Facile synthesis, high thermal stability, and unique optical properties of hyperbranched polyarylenes

New hyperbranched polyarylenes of high molecular weights are synthesized in high yields by copolycyclotrimerizations of diynes 1,4-diethynylbenzene, 4,4′-diethynylbiphenyl, 2,7-diethynylfluorene and 2,5-diethynylthiophene with monoynes 1-heptyne, 1-octyne and 1-dodecyne catalyzed by TaCl₅-Ph₄Sn in toluene. All the polymers show good solubility in common organic solvents, possess excellent thermal stability, and emit strong deep-blue lights of ∼400 nm with quantum efficiencies up to 98%. The polyarylenes effectively limit 532 nm lasers light, some of which show optical limiting performances superior to that of C₆₀, a well-known optical limiter.     

Palladium nanoparticles stabilized in block-copolymer micelles for highly selective 2-butyne-1,4-diol partial hydrogenation

Pd nanoparticles (2 nm) stabilized in the micelle core of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly-2-vinylpyridine were studied in 2-butyne-1,4-diol partial hydrogenation. Both unsupported micelles (0.6 kg_Pd/m³) and supported ones on γ-Al₂O₃ (0.042 wt.% Pd) showed nearly 100% selectivity to 2-butene-1,4-diol up to 94% conversion. The only side product observed was 2-butane-1,4-diol. The catalysis was ascribed to Pd nanoparticles’ surface modified by pyridine units of micelles and alkali reaction medium (pH of 13.4). TOFs over the unsupported and supported catalysts were found to be 0.56 and 0.91 s⁻¹ (at 323 K, 0.6 MPa H₂ pressure, solvent 2-propanol/water = 7:3), respectively. Reaction kinetics fit the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model assuming weak hydrogen adsorption. The experiments on the catalyst reuse showed that Pd nanoparticles remain inside the micelle core, but the micelles slightly desorbed (less then 5%) during the catalytic run.     

Palladium with spindle-like nitrogen ligand supported on mesoporous silica SBA-15: A tailored catalyst for homocoupling of alkynes and Suzuki coupling

A mesoporous silica SBA-15-supported palladium with spindle-like nitrogen donor groups, 1,4-diaza-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane, has been successfully prepared and applied for homocoupling of terminal alkynes. The catalyst exhibited very high activity for terminal alkynes carrying various substitution groups, yields ranging from 70% to 94%, with a significant advantage that air acted as the oxidant. It also showed good reusability, could be easily recovered through filtration and washing, and reused at least five times with virtually no evident loss of catalytic performance. Furthermore, it was also proved to be an effective and air-stable heterogeneous catalyst for Suzuki coupling of aryl halides (X = I, Br) with arylboronic acids. The catalyst was systematically characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, nitrogen physical adsorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and X-ray powder diffraction. The analyses indicated that the mesoporous structure of the materials was retained during the immobilization process.     

Total Synthesis and Structural Elucidation of Two Unusual Non-Methylene-Interrupted Fatty Acids in Ovaries of the Limpet <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cellana toreuma</Emphasis>

In our previous study, unusual odd‐numbered dienoic acids with a terminal olefin were found as minor components in ovaries of the Japanese limpet Cellana toreuma, and the synthetic interests have been focused onto their structural confirmation and the inspection into their potential biological activity. Here, we describe an efficient and stereoselective total synthesis of two new unusual dienoic acids, 19:2?7,18 and 21:2?7,20, through a common pathway involving the strategic combination of alkyne‐zipper reaction and Lindlar hydrogenation for the construction of their unique carbon chains. In our synthetic study, 2‐propyn‐1‐ol was at first subjected to alkylation and alkyne‐zipper reaction to form the two fragments, and the subsequent carbon chain elongation was achieved by the usual coupling reaction to obtain the C‐19 and C‐21 products bearing an internal acetylenic group. Then, the internal acetylenic group of these products was subjected to Lindlar hydrogenation to form a Z‐alkenyl moiety, and the subsequent deprotection of the products was carried out under an acidic condition without isomerization of the internal Z‐alkenyl group. Total synthesis of target fatty acids, 19:2?7,18 and 21:2?7,20, was finally accomplished by two‐step oxidation of the resulting alcohols into carboxylic acids in a highly chemoselective manner, and the structures of these unusual natural fatty acids were finally elucidated by identifying the GC–MS spectra of the methyl esters of authentic and synthetic fatty acids.     

