Synthesis and Characterization of White-Light Luminescent End-Capped Polyimides Based on FRET and Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer

N-cyclohexylphthalimide-substituted trifluoroacetylamino (CF3CONH-) group (3TfAPI), which forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond, was synthesized, and it exhibited a bright yellow fluorescence owing to the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in the solution and crystalline states. In addition, CF3CONH-substituted phthalic anhydride (3TfAPA) was synthesized, which was attached to the termini of a blue-fluorescent semi-aromatic polyimide (PI) chain. Owing to the efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) occurring from the main chain to the termini and the suppression of deprotonation (anion formation) at the 3TfAPA moiety by H2SO4 doping, the resulting PI films display bright white fluorescence. Moreover, the enhancement of the chain rigidity by substituting the diamine moiety results in an increase in the quantum yield of white fluorescence (Φ) by a factor of 1.7, due to the suppression of local molecular motion. This material design strategy is promising for preparing thermally stable white-light fluorescent PIs applicable to solar spectral convertors, displays, and ICT devices.

EQUILIBRIA PROCESSES IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF K2CrO4 – HNO3 – KNO3 – H2O AND K2Cr2O7 – NaOH – KNO3 – H2O SYSTEMS

The equilibria processes in aqueous solutions of CrO42– – H+ – H2O and Cr2O72– – OH– – H2O systems were studied by pH‑potentiometric titration, mathematical modeling and UV–Vis. spectroscopy. It was established that in the CrO42– – H+ – H2O systems with acidity ZН = ν(H+)/ν(Cr(VI)) = 0–2.5 the processes of dichromate and hydrochromate anion formation and hydrolytic conversion of dichromate to hydrochromate take place, for which the logarithms of the equilibrium concentration constants were calculated by the quasi-Newton method (CLINP 2.1 software; 95 % confidence probability). The calculated values of the logarithms of the concentration equilibrium constants lgKC reliably agree with the literature data. The calculated lgKC were used to build of chromium(VI) anions distribution diagrams depending on ZH, and ZOH in solutions. For the first time, by the Pitzer method the thermodynamic equilibria constants of hydrochromate HCrO4– (lgK10 = 6,94), the dichromate anion Cr2O72– (lgK20 = 15,49) formation processes from the CrO4 2– and H+ ions, and the logarithm of equilibrium constant of the interconversion of the dichromate anion to the hydrochromate anion (lgK30 = –1,61) were calculated. Mathematical modeling and UV–Vis. spectroscopy show that the composition of anions in Cr2O72– – OH– – H2O solutions with alkality ZOH = ν(OH–)/ν(Cr(VI)) = 0–2.5 is identical to CrO42– – H+ – H2O systems. It is established that the experimental dependencies pH = f(Z) for the Cr2O72– – OH– – H2O system can be reliably reproduced by hydrolysis reactions of dichromate anion to hydrochromate anion and by subsequent neutralization to chromate anion with equilibrium constants calculated for processes in CrO42– – H+ – H2O solutions with same ionic strengths. The quantitative composition of chromium(VI) solutions was confirmed qualitatively by UV–Vis. spectroscopy.

Catalytic Role of Solvated Electron in the Spontaneous Degradation of Insensitive Munition Compounds : Computational Chemistry Investigation

The DNAN (2,4-dinitroanisole), NTO (3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one), and NQ (nitroguanidine) are important insensitive energetic materials used in military applications. They may find their way to the environment during manufacturing, transportation, storage, training, and disposal. A detailed investigation of possible mechanisms for self-degradation of radical-anions formed by addition of solvated electron to DNAN, NTO, and NQ species was performed by computational study using the PCM(Pauling)/M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) approach. Obtained results suggest that only NQ radical-anion is able for self-degradation by elimination of nitrite anion. Formation of urea radical on the earlier stage of the NQ radical-anion degradation was also predicted.

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Activities of Juglans regia L. Pellicle Extract

The difficulty to treat resistant strains-related hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) promoted the study of phytoextracts, known sources of bioactive molecules. Accordingly, in the present study, the pharmacological activities of Juglans regia (L.) pellicle extract (WPE) were investigated. The antiviral effect was tested against Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, Poliovirus 1, Adenovirus 2, Echovirus 9, Coxsackievirus B1 through the plaque reduction assay. The antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated against medically important strains, by the microdilution method. DPPH and superoxide dismutase (SOD)s-like activity assays were used to determine the antioxidant effect. Besides, the extract was screened for cytotoxicity on Caco-2, MCF-7, and HFF1 cell lines by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also evaluated. Interestingly, WPE inhibited Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) replication, bacterial and fungal growth. WPE showed free radical scavenging capacity and inhibited superoxide anion formation in a dose-dependent manner. These effects could be attributed to the high content of phenols and flavonoids, which were 0.377 ± 0.01 mg GE/g and 0.292 ± 0.08 mg CE/g, respectively. Moreover, WPE was able to reduce Caco-2 cell viability, at both 48 h and 72 h. The promising results encourage further studies aimed to better elucidate the role of WPE in the prevention of human infectious diseases.

Full-Colour Solvatochromic Fluorescence Emitted from a Semi-Aromatic Imide Compound Based on ESIPT and Anion Formation

A multi-colour solvatochromic fluorophore was developed by substituting a fully organic 3-amino-N-cyclohexyl phthalimide group with a p-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) group. This compound is essentially colourless in the visible region and exhibits...

Autodetachment dynamics of 2-naphthoxide and implications for astrophysical anion abundance

The first above-threshold resonance of 2-naphthoxide decays through vibrational mode specific autodetachment with a lifetime of 130 ± 10 fs. This state is not a doorway to stable interstellar anion formation.

Cation and Anion Formation in F 1s-Excited SF6-Clusters

Cation and anion formation from molecular SF6 and SF6 clusters is reported in the F 1s-excitation regime (680–720 eV) using tunable synchrotron radiation. Stable products are identified by mass spectrometry, while the tunablility of the soft X-rays source is used to determine mechanistic details on the formation of the detected charged products. Characteristic differences are observed between product formation from the isolated molecule as well as from clusters for both, cations and anions. Specifically, dication formation, such as SF22+, is only observed for molecular precursors, which are formed with high efficiency at the F 1s → t2g-transition. SF6− is efficiently formed from clusters upon F 1s → t1u-transition. Mechanistic details on the formation of stable products are discussed.

Radical anion formation exhibiting “turn-on” fluorescence sensing of hydrazine using a naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivative with a donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D) molecular structure

A naphthelene diimide (NDI) derivative of donor–acepter–donor (D–A–D) molecular structure follows a isodesmic mode of self-assembly and shows “turn-on” fluorescence sensing of hydrazine.