Ring Density Research Articles

Dendroclimatological study of ancient trees integrating non-destructive techniques.

Based on the need to protect previous ancient trees and the development of dendroclimatology, the use of non-destructive technologies in tree-ring research has gained increasing attention. This study focuses on the ancient Pinus tabulaeformis in Yu Xiang Forest Farm in Henan Province. Firstly, samples were collected using the traditional Increment borers and the Resistograph, a non-destructive method. Subsequently, the peak-valley analysis was used to filter the data obtained by the Resistograph to extract the tree ring width sequence, and the data's accuracy was verified by correlation analysis with tree ring width sequence by the Increment borers. Then, the optimal filtering method and an appropriate comprehensive threshold were determined, and tree ring width and density sequences were successfully extracted. Following that, the growth trend and residual resistance in the measurement process were corrected using linear fitting and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) technology, thereby establishing the tree-ring width and density index series, which were further validated through correlation analysis and t-tests. Finally, analysis of the correlation with climatic factors, identified the main limiting factors for tree growth, and the accuracy of the tree-ring information extracted by the Resistograph was further verified. The results showed that spite of certain differences between the tree-ring width indices extracted by the Resistograph and the Increment borer, they were generally reliable. The radial growth of the ancient P.tabulaeformis in Yu Xiang Forest Farm is primarily influenced by temperature, with the maximum density of the tree rings responding more significantly to the mean maximum temperature, while the minimum density of the tree rings responded more significantly to the mean minimum temperature. These results not only provide a scientific and accurate age for the protection of ancient trees and verify the reliability of the data obtained by the Resistograph, but also facilitate the use of non-destructive technology for in-depth study of ancient trees, therefore enhancing our understanding of how climate change affects tree growth and provide valuable insights for the future protection and management of these ancient trees.

Interfacial adhesion of polycarbonate to graphene and silicon oxide: A comparative molecular dynamics analysis

In this study, molecular dynamics was used to evaluate the adsorption-free energy of polycarbonate on a solid wall surface that represented a fiber material. Three solid surfaces were used: clean graphene without functional groups to represent surface-treated carbon materials, graphene with OH groups without surface treatment, and SiO2 to represent glass fiber. The results showed that the adsorption free energy per unit area for clean graphene was greater than the adsorption free energy per unit area for the other two solid wall surfaces, which is different from the experimental results where the surface treated carbon fiber had a smaller adsorption free energy. The structure of benzene rings was analyzed, and it was found that benzene rings are deposited almost parallel to the solid wall on all solid walls and that the density of benzene rings with SiO2 and OH groups is the smallest on Graphene with the smallest angle and closest to the solid wall, resulting in smaller adsorption energy. This suggests that the π-π interaction between the benzene ring and the solid surface may account for a large proportion of the adsorption energy. It also suggests that chemical reactions between the solid surface and the polymer, which were not considered in this study, may have a significant effect on the adsorption energy.

Image generation of log ends and patches of log ends with controlled properties using generative adversarial networks

The appearance of the log cross-section provides important information when assessing the quality of the log, where properties to consider include pith location and density of annual rings. This makes tasks like estimation of pith location and annual ring detection of great interest. However, creating labeled training data for these tasks can be time-consuming and subject to misjudgments. For this reason, we aim to create generated training data with controlled properties of pith location and amount of annual rings. We propose a two-step generator based on generative adversarial networks in which we can completely avoid manual labeling, not only when generating training data but also during training of the generator itself. This opens up the possibility to train the generator on other types of log end data without the need to manually label new training data. The same method is used to create two generated training datasets; one of entire log ends and one of patches of log ends. To evaluate how the generated data compares to real data, we train two deep learning models to perform estimation of pith location and ring counting, respectively. The models are trained separately on real and generated data and evaluated on real data only. The results show that the performance of both estimation of pith location and ring counting can be improved by replacing real training data with larger sets of generated training data.

