Nature of the ring-closure process along the rearrangement of octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene to cycloocta-1,3,5-triene from the perspective of the electron localization function and catastrophe theory

We analyze the behavior of the energy profile of the ring‐closure process for the transformation of (3Z,5Z)‐octa‐1,3,5,7‐tetraene 5 to (1Z,3Z,5Z)‐cycloocta‐1,3,5‐triene 6 through a combination of electron localization function (ELF) and catastrophe theory (CT). From this analysis, concepts such as bond breaking/forming processes, formation/annihilation of lone pairs, and other electron pair rearrangements arise naturally through the reaction progress simply in terms of the different ways of pairing up the electrons. A relationship between the topology and the nature of the bond breaking/forming processes along this rearrangement is reported. The different domains of structural stability of the ELF occurring along the intrinsic reaction path have been identified. The reaction mechanism consists of six steps separated by fold and cusp catastrophes. The transition structure is observed in the third step, d(C1? C8) = 2.342 Å, where all bonds have topological signature of single bonds (C? C). The “new” C1? C8 single bond is not formed in transition state and respective catastrophe of the ELF field (cusp) is localized in the last step, d(C1? C8) ≈ 1.97 Å, where the two monosynaptic nonbonding basins V(C1) and V(C8) are joined into single disynaptic bonding basin V(C1,C8). The V(C1,C8) basin corresponds to classical picture of the C1? C8 bond in the Lewis formula. In cycloocta‐1,3,5‐triene 6 the single C1? C8 bond is characterized by relatively small basin population 1.72e, which is much smaller than other single bonds with 2.03 and 2.26e. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

Synthesis,chemical properties,and CO2 electroreduction of π-conjugated polymers bearing imidazolium and imidazolinium rings in the polymer backbone

π-Conjugated polymers (CPs) bearing imidazolium and imidazolinium rings in the polymer backbone were prepared from a previously reported monomer, 1,3-bis(2,3-dimethyl-4-bromophenyl)imidazolium chloride, and a newly synthesized monomer, 1,3-bis(2,3-dimethyl-4-bromophenyl)imidazolinium chloride, via Sonogashira and Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions. The corresponding model compounds were also synthesized via the same reactions and monomers. The absorption maxima and onset position of the UV–vis spectra of the polymers were observed at longer wavelengths than those of the model compounds, thus revealing the presence of extended π-conjugation along the polymer backbone chain. Both polymers and model compounds were photoluminescent in solution and exhibited solvatochromism. The cast films of the polymers on the Pt and Ag electrodes were demonstrated to be effective catalysts for CO₂ electroreduction.     

Addition‐Fragmentation Chain Transfer to Polymer in the Free Radical Ring‐Opening Polymerization of an Eight‐membered Cyclic Allylic Sulfide Monomer

Summary: A detailed investigation of chain transfer to polymer during free radical ring‐opening polymerization of the eight‐membered disulfide monomer 2‐methyl‐7‐methylene‐1,5‐dithiacyclooctane (MDTO) is presented. It has been shown that extensive chain transfer to polymer occurs involving both poly(MDTO) radicals and cyanoisopropyl radicals. Significant decreases in molecular weight were observed when cyanoisopropyl radicals were generated in the presence of poly(MDTO) in the absence of monomer. The molecular weight distribution (MWD) obtained from polymerization of MDTO in the presence of pre‐added poly(MDTO) was markedly different from that obtained without pre‐added polymer. A kinetic model was constructed in an attempt to quantitatively describe the chain transfer to polymer process based on the addition fragmentation chain transfer mechanism. It was found however that the simulated MWDs were considerably broader than the experimental MWDs, which were similar to the Schulz‐Flory distribution.

Mechanism for chain transfer to polymer.     

