Amine‐blocked polyisocyanates. I. Synthesis of novel N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates and deblocking studies using hot‐stage fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A series of substituted N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates based on 4,4′‐methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) and poly(tetrahydrofuran) were prepared and characterized thoroughly with FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy methods. Compared with unsubstituted N‐methylaniline, a blocking agent with an electron‐releasing substituent at the para position took a shorter time, whereas those with an electron‐releasing substituent at the ortho position or an electron‐withdrawing substituent at the ortho and para positions took longer times for the blocking reaction. The thermal dissociation reactions of blocked polyisocyanates were carried out with an FTIR spectrophotometer attached to hot‐stage accessories under dynamic and isothermal conditions. The dynamic method was used to determine the deblocking temperature, and the isothermal method was used to calculate the deblocking kinetics and activation parameters. The cure times of blocked polyisocyanates with hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene were also determined. The deblocking temperatures, the results of cure‐time studies, and the kinetic parameters revealed that the thermal dissociation of the N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates was retarded by electron‐donating substituents and facilitated by electron‐withdrawing substituents. The action of N‐methylanilines as blocking agents for isocyanate was explained by the formation of a four‐center, intramolecularly hydrogen‐bonded ring structure during the thermal dissociation of the blocked polyisocyanates. The formation of such a hydrogen‐bonded ring structure was confirmed and supported by variable‐temperature ¹H NMR studies and entropy parameters, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1557–1570, 2007     

Inequivalent quantizations for non-linear σ model

We compute the homotopy groups ₀ and ₁ of the classical configuration space of anO(3) invariant field theory on ×, where is a compact two dimensional manifold for arbitrary genusg and- denotes the time coordinate. We also present the finite dimensional, unitary, irreducible, inequivalent representations of the appropriate fundamental groups and comment on some of their implications.     

Cationic,neutral and anionic metal(II) complexes derived from 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (chelidonic acid)

The structures of five metal complexes containing the 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylate dianion illustrate the remarkable coordinating versatility of this ligand and the great structural diversity of its complexes. In tetraaquaberyllium 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylate, [Be(H₂O)₄](C₇H₂O₆), (I), the ions are linked by eight independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds to form a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded framework structure. Each of the ions in hydrazinium(2+) diaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)calcate, (N₂H₆)[Ca(C₇H₂O₆)₂(H₂O)₂], (II), lies on a twofold rotation axis in the space group P2/c; the anions form hydrogen‐bonded sheets which are linked into a three‐dimensional framework by the cations. In bis(μ‐4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)bis[tetraaquamanganese(II)] tetrahydrate, [Mn₂(C₇H₂O₆)₂(H₂O)₈]·4H₂O, (III), the metal ions and the organic ligands form a cyclic centrosymmetric Mn₂(C₇H₂O₆)₂ unit, and these units are linked into a complex three‐dimensional framework structure containing 12 independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds. There are two independent Cu^II ions in tetraaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)copper(II), [Cu(C₇H₂O₆)(H₂O)₄], (IV), and both lie on centres of inversion in the space group P; the metal ions and the organic ligands form a one‐dimensional coordination polymer, and the polymer chains are linked into a three‐dimensional framework containing eight independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds. Diaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)cadmium monohydrate, [Cd(C₇H₂O₆)(H₂O)₂]·H₂O, (V), forms a three‐dimensional coordination polymer in which the organic ligand is coordinated to four different Cd sites, and this polymer is interwoven with a complex three‐dimensional framework built from O—H...O hydrogen bonds.     

Divalent transition metal complexes of 3,5-pyrazoledicarboxylate

New divalent transition metal 3,5-pyrazoledicarboxylate hydrates of empirical formula Mpz(COO)₂(H₂O)₂, where M=Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd (pz(COO)₂=3,5-pyrazoledicarboxylate), metal hydrazine complexes of the type Mpz(COO)₂N₂H₄ where M=Co, Zn or Cd and Mpz(COO)₂nN₂H₄·H₂O, where n=1 for M=Ni and n=0.5 for M=Cu have been prepared and characterized by physico-chemical methods. Electronic spectroscopic data suggest that Co and Ni complexes adopt an octahedral geometry. The IR spectra confirm the presence of unidentate carboxylate anion (Δν=ν_asy(COO^–)–ν_sym(COO^–)>215 cm^–1) in all the complexes and bidentate bridging hydrazine (ν_N–N=985–950 cm^–1) in the metal hydrazine complexes. Both metal carboxylate and metal hydrazine carboxylate complexes undergo endothermic dehydration and/or dehydrazination followed by exothermic decomposition of organic moiety to give the respective metal oxides as the end products except manganese pyrazoledicarboxylate hydrate, which leaves manganese carbonate. X-ray powder diffraction patterns reveal that the metal carboxylate hydrates are isomorphous as are those of metal hydrazine complexes of cobalt, zinc and cadmium.     

Selectivity switch in transformation of CO2 from ethanol to methanol on Cu embedded in the defect carbon

The copper-based catalysts have been generally regarded as high-performance catalysts for CO_2 hydrogenation toward methanol,while the production of ethanol via C–C coupling on the copper-based catalysts is still challenging. Herein, we report a new catalyst where Cu nanoparticles are embedded in the carbon support with abundant defect sites, achieving a high selectivity for ethanol in the CO_2 hydrogenation. The experiments coupled with the theoretical studies show a clear map where carbon defects serve as anchor sites that can stabilize interfacial copper species, and interfacial Cu sites with low coordination numbers can adsorb two C_1 species and later convert them to a C_2 species via a hydrogenation-induced coupling reaction. Further adjacent Cu atoms of interfacial Cu sites can facilitate OH reduction reactions via the Cu–Cu bridge adsorption to assist the formation of ethanol. Especially, those specific active sites easily disappear in the reducing conditions and during the reaction, the major product can transform from ethanol to methanol.     

Gravity-free hydraulic jumps and metal femtoliter cups

Hydraulic jumps created by gravity are seen everyday in the kitchen sink. We show that at small scales a circular hydraulic jump can be created in the absence of gravity by surface tension. The theory is motivated by our experimental finding of a height discontinuity in spreading submicron molten metal droplets created by pulsed-laser ablation. By careful control of initial conditions, this leads to solid femtoliter cups of gold, silver, copper, niobium, and tin.     

Universal behavior of entrainment due to coherent structures in turbulent shear flow

A solution is suggested for a persistent mystery in the physics of turbulent flows: cumulus clouds rise to towering heights, practically without entraining the ambient medium, while apparently similar turbulent jets quickly lose their identity through entrainment and mixing. Dynamical system computations on a model vortical flow show that entrainment due to coherent structures depends sensitively on relative speeds of fluid parcels. Local heating, for example, can alter drastically the sizes of Kolmogorov-Arnol'd-Moser tori and chaotic mixing regions. The entrainment rate and, hence, the lifetime of a turbulent shear flow show a universal, nonmonotone dependence on the heating.     

Resonant modes due to anion interstitials and anion vacancies in fluorites

The resonant modes due to anion interstitials and anion vacancies in fluorites are computed on the basis of a Green's function formalism. The Green's functions are calculated on the basis of shell model fitted to the phonon dispersion curves of the respective crystals. The force constant changes are calculated by finding the relaxations of the different host atoms and then using the short range potential due to Catlow and Norgett. The calculated frequencies of the resonant mode due to anion interstitials in BaF₂; shows good agreement with the experimental results. The results discussed in a comparative fashion for the three crystals CaF₂, SrF₂; and BaF₂; along with the possibility of their experimental detection.