Nitration

In organic chemistry, nitration is a general class of chemical processes for the introduction of a nitro group () into an organic compound. The term also is applied incorrectly to the different process of forming nitrate esters () between alcohols and nitric acid (as occurs in the synthesis of nitroglycerin). The difference between the resulting molecular structures of nitro compounds and nitrates () is that the nitrogen atom in nitro compounds is directly bonded to a non-oxygen atom (typically carbon or another nitrogen atom), whereas in nitrate esters (also called organic nitrates), the nitrogen is bonded to an oxygen atom that in turn usually is bonded to a carbon atom (nitrito group). There are many major industrial applications of nitration in the strict sense; the most important by volume are for the production of nitroaromatic compounds such as nitrobenzene. Nitration reactions are notably used for the production of explosives, for example the conversion of guanidine to nitroguanidine and the conversion of toluene to trinitrotoluene (TNT). However, they are of wide importance as chemical intermediates and precursors. Millions of tons of nitroaromatics are produced annually. Typical nitration syntheses apply so-called "mixed acid", a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and sulfuric acids. This mixture produces the nitronium ion (NO2+), which is the active species in aromatic nitration. This active ingredient, which can be isolated in the case of nitronium tetrafluoroborate, also effects nitration without the need for the mixed acid. In mixed-acid syntheses sulfuric acid is not consumed and hence acts as a catalyst as well as an absorbent for water. In the case of nitration of benzene, the reaction is conducted at a warm temperature, not exceeding 50 °C. The process is one example of electrophilic aromatic substitution, which involves the attack by the electron-rich benzene ring: Alternative mechanisms have also been proposed, including one involving single electron transfer (SET).

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Azo dye

Azo dyes are organic compounds bearing the functional group R−N=N−R′, in which R and R′ are usually aryl and substituted aryl groups. They are a commercially important family of azo compounds, i.e. compounds containing the C-N=N-C linkage. Azo dyes are synthetic dyes and do not occur naturally. Most azo dyes contain only one azo group, but some dyes contain two or three azo groups, called "diazo dyes" and "triazo dyes" respectively. Azo dyes comprise 60-70% of all dyes used in food and textile industries.

Diazonium compound

Diazonium compounds or diazonium salts are a group of organic compounds sharing a common functional group where R can be any organic group, such as an alkyl or an aryl, and X is an inorganic or organic anion, such as a halide. According to X-ray crystallography the linkage is linear in typical diazonium salts. The bond distance in benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate is 1.083(3) Å, which is almost identical to that for dinitrogen molecule (N≡N). The linear free energy constants σm and σp indicate that the diazonium group is strongly electron-withdrawing.

Aniline

Aniline (, and -ine indicating a derived substance) is an organic compound with the formula . Consisting of a phenyl group () attached to an amino group (), aniline is the simplest aromatic amine. It is an industrially significant commodity chemical, as well as a versatile starting material for fine chemical synthesis. Its main use is in the manufacture of precursors to polyurethane, dyes, and other industrial chemicals. Like most volatile amines, it has the odor of rotten fish.

Synthesis of NIR-Absorbing Squaraine Dyes and their Use in Organic Upconversion Devices

Karen Verena Strassel

Squaraines are organic dyes showing the advantages of a simple synthesis, high absorption coefficients and tunable bandgaps from the visible to the near-infrared (NIR) region. Their molecular structure is based on a polymethine chain and a donor-acceptor-donor structure that can be easily matched to the requirements of new application fields. This thesis focuses on the synthesis of squaraine dyes absorbing beyond 1000 nm and their use in organic upconversion devices. Organic dyes are widely studied and applied in optoelectronic devices such as organic solar cells, organic photodetectors (OPDs) and organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). However, investigations so far were mainly focused on dyes absorbing and emitting in the visible range. With increasing interest in NIR-technology for biomedical and optoelectronic applications, there is a growing demand for organic NIR dyes. Here, a systematic chemical synthesis approach is used to tune the properties of benz[cd]indole substituted squaraine dyes. The donor part of the dye is modified by introducing Ï-conjugated substituents that increase the donor strength and enlarge the Ï-system. Additionally, a stronger acceptor part is introduced. A series of eight dyes is synthesized and characterized. The absorption maxima show bathochromic shifts with increasing conjugation, increasing donor strength and increasing acceptor strength. The beneficial properties of the NIR-absorbing squaraine dyes are demonstrated in organic upconversion devices with sensitivity beyond 1000 nm. The device is composed of a NIR-absorbing OPD possessing an external quantum efficiency of around 80% in the reverse bias and a visible OLED. The upconversion device converts NIR light into visible light without the need of intermediate electronics, allowing for direct NIR imaging. The organic semiconducting layers of the device stack absorb very little in the visible range. Combined with an optimized semitransparent metal top electrode, a device with an average visible transmittance of 65% is achieved. The advantages of visible transparent upconversion devices can be exploited e.g. in window-integrated electronic circuits. Another major benefit of organic electronics is the possibility to fabricate devices from solution, allowing low-cost and large-area production on flexible substrates. Here, the NIR-absorbing squaraine dye is used in upconversion devices consisting of five solution-processed layers. As emitting part, a fluorescent copolymer (super yellow)-based OLED or light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) is investigated. The solution-processed upconversion device converts NIR light with a wavelength of 980 nm efficiently to yellow light with a wavelength of around 575 nm, exhibiting a low turn-on voltage of 2.7 V. Replacing the OLED by a LEC allows for eliminating the sensitive calcium layer that acts as electron-injection layer. Due to the presence of ions, the LEC-based device shows a dynamic behavior, which is characterized in detail. A great deal of progress has been made with upconversion devices over the last years, but a number of challenges must be resolved to finally transform present-day prototype NIR imagers into a technology. Here, I address some of the scientific opportunities and challenges, including upconverters with sensitivity beyond 1000 nm, and visibly transparent and solution-processed devices with a narrow spectral response in the NIR.

