Porosity investigation of compacted bentonite using XRD profile modeling.

Many countries intend to use compacted bentonite as a barrier in their deep geological repositories for nuclear waste. In order to describe and predict hydraulic conductivity or radionuclide transport through the bentonite barrier, fundamental understanding of the microstructure of compacted bentonite is needed. This study examined the interlayer swelling and overall microstructure of Wyoming Bentonite MX-80 and the corresponding homo-ionic Na(+) and Ca(2+) forms, using XRD with samples saturated under confined swelling conditions and free swelling conditions.

ARGET ATRP for versatile grafting of cellulose using various monomers.

In recent years, cellulose-based materials have attracted significant attention. To broaden the application areas for cellulose, polymers are often grafted to/from the surface to modify its properties. This study applies ARGET (activators regenerated by electron transfer) ATRP (atom transfer radical polymerization) when straightforwardly grafting methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (St), and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) from cellulose in the form of conventional filter paper in the presence of a sacrificial initiator.

Superhydrophobic and self-cleaning bio-fiber surfaces via ATRP and subsequent postfunctionalization.

Superhydrophobic and self-cleaning cellulose surfaces have been obtained via surface-confined grafting of glycidyl methacrylate using atom transfer radical polymerization combined with postmodification reactions. Both linear and branched graft-on-graft architectures were used for the postmodification reactions to obtain highly hydrophobic bio-fiber surfaces by functionalization of the grafts with either poly(dimethylsiloxane), perfluorinated chains, or alkyl chains, respectively. Postfunctionalization using alkyl chains yielded results similar to those of surfaces modified by perfluorination, in terms of superhydrophobicity, self-cleaning properties, and the stability of these properties over time.

Atropoisomerism in phosphepines and azepines.

Free energy barriers to biaryl tropoinversion in metal complexes with tropos phosphepine and azepine ligands were determined by temperature-dependent (31)P NMR inversion-transfer experiments and line shape analysis of the temperature-dependent (1)H NMR spectra, respectively. The barrier in the PdCl(2) complex of the azepine ligand was found to be slightly higher than that of the corresponding free ligand. Studies of a tridentate azepine ligand suggested that configurational change takes place without prior decoordination from the metal.

Minor enantiomer recycling: metal catalyst, organocatalyst and biocatalyst working in concert.

A minor enantiomer recycling one-pot procedure employing two reinforcing chiral catalysts has been developed. Continuous regeneration of the achiral starting material is effected via selective enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the minor product enantiomer from Lewis acid-Lewis base catalyzed addition of acyl cyanides to prochiral aldehydes in a two-phase solvent system. The process provides O-acylated cyanohydrins in close to perfect enantioselectivities, higher than those obtained in the direct process, and in high yields.

Intelligent dual-responsive cellulose surfaces via surface-initiated ATRP.

Novel thermo-responsive cellulose (filter paper) surfaces of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and pH-responsive cellulose surfaces of 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) have been achieved via surface-initiated ATRP. Dual-responsive (pH and temperature) cellulose surfaces were also obtained through the synthesis of block-copolymer brushes of PNIPAAm and P4VP. With changes in pH and temperature, these "intelligent" surfaces showed a reversible response to both individual triggers, as indicated by the changes in wettability from highly hydrophilic to highly hydrophobic observed by water contact angle measurements.

Silaborations of 1,3-enynes - substrate controlled allene/1,3-diene selectivity.

Silaboration of 1,3-enynes catalyzed by group 10 metal complexes affords 1,3-dienes with vinylborane and vinylsilane functions or 1,2-dienes with allylborane and vinylsilane functions. The type of product formed is determined by the size of the alkyne substituent.

Self-adaptable catalysts: substrate-dependent ligand configuration.

Pd(II) allyl and Pd(0) olefin complexes containing the configurationally labile ligand 1,2-bis-[4,5-dihydro-3H-dibenzo[c-e]azepino]ethane were studied as models for intermediates in Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylations. According to NMR and DFT studies, the ligand prefers C(s) conformation in both eta3-1,3-diphenylpropenyl and eta3-cyclohexenyl Pd(II) complexes, whereas in Pd(0) olefin complexes it adopts different conformations in complexes derived from the two types of allyl systems in both solution and, as verified by X-ray crystallography, in the solid state. These results demonstrate that the Pd complex is capable of adapting its structure to the reacting substrate.

Ag+ -assisted hydrosilylation: complementary behavior of Rh and Ir catalysts (reversal of enantioselectivity).

[structure: see text]. The presence of a suitably situated hydroxy function in a PHOX ligand leads to an enhancement of the enantioselectivity in Rh-catalyzed hydrosilylations of prochiral ketones in the presence of AgBF4 (95% ee for acetophenone as compared to 75% using i-Pr-phosphinooxazoline (PHOX)). Exchanging Rh for Ir affords the product with the opposite absolute configuration (78% ee).

Separation of oligonucleotides in N-methyl-formamide-based polymer matrices by capillary electrophoresis.

N-Methylformamide (NMF)-based matrices for capillary electrophoretic separation of nucleic acids have been developed. The use of an organic solvent as liquid base for the separation matrices allowed a hydrophobic polymer, C16-derivatized 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), to be employed as structural element in the sieving medium. With a matrix consisting of 5% w/v of this polymer dissolved in NMF containing 50 mM ammonium acetate, p(dA)12-18 and p(dA)40-60 oligonucleotides were baseline separated.

Superhydrophobic bio-fibre surfaces via tailored grafting architecture.

Superhydrophobic bio-fibre surfaces with a micro-nano-binary surface structure have been achieved via the surface-confined grafting of glycidyl methacrylate, using a branched "graft-on-graft" architecture, followed by post-functionalisation to obtain fluorinated brushes.

Ni-catalyzed Si-B addition to 1,3-dienes: disproportionation in lieu of silaboration.

[reaction: see text] Upon attempted silaboration of acyclic 1- and 1,4-substituted 1,3-dienes, a new disproportionation reaction was discovered, yielding 1:1 mixtures of allylsilanes and dienylboranes. It was demonstrated that, as a key step in this new catalytic process, hydrogen is being transferred from one diene moiety to another.