Spectral characterisation of new organic fluorescent dyes with an alkoxysilane moiety and their utilisation for the labelling of layered silicates

New fluorescence dyes with an alkoxysilane moiety were synthesised by the condensation of 3-(triethoxysilyl)-1-propanamine (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) with 4,10-benzothioxanthene-3,1′-dicarboxylic acid anhydride (BTXA) and N,N-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1,8-dicarboxylic acid anhydride (DMANA), which was accompanied by the formation of an imidic bridge. The compounds N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)-thioxantheno[2,1,9-dej]isoquinoline-1,3-dione (BTX-S) and 4-(N′, N′-dimethyl)-N-(triethoxysilyl)propyl-1,8-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid imide (DMAN-S) were characterised by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in chloroform and ethanol. Both conjugates (BTX-S and DMAN-S) exhibited absorption and emission bands in the same region as the un-substituted BTXA and DMANA. An important Stokes shift was observed for DMAN-S in ethanol. A high fluorescence quantum yield was observed for BTX-S in both solvents and for DMAN-S in chloroform. In addition, the newly developed fluorescent silane dyes were covalently attached to the microscopic particles of layered silicates and on the surface of SiO₂ wafers as a proof of concept for fluorescence particle (surface) visualisation. The surface wafer modification was precisely characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Successful covalent linkage onto the particles of layered silicates was proved by confocal laser scanning microscopy technique.     

Preparation of an Mo and C co-doped TiO2 catalyst by a calcination–hydrothermal method, and degradation of rhodamine B in visible light

Mo and C co-doped TiO₂ photocatalysts were successfully prepared by a calcination–hydrothermal method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, DRS, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. Results from photocatalysis showed that 1%Mo–C4/TiO₂ had excellent visible light photocatalytic activity. This may be ascribed not only to the Mo and C doping but also to synergism between the Mo and C.     

Enhancement inhibition efficiency of PBTCA depending on the inclusion complex with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

For the first time, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) has been brought in to include 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTCA) in order to enhance inhibition efficiency of PBTCA, which leads a new approach to study oil–gas field corrosion inhibition in the process of acid treatment. Based on the host–guest inclusion reaction, the inclusion complex of PBTCA with HP-β-CD has been prepared in the laboratory. UV–Vis absorption spectrum was applied to study the inclusion behavior of PBTCA with HP-β-CD. The results revealed that PBTCA with HP-β-CD can form a 1:1 stoichiometry inclusion complex. The 1:1 inclusion complex synthesized by using lyophilization was further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Besides, inhibition effect of the inclusion complex on the corrosion inhibition of Q235 carbon steel has been investigated in 0.1 M sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) solution using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the presence of the inclusion complex better achieved the anti-corrosion property in aggressive medium than was the case with alone PBTCA and the highest inhibition efficiency of the inclusion complex over 90 % was obtained, which are suggestive of the active effect of the inclusion complex for improving inhibition efficiency of PBTCA. Meanwhile, the results obtained from SEM further showed that the inclusion complex acts as a more efficient corrosion inhibitor for Q235 carbon steel in H₂SO₄ medium.     

Substrate interaction effects on order to disorder transition behavior in block copolymer films

We present an overview of the recent progress on the phase transition in the block copolymer (BCP) films in terms of the interfacial interactions effects of the substrates and the χ (Flory-Huggins segmental interaction parameter) effects between the two blocks. For the BCP films thinner than a critical thickness (L_c) above which the transition is independent of film thickness, the order-to-disorder transition (ODT) increased or decreased with decreasing film thickness depending on the interfacial interaction types. The rapid and slow changes in the ODT were attributed to the relative magnitude of enthalpic contribution to χ between two blocks. Interestingly, a periodic amplification in the block composition for the BCP films suppressed the compositional fluctuation in the film geometry, resulting in the ODT shifts from the bulk ODTs above L_c. This effect of the BCP films was more illustrated by the ODT shift effects depending on the strength of the preferential interactions on the substrates. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013     

Synthesis and Stereochemistry of Some new Derivatives of 1,2-O-Cyclohexylidene-α-D-Xylofuranuronic Acid

Abstract

1,2-O-Cyclohexylidene-α-d-xylofuranuronic acid (2) has been converted into its 3-O-acetyl derivative and consecutively to the corresponding acid chloride and ethyl ester. Direct reaction of 2 with ethanol in the presence of p-to-luene sulphonic acid gave the ethyl ester. Reaction of 2 with phosphorus pentachloride in dry ether gave the acid chloride of 1,2-O-cyclohexylidene-3-O-dichlorophosphoryl–α-d-xylofuranuronic acid. Conformational data have been obtained from ¹H and ¹³C NMR measurements.     