EPFL2021

2018

Novel Chemosensors for Biologically Important Analytes

Ziya Köstereli

In this work, fluorescent-based chemosensors for the detection of important analytes in aqueous solution are described. The sensors are based on different detection concepts, including analyte-induced aggregation/de-aggregation, pattern-based sensing and micelle-based sensing. In chapter 2, we present an analyte-induced aggregation-type chemosensor for the sensing of spermine. A charge-frustrated amphiphile composed of a highly fluorescent pyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate head group and an eicosane side chain was used as a fluorescence chemosensor. Analyte-induced aggregation of the dye upon addition of spermine results in pronounced fluorescence quenching. The sensor enables the detection of spermine down to the nanomolar concentration range with good selectivity over closely related biogenic amines such as spermidine. In chapter 3, we describe a conceptually new âone-cuvetteâ sensing system for the pattern-based analysis of seven aminoglycosides antibiotics. The antibiotics include amikacin, apramycin, gentamicin, kanamycin A and B, neomycin, and paromomycin. A mixture of two amphiphiles with fluorescent head groups was used as a sensing ensemble. In buffered aqueous solution, the amphiphiles form a dynamic mixture of micellar aggregates. In the presence of aminoglycosides, the relative amount and the composition of the micelles is modified. Accurate differentiation in the low micromolar concentration range is achieved by a principal component analysis of the spectral data. Also, the sensing system allows the differentiation of pure aminoglycosides from their mixtures. In chapter 4, a fluorescent chemosensor based on analyte-induced aggregation/de-aggregation is described for the sensing of Al3+ and citric acid. In buffered aqueous solution, the amphiphilic dye can form aggregates and the aggregation of the dye is associated with a strong quenching of its fluorescence. The Al3+-induced aggregation is used to sense Al3+ in the low micromolar concentration range with high selectivity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the non-fluorescent dye-Al3+ complex can be used as a sensing ensemble for the detection of citric acid. The assay is able to quantify the citric acid content of commercial beverages such as energy drinks. A simple micelle-based assay for the fluorescence sensing of vitamin K1 is described. In the following chapter 5, the assay enables the detection of vitamin K1 in the low micromolar concentration range. As a sensing ensemble, a mixture of the surfactant triton X-100 and 1 aminopyrene in buffered aqueous solution is employed. Vitamin K1 co-localizes with the fluorescent pyrene dye in the micelle, resulting in fluorescence attenuation by dynamic quenching. The assay displays good selectivity and can be used to determine the concentration of vitamin K1 in a commercial preparation. In chapter 6, a fluorescent-based sensor array for the optical analysis of purine derivatives is described. The array is composed of four polysufonated fluorescent dyes. The complexation of the analytes results in partial quenching of the fluorescence. The Sensor array enables the identification of ten purine derivatives including caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, purine, hypoxanthine, paraxanthine, 8-chlorotheophylline, 6-mercaptopurine, cladribine and penciclovir at low millimolar concentration. Furthermore, it is possible to use the array for obtaining information about the quantity and the purity of samples.

EPFL2015

Organic compound

In chemistry, many authors consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds, however, some authors consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. The definition of "organic" versus "inorganic" varies from author to author, and is a topic of debate. For example, methane () is considered organic, but whether some other carbon-containing compounds are organic or inorganic varies from author to author, for example halides of carbon without carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon bonds (e.

Topics in organic chemistry

Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms. Study of structure determines their structural formula. Study of properties includes physical and chemical properties, and evaluation of chemical reactivity to understand their behavior.

Chemical substances

A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances can be simple substances (substances consisting of a single chemical element), chemical compounds, or alloys. Chemical substances that cannot be separated into their simpler constituent elements by physical means are said to be 'pure'; this notion intended to set them apart from mixtures.