Novel mu5-coordination modes of aryl and alkyl ethynides and classification of metal-ligand interactions in silver(I) complexes

Novel mu(5)-eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(2) and mu(5)-eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(2),eta(2) coordination modes of alkyl and aryl ethynide moieties are found in silver(I) complexes 1-5, and the metal-ligand distances can be classified into sigma, pi and mixed (sigma,pi) types. With the consistent square-pyramidal capping Ag(5) baskets of the ethynide moiety as supramolecular synthons, a series of two- and three-dimensional coordination networks are obtained.     

Living Anionic Polymerization of 4-(α-Alkylvinyl)styrene Derivatives

Summary. The anionic polymerization of four bis-functionalized styrene derivatives with α-alkylvinyl groups have been carried out in THF at −78°C with the initiator prepared from oligo(α-methylstyryl)lithium and potassium tert-butoxide. The four monomers herein used are 4-isopropenylstyrene (4), 3-isopropenylstyrene (5), 2-isopropenylstyrene (6), and 4-(α-isopropylvinyl)styrene (7). It was found that under such polymerization conditions, the vinyl groups of both 4 and 7 are selectively polymerized and the isopropenyl and α-isopropylvinyl groups remain completely intact to afford stable living anionic polymers. As expected, the resulting polymers possessed precisely controlled chain lengths and narrow molecular weight distributions. More importantly, they also possessed the pendant isopropenyl and α-isopropylvinyl group in each monomer unit possible for further modification. On the other hand, the anionic polymerization of either 5 or 6 proceeded more or less along with the unwanted side reactions leading to chain-branching, followed by cross-linking. The positional effect of isopropenyl group on the polymerization and the cause of possible side reactions were discussed.     

In Vitro Degradation of Trimethylene Carbonate Based (Co)polymers

Trimethylene carbonate (TMC) was copolymerized with D ,L ‐lactide (DLLA) or with ε‐caprolactone (CL), and the degradation of melt‐pressed solid copolymer films in phosphate‐buffered saline at pH 7.4 and 37 °C was followed for a period of over two years. The parent homopolymers were used as reference materials. The degradation profile of TMC‐DLLA‐ and TMC‐CL based copolymers was similar and was best described by autocatalyzed bulk hydrolysis, preferentially of ester bonds. The hydrolysis rates varied by two orders of magnitude, depending on polymer composition and physical characteristics under the degradation conditions. TMC‐DLLA copolymers degraded faster than the parent homopolymers. The copolymers lost their tensile strength in less than five months, after which mass loss occurred. Copolymers with 50 or 80 mol‐% of TMC underwent total degradation in eleven months. For TMC‐CL copolymers, a slow and gradual decrease in molecular weight and deterioration of the mechanical performance was observed. These copolymers maintained suitable mechanical properties for seventeen months or longer. Chain scission in the semicrystalline copolymers resulted in an increase in crystallinity. In comparison with the CL homopolymer, the introduction of a small amount of TMC (10 mol‐%) significantly reduced the increase in crystallinity during degradation. Poly(TMC) specimens were dimensionally stable and showed a negligible decrease in molecular weight. A 60% decrease in the initial tensile strength of the polymer samples was observed after two years.