Surfactant Modulated Phase Transitions of Liquid Crystals Confined in Electrospun Coaxial Fibers.

Confinement of liquid crystals (LCs) in polymeric fibers offers a promising strategy to control liquid crystal response to external stimuli. Here, the confinement of 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB), a nematic liquid crystal, within the core of coaxially electrospun fibers composed of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) containing different surfactants is discussed. The effects of surfactant type, surfactant concentration, and core flow rate (confinement) on the LC behavior were demonstrated using polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Raman, and dielectric spectroscopy. Introduction of surfactant dopants of varying hydrophilic and hydrophobic components into the sheath altered the interfacial interaction between the PVP sheath and the 5CB core of the fibers. Significant effects on the LC nematic to isotropic phase transition were attributed to changes in surface anchoring between the sheath and core. Confinement of nematic LCs in surfactant doped polymeric fibers demonstrates a facile method for tuning LC phase behavior.

State-Dependent Photochemical and Photophysical Behavior of Dithiolate Ester and Trithiocarbonate Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization Agents.

The rise in popularity of photochemically initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization (photoRAFT) along with the broad spectrum of proposed, and possible, initiation mechanisms result in the need for careful characterization of the photophysical properties of some common RAFT agents. Direct irradiation of the RAFT agent as a means to generate radicals, also known as the photoiniferter mechanism, is one commonly proposed mechanism. The current study shows that dithioesters and trithiocarbonates have the lowest singlet and triplet excited-state energy levels that are close to, or lower than, the C-S bond dissociation energies. Excitation of these agents into their S1 band results in negligible radical production, while excitation into the S2 band or higher results in the decomposition of dithioesters and trithiocarbonates, resulting in radical formation but with low quantum yields. Likewise, there is significant literature precedence for an electron transfer initiation mechanism, PET-RAFT. It is shown that the dithioesters and trithiocarbonates all show peak reduction potentials at ca. -1.0 V (vs SCE). However, transient absorption spectroscopy studies of the electron transfer from a mediator show that these reactions occur rapidly only when the mediator potential is more negative than -1.2 V (vs SCE).

Photoreleasable Protecting Groups Triggered by Sequential Two-Photon Absorption of Visible Light: Release of Carboxylic Acids from a Linked Anthraquinone- N-Alkylpicolinium Ester Molecule.

A photoreleasable protecting group activated by sequential absorption of two visible photons is designed, synthesized, and tested. Specifically, an anthraquinone-based chromophore is covalently attached to an N-alkylpicolinium ester. Photolysis of this linked system results in the clean release of a corresponding carboxylic acid. Through product analysis, laser flash photolysis, and steady-state UV-vis spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that carboxylate ion release is affected by sequential absorption of two photons. The initial photochemical step results in reduction of an anthraquinone chromophore to the corresponding hydroquinone. The latter either reacts with O2 to regenerate the starting material, or absorption of a second photon causes an electron transfer to the picolinium group triggering C-O bond scission and release of the carboxylate.

Visible light initiated release of calcium ions through photochemical electron transfer reactions.

Photolysis of anthraquinone or flavin photosensitizers in the presence of calcium EDTA complexes results in decomposition of the EDTA complex, releasing free Ca2+. In the case of the flavin sensitizers, it is shown that millimolar concentrations of Ca2+ can be released using visible light (>440 nm) and with quantum yields as high as 0.31. The utility of this system is further demonstrated by in situ photogelation of an alginate solution.

Long-Term Insect Repellent Electrospun Microfibers from Recycled Poly(ethylene terephthalate).

In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of insect-borne diseases. Topically applied insect repellents are used to prevent these infectious diseases, but concerns of skin permeability and rapid evaporation rates have made way for alternative preventative methods. Encapsulation of insect repellents in polymeric materials allows for nonskin contact methods of repellent delivery with extended-release profiles without the need for reapplication. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is widely used in textiles as well as food packaging and other single-use applications. This short product lifespan makes PET a major environmental pollutant; thus, recycling of PET is of great interest and utility. We report on the fabrication and evaluation of recycled PET microfibers containing N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) and picaridin and the first evaluation of dual repellent loading (DEET/picaridin) via electrospinning. The electrospun microfibers displayed a repellent retention up to 97% within the polymer network upon processing. Release profiles were characterized by isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Hansen solubility parameters correlated release profiles with the chemical affinity between PET and the repellent substrate. Insect repellency was assessed against live mosquitoes using a novel bioassay method. Repellency was observed to be as high as 100% for over 1 week and 80% for over 3 weeks. Our method allows for long-lasting repellency with the potential for large-scale textile manufacturing.

