Diphenyl cyclopropenone-centered polymers for site-specific CO-releasing and chain dissociation

The synthesis and stimuli-responsiveness of a diphenyl cyclopropenone(DPCP)-centered poly(methyl acrylate)(PMA)are presented.DPCP-centered PMA could release carbon monoxide(CO)upon UV light in a switched on-and-off manner.The CO-releasing process can be reported by the variations in photoluminescence spectra.In addition,DPCP moiety covalently embedded in the crosslinked polyurethane could also release CO under UV light.Of special,DPCP-centered PMA in solution was selectively dissociated at the phenol ester bond under the ultrasound,and a force-induced hydrolyzation reaction was revealed by D20 exchanging^1 H NMR spectra.The kinetic study reveals that small quantity of water could enhance the chain scission rate.This work provides a DPCP-centered polymer for sitespecific CO-releasing and chain dissociation.     

Effects of a novel ultrasound contrast agent with long persistence on right ventricular pressure: Comparison with SonoVue

This work investigated the effect of infusion of a self-made ultrasound contrast agent with long persistence (named ZHIFUXIAN) on rat right ventricular pressure and made a preliminary evaluation on the relative safety of the novel microbubbles. Normal saline, SonoVue and ZHIFUXIAN were injected through caudal vein at the total volume of 0.5 ml for each injection. The right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and end-diastolic pressure (RVEDP) were monitored and the changes of the pressure were compared with baseline readings. RVSP increased when saline, SonoVue or ZHIFUXIAN were injected, the greatest change being after SonoVue (about 2 mm Hg), but there was no statistical significance compared with baseline (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in RVSP between saline, SonoVue and ZHIFUXIAN at any time point. Also, there was no significant difference in RVEDP between groups at each time point and between different time points in each group. The results indicate that the self-made microbubbles effect on right ventricular hemodynamics is equivalent to that of normal saline at the same volume needed for effective enhanced imaging, demonstrating that it does not produce changes in right ventricular blood pressure under the study conditions. Pathological examination also showed it had no obvious influence on lung, liver and kidney.     

Ultrasonic study of wheat flour properties

In this work, the wheat flour properties are investigated using ultrasound techniques. Moreover, the flour samples were also characterized by means of well established techniques such as protein content, Alveograph and Mixolab®. A set of 35 dough samples, made of wheat flours with diverse physical and quality properties, were studied. The obtained results shown that ultrasound measurements can detect changes in the dough consistency induced by proteins and also by gelatinization of the starch. Furthermore, ultrasound measurements can be related to parameters indicative of the proteolytic degradation or softening of the dough due to protease activity. Thus, ultrasound can be considered a low cost and rapid tool, complementary to conventional test, for wheat flour characterization.     

Ultrasound-assisted anodization of aluminum in oxalic acid

Porous anodic alumina is an important nanoscale template for fabrication of various nanostructures. We report a new ultrasound-assisted anodization process in oxalic acid. Under the continuous irradiation of ultrasound, the one-step-anodized sample has a smooth and clean surface, and two-step-anodization brings ordered porous anodic alumina with higher growth rate of 52 μm/h. The ultrasound applied during the anodization can clean the surface and enhance the nanopore growth since it can accelerate the oxide dissolving on the electrolyte/oxide interface. The ultrasound-assisted anodization may be utilized for other anodizations.     

Ultrasound velocimetry of ferrofluid spin-up flow measurements using a spherical coil assembly to impose a uniform rotating magnetic field