Optimizing bimetallic-insect exuviate melanin composite cathodes using response surface methodology to enhance the H2O2 yield and selectivity of the electro-Fenton process

Electro-Fenton is a fast and efficient oxidative degradation technology for treating many refractory organic substances. However, the poor electrochemical performance and power generation capacity of the cathode during electro-Fenton treatment limit H2O2 generation and pollutant removal. A FeCu bimetal–melanin cathode catalyst with high H2O2 production, low Fe3+ formation, and low resistance was optimized using response surface methodology. The composite desirability coefficient was as high as 0.9281, indicating that the two-factor setting conditions yielded the optimal response results. The synergistic effect between Fe and Cu and the ionic conductivity of melanin promote the conversion between Fe2+ and Fe3+ and improve the charge transfer ability of the cathode. The optimized Fe–Cu–Me cathodic catalyst had the highest H2O2 generation (217.91 ± 4.65 mg/L) and the lowest resistance value (190.33 Ω), 4.88 times and 5.05 % that of the unmodified cathode, respectively; also the lowest Fe3+ generation was 32 % and 73 % that of the Fe and FeCu cathodic catalysts, respectively. Moreover, the optimized Fe–Cu–Me cathode catalyst exhibited up to 80 % selectivity for 2-electron oxygen reduction reaction-catalyzed H2O2 generation based and excellent O2 and H2O2 adsorption performance on ring disk electrode analysis and density function theory calculation. This study is the first to use FeCu bimetals combined with insect exuviate melanin as a cathode catalyst for the in situ generation of cathodic H2O2. The high performance and stability of the fabricated electrocatalyst can be used in the subsequent treatment of wastewater through the electro-Fenton process, providing an innovative approach to improve the performance of the cathode.

Canopy nitrogen application effects on Quercus petraea L. and Fagus sylvatica L. ring width and wood density

AbstractAs an essential nutrient, Nitrogen (N) availability is fundamental in evaluating forest productivity, and as such, understanding the effects of changing atmospheric N inputs in forest ecosystems is of high significance. While most field experiments have been employing ground fertilization as a method to simulate N deposition, two experimental forest sites in Italy have adopted the more advanced canopy N application approach. Here we present findings from a case study of wood core analyses of predominantly pure, even aged, Sessile oak (Quercus petraea L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest stands, treated with either below or above canopy N fertilization, comparing between the two simulation pathways of increased N deposition. The potential effects of elevated N availability on total ring width, mean ring density, and their corresponding earlywood and latewood fractions are examined. Our results indicate inconclusive effects of the treatments on the ring width traits of both Q. petraea or F. sylvatica, although basal area increment patterns appeared to be affected divergently between the species and treatments. Mean and earlywood, but not latewood, densities on the other hand, exhibited a decrease in certain years of the treatment period in Q. petraea as result of the above canopy N application only, whereas F. sylvatica wood density showed no clear response to any of the treatments. Thus, we are describing distinct reactions of the two broadleaved species to the different experimental N deposition approaches, discussing potential growth patterns under increased N availability, and emphasizing the importance of considering wood density in assessments of tree biomass accumulation and essentially Carbon storage capacities.

Role of metal (Fe(III), Zn(II), and Co(III)) and porphyrin in enhancing photocatalytic performance of MTCPP/TiO2 photocatalysts

Metal-porphyrin complexes modified TiO2 photocatalyst, called MTCPP@P25, shows excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. Metal-porphyrin is successfully utilized to broaden the photo response range of TiO2 from ultraviolet (3.2 eV) to visible light (2.43 eV to 2.65 eV) resulting in significant enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency. MTCPP@P25 exhibited the higher photocatalytic activity than bare TiO2. Additionally, introduction of different metals, like Fe, Zn, and Co into porphyrin ring can effectively adjust the photocatalytic activity of MTCPP@P25 due to the increasing the electron density of porphyrin rings. The degradation order for MB followed as FeTCPP@P25≧ZnTCPP@P25 > CoTCPP@P25. This finding demonstrated that FeTCPP@P25 and ZnTCPP@P25 possess higher photo-excited electrons under visible irradiation resulting in higher photocatalytic performance. Based on the PL and EIS analysis, FeTCPP@P25 exhibited longest lifetime and fast electron transition compared to ZnTCPP@P25. The spent FeTCPP@P25 were reusable after three cycles, the efficiency remained at approximately 80 %.

Comparison of Interatomic Potentials for Modeling Defects in Graphene Using Molecular Dynamics

In this work, we tested the ability of classical interatomic potentials to describe the energy characteristics of defects of various dimensionality in graphene crystals. Brenner's Reactive Empirical Bond Order potentials (second generation REBO, AIREBO, AIREBO-M), Tersoff potentials, as well as BOP and LCBOP potentials were considered. The data obtained in this work using the molecular dynamics method was compared with literature data obtained using the density functional theory. It is noted that when modeling point and linear defects, the potentials of the REBO family and the LCBOP potential demonstrate the best agreement with the literature data. For modeling pseudo-graphene crystals, the best fit is demonstrated by the Tersoff B-N-C potential, which shows slightly overestimated energy values for linear and point defects, but most accurately describes the geometry of the crystal lattice. The potential of BOP demonstrates its inability to correctly model defect configurations with high densities of eight-member defect rings. When simulating four-member carbon defect rings, most potentials exhibit distortions in the crystal lattice that are not observed in the density functional theory calculations.

