Thin and surface adhesive ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) films with β phase‐inducing amino modified porous silica nanofillers

We report an efficient route for ferroelectric polar β phase generation in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) through incorporation of amine functionalized, porous silica (MCM‐41 and fumed silica) based nanofillers. These porous highly functionalized surfaces exhibit the efficient secondary interaction with polymer chain via hydrogen bonding. Structural analysis through FTIR, XRD, and TEM confirm high degree of ferroelectric polar β phase generation of PVDF through incorporation of amino modified porous silica nanofillers. Optimized loading (5 wt %) of amine functionalized, porous silica in PVDF matrix enhances relative intensity of β phase up to 75%. Disappearance of spherulite structure of PVDF with amino modified porous silica nanofillers, as confirmed through POM, TEM, SEM and AFM studies also supports the above conclusion. The P‐E hysteresis loop at sweep voltage of ±50 V of a thin PVDF‐amino modified porous nanofiller film shows excellent ferroelectric property with nearly saturated high remnant polarization 2.8 µC.cm^?2 owing to its large proportion of β PVDF, whereas, a nonpolar pure PVDF thin film shows unsaturated hysteresis loop with 0.6 µC.cm^?2 remnant polarization. PVDF films with the nanofillers exhibit strong adhesive strength over different metallic substrates making them have edge over PVDF in various thin film applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 2401–2411     

“Seems Bad Turns Good” – traces of precursor in dicationic ionic liquid lead to analytical application

Research on Chemical Intermediates - We explored a geminal dicationic ionic liquid (DCIL), 1′-(propane-1,3-diyl)bis(4-aminopyridin-1-ium) dibromide, [C3(Amp)2][Br]2, as a fluorescent probe...     

A new benzimidazolium incorporated chemodosimeter affording dual chromogenic and fluorescence switch-on signaling for the selective targeting of cyanide

We have designed and synthesized a new chemodosimeter, Benzolin-A, which selectively responds to toxic cyanide by dual colorimetric and fluorescence turn-on responses in buffered aqueous DMSO. In the presence of cyanide, we observe absorbance red shift of 108 nm (color changing from colorless to yellow) and fivefold fluorescence enhancement. The ¹H NMR studies confirm the nucleophilic addition mechanism, and consistent with the experimental findings, the computational work predicts the feasibility of photoelectron transfer or energy transfer process in the native probe, as well as enhanced internal charge transfer in the Benzolin-A-cyanide adduct. Noteworthily, several background anions, such as F^?, Cl^?, AcO^?, SCN^?, HSO₄ ^?, NO₃ ^?, Br^?, I^? and H₂PO₄ ^? exhibit none or insignificant optical perturbations.     

Arylation of Amines and Monoarylation of Symmetrical Diamines in the Presence of Brine Solution with Diheteroaryl Halides

A simple, scalable, ligand-free, and metal-free protocol for arylation of amines and monoarylation of symmetrical diamines with diheteroaryl halides in the presence of brine solution has been developed. The protocol has broad structural applicability for chemoselective monoarylation of a wide variety of symmetrical, cyclic, and acyclic aliphatic diamines. The protocol is also applicable for selective arylation of aliphatic amine in the presence of aromatic amine.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Oxidative Dimerizations of 3‐N‐Hydroxy‐aminoprop‐1‐enes to form 1,4‐Dihydroxy‐2,3‐diaminocyclohexanes with C2 Symmetry

This work describes the one‐step construction of complex and important molecular frameworks through copper‐catalyzed oxidations of cheap tertiary amines. Copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxidations of N‐hydroxyaminopropenes to form C₂‐symmetric N‐ and O‐functionalized cyclohexanes are described. Such catalytic oxidations proceed with remarkable stereocontrol and high efficiency. Reductive cleavage of the two N? O bonds of these products delivers 1,4‐dihydroxy‐2,3‐diaminocyclohexanes, which are important skeletons of several bioactive molecules.     

Synthesis of 2-phenoxy-2-phenylethyl acrylate and copolymerization with 2-phenylethyl acrylate: Estimation of monomer reactivity ratios,thermal and optical properties

A new aromatic based monomer 2-phenoxy-2-phenylethyl acrylate (PPEA) was synthesized. Copolymers of PPEA with 2-phenylethyl acrylate (PEA) were prepared by free radical polymerization. The reactivity ratios were estimated using various graphical methods. Structural parameters of the copolymers were obtained by calculating the dyad monomer sequence fractions and the mean sequence length. Optical properties of polymers such as refractive indices and UV-Visible absorption were investigated. The glass transition temperature and thermal degradation behavior of the copolymers were studied. Combined with the RI, transparency and thermal properties, prepared copolymers hold great promise as materials for intraocular lens applications.     

Triphenyl borate catalyzed synthesis of amides from carboxylic acids and amines

Herein we report triphenyl borate as a new catalyst for synthesis of amides by catalytic condensation of carboxylic acids and amines. Our protocol is applicable for synthesis of wide range of amides furnishing excellent yields up to 92%. In addition developed method requires low catalyst loading, short time, less amount of solvent, works under air atmosphere and notably no need of azeotropic reflux using special Dean Stark apparatus or molecular sieves.     

Schubert varieties, linear codes and enumerative combinatorics

We consider linear error correcting codes associated to higher-dimensional projective varieties defined over a finite field. The problem of determining the basic parameters of such codes often leads to some interesting and difficult questions in combinatorics and algebraic geometry. This is illustrated by codes associated to Schubert varieties in Grassmannians, called Schubert codes, which have recently been studied. The basic parameters such as the length, dimension and minimum distance of these codes are known only in special cases. An upper bound for the minimum distance is known and it is conjectured that this bound is achieved. We give explicit formulae for the length and dimension of arbitrary Schubert codes and prove the minimum distance conjecture in the affirmative for codes associated to Schubert divisors.