Biomedical subjects

Tom Welton

Publications and source records attributed to Tom Welton.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Using Kamlet-Taft solvent descriptors to explain the reactivity of anionic nucleophiles in ionic liquids.

In this paper, we report the effect of ionic liquids on substitution reactions using a variety of anionic nucleophiles. We have combined new studies of the reactivity of polyatomic anions, acetate, trifuoroacetate, cyanide, and thiocyanide, with our previous studies of the halides in [C4C1py][Tf2N], [C4C1py][TfO], and [C4C1im][Tf2N] (where [C4C1im]+ is 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium and [C4C1py]+ is 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium) and compared their reactivities, k2, to the same reactions in the molecular solvents dichloromethane, dimethylsulfoxide, and methanol. The Kamlet-Taft solvent descriptors (alpha, beta, pi) have been used to analyze the rates of the reactions, which were found to have a strong inverse dependency on the alpha value of the solvent. This result is attributed to the ability of the solvent to hydrogen bond to the nucleophile, so reducing its reactivity. The Eyring activation parameters (DeltaH++ and DeltaS++), while confirming the reaction mechanism, do not offer obvious correlations with the Kamlet-Taft solvent descriptors.

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PubMed2006

Characterising the electronic structure of ionic liquids: an examination of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ion pair.

In this paper we analyse the electronic properties of gas-phase 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium Cl ion pairs, [C(4)C(1)im]Cl, in order to deepen our understanding of ionic liquids in general. Examination of charge densities, natural bond orbitals (NBO), and delocalised molecular orbitals computed at the B3LYP and MP2/6-31(++)G(d,p) levels have enabled us to explain a number of experimental phenomena: the relative acidity of different sites on the imidazolium ring, variations in hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor abilities, the apparent contradiction of the hydrogen-bond-donor parameters for different types of solute, the low probability of finding a Cl(-) anion at the rear of the imidazolium ring and the expansion of the imidazolium ring in the presence of a strong hydrogen-bond acceptor. The unreactive but coordinating environment and large electrochemical window have also been accounted for, as has the strong electron-donating character of the carbon atoms to the rear of the ring in associated imidazolylidenes. The electronic structure of the [C(4)C(1)im](+) cation is best described by a C(4)==C(5) double bond at the rear, and a delocalised three-centre 4 e(-) component across the front (N(1)-C(2)-N(3)) of the imidazolium ring; delocalisation between these regions is also significant. Hydrogen-bond formation is driven by Coulombic stabilisation, which compensates for an associated destabilisation of the electronic part of the system. Interactions are dominated by a large positive charge at C(2) and the build up of pi-electron density above and below the ring, particularly that associated with the double bond between C(4) and C(5). The NBO partial charges have been computed and compared with those used in a number of classical simulations.

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PubMed2006

Cooperativity in ionic liquids.

Cooperativity in ionic liquids is investigated by means of static quantum chemical calculations. Larger clusters of the dimethylimidazolium cation paired with a chloride anion are calculated within density functional theory combined with gradient corrected functionals. Tests of the monomer unit show that density functional theory performs reasonably well. Linear chain and ring aggregates have been considered and geometries are found to be comparable with liquid phase structures. Cooperative effects occur when the total energy of the oligomer differs from a simple sum of monomer energies. Cooperative effects have been found in the structural motifs examined. A systematic study of linear chains of increasing length (up to nine monomer units) has shown that cooperativity plays a more important role than expected and is stronger than in water. The Cl...H distance of the chloride to the most acidic proton increases with an increasing number of monomer units. The average bond distance approaches 218.9 pm asymptotically. The dipole moment grows almost linearly and the dipole moment per monomer unit reaches the asymptotic value of 16.3 D. The charge on the chloride atoms decreases with an increasing chain length. In order to detect local hydrogen bonding in the clusters a new parametrization of the shared-electron number method is introduced. We find decreasing hydrogen bond energies with an increasing cluster size for both the first hydrogen bond to the most acidic proton and the average hydrogen bond.

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PubMed2005

Synthesis and structure of novel organocycloborates.