Pyridazine derivative as potent antihyperglycemic agent: Synthesis, crystal structure, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition and computational studies

In this study, a pyridazine derivative (PDZ-1) was synthesized and characterized by using 13C NMR, 1H NMR, FT-IR, UV–Vis, HRMS-ESI and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Density functional theory methods at the B3LYP/6–311++G** level of theory predict very good correlations in the geometrical parameters and spectra when they are compared with the corresponding experimental ones. The presence of dimer explains the broad IR band due to CH···O interactions. The scaled force constants and the 75 vibration modes of PDZ-1 have been completely assigned using the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQMFF) methodology. The deactivating character of Cl atom probably explains that the densities of pyridazine rings in both media are higher than that corresponding to chlorobenzyl, as revealed by AIM study while NBO calculations show that the derivative is most stable in gas phase than ethanol solution. Frontier orbital studies reveal that PDZ-1 is most reactive in ethanol than in the gas phase. The title compound showed a potent α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition compared to Acarbose (IC50 = 113.6 ± 1.17 µM, 124.5 ± 0.64 µM, respectively) with IC50 values of 17.32 ± 0.76 and 109.41± 0.87 µM, respectively. In addition, molecular docking studies were performed to determine the binding modes and energies between PDZ-1 and the target enzymes.

A Scalable Robust Microporous Al-MOF for Post-Combustion Carbon Capture.

Herein, a robust microporous aluminum tetracarboxylate framework, MIL-120(Al)-AP, (MIL, AP: Institute Lavoisier and Ambient Pressure synthesis, respectively) is reported, which exhibits high CO2 uptake (1.9mmol g-1 at 0.1bar, 298 K). In situ Synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements together with Monte Carlo simulations reveal that this structure offers a favorable CO2 capture configuration with the pores being decorated with a high density of µ2-OH groups and accessible aromatic rings. Meanwhile, based on calculations and experimental evidence, moderate host-guest interactions Qst (CO2) value of MIL-120(Al)-AP (-40kJ mol-1) is deduced, suggesting a relatively low energy penalty for full regeneration. Moreover, an environmentally friendly ambient pressure green route, relying on inexpensive raw materials, is developed to prepare MIL-120(Al)-AP at the kilogram scale with a high yield while the Metal- Organic Framework (MOF)is further shaped with inorganic binders as millimeter-sized mechanically stable beads. First evidences of its efficient CO2/N2 separation ability are validated by breakthrough experiments while operando IR experiments indicate a kinetically favorable CO2 adsorption over water. Finally, a techno-economic analysis gives an estimated production cost of ≈ 13 $ kg-1, significantly lower than for other benchmark MOFs. These advancements make MIL-120(Al)-AP an excellent candidate as an adsorbent for industrial-scale CO2 capture processes.

Inheritance of growth ring components and the possibility of early selection for higher wood density in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don)

Key messageWe elucidated the age trends of narrow-sense heritability and phenotypic/genetic correlations and the age–age genetic correlation of growth ring components of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don by investigating progenies of controlled crossings by soft X-ray densitometry analysis. Wood density in the C. japonica breeding program can be efficiently improved by selecting trees with a higher earlywood density and latewood percentage as early as forest stand ages of 5–9 years.ContextWood density within the trunk is affected by the intra-ring wood density profile and its age trend from pith to bark. Wood density can be efficiently improved by clarifying whether wood density and highly correlated intra-ring components are under additive genetic control.AimsThe aim of this study was to elucidate the age trends of narrow-sense heritability and phenotypic/genetic correlations of growth ring components and investigate the possibility of early selection for improving wood density in Cryptomeria japonica.MethodsWe quantified seven growth ring components (width, density, earlywood/latewood width, average earlywood/latewood density, and latewood percentage) for 5112 annual rings of 342 18-year-old trees derived from 24 controlled pollinated full-sib families of C. japonica plus tree clones by soft X-ray densitometry analysis. Genetic parameters and correlations among the seven growth ring components were analyzed using a linear mixed model and the breedR package.ResultsEarlywood density and latewood percentage exhibited a higher phenotypic and genetic correlation with ring density than the other ring components at almost all ages. Earlywood density and latewood percentage exhibited a lower correlation with ring width than the other ring components after a stand age of 5 years. The age–age genetic correlation of earlywood density and latewood percentage was 0.70 for a stand age of 17 years and was strong at stand ages of 5 and 9 years.ConclusionEfforts focusing on improving earlywood density and latewood percentage may contribute to improving wood density efficiently in tree breeding programs for C. japonica. Traits related to the ring density of C. japonica trees can possibly be selected as early as stand ages of 5–9 years, and the required period for progeny selection may be substantially shortened when selecting trees with high wood density.

