Synthesis and properties of novel aromatic polyamides with xanthene cardo groups

Two novel monomers, 9,9‐bis[4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)phenyl]xanthene (BCAPX) and 9,9‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]xanthene (BAPX) were prepared in two main steps starting from nucleophilic substitution of 9,9‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)xanthene (BHPX) with p‐fluorobenzonitrile and p‐chloronitrobenzene, respectively. Using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents, two series of polyamides containing xanthene cardo groups with the inherent viscosities (0.82–1.32 dL/g) were prepared by polycondensation from BCAPX with various aromatic diamines or from BAPX with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids in an N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing dissolved calcium chloride, respectively. All new polyamides were amorphous and readily soluble in various polar solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), NMP, N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and pyridine. These polymers showed relatively high glass transition temperatures between 264 and 308°C, decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss ranging from 502 to 540°C and 488 to 515°C in nitrogen and air, respectively, and char yields at 800°C in nitrogen higher than 56%. Transparent, flexible, and tough films of these polymers cast from DMAc solutions exhibited tensile strengths ranging from 86 to 109 MPa, elongations at break from 13 to 22%, and initial moduli from 2.15 to 2.63 GPa. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Generation of 4‐Cyanoisoquinolines and 4‐Amidylisoquinolines via a Palladium‐Catalyzed Cyanative Reaction of 2‐Alkynylbenzaldimines with Isocyanides

An efficient route to 4‐cyanoquinolines via a palladium‐catalyzed cyanative reaction of 2‐alkynylbenzaldimines with isocyanides has been developed. The transformation proceeds through 6‐endo cyclization, isocyanide insertion, and cyanation. 4‐Amidylisoquinolines can be generated as well if water is involved in the reaction.

     

Synthesis and characterization of side‐chain liquid‐crystalline ionomers containing quaternary ammonium salt groups

A series of thermotropic side‐chain liquid‐crystalline ionomers (LCIs) containing 4‐(4‐alkoxybenzyloxy)‐4′‐allyloxybiphenyl (M) as mesogenic units and allyl triethylammonium bromide (ATAB) as nonmesogenic units were synthesized by graft copolymerization upon polymethylhydrosiloxane. The chemical structures of the polymers were confirmed by IR spectroscopy. DSC was used to measure the thermal properties of these polymers. The mesogenic properties were characterized by polarizing optical microscopy, DSC, and X‐ray diffraction. Homopolymers without ionic groups exhibit smectic and nematic mesophases. The nematic mesophases of the ionomers disappear and the mesomorphic temperature ranges decrease with increasing concentration of ionic units. The influence of the alkoxy chain length on clearing temperature (T_c) values of ionomers clearly shows an odd‐even effect, similar to that of other side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polymers. The mesomorphic temperature ranges increase with increasing alkoxy chain length when the number of alkoxy carbon is over 3. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2879–2886, 2003     

Anionic polymerization of secondary aminostyrene and characterization of the polymer

Preparation by anionic living technique and characterization of poly(secondary aminostyrene) having narrow molecular weight distribution were investigated. N‐isopropyl‐N‐trimethylsilyl‐4‐vinylbenzylamine (SBA) was purified by use of sec‐butylmagnesium bromide as a purging reagent under high vacuum. SBA was anionically polymerized with n‐butyllithium or cumylpotassium in tetrahydrofuran at −78°C under high vacuum to yield the corresponding polymer (PSBA) in 100% yield. Subsequent deprotection of the trimethylsilyl group from PSBA produced poly(N‐isopropyl‐4‐vinylbenzylamine) (PBA) of the desired molecular weights (M_n: 1.3 × 10⁴–17 × 10⁴, determined by membrane osmometry) with narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n: 1.07–1.03, determined by gel permeation chromatography). The living lithium carbanion of PSBA can initiate styrene (St) to yield PSBA‐b‐PSt block copolymer (M_n = 4.0 × 10⁴, M_w/M_n = 1.05), and the polystyryllithium can initiate SBA to yield PSt‐b‐PSBA (M_n = 3.7 × 10⁴, M_w/M_n = 1.25). The deprotection of the trimethylsilyl group from the two block copolymers produced new block copolymers containing poly(secondary aminostyrene) block. Anionic reactivity of SBA and basic properties of PSBA are discussed in terms of the ¹³C chemical shift of β‐carbon in the vinyl group of SBA and steric effect. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 2039–2048, 1999     

