Convenient Syntheses of a Family of Easily Recoverable Fluorous Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Aliphatic Amines NH3−x[(CH2)m(CF2)7CF3]x(m = 3−5;x = 1−3) − Fine Tuning of Basicities and Fluorous Phase Affinities

Synthesis of Fluorous Ferrofluids and Effects of the Nanoparticle Coatings on Field- and Temperature-Dependent Magnetizations

Ferrofluids have been extensively employed in industrial, environmental, and biomedical areas. Among them, fluorous ferrofluids are of particular interest because of the biorthogonal nature of perfluorocarbons (PFCs). However, the noninteracting nature of PFCs as well as challenges in functionalization of nanoparticle surfaces with fluorous ligands has limited their applications, especially in biomedicine. In particular, commercially available fluorous ferrofluids are stabilized using ionic surfactants with charged groups that physically interact with a wide range of charged biological molecules. In this paper, we developed a unique two-phase ligand attachment strategy to render stable fluorous ferrofluids using nonionic surfactants. The superparamagnetic Fe3O4 or MnFe2O4 core of the magnetic nanoparticles, the magnetic component of the ferrofluid, was coated with a silica shell containing abundant surface hydroxyl groups, thereby enabling the installation of fluorous ligands through stable covalent, neutral, siloxane bonds. We explored chemistry-material relationships between different ligands and PFC solvents and found that low-molecular-weight ligands can assist with the installation of high-molecular-weight ligands (4000-8000 g/mol), allowing us to systematically control the size and thickness of ligand functionalization on the nanoparticle surface. By zero-field-cooled magnetization measurements, we studied how the ligands affect magnetic dipole orientation forces and observed a curve flattening that is only associated with the ferrofluids. This work provided insight into ferrofluids' dependence on interparticle interactions and contributed a methodology to synthesize fluorous ferrofluids with nonionic surfactants that exhibit both magnetic and chemical stability. We believe that the doped MnFe2O4 fluorous ferrofluid has the highest combination of stability and magnetization reported to date.

Fluorous-Phase Ion-Selective pH Electrodes: Electrode Body and Ionophore Optimization for Measurements in the Physiological pH Range

Because of their low polarity and polarizability, fluorous sensing membranes are both hydrophobic and lipophobic and exhibit very high ion selectivities. Here, we report on a new fluorous-membrane ion-selective electrode (ISE) with a wide sensing range centered around physiologically relevant pH values. The fluorophilic tris[perfluoro(octyl)butyl]amine (N[(CH₂)₄R_f8]₃) was synthesized and tested as a new H⁺ ionophore using a redesigned electrode body that provides excellent mechanical sealing and much improved measurement reliability. In a challenging 1 M KCl background, these fluorous-phase ISEs exhibit a sensing range from pH 2.2 to 11.2, which is one of the widest working ranges reported to date for ionophore-based H⁺ ISEs. High selectivities against common interfering ions such as K⁺, Na⁺, and Ca²⁺ were determined (selectivity coefficients: logK _H, K ^pot = - 11.6; logK _H, Na ^pot = - 12.4; logK _H, Ca ^pot < - 10.2). The use of the N[(CH₂)₄R_f8]₃ ionophore with its -(CH₂)₄- spacers separating the amino group from the strongly electron-withdrawing perfluorooctyl groups improved the potentiometric selectivity as compared to the less basic tris[perfluoro(octyl)propyl]amine ionophore. The use of N[(CH₂)₄R_f8]₃ also made the ISE less prone to counter anion failure (i.e., Donnan failure) at low pH than the use of tris[perfluoro(octyl)pentyl]amine with its longer -(CH₂)₅- spacers, which more effectively shield the amino center from the perfluorooctyl groups. In addition, we exposed both conventional plasticized PVC-phase pH ISEs and fluorous-phase pH ISEs to 10% serum for 5 days. Results show that the PVC-phase ISEs lost selectivity while their fluorous-phase counterparts did not.

Fluorinated Tetraphosphonate Cavitands

Two synthetic protocols for the introduction of fluorine atoms into resorcinarene-based cavitands, at the lower and upper rim, respectively, are reported. Cavitand 1, bearing four fluorocarbon tails, and cavitand 2, which presents a fluorine atom on the para position of a diester phosphonate phenyl substituent, were synthesized and their complexation abilities toward the model guest sarcosine methyl ester hydrochloride were evaluated via NMR titration experiments. The effect of complexation on the ¹⁹F NMR resonance of the probe is evident only in the case of cavitand 2, where the inset of the cation-dipole and H-bonding interactions between the P=O bridges and the guest is reflected in a sizable downfield shift of the fluorine probe.

Impact of the Long-Range Electronic Effect of a Fluorous Ponytail on Metal Coordination during Solvent Extraction

With the need for a precise description of the long-range electronic effects of a perfloroalkyl chain (F-ponytail) grafted onto metal chelators, we studied in detail the effect of a spacer inserted between the polar complexing head and the F-ponytail, in relation to the metal coordination ability of the resulting molecules. The prepared molecules were then applied for the extraction of various metals from an aqueous phase into an organic phase, and the optimum spacer length could be estimated to be between three and four methylene units, according to the extraction conditions. The study also revealed the difficulty of modeling and anticipating the tiny energy differences involved in the extraction process and the importance in peculiar cases to go beyond only these studied inductive effects to understand better the factors that govern the stabilization of a metallic cation in a complex fluorous phase.