Ferrofluid spin-up flow is studied within a sphere subjected to a uniform rotating magnetic field from two surrounding spherical coils carrying sinusoidally varying currents at right angles and 90° phase difference. Ultrasound velocimetry measurements in a full sphere of ferrofluid shows no measureable flow. There is significant bulk flow in a partially filled sphere (1-14 mm/s) of ferrofluid or a finite height cylinder of ferrofluid with no cover (1-4 mm/s) placed in the spherical coil apparatus. The flow is due to free surface effects and the non-uniform magnetic field associated with the shape demagnetizing effects. Flow is also observed in the fully filled ferrofluid sphere (1-20 mm/s) when the field is made non-uniform by adding a permanent magnet or a DC or AC excited small solenoidal coil. This confirms that a non-uniform magnetic field or a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to a non-uniform magnetic field are causes of spin-up flow in ferrofluids with no free surface, while tangential magnetic surface stress contributes to flow in the presence of a free surface.Recent work has fitted velocity flow measurements of ferrofluid filled finite height cylinders with no free surface, subjected to uniform rotating magnetic fields, neglecting the container shape effects which cause non-uniform demagnetizing fields, and resulting in much larger non-physical effective values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s than those obtained from theoretical spin diffusion analysis where η′≤10⁻¹⁸ N s. COMSOL Multiphysics finite element computer simulations of spherical geometry in a uniform rotating magnetic field using non-physically large experimental fit values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s with a zero spin-velocity boundary condition at the outer wall predicts measureable flow, while simulations setting spin viscosity to zero (η′=0) results in negligible flow, in agreement with the ultrasound velocimetry measurements. COMSOL simulations also confirm that a non-uniform rotating magnetic field or a uniform rotating magnetic field with a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to an external magnet or a current carrying coil can drive a measureable flow in an infinitely long ferrofluid cylinder with zero spin viscosity (η′=0).     

Ultrasound-assisted addition of alcohols to N-acyliminium ions mediated by In(OTf)3 and synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles

An easy and mild approach using ultrasound-assisted reaction addition of alcohols to N-acyliminium ion mediated by Lewis acid, In(OTf)₃, allowed the synthesis of ether pyrrolidinones; next, the products were converted to 1,2,3-triazoles using click chemistry reaction conditions. The products in both reactions were afforded in moderate to good yields.     

Solvent-free Brønsted acid-catalyzed Michael addition of nitrogen- and carbon-containing nucleophiles by ultrasound activation

A new method has been developed for the Michael addition of nitrogen- and carbon-containing nucleophiles to cyclic enones. Using this conjugate addition reaction, a variety of different nucleophiles can react with a range of cyclic enones in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid under solvent-free ultrasound irradiation conditions affording the corresponding C–N or C–C adducts in good to excellent yields. Comparatively, performing the reaction under ultrasound irradiation gives higher yields, is more efficient and environmentally benign than performing it at high pressure.     

Ultrasound irradiation promoted catalyst-free construction of formamidine framework using isocyanide as building blocks

Reactions of isocyanides with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and 2-mercaptobenzoxazole afforded a series of compounds containing formamidine framework in moderate to high yields. These organic transformations were performed under mild and catalyst-free conditions. In addition to promoting the reactions, the use of ultrasound irradiation also allowed the process to be carried out under air atmosphere. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed based on the experimental results.     

Ultrasonics in isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions: A new,efficient and fast method for the synthesis of fully substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives under ultrasound irradiation

A fast and convenient approach to the synthesis of fully substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles via three-component reaction of aromatic carboxylic acids, acenaphthoquinone, and (N-isocyanimino)triphenylphosphorane under ultrasound irradiation is described. Furthermore, a series of compounds were synthesized and characterized by melting point, IR, NMR and MS. Utilization of easy reaction conditions, very high to excellent yields, and short reaction times makes this manipulation potentially very useful.     

Novel utilization of waste marine sponge (Demospongiae) as a catalyst in ultrasound-assisted transesterification of waste cooking oil

This study demonstrates the potential of Na-silica waste sponge as a source of low cost catalyst in the transesterification of waste cooking oil aided by ultrasound. In this work an environmentally friendly and efficient transesterification process using Na-loaded SiO₂ from waste sponge skeletons as a solid catalyst is presented. The results showed that the methyl esters content of 98.4 ± 0.4 wt.% was obtainable in less than an hour (h) of reaction time at 55 °C. Optimization of reaction parameters revealed that MeOH:oil, 9:1; catalyst, 3 wt.% and reaction duration of 30 min as optimum reaction conditions. The catalyst is able to tolerant free fatty acid and moisture content up to 6% and 8%, respectively. In addition, the catalyst can be reused for seven cycles while maintaining the methyl esters content at 86.3%. Ultrasound undoubtedly assisted in achieving this remarkable result in less than 1 h reaction time. For the kinetics study at 50–60 °C, a pseudo first order model was proposed, and the activation energy of the reaction is determined as 33.45 kJ/mol using Arrhenius equation.