No description available.

The structure and conformation of lithium phenyl stearate (and to a lesser extent, for comparative purposes, cadmium stearate) was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and various modelling techniques. The infrared results for LiPS show that the aliphatic portion of the soap molecule is much more ordered at room temperature than had been expected, having only 0.62 and 0.60 gtg and gg defects per molecule respectively, where an isotropic chain would have 1.35 and 1.21 gtg and gg defects per chain respectively. As the temperature is increased the number of conformational defects increases continuously, until at < 130°C the chain reaches an isotropic degree of disorder. At this point the phase transition begins, so the chain reaches liquid like disorder before the phase transition begins. Modelling of the phenyl stearic acid showed that the phenyl group was restricted to certain angle of rotation values, and that the bonds close to the phenyl group were prevented from attaining true rotational isomeric state conformations, gtg defects near the phenyl group were distorted only slightly from their usual angular position, and an additional band in the infrared spectrum of LiPS at 1363 cm-1 has been assigned to this distorted gtg/gtg' defect. The gg defects near the phenyl group have a much greater distortion (and energy) resulting in a much reduced probability of occurrence. The number of gg defects present at the phase transition (< 130°C) was only 75% of that expected for an isotropic n-alkane of equivalent chain length, indicating that the four bonds nearest to the phenyl group have a reduced probability of forming a gg defect. The modelling of the ionic core of LiPS gives a reasonable estimate of between 5.6 to 7.1 A for the core radius. When this is used to calculate the hexagonal cylinder diameter, at room temperature, along with the average chain extension, it gives a value for the cylinder diameter of between 33.9 to 36.8A. The hexagonal lattice parameter determined by X-ray diffraction has a value 35.9A. Also after the LiPS sample has gone through the phase transition beginning at >130&deg;C, the hexagonal lattice parameter is 31.4A while the cylinder diameter lies between 30.2 and 33.2A.Crystalline cadmium stearate was found to contain two crystal forms, orthorhombic which has lattice dimensions of a0=5.05A, b0=7.35A and c0=48.6A and the other eithermonoclinic or triclinic. In the reverse hexagonal phase, the cadmium stearate molecule behaves like an isotropic n-alkane of equivalent chain length. The model used to predict the core radius of divalent metal soaps gives rise to some inconsistencies: the cylinder diameter thus determined gives a result between 28.8A to 31.7A, while the lattice parameter determined by X-ray diffraction gives a value of 36.9A. The assumption that the n-carboxylate ions in a divalent metal soap behave like two independent monovalent metal ion soaps appears to be incorrect.

No description available.

No description available.

We take the electron deficient heterocyclic hexaazatriphenylene (HAT) as our central core and readily synthesized by the condensation of hexaketo- cyclohexane with the respective 1,2-bis-alk-oxy-4,5-diaminobenzene. We use the polarised optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to study the mesophase range.These mesophases are identified as columnar phases by diffraction (XRD).

The dibenzo[a,c]phenazine dimers with the branched alkoxy chain of disc were synthesized simplely. We now show on the synthesis of this series of compounds which were found to exhibit mesomorphism as determined by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These materials showed polymeso- morphism and glass formation. In our investigations, we also observed that the effects of branched chains on dibenzo[a,c]phenazine enhanced columnar liquid crystal phase stability indeed.

No description available.