Synthesis of environmentally relevant fluorinated surfactants--a review

In the past years there has been a growing interest in fluorinated persistent organic pollutants such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonamides, perfluorinated carboxylic acids and fluorotelomer alcohols. Although these compounds have probably been present in the environment for many decades, we are only now beginning to realize that these environmental contaminants may have serious environmental and health effects. This article gives a state-of-the-art review of synthetic approaches that have been employed for the synthesis of these environmentally relevant fluorinated compounds. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid derivatives, in particular, pose a problem because only a few perfluorooctanesulfonic acid derivatives are available from commercial sources--a fact that limits the ability of researchers worldwide to further study these compounds. Because of the limited literature available, this article also describes synthetic approaches for shorter chain homologues or perfluoroether analogues that can potentially be applied for the synthesis of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid derivatives. The preparation of typical starting materials for the synthesis of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid derivatives such as the perfluoroalkanesulfonyl fluorides and chlorides will be discussed. Subsequently, their conversion into relevant perfluoroalkane sulfonate salts (R(F)SO3M), sulfonamides (R(F)SO2NH2), N-alkyl sulfonamides (R(F)SO2NHR, R = alkyl), N,N-dialkyl sulfonamides (R(F)SO2NR2, R = alkyl), sulfonamidoethanol (R(F)SO2NRCH2CH2OH, R = -H, -CH3 or -C2H5) and sulfonamidoacetates (R(F)SO2NRCH2CO2H, R = -H, -CH3 or -C2H5) will be described. Many perfluorinated carboxylic acids and fluorotelomer alcohols are available from commercial sources. The review of the synthesis of these two classes of fluorinated compounds includes a review of their industrial synthesis and the synthesis of relevant degradation products.

Fluorous solvent as a new phase-screen medium between reagents and reactants in the bromination and chlorination of alcohols

[reaction: see text] A perfluorohexane layer regulates the rate of reagent transport in the bromination and chlorination of alcohols. A fluorous triphasic U-tube method is effective for lighter reagents; the thionyl chloride layer (yellow) vanishes, and the chlorides are obtained from the right top organic layer in the chlorination of alcohols.

Syntheses and reactivities of disubstituted and trisubstituted fluorous pyridines with high fluorous phase affinities: solid state, liquid crystal, and ionic liquid-phase properties

Reactions of 2,6-dibromo-, 3,5-dibromo-, and 2,4,6-tribromopyridine with IZnCH(2)CH(2)R(f8) (R(f8) = (CF(2))(7)CF(3)) in THF at 65 degrees C in the presence of trans-Cl(2)Pd(PPh(3))(2) (5 mol %) gave the fluorous pyridines 2,6- and 3,5-NC(5)H(3)(CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (1 and 2; 85%, 31%) and 2,4,6-NC(5)H(2)(CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(3) (3, 61%). Reaction of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde with [Ph(3)PCH(2)CH(2)R(f8)](+)I(-)/K(2)CO(3) (p-dioxane/H(2)O, 95 degrees C) gave 2,6-NC(5)H(3)(CH[double bond]CHCH(2)R(f8))(2) (95%; 70:30 ZZ/ZE), which was treated with H(2) (1 atm, 12 h) and 10% Pd/C to yield 2,6-NC(5)H(3)(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (5, 95%), a higher homologue of 1. Longer reaction times afforded piperidine cis-2,6-HNC(5)H(8)(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)R(f8))(2) (6, 98%). The stereochemistry was established by NMR analysis of the N-benzylpiperidine. Pyridines 1-3 and 5 are low-melting white solids with CF(3)C(6)F(11)/toluene partition coefficients (24 degrees C) of 93.8:6.2, 93.9:6.1, >99.7:<0.3, and 90.4:9.6, respectively (6, 93.6:6.4). Reaction of 1 and CF(3)SO(3)H gave a pyridinium salt, and Cl(2)Pd(NCCH(3))(2) (0.5 equiv) yielded trans-Cl(2)Pd(1)(2). The crystal structure of the former, which also exhibited liquid crystalline and ionic liquid phases, was determined.

Highly active thermomorphic fluorous palladacycle catalyst precursors for the Heck reaction; evidence for a palladium nanoparticle pathway

[reaction: see text] The fluorous Schiff base p-Rf8(CH2)3C6H4C(=N(CH2)3Rf8)(CH2)2Rf8 (Rf8 = n-C8F17) is prepared in six steps from p-iodobenzaldehyde and then cyclopalladated (Pd(OAc)2) to give highly effective catalyst precursors for Heck reactions, conducted under homogeneous conditions (DMF, 80-140 degrees C, turnover numbers >10(6)) in the absence of fluorous solvents. Rate, recycling, and other data suggest that the palladacycles serve as sources of palladium nanoparticles, which are the dominant active catalysts.