Novel thin-film composite membranes with improved water flux from sulfonated cardo poly(arylene ether sulfone) bearing pendant amino groups

A new class of polymeric amine, namely, sulfonated cardo poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPES-NH2) was synthesized and used for the preparation of thin-film composite membrane. The TFC membranes were prepared on a polysulfone supporting film through interfacial polymerization with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) solutions and amine solutions containing SPES-NH2 and m-phenylenediamine (MPDA). The resultant membranes were characterized with water permeation performance, chemical structure, hydrophilicity of active layer and membrane morphology including top surface and cross-section.

Polyamide thin film composite membranes prepared from isomeric biphenyl tetraacyl chloride and m-phenylenediamine

Three novel of isomeric tetra-functional biphenyl acid chloride: 3,3',5,5'-biphenyl tetraacyl chloride (mm-BTEC), 2,2',4,4'-biphenyl tetraacyl chloride (om-BTEC), and 2,2',5,5'-biphenyl tetraacyl chloride (op-BTEC) were synthesized, and used as new monomers for the preparation of the thin film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes through interfacial polymerization with m-phenylenediamine (MPDA). The results of membrane performance test showed that membranes prepared from om-BTEC and op-BTEC had higher flux at the expanse of rejection compared with membranes prepared from mm-BTEC.

Alternating Copolymerization of Cyclohexene Oxide and Carbon Dioxide Catalyzed by Noncyclopentadienyl Rare-Earth Metal Bis(alkyl) Complexes

The syntheses of several dialkyl complexes based on rare-earth metal were described. Three beta-diimine compounds with varying N-aryl substituents (HL1 = (2-CH3O(C6H4))N=C(CH3)CH=C(CH3)NH(2-CH3O(C6H4)), HL2 = (2,4,6-(CH3)(3) (C6H2))N=C(CH3)CH=C(CH3)NH(2,4,6-(CH3)(3)(C6H2)), HL3 = PhN=C(CH3)CH(CH3) NHPh) were treated with Ln(CH2SiMe3)(3)(THF)(2) to give dialkyl complexes L(1)Ln (CH2SiMe3)(2) (Ln = Y (1a), Lu (1b), Sc (1c)), L(2)Ln(CH2SiMe3)(2)(THF) (Ln = Y (2a), Lu (2b)), and (LLu)-Lu-3(CH2SiMe3)(2)(THF) (3). All these complexes were applied to the copolymerization of cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and carbon dioxide as single-component catalysts.

Tridentate CCC-Pincer Bis(carbene)-Ligated Rare-Earth Metal Dibromides. Synthesis and Characterization

The first xylene-bridged bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) (bis(NHC))-ligated CCC-pincer rare-earth metal dibromides (PBNHC)LnBr(2)(THF) (PBNHC = 2,6-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2NCHCHNCCH2)(2)C6H3; 1: Ln = Sc; 2: Ln = Lu; 3: Lu = Sm) were prepared by in situ treatment of a THF suspension of 2,6-bis(1-mesitylimidazolium methyl)-1-bromobenzene dibromides ((PB-NHC-Br) center dot 2HBr) and lanthanide trichlorides (LnCl(3)) with dropwise addition of nBuLi at room temperature.

O-2 activation and hydrolysis of Salan rare-earth metal alkyl complexes

Salan ligated yttrium alkyl complex 1, (LY)-Y-1(CH2SiMe3)(THF) (Salan = L-1: [2-O-3,5-tBu(2)-C6H2CH2N(CH3) CH2](2)), was exposed to an oxygen/ nitrogen atmosphere to give a bimetallic alkoxide complex 4, [(LY)-Y-1(mu-OCH2SiMe3)](2). Whilst the lutetium counterparts 2 ((LLu)-Lu-1(CH2SiMe3)(THF)) and 3 ((LLu)-Lu-2(CH2SiMe3)(THF); L-2: [2-O-3-tBu-C6H2CH2N(CH3) CH2](2)) were hydrolysed with moist nitrogen to afford mixed hydroxy/silyloxy complexes 5 and 6 ([(LLu)-Lu-1,2(mu-OSiMe3)(mu-OH) LuL1,2]), respectively.

Biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers bearing protected hydroxyl groups: Synthesis and characterization

A new biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-factide-co-9-phenyl-2,4,8, 10-tetraoxaspiro[5,5]undecan-3-one) [PEG-b-P(LA-co-PTO)], was successfully prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) Of L-lactide (LA) and functionalized carbonate monomer 9-phenyl-2,4,8,10-tetraozaspiro[5,5]undecan-3-one (PTO) in the presence of monohydroxyl poly(ethylene glycol) as macroinitiator using Sn(Oct)(2) as catalyst. NMR, FT-IR, and GPC studies confirmed the copolymer structure.

