Synthesis and refractive‐index control of fluoropolymers by the polyaddition of bis(epoxide)s and triazine di(aryl ether)s

The polyaddition of fluorine‐containing bis(epoxide)s and fluorine‐containing triazine di(aryl ether)s were examined to give the corresponding fluorine‐containing poly(cyanurate)s. It was observed that the synthesized fluoropolymers had good thermal stabilities and good film‐forming properties. The glass transition temperatures (T_g's) and refractive‐indices (n_D's) of synthesized polymers were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and ellipsometry, respectively, and it was found that the values of T_g's and n_D's were supported by their fluorine containing ratios and skeletons. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4421–4429, 2007     

Light Diffraction of Aligned Polymer Fibers Periodically Dispersed by Phase Separation of Liquid Crystal and Polymer

We have confirmed light diffraction of aligned polymer fibers obtained by a phase separation of an anisotropic-phase solution of liquid crystal and polymer. He—Ne laser light passing through the polymer fibers was scattered in the axis vertical to the fibers, and had two peaks of light intensity symmetrical to the center of the transmitting laser spot. The two peaks were found to be caused by light diffraction due to the periodic polymer-fiber dispersion because the peaks corresponded to values calculated by intervals between the fibers. The periodical fiber networks are considered to be formed by anisotropic spinodal decomposition. This effect can be used to measure the dispersion order of the polymer fibers. © 2004 The Optical Society of Japan     

Curved Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Matrix Displays Driven by Field-Sequential-Color and Active-Matrix Techniques

This paper describes a curved field-sequential-color matrix display using fast-response ferroelectric liquid crystal. Black matrix and transparent electrode patterns were formed on a thin plastic substrate by a transfer method from a glass substrate. While a composite film of liquid crystal and micro-polymers of walls and fibers was formed between the flexible substrates by printing, laminating and curing processes of a solution of monomers and liquid crystal, the mechanical stability was enhanced by use of multi-functional monomers to form large display panels. The image pixels of the matrix panel were driven by an active matrix scheme using an external switch transistor array at a frequency of 180 Hz for intermittent three-primary-color backlight illumination. The flexible A4-paper-sized color display with 24 × 16 pixels and 60 Hz field frequency was demonstrated by illuminating it with sequential three-primary-color lights from light-emitting diodes of the backlight. Our display system is useful in various information displays because of its freedom of setting and location.     

Synthesis of self‐photosensitizing polyesters containing donor–acceptor norbornadiene moieties and benzophenone groups and their photochemical reactions

The ring‐opening copolymerization of a glycidyl ester derivative having a benzophenone group and the donor–acceptor norbornadiene (D‐A NBD) dicarboxylic acid, 5‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐1,4,6,7,7‐pentamethyl‐2,5‐norbornadiene‐2,3‐dicarboxylic acid, monoglycidyl ester derivatives with D‐A NBD dicarboxylic anhydride using tetraphenylphosphonium bromide as a catalyst proceeded smoothly to give novel self‐photosensitizing NBD polymers in good yields. The molecular weight of these polyesters was about 4,000, and lower than that of analogous NBD polymers having no benzophenone group. All the synthesized NBD polymers isomerized smoothly to the corresponding quadricyclane (QC) polymers upon UV irradiation in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution and in the film state. The rate of the photoisomerization of the D‐A NBD moieties in these polymers was higher than that of the D‐A NBD moieties in the polymer having no photosensitizing group. Furthermore, the rate of the photoisomerization of the D‐A NBD moieties in these polymers was also higher than that of the NBD polymer with low molecular weight photosensitizer in dilute solution. The photo‐irradiated polymers having QC moieties released thermal energies of 146–180 J/g. The D‐A NBD moieties contained in these NBD polymers possessed fair to good fatigue resistance. The degradation of the NBD moieties in these polymers was 15–30% after 50 repeated cycles of interconversion. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2978–2988, 2007     

Base-free oxidative homocoupling of arylboronic esters

Base-free oxidative homocoupling reaction of arylboronic esters has been found to proceed using a catalytic amount of a palladium-1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPP) complex under an oxygen atmosphere, affording a variety of biaryls in modest to excellent yields. Even arylboronic esters bearing a base-sensitive functional group are applicable to the reaction.     

