Fine characterization of the ethylene and ethane sorption in poly(amide 12-block-tetramethylenoxide) copolymer/AgBF4 membranes

Ethylene/ethane sorption characteristics were determined for dry Pebax™ (poly(amide 12-block-tetramethylenoxide) copolymer)/AgBF₄ membranes by using an electronic microbalance. The membranes containing 0.7 and 22 wt.% AgBF₄ showed a dual-mode sorption isotherm. The ethane isotherms for all the membranes were of the Henry-type, which is the normal sorption for gases in rubbery polymers. The abnormal presence of Langmuir sorption sites only for ethylene in the rubbery copolymer, never reported sofar, is attributed to the silver-based specific complexation sites. The silver salt which dissolved in limited amounts in the rubbery copolymer had a much smaller Langmuir sorption capacity than the salt that crystallized in the copolymer. The sorption kinetics indicate that the crystallized salt did adsorb slowly ethylene according to a zeroth-order kinetics, but not ethane. The gas uptake kinetics resulting from a step of the pressure surrounding the copolymer exhibited one stage for ethane but two stages for ethylene. For the latter, there was first a fast Fickian sorption stage, then a drift of the zeroth-order sorption of ethylene on salt crystals, which contributes for a large part to the total uptake. The zeroth-order sorption suggests that the sorbed ethylene amount in the second-stage is independent of the crystal-surface coverage. The value of the Fickian diffusion coefficient calculated by fitting the kinetics with a solution of the second Fick’s law was 5 × 10⁻¹² m²/s for both ethylene (the first stage) and ethane, and is typical for small organic compounds in a rubbery material.     

The de novo design of median molecules within a property range of interest

Summary In this paper an application is presented of the median molecule workflow to the de novo design of novel molecular entities with a property profile of interest. Median molecules are structures that are optimised to be similar to a set of existing molecules of interest as an approach for lead exploration and hopping. An overview of this workflow is provided together with an example of an instance using the similarity to camphor and menthol as objectives. The methodology of the experiments is defined and the workflow is applied to designing novel molecules for two physical property datasets: mean molecular polarisability and aqueous solubility. This paper concludes with a discussion of the characteristics of this method.     

The iron phosphate K3Fe5(PO4)6

The crystal structure of tripotassium pentairon hexaphosphate has been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The structure contains one Fe atom on a center of symmetry, one K, two Fe and two P atoms on twofold axes, and one Fe, two P and one K atom in general positions. The K₃Fe₅(PO₄)₆ structure consists of a complex three‐dimensional framework of corner‐sharing between iron polyhedra, and corner‐ and edge‐sharing between PO₄ tetrahedra and iron polyhedra (FeO₅ and FeO₆). This linkage between iron and phosphorus forms intersecting channels containing the K atoms.     

Synthesis and H-NMR complexation studies of alkalimetal bithioxanthylidene crown ether complexes

Two synthetic routes to a novel class of sterically overcrowded alkenes, bithioxanthylidene crown ethers 1, are described. The ¹H spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) of the crown ethers as well as those of the corresponding complexes with Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ in CDCl₃ were measured and the results were interpreted in terms of complexation affinities.     

Synthesis and characterisation of a series of alkylmagnesium amide and related oxygen-contaminated "alkoxy" compounds

Synthesised either by an unusual tert-butyl metathesis between tert-butyllithium and a n,s-butylmagnesium amide or by reaction of an alkyl Grignard reagent and a sodium amide, five tert-butylmagnesium amides, Bu(t)MgDBA (5)(DBA=dibenzylamide), Bu(t)MgDA (6)(DA=diisopropylamide), Bu(t)MgHMDS (7)(HMDS=1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazide), Bu(t)MgTMP (8)(TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide) and Bu(t)MgNCy2 (9)(cy=cyclohexyl) have been isolated as crystalline solids. All five amides have been characterised by X-ray crystallography and solution NMR spectroscopic studies. The former studies reveal a common dimeric molecular structure with amido bridges in a planar (MgN)2 ring and terminal Bu(t) ligands on the Mg atoms. Also described is the dodecameric primary amide [Bu(n)MgN(H)Dipp]12 (10a) and its monomeric solvate Bu(n)MgN(H)Dipp.TMEDA (10b)(Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl; TMEDA=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine). The crystal structures of the oxo-insertion products Bu(t)MgOBu(t).THF (11), Bu(t)Mg(mu-OBu(t))(mu-TMP)MgTMP (12) and Mg(OBu(n))HMDS.solv [solv=THF (13a) or Et2O (13b)], made fortuitously during the course of this work, are also presented.     

