Design and Effects of the Cinnamic Acids Chemical Structures as Organocatalyst on the Polymerization of Benzoxazines.

This study focuses on the catalytic effect of the two geometric isomers of a cinnamic acid derivative, E and Z-forms of 3-methoxycinnamic acid (3OMeCA), analyzing the influence of their chemical structures. E and Z-3OMeCA isomers show very good catalytic effect in the polymerization of benzoxazines, decreasing by 40 and 55 °C, respectively, the polymerization temperatures, for catalyst contents of up to 10% w/w. Isothermal polymerizations show that polymerizations are easily realized and analyzed at temperatures as low as 130 °C and at much shorter times using Z-3OMeCA instead of E-3OMeCA. Thus, both cinnamic acids are good catalysts, with Z-3OMeCA being better. The molecular reasons for this difference and mechanistic implications in benzoxazine polymerizations are also presented.

Photochemistry of norharmane in aqueous solution.

The photochemistry of norharmane (9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole) in acidic (pH 5.0+/-0.1) and alkaline (pH 10.0+/-0.1) aqueous solutions was studied. The photochemical reactions were monitored by TLC, UV/VIS absorption spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), electronic ionization-mass spectrometry (EI-MS), UV-laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UV-LDI-TOF-MS) and an enzymatic method for H2O2 determination. The neutral (nHoN) and the protonated (nHoH+) forms of norharmane irradiated under Ar atmosphere were photostable, but they suffered a photochemical transformation in the presence of O2, yielding as photoproducts norharmane dimers, trimers and tetramers. nHoN shown to be more photostable than nHoH+. The nHoH+ and nHoN consumption quantum yields were 1.82x10(-3) and 0.51x10(-3), respectively, and the mechanisms involved in its photochemistry are discussed. H2O2 and singlet oxygen (1O2) were also detected and quantified in irradiated solutions of norharmane, and their role in the photochemistry of norharmane is discussed.