Single Crystal to Single Crystal (SC‐to‐SC) Transformation from a Nonporous to Porous Metal–Organic Framework and Its Application Potential in Gas Adsorption and Suzuki Coupling Reaction through Postmodification

A new amino‐functionalized strontium–carboxylate‐based metal–organic framework (MOF) has been synthesized that undergoes single crystal to single crystal (SC‐to‐SC) transformation upon desolvation. Both structures have been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. The desolvated structure shows an interesting 3D porous structure with pendent ?NH₂ groups inside the pore wall, whereas the solvated compound possesses a nonporous structure with DMF molecules on the metal centers. The amino group was postmodified through Schiff base condensation by pyridine‐2‐carboxaldehyde and palladium was anchored on that site. The modified framework has been utilized for the Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction. The compound shows high activity towards the C?C cross‐coupling reaction with good yields and turnover frequencies. Gas adsorption studies showed that the desolvated compound had permanent porosity and was microporous in nature with a BET surface area of 2052 m² g^?1. The material also possesses good CO₂ (8 wt %) and H₂ (1.87 wt %) adsorption capabilities.     

Global optical model potential describing 12C-nucleus elastic scattering

We construct a new global optical model potential to describe the elastic scattering of ¹²C. The experimental data of elastic-scattering angular distributions and total reaction cross sections for targets from ²⁴Mg to ²⁰⁹Bi are considered below 200 MeV within the framework of the optical model. The results calculated using the derived global optical potential are then compared with the existing experimental data. The reliability of the global optical potential is further tested by predicting the elastic scattering data out of the mass and energy ranges, within which the global potential parameters are determined, and reasonable results are also obtained.     

Palladium‐catalysed room‐temperature Suzuki–Miyaura coupling in water extract of pomegranate ash,a bio‐derived sustainable and renewable medium

An agro waste‐derived, ‘water extract of pomegranate ash’ (WEPA), has been utilized for the first time as a renewable medium for Pd(OAc)₂‐catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling at room temperature. This method offers a simple and sustainable synthesis of biaryls from aryl halides and arylboronic acids under ligand‐ and external base‐free aerobic and ambient conditions. This method has been found effective for both activated and unactivated aryl halides in the production of biaryls with moderate to nearly quantitative yields. The protocol shows high chemoselectivity over identical/similar reactive sites in aryl halides (i.e. selectivity over identical halogens or different halogens of aryl halides). This method exhibits high regioselectivity, i.e. the selective reactivity of a halogen over other identical halogens at different positions on the aromatic nucleus. Therefore, we disclose here a clean, benign, substantial chemo‐ and regioselective and highly economic alternative method for the palladium‐assisted synthesis of biaryls using an agro waste‐derived medium.     

Finely dispersed palladium on silk‐fibroin as an efficient and ligand‐free catalyst for Heck cross‐coupling reaction

A palladium–fibroin complex (Pd/Fib.) was prepared by the addition of sonicated fibroin fiber in water to palladium acetate solution. Pd (OAc)₂ was absorbed by fibroin and reduced with NaBH₄ at room temperature to the Pd(0) nanoparticles. Powder‐X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy–energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform‐infrared, CHN elemental analysis and inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy were carried out to characterize the Pd/Fib. catalyst. Catalytic activity of this finely dispersed palladium was examined in the Heck coupling reaction. The catalytic coupling of aryl halides (‐Cl, ‐Br, ‐I) and olefins led to the formation of the corresponding coupled products in moderate to high yields under air atmosphere. A variety of substrates, including electron‐rich and electron‐poor aryl halides, were converted smoothly to the targeted products in simple procedure. Heterogeneous supported Pd catalyst can be recycled and reused several times.     

Room temperature suzuki cross‐coupling polymerizations of aryl dihalides and aryldiboronic acid/acid esters with t‐Bu3P‐coordinated 2‐phenylaniline‐based palladacycle complex as the precatalyst

Room temperature Suzuki cross‐coupling polymerization of aryl dibromides/diiodides with aryldiboronic acids/acid esters with t‐Bu₃P‐coordinated 2‐phenylaniline‐based palladacycle complex, [2′‐(amino‐kN)[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2‐yl‐kC]chloro(tri‐t‐butylphosphine)palladium, as a general precatalyst is described. Such room temperature Suzuki cross‐coupling polymerization is achieved by employing six equivalents or more of the base and affords polymers within an hour, with the yields and the molecular weights in general comparable to or higher than reported results that required higher reaction temperature and/or longer polymerization time. Our study provides a general catalyst system for the room temperature Suzuki cross‐coupling polymerization of aryl dibromides/diiodides with aryldiboronic acids/acid esters and paves the road for the investigation of employing other monodentate ligand‐coordinated palladacycle complexes including other electron‐rich monophosphine‐coordinated ones for room temperature cross‐coupling polymerizations. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1606–1611     

C‐S cross‐coupling reaction using novel and green synthesized CuO nanoparticles assisted by Euphorbia maculata extract