Theoretical study of the ring‐closing reaction of 5′‐AMP to cAMP and H2O in the gas phase

The ring‐closing reaction of 5′‐adenosine monophosphate (5′‐AMP) to generate cyclic 3′, 5′‐adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and H₂O was theoretically investigated at the B3LYP/6‐31G**level. It was found that the ring‐closing reaction of 5′‐AMP may proceed in a synchronous way or in a stepwise way. For the latter, the reaction is a multichannel elimination reaction including inner H transfer. The potential energy surface of Path 3 is lowest in all the ring‐closing reaction paths. In addition, H shuttling reaction with the participation of a water molecule to act as a shuttle were also studied at the same level. The calculations indicate that the participation of a water molecule facilitates hydrogen transfer reaction. Our present calculations rationalized all the possible reaction channels. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Drying dissipative structures of the aqueous suspensions of monodisperse bentonite particles

Macroscopic and microscopic dissipative structural patterns formed in the course of drying the fractionated and monodisperse bentonite particles (plate-like in their shape) in aqueous deionized suspension and in the presence of NaCl have been studied on a cover glass. The patterns coexisted with the broad ring of the hill accumulated with the particles and with the round hills are formed around the outside edges of the film and in the center, respectively, in the macroscopic scale. By the addition of NaCl the pattern shifts from the broad ring to the round hill in the center. The spoke-like cracks, which have been observed for the suspensions of the spherical particles so often hitherto, are not observed at all for the bentonite suspensions. The characteristic convection flow of the particles and the interactions among the particles and substrate are important for the macroscopic pattern formation. Wrinkled, branch-like and/or star-like fractal patterns are observed in the microscopic scale. These patterns are determined mainly by the electrostatic and polar interactions between the particles and/or between the particle and the substrate in the course of drying.     

Intramolecular Dynamics and Molecular Structure of Europium(III) Chelate Complexes with Crown Ethers as Studied by NMR Spectroscopy

Earlier the intramolecular inversion of the 18-crown-6 molecules was found in the complex ion pairs [Ln(ptfa)₂ (18-crown-6)]⁺ [Ln(ptfa)₄]⁻ (H₂O)₄ where Ln = La(1), Ce (2), Pr (3), Nd (4), and ptfa is 1,1,1-trifluoro-5,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexanedione. In this work the peculiarities of the molecular structure and dynamics were studied for [Eu(ptfa)₂ (18-crown-6)]⁺ [Eu(ptfa)₄]⁻ (H₂O)₄ (5) by NMR spectroscopy techniques. Through VT-NMR spectra analysis the temperature dependence was obtained for the rate constant. The free energy ΔG^‡(320) of 18-crown-6 ring inversion activation was found to be 65 ± 5 kJ mol⁻¹ for 5 in CDCl₃. This result is comparable with the earlier data [S.P. Babailov and D.A. Mainichev: J. Inclusion Phenom. Macrocyclic Chem. 43, 187–193 (2002)] for complexes 2, 3, 4 in deuterated toluene (ΔG^‡(320)=65 ± 9, 64 ± 9, 64 ± 9 kJ mol⁻¹ respectively). It was found by relaxation NMR spectroscopy that the effective distance between Ln and protons of the crown molecule is 4.5 ± 0.2 Å. The analysis of structural parameters testifies that the crown ether and chelated anions are in the first coordination sphere of a Ln cation. Obtained geometrical parameters show that the complex cations of Eu, Ce and Pr have similar spatial structures.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.     

Synthesis of Polylactide: Effect of Dispersion of the Initiator

The ring opening polymerization of L-lactide was studied in bulk using stannous octoate as initiator. In some experiments, triphenylphosphine, a Lewis base was also used as co-initiator. The polymerization was carried out at 130°C up to 29 h. The monomer was used after recrystallizing three times with dry toluene. Experiments were carried out using a wide range of monomer to initiator ratio. The averages and distributions of molar masses of resulting PLA have been determined by means of size exclusion chromatography, SEC. It is shown that the (mode, process) procedure of dispersion of the catalyst in polymerization system affects the molar mass distribution of the product as is evidenced by the bimodality or even trimodality observed in the SEC chromatograms.