Polystyrene prepared by reactive extrusion: kinetics and effect of processing parameters

The conversion and residence time were investigated during the bulk polymerization of styrene in a twin screw extruder. It was found that polymerization mainly occurred in the zone between 400 and 1000 mm along the screw axis in the extruder, corresponding to the residence time of the reactants ranging from 1 to 4 min in the extruder. Furthermore, the processing conditions (feed rate, screw rotation rate) and average molecular weight of the polymer have a great effect on the residence time. Based on dimensionless analysis, a model of the residence time has been built‐up, which has been confirmed by the results of realistic measurements. A kinetic model of the polymerization has also been established under the assumption that the screw extruder can be regarded as an ideal plug flow reactor. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ab initio through‐space/bond interaction analysis of the long C–C bonds in Bi(anthracene‐9,10‐dimethylene) photoisomers

The bi(anthracene‐9,10‐dimethylene) photoisomer has remarkably long C–C single bonds. To examine the lengthening of the C–C bond, we propose a novel procedure for quantitatively analyzing orbital interactions in a molecule at the level of the ab initio molecular orbital method. In this procedure, we can cut off the specific through‐space/bond interactions in a molecule by artificially increasing the absolute magnitude of the exponents in a Gaussian function. Then, the spatial orbital interactions were perfectly cut off, and, each term that makes up the total energy, that is, the nuclear–electron attractions, the electron–electron repulsions, and the nuclear–nuclear repulsions cancel each other. Several model molecules of the photoisomer were analyzed by this procedure. It was found that the orbital interaction between the p orbital on the benzene ring and the σ* orbital on the C–C bond in question, σ→σ* electron transfer through π orbital, weakens the C–C bond efficiently when these orbitals were located in the “periplanar” conformation. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

High modulus polyimide/polyimide molecular composite films that utilize acetylene unit as a crosslink site

Polyimide/polyimide molecular composite (MC) films comprised of a rigid polyimide derived from biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and p-phenylenediamine (PDA) and a flexible polyimide derived from BPDA and bis (3,3'-diaminodiphenyl) acetylene (intA) and/or oxydianiline (ODA) were prepared by blending the polyamic acid solutions in 7 : 3 weight ratio, and then imidizing the blend films. Acetylene content in the flexible polyimide backbone was controlled by the ratio of intA and ODA. Cold-drawing of the blend polyamic acid films, followed by imidization, gives high modulus polyimide/polyimide MC films. The modulus of the MC films increased almost linearly with the draw ratio, reaching 25.5 GPa for the 40% drawn film. Acetylene groups in the flexible polyimide can be thermally cured to crosslink. The onset of exotherm appeared at 340°C on DSC, reaching maximum at 398°C. After the thermal crosslinking, the MC films maintained the high modulus, though elongation became small. Taking advantage of the crosslinkable acetylene units, two MC films were laminated and processed at 400°C for 20 min under 100 kg/cm² to give a good-quality laminate film. The interface of the two films was strongly bonded through the crosslinking of acetylene groups. Laminate films maintained the high modulus afforded by the cold-drawing. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Automatic analysis of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification products (exemplified by a commercial kit for prenatal aneuploidy detection)

For use in routine prenatal diagnostics, we developed software and methods for automatic aneuploidy detection based on a commercial multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) kit. Software and methods ensure a reliable, objective, and fast workflow, and may be applied to other types of MLPA kits. Following CE of MLPA amplification products, the software automatically identified the peak area for each probe, normalized it in relation to the neighboring peak areas of the test sample, computed the ratio relative to a reference created from normal samples, and compensated the ratio for a side effect of the normalization procedure that scaled all chromosomally normal DNA peak areas slightly up or down depending on the kind of aneuploidy present. For the chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y, probe reliability weighted mean ratio values and corresponding SDs were calculated, and the significance for being outside a reference interval around ratio 1.0 was tested. p < or = 1% suggested aneuploidy and 1 < p < or = 5% suggested potential aneuploidy. Individual peaks, where the normalized area was situated more than 4 SD from the corresponding reference, suggested possible partial deletion or gain. Sample quality was automatically assessed. Control probes were not required. Having used the software and methods for two years, we conclude that a reliable, objective, and fast workflow is obtained.     