Synthesis,extraction, and anti‐bacterial studies of some new bis‐1,2,4‐triazole derivatives part I

A series of new bis triazole Schiff base derivatives (4) were prepared in good yields by treatment of 4‐amino‐3,5‐diphenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazole (3) with bisaldehydes (1). Schiff bases (4) were reduced with NaBH₄ to afford the corresponding bisaminotriazoles (5). All the new compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectral data. Their overall extraction (log K_ex) constants for 1 : 1 (M : L) complexes and CHCl₃/H₂O systems were determined at 25 ± 0.1°C to investigate the relationship between structure and selectivity toward various metal cations. The extraction equilibrium constants were estimated using CHCl₃/H₂O membrane transfer with inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy spectroscopy. The stability sequence of the triazole derivatives in CHCl₃ for the metal cations was exhibited a characteristic preference order of extractability to metal ions [Fe(III) > Cu(II) > Pb(II) > Co(II) > Ni(II) > Mn(II) > Zn(II) > Mg(II) > Ca(II)]. The compounds were tested for anti‐microbial activity applying agar diffusion technique for 11 bacteria. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Synthesis,characterization of the luminescent lanthanide complexes with copolymer of (Z)‐4‐oxo‐4‐phenyloxyl‐2‐butenoic acid and styrene

The copolymers of (Z)‐4‐oxo‐4‐phenoxyl‐2‐butenoic acid with styrene (PSt/OPBA) and their macromolecular luminous lanthanide complexes (Ln‐PSt/OPBA) have been synthesized and characterized by means of GPC, elemental analysis, FTIR, X‐ray powder diffraction, spectral analysis, and thermal analysis. The IR studies showed that the carboxylic groups on the side chain of the polymer were coordinated to lanthanide ions by bidentate manner. However, the ethereal oxygen, instead of carbonyl, also bonded to the central lanthanide ions, which was an intriguing phenomenon for ester‐coordinated complexes. X‐ray diffraction experiments revealed that these PSt/OPBA copolymers were amorphous, but Ln‐PSt/OPBA were crystalline, in which the complex Eu‐L^c belonged to a high symmetric structure of orthorhombic quadratic system, with a = 10.59 ± 0.02 Å, c = 8.02 ± 0.01 Å; c/a = 0.763. In addition, the value δ (the number of free carboxylic groups) in Ln‐PSt/OPBA complexes increased with the decreasing mole ratio of styrene in the copolymers, while it decreased with increasing pH values of the solution. Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes exhibited characteristic fluorescence with comparatively high brightness and good monochromaticity, and the fluorescence intensity was enhanced with increasing the content of lanthanide up to around 18 wt % without typical fluorescence concentration quenching behavior in the solid state. So using polymers as a matrix, Ln‐PSt/OPBA are likely to provide new materials that possess specific properties and desired features. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Structural effects of type of intercalant in poly (4‐vinylpyridine) nanocomposites: compatible homopolymer or block copolymer

4‐vinylpyridine monomer was mixed with organophilic montmorillonite (MMT) clay and polymerized in the presence of free‐radical initiator. MMT clay was rendered organophilic by means of ion‐exchanging sodium cations for low‐molecular‐weight quaternized poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (P4VP) homopolymer and diblock copolymers of styrene and quaternized 4‐vinylpyridine (SVP) with different sequence lengths. The swelling behaviour of the MMT clay was studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). After the cation exchange, the resulting organophilic clays showed an expansion of interlayer distance indicating the nanoscale ordering of intercalant polymer and MMT layers. The nanocomposite materials, when moulded, exhibited improved thermal stability and dynamic mechanical properties compared with neat P4VP. The composite, having longer ionic segments in its organophilic MMT, showed exfoliated nanocomposite structure as well as higher stiffness and damping properties at higher temperatures even for MMT loading as low as 2 wt%. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Microbial transformation of androst‐4‐ene‐3, 17‐dione by Bordetella sp. B4 CGMCC 2229