In the present study, biosynthesis of CuO nanoparticles using a rapid, eco‐friendly, cost‐effective and efficient method has been reported employing aqueous Euphorbia maculata extract as mild, renewable and non‐toxic reducing and capping agents without adding any surfactants. The biogenic and green method has some benefits compared to conventional physical and chemical methods. It is simple, cheap and environmentally friendly. The biosynthesized CuO NP displayed a color change pattern (from sky blue to black) on preparation and presented its respective broad peak at 365 nm, which was analyzed by UV–Vis spectroscopy. Using the FT‐IR analysis, biomolecules in E. maculata extract which are responsible for bioreduction activity and synthesize of CuO NP, were identified. The XRD, EDX and FESEM results confirmed the successful synthesis of CuO nanoparticles of 18 nm sizes, with spherical and sponge crystal structure. The catalytic activity of biosynthesized CuO NPs was studied in C‐S cross‐coupling reaction. This method has the advantages of high yields, easy work‐up, and simple reusability. The recovered CuO NP can be reused four times without any considerable loss of its catalytic activity.     

Preparation of free‐standing silicone particles in aqueous heterogeneous system

To prepare cross‐linked silicone (silicone rubber) particles in an aqueous medium, we investigated two synthesis methods involving a miniemulsion system. The first method was based on cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic siloxane, which is a common synthetic route for linear silicone oil and uses octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D₄) as the monomer and dimeric D₄ (bis‐D₄) as the cross‐linker. Although this method produces silicone particles, the particles do not remain in the particulate state after drying because of low cross‐linking density. The polymerization mechanism of this method was also investigated, which proceeds under the ring‐opening reaction of D₄ in monomer droplets and upon polycondensation of hydrolyzed D₄, which occurs in the water phase (ie, outside the monomer droplets). This mechanism implied that introducing the cross‐linking structure into particles is difficult because of the low solubility of bis‐D₄ in water. To overcome these difficulties, we demonstrated a second method of preparing silicone particles based on the thiol‐Michael addition reaction between thiol‐terminated silicone oil and triacrylate in miniemulsion systems. Transmission electron microscopy images indicated that the silicone particles obtained in the particulate state upon drying and the aggregates of these particles showed elasticity.     

Novel palladium nanoparticles supported on β‐cyclodextrin@graphene oxide as magnetically recyclable catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction with two different approaches in bio‐based solvents

A novel nanocatalyst was designed and prepared. Initially, the surface of magnetic graphene oxide (M‐GO) was modified using thionyl chloride, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and acryloyl chloride as linkers which provide reactive C═C bonds for the polymerization of vinylic monomers. Separately, β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) was treated with acryloyl chloride to provide a modified β‐CD. Then, in the presence methylenebisacrylamide as a cross‐linker, monomers of modified β‐CD and acrylamide were polymerized on the surface of the pre‐prepared M‐GO. Finally, palladium acetate and sodium borohydride were added to this composite to afford supported palladium nanoparticles. This fabricated nanocomposite was fully characterized using various techniques. The efficiency of this easily separable and reusable heterogeneous catalyst was successfully examined in Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions of aryl halides and boronic acid as well as in modified Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions of N‐acylsuccinimides and boronic acid in green media. The results showed that the nanocatalyst was efficient in coupling reactions for direct formation of the corresponding biphenyl as well as benzophenone derivatives in green media based on bio‐based solvents. In addition, the nanocatalyst was easily separable, using an external magnet, and could be reused several times without significant loss of activity under the optimum reaction conditions.     

The catalytic performance study of polymerized ionic liquid synthesized in different conditions on alkylation of o‐Xylene with styrene

In this work, a series of novel acidic polymerized ionic liquids were used as heterogeneous catalyst for alkylation of o‐Xylene with styrene. And the effect of the amount of initiator and the type of acid used for ion exchange on catalyst structure and the catalytic performance of catalysts for alkylation were studied thoroughly. The experiment results show: when the percentage of the amount of initiator in the total material is 3%, the polymerized ionic liquid catalyst MPM‐SO₃H‐[C₃V][SO₃CF₃] has the most uniform with a specific surface area of 97.30 m²/g and a pore volume of 0.35 cm³/g. Benefiting from the unique structure features, MPM‐SO₃H‐[C₃V][SO₃CF₃] manifested an excellent catalytic performance for alkylation of o‐Xylene with styrene, along with the conversion of styrene was 96.8% and the yield of 1‐Phenyl‐1‐ortho‐xylene ethane was 94.7%. Therefore, this work provides a novel reference to the synthesis of polymerized ionic liquids and clearly explains the advantage of novel acidic polymerized ionic liquids on alkylation.     

Easy conversion of nitrogen‐rich silk cocoon biomass to magnetic nitrogen‐doped carbon nanomaterial for supporting of Palladium and its application

In this study, magnetic nitrogen‐doped carbon (MNC) was fabricated through facile carbonization and activation of natural silk cocoons containing nitrogen and then combined with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles to create a good support material for palladium. Palladium immobilization on the support resulted in the formation of magnetic nitrogen‐doped carbon‐Pd (MNC‐Pd). The prepared heterogeneous catalyst was well characterized using FT‐IR, TGA, EDX, FE‐SEM, XRD, VSM, and ICP‐OES techniques. Thereafter, the synthesis of biaryl compounds was conducted to investigate the catalyst performance via the reaction of aryl halides and phenylboronic acid. Further, the catalyst could be used and recycled for six consecutive runs without any significant loss in its activity.