DFT investigation of sites of protonation of antitumor of 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)benzazoles in the gas phase and in solution

The proton affinity on each of the possible sites in the antitumor 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)benzazoles has been calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311G** level of theory in the gas phase and in solution. The N₃‐site of protonation is found to be strongly favored over the NH₂‐site for the studied compounds both in gas phase and in solution. The stability of N₃‐protonated species is explained by the resonance interaction of the NH₂‐group with the heterocyclic ring. The potential energy surface (PES) for the protonation process was studied at the density functional theory (DFT)/B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. Solvent effects on the PES were also examined using two models: Onsager self‐consistent field and polarizable continuum model (PCM). © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Non empirical quantum mechanical calculations of the1H,13C,15N and17O magnetic shielding constants and of the spin-spin coupling constants in formamide,hydrated formamide and N-methylformamide

The magnetic shielding constants of the different atoms of formamide, hydrated formamide and N-methylformamide are calculated by anab initio method. For the protons of formamide the measured differences between their chemical shifts are correctly reproduced by theory, provided that the molecular geometry used as input is carefully chosen. The differences between the values of the magnetic shielding constants calculated for formamide and hydrated formamide show that intermolecular hydrogen bonding produces variations of chemical shifts for all the atoms of the molecule except the formyl proton. The calculated chemical shift variations between formamide and N-methylformamide are compared to the experimental values and discussed in relation with different hydrogen bonding possibilities of the two molecules. The calculation of the contact term of the spin-spin coupling constants of formamide and hydrated formamide shows that in most cases the measured trends are satisfactorily reproduced and that the variations of these terms upon hydration are less than 3%.     

Poly(N‐Bromobenzene‐1,3‐Disulfonylamide), N,N,N′,N′‐Tetrabromobenzene‐1,3‐Disulfonylamide and DABCO‐Bromine Complex: As Novel Reagents for the Oxidative Coupling of Thiols to Disulfides

An efficient method for the oxidative coupling of thiols to their corresponding disulfides by new reagents poly(N‐bromobenzene‐1,3‐disulfonylamide) PBBS , N,N,N′,N′‐tetrabromobenzene‐1,3‐disulfonylamide TBBDA and DABCO‐bromine complex is described. The reaction was applicable to a variety of thiols with high chemoselectivity.     

以万古霉素为流动相添加剂的高效液相色谱法手性分析系统的建立

以丹酰化苯甘氨酸、丹酰化苯丙氨酸、丹酰化丝氨酸、丹酯化丙氨酸为模型化合物，通过对色谱柱类型、缓冲液类型、pH和盐浓度、万古霉素用量、甲醇用量、柱温等色谱参数进行考察，建立了以万古霉素为手性流动相添加剂在普通色谱柱上进行手性分析的色谱系统，并在该系统中成功地拆分了酮洛芬对映体。     

Influence of response factors on determining equilibrium association constants of non-covalent complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method for determining the equilibrium association constant of a complexation reaction A + B left harpoon over right harpoon AB by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is described. The method consists in measuring the relative intensities of the peaks corresponding to A and to AB in equimolar A-B solutions at different concentrations C(0). The results are fitted by a non-linear least-squares procedure, with the two variable parameters being the equilibrium association constant K(a) and a factor R, defined by I(AB)/I(A) = R x [AB]/[A]. The factor R is the ratio between the response factors of AB and A, and corrects for the relative electrospray responses of the complex and the free substrate A, mass discrimination of instrumental origin and/or moderate in-source dissociation. The method is illustrated with the following two systems: complexes between a double-stranded 12-base pair oligonucleotide and minor groove binders, and cyclodextrin complexes with alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acids. For the oligonucleotide complexes, it is found that the response of the complex is not dramatically different to the response of the free oligonucleotide duplex, as the double helix conformation is disturbed by the drug only to a minor extent. In the case of cyclodextrin complexes, these complexes were found to have a much higher response than free cyclodextrin. This may be due to the fact that cyclodextrin is neutral in solution, whereas the complex is charged, but it can also stem from the fact that a significant proportion of the complex is in a non-inclusion geometry. The present method requires the exact determination of the concentrations of the reactants and is applicable to 1 : 1 complexes.     

Multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometers with electrostatic sectors

The mass resolution of a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer is directly proportional to its total flight pathlength. Multi-turn or multi-passage ion optical geometries are necessary to obtain fight distances of sufficient length within reasonable size limitations. We have investigated ion optics for a multi-turn TOF mass spectrometer with electrostatic sectors. The concept of 'perfect' focusing conditions is introduced. Furthermore, a new type of multi-turn TOF mass spectrometer, the MULTUM Linear plus, was developed. It consists of four cylindrical electric sectors and 28 electric quadrupole lenses. It has a vacuum chamber 60 x 70 x 20 cm in size. Mass resolution is demonstrated to increase according to the number of ion cycles. A mass resolution of 350 000 (m/z = 28, FWHM) was achieved after 501.5 cycles. The MULTUM Linear plus analyzer is not simple, however; 28 electric quadrupole lenses are used. In order to reduce the number of ion optical parts, an improved multi-turn TOF mass spectrometer, the MULTUM II, consisting of only four toroidal electric sectors, was also developed. The possibility of tandem mass spectrometric applications using multi-turn TOF mass spectrometers is also discussed.