Synthesis and Styrene Copolymerization of Novel Halogen, Alkoxy, and Alkyl Ring-Disubstituted Isopropyl 2-Cyano-3-Phenyl-2-Propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted isopropyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH(CH3)2 (where R is 2-bromo-5-methoxy, 3-bromo-4-methoxy, 5-bromo-2-methoxy, 2-chloro-3-methoxy, 3-chloro-4-methoxy, 2-chloro-6-methyl, 2-fluoro-6-methyl, 3-fluoro-2-methyl, 3-fluoro-4-methyl, 4-fluoro-2-methyl, 4-fluoro-3-methyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and isopropyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500ºC range with residue (1-8% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-800ºC range.</p

Violent Police-Citizen Encounters: An Analysis of Major Newspaper Accounts

This paper investigates trends in police brutality using data found through the Lexis/Nexis system. Using the keywords police brutality, 15 newspapers classified as major papers by the Lexis/Nexis service were searched for descriptions of incidents of police misconduct against citizens that appeared from January 1, 1990 to May 31, 1992. One hundred and thirty distinct incidents of police brutality were analyzed based on the race and gender of the officers and of the victim, as well as issues of socioeconomic class. The situational characteristics surrounding the alleged assault were categorized and discussed. Minority citizens were involved in the vast majority of the incidents. The data also suggested a definite lack of penalties against the officers involved in abusive actions against citizens. Further, a citizen was equally likely to be assaulted for a disrespectful attitude towards a law enforcement officer than if the citizen had posed a serious bodily threat to the officer or another human being