Enhancing selectivity in oxidation catalysis with sol-gel nanocomposites

Valuable organic compounds such as alpha-hydroxy acids are easily synthesised with relevant selectivity enhancement using a sol-gel hydrophobized nanostructured silica matrix doped with the organocatalyst TEMPO: A materials science based synthetic route which cannot be achieved via classical homogeneous synthesis.     

Continuous flow hydroformylation of alkenes in supercritical fluid-ionic liquid biphasic systems

A process for the hydroformylation of relatively low volatility alkenes (demonstrated for 1-dodecene) in a continuous flow system is described. The catalyst is dissolved in an ionic liquid while the substrate and gaseous reagents are transported into the reactor dissolved in supercritical CO(2), which simultaneously acts as a transport vector for aldehyde products. Decompression of the fluid mixture downstream yields products which are free of both reaction solvent and catalyst. The use of rhodium complexes of triaryl phosphites leads to ligand degradation through reaction of the ionic liquid with water and subsequent attack of the released HF on the phosphite. Sodium salts of sulfonated phosphines are insufficiently soluble in the ionic liquids to obtain acceptable rates, but replacing the sodium by a cation similar to that derived from the ionic liquid, allows good solubility and activity to be obtained. The nature of the ionic liquid is very important in achieving high rates, with 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amides giving the best activity if the alkyl chain is at least C(8). Catalyst turnover frequencies as high as 500 h(-1) have been observed, with the better rates at higher substrate flow rates. Rhodium leaching into the product stream can be as low as 0.012 ppm, except at low partial pressures of CO/H(2), when it is significantly higher. Oxygen impurities in the CO(2) feed can lead to oxidation of the phosphine giving higher rates, lower selectivities to the linear aldehyde, increased alkene isomerization and greater leaching of rhodium. However, it is found that under certain process conditions, the supercritical fluid-ionic liquid (SCF-IL) system can be operated continuously for several weeks without any visible sign of catalyst degradation. Comparisons with commercial hydroformylation processes are provided.     

Controllable growth of chains and grids from polyoxomolybdate building blocks linked by silver(I) dimers

Molecular growth processes utilizing a beta-octamolybdate synthon and {Ag2} dimers are described and the directing influence of "encapsulating" cations and coordinating solvent is also demonstrated. The growth of two 1D chains, (nBu4N)2n[Ag2Mo8O26]n (1) and (nBu4N)2n[Ag2Mo8O26(CH3CN)2]n (2), is achieved when nBu4N+ ions are used, and the diameter of the chains can be expanded by the coordination of CH3CN solvent (2). The formation of a type of gridlike structure in which 1D chains are crossed-over each other in alternatively packed layers is achieved in DMSO as the solvent; DMSO acts as a linking group to give (nBu4N)2n[Ag2Mo8O26(dmso)2]n (3), which, similar to 1 and 2, still incorporates the Bu4N+ ions that exert an "encapsulating" influence. However, in (HDMF)n[Ag3(Mo8O26)(dmf)4]n (4) the relatively bulky Bu4N+ ions are exchanged for protonated DMF cations, thereby allowing the chains to condense to a 2D array. The building block concept is further enforced by the isolation of a "monomeric" unit (Ph4P)2[Ag2Mo8O26(dmso)4] (5), which is isolated when the Ph4P+ ions are so "encapsulating" as to prevent aggregation of the {Ag-Mo8-Ag} building blocks. The nature of the AgAg dimers in each of the compounds 1-4 is examined by DFT calculations and the interplay between these Ag-Ag interactions and the structure types is described.     

微孔和介孔材料中的热化学

这篇论文综述了美国加州大学戴维斯分校科学院院士Navrotsky课题组多年来在多孔材料上取得的一系列热化学研究结果。讨论了热化学对微孔、介孔材料的结构稳定性和合成过程的影响。借助多种测热手段对影响骨架结构的热焓、热熵和自由能进行了系统的测量和计算。研究数据表明一系列纯硅分子筛、介孔材料和磷酸铝多孔材料同相应的石英相和块磷铝矿相相比能量上最多只高出15 kJ·mol-1。一系列纯硅分子筛的熵值比石英相高出3.2—4.2 J·K-1·mol-1；在0—12.6 J·K-1·mol-1范围内相对应的自由能几乎没有差别。因此，对不同微孔、介孔材料，其骨架结构在能量上是几乎没有区别的。另外，本文通过介绍一种新型测热方法——原位测热，揭示了分子筛合成过程中的动力学和成核/结晶机理。     

In vivo optical analysis of quantitative changes in collagen and elastin during arterial remodeling

Altered collagen and elastin content correlates closely with remodeling of the arterial wall after injury. Optical analytical approaches have been shown to detect qualitative changes in plaque composition, but the capacity for detection of quantitative changes in arterial collagen and elastin content in vivo is not known. We have assessed fluorescence spectroscopy for detection of quantitative changes in arterial composition in situ, in rabbit models of angioplasty and stent implant. Fluorescence emission intensity (FEI) recorded at sites remote from the primary implant site was correlated with immunohistochemical (IH) analysis and extracted elastin and collagen. FEI was significantly decreased (P<0.05) after treatment with anti-inflammatory agents, and plaque area decreased on comparison with saline-treated rabbits after stent implant or angioplasty (Por=0.961) analysis were detected by multiple regression (MR) analysis. Good correlations also were found for FEI with elastin and collagen measured by high-performance liquid chromatography; MR analysis provided highly predictive values for collagen and elastin (R2>or=0.994). Fluorescence spectroscopic analysis detects quantitative compositional changes in arterial connective tissue in vivo, demonstrating changes at sites remote from primary angioplasty and stent implant sites.     

Theoretical study of some heterocyclic amines with applications to the chemistry of 9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine

9-Amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine (THA ), a potent cholinesterase inhibitor, was recently used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. On attempting to prepare a dihydropyridine ? pyridinium salt-based redox chemical delivery system (CDS ) to enhance brain delivery of THA , several of the practical synthetic challenges were examined by using a theoretical MO approach. The structures, reactivities and stability of THA , derivatives of THA and a model compound, 4-aminopyridine, a simple dibasic heterocyclic amine, were studied in the framework of the AM -1 approximation. The study included the possible protonated forms of THA and 4-aminopyridine. The calculated heats of formation showed that ring nitrogen protonated forms are more stable for both THA and 4-aminopyridine. The calculated heats of formation showed that ring nitrogen protonated forms are more stable for both THA and 4-aminopyridine, consistent with experimental results. Electron delocalization is responsible for the remarkable stability of these molecules and for the observed lack of reactivity of the amino group, both in the basic and protonated forms. The site of N-alkylation of the 9-nicotinamide derivative of THA (an intermediate in the synthesis of THA -CDS ) is controlled by electronic, thermodynamic, and steric factors.     

Use of weighted least-squares splines for calibration in analytical chemistry

Weighted least-squares spline functions are discussed and applied for calibration processes in analytical chemistry. Different weighting techniques are also considered, and for the evaluation of the results some quality coefficients are proposed. Depending upon the structure of the data, some weighting procedures may improve the results dramatically. Considering the results obtained in the case of TLC densitometry, it seems that nonlinear weighting procedures based upon the distance to the function are the best ones, with a plus for the y-distance type. It is difficult to give general rules regarding the optimal parameters of the weighted calibration splines-function order (m), number (N) and distribution of knots, and weighting technique. These depend upon the structure of the data. However, higher order splines are not recommended since the result might become extremely unstable. The example used to illustrate the performances of the procedures discussed here involved only a single independent variable. The method is general and extends practically to any number of variables, thus resulting in a multivariate approach.