Phase transfer Pd(0)/Cu(I) catalysed polymerization reactions 7. Synthesis and thermotropic behaviour of 1,4-bis[2-(3',3'-difluoro-4',4'-di-n-alkyloxyphenyl)-ethynyl]benzene dimers

The symmetrically difluorinated aryl-acetylene dimers, 1,4-bis[2-(3',3'-difluoro-4',4'-di-n-alkyloxyphenyl)ethynyl]benzenes (n = 7-12), were prepared by a one pot phase transfer. Pd(0)/Cu(I) catalysed, three step coupling of 1,4-diiodobenzene with 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol and the appropriate 1-bromo-3-fluoro-(4-n-alkyloxy)benzene. All members of the series display enantiotropic nematic and smectic C phases as well as an additional smectic mesophase in the sequence C-S-S_C-N-I. The textures observed by polarized optical microscopy strongly support identification of the second smectic phase as a S_E mesophase. The S_C temperature window increases as the length of the n-alkyloxy substituent increases, whereas the stability of the nematic and S_E temperature windows decrease. In these fluorinated dimers, destabilization of mesomorphic behaviour by lateral fluorine substitution is compensated by stabilization due to the large length to breadth ratio of the mesogen, such that melting and crystallization are depressed more than isotropization when compared to the non-fluorinated dimers.     

Formation of ring-retaining products from the OH radical-initated reactions of o-, m-, and p-xylene

The ring-retaining products formed from the OH radical-initiated reactions of o-, m-, and p-xylene in the presence of NO_x have been identified and their formation yields determined. Experiments were carried out at 298 ± 2 K and in the presence of 740 torr total pressure of air. The products observed, and their yields, were: from o-xylene, o-tolualdehyde, 0.0453; 2-methylbenzyl nitrate, (0.0135 + 5.5 × 10^?17 [NO₂]); 2,3-dimethylphenol, 0.097; 3,4-dimethyl-phenol, 0.064; 3-nitro-o-xylene, 0.0059; 4-nitro-o-xylene, (0.0111 + 9.9 × 10^?17 [NO₂]); from m-xylene, m-tolualdehyde, 0.0331; 3-methylbenzyl nitrate, 0.0061; 2,4-dimethylphenol, 0.099; 2,6-dimethylphenol, 0.111; 4-nitro-m-xylene, 0.0018; 5-nitro-m-xylene, (0.0032 + 1.6 × 10^?17 [NO₂]); from p-xylene, p-tolualdehyde, 0.0701; 4-methylbenzyl nitrate, 0.0082; 2,5-dimethylphenol, 0.188, 2-nitro-p-xylene, (0.0120 + 2.8 × 10^?17 [NO₂]), where the NO₂ concentration is in molecule cm^?3 units. The nitro-xylene data are consistent with our recent product study of the corresponding reactions of benzene and toluene and indicate that under the experimental conditions employed the dimethylhydroxycyclohexadienyl radicals reacted with NO₂ and not with O₂. When combined with literature ring-cleavage product yields, these data show that ca. 55–80% of the reaction pathways are accounted for.     

A SQUID No-Go theorem without macrorealism: What SQUID's really tell us about nature

Without invoking macrorealism, we derive a contradiction between the quantum mechanical predictions forsquid's and two intuitive conditions. First, we assume that asquid can be measured without significantly disturbing its subsequent macroscopic behavior. Second, we assume a trivial realism condition much weaker than Leggett's macrorealism. Quantum mechanics itself obeys our realism assumption. This proof suggests that althoughsquid experiments cannot rule out macrorealism, they can rule out most theories that allow noninvasive measurements.     

Formation of 3-Methylfuran from the gas-phase reaction of OH radicals with isoprene and the rate constant for its reaction with the OH radical

3-Methylfuran has been identified as a product of the gas-phase reaction of the OH radical with isoprene, and under simulated atmospheric conditions a formation yield of 0.044 ± 0.006 was determined. In an analogous manner, the OH radical reaction with 1,3-butadiene formed furan with a yield of 0.039 ± 0.011. Using a relative rate method, a rate constant for the reaction of the OH radical with 3-methylfuran of 9.35 × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (with an estimated overall uncertainty of ±20%) at 296 ± 2 K was also determined. These data show that 3-methylfuran is a reactive compound which will be present in the troposphere at concentrations ?5% of those of its isoprene precursor.     

Synthesis and structure of new systems containing pyramidalized double bonds

Syn- andanti-isomers of substituted tetracyclo[6.2.2.2^3.6.1^2.7]tetradeca-2(7)-ene have been synthesized. In thesyn-isomers steric interactions between cyclopropane hydrogen atoms lead to a pyramidalization of the C(sp²) atoms of the central double bond. The parameters from three crystal structures are compared with geometry optimized structures using PCWIN, MM3, and MOPAC. Plots of X-ray distances versus theoretically optimized distances give correlation coefficients between 0.91 and 0.97. Analysis of the discrepancies suggest modifications in some molecular mechanics parameters are needed to model the solid state structures.     

Kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of NO3 radicals with a series of alkynes,haloalkenes, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of NO₃ radicals with a series of alkynes, haloalkenes, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes have been determined at 298 ± 2 K using a relative rate technique. Using rate constants for the reactions of NO₃ radicals with ethene and propene of (1.1 ± 0.5) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and (7.5 ± 1.6) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively, the following rate constants (in units of 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) were obtained: acetylene, ≤0.23; propyne, 0.94 ± 0.44; vinyl chloride, 2.3 ± 1.1; 1,1-dichloroethene, 6.6 ± 3.1; cis-1,2-dichloroethene, 0.75 ± 0.35; trans-1,2-dichloroethene, 0.57 ± 0.27; trichloroethene, 1.5 ± 0.7; tetrachloroethene, <0.4; allyl chloride, 2.9 ± 1.3; acrolein, 5.9 ± 2.8; and crotonaldehyde, 41 ± 9. The atmospheric implications of these data are discussed.     

OH radical reaction rate constants for polycyclic alkanes: Effects of ring strain and consequences for estimation methods

Using a relative rate method, rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the OH radical with trans-pinane [(1R, 2R)-2, 6, 6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]heptane], tricyclene (1, 7, 7-trimethyltricyclo[2.2.1.0^{2, 6}]heptane), and quadricyclane (quadricyclo[2.2.1.0^{2, 6}.0^{3, 5}]heptane) of (1.34 ± 0.29) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, (2.86 ± 0.62) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and (1.83 ± 0.41) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively, have been determined at 296 ± 2 K. These rate constants are compared with values calculated from an empirical estimation method and used to refine this estimation technique for the calculation of OH radical reaction rate constants for polycyclic systems. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the OH radical with a series of aromatic hydrocarbons at 296 ± 2 K

Using a relative rate method, rate constants have been determined at 296 ± 2 K for the gas-phase reactions of the OH radical with toluene, the xylenes, and the trimethylbenzenes. Using the recommended literature rate constant for the reaction of OH radicals with propene of (2.66 ± 0.40) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, the following rate constants (in units of 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) were obtained: toluene, 5.48 ± 0.84; o-xylene, 12.2 ± 1.9; m-xylene, 23.0 ± 3.5; p-xylene, 13.0 ± 2.0; 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 32.7 ± 5.3; 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 32.5 ± 5.0; and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 57.5 ± 9.2. These data are compared with the literature values.