Synthesis,Optical Properties,and Photoluminescence of Organometallic Acetylide Polymers of Platinum Functionalized with Si and Ge-Bridged Bis(3,6-Diethynyl-9-butylcarbazole)

A series of light-emitting group 14 element-containing organometallic platinum polyynes of the form trans-[–Pt(PBu₃)₂C≡ CArC≡ C(ER₂)C≡ CArC≡ C–] _n (Ar = 9-butylcarbazole-3,6-diyl, ER₂ = SiMe₂, SiPh₂, GeMe₂, GePh₂) were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. The solution properties and regiochemical structures of this new structural class of organosilicon- and organogermanium-based metallopolyynes were studied by IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ²⁹Si, and ³¹P) spectroscopies. The optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra of these metallopolymers were examined and compared with their well-defined dinuclear model complexes trans-[Pt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂C≡ CArC≡ C(ER₂)C≡ CArC≡ CPt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂]. The influence of the heavy platinum atom and the group 14 silyl or germyl structural unit possessing different side group substituents on the thermal and phosphorescence properties were investigated in detail. We have also established the goal for studying the evolution of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states with the nature of ER₂ unit in these metallopolymers. The present work indicates that the phosphorescence emission efficiency harnessed through the heavy-atom effect of platinum in the main chain changes significantly with the identity of ER₂ in the general orders GeR₂ > SiR₂ (R = Me, Ph) and EMe₂ > EPh₂ (E = Si, Ge). Dedicated to Professor Ian Manners in recognition of his outstanding contribution to inorganic and organometallic polymers.     

Synthesis, Characterization and Photoluminescence of Dimeric and Polymeric Metallaynes of Group 10–12 Metals Containing Conjugation-breaking Diphenylmethane Unit

A novel approach based on conjugation interruption was developed for a luminescent and thermally stable platinum(II) polyyne polymer trans-[–Pt(PBu₃)₂C≡C(C₆H₄)CH₂(C₆H₄)C≡C–] _n (1) containing the diphenylmethane chromophoric spacer. Particular attention was focused on the photophysical properties of this group 10 polymetallayne and comparison was made to its binuclear model complex trans-[Pt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂C≡C(C₆H₄)CH₂(C₆H₄)C≡CPt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂] (2) and their closest group 11 gold(I) and group 12 mercury(II) neighbors, [MC≡C(C₆H₄)CH₂(C₆H₄)C≡CM] (M = Au(PPh₃) (3), HgMe (4)). The regiochemical structures of these angular-shaped compounds were studied by various spectroscopic analyses. Upon photoexcitation, each of them emits an intense purple-blue fluorescence emission in the near UV region in dilute fluid solutions at room temperature. Harvesting of organic triplet emissions harnessed through the strong heavy-atom effects of group 10–12 transition metals was examined. These metal-containing phenyleneethynylenes spaced by the conjugation-breaking CH₂ unit were found to have high optical gaps and high-energy triplet states. The influence of metal and sp³-hybridized methylene conjugation-interrupters on the intersystem crossing rate and the spatial extent of the lowest singlet and triplet excitons was fully elucidated. Our investigations indicate that high-energy triplet states in these materials intrinsically give rise to very efficient phosphorescence with fast radiative decays. Dedicated to Professor Didier Astruc in recognition of his outstanding contribution to metallodendrimers and polymers.     

A study of fatty acid methyl esters with epoxy or alkyne functionalities

Described are the physical and chemical properties of the methyl esters of two uncommon fatty acids: vernolic acid, containing an epoxy group, and crepenynic acid, containing a triple bond. The incorporation of an epoxy or alkyne group into the fatty acid structure is shown to greatly affect the properties compared to conventional unsaturated fatty acids. The methyl esters have been characterized and compared with ordinary fatty acid methyl esters (i.e., methyl oleate and linoleate) with respect to spectroscopic characterization [¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)], ¹³C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared), rheological properties, and oxidative reactivity (using chemiluminescence). Both methyl vernoleate and methyl crepenynate could successfully be produced by transesterification under basic conditions without reaction of the epoxy or alkyne groups. Rheological measurements showed that the methyl esters had a significantly lower viscosity compared to their triglyceride analogs. Smaller differences were seen when comparing the different methyl esters where methyl vernoleate had the highest viscosity due to the presence of the more polar oxirane group. Very large differences were found with respect to the oxidation rate of the different methyl esters. Methyl crepenynate was shown to oxidize extremely rapidly, whereas methyl vernoleate was very stable toward oxidation.     

