The Determination of Protonation Constants of Some Amino Acids and Their Esters by Potentiometry in Different Media

In this study, stoichiometric protonation constants of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, L-tryptophane, L-lysine, and L-histidine, and their methyl and ethyl esters in water and ethanol–water mixtures of 30, 50, and 70% ethanol (v/v), were determined potentiometrically using a combined pH electrode system calibrated as the concentration of hydrogen ion. Titrations were performed at 25^∘C and the ionic strength of the medium was maintained at 0.10 mol⋅L⁻¹ using sodium chloride. Protonation constants were calculated by using the BEST computer program. The effect of solvent composition on the protonation constants is discussed. The log₁₀ K₂ values of esters generally decreased with increasing ethanol content. However, the log₁₀ K₁ values of the esters of L-tyrosine, L-cysteine, and L-tryptophane were found to increase with increasing ethanol content in contrast those of L-lysine and L-histidine esters.     

Thioxanthone–carbazole as a visible light photoinitiator for free radical polymerization

A thioxanthone (TX) derivative with the additional carbazole chromophore, namely thioxanthone‐carbazole (TX‐C) was synthesized and characterized. The photophysical properties and its efficiency to polymerize methyl methacrylate both in the presence and absence of N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) as coinitiator was investigated and compared with that of the commercially available TX. TX‐C was found to display better photophysical properties and in both cases initiate polymerization more efficiently. Detailed real‐time Fourier transform infrared studies revealed that high polymerization rates can be obtained when TX‐C in conjunction with DMA was used. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

A multiple recursive non-linear congruential pseudo random number generator

On-linear multiple recursive congruential pseudo random number generator with prime modulus p is introduced. Let x, n0, be the sequence generated by a usual linear (r+1)-step recursive congruential generator with prime modulus p and denote by N(n), n0, the sequence of non-negative integers with x_N(n)0 (mod p). The non-linear generator is defined by z_nx_N(n)+1·x _N(n) ^–1 (mod p), n0, where x _N(n) ^–1 denotes the inverse element of x_N(n) in the Galois field GF(p). A condition is given which ensures that the generated sequence is purely periodic with period length p^r and all (p–1)^r r-tupels (y₁,...,y_r) with 1y₁,...,y_rp are generated once per period when r-tupels of consecutive numbers of the generated sequence are formed. For r=1 this generator coincides with the generator introduced by Eichenauer and Lehn [2].     

Benzoxazine containing polyester thermosets with improved adhesion and flexibility

High molecular weight polyesters containing thermally curable benzoxazine units in the main chain have been synthesized. For this purpose, first the diol functional monomer is synthesized through the Mannich and subsequent ring closure reactions of bisphenol‐A, paraformaldehyde, and 5‐amino‐1‐pentanol. Polycondensation of the resulting benzoxazine and pyromellitic dianhydride or 4‐4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphatalic anhydride with or without dibutyltin laurate yielded the corresponding polyesters with the molecular weights between 5800 and 7000 Da. The structures of the precursor diol monomer and the resulting polyesters are confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis. Curing behavior of both the monomer and polymers has also been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Flexible films of the polyesters were obtained by solvent casting on tin plates and crosslinked by heating in the absence of any catalyst. The cured films exhibited high flexibility and adhesion on the tin plates as determined by ASTM and DIN tests. Thermal properties of the cured polymers were also investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 4279–4284, 2010