Comprehensive study on the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes from (quaternized) poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] and poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sodium sulfonate)

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) have been prepared from well‐defined (quaternized) poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) and high molecular weight poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sodium sulfonate) (PAMPSNa) after a thorough study of their viscometric properties. The effect of pH and quaternization degree of PDMAEMA on PECs stoichiometry has been examined. PEC‐based materials have been characterized in terms of thermal stability, equilibrium swelling degree, and free/bound water composition. The stoichiometry and swellability of the physically crosslinked hydrogels obtained from fully quaternized PDMAEMA/PAMPSNa complexes do not depend on pH. In contrast, PECs made of non quaternized PDMAEMA and PAMPSNa are highly affected by pH, and could reversibly disintegrate at pH ≥ 9. Partially quaternized PDMAEMA/PAMPSNa PECs exhibit intermediate properties and form stable loose structures in the whole investigated pH range. Finally, stable dispersions of PECs nanoparticles have been successfully produced from dilute solutions of the complementary polyelectrolytes. The nanoparticle average diameter as determined by dynamic light scattering proved to depend on the molar fraction of DMAEMA‐based subunits and on the initial polyelectrolyte concentration. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5468–5479, 2006     

Polymérisation anionique amorcée par les composés lamellaires du graphite et du lithium

In the present work, we use the binary insertion compound LiC₁₂ to polymerize styrene, methyl methacrylate, butadiene, isoprene, and to copolymerize isoprene and styrene in various hydrocarbon solvents (aromatics and aliphatic) and etheral solvents. We show that the styrene polymerization in aromatic solvents gives better yields than in the etheral solvents, the polymer being atactic. Methyl methacrylate does not polymerize in toluene but does so completely in DME. More generally, the yields of polymerization are better with KC₃₇ than with LiC₁₂ because of the different capacities of the monomer to get into the carbon layers. The polymerization of dienes with LiC₁₂ shows that the microstructures of the polymer obtained in π-or n-donor solvents are similar to the ones obtained by homogenous polymerization with Li cation in such solvents. However, for isoprene in cyclohexane, the results are different. The isoprene styrene copolymers are statistical ones and the mean length of styrene blocks is less than 5. The monomer interaction with the insertion compound and the growing chain geometry between the carbon layers are the facts which control either the stereospecificity of the polymerization or the selectivity of the copolymerization.     

Anionic polymerization of lactones initiated by alkali graphitides. III. Polymerization of δ-valerolactone initiated by KC24

The anionic polymerization of δ-valerolactone initiated by KC₂₄ in xylene or tetrahydrofuran was investigated. The influence of the polymerization conditions on the amount and composition of the oligomers fraction and high polymers formed was tested. Experiments were done with a potassium mirror and benzophenone-potassium as initiators of the polymerization to check the influence of the layered structure of the initiator. It was found that the amount of the oligomers formed under comparable conditions increases in the order KC₂₄ (9%), potassium mirror (22%), benzophenone-potassium (56%). The highest yields of poly(δ-valerolactone) (over 90%) and highest intrinsic viscosities (1.0 dL/g and more) were achieved by the KC₂₄-initiated polymerizations in xylene.     

Über die Reduktionsformen einiger nichtenolisierenden aromatischer Ketone und Chinone,welche die Vinylpolymerisation zu initiieren vermögen

It is known that the reduction forms of aromatic carbonyl compounds (ACC) initiate anionic polymerization of vinyl monomers. The ability of the reduction forms to transfer an electron to the interacting molecules is defined also by the electron affinity of the partners. To obtain data about the electron affinity the half-wave potentials of polarographic reduction were measured and compared with the values of the lowest antibonding molecular orbital, according to theHückel's method. A linear correlation between the potentials of polarographic reduction and the energy of the lowest antibonding molecular orbit was found. The results prove the correctness of the previously determined electroaffinity defined by electron transfers between the reduction forms and neutral molecules. From the data of quantum chemical calculation and the polarographic reduction ofACC the changes of the free energy, enthalpy and the equilibrum constant for electron transfer reaction were calculated. The initiation ability of the reduction forms ofACC and the elctron affinity discussed.     

