review outlines recent progresses in the synthesis of (hetero)arylethylamines and emphasizes how these innovations have enabled new levels of molecular complexity, selectivity, and practicality.