One‐pot synthesis of 1‐ and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles using 1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) supported on superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic porous nanospheres as a recyclable catalyst

An effective one‐pot, convenient process for the synthesis of 1‐ and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles from nitriles and amines is described using1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) supported on Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ magnetic porous nanospheres as a novel recyclable catalyst. The application of this catalyst allows the synthesis of a variety of tetrazoles in good to excellent yields. The preparation of the magnetic nanocatalyst with core–shell structure is presented by using nano‐Fe₃O₄ as the core, tetraethoxysilane as the silica source and poly(vinyl alcohol) as the surfactant, and then Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was coated with 1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) nanoparticles. The new catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, vibration sample magnetometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis and inductively coupled plasma analysis. This new procedure offers several advantages such as short reaction times, excellent yields, operational simplicity, practicability and applicability to various substrates and absence of any tedious workup or purification. In addition, the excellent catalytic performance, thermal stability and separation of the catalyst make it a good heterogeneous system and a useful alternative to other heterogeneous catalysts. Also, the catalyst could be magnetically separated and reused six times without significant loss of catalytic activity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soap-free emulsion polymerization of poly (methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate): effects of anionic comonomers and methanol on the different characteristics of the latexes

Soap-free emulsion polymerization (SFEP) of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate was conducted in water/methanol media with sodium salts of four different acidic comonomers, namely styrene sulfonic acid (NaSS), 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (NaAmps), acrylic acid (NaAA), and itaconic acid (Na₂ita). It was found that the introduction of methanol as co-solvent (35 wt%) to the medium greatly decreases the amount of water-soluble polyelectrolyte in the cases NaAA and Na₂ita while it does not make difference for NaSS and NaAmps. Having employed the concept of conductance dependency to the ion mobility, the onset concentration in which soluble chains were formed was detected. The addition of sulfonic-based comonomers (NaSS and NaAmps), first decreased particle size and then led to predomination of solution polymerization over SFEP. On the contrary, the incorporation of carboxylic-based comonomers (NaAA and Na₂ita) led to increase in particle size. Moreover, the particle size results were in good qualitative agreement with the classical Smith–Ewart theory.     

Solvent selection in ultrasonic-assisted emulsification microextraction: Comparison between high- and low-density solvents by means of novel type of extraction vessel

There are numerous published reports about dispersive liquid phase microextraction of the wide range of substances, however, till now no broadly accepted systematic and purpose oriented selection of extraction solvent has been proposed. Most works deal with the optimization of available solvents without adequate pre-consideration of properness. In this study, it is tried to compare the performances of low- and high-density solvents at the same conditions by means of novel type of extraction vessel with head and bottom conical shape. Extraction efficiencies of seven basic pharmaceutical compounds using eighteen common organic solvents were studied in this work. It was much easier to work with high-density solvents and they mostly showed better performances. This work shows that although exact predicting the performance of the solvents is multifaceted case but the pre-consideration of initial selection of solvents with attention to the physiochemical properties of the desired analytes is feasible and promising. Finally, the practicality of the method for extraction from urine and plasma samples was investigated.     

Minimum Norm Solution to the Absolute Value Equation in the Convex Case

In this paper, we give an algorithm to compute the minimum norm solution to the absolute value equation (AVE) in a special case. We show that this solution can be obtained from theorems of the alternative and a useful characterization of solution sets of convex quadratic programs. By using an exterior penalty method, this problem can be reduced to an unconstrained minimization problem with once differentiable convex objective function. Also, we propose a quasi-Newton method for solving unconstrained optimization problem. Computational results show that convergence to high accuracy often occurs in just a few iterations.     