Additive singular spectral model of a dendrochronological signal

Relevance. Allocation of structural components in a dendrochronological signal of annual rings of coniferous trees expands the possibilities of the bioindication method and allows obtaining information about changes in environmental conditions in the past for extended territories. Aim. Creation of an additive singular spectral model based on the frequency trigonometric components of the dendrochronological signal; reconstruction of changes in the total ozone content in the atmosphere in the past, affecting the level of ultraviolet radiation in the B range radiation. Objects. Time series of total ozone content in the atmosphere (data from 1932), width and density of annual rings (data from 1686–2004) on the example of the territory near the observatory in Arosa, Switzerland, time series of stable oxygen isotopes δ18Oc, France. Methods. Time series analysis (decomposition of a time series, identification of model parameters, prediction of a time series), statistical analysis (F-criterion, χ2 – Pearson criterion), experimental measurements of the percentage components of the wood of annual rings, correlation analysis, spectral singular analysis. Results. Decomposition of the dendrochronological signal of individual chronologies into trigonometric components in the Caterpillar program. Correlation analysis of the sensitivity of trees to atmospheric effects. Reconstruction of the ozone level in the stratosphere using the first trigonometric component of the dendrochronological signal. In cellulose, the first low-frequency component of the signal and the structural component of wood, a reliable response of trees to long-period fluctuations in the total ozone content is recorded. This allows assessment of the impact of the stress factor on conditions of exploitation of forest resources. The use of data on the width of the annual rings allows you to expand the territorial boundaries of the method.

Tunable CH/π Interactions within a Tryptophan Zipper Motif to Stabilize the Fold of Long β-Hairpin Peptides.

The tryptophan zipper (Trpzip) is an iconic folding motif of β-hairpin peptides capitalizing on two pairs of cross-strand tryptophans, each stabilized by an aromatic-aromatic stacking in an edge-to-face (EtF) geometry. Yet, the origins and the contribution of this EtF packing to the unique Trpzip stability remain poorly understood. To address this question of structure-stability relationship, a library of Trpzip hairpins was developed by incorporating readily accessible nonproteinogenic tryptophans of varying electron densities. We found that each EtF geometry was, in fact, stabilized by an intricate combination of XH/π interactions. By tuning the π-electron density of Trpface rings, CH/π interactions are strengthened to gain additional stability. On the contrary, our DFT calculations support the notion that Trpedge modulations are challenging due to their simultaneous paradoxical engagement as H-bond donors in CH/π and acceptors in NH/π interactions.

Influence of growth ring number and width on elastic constants of poplar

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of growth ring number (specimens including 2, 4, and 6 rings from the bark) and growth ring width on elastic constants in the radial direction of Populus x canadensis, which has not been revealed before. The longitudinal (2.25 MHz) and transverse (1 MHz) ultrasonic waves were propagated to calculate the longitudinal (VRR) and shear (VRL, VLR, VTR, and VRT) wave velocities and used to determine the elasticity modulus (ER), and shear moduli (GRL and GRT). The average growth ring widths of specimens including 2, 4, and 6 rings were 17.0 mm, 17.8 mm, and 18.2 mm, respectively. According to the results, only VRL steadily increased with increased ring number, while other velocities fluctuated. The same fluctuations were observed for moduli except for GLR, which constantly increased with ring number. The influence of ring number on velocity was statistically significant only for VRL and VRT. However, all moduli were significantly affected by ring number. Linear regression statistics revealed that there were significant relations between the ring width and density, VRL, VLR, VRT, GRL, and GRT.