Synthesis of polyampholyte microgels from colloidal salts of pectinic acid and their application as pH-responsive emulsifiers

A novel method for obtaining cross-linked microgels of apple pectin has been introduced. This method is based on the Ugi four-component condensation in colloidal suspensions of pectinic acid and amines. Using various processing parameters (the polysaccharide concentration, the type and density of crosslink, and the optimal pH range), particles with controlled colloidal properties have been obtained. Lightly cross-linked polysaccharide chains acquire anionic character due to deprotonation of the carboxyl groups at pH?9–10. Increasing the degree of cross-linking leads to a polyampholyte microgel, which can be protonated in acidic medium or deprotonated in basic medium. Polyampholyte microgels derived from apple pectin have proved to be an effective Pickering emulsifier at low concentrations and pH?2–3, forming stable oil-in-water emulsions. These Pickering emulsions exhibited pH-responsive behavior: raising the solution pH to 10 resulted in immediate demulsification due to the destabilization of microgel network at the oil–water interface.     

Raman investigation of hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic compressions of OH‐ and F‐apophyllites up to 8 GPa

Layer silicates F‐ and OH‐apophyllites, KCa₄Si₈O₂₀(F, OH)·8H₂O, have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy at hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic pressures up to ~8 GPa in diamond anvil cells using a 4 : 1 methanol–ethanol mix as pressure‐transmitting medium. Our experiments show that at hydrostatic compression, apophyllites retain their crystalline states (i.e. no amorphization) up to 5 GPa. The wavenumbers of most bands exhibit linear dependences on pressure, except for a few ones, e.g. at 162 and 3565 cm^–1 in OH‐form (160.5 and 3558 cm^–1 in F‐form) that show nonlinear dependences. Nonhydrostatic compression with additional uniaxial loading induces amorphization of apophyllites. The majority of the bands in OH‐apophyllite decreases markedly in intensity and shows considerable broadening under nonhydrostatic compression up to 3–6 GPa. In addition, the wavenumbers of several bands at nonhydrostatic compression exhibit considerable nonlinear dependences on pressure with strong hysteresis. These bands are mainly associated with vibrations of the interlayer ions and molecules and also of stretching and bending silicate sheets, hence being highly sensitive to the interlayer distance. Finally, we have calculated the lattice dynamics of F‐apophyllite and interpreted the majority of bands, and these data are used to explain the complex baric behavior of the bands. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quadratic perturbations of quadratic codimension-four centers

We study the stratum in the set of all quadratic differential systems , with a center, known as the codimension-four case Q₄. It has a center and a node and a rational first integral. The limit cycles under small quadratic perturbations in the system are determined by the zeros of the first Poincaré-Pontryagin-Melnikov integral I. We show that the orbits of the unperturbed system are elliptic curves, and I is a complete elliptic integral. Then using Picard-Fuchs equations and the Petrov's method (based on the argument principle), we set an upper bound of eight for the number of limit cycles produced from the period annulus around the center.     

Can We Merge the Weak and Strong Tetrel Bonds? Electronic Features of Tetrahedral Molecules Interacted with Halide Anions

Using the orbital-free quantum crystallography approach, we have disclosed the quantitative trends in electronic features for bonds of different strengths formed by tetrel (Tt) atoms in stable molecular complexes consisting of electrically neutral tetrahedral molecules and halide anions. We have revealed the role of the electrostatic and exchange-correlation components of the total one-electron static potential that are determined by the equilibrium atomic structure and by kinetic Pauli potential, which reflects the spin-dependent electron motion features of the weak and strong bonds. The gap between the extreme positions in the electrostatic and total static potentials along the line linking the Tt atom and halide anion is wide for weak bonds and narrow for strong ones. It is in very good agreement with the number of minima in the Pauli potential between the bounded atoms. This gap exponentially correlates with the exchange-correlation potential in various series with a fixed nucleophilic fragment. A criterion for categorizing the noncovalent tetrel bonds (TtB) based on the potential features is suggested.     

Polymerization of ethylene oxide with potassium-graphite inclusion compounds

The polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) initiated by inclusion compounds of potassium in graphite (C₂₄K) at 50°C was studied. During the initial slow stage of the polymerization the catalyst efficiency increases, while during the second rapid stage the reaction proceeds at a constant concentration of the active centers. The influence of the catalyst and monomer concentrations on the concentration of the active centers and on the catalyst efficiency was studied. The existence of the slow stage is explained by diffusion of ethylene oxide between the graphite planes, where both initiation and initial chain growth take place. The diffusion of the growing chains from the catalyst into the solution brings about the formation of a necessary concentration of active centers in the solution, which ensures the rapid growth of the polymer chains under homogeneous conditions. An x-ray study of the catalyst after polymerization shows a strongly disturbed crystal structure of the graphite. Poly-(ethylene oxide) obtained at a higher degree of conversion, does not contain low molecular weight fractions.