Neutral diorganotin compounds of the 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate ligand have been prepared. The syntheses of Me₂Sndmit, Et₂Sndmit, Bu₂Sndmit, (C₈H₁₇)₂Sndmit, (C₁₀H₂₁)₂Sndmit and (C₁₄H₂₉)₂Sndmit are described. For the purposes of indicating the formation of different structural phases, D.S.C. powder patterns are reported for initial and recrystallised samples of Me₂Sndmit, Et₂Sndmit and Bu₂Sndmit. Since Et₂Sndmitshowed different tin environments by solid phase state N.M.R. and clearly different powder patterns after recrystallisation, the compound was recrystallised from various solvents in an attempt to determine how many crystalline forms exist. To date, two forms have been identified: orthorhombic and monoclinic. The single crystal X-ray structure analyses of these are described. It has also been shown that upon heating a transition from the orthorhombic to the monoclinic form occurs at 140°C. The crystal strict of Me₂Sndmit has also been determined and is reported, along with Mossbauer parameters for Me₂Sndmit and Me₂Sndmio (dmio = 1,3-dithiole-2-one-4,5-dithiolate). Anionic organotin bis-dmit complexes of the form [RSn(dmit)₂][Q]⁺ have also been prepared, with a view to investigating their electrochemical properties. The syntheses of complexes with R chain length ranging from 4 to 18 carbons are described. The problem of formation of [Sn(dmit)₃][Q]₂ is also discussed. D.S.C. curves and cyclic voltammograms for [C₁₄H₂₉Sn(dmit)₂][C₁₄H₂₉NMe₃] and [NEt₄][(dmit)₂SnC₁₀H₂₀Sn(dmit)₂][NEt₄] are also described. Chiral macrocycles have potential uses as catalysts for asymmetric bond-forming reactions and as selective to metal ions. A chiral macrocyclic derivative of dmit was synthesised from methyl-4,6-<I>O</I>-benzylidene-2,3-bis-<I>O</I>-[(2-iodoethoxyethyl)-ethyl]-α-D-glucopyranoside. Since reaction of this with dmit proved to be unexpectedly problematic, attempted reactions of the sugar derivative with Na₂dmit<I> in situ</I>, isolated Na₂dmit, [Zn(dmit)₂][NEt₄]₂, [Ph₂Sn(dmit)I][NEt₄] and Cs₂dmit are described.

A green synthesis method for the synthesis of hydrotalcite has been previously developed but this process has not yet been optimised. The main focus of this dissertation was on aluminium-based LDHs. The purpose of this investigation were; to determine optimum synthesis conditions for the formation of hydrotalcite using the dissolution-precipitation method and to determine the possibility of partial substituting the divalent metal species in hydrotalcite and hydrocalumite with other metal species. During the optimisation process for the formation of hydrotalcite using the dissolution precipitation method, the formation of hydromagnesite was proved to be dominant reaction at lower reaction temperatures. With the increase in reaction time and temperature the decomposition of hydromagnesite occurred to form magnesite. At low temperatures the formation of Mg-Al-CO3 LDH is limited due to the low solubility of gibbsite. Mg-Al-CO3 LDH formation of 80 % was achieved at 140 oC after 2 hours reaction time, but crystallinity was low. To achieve an Mg-Al-CO3 LDH conversion higher than 96 % a reaction temperature of 160 oC for a minimum of 4 hours is required, but is achieved within 1 hour at 180 oC. A 99.37 % conversion was achieved at 180 oC for 5 hours with a high crystallinity and homogeneity. The surface area for Mg-Al-CO3 LDH at 180 oC after 5 hours reaction time proved to be 9.19 m2/g. The average particle size obtained for a high crystalline LDH was in the range of approx. 3 μm and 6.8 μm at temperatures of 160 oC and above for a minimum of 3 hours reaction time. The following are recommended for future work:  Determine the effect of mixing speed on the shape of the platelets.  Determine the difference between freshly precipitated metal oxides/hydroxides as reagents compared to aged metal oxides/hydroxides. The presence of Mg(OH)2 and Ca(OH)2 in solution (respectively) did increase the pH enough for the dissolution of gibbsite and most of the Mx+ metal species. A reaction time and temperature of 5 hours at 180 oC in a carbonate environment proved to be close to the ideal conditions for the formation of Mg/Mo-Al-CO3 LDH and Mg/Zn-Al-CO3 LDH. The results for the formation of Mg/Ti-Al-CO3 LDH were inconclusive. Isolation of the possible Mg/Ti-Al-CO3 LDH is recommended to determine the degree of substitution. The conditions for the dissolution of the metal species for the following experiments were proven to be successful:  Ca/Mn(lV)-Al  Ca/Mo-Al  Ca/Ni-Al  Ca/Ti-Al The following recommendations are made for the improvement on the formation of an Mx+-impregnated LDH/precursor:  Determine the effect of different reaction time and temperature.  Determine the effect of adding the carbonate source at temperatures above 100 oC under pressure.  Determine the effect of synthesising at different pH conditions. Cobalt and tin showed no/negligible amount of possible solubility. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Chemical Engineering / MSc / Unrestricted

No description available.