Gas-phase copolymerization of sulfur dioxide and butene-1

Mixtures of sulphur dioxide and butene-1 have been polymerized in the gas phase to the 1:1 alternating copolymer by electron irradiation. The rate of polymerization, measured by the decrease in gas pressure, decreased with increase in temperature over the range ?20 to +30°C. The initial G(-monomer) values decreased from 500 to 50 giving an Arrhenius activation energy of ?30 kJ mol^?1. These results are consistent with a ceiling temperature-pressure relationship. The ceiling temperature is about 60°C lower than that observed previously in the liquid phase in accord with thermo-dynamic prediction.     

Irradiation of aromatic polymers: The effect of irradiation temperature on crosslinking and scission in polystyrene

Polystyrene of narrow molecular weight distribution, M _w/M _n ≈ 1.03, was subjected to γ irradiation at 100 and 150°C. The yields of scission and crosslinking, G(S) and G(X), where determined from the changes in molecular weight distribution using gel permeation chromatography, (GPC) with supporting evidence from osmometry and viscometry. The ratio G(S)/G(X) increased from 0.02 at 30°C, obtained previously, to 2.8 at 150°C. This was mainly due to a tenfold increase in G(S), whereas G(X) apparently decreased slightly. These results are compatible with increased disproportion of chain scission radicals relative to their combination, analogous to the temperature dependence of mutual termination in the free radical polymerization of styrene. There was no obvious discontinuity through the glass transition temperature, although there may be a change in sign of the temperature coefficient of G(X). This system provides an excellent example of the applicability of measurements of molecular weight distributions and averages to determinations of G(S) and G(X) under conditions when gel measurements are inappropriate, either because of the failure of the system to form gel, or, as in the present case, because of the very large radiation doses required for gel formation.     

Copper(II) coordination to ligands immobilized on photoluminescent porous silicon

Increased preorganization can be achieved by immobilizing ligands on solid supports. Photoluminescent porous silicon, which can undergo facile hydrosilylation, was used as a support for open chain neutral N- and O-donor ligands. The abilities of these ligands to bind the divalent metal ions Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Pb(2+) are examined. Immobilized ligands selectively complexed Cu(II) over the other metal ions studied. Ligands immobilized on photoluminescent porous silicon also removed a significant amount, up to 98%, of Cu(II) from copper(II)-spiked, organic-rich, seawater samples.     

Influence of structural changes on the ion selectivities of magnesium ionophores based on malonic acid diamides

In an investigation of octamethylene bis(malonic acid diamides) and their selectivities for magnesium, it was found that presence of secondary amides within the particular ionophore played a considerable role in the enhancement of magnesium selectivity. Similar effects in other ionophores, i.e. tris(malonic acid diamides), were thus systematically looked at with the help of selectivity measurements with the hope of optimizing the number of secondary and tertiary amides so as to improve the magnesium selectivity. The syntheses of several investigated tris(malonic acid diamide) isologues are equally reported.Deceased in November 1992     

Correlating axial and equatorial ligand field effects to the single-molecule magnet performances of a family of dysprosium bis-methanediide complexes

Treatment of the new methanediide–methanide complex [Dy(SCS)(SCSH)(THF)] (1Dy, SCS = {C(PPh₂S)₂}²⁻) with alkali metal alkyls and auxillary ethers produces the bis-methanediide complexes [Dy(SCS)₂][Dy(SCS)₂(K(DME)₂)₂] (2Dy), [Dy(SCS)₂][Na(DME)₃] (3Dy) and [Dy(SCS)₂][K(2,2,2-cryptand)] (4Dy). For further comparisons, the bis-methanediide complex [Dy(NCN)₂][K(DB18C6)(THF)(toluene)] (5Dy, NCN = {C(PPh₂NSiMe₃)₂}²⁻, DB18C6 = dibenzo-18-crown-6 ether) was prepared. Magnetic susceptibility experiments reveal slow relaxation of the magnetisation for 2Dy–5Dy, with open magnetic hysteresis up to 14, 12, 15, and 12 K, respectively (∼14 Oe s⁻¹). Fitting the alternating current magnetic susceptibility data for 2Dy–5Dy gives energy barriers to magnetic relaxation (U_eff) of 1069(129)/1160(21), 1015(32), 1109(70), and 757(39) K, respectively, thus 2Dy–4Dy join a privileged group of SMMs with U_eff values of ∼1000 K and greater with magnetic hysteresis at temperatures >10 K. These structurally similar Dy-components permit systematic correlation of the effects of axial and equatorial ligand fields on single-molecule magnet performance. For 2Dy–4Dy, the Dy-components can be grouped into 2Dy–cation/4Dy and 2Dy–anion/3Dy, where the former have almost linear C Dy C units with short average Dy C distances, and the latter have more bent C Dy C units with longer average Dy C bonds. Both U_eff and hysteresis temperature are superior for the former pair compared to the latter pair as predicted, supporting the hypothesis that a more linear axial ligand field with shorter M–L distances produces enhanced SMM properties. Comparison with 5Dy demonstrates unusually clear-cut examples of: (i) weakening the equatorial ligand field results in enhancement of the SMM performance of a monometallic system; (ii) a positive correlation between U_eff barrier and axial linearity in structurally comparable systems.

Studies on equatorial donor and C Dy C angle variation effects on energy barriers to the slow relaxation of magnetisation are reported.