Preparation, Structure and Properties of Acid Aqueous Solution Plasticized Thermoplastic Chitosan.

This work provides a simple method for the preparation of thermoplastic chitosan using the most common dilute inorganic and organic acids in aqueous solutions, namely hydrochloric acid (HCl) and acetic acid (HAc). The melting plasticization behavior of chitosan under different concentrations and types of acid solution was investigated. By means of infrared spectra (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and other characterization methods, as well as a mechanical property test, it was found that as the acid solution concentration increased, the protonation effect was stronger and the plasticization performance showed a better trend. The structure and performance of the modified chitosan were optimal when the concentration of HCl was around 8 wt %. In addition, it was found that HCl had a better effect on the plasticization of chitosan than HAc, which was because the protonation ability of HCl was stronger than that of HAc. Unlike the casting method, the structure and properties of chitosan sheets prepared by thermoplastic processing were directly affected by protonation, however not by the interaction of anionic-cationic electrostatic attractions between the -NH3+ groups of chitosan chains and the carboxyl groups of acetic acids or the chloridoid groups of hydrochloric acid.

Chiral self-discrimination of the enantiomers of alpha-phenylethylamine derivatives in proton NMR.

Two types of chiral analytes, the urea and amide derivatives of alpha-phenylethylamine, were prepared. The effect of inter-molecular hydrogen-bonding interaction on self-discrimination of the enantiomers of analytes has been investigated using high-resolution (1)H NMR. It was found that the urea derivatives with double-hydrogen-bonding interaction exhibit not only the stronger hydrogen-bonding interaction but also better self-recognition abilities than the amide derivatives (except for one bearing two NO(2) groups). The present results suggest that double-hydrogen-bonding interaction promotes the self-discrimination ability of the chiral compounds.

Chemistry of the silica surface: reaction with phosphorus pentachloride.

Solid-state 31P and 29Si NMR experiments, with Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS), were used to elucidate the chemistry that occurs when silica gel is treated with phosphorus pentachloride. A low-loading regime (in which the molar ratio of initial PCl5 to surface silanols sites is <<1) and a high-loading regime (in which this ratio is approximately 1) were examined. For each regime, the results for limited and intentional exposure to moisture are presented. The occurrence of phosphorus bridging between two adjacent silanols sites is observed. Bridging structures based on Si-O-P-O-P-O-Si linkages are also indicated.