Novel guests for porous columnar thin films: the switchable perchlorinated trityl radical derivatives

Synthesis and EPR-spectroscopic characterization of the perchlorotriarylmethyl tricarboxylic acid radical (PTMTC) and its 13C labelled analogue (13C-PTMTC)

A hydrophilic tris(tetrachlorotriaryl)methyl (tetrachloro-TAM) radical labelled 50% with ¹³C at the central carbon atom was prepared. The mixture of isotopologue radicals was characterised by continuous wave and pulsed X-band electron paramagnetic spectroscopy (EPS). For the pharmaceutical and medical applications planned, the quantitative influence of oxygen, viscosity, temperature and pH on EPR line widths was studied in aqueous buffer, DMSO, water-methanol and water-glycerol mixtures. Under in vivo conditions, pH can be disregarded. There is a clear oxygen dependence of the width of the ¹²C isotopologue single EPR line in aqueous solutions while changes in rotational motion (viscosity) are observable only in the doublet lines of the central carbon of the ¹³C isotopologue. The tetrachloro-TAM proved to be very stable as a solid. Its thermal decay was determined quantitatively by thermal annealing. Towards ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and towards an oocyte cell extract it had a half-life of approx. 60 and 10 min. Thus for in vivo applications, 50% ¹³C tetrachloro-TAMs are suitable for selective and simultaneous oxygen and macroviscosity measurements in a formulation, e.g. nanocapsules.

Electrochemical activation of an oblique angle deposited Cu catalyst film for H2 production

A novel Cu catalyst film was prepared by oblique angle physical vapour deposition (OAD) on a K-βAl₂O₃ solid electrolyte (alkaline ionic conductor) for catalytic/electrocatalytic purposes.

Crystal structure, spin polarization, solid-state electrochemistry, and high n-type carrier mobility of a paramagnetic semiconductor: vanadyl tetrakis(thiadiazole)porphyrazine

We report the synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetic, electrochemical, and carrier-transport properties of vanadyl tetrakis(thiadiazole)porphyrazine (abbreviated as VOTTDPz) with S = ½. X-ray crystal analysis reveals two polymorphs, the α and β forms; the former consists of a 1D regular π stacking, while the latter forms a 2D π network. Molecular orbital calculations suggest a V(4+)(d(1)) ground state and a characteristic spin polarization on the whole molecular skeleton. The temperature dependence of the paramagnetic susceptibility of the α form clearly indicates a ferromagnetic interaction with a positive Weiss constant of θ = 2.4 K, which is well-explained by McConnell's type I mechanism. VOTTDPz forms amorphous thin films with a flat and smooth surface, and their cyclic voltammogram curves indicate a one-electron reduction process, which is highly electrochromic, because of a reduction of the porphyrazine π ring. Thin-film field-effect transistors of VOTTDPz with ionic-liquid gate dielectrics exhibit n-type performance, with a high mobility of μ = 2.8 × 10(-2) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off ratio of 10(4), even though the thin films are amorphous.