MAGNESIUM HYDROGEN SULFATE POWDER CATALYZED STEREOSELECTIVE CONVERSION OF DIALKYL 2-(IMIDO-N -YL)-3-(TRIPHENYLPHOSPHORANYLIDENE)- BUTANEDIOATES TO ELECTRON-POOR (Z)-N -VINYLIMIDES IN SOLVENT-FREE CONDITIONS

Magnesium hydrogen sulfate powder was found to catalyze stereoselective conversion of dialkyl 2-(imido-N-yl)-3-(triphenylphosphorany-lidene)butanedioates to electron-poor (Z)-N-vinylimides in solvent-free conditions at 95°C 1 h in high conversions. Microwave also was found to catalyze the same reactions in the presence of magnesium hydrogen sulfate powder in solvent-free conditions in 3 min.     

Al(HSO4)3 and Al2O3-SO3H as Efficient Catalysts for Modified Preparation of 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones/thiones

An environmentally friendly procedure for the preparation of dihydropyrimidinone derivatives or their sulfur analogues under thermal solvent-free conditions in the presence of aluminium hydrogen sulfate [Al(HSO₄)₃] and alumina sulfuric acid (Al₂O₃-SO₃H) as heterogeneous catalysts was developed.     

Solid State S-Methylation of Thiols and O-Methylation of Phenols and Naphthols with Dimethyl Sulfate Under Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

Mild and efficient S-methylation of thiols and o-methylation of phenols and naphthols occurs with dimethyl sulfate (DMS) supported on basic alumina under microwave irradiation in solventless system.     

MASS SPECTROMETRIC FRAGMENTATION OF UNSYMMETRICALLY SUBSTITUTED METHYLPHOSPHONATE DIESTERS

Abstract

A series of structurally related unsymmetrically substituted methylphosphonate diesters have been synthesised and subjected to electron impact (El) mass spectral studies. These studies though aimed at total identification of the compounds, resulted in certain interesting observations and hence are being reported. In order to confirm the observations under electron impact and to support the mechanism of fragmentation we have also performed MSNS experiments in both daughter ion and parent ion modes.     

Tubular Structures of Calcium Carbonate: Formation,Characterization, and Implications in Natural Mineral Environments

Chemical gardens are self-assembled tubular precipitates formed by a combination of osmosis, buoyancy, and chemical reaction, and thought to be capable of catalyzing prebiotic condensation reactions. In many cases, the tube wall is a bilayer structure with the properties of a diaphragm and/or a membrane. The interest in silica gardens as microreