Effects of structural factors on the pi-dimerization and/or disproportionation of the cation radical of extended TTF containing thiophene-based pi-conjugated spacers

The electrochemical and chemical oxidation of extended TTF 4 and 5 are analysed by cyclic voltammetry, Visible/NIR and ESR spectroscopies, and the X-ray structures of the new salts 5 x BF(4)(CH(2)Cl(2)) and 4 x ClO(4)(THF)(1/2) are presented. The effects of structural factors on the pi-dimerization or the disproportionation reaction of the cation radical are shown. The oxidation of compound 4 presents the successive formation of stable cation radical and dication species both in dichloromethane (DCM) and in a CH(3)CN/THF mixture. In contrast, for compound 5, the stability of the oxidation states strongly depends on the nature of the solvent. In DCM, the oxidation of 5 proceeds by two close one-electron transfers while in CH(3)CN/THF the dication is directly formed via a two-electron process. The X-ray structures of the two salts reveal the formation of pi-dimers of cation radical. While the dimer (5(2))(2+) is due mainly to pi-pi interactions between the conjugating spacer, the multiplication of the sulfur atoms in compound 4 contributes to stabilize the dimer by the combined effects of S-S and pi-pi interactions. Visible/NIR and ESR experiments confirm the higher tendency of 4(+)(.) to dimerize with the occurrence of dimer and monomer in solution, while for 5(+)(.) only the monomer is detected in DCM. On the other hand, by dissolution of 5 x BF(4)(CH(2)Cl(2)) in CH(3)CN, only the neutral and the dicationic states of compounds 5 are observed owing to the disproportionation reaction.     

Design of organic semiconductors: tuning the electronic properties of pi-conjugated oligothiophenes with the 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) building block

Hybrid oligothiophenes based on a various combinations of thiophene and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) groups have been synthesized. UV/Vis absorption spectra show that the number and relative positions of the EDOT groups considerably affect the width of the HOMO-LUMO gap and the rigidity of the conjugated system. Analysis of the crystallographic structure of two hybrid quaterthiophenes confirms that insertion of two adjacent EDOT units in the middle of the molecule leads to a self-rigidification of the conjugated systems by intramolecular SO interactions. Cyclic voltammetry data shows that the first oxidation potential of the oligomers decreases with increasing chain length and increasing number of EDOT groups for a given chain length. Electrochemical studies and theoretical calculations show that the positions of the EDOT units in the conjugated chain control the potential difference (DeltaE(p)) between the first and second oxidation steps. Moving the EDOT groups from the outer to the inner positions of the conjugated system increases DeltaE(p). Theoretical calculations confirm that this phenomenon reflects an increase of the intramolecular coulombic repulsion between positive charges in the dication. A thin-film field-effect transistor was fabricated by vacuum sublimation of a pentamer with alternating thiophene-EDOT structure, and the hole mobility was determined.     

A Titration Microcalorimetric Study of the Effects of Halide Counterions on Vesicle-Forming Aggregation in Aqueous Solution of Branched-Chain Alkylpyridinium Surfactants

Titration microcalorimetry is used to study the influences of iodide, bromide, and chloride counterions on the aggregation of vesicle-forming 1-methyl-4-(2-pentylheptyl)pyridinium halide surfactants. Formation of vesicles by these surfactants was characterised using transmission electron microscopy. When the counterion is changed at 303 K through the series iodide, bromide, to chloride, the critical vesicular concentration (cvc) increases and the enthalpy of vesicle formation changes from exo- to endothermic. With increase in temperature to 333 K, vesicle formation becomes strongly exothermic. Increasing the temperature leads to a decrease in enthalpy and entropy of vesicle formation for all three surfactants. However the standard Gibbs energy for vesicle formation is, perhaps surprisingly, largely unaffected by an increase in temperature, as a consequence of a compensating change in both standard entropy and standard enthalpy of vesicle formation. Interestingly, standard isobaric heat capacities of vesicle formation are negative, large in magnitude but not strikingly dependent on the counterion. We conclude that the driving force for vesicle formation can be understood in terms of overlap of the thermally labile hydrophobic hydration shells of the alkyl chains. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Effects of Adsorbed Polyaniline on Redox Process on MoO3 Surface

The effects exhibited by adsorbed conducting polyaniline on the redox process on a molybdenum oxide surface were studied. Thermogravimetric results indicate a 4% polyaniline deposition. Cyclic voltammograms of the adsorbed polymer on MoO3 show that polyaniline exerts remarkable effects on the molybdenum blue oxidation-reduction process, with oxidation and reduction potentials of 0.33 and 0.18 V, respectively. This effect strongly enhances the electrode response, and can be used as an important tool in qualitative and/or quantitative determinations of molybdenum in solution as well as in any substrate. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

A study of background signals in graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The non-specific absorption from inorganic and organic molecules between 190 and 400 nm are measured using a graphite furnace and an atomic absorption spectrometer with a deuterium source.The molecular absorption spectra of NaCl, KCl, RbCl and CsCl are very similar, with two maxima at ca. 200 and 250 nm. That of LiCl is very weak, as is that of NaF. The spectra of NaBr, NaI, KBr, KI, CaCl₂, MgCl₂, SrCl₂, FeCl₃, LaCl₃ are also reported.The non-specific absorption spectrum arising from albumin decreases fro 190 to 400 nm, and that for plasma is similar to albumin, although a contribution from inorganic salts can also be seen. To decrease the non-specific absorption from metal chlorides or biological samples of mainly inorganic composition such as urine, addition of HNO₃ is satisfactory. Oxygen introduction during low temperature charring is better for removing contribution from organic molecules.     

Reaktionen von α-Chlorcarbonsäurechloriden mit Trialkylaminen

The condensation of α,α-dichloropropionyl chloride (IVa) and of trichloroacetyl chloride (IVb) with α-chloropropionyl chloride (Ia) in the presence of triethylamine led to two acid chloride enol-esters, both as mixtures of cis- and trans-isomers, namely 1, 2-dichloropropenyl α,α-dichloropropionate (Va) and 1, 2-dichloropropenyl trichloroacetate (Vb). A mixture of triethylamine and trichloroacetyl chloride produced an oxidation-reduction reaction to give 48% 1, 2, 2, 2-tetrachloroethyltrichloroacetate (VIII) and 69% 1-diethylamino-4, 4, 4-trichloro-1-butene-3-one (IX). Basic hydrolysis of IX led to 43% of glutaconic acid (XIII). Tripropylamine reacted in the same way with trichloroacetyl chloride to yield 1-dipropylamino-2-methyl-4, 4, 4-trichloro-but-1-ene-3-one (XIX) which was readily hydrolyzed in acid solution to α-trichloroacetyl-propionaldehyde (XX).