BACKGROUND: Microbial transformation of steroids has attracted widespread attention, especially the transformation of those steroids synthesized with difficulty by chemical methods. In this study, microbial transformation of androst‐4‐ene‐3, 17‐dione (AD) by Bordetella sp. B4 was investigated, and the effect of temperature on transformation was studied. RESULTS: Three metabolites were purified by preparative TLC and HPLC, and identified as androsta‐1,4‐diene‐3,17‐dione (ADD), 9α‐hydroxyandrost‐4‐ene‐3, 17‐dione (9α‐OH‐AD), and 3‐hydroxy‐9, 10‐secoandrost‐1, 3, 5‐triene‐9, 17‐dione (3‐OH‐SATD) by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). It was first reported that the genus of Bordetella has the capability of AD degradation. Microbial transformation of AD was performed at 30 °C, 37 °C, 40 °C and 45 °C. The 9α‐OH‐AD yield reached a maximum within 16 h when the strain was cultivated in media with AD as sole carbon at 37 °C. Surprisingly, ADD was produced by the strain cultivated at 40 °C but not at 37 °C, which was different from previous reports. It was deduced that the alcohol dehydrogenase that catalyzed the transformation of AD to ADD may be temperature sensitive. CONCLUSION: Androst‐4‐ene‐3,17‐dione was converted into 9α‐hydroxyandrost‐4‐ene‐3, 17‐dione and other metabolites rapidly by Bordetella sp. B4. It is anticipated that the strain Bordetella sp. B4 CGMCC 2229 can be used in the steroids industry. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Facile Synthesis of Enantiopure 4‐Substituted 2‐Hydroxy‐4‐ butyrolactones using a Robust Fusarium Lactonase

A facile chemo‐enzymatic process has been developed for producing stereoisomers of 4‐substituted 2‐hydroxy‐4‐butyrolactones with good to excellent enantioselectivity. This process involves an easy separation of the diastereoisomers by column chromatography and efficient enzymatic resolution by whole cells of Escherichia coli JM109 expressing Fusarium proliferatum lactonase gene. This biocatalyst shows strong tolerance towards different substrate structures and at least three out four possible isomers could be obtained in excellent enantiomeric purity. Different substrate concentrations (10 mM–200 mM) were examined, giving a substrate to catalyst ratio of up to 26:1. This general and efficient enzymatic process provides access to stereoisomers of 4‐substituted 2‐hydroxy‐4‐butyrolactones readily and cost‐effectively. The stereochemical assignments were conducted systematically based on NMR, X‐ray diffraction and circular dichroism, leading to further understanding of the enzyme’s stereoselectivity.     

4-Methylzymosterone and Other Intermediates of Sterol Biosynthesis from Yeast Mutants Engineered in the ERG27 Gene Encoding 3-Ketosteroid Reductase

Studies in the post‐squalene section of sterol biosynthesis may be hampered by the poor availability of authentic standards. The present study used different yeast strains engineered in 3‐ketosteroid reductase (Erg27p) to obtain radioactive and non‐radioactive intermediates of sterol biosynthesis hardly or not available commercially. Non‐radioactive 3‐keto 4‐monomethyl sterones were purified from non‐saponifiable lipids extracted from cells bearing point‐mutated 3‐ketosteroid reductase. Two strategies were adopted to prepare the radioactive compounds: (1) incubation of cell homogenates of an ERG27‐deletant strain with radioactive lanosterol, (2) incubation of growing cells of a strain expressing point‐mutated 3‐ketosteroid reductase with radioactive acetate. Chemical reduction of both radioactive and non‐radioactive 3‐keto sterones gave the physiological 3‐β OH sterols, as well as the non‐physiological 3‐α OH isomers. This combined biological and chemical preparation procedure provided otherwise unavailable or hardly available 4‐mono‐methyl intermediates of sterol biosynthesis, paving the way for research into their roles in physiological and pathological conditions.     

