The study of cyclooctene oxidation with molecular oxygen catalyzed by VSi2

The catalytic effect of VSi₂ on initial stages of the liquid-phase oxidation of cyclooctene by molecular oxygen was studied. The vanadium disilicide influences on the oxidation process in the presence of hydroperoxide. VSi₂ takes part in a radical formation stage by catalysis of hydroperoxide decomposition reaction. The catalyst was investigated before and after reaction using FTIR spectroscopy. From the data obtained, the kinetic model of the catalytic oxidation process was proposed and the equation for the reaction rate was derived. The equation has described all observed dependences of reaction rate on the concentration of reactants and content of catalyst.      

Expanding the substrate scope of ugi five-center,four-component reaction U-5C-4CR): ketones as coupling partners for secondary amino acids

Various symmetrical and unsymmetrical ketones were successfully coupled with secondary amino acids in the course of Ugi five-center, four-component reaction (U-5C-4CR), thus expanding the molecular diversity possible to be achieved by the reaction. The chemical yields depended on the degree of hindrance of the components employed and were satisfactory in view of possible steric interactions in the U-5C-4CR zwitterionic intermediate. The sense of diastereoinduction for reactions employing unsymmetrical ketones was examined by converting the resulting Ugi adducts into the corresponding rigid 2,6-diketopiperazine derivatives.     

On the relation between the solvent parameters and the physical properties of methyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside organogels

This paper reports the mechanisms of gel formation, the thermal properties and the microstructures of the networks of the gels composed of methyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside and selected organic solvents: p-xylene, benzene, toluene, diphenyl ether and tetraethoxysilane. The Fourier transform infrared measurements together with simulation spectra, the air bath method and Polarized Optical Microscopy were employed in our studies. The experimental data show that the solvent has an influence on the microstructure of the gel network but there is no predictable influence of the solvent polarity on the shape of the formed gelator aggregates and correspondingly on the fibrous assemblies as revealed by the different microstructure of the gel network. Independently of the solvent polarity, the studied gelator, like other methyl-4,6-O-benzylidene derivatives of monosaccharides, formed gels through the formation of a hydrogen-bond network. The solvent parameters, such as the dielectric constant, Hildebrand solubility parameter, the polarity scale E_T and the Kamlet–Taft parameters were considered to quantify solvent effects on the gelation. The conclusions about the correlations are of interest but only to this particular sugar based gels.     

Determination of flavanol and procyanidin (by degree of polymerization 1-10) content of chocolate, cocoa liquors, powder(s), and cocoa flavanol extracts by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography: collaborative study

An international collaborative study was conducted on an HPLC method with fluorescent detection (FLD) for the determination of flavanols and procyanidins in materials containing chocolate and cocoa. The sum of the oligomeric fractions with degree of polymerization 1-10 was the determined content value. Sample materials included dark and milk chocolates, cocoa powder, cocoa liquors, and cocoa extracts. The content ranged from approximately 2 to 500 mg/g (defatted basis). Thirteen laboratories representing commercial, industrial, and academic institutions in six countries participated in the study. Fourteen samples were sent as blind duplicates to the collaborators. Results from 12 laboratories yielded repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) values that were below 10% for all materials analyzed, ranging from 4.17 to 9.61%. The reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD(R)) values ranged from 5.03 to 12.9% for samples containing 8.07 to 484.7 mg/g. In one sample containing a low content of flavanols and procyanidins (approximately 2 mg/g), the RSD(R) was 17.68%. Based on these results, the method is recommended for Official First Action for the determination of flavanols and procyanidins in chocolate, cocoa liquors, powder(s), and cocoa extracts.     

Practical synthesis of bis-substituted tetrazines with two pendant 2-pyrrolyl or 2-thienyl groups, precursors of new conjugated polymers

Novel linear oligoheterocycles based on substituted tetrazines are described. The desired compounds have been accomplished by a variation of the original Pinner [Ann. Chem., 297 (1897) 221] synthesis in which the aromatic nitrile reacted with hydrazine in an aqueous solution to give bis(pyrrolyl)tetrazines or bis(phenyl)tetrazines. The bis(phenyl)tetrazines reacted with 3,4-ethylenedioxy-2-(trimethyltin)thiophene or 2-(trimethyltin)thiophene in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂ or Pd(PPh₃)₄ as catalyst to give the desired compounds. Quantum-chemical calculations were performed to assess the usefulness of the synthesized compounds for electropolymerization. Studies have indicated qualitative difference between bis-pyrrole tetrazine and bis-phenyl tetrazines regarding the electronic density rearrangement due to the loss of an electron.     

Reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzene over Pd/Fe/I2/Py and Pd/C/Fe/I2/Py catalytic systems

A simple catalytic system containing metallic palladium, iron and iodine has been shown to be very active in the carbonylation of nitrobenzene to carbamate. The influence of the components of the catalytic system studied on its selectivity and activity has been established. It has been found that the catalytic activity of palladium supported on carbon (using both lignite coal and bituminous coal) was not lower than the activity of metallic palladium. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime in cerebrospinal fluid by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A microfluidic analytical system for the separation and detection of organic peroxides, based on a microchip capillary electrophoresis device with an integrated amperometric detector, was developed. The new microsystem relies on the reductive detection of both organic acid peroxides and hydroperoxides at -700 mV (vs. Ag wire/AgCl). Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. The integrated microsystem offers rapid measurements (within 130 s) of these organic-peroxide compounds, down to micromolar levels. A highly stable response for repetitive injections (RSD 0.35-3.12%; n = 12) reflects the negligible electrode passivation. Such a "lab-on-a-chip" device should be attractive for on-site analysis of organic peroxides, as desired for environmental screening and industrial monitoring.     

Adsorption of thiourea on mercury in water + methanol mixtures

The adsorption of thiourea on mercury has been investigated by capacitance measurements in three water + methanol mixtures, having various mole fractions of methanol.The back integration method was employed to obtain the curves of surface charge densities at the mercury surface for different concentrations of thiourea in the solution.As a test of specific adsorption in the systems studied the Esin-Markov plots were used.     

Polarographic studies on the complexation of cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II) withd-glucosamine andd-galactosamine

D.c. polarography was used to establish the equilibria existing in Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) systems with d-glucosamine and d-galactosamine. The results clearly indicated the formation of 1:1 complexes, ML, and allowed calculation of the stability constants of some complexes. The present results completed very well the potentiometric and spectroscopic data obtained earlier. The reduction mechanisms and the electrochemical behaviour of the formed complexes were also established.