Regional Characteristics of the Climatic Response of Tree-Ring Maximum Density in the Northern Hemisphere

The maximum latewood density (MXD) of tree rings can reflect the temperature of the growing season, but the timing of the response differs among regions. We selected 152 maximum latewood density chronologies from the Northern Hemisphere that showed a significant response to temperature. Based on a cluster analysis and the sensitivity of MXD to the monthly mean temperature, the chronologies were classified into six clusters. The clusters showed distinct regional characteristics, and the period and peak month of significant response of the chronologies in each cluster to temperature were different. Spatial synchronization of the MXDs revealed that the two clusters distributed in Europe showed the most consistency and the strongest response to the April–September monthly mean temperature compared with the other clusters. Temperature accounted for more than 40% of the total MXD variance in all clusters, whereas the effect of precipitation was much smaller. In addition to climatic factors, the random effect of the latitude and longitude of sampling sites, elevation, and tree species was a major factor contributing to the variance in MXD in each cluster. Latitude and longitude had the strongest influence among the three random effects, and tree species had the weakest influence, except at high latitudes. The MXD of each cluster showed sensitivity to temperature within a certain interval, with a positive linear response, and the sensitivity interval was greatest at high latitudes. Certain clusters showed a negative linear sensitivity to precipitation. The results provide a reference for studying the climatic threshold of large-scale tree-ring density formation.

Quantitative wood anatomy and stable carbon isotopes indicate pronounced drought exposure of Scots pine when growing at the forest edge

Climate change poses a major threat to global forest ecosystems. In particular, rising temperatures and prolonged drought spells have led to increased rates of forest decline and dieback in recent decades. Under this framework, forest edges are particularly prone to drought-induced decline since they are characterized by warmer and drier micro-climatic conditions amplifying impacts of drought on tree growth and survival. Previous research indicated that forest-edge Scots pine trees have a higher growth sensitivity to water availability compared to the forest interior with consequent reduction of canopy greenness (remotely sensed NDVI) and higher mortality rates. Yet, the underlying physiological mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we address this knowledge gap by comparing stable carbon isotope signatures and wood anatomical traits in annual rings of trees growing at the forest edge vs. the forest interior and between trees that either survived or died during the extreme drought of 2015. Our analyses suggest that the exposure to drought of forest-edge Scots pine likely results in a reduction of stomatal conductance, as reflected by a higher δ13C of stem wood, thinner cell walls, and lower mean ring density. Moreover, we found dead trees to feature larger mean hydraulic lumen diameters and a lower cell-wall reinforcement, indicating a higher risk to suffer from cavitation. In conclusion, the typically drier micro-climatic conditions at the forest edge seem to have triggered a larger reduction of stomatal conductance of Scots pine trees, resulting in a lower carbon availability and significantly altered wood anatomical properties under an increasingly drier climate.

Phenotypic plasticity of growth ring traits in Pinus hartwegii at the ends of its elevational gradient.

Phenotypic plasticity (PP) could be an important short-term mechanism to modify physiological and morphological traits in response to climate change and global warming, particularly for high-mountain tree species. The objective was to evaluate PP response of growth ring traits to temperature and precipitation in Pinus hartwegii Lindl. populations located at the ends of its elevational gradient on two volcanic mountains in central Mexico (La Malinche and Nevado de Toluca). Increment cores collected from 274 P. hartwegii trees were used to estimate their PP through reaction norms (RN), which relate the ring width and density traits with climate variables (temperature and precipitation). We estimated the trees' sensitivity (significant RN) to climatic variables, as well as the relative proportion of RN with positive and negative slope. We also estimated the relationship between the PP of ring width and density traits using correlation and Principal Component (PC) analyses. Over 70% of all trees showed significant RN to growing season and winter temperatures for at least one growth ring trait, with a similar proportion of significant RN at both ends of the gradient on both mountains. Ring width traits had mostly negative RN, while ring density traits tended to have positive RN. Frequency of negative RN decreased from lower to higher elevation for most traits. Average PP was higher at the lower end of the gradient, especially on LM, both for ring width and ring density traits, although high intrapopulation variation in PP was found on both mountains. Results indicate that P. hartwegii presents spatially differentiated plastic responses in width and density components of radial growth. PP was particularly strong at the lower elevation, which has higher temperature and water stress conditions, putting these populations at risk from the continuing global warming driven by climate change.

A novel method for age identification of mountain-cultivated ginseng.