Elucidating complex triplet-state dynamics in the model system isopropylthioxanthone.

We introduce techniques for probing the dynamics of triplet states. We employ these tools, along with conventional techniques, to develop a detailed understanding of a complex chemical system: a negative-tone, radical photoresist for multiphoton absorption polymerization in which isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) is the photoinitiator. This work reveals that the same color of light used for the 2-photon excitation of ITX, leading to population of the triplet manifold through intersystem crossing, also depletes this triplet population via linear absorption followed by reverse intersystem crossing (RISC). Using spectroscopic tools and kinetic modeling, we identify the reactive triplet state and a non-reactive reservoir triplet state. We present compelling evidence that the deactivation channel involves RISC from an excited triplet state to a highly vibrationally excited level of the electronic ground state. The work described here offers the enticing possibility of understanding, and ultimately controlling, the photochemistry and photophysics of a broad range of triplet processes.

Extremophilic behavior of catalytic amyloids sustained by backbone structuring.

Enzyme function relies on the placement of chemistry defined by solvent and self-associative hydrogen bonding displayed by the protein backbone. Amyloids, long-range multi-peptide and -protein materials, can mimic enzyme functions while having a high proportion of stable self-associative backbone hydrogen bonds. Though catalytic amyloid structures have exhibited a degree of temperature and solvent stability, defining their full extremophilic properties and the molecular basis for such extreme activity has yet to be realized. Here we demonstrate that, like thermophilic enzymes, catalytic amyloid activity persists across high temperatures with an optimum activity at 81 °C where they are 30-fold more active than at room temperature. Unlike thermophilic enzymes, catalytic amyloids retain both activity and structure well above 100 °C as well as in the presence of co-solvents. Changes in backbone vibrational states are resolved in situ using non-linear 2D infrared spectroscopy (2DIR) to reveal that activity is sustained by reorganized backbone hydrogen bonds in extreme environments, evidenced by an emergent vibrational mode centered at 1612 cm-1. Restructuring also occurs in organic solvents, and facilitates complete retention of hydrolysis activity in co-solvents of lesser polarity. We support these findings with molecular modeling, where the displacement of water by co-solvents leads to shorter, less competitive, bonding lifetimes that further stabilize self-associative backbone interactions. Our work defines amyloid properties that counter classical proteins, where extreme environments induce mechanisms of restructuring to support enzyme-like functions necessary for synthetic applications.

Visible-Light Photocatalytic Oxidation of DMSO for RAFT Polymerization.

The solvent is an important, yet often forgotten part of a reaction mechanism. Many photochemical polymerizations are carried out using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a way to promote the solubility of both the reactants and products, but its reactivity is rarely considered when initiation mechanisms are proposed. Herein, the oxidation of DMSO by an excited-state quinone is used to form initiating radicals resulting in the polymerization of methacrylate monomers, and the polymerization can be controlled with the addition of a chain transfer agent. This process leads to the formation of polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution, and the polymerization is able to be carried out in the presence of oxygen. A visible light absorbing substituted anthraquinone is synthesized, and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy is used to monitor the intermediates involved in the initiation mechanism. Photoproduct analysis indicates formation of methyl radicals as a result of DMSO oxidation. Furthermore, we show that the solvent outcompetes the chain transfer agent for interacting with the excited-state anthraquinone. These observations have a broad impact on photoinduced polymerizations performed in DMSO as many photocatalysts are strong oxidants in the excited state and are capable of reacting with the solvent. Therefore, the role of the solvent needs to be more carefully considered when proposing mechanisms for photoinduced polymerizations in DMSO.

Photochemical Reduction of CO2 Using 1,3-Dimethylimidazolylidene.

Product analysis along with fluorescence quenching and laser flash photolysis experiments demonstrate that it is possible to effect a net photochemical reduction of CO2 through photolysis of an excited state donor in the presence of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate.

Uncaging Alcohols Using UV or Visible Light Photoinduced Electron Transfer to 9-Phenyl-9-tritylone Ethers.

The clean and efficient photorelease of primary and secondary alcohols is reported from the deprotection of a new photoremovable protecting group, the 9-phenyltritylone (PTO) group. Deprotection is initiated by 350 nm excitation of the PTO chromophore in the presence of triethylamine or using 447 nm light in the presence of a visible light absorbing photocatalyst and triethylamine. Laser flash photolysis results are reported in support of a proposed deprotection mechanism for the release of alcohols on a ca. 20 µs time scale.