Synthesis and structure of 1,3,5-tris(diorganohydroxysilyl)benzenes. Novel building blocks in supramolecular silanol chemistry

The 1,3,5-tris(diorganohydroxysilyl)benzenes 1,3,5-(HOR₂Si)₃C₆H₃ (TMSB, R = Me; TPSB, R = Ph) have been prepared and fully characterized by X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of TMSB features pairwise connected layers, in which the molecules are involved in interlayer hydrogen bonding. The supramolecular hydrogen bond motif may be described as a 12-membered ring that adopts a chair conformation. TPSB forms an equimolar inclusion complex with water, which is associated via hydrogen bonding and apparently fills a void in the crystal packing. In this case, the supramolecular hydrogen bond motif may be described as an eight-membered ring. Two of the water molecules are also associated, giving rise to a water dimer entrapped in the silanol matrix. Besides the hydrogen bonds, the crystal structure of the TPSB·H₂O complex reveals intra- and intermolecular C-H··· π stacking of most of the phenyl groups. Electrospray mass spectrometry shows that TPSB undergoes supramolecular complex formation with a variety of N-donors such as 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine, imidazole, 2-(dimethylamino)pyridine, and 2,2'-dipyridylamine.

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Novel organotin and organotellurium complexes : building blocks for new materials?

The research produced a series of novel oranotin and organotellurium compounds that are potential building blocks for new materials. In particular, one carbonate cluster has practical applications in the fixation and recovery of carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere.

Gaussian vault geometry : integrated approach in design and fabrication of physical prototypes

This paper reports the second part of a study on the digital design and fabrication of scaled architectural prototypes. The first paper reported techniques in the realization of a double curved vault surface, the Gaussian Vault. The aims of the research here further extend this body of knowledge to a better understanding of constructible components. It addresses the problem of fabricating complex curved forms through the integration of the basic building elements, skin and structure, to achieve a scaled physical prototype. The focus of the experimentation is to investigate the process from which a digital surface form is conceived, to its preparation for fabrication and eventual construction in the fashion of a scaled model or workable prototype.

Polymeric colorants: Statistical copolymers of indigo building blocks with defined structures

Statistical copolymers of indigo (1a) and N-acetylindigo (1b) building blocks with defined structures were studied. They belong to the class of polymeric colorants. The polymers consist of 5,5′-connected indigo units with keto structure and N-acetylindigo units with uncommon tautomeric indoxyl/indolone (=1H-indol-3-ol/3H-indol-3-one) structure (see 2a and 2b in Fig. 1). They formed amorphous salts of elongated monomer lengths as compared to monomeric indigo. The polymers were studied by various spectroscopic and physico-chemical methods in solid state and in solution. As shown by small-angle-neutron scattering (SANS) and transmission-electron microscopy (TEM), disk-like polymeric aggregates were present in concentrated solutions (DMSO and aq. NaOH soln.). Their thickness and radii were determined to be ca. 0.4 and ca. 80 nm, respectively. From the disk volumes and by a Guinier analysis, the molecular masses of the aggregates were calculated, which were in good agreement with each other. Defined structural changes of the polymer chains were observed during several-weeks storage in concentrated DMSO solutions. The original keto structure of the unsubstituted indigo building blocks reverted to the more flexible indoxyl/indolone structure. The new polymers were simultaneously stabilized by intermolecular H-bonds to give aggregates, preferentially dimers. Both aggregation and tautomerization were reversible upon dissolution. The polymers were synthesized by repeated oxidative coupling of 1,1′-diacetyl-3,3′-dihydroxybis-indoles 5 (from 1,1′-diacetyl-3,3′-bis(acetyloxy)bis-indoles 6) followed by gradual hydrolysis of the primarily formed poly(N,N′-diacetylindigos) 7 (Scheme). N,N′-Diacetylbis-anthranilic acids 9 were isolated as by-products.

Facile synthesis of guanidine functionalised building blocks

Three useful developments in the preparation of guanidines are presented herein. A collection of bis(Boc)aminoalkylguanidines (n=2, 3, 4 and 6; Boc=tert-butoxycarbonyl), known to be prone to cyclisation, have been synthesised and isolated without chromatography as shelf-stable sulfonate salts in good yield (up to 94%). Secondly, a selection of guanidines tethered to a range of other functional groups, including alkyne, alkene, alcohol, and azide, have been prepared in good yields with no requirement for a purification step, and thirdly an inexpensive, high-yielding (93%), and facile synthesis of N,N'-bis(Boc)guanidine, a key precursor for N,N'-bis(Boc)-N'-triflylguanidine, is described in which the need for chromatographic purification is again obviated.