Synthesis, Optical Properties and Photophysics of Group 10–12 Transition Metal Complexes and Polymer Derived from a Central Tris(p-ethynylphenyl)amine Unit

A new series of luminescent group 10–12 metal alkynyl complexes and polyyne polymer containing a central tris(p-ethynylphenyl)amine bridging chromophore were prepared. The regiochemical structures of these triangular-shaped trinuclear compounds and polymer were studied by various spectroscopic and photophysical analyses. Upon photoexcitation, each of them emits an intense purple-blue fluorescence emission in the near UV region in dilute fluid solutions at room temperature. Harvesting of organic triplet emissions observed in the low-energy region harnessed through the strong heavy-atom effects of group 10–12 transition metals was examined and the results were compared among these three neighboring late transition metal elements. The influence of group 15 nitrogen-based heteroatom on the intersystem crossing rate and the spatial extent of the lowest singlet and triplet excitons was fully elucidated and a comparison was made to the nearest group 14 and 16 neighbors in the same row of the Periodic Table. Dedicated to Professor Takakazu Yamamoto in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the area of transition metal-based coordination polymers.     

Characterization of Ti/Si binary oxides prepared by the sol-gel method and their photocatalytic properties: The hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of CH3CCH with H2O

Titanium-silicon (Ti/Si) binary oxides having different Ti content were prepared by the sol-gel method and utilized as photocatalysts for the hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of CH₂CCH with H₂O. The photocatalytic reactivity and selectivity of these catalysts were investigated as a function of the Ti content and it was found that the hydrogenolysis reaction (C₂H₆ formation) was predominant in regions of low Ti content, while the hydrogenation reaction (C₃H₆ formation) proceeded in regions of high Ti content. The in situ photoluminescence, diffuse reflectance absorption, FT-IR, XAFS (XANES and EXAFS), and XPS spectroscopic investigations of these Ti/Si binary oxides indicated that the titanium oxide species are highly dispersed in the SiO₂ matrices and exist in a tetrahedral coordination exhibiting a characteristic photoluminescence spectrum. The charge transfer excited state of the tetrahedrally coordinated titanium oxide species plays a significant role in the efficient photoreaction with a high selectivity for the hydrogenolysis of CH₃CCH to produces mainly C₂H₆ and CH₄, while the catalysts involving the aggregated octahedrally coordinated titanium oxide species show a high selectivity for the hydrogenation of CH₃CCH to produce C₃H₆, being similar to reactions of the powdered TiO₂ catalysts. The good parallel relationship between the yield of the photoluminescence and the specific photocatalytic reactivity of the Ti/Si binary oxides as a function of the Ti content clearly indicates that the high photocatalytic reactivity of the Ti/Si binary oxides having low Ti content is associated with the high reactivity of the charge transfer excited state of the isolated titanium oxide species in tetrahedral coordination, [Ti³⁺-O⁻]*.     

Oxidation of FA with alkene of alkyne functionalities studied with chemiluminescence and real-time IR spectroscopy

The oxidation of well-defined FA derivatives has been studied with real-time IR (RTIR) and chemiluminescence (CL) techniques. Both methyl esters and model oils based on different FA have been studied to reveal the effect of functionality. The FA used were linoleic and crepenynic acid, the latter with an alkyne functionality. The purpose was to reveal how structural differences affect the oxidation and how this is monitored with CL and RTIR. Both model oils had longer oxidation induction times than the corresponding methyl esters, as seen by both IR and CL. Generally, the induction times measured with IR were shorter than those determined by CL, but the rate of oxidation did not seem to differ much between the model oils and the corresponding methyl esters. The results also imply that the higher functionality of the model oils gives a greater possibility of intramolecular addition reactions instead of chain scission during oxidation, making the model oils emit fewer low-M.W. volatiles than the methyl esters. There is also a difference between methyl crepenynate and methyl linoleate, in that the alkyne functionality seems to enhance the possibility of chain scission instead of addition reactions. The results presented imply that the CL signal can be used to monitor the oxidation and the formation of volatile compounds from a FA structure. By combining the CL measurements with RTIR data, information about the oxidation reactions can be obtained, giving a greater understanding of what reactions are occurring during oxidation and how they are related to each other.