Stereoselective Glycosidic Coupling Reactions of Fully Benzylated 1,2-Anhydro Sugars with N-Tosyl- or N-Benzyloxycarbonyl-l-serine Methyl Ester

Abstract

The glycosidic coupling reaction of 1,2-anhydro-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-mannopyranose (7), 1,2-anhydro-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-galactopyranose (21), and 1,2-anhydro-3,4-di-O-benzyl-α-d-xylopyranose (18) with N-tosyl- (10) or N-benzyloxycarbonyl- (11) L-serine methyl ester provides a new stereocontrolled synthesis of 1,2-trans linked glycopeptides. The 1,2-anhydro sugars are shown to react smoothyl with 10 or 11 in the presence of Lewis acid (ZnCl₂ or AgOTf) as well as powdered 4A molecular sieves in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature to afford glycosyl serine derivatives with high stereoselectivity and high yield in less than 30 min. An improved method using 2-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl chloride (6) as the key intermediate for ring closure was applied for the synthesis of 1,2-anhydro-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-d-mannopyranose.     

Concurrent synthesis of vanillin and isovanillin

A method for concurrent synthesis of vanillin and isovanillin has been developed by a nonregioselective Vilsmeier–Haack reaction of O-alkyl guaiacols. O-Alkylation of guaiacol provided the corresponding O-alkyl guaiacol (1), which was then formylated with N-methylformanilide/phosphorus oxychloride to give a mixture of 4-alkoxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde (2) and 3-alkoxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (3). Finally, the obtained mixture underwent a selective dealkylation by anhydrous aluminium trichloride, while leaving methyl groups intact to simultaneously achieve the significant fine chemicals vanillin and isovanillin.     

Synthesis of 1,3-dithiolane-containing nitromethene compounds and their biological activity as insecticides

1,3-Dithiolane-containing nitromethylene derivatives, as candidates for screening as neonicotinoid insecticides, were synthesized by reaction of compound (4) with 1,2-ethanedithiol. Compounds 7a–g were obtained via Mannich reaction of (E)-1-((1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)methyl)-2-(nitromethylene)imidazolidine (6), primary amines and formaldehyde. The synthesized compounds were identified by ¹H NMR, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Preliminary bioassays indicated that most of the compounds had moderate insecticidal activity against Aphis craccivora. The relationship between molecular structure and biological activity is discussed.     

Preparation and photoelectrochemical performance of PbSe/BaTiO3/TiO2 composite film

By dipping-lifting in sol–gel solution and reducing process, the TiO₂ composite film on the glass plate was first prepared. Then, the PbSe/BaTiO₃/TiO₂ composite film was fabricated by interface reaction with BaTiO₃ and PbSe on the surface of TiO₂ composite film. The characterization results show that the uniform porous TiO₂ film is made up of the anatase crystal, and the PbSe/BaTiO₃/TiO₂ composite film is constructed by doping or depositing BaTiO₃ and PbSe nanoparticles on the surface of TiO₂ film. The photoelectrochemical measurement results indicate that the PbSe/BaTiO₃/TiO₂ composite film has an interesting photoelectrochemical conversion property.     

Butterfly‐Shaped Pentanuclear Dysprosium Single‐Molecule Magnets

Two new “butterfly‐shaped” pentanuclear dysprosium(III) clusters, [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(opch)₆(H₂O)₃] ? 3 MeOH ? 9 H₂O ( 1 ) and [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(Hopch)₂(opch)₄(MeOH)(H₂O)₂] ? (ClO₄)₂ ? 6 MeOH ? 4 H₂O ( 2 ), which were based on the heterodonor‐chelating ligand o‐vanillin pyrazine acylhydrazone (H₂opch), have been successfully synthesized by applying different reaction conditions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the butterfly‐shaped cores in both compounds were comparable. However, their magnetic properties were drastically different. Indeed, compound 1 showed dual slow‐relaxation processes with a transition between them that corresponded to energy gaps (Δ) of 8.1 and 37.9 K and pre‐exponential factors (τ₀) of 1.7×10^?5 and 9.7×10^?8 s for the low‐ and high‐temperature domains, respectively, whilst only a single relaxation process was noted for compound 2 (Δ=197 K, τ₀=3.2×10^?9 s). These significant disparities are most likely due to the versatile coordination of the H₂opch ligands with particular keto–enol tautomerism, which alters the strength of the local crystal field and, hence, the nature or direction of the easy axes of anisotropic dysprosium ions.