Structure and properties of PMP foams doped with Cu nanopowders

Poly‐4‐methyl‐1‐pentene (PMP) foams doped with Cu nanopowders have been prepared by thermally induced phase separation. Ultrasonic dispersal was exploited to increase dispersion uniformity of Cu nanopowders in the foam skeleton. With increase in the concentration of Cu nanopowders, the structure of the doped PMP foams becomes finer and the size of cells, smaller. The modulus data of the doped foams described by a scaling constant larger than two significantly overestimate the predicted value. These indicate two roles of Cu nanopowders in PMP foams: fortifiers of foam structure and nuclei in polymer crystallization. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 5627–5632, 2006     

Homopolymerization of 4‐propionoxybenzoic acid: A kinetic study

A kinetic study of the synthesis of poly(4‐oxybenzoate) by melt‐step growth polymerization using para‐propionoxybenzoic acid is reported. The polycondensations obey second‐order kinetics, irrespective of whether the reaction was catalyzed or uncatalyzed. Breaks are observed in the kinetic plots, suggesting the presence of different kinetic regimes during the course of the reaction. An elaborate kinetic model that presupposes precipitation of oligomers predicts two‐stage kinetics as well as breaks in the rate plots and fits experimental data well throughout the course of the reaction and the performance of two transesterification catalysts are estimated. No isokinetic temperature is displayed for the transesterification reaction. Activation energy values for catalyzed reactions are found to be higher than the uncatalyzed reaction, indicating that entropy factors drive the reaction to completion. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 467–476, 1999     

Biological stereoselective reduction of ­4‐methylcyclohexanone and ­4‐ethylcyclohexanone by anthracnose ­fungi

The biotransformations of 4‐methylcyclohexanone and 4‐ethylcyclohexanone were investigated using 10 kinds of anthracnose fungi as biocatalysts. 4‐Methylcyclohexanone and 4‐ethylcyclohexanone were reduced to the corresponding cis‐ and trans‐alcohols respectively. In the case of 4‐methylcyclohexanone, it was transformed to mainly trans‐4‐methylcyclohexanol by all the fungi examined. In particular, the ratio of cis‐ and trans‐alcohol products was shown to be 1:81 with high stereoselectivity by Colletotrichum lagenarium after a 7‐day incubation period. The biotransformation of 4‐ethylcyclohexanone by C lagenarium, C dematium MAFF410046, C trifolii MAFF305389, C fragariae, C atramentarium MAFF712102, C lindemuthianum (C‐1), C lindemuthianum (C‐3) and C lindemuthianum (C‐13) produced mainly trans‐4‐ethylcyclohexanol. On the other hand, cis‐alcohol was formed with stereoselectivity by Glomerella cingulata and C graminicola MAFF305460. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Monomers and polymers of 4‐(N,N‐diallylamino)pyridine functions

4‐(N,N‐Diallylamino)pyridine (DAAP), N,N‐diallylaminobenzene (DAAB), N,N,N′,N′‐tetrallyl‐4,4′‐diaminobenzidine (AAB), N,N,N′,N′‐tetrallyl‐4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl sulfone (AABS), and N,N,N′,N′‐tetrallyl‐4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (AABE) were prepared by sodium substitution and N‐allylation. Moreover, linear polyDAAP, poly(DAAP‐co‐DAAB), and network poly(DAAP‐co‐AAB), poly(DAAP‐co‐AABS), and poly(DAAP‐co‐AABE), all being polymers containing supernucleophilic groups, were synthesized in the cyclopolymerization. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 363–367, 2000     

Synthesis,characterization, and fluorescence of end‐functionalized polystyrene initiated by 4‐chloromethyl benzoic acid and ethyl 4‐chloromethyl benzenecarboxylate via ATRP

End‐functionalized polystyrene (PSt) was synthesized via atom‐transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) by using 4‐chloromethyl benzoic acid (CMBA) and the ethyl‐protected carboxylic acid, ethyl 4‐chloromethybenzenecarboxylate (ECBC), as initiators respectively. The structure of PSt proved the living‐radical polymerization. Results exhibit both ATRP initiators afforded well‐controlled polymerization with high initiator efficiencies. However, the study also shows the controllability of ATRP can be obviously influenced by using different initiator in different catalyst system. Furthermore, the terminal group of the PSt1, benzoic acid, can coordinate with Europium(III) ion to obtain the polymeric Eu(III) complex, which shows both emissions of polymer and Eu(III) ion. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007