Synthesis of biodegradable and electroactive multiblock polylactide and aniline pentamer copolymer for tissue engineering applications

To obtain one biodegradable and electroactive polymer as the scaffold for tissue engineering, the multiblock copolymer PLAAP was designed and synthesized with the condensation polymerization of hydroxyl-capped poly(L-lactide) (PLA) and carboxyl-capped aniline pentamer (AP). The PLAAP copolymer exhibited excellent electroactivity, solubility, and biodegradability. At the same time, as one scaffold material, PLAAP copolymer possesses certain mechanical properties with the tensile strength of 3 MPa, tensile Young 's modulus of 32 MPa, and breaking elongation rate of 95%.

Synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable poly(carbonate ester)s with photolabile protecting groups

Novel biodegradable poly(carbonate ester)s with photolabile protecting groups were synthesized by ring-opening copolymerization Of L-lactide (LA) with 5-methyl-5-(2-nitro-benzoxycarbonyl)-1,3-dioxan-2-one (MNC) with diethyl zinc (Et2Zn) as catalyst. The poly(L-lactide-co-5-methyl-5-carboxyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one) (P(LA-co-MCC)) was obtained by UV irradiation Of poly(L-lactide acid-co-5-methyl-5-(2-nitro-benzoxycarbonyl)-1,3-dioxan-2-one) (P(LA-co-MNC)) to remove the protective 2-nitrobenzyl group.

A new oxidation state of aniline pentamer observed in water-soluble electroactive oligoaniline-chitosan polymer

A novel water-soluble electroactive polymer, aniline pentamer crosslinked chitosan (Pentamer-c-Chi), was prepared by condensation polymerization of the terminal carboxyl groups in aniline pentamer with the amino side groups in chitosan in aqueous solution. The carboxyl groups were activated by N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (I)CC). The electrochemical behavior of aniline pentamer in this kind of crosslinked polymer was studied in acidic aqueous solution by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis, and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.

Novel aliphatic poly(ester-carhonate) with pendant allyl ester groups and its folic acid functionalization

A series of novel poly(ester-carbonate)s bearing pendant allyl ester groups P(LA-co-MAC)s were prepared by ring-opening copolymerization Of L-lactide (LA) and 5-methyl-5-allyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one (MAC) with diethyl zinc (ZnEt2) as initiator. NMR analysis investigated the microstructure of the copolymer. DSC results indicated that the copolymers displayed a single glass-transition temperature (T-g), which was indicative of a random copolymer, and the Tg decreased with increasing carbonate content in the copolymer.

Novel temperature- and pH-responsive graft copolymers composed of poly(L-glutamic acid) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

A series of novel temperature- and pH-responsive graft copolymers, poly(L-glutamic acid)-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), were synthesized by coupling amino-semitelechelic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with N-hydroxysuccinimide-activated poly(L-glutamic acid). The graft copolymers and their precursors were characterized, by ESI-FTICR Mass Spectrum, intrinsic viscosity measurements and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR). The phase-transition and aggregation behaviors of the graft copolymers in aqueous solutions were investigated by the turbidity measurements and dynamic laser scattering.

Formation of reversible shell cross-linked micelles from the biodegradable amphiphilic diblock copolymer poly(L-cysteine)-block-poly(L-lactide)

A novel biodegradable diblock copolymer, poly(L-cysteine)-b-Poly(L-lactide) (PLC-b-PLLA), was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of N-carboxyanhydride of beta-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Cysteine (ZLC-NCA) with amino-terminated Poly(L-lactide) (NH2-PLLA) as a macroinitiator in a convenient way. The diblock copolymer and its precursor were characterized by H-1 NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The length of each block polymer could be tailored by molecular design and the ratios of feeding monomers.

Novel pH- and temperature-responsive block copolymers with tunable pH-responsive range

A series of novel pH- and temperature-responsive diblock copolymers composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly[(L-glutamic acid)-co-(gamma-benzyl L-glutamate)] [P(GA-co-BLG)] were prepared. The influence of hydrophobic benzyl groups on the phase transition of the copolymers was studied for the first time. With increasing BLG content in P(GA-co-BLG) block, the thermal phase transition of the diblock copolymer became sharper at a designated pH and the critical curve of phase diagram of the diblock copolymer shifted to a higher pH region.

Aliphatic Poly(ester-carbonate)s Bearing Amino Groups and Its RGD Peptide Grafting

This article deals with (1) synthesis of novel cyclic carbonate monomer (2-oxo [1,3]dioxan-5-yl)carbamic acid benzyl ester (CAB) containing protected amino groups; (2) ring-opening copolymerization of the cyclic monomer with L-lactide (LA) to provide novel degradable poly(ester-carbonate)s with functional groups; (3) removal of the protective benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz) groups by catalytic hydrogenation to afford the corresponding poly(ester-co-carbonate)s with free amino groups; (4) grafting of oligopeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Tyr (GRGDSY, abbreviated as RGD) onto the copolymer pendant amino groups in the presence of 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI).

Simultaneous synthesis of polyaniline nanotubules and gold nanoplates

This paper describes a facile route for simultaneous synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) nanotubules and gold nanoplates. The inner diameter of PANI nanotubules was less than 10 nm and the length was several micrometers. At the same time, uniform single-crystal gold nanoplates with thicknesses of tens of nanometers were obtained.