Building capacity in an indigenous nonprofit artistic enterprise

Growth in Indigenous artistic enterprises has attracted government funding, cultural tourists, and arts managers with a strong interest in cultural democracy and, more recently, an interest in business models for these artists. This paper documents a case study of Arilla Paper, an artistic enterprise in Queensland, Australia, where a group of Aboriginal women, worked on making paper from natural materials, to create a sustainable non-profit arts business. Sections of the business manual developed for these women, together with primary and secondary data supporting the Indigenous creative industries, are presented. The paper concludes that success in such ventures requires a social entrepreneurship model of funding that recognises the challenges of Indigenous cultural ownership and capacity building in business practice.

Permian brachiopods from the Baoshan and Simao Blocks in Western Yunnan, China

This paper describes and illustrates four Permian brachiopod assemblages (Assemblages A–D) from western Yunnan, southwest China. Assemblage A occurs in the basal part of the Yongde Formation in the Xiaoxinzhai section in the southern Baoshan Block and is assignable to the latest Artinskian or earliest Kungurian. Assemblage B occurs about 50 m stratigraphically above Assemblage A in the same section, and is of Chihsian (Kungurian–Roadian) age. Assemblage C was collected from the Yongde Formation in the Anpaitian section in the southern Baoshan Block and is most likely Roadian to Wordian in age. Assemblage D came from the Longtan Formation in the Simao Block and is of late Wuchiapingian in age. The brachiopod faunas from the Yongde Formation of the Baoshan Block, as a whole, is dominated by species characteristic of the Cathaysian Province, although some links with Peri-Gondwanan faunas are also evident. In contrast, Assemblage D from the Simao Block is characterised exclusively by taxa of the Cathaysian Province. New taxa described and illustrated are Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) inflatus n. sp. Costatumulus minor n. sp. and Celebetus yunnanensis n. sp.

Play to learn : building literacy in the early years

Features a range of activities that will help teachers use pretend play in the classroom.

Use of renewable building materials in residential construction : a review

The development of mass-produced environmentally-benign housing is one of the critical factors in the transition to global sustainability. Such housing will need to be constructed from renewable and/or recycled materials, be conditioned using minimal or no non—renewable energy, and be affordable. The universal need for such built environment resource stewardship is urgent. In developing countries, the requirement is to shelter growing populations, and in industrialised countries, there is a need for an alternative to the current resource and nergy-intensive material usage in housing. While there are some good surveys of building materials made from renewable resources, such as the BEDP Environment Design Guide Pro 11 by Gelder (2002), there does not appear to be a comprehensive database of these materials linked to abundant and reliable supply. This paper reviews the current availability and potential usage of renewable materials applicable to Australian mainstream residential construction. It concludes that the current state of publicly available information is dispersed and embedded in multiple sources with variance in detail, incomplete access and uncertain comparison across the sources.

Closing the gap? Building surveyors in Oceania

Purpose – The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has implemented a policy to expand its influence around the world. Quantity or construction surveyors had an established presence and history of working overseas, offering their services particularly in the Middle- and Far-East. Property surveyors found the transition to working in European Union (EU) countries relatively straightforward and numerous UK property consultancies have European, Asian, North American and Oceanic offices. Furthermore UK-based firms establishing partnerships with overseas real estate firms expanded significantly over the past decade. Building surveying (BS) is a different case. Small numbers work in commonwealth countries but it is limited and in many countries professional and academic qualifications are not recognised. This paper aims to consider the extent of the barriers and opportunities facing RICS chartered building surveyors (CBS) in Oceania (taken as Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji) and whether the gap is closing.
Design/methodology/approach – A desktop study reviewed the political, economic and sociological issues that affect the employment opportunities and professional services CBS offer throughout the world. Six opportunities and ten barriers were put to the RICS Oceania Building Surveying Faculty to ascertain their perceptions of these barriers and opportunities. No previous study had identified barriers and opportunities in Oceania for the BS and this research adopted a census survey of RICS practitioners currently employed in the region and the results form the most comprehensive picture of the current position.
Findings – Many respondents felt that stronger links and/or mergers with the different Oceania professional property and surveying bodies would open a large field of opportunities to the CBS. Some provided comments on future business opportunities, for example “leaky buildings,”"dilapidations/‘ make good’ work”, and seemed to be in general agreement that, as businesses came to know the benefits of protecting themselves from rogue tenants (and landlords) by using the services of a CBS, then opportunities would continue to rise. The principal barrier is communicating those skills and the value they add.
Research limitations/implications – The limitations that affected this research were time constraints and communicating with surveyors in Oceania, to whom the authors were not permitted direct access. The research methodology methods were, with hindsight, not ideal for the type and range of data that the researchers sought.
Originality/value – The research will be of use to building surveyors and providers of building-surveying education in Oceania.

