Phase morphology of hydrolysable polyurethanes derived from aqueous dispersions

Biodegradable polyurethanes are an interesting alternative to many applications that involve plastics since they can minimize environmental problems caused by the low rates of natural degradation of synthetic polymers. In addition, since waterborne polyurethanes are based on aqueous dispersions, they restrict the use of organic solvents during processing and application of the polymer, thus contributing furthermore to reduce environmental damage. In this work, aqueous anionic polyurethane dispersions (PUD) with tailorable susceptibility for hydrolysis were synthesized by progressively replacing polypropylene glycol (PPG) with a biodegradable polycaprolactone diol (PCL) as soft segments. The hard segments were formed by extending isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with hydrazine (HZ). Dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) was used as ionic center and triethyl amine (TEA) as neutralizer. The degree of phase separation was evaluated mainly by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results indicated that phase separation between hard and soft segments of poly(ester-urethane) is more significant than that of poly(ether-urethane). Data obtained from SAXS experiments indicated that phase separation within soft domains can also be present in samples containing both polyester and polyether soft segments. Hydrolytic degradation of the polymers in buffer solution of pH 7.4 and alkaline solution was performed as an initial test. The results showed that the fraction of polyester soft segments in the polyurethanes can be used to tailor the susceptibility of the materials to hydrolytic attack. Polyurethanes having higher contents of polyester were more promptly hydrolytically degraded than polyurethanes containing only polyether segments.     

Stereoselective conjugate addition of benzyl phenylsulfonyl carbanions to enoates derived from d-mannitol

The conjugate addition of benzylic phenylsulfonyl carbanions (2a'-d') to enoates derived from d-(+)-mannitol (E- or Z-1a-c) was studied using THF and THF/HMPA as solvent. Under kinetic conditions (-78 degrees C), enoate E-1a,b led to a mixture of syn-(R,S) and anti-(S,S) adducts (55/45), and syn-(R,S) adducts were the main product obtained ( approximately 90/10) from enoate Z-1a. Under thermodynamic conditions (-78 degrees C to room temperature) syn-(R,S) adducts were also preferentially formed ( approximately 90/10), despite the geometry at the double bond in the acceptor. Enoate 1c (E/Z = 57/43), bearing an additional benzyl group at the alpha-position, also reacted with carbanions 2'a,b, under thermodynamic conditions, leading to syn-adducts in excellent de (control at the three newly generated stereogenic centers). The adducts were quantitatively transformed into the corresponding beta-gamma-disubstituted gamma-butyrolactones and alpha,beta,gamma-trisubstituted gamma-butyrolactones. (1)H NMR studies (NOE and J-coupling) of these lactones allowed us to determine their configuration at the newly generated chiral centers. The reduction of the C-S bond in adducts syn-(R,S) with Na/Hg, followed by treatment of the resulting products in aqueous acid media, led to enantioenriched beta-benzyl-gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactones. The conformational equilibrium of enoates E- and Z-1b was evaluated by theoretical calculations (ab initio, MP2/6-31G), and a mechanistic rationale was proposed to explain the observed stereoselectivities.     

Phase transitions in the tantalum-hydrogen system observed by PAC

The perturbation felt by¹⁸¹Hf probes in a¹⁸¹HfTa lattice loaded with 30 at% hydrogen was observed by PAC as a function of temperature. Three different interactions were identified: 1) Ν_Q1=433 (6) MHz, η=0.45 2) Ν_Q2=142 (9) MHz, η=0.9, and 3) Ν_Q?0, σ=4–14 Μ^?1 which are attributed to the Β^?, ε^? and α-phase in TaH system, respectively.     

Spectrophotometric study of the ruthenium(III,II)–2,2′,2″- terpyridine system

Ruthenium(III) reacts with 2,2′,2″-terpyridine in aqueous solution at pH 3.0–4.5, when heated at 85 °C for 2 min, giving a green cationic complex with an absorbance maximum at 690 nm. The color is stable for at least 25 h. The system conforms to Beer's law. The optimal range for measurement (1.00-cm optical path) is 2–10 p.p.m. Ru; the molar absorptivity is 8.3 ·10³. Ruthenium(II) reacts with terpyridine at pH 5.5 to develop an amber cationic complex (absorption maximum at 475 nm) on heating at 95° C for 45 min. The color is apparently stable indefinitely. The system conforms to Beer's law; the optimal range is 1–5 p.p.m. Ru; the molar absorptivity is 1.45·10⁴ l mol^?1 cm^?1. Common anions do not interfere; separation as RuO₄ is necessary when iron and a few other transition cations are present. The green complex, a strong oxidant, is converted to the ruthenium(II) complex by oxidation of water, slowly at room temperature, or more quickly by longer heating and/or higher temperature, and by increase of pH. The Ru(II) complex can be converted to the Ru(III) complex by strong oxidants such as Ce(IV). In the amber complex, the reaction ratio is 1 Ru: 2 terpyridine, in which the ligand is tridentate, whereas in the green complex the reaction ratio is 1 Ru : 3 terpyridine, the latter acting only as a bidentate ligand. Short gentle warming of a mixture of ruthenium(III) and terpyridine first produces a transient unidentified blue-colored species (absorbance at 790 nm).     

Experimental and Computational Study of the Thermal Decomposition of 3‐Methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol in m‐Xylene Solution

An experimental study of the thermal decomposition of a β‐hydroxy alkene, 3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol, in m‐xylene solution, has been carried out at five different temperatures in the range of 513.15–563.15 K. The temperature dependence of the rate constants for the decomposition of this compound in the corresponding Arrhenius equation is given by ln k (s^?1) = (25.65 ± 1.52) ? (17,944 ± 814) (kJ·mol^?1)·T^?1. A computational study has been carried out at the M05–2X/6–31+G(d,p) level of theory to calculate the rate constants and the activation parameters by the classical transition state theory. There is a good agreement between the experimental and calculated rate constants and activation Gibbs energies. The bonding characteristics of reactant, transition state, and products have been investigated by the natural bond orbital analysis, which provides the natural atomic charges and the Wiberg bond indices. Based on the results obtained, the mechanism proposed is a one‐step process proceeding through a six‐membered cyclic transition state, being a concerted and slightly asynchronous process. The results have been compared with those obtained previously by us (Struct Chem 2013, 24, 1811–1816) for the thermal decomposition of 3‐buten‐1‐ol, in m‐xylene solution. We can conclude that in the compound studied in this work, 3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol, the effect of substitution at position 3 by a weakly activating CH₃ group is the stabilization of the transition state formed in the reaction and therefore a small increase in the rate of thermal decomposition.     

Structural and Kinetic Aspects of Blood Plasma Protein Adsorption on the Surface of Hydrophobic Polymers

Abstract

Due to the wide use of polymers in medicine, researchers are required to solve a very important problem–to understand the interaction between materials of nonphysiological origin and the surrounding biological liquids, and tissues, particularly blood.