Amination of octafluoronaphthalene in liquid ammonia: 2,6- and 2,7-Diaminohexafluoronaphthalenes selective preparation

Monoamination of octafluoronaphthalene by liquid ammonia affords 2-aminoheptafluoronaphthalene mainly (isolated yield 85-90%). Diamination of octafluoronaphthalene or amination of 2-aminoheptafluoronaphthalene affords a mixture of isomeric 1,6-, 1,7-, 2,6-, and 2,7-diaminohexafluoronaphthalenes with considerable prevalence of the 2,7-isomer (∼70%), thus being the first example of the predominant substitution at position 7 in 2-substituted polyfluoronaphthalenes. The 2,7/2,6 ratio of 2-X-heptafluoronaphthalene (X = ⁻NH, NH₂ and NHAc) amination diminishes with the decrease of electron-donating effect of the substituent; 2,7-diaminohexafluoronaphthalene forms in the reactions of 2-aminoheptafluoronaphthalene or octafluoronaphthalene with excess of NaNH₂ in liquid ammonia and 2,6-diaminohexafluoronaphthalene—in the reaction of 2-acetylamidoheptafluoronaphthalene with liquid ammonia followed by acetylamido group hydrolysis. The method of the selective preparation of these diamines based on the reversible transformation of amino group and a convenient technique of their high purity isolation by complexation with crown ether have been elaborated.     

Comparison of direct sampling and emulsion analysis using a filter furnace for the determination of lead in crude oil by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The determination of trace elements in crude oil is difficult due to the complex nature of the sample and the various different chemical forms in which the metals can occur. The advantage of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is that only a minimum of sample pretreatment is required. In this work two techniques have been compared to establish a fast and reliable method for lead determination in crude oil. In the first one the crude oil samples were weighed directly onto solid sampling (SS) platforms and introduced into the graphite tube for analysis. In the second one the samples were prepared as oil-in-water emulsions and analyzed in a filter furnace (FF). Twenty μL of a mixture of 0.5 mg L^− 1 Pd + 0.3 mg L^− 1 Mg + Triton X-100 has been used as the modifier, and calibration against aqueous solutions has been used for both methods. The sensitivity obtained with the FF was more than a factor of two better than that with SS; however, as a larger sample mass could be introduced in the latter case, so that the limits of detection for both techniques were 0.004 mg kg^− 1. Seven crude oil samples were analyzed using the two procedures, and all results were in agreement at a 95% confidence level using a paired Student's t-test. For validation purposes, three crude oil samples have been mineralized using an open-vessel acid digestion, and the results were in agreement with those found with direct sampling and with emulsion sampling using FF according to ANOVA test. Both methods are simple, fast and reliable, being appropriated for routine analysis; however, the direct method using SS technology should be preferred because of its simplicity, speed and commercial availability.     

Fundamentals of melt infiltration for the preparation of supported metal catalysts. The case of Co/SiO2 for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

We explored melt infiltration of mesoporous silica supports to prepare supported metal catalysts with high loadings and controllable particle sizes. Melting of Co(NO(3))(2)·6H(2)O in the presence of silica supports was studied in situ with differential scanning calorimetry. The melting point depression of the intraporous phase was used to quantify the degree of pore loading after infiltration. Maximum pore-fillings corresponded to 70-80% of filled pore volume, if the intraporous phase was considered to be crystalline Co(NO(3))(2)·6H(2)O. However, diffraction was absent in XRD both from the ordered mesopores at low scattering angles and from crystalline cobalt nitrate phases at high angles. Hence, an amorphous, lower density, intraporous Co(NO(3))(2)·6H(2)O phase was proposed to fill the pores completely. Equilibration at 60 °C in a closed vessel was essential for successful melt infiltration. In an open crucible, dehydration of the precursor prior to infiltration inhibited homogeneous filling of support particles. The dispersion and distribution of Co(3)O(4) after calcination could be controlled using the same toolbox as for preparation via solution impregnation: confinement and the calcination gas atmosphere. Using ordered mesoporous silica supports as well as an industrial silica gel support, catalysts with Co metal loadings in the range of 10-22 wt % were prepared. The Co(3)O(4) crystallite sizes ranged from 4 to 10 nm and scaled with the support pore diameters. By calcination in N(2), pluglike nanoparticles were obtained that formed aggregates over several pore widths, while calcination in 1% NO/N(2) led to the formation of smaller individual nanoparticles. After reduction, the Co/SiO(2) catalysts showed high activity for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, illustrating the applicability of melt infiltration for supported catalyst preparation.     

Optimization and validation of an LC-fLD method for biotin in infant formula, infant cereals, cocoa-malt beverages, and clinical nutrition products

A fast and simple chromatographic method to determine biotin in foods is presented. Biotin is extracted using papain (60 degrees C, 1 h). After pH adjustment and filtration, biotin is determined by LC with fluorescence detection using postcolumn reagent avidin-FITC (avidin labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate). The method has been validated in a large range of products: milk- and soy-based infant formulas, cereals, cocoa-malt beverages, and clinical nutrition products. The method showed recovery rates of 98.1 +/- 5.7% (average +/- SD) in a large range of concentrations. Biotin concentrations determined in infant formula standard reference materials 1846 and 1849 were in agreement with reference values. RSD of repeatability (RSDr) varied from 2.0 to 4.5%, and intermediate reproducibility (RSD(iR)) from 5.8 to 9.4%. LOD and LOQ were 3.0 and 5.0 microg/100 g, respectively. The proposed method is suitable for routine analysis of biotin in fortified foods (infant formulas, infant cereals, cocoa-malt beverages, and clinical nutrition products). It can be used as a faster, more selective, and precise alternative to the classical microbiological determination, and is easily transferable among laboratories.     