The impact of globalisation on building surveying in Europe

This research examined the impact of globalisation on building surveying in Europe. Globalisation has resulted in the emergence of three large trading blocs or a global economy depending on the view one takes. This has impacted on property in two ways, by creating transnational companies who operate in many countries but require branding of their property, and companies who wish to invest in property markets other than their country of origin.

Building Surveyors have professional expertise and knowledge valued in the UK since the 1960 and 1970s but until recently not recognised in Europe, partly due to poor awareness of Building Surveying (BS) expertise, legal constraints, and practises relating to the employment of professionals. This is changing with the establishment of European Surveying associations and the globalisation of the RICS.

The results showed four factors provided the reasons for the globalisation of BS skills. These were that Building Surveyors provided a consistent level of service for their clients. Secondly that English is the language of business. Thirdly, clients perceive Europe as a single trading bloc with a need for technical representation in each investment centre, providing them with a fast, knowledgeable service. Fourthly, clients perceive that UK Building Surveyors know what international, or transnational, investors want.

The finding on the current demand for the BS services in Europe is that though demand is large, few Building Surveyors are located in Europe. Secondly, both investors and occupiers require the services of Building Surveyors, and local companies / individuals are beginning to use their professional services. Finally, there is a diverse range of demand for the many BS skills.

Five key barriers to the practice of BS skills in Europe emerged from the research. Firstly, there was the problem of limited local legal and technical knowledge possessed by outsiders. Secondly, there are legal barriers to practice in some cases. Thirdly, other professionals can, and do, offer the services of the Building Surveyor. Fourthly, there can be cultural differences between ‘values’ and ‘norms’ required in business that constitute barriers. Finally there can be ‘communication’ problems when the Building Surveyor is not located in the country where the service is required.

The emergence of the global workplace : opportunities and barriers for building surveyors in Oceania

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) the professional body representing surveyors in the UK, has implemented a policy to globalise in order to meet the challenges and opportunities the global marketplace was creating for its members as well as protecting and serving its interests (RICS, 1999). Quantity surveyors had a presence and history of employment outside the UK, particularly in the Middle and Far East. Real estate surveyors found the transition to working in European Union (EU) countries relatively straightforward and numerous UK real estate organisations have European, Asian, North American and Oceanic offices. Additionally UK based firms establishing partnerships with overseas real estate firms expanded significantly over the previous decade. Building Surveying is different. Small numbers worked in commonwealth countries but in most countries their professional and academic qualifications were not recognised. With the changes implemented by the RICS, this paper examines the barriers and opportunities facing RICS Chartered Building Surveyors (CBS) in Oceania (taken as Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji).

A desk top study reviewed the political, economic and sociological variables affecting employment opportunities and professional services which were put to the RICS Oceania Building Surveying Faculty. No previous study had been undertaken to identify the specific barriers and opportunities in Oceania for the BS and this research adopted a census survey of RICS practitioners currently employed in the region and the results form the most comprehensive picture of the current position. The findings are that some of the opportunities and barriers will change in significance over time. The main barriers to growth were perceived as lack of support from a Euro focussed RICS and the difficulties associated with being perceived as outsiders. Opportunities were perceived as emerging in new areas of professional services such as sustainability and energy efficiency.

Building surveyors in Australia : an emerging profession

Australian and UK Building Codes undergo revision to improve the health and safety standards in the built environment and reflect wider social and technological changes. In the 1990s both countries changed to the option for designers to provide alternative solutions, where designers provide calculations to demonstrate that the codes are satisfied but not through the traditional deemed to satisfy route. Other social and legislative changes have had an impact on the profession. In the UK the Institute of Building Control, the equivalent of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors responded by joining the Royal Institution of the Chartered Surveyors. Thus it has become part of the largest surveying professional body, what does that mean for the profession? This paper compares the Australian and UK professions and looks at some of the issues affecting their future direction.