The correlation of Raman spectral indicators for the determination of alkyl chain interactions and conformational order is presented. These investigations probe the conformational order of bulk octadecane and low molecular weight polyethylene as they undergo solid/liquid phase transitions. Spectral indicators are quantitatively correlated to the I[ν a (CH 2 )]/I[ν s (CH 2 )], as this is the primary indicator of rotational and conformational order obtained empirically from Raman spectra. These indicators are interpreted in terms of alkane intramolecular motion, intermolecular interactions between alkyl chains, crystal structure of these solid materials, and the presence of methylene conformers. Results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to very subtle changes in alkane chain structure and conformation. These results can be used to understand molecular interactions and structure-function relationships in alkane-based materials.

Raman spectroscopy is used to examine the effects of temperature, surface coverage, nature of the alkylsilane precursor (octadecyltrichlorosilane, methyloctadecyldichlorosilane, or dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane), and surface grafting method (surface or solution polymerized) on alkyl chain conformational order in a series of high-density octadecylsilane stationary phases ranging in surface coverage from 3.09 to 6.45 micromol/m2. Conformational order is assessed using the intensity ratio of the antisymmetric and symmetric v(CH2) modes as well as the frequency at which these Raman bands are observed. Conformational order increases with surface coverage. Temperature-induced surface phase changes are observed between 258 and 343 K for this homologous series of stationary phases that are demonstrated to adhere to the Clapeyron equation for a simple first-order transition. Phase changes are discussed in terms of variation of the molar enthalpy, molar entropy, and molar volume of the stationary phase, all of which depend on surface coverage. For the limited range of systems investigated, a correlation between stationary-phase preparation (surface versus solution polymerized and nature of the silane precursor) and extent of alkyl chain order is not clearly observed.Instead, akyl chain order is largely dependent on bonding density. A molecular picture of temperature-induced disorder in octadecylsilane stationary phases is proposed, with disorder originating at the distal carbon and propagating toward the proximal carbon.

Raman spectroscopy is used to examine the effects of solvent, temperature, and surface grafting method (surface or solution polymerized) on alkyl chain rotational and conformational order in a series of high-density octadecylsilane stationary phases ranging in surface coverage from 3.09 to 6.45 micromol/m2. Rotational and conformational order is assessed using the intensity ratio of the antisymmetric to symmetric v(CH2) modes as well as the frequency at which these Raman bands are observed. Solvents studied include perdeuterated hexane, toluene, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, benzene, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and water. Stationary-phase order was investigated at temperatures between 258 and 323 K. Alkyl chain rotational and conformational order, and hence, solvation of the stationary phase, is dependent on solvent parameters (polarity, size, etc.), temperature, and stationary-phase properties (polymerization method and surface coverage). Information on stationary-phase conformational order allows solvent-stationary-phase interactions to be described in terms of a combination of adsorption and partitioning models for reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Finally, a distinct interplay between solvent- and temperature-induced ordering of these stationary phases is documented that is also a function of solvent and stationary-phase properties.

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Raman spectroscopy is used to examine the subtle effects of polar, hydrogen-bonding solvents; temperature; and the surface grafting method (surface- or solution-polymerized) on alkyl chain rotational and conformational order in a series of high-density octadecylsilane stationary phases ranging in surface coverage from 3.09 to 6.45 micromol/m2. Rotational and conformational order is assessed using the intensity ratio of the antisymmetric to symmetric v(CH2) modes as well as the frequencies at which these Raman bands are observed. Alkyl rotational and conformational order decreases with decreasing surface coverage in these polar solvents, consistent with the behavior of these materials in air. For homogeneously distributed, high surface coverage materials, these polar solvents induce rotational ordering that is proposed to be due to the self-association of these solvents through hydrogen bonding or other dipole interactions at the alkylsilane-solvent interface. From these observations, molecular pictures of these solvent-stationary-phase interfaces are proposed in which solvent interaction with the stationary phase occurs primarily at the distal methyl group of the alkyl chains.

In bicellar dispersions of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), the transition from isotropic reorientation to partial orientational order, on warming, is known to coincide with a sharp increase in viscosity. In this work, cone-and-plate rheometry, (2)H NMR spectroscopy, and quadrupole echo decay observations have been used to obtain new insights into the dynamics of phases observed in bicellar DMPC/DHPC mixtures. Samples with 25% of the DMPC component deuterated were used to correlate rheological measurements with phase behavior observed by (2)H NMR spectroscopy. Mixtures containing only normal DMPC (DMPC/DHPC) or only chain perdeuterated DMPC (DMPC-d(54)/DHPC) were used to refine rheology and quadrupole echo decay measurements respectively. The viscosity peaked at 4-9 Pa·s, just above the isotropic-to-nematic transition, and then dropped as samples were warmed through the nematic-to-lamellar transition. Quadrupole echo decay times above the nematic-to-lamellar transition were significantly longer than typically observed in the liquid crystalline phase of saturated lipid multilamellar vesicles. This may indicate a damping of slow bilayer undulations resulting from the coupling of opposite bilayer surfaces by DHPC-lined pores.

The effects of aromatic compounds (toluene, benzene, p-xylene, anisole, aniline, and pyridine), temperature, and surface grafting method (surface- or solution-polymerized) on alkyl chain rotational and conformational order in a series of high-density octadecylsilane stationary phases ranging in surface coverage from 3.09 to 6.45 micromol/m2 are examined by Raman spectroscopy. Rotational and conformational order are assessed using the intensity ratio of the antisymmetric to symmetric v(CH2) modes as well as the frequency at which the symmetric v(CH2) band is observed. Alkyl rotational and conformational order decrease with decreasing surface coverage in these aromatic compounds, which is consistent with the behavior of these materials in air and in other solvents. In addition, order of the alkyl chains is dependent on solvent hydrophobicity, hydrogen-bonding ability, and basicity. The most hydrophobic compounds impart disorder to the stationary phase; the hydrogen-bonding aromatics increase the rotational order of homogeneously distributed, high-surface-coverage materials; and basic aromatic compounds increase the conformational order of high- and low-coverage materials as the basic compounds undergo silanophilic interactions with exposed surface silanols. From these observations, molecular pictures of the chromatographic interface that display interactions between the alkyl chains and these aromatic compounds are proposed.

The Characterization and Analysis of a Product (CAP) project is used to introduce first-semester general chemistry students to chemical instrumentation through the analysis of caffeine-containing beverage products. Some examples of these products have included coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Students perform at least three instrumental experiments as a part of this five-part project to analyze different components of the beverage and its packaging. In this discussion, the first of these experiments is presented. Caffeine and other components, such as flavorings, are extracted from the product using dichloromethane. The extract is analyzed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS) to identify caffeine and other trace components. Students also calculate the percent abundance of the 35 Cl and 37 Cl isotopes from the dichloromethane mass spectrum. These exercises demonstrate several basic concepts introduced in the first-semester course, and are easily adaptable to using in several courses in the undergraduate curriculum.