Nonlinear electrokinetics and "superfast" electrophoresis

Nonlinear and nonequilibrium electrophoresis of spherical particles of radius a is shown to be possible when the solid surface allows field or current penetration. At low particle Peclet numbers, transient capacitative charging occurs until the surface polarization completely screens the external field. For a DC applied field [see text], the resulting electrokinetic velocity reaches Dukhin's maximum value of [formula: see text], where [see text] and mu are the liquid permittivity and viscosity. At high Peclet numbers, electroosmotic convection of the electroneutral bulk stops the transient charging before complete field-line exclusion. For an ion-selective and conducting spherical granule, the polarization is then determined by the steady-state Ohmic current driven by the penetrated external field. The high-Peclet electrokinetic velocity is lower, diffusivity-dependent and scales as [see text].     

Structure and magnetism of a new pyrazolate bridged iron(II) spin crossover complex displaying a single HS-HS to LS-LS transition

The dinuclear iron(II) complex [(pypzH)(NCSe)Fe([micro sign]-pypz)(2)Fe(NCSe)(pypzH)].2H(2)O displays a single, sharp spin crossover transition between the [HS-HS] and [LS-LS] states and is structurally characterised above and below the T(1/2)= 225 K value     

Crystal Structures and Magnetic Studies of Naphthalene Derivatives Containing Nitronly Nitroxides

Crystal structures of new nitronyl nitroxide derivatives 1, 2 and 3 were determined with X‐ray diffraction analysis: 1, monoclinic, C₂/c, a = 1.2404(5) nm, b = 0.9730(5) um, c = 2.7049(10) ran, β = 98.189(15)°, V = 3.2315(24) nm³, Z = 8; 2, or‐thorhombic, Pbca, a = 0.61262(2) nm, b = 1.11426(6) nm, c = 2.30543(13) nm, V = 1.57373(13) nm³, Z = 4; 3, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a=0.64253(4) nm, b=2.55003(17) nm, c = 1.15497(6) nm, β = 95.000(3)°, V = 1.8852(2) nm³, Z = 4. Their magnetic properties were measured with SQUID and analyzed based on their crystal structures with simple singlet‐triplet, modified one dimensional antiferromagnetic chain and modified singlet‐triplet models respectively: 1, J/k_b= ?2.5 K; 2, J/k_b = 7.8 K, θ = 2.8 K; 3, J/k_b = ?0.96 K, θ = 0.21 K.     

Determination of copper in medicinal plants used as dietary supplements by atomic absorption spectrometry with direct flame solid analysis

An alternative device for the direct solid analysis (DSA) for copper determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) is proposed. Copper was directly determined in commercial medicinal plants used as dietary supplements. The determination of copper in solid samples by DSA–FAAS was made by using a conventional air–acetylene flame. Between 0.05 and 1.5 mg of each test, sample was weighed directly into a small polyethylene vial connected to the device used for solid introduction into the flame. Test samples were introduced into the flame as a dry aerosol using a T-quartz cell set between the burner and the optical path. The T-quartz cell has a slit in the superior part by which the solid aerosol passes to the flame. A transient signal, evaluated as integrated absorbance, is produced and it is totally integrated in 2 s. Background signals always presented absorbance values less than 0.1. It was found a characteristic mass of 0.8 ng Cu and absolute limit of detection of 1.2 ng (3 s), or 1.2 μg g⁻¹ if a sample mass of 1 mg was used. Optimized conditions for air flow rate, flame stoichiometry, and so on were established as well. No excessive grinding of the samples was needed and samples with particle of size less than 80 μm were used throughout. No statistical difference between the results from the proposed system and those obtained by sample digestion and determination by conventional FAAS was observed. With the proposed procedure, more than 50 test samples can be analyzed in 1 h and it can be easily adapted to conventional spectrometers for FAAS.     

Self-assembling of helical poly(phenylacetylene) carrying L-valine pendants in solution, on mica substrate, and on water surface

In the present work, we investigated self-assembling of a poly(phenylacetylene) carrying L-valine pendants (PPA-Val) in a water/methanol solution, upon evaporation of the solution on mica, and on the water surface. With intercalation of a fluorescence probe of Ru(phen)2(dppx)2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dppx=7,8-dimethyldipyridophenazine) into the hydrophobic cavities associated by the PPA-Val chains, their helical structures were directly detected in solution with an in situ fluorescence microscope. Helical aggregates were observed with AFM upon evaporation of the solvents, suggesting that the helical structures in the solution are the building blocks of the helical aggregates. Self-assembling structures of PPA-Val on the water surface were, however, very different from that formed upon evaporation of its THF solution on the mica surface. The polymer chains associated into a monolayer of extended fibers on the water surface, whereas superhelical fibers formed on the mica surface. Water molecules play a critical role in inducing the polymer to form diverse morphological structures in its bulk solution and on its surface. In solution, the isotropic hydrophobic effect drove the polymer chains to form superhelical aggregates, while on the water surface, the hydrophobic effect concentrated mainly on the lateral part of the polymer, thus giving a monolayer of extended fibers.