A series of alpha,omega-boryl(bromo)alkanes of the general formula R2B-(CH2)n-Br (n = 3, 4, 5, 6) was obtained in high yield following a standard hydroboration protocol. Upon treatment with Mg turnings and formation of the respective Grignard species, all alkanes with n = 4 to 6 underwent an unprecedented boron-centered cyclisation reaction with formation of boratacyclopentanes, -hexanes, and -heptanes, respectively. All new compounds were isolated in high yields as colourless, crystalline materials and characterised in solution by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Four representative examples were chosen for X-ray diffraction studies, thus providing the first structurally characterised ring systems of that size at a tetraalkyl borate centre.

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PubMed2005

Ionic liquid-in-oil microemulsions.

Phase stability and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data show that surfactant-stabilized nanodomains of a typical ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [bmim][BF4]) may be dispersed by the nonionic surfactant Triton-X100 in cyclohexane. Analyses of these SANS data are consistent with the formation of ionic liquid-in-oil microemulsion droplets.

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PubMed2004

Manipulating solute nucleophilicity with room temperature ionic liquids.

In this work we report the effect of ionic liquids on a class of charge-neutral nucleophiles. We have studied the reactions of (n)butylamine, di-(n)butylamine, and tri-(n)butylamine with methyl p-nitrobenzenesulfonate in [bmpy][N(Tf)(2)], [bmpy][OTf], and [bmim][OTf] (bmpy = 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium; bmim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) and compared their reactivities, k(2), to those for the same reactions in the molecular solvents dichloromethane and acetonitrile. It was shown that all of the amines are more nucleophilic in the ionic liquids than in the molecular solvents studied in this work. Comparison is also made with the effect of ionic liquids on the reactivity of chloride ions, which are deactivated in ionic liquids. The Eyring activation parameters revealed that changes in the activation entropies are largely responsible for the effects seen. This can be explained in part by the differing hydrogen-bonding properties, as shown by the Kamlet-Taft solvent parameters, of each of these solvents and the formation of hydrogen bonds between the solvents and the nucleophiles.

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PubMed2004

Nucleophilicity in ionic liquids. 3. Anion effects on halide nucleophilicity in a series of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids.

We have continued the study of halide nucleophilicity in ionic liquids, concentrating on the effect of changing the anion ([BF(4)](-), [PF(6)](-), [SbF(6)](-), [OTf](-), and [N(Tf)(2)](-)) when the cation is [bmim](+) (where bmim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium). It was found that the nucleophilicities of all the halides were lower in all of the ionic liquids than in dichloromethane. Changing the anion affected the order of halide nucleophilicity, e.g., in [bmim][BF(4)] the order of nucleophilicity was Cl(-)>Br(-)>I(-) while in [bmim][N(Tf)(2)] the order was Cl(-)<Br(-)<I(-). It was also found that the nucleophilicity of each halide was different in each ionic liquid, with chloride being almost four times as nucleophilic in [bmim][BF(4)] as in [bmim][SbF(6)]. Similarly bromide was more than four times as nucleophilic in [bmim][BF(4)] as in [bmim][PF(6)]. The activation parameters DeltaG++, DeltaH++, and DeltaS++ have been measured for the reaction of chloride in each of the ionic liquids, plus the reaction of bromide in [bmim][BF(4)] and [bmim][PF(6)]. These data were also compared to each other as well as to a similar reaction in dichloromethane (where these parameters have been estimated for both the free ion and the ion-pair). These studies show that the reaction in the ionic liquids has a high activation free energy barrier, due to the solvent-solute interactions within the ionic liquids. These interactions are described and discussed.

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PubMed2004

Precise temperature control in microfluidic devices using Joule heating of ionic liquids.

Microfluidic devices for spatially localised heating of microchannel environments were designed, fabricated and tested. The devices are simple to implement, do not require complex manufacturing steps and enable intra-channel temperature control to within +/-0.2 degrees C. Ionic liquids held in co-running channels are Joule heated with an a.c. current. The nature of the devices means that the internal temperature can be directly assessed in a facile manner.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed2004

Novel organocycloborates via Grignard reagents.

An unprecedented cyclisation reaction of alpha,omega-borylbromoalkanes is seen upon treatment with magnesium turnings, forming organocycloborates in high yield. The novel boratacyclopentanes and -hexanes have been characterised by X-ray crystallography.

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