Physicochemical Characterization of Hydrated 4-Sulphonato-Calix[n]arenes: Thermal,Structural, and Sorption Properties

In this study, the thermal behavior of three hydrated water-soluble 4-sulphonato calix[n]arenes was investigated. The melting points, heats of fusion, and heats of solution of the calix[4]arene, calix[6]arene and calix[8]arene were 277, 262, and 270°C; 192, 242 and 351 kJ/mol; and 30, 58 and 63 kJ/mol, respectively. Lower heat of fusion, smaller increase in entropy and smaller heat of solution of the calix[4]arene compared to the calix[6]arene and calix[8]arene showed that less heat was required to break up the crystal lattice of the smaller macromolecule. This apparent anomaly is rationalized in terms of smaller cooperativity of interaction between the molecules of calix[4]arene in the crystal lattice, although the strength of the individual interactions is stronger as evidenced by the higher melting point. TGA analysis indicated that about 17–20% of water was associated with the calix[n]arenes. Both TGA and hot stage microscopy results indicated that upon heating these molecules underwent stepwise water loss. TGA kinetics showed that the 4-sulphonato-calix[8]arene lost water easier than the other two calixarenes. The moisture adsorption behavior of all calixarenes followed type II isotherms. For the same amount of material, the calix[6]arene adsorbed more moisture than the calix[4]arene and the calix[8]arene. Moreover, dehydrated less crystalline 4-sulphonic-calix[n]arenes powders are hydroscopic.

     

A Unique Layered Cu-formate Hydrate of Cu(HCOO) 2·1/3H2O: Structures,Dehydration, and Thermal and Magnetic Properties

Anew layered Cu-formate hydrate of Cu(HCOO)₂·1/3H₂O is unique in its water content and the strongly waved (4,4) Cu-formate layers held by interlayer weak axial Cu-O_formate bonds and O-H_water···O_formate hydrogen bonds. The crystal is in orthorhombic space group Pbcn, with cell parameters at 80 K:a=7.9777(2) Å, b=7.3656(2) Å, c=21.0317(5) Å(1 Å=10⁻¹ nm), and V=1235.83(5) ų. The Cu²⁺ ions are in the environments of a square pyramid and elongated octahedron, in a ratio of 1/2 within the structure. In the layer, Cu²⁺ ions are connected by anti-anti formates via short basal Cu-O bonds. The structure remains unchanged until the dehydration that produces the layered anhydrous β-Cu(HCOO)₂, and the possible transformation mechanism, supported by diffraction evidence, is the reorganization of the Cu-O_formate bonds across the parent layers after dehydration. The two phases exhibit anisotropic thermal expansion behaviors closely relevant to the transverse thermal vibrations of the constituents. Cu(HCOO)₂·1/3H₂O is a 2-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet, and exhibits a global spin-canted antiferromagnetism with the Néel temperature of 32.1 K. This is not only higher than that of the magnetically denser β-Cu(HCOO)₂, but also the highest among the copper formate frameworks.     

Leaf-derived sulfonated carbon dots: efficient and recoverable catalysts to synthesize 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from fructose

Sulfonated carbon dots (SCDs) were synthesized from plant leaves via continuously hydrothermal treatment by hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid, used as catalyst for converting fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Owing to nanosize effect and moderate acidic intensity, SCDs could thoroughly distribute in the solvent with an improved interfacial compatibility and selectively convert fructose to HMF. Under the optimal condition, the yield of HMF was 92.6% along with a fructose conversion of 100%, benefiting from a low activation energy of 52.9 kJ/mol when dimethylsulfoxide was used as solvent. The SCDs catalyst can be recovered, after six recycles, the fructose conversion and HMF yield were remained 66.1% and 56.2% under condition with incompletely conversion of fructose, respectively. This work provides a sustainable route to prepare carbon dots with a superior catalytic performance for converting biomass to important biobased platform chemicals.     

Dehydration kinetics of salmon and trout fillets using ultrasonic vacuum drying as a novel technique

In this study, a novel ultrasonic vacuum (USV) drying technique was used to shorten the drying time of fish fillets. For this purpose, ultrasonic treatment and vacuum-drying were simultaneously performed to dehydrate salmon and trout fillets at 55 °C, 65 °C, and 75 °C. In addition, the USV technique was compared with vacuum-drying and oven-drying techniques. The dehydration kinetics of the fillets was successfully described by seven thin-layer drying models with R² range between 0.944 and 1.000. Depending on drying temperatures and fish species, the drying times could be shortened using the USV technique between 7.4% and 27.4% compared with vacuum-drying. The highest effective moisture diffusivity was determined in the fillets dried with the USV technique and they increased with increasing drying temperatures. Ultrasonic treatment accelerated the vacuum drying process for the fillets; therefore, this technique could be used to improve the efficiency of vacuum-drying for the fillets.     