A multi-mode-driven molecular shuttle: photochemically and thermally reactive azobenzene rotaxanes

The shuttling process of alpha-CyD in three rotaxanes (1-3) containing alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CyD) as a ring, azobenzene as a photoactive group, viologen as an energy barrier for slipping of the ring, and 2,4-dinitrobenzene as a stopper was investigated. The trans-cis photoisomerization of 1 by UV light irradiation occurred in both DMSO and water due to the movement of alpha-CyD toward the ethylene group, while the photoisomerization of 2 occurred in DMSO, but not in water. No photoisomerization was observed for 3 in both water and DMSO. The activation parameters of 1 and 1-ref in DMSO are subject to a compensation relation between deltaS(double dagger) and deltaH(double dagger); however, in water, the deltaS(double dagger) terms are not compensated by the deltaH(double dagger) terms. Alternating irradiation of the UV and visible lights resulted in a reversible change in the induced circular dichroism (ICD) bands of trans-1 and cis-1. In contrast, after the UV light irradiation, the ICD band of trans-2 decreased without the appearance of any bands of cis-2. The NMR spectra of 2 in DMSO showed coalescence of the split signals for the methylene and for the viologen protons due to the shuttling of alpha-CyD. Both the NOE differential spectra for cis-1 in water after UV light irradiation and 2 in DMSO after heating to 120 degrees C showed the negative NOE peaks assigned to interior protons of alpha-CyD, suggesting that alpha-CyD in cis-1 exists at the one ethylene moiety, and alpha-CyDs in cis-2 and 2 heated in DMSO exist at the propylene moieties.     

Resolution of lymphocyte subpopulations derived from rat spleen by polyamine-graft-PHEMA copolymer

The retention behavior of lymphocyte subpopulations, B cell, T cell and null cell, derived from rat spleen to polyamine-graft-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) copolymer (HA) surface was investigated, focusing on the conformational transition of the polyamine side chain as well as the protonation of amino groups in the polyamine grafts. Furthermore, the availability of HA was discussed as a column adsorbent for separation of lymphocyte subpopulations derived from spleen. The conformational transition of polyamine grafts significantly influenced the mode of retention of lymphocyte subpopulations. When polyamine grafts existed in an aggregated conformation (protonatin degree α < 0.5), the retention of lymphocyte subpopulations was decreased in the order B cell> null cell> T cell. On the other hand, when polyamine existed in an extended conformation into the aqueous interior from the matrix interface (α > 0.5), T cell retention became greater than null cell retention, resulting in a decreased B cell> T cell> null cell order. These results indicate that the differential retention of spleen lymphocyte subpopulations is attributed to their differential responses to the change in matrix interface accompanied by the protonation of amino groups. Furthermore, spleen lymphocytes were compared with lymph node lymphocytes in terms of resolution efficacy by an HA copolymer column.     

Elucidation of solid-state complexation in ground mixtures of cholic acid and guest compounds

The solid-state complexation between cholic acid (CA) and either methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (MPB) or ibuprofen (IBP) was investigated. Powder X-ray diffractometry, IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis suggested the complex formation between CA and MPB as well as between CA and IBP by co-grinding method. The stoichiometry of CA-MPB was 1 : 1 while that of CA-IBP was 2 : 1, reflecting the effect of guest size on complex formation. The guest compounds were assumed to be included in the channel of complexes formed by hydrogen bonds among CA molecules.     

Isothermal differential scanning calorimetry on an exothermic phenomenon during thermal decomposition of hydromagnesite 4 MgCO3 · Mg(OH)2 · 4 H2O

An exothermic phenomenon and a simultaneous rapid evolution of a small amount of carbon dioxide at ?500°C during thermal decomposition of hydromagnesite 4 MgCO₃ · Mg(OH)₂ · 4 H₂O was studied by isothermal DSCTG in a carbon dioxide atmosphere. It was quantitatively confirmed that the exothermic phenomenon was due to crystallization of MgCO₃ from the amorphous phase and that the evolution of carbon dioxide was due to decomposition of the MgCO₃ by the heat of crystallization (?3.4 kcal mole^?1.