Mono-Aryl/Alkylthio-Substituted (Hetero)acenes of Exceptional Thermal and Photochemical Stability by the Thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher Cyclization Reaction

The highly substituted mono-aryl/alkylthio-(hetero)acenes prepared in this study have been found to be thermally more stable (T_decomp.=331–354 °C) than the known di-aryl/alkylthio-substituted acenes by an average of 25 °C. They are also much more photostable at 254 and 365 nm (in both argon and air) than the parent anthracene and other reported anthracenes. The most photostable aryl/alkylthio-anthracenes at 254 nm were found to be 60–70 (in air) and 130 (in argon) times more stable in solution than the unsubstituted anthracene, and much more stable than known EDG/EWG-substituted anthracenes (EDG=electron-donating group, EWG=electron-withdrawing group) with an extended aromatic core. Furthermore, the acenes showed significantly higher photostability at 365 nm in both air and argon. The anthracenes were obtained by the novel thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher cyclization reaction of hitherto unknown [o-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)aryl](aryl)methyl thioethers. The developed approach provides a general access to mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted (hetero)acene frameworks containing at least three fused (hetero)aromatic rings. The characteristic feature of this approach, which leads to highly substituted acenes, is that the substituents, unlike in other methods, may be introduced at an early stage of the synthesis. DFT and TD-DFT calculations confirmed the stabilizing role of the aryl/alkylthio substituent in the mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted anthracenes, which are the most stable anthracenes prepared to date. Their high photostability is mainly due to the quenching of singlet oxygen by the acene and the quenching of the acene S₁ state by molecular oxygen.     

Approximating Clarke’s subgradients of semismooth functions by divided differences

We show that the algorithm presented in an earlier paper by Studniarski (Numer. Math., 55:685–693, 1989) can be applied, after only a small modification, to approximate numerically Clarke’s subgradients of semismooth functions of two variables. Results of computational testing of this modified algorithm are also reported.      

Do intramolecular halogen bonds exist? Ab initio calculations and crystal structures’ evidences

Cl···O intramolecular contacts are analysed here. Hence the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) search was performed to find five-membered Cl–C=C–C=O pseudo-rings closed through Cl···O intramolecular contacts. Such rings were analysed and it was found that some of Cl···O distances are smaller than the corresponding sum of van der Waals radii. Additionally ab initio MP2/6-311++G(d,p) calculations and AIM analyses were carried out here on 3-chloropropenal and its fluoro derivatives to deepen the nature of intramolecular Cl···O interactions, some of findings may indicate that they are attractive and stabilizing ones. This paper is dedicated to Prof. T. M. Krygowski on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Thiol-ene chemistry as an effective tool for hydrophobization of cotton fabrics

In this paper, several methods of hydrophobization of cotton fabrics using the thio-ene click reaction were compared. Durable, superhydrophobic textiles were obtained in an easy way. Various variants of functionalized silsesquioxanes were used for the hydrophobization of fabrics. The synthesis of bifunctional silsesquioxanes (RSiMe₂O)₄(ViSiMe₂O)₄Si₈O₁₂ and (RSiMe₂O)₄(R’SiMe₂O)₄Si₈O₁₂ were performed via hydrothiolation of silsesquioxane derivative (ViSiMe₂O)₈Si₈O₁₂. Alkoxysilyl, alkyl and fluoroalkyl moieties were introduced as functional groups. Samples were prepared using four methods, differing in the modification method and the number of stages. During the research, fabrics were modified via (a) the dip-coating process, (b) carrying out thiol-ene click reactions directly on the surface of the fabric and (c) using both of these methods. The hydrophobicity of the fabric was evaluated by measuring the Water contact angle (WCA). The obtained samples were also examined using infrared analysis (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Elemental analysis (SEM–EDS). All analyses were performed before and after the washing process in order to verify the stability of the performed modifications.

Graphical abstract

     

Structural assignment of organotin hydrides containing the oxazoline ligand

A series of triorganotin hydrides and diorganotin dihydrides containing the optically active 2-(4-isopropyl-2-oxazolinyl)-5-phenyl ligand have been characterized by means of the multinuclear low-temperature NMR investigations, the results of which are discussed. In the corresponding organotin hydrides values of the ¹J(¹H-^117/119Sn) couplings appeared to be temperature dependent, supporting an axial/equatorial position of the hydrogen attached to the tin.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Optical Sol–Gel Adhesive for Military Protective Polycarbonate Resin

Sol–gel adhesive material for isostatic hotpressing lamination process was synthesized using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTES), 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS) and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) as precursors. Reaction dynamics between APTES and GPTS was followed on-line with Raman spectroscopy. The lamination process was optimized by varying hotpressing times and pressures at the constant temperature. Mechanical shear strength properties were found to be excellent for studied composition, 25–30 kg/cm² at its best. One possible application of laminated polycarbonate (PC) structure is a soldier helmet visor. Therefore, the ballistic protection properties were tested by shooting with 1.1 gram standard fragment, and determining the v₅₀ velocity value, which corresponds to 50% perforation. The laminated structure gave 5.7% better protection compared with the solid polycarbonate. The laminated components were found to have high optical transparency at the visible wavelengths as well as high environmental stability.     

Synthesis and characterization of the non-Kekulé, singlet biradicaloid Ar'Ge(micro-NSiMe(3))(2)GeAr' (Ar' = 2,6-Dipp(2)C(6)H(3), Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr(2)C(6)H(3))

Reaction of Ar'GeGeAr' (1) with an excess of Me3SiN3 gives the non-Kekulé, biradicaloid Ar'Ge(mu-NSiMe3)2GeAr' (3, Ar' = 2,6-Dipp2C6H3, Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) which has a planar Ge2N2Si2 array and pyramidal geometry at the germaniums. DFT calculations for the model MeGe(mu-NSiH3)2GeMe indicate no Ge-Ge bonding and a singlet ground state. The calculated energy difference between the optimized singlet and triplet states is 17.51 kcal/mol.