Metallo‐supramolecular micelles: Studies by analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy

In aqueous solutions, amphiphilic block copolymers in which a polystyrene (PS) segment is connected to a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block via a bis(2,2′:6′,2″‐ terpyridine ruthenium) complex can form micelles. Such micelles of the protomer type PS₂₀‐[Ru]‐PEO₇₀, according to the preparation procedure representing frozen micelles, were studied by sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium analysis in an analytical ultracentrifuge and by transmission electron microscopy, with different techniques applied for the sample preparation. The particles obtained were surprisingly multifarious in size. In ultracentrifugation experiments performed at relatively low salt concentrations, the distributions of the sedimentation coefficient s_20,w showed a pronounced peak at 9.6 S and a broad, only partly separated second peak around 14 S. The molar mass of the particles at the peak was around 430,000 g/mol, corresponding to an aggregation number of approximately 85. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the particles in the peak fraction was approximately 13 nm. In electron micrographs of negatively stained samples, spheres of diameters between 10 and 25 nm were the most abundant particles, but larger ones with a wide size range were also visible. The latter particles apparently were composed of smaller ones. The data from both sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy showed that (1) the studied compound formed primary micelles of diameters around 20 nm and (2) the primary micelles had a tendency toward aggregation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3159–3168, 2003     

Sugar conjugates of fulvestrant (ICI 182,780): efficient general procedures for glycosylation of the fulvestrant core

We have prepared glucose and cellobiose conjugates at the phenolic 3- and hydroxylic 17-positions of the pure anti-estrogenic compound fulvestrant (ICI 182,780), which has recently been approved in the USA for the treatment of advanced postmenopausal breast cancer. Glycosylation at the 17-position was achieved most effectively using pivaloyl protection of the sugar imidates employed, which we found suppressed the competing transacylation reaction and led to improved yields of the product glycosides.     

Degradation process in organic thin film devices fabricated using P3HT

The stability of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene 2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin films sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium (Al) electrodes have been investigated under normal environmental conditions (25°C and RH∼45–50%). Electrical and optical properties of ITO/P3HT/Al devices have been studied over a period of 30 days. Mobility μ of the order of 10⁻⁴ cm²/V-s has been obtained from the V ² law in the as-deposited P3HT films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations show blistering of Al contacts in devices with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) interlayer on application of voltage whereas no blistering is seen in devices without PEDOT. The results have been explained in terms of trap generation and propagation and the moisture-absorbing nature of PEDOT.      

A density functional theory computational study of the role of ligand on the stability of CuI and CuII species associated with ATRP and SET‐LRP

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and single electron‐transfer living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP) both utilize copper complexes of various oxidation states with N‐ligands to perform their respective activation and deactivation steps. Herein, we utilize DFT (B3YLP) methods to determine the preferred ligand‐binding geometries for Cu/N‐ligand complexes related to ATRP and SET‐LRP. We find that those ligands capable of achieving tetrahedral complexes with Cu^I and trigonal bipyramidal with axial halide complexes with [Cu^IIX]⁺ have higher energies of stabilization. We were able to correlate calculated preferential stabilization of [Cu^IIX]⁺ with those ligands that perform best in SET‐LRP. A crude calculation of energy of disproportionation revealed that the same preferential binding of [Cu^IIX]⁺ results in increased propensity for disproportionation. Finally, by examining the relative energies of the basic steps of ATRP and SET‐LRP, we were able to rationalize the transition from the ATRP mechanism to the SET‐LRP mechanism as we transition from typical nonpolar ATRP solvents to polar SET‐LRP solvents. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4950–4964, 2007     

Thermal Behavior of Urea-(D) Tartaric Acid and Urea-(DL) Tartaric Acid Crystals

The thermal behavior of two new non-linear optical (NLO) materials, urea-(D) tartaric acid (UDT) and urea-(DL) tartaric acid (UDLT) were studied by using DSC, TG and TMA. The results show that: 1) The two crystals have different melting points but similar decomposition temperatures due to the influences of intermolecular forces, which is attributed to the stereo effects of (D)-tartaric and (DL)-tartaric acid molecules; 2) There was only thermal expansion and no thermal contraction when the UDT and UDLT crystals were heated; 3) There was no phase transition within the measured temperature range; 4) The thermal expansion of the UDT and UDLT crystals shows a small anisotropy; 5) The specific heats of UDT and UDLT change linearly with temperature in the measured temperature range and the value for UDT is 1.321 J g-1 K-1 at 320 K while the specific heat of UDLT is 1.357 J g-1 K-1 at the same temperature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Catalytic Activity of Nickel Alloys in Anodic Oxidation of the Hypophosphite Ion as a Function of Their Composition

The rate of anodic oxidation of the hypophosphite ion on alloys Ni-P, Ni-B, and Ni-Mo-P is studied as a function of their composition and structure. The organic compounds that are customarily used to stabilize electrolytes of electroless nickel plating are shown to come useful when controlling composition of the Ni-P coatings at the expense of their different influence on the rates of partial processes of deposition of the alloy components. The formation of catalytic activity of such coatings is affected mostly by a structural factor. With alloys Ni-P, Ni-B, and Ni-Mo-P, whose composition was varied by altering the concentration of the source of the alloying component, dependence of catalytic activity of the surface on the composition is defined mainly by an electronic factor.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 8, 2005, pp. 972–980.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Sotskaya, Dolgikh, Ryabinina.