Nanosized cationic and anionic manganese porphyrins as mesoporous catalysts for the oxidation of olefins: Nano versus bulk aggregates

In this study, catalytic activity of bulk and nano‐sized meso‐tetrakis(4‐sulfonatophenyl)porphyrinatomanganese(III) acetate, MnTPPS₄(OAc), (ammonium salt) and meso‐tetrakis(3‐methylpyridyl)porphyrinatomanganese(III) acetate, MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc) (tosylate salt) for the oxidation of olefins with tetra‐n‐butylammonium Oxone has been studied and compared with that of the bulk counterparts. The nanoparticles were prepared by mixing solvent techniques using water, (triethyleneglycol) monomethyl ether and dimethylsulfoxide or acetonitrile. The formation of nano‐sized catalysts was confirmed by UV‐Vis spectroscopy, DLS and AFM. Nitrogen porosimetry measurements indicated the homogeneous pore size distribution in the bulk and nano‐sized manganese porphyrins. In spite of the high oxidizability of Oxone, the heterogenized manganese porphyrins showed a significantly higher oxidative stability relative to their homogeneous counterparts within a reaction time of 6 h. The increase in the catalytic activity induced by the formation of nano‐sized catalysts was more pronounced in the case of MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc). MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc) may be recovered and reused for at least 4 times without any significant decrease in the catalyst efficiency. In the case of MnTPPS₄(OAc) a large decrease in the catalytic activity was observed after the first use of the catalyst. The latter was attributed to higher degrees of catalyst degradation in the case of MnTPPS₄(OAc).     

Temperature dependent electrical conductivity of polyaniline/Y2O3 composites

Composites of polyaniline with yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical polymerizations method by increasing the weight percentage of yttrium oxide. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR) were used to characterize the composites. XRD and FTIR pattern indicate that Polyaniline (PANI) is intercalated into the layers of Y₂O₃ nanoparticles successfully by in situ polymerization and therefore the degree of crystallinity increases due to crystalline of yttrium oxide nanoparticles. The scanning electron micrographs (SEM) also confirm the formation of dual phase of platelet as well as of flaky structure in PANI-Y₂O₃. Temperature dependant DC conductivity showed three dimensional variable ranges hopping (3D VRH) model. Activation energy, density of states and hopping length are calculated and found to be influenced by intercalating PANI into the layers of Y₂O₃ clay.     

Solvent effects on catalytic activity of manganese porphyrins with cationic,anionic and uncharged meso substituents: Indirect evidence on the nature of active oxidant species

Oxidation of cyclohexene and styrene with sodium periodate and tetra‐n‐butylammonium periodate (TBAP) catalyzed by MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc), MnT(4‐SO₃)PP(OAc) and MnTPP(OAc) has been studied in water, methanol, acetonitrile and dichloromethane as solvents. The results show significant dependence of the product distribution on the type of solvent and the electronic nature of the aryl substituents introduced at the porphyrin periphery. While the oxidation of cyclohexene and styrene in the presence of MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc) and MnTPP(OAc) in water (also in methanol) gave the corresponding epoxides as nearly the sole product, performing the reactions in the presence of MnT(4‐SO₃)PP(OAc) yielded the products of allylic oxidation, cyclohexene‐2‐ol and cyclohexene‐2‐one and acetophenone as the major products. In the case of styrene, performing the reaction in the presence of MnT(4‐SO₃)PP(OAc), MnT(3‐MePy)P(OAc) and MnTPP(OAc) in acetonitrile gave a mixture of styrene oxide and acetophenone as the products. Under the same conditions, the oxidation of cyclohexene afforded cyclohexene oxide as approximately the exclusive product. Furthermore, the oxidation of olefins in dichloromethane gave the corresponding epoxide as the exclusive products. The product distributions observed in the protic and aprotic solvents were used to provide indirect evidence on the relative contribution and reactivity of high valent manganese oxo and periodato Mn(III) porphyrin species to the oxidation reactions.     

Mo (CO)6‐assisted Pd‐supported magnetic graphene oxide‐catalyzed carbonylation‐cyclization as an efficient way for the synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones

In this paper, a novel catalyst is introduced based on the immobilization of palladium on modified magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles. The catalyst is characterized by several methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray fluorescence, vibrating‐sample magnetometer, Fourier transform‐infrared and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. The activity of the catalyst was investigated in the synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones via Pd‐catalyzed carbonylation‐cyclization of N‐(2‐bromoaryl) benzimidamides by Mo (CO)₆. The Mo (CO)₆ is used as a carbon monoxide source for performing the reaction under mild conditions. The catalyst showed good reusability, and no change in activity was observed after 10 cycles of recovery.