Low-temperature Heat Capacities and Thermodynamic Properties of Hydrated Sodium Cupric Arsenate [ NaCuAsO4·1.5H2O(s)]

Low-temperature heat capacities of the solid compound NaCuAsO4 · 1.5H2O(s) were measured using a precision automated adiabatic calorimeter over a temperature range of T = 78 K to T = 390 K. A dehydration process occurred in the temperature range of T = 368-374 K. The peak temperature of the dehydration was observed to be TD = (371.828±0.146) K by means of the heat-capacity measurement. The molar enthalpy and entropy of the dehyperimental values of heat capacities for the solid(Ⅰ) and the solid-liquid mixture(Ⅱ) were respectively fitted to two polynomial equations by the least square method. The smoothed values of the molar heat capacities and the fundamental thermodynamic functions of the sample relative to the standard reference temperature 298.15 K were tabulated at an interval of 5 K.     

Evaluation of semiconducting sensor materials on the basis of catalytic test reaction

Oxidative-reductive properties on the acid-base surfaces of the oxide compositions Sn-Ce-Rh-O and Zr-Mg-Y-O, active as catalysts in the ketonization of secondary alcohols were determined based on the isopropanol conversion selectivity. The kinetics of isopropanol conversion was measured in the oxygen-free atmosphere. Activation energies for both directions of conversion (dehydration to propylene and dehydrogenation to acetone) were calculated. The results were compared with the kinetics over SnO₂ and ZrO₂. Both oxide compositions, Sn-Ce-Rh-O and Zr-Mg-Y-O are oxidative-reductive catalysts containing Lewis acid centers.     

Ionic liquid-promoted dehydration of aldoximes: a convenient access to aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic nitriles

A simple and convenient procedure for the synthesis of nitriles by dehydration of aldoximes using an ionic liquid, 1-pentyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [pmim]BF₄ under organic solvent-free condition, has been developed. A variety of aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic aldoximes are converted to the corresponding nitriles. The ionic liquid is recovered and reused for subsequent reactions.     

Nonisothermal Kinetics of Dehydration Process of [Sm（m-CIBA）3phen]2·2H2O and [Sm（p-CIBA）3phen]2·2H2O

Compounds [Sm（m-CIBA）3phen]2.2H20 and [Sm（p-CIBA）3phen]2·2H20（m-CIBA=m-chlorobenzoate, pClBA=p-chlorobenzoate, phen=l,10-phenanthroline） were prepared. The dehydration processes and kinetics of these compounds were studied from the analysis of the DSC curves using a method of processing the data of thermal analysis kinetics. The Arrhenius equation for the dehydration process can be expressed as lnk=-38.65-243.90×l0^3/RT for [Sm（m-CIBA）3phen]2·2H2O, and lnk=38.70-172.22×103/RT for [Sm（p-CIBA）3phen]2·2H2O. The values of △H^1, △G^1, and △S^1 of dehydration reaction for the title comnonnds are determined respectively.     

An efficient and selective conversion of sorbitol in ionic liquids: Use of ion exchange resin as a solid acid catalyst

Sorbitol was readily converted by heating in hydrophobic ionic liquids by the presence of ion exchange resins. Chemoseletivity of the dehydration depended on the choice of ion exchange resin; Nafion selectively produced isosorbide while Amberlite gave 1,5-anhydrosorbitol along with unreacted sorbitol. Ionic liquids used in the reaction were readily recovered by simple extraction procedure. With these procedures, we succeeded to prepare isosorbide in pure form, not contaminated with either ionic liquids or acid catalyst, by simple experimental procedure.     

Reaction of Ru3(CO)12 with but-2-yn-1,4-diol in CH3OH/KOH solution. Crystal structure of (μ-Cl)Ru3(CO)9[μ3-η-H2CCC(H)CH2]

The reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with but-2-yn-1,4-diol (HOCH₂CCCH₂OH, BUD) in CH₃OH/KOH followed by acidification with HCl leads to four products, one of which has been identified as the title complex (μ-Cl)Ru₃(CO)₉[μ₃-η⁴-H₂CCC(H)CH₂]. This is an open cluster containing a bridging Cl atom on the open side and a C₄H₅ moiety bound to all the metals. The structure of the complex has been determined by X-ray analysis.The thermal reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with BUD has been revisited for a comparison with the results in alkaline solution. The main product is the allylic derivative HRu₃(CO)₉[HCCHCCHO].