A spectroscopic and computational study of Al(III) complexes in sodium cryolite melts: Ionic composition in a wide range of cryolite ratios

The structure of sodium cryolite melts was studied using Raman spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations performed at the density functional theory level. The existence of bridged forms in the melts was argued first from the analysis of experimental Raman spectra. In the quantum chemical modelling emphasis was put on the construction of potential energy surfaces describing the formation/dissociation of certain complex species. Effects of the ionic environment were found to play a crucial role in the energetics of model processes. The structure of the simplest possible polymeric forms involving two Al centres linked through F atoms (“dimers”) was thoroughly investigated. The calculated equilibrium constants and model Raman spectra yield additional evidence in favour of the dimers. This agrees with a self-consistent analysis of a series of Raman spectra for a wide range of the melt composition.     

[Zn3(PO4)2(H2O)0.8(NH3)1.2]

The structure of the title compound, ammineaquadi‐μ₅‐phosphato‐trizinc(II), [Zn₃(PO₄)₂(H₂O)_0.8(NH₃)_1.2], consists of two parts: (i) PO₄ and ZnO₄ vertex‐sharing tetrahedra arranged in layers parallel to (100) and (ii) ZnO₂(N/O)₂ tetrahedra located between the layers. Elemental analysis establishes the ammine‐to‐water ratio as 3:2. ZnO₂(N/O)₂ tetrahedra are located at special position 4e (site symmetry 2) in C2/c. The two O atoms of ZnO₂(N/O)₂ are bonded to neighbouring P atoms, forming two Zn—O—P linkages and connecting ZnO₂(N/O)₂ tetrahedra with two adjacent bc plane layers. A noteworthy feature of the structure is the presence of NH₃ and H₂O at the same crystallographic position and, consequently, qualitative changes in the pattern of hydrogen bonding and weaker N/O—H...O electrostatic interactions, as compared to two closely related structures.     

Manifestation of outgoing resonance in stokes and anti-stokes spectra of ZnTe and ZnMgTe quantum wires

The spectra of resonant light scattering by ZnTe quantum wires have been measured at excitation energies of 2.18–2.72 eV. The quantum wires have been grown on Si(100) and GaAs(100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The effect of outgoing resonance with the electron transition energy E ₀ on the intensity of phonon lines of the Stokes spectrum and on the intensity ratio of the Stokes and anti-Stokes spectral lines has been studied. The energy E ₀ has been determined in ZnTe and ZnMgTe quantum wires from the edge luminescence spectra.     

Apatite type lanthanum silicate and composite anode half cells

Apatite type rare earth silicates are being extensively studied as electrolyte material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In this paper we presents results on synthesis of Al and/or Fe-doped ATLS, the design of compatible anode materials, thermal expansion properties and co-sintering of half-cells from expansion matched materials using the advanced pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) technique. The issues related to the co-sintering of half cells have been addressed successfully by the combined use of nano powders and PECS.     

Development of an Instrument to Assess Attitudes Toward Science,Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM)

There is a need for more students to be interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers to advance U.S. competitiveness and economic growth. A consensus exists that improving STEM education is necessary for motivating more students to pursue STEM careers. In this study, a survey to measure student (grades 4–6) attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers was developed and administered to 662 students from two STEM‐focused and three comprehensive (non‐STEM‐focused) schools. Cronbach's alphas for the whole survey and subscales indicated a high internal consistency. Statistically significant difference in means between students attending the STEM‐focused and comprehensive schools on the two subscales of the survey and the overall survey were found. However, the explained variance for these results was approximately 1%. The survey is a useful tool to assess efficacy of STEM education programs on student attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers.     

A High‐Quality Professional Development for Teachers of Grades 3–6 for Implementing Engineering into Classrooms

With the increasing emphasis on integrating engineering into K‐12 classrooms to help meet the needs of our complex and multidisciplinary society, there is an urgent need to investigate teachers' engineering‐focused professional development experiences as they relate to teacher learning, implementation, and student achievement. This study addresses this need by examining the effects of a professional development program focused on engineering integration, and how teachers chose to implement engineering in their classrooms as a result of the professional development. 198 teachers in grades 3–6 from 43 schools in 17 districts participated in a yearlong professional development program designed to help integrate the new state science standards, with a focus on engineering, into their teaching. Posters including lesson plans and student artifacts were used to assess teachers' engineering practices and the implementation in their classrooms. Results indicated that the majority of the teachers who participated in the professional development were able to effectively implement engineering design lessons in their classrooms suggesting that the teachers' success in implementing engineering lessons in their classroom was closely related to the structure of the professional development program.