Panax ginseng, a slow-growing perennial herb, is the most praised and popular traditional medicinal herb. Mountain-cultivated ginseng (MCG) and cultivated ginseng (CG) both belong to Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. The market price and medical effects of this popular health product are closely related to its age. It is widely acknowledged that CG is typically harvested after 4-6 years of growth, but MCG is often collected after 10 years. Until now, the age identification of MCG or mountain wild ginseng (MWG) has remained a major challenge. In this study, we established a novel and rapid method for staining xylem vessels with phloroglucinol and identifying the "annual growth rings" of ginseng by utilizing a stereoscope, which serves as a reliable indicator of the age of MCG. Statistical analysis of the ring radius and the ring density of MCG aged from 1 to 20 years shows that the secondary xylem of MCG increases rapidly in the first 3 years but then gradually slows down from 4 to 10 years, and minor fluctuation is observed in the next 10 years. Meanwhile, the space between the growth rings (ring density) becomes increasingly small with age. This straightforward staining approach can reveal the age of MCG with remarkable clarity and can distinguish MCG from CG. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A novel rapid staining method for Panax ginseng was established. The age of mountain-cultivated ginseng (MCG) can be identified by microscopic techniques. MCG and cultivated ginseng (CG) can be discriminated by microstructure characteristics.

The lipid transfer proteins Nir2 and Nir3 sustain phosphoinositide signaling and actin dynamics during phagocytosis.

Changes in membrane phosphoinositides and local Ca2+ elevations at sites of particle capture coordinate the dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton during phagocytosis. Here, we show that the phosphatidylinositol (PI) transfer proteins PITPNM1 (Nir2) and PITPNM2 (Nir3) maintain phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] homeostasis at phagocytic cups, thereby promoting actin contractility and the sealing of phagosomes. Nir3 and to a lesser extent Nir2 accumulated on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae juxtaposed to phagocytic cups when expressed in phagocytic COS-7 cells. CRISPR-Cas9 editing of Nir2 and Nir3 genes decreased plasma membrane PI(4,5)P2 levels, store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and receptor-mediated phagocytosis, stalling particle capture at the cup stage. Re-expression of either Nir2 or Nir3 restored phagocytosis, but not SOCE, proportionally to the PM PI(4,5)P2 levels. Phagosomes forming in Nir2 and Nir3 (Nir2/3) double-knockout cells had decreased overall PI(4,5)P2 levels but normal periphagosomal Ca2+ signals. Nir2/3 depletion reduced the density of contractile actin rings at sites of particle capture, causing repetitive low-intensity contractile events indicative of abortive phagosome closure. We conclude that Nir proteins maintain phosphoinositide homeostasis at phagocytic cups, thereby sustaining the signals that initiate the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton during phagocytosis.

Thermoresponsive behavior of polyrotaxanes based on α-cyclodextrins threaded on poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) triblock copolymers

Polyrotaxanes with poly-2-alkyl-2-oxazoline blocking moieties have been successfully synthesized. The structure of the synthesized samples was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, and the molar masses were measured by light scattering and GPC. The density of cyclodextrin rings on polyethylene glycol did not depend on the structure of poly-2-alkyl-2-oxazoline chains and ranged from 2 to 5. A high specific optical rotation of the prepared polyrotaxanes is found which is caused by the formation of hydrogen bonds between neighboring macrocycles. The behavior of water-salt solutions of synthesized polyrotaxanes depended on the size of the poly-2-alkyl-2-oxazoline side groups. Only polymers with poly-2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline and poly-2-n-propyl-2-oxazoline blocking moieties were thermoresponsive in aqueous solutions, and the phase separation temperature decreased at passage from a polymer with poly-2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline to a sample with poly-2-n-propyl-2-oxazoline. Aqueous solutions of polyrotaxanes with smaller side groups were molecularly dispersed at all temperatures, and the polymer with poly-2-butyl-2-oxazoline blocking chains did not dissolve in water.

Impact of Different Groups on Properties of All Members of the Series of 1-X-Benzotriazole Derivatives (X= H, OH, NH2, Cl and CH3)

Here, the impact of different groups on the geometrical parameters, dipole moments, atomic charges, stabilization and solvation energies, molecular electrostatic potentials, densities rings, positions IR and UV bands and NMR chemical shifts of all members of the series of 1X-benzotriazole derivatives (X= H, CH3, Cl, NH2 and OH) have been investigated by using hybrid B3LYP/6-311++G** calculations because, so far, correlations among their properties neither the vibrational analyses are reported yet. The polarity of N-X bonds, electronegativity, donor/acceptor characteristics of the different X groups were analysed for all members. The polarity of N1-X4 bonds have influence on dipole moments, volumes and on bond lengths of both rings while the chlorinated derivative has a higher reactivity due to its higher global electrophilicity index. NBO and AIM studies reveal the strong influence of Cl on densities of both rings of CBT and, on this derivative. Harmonic force fields evidence very good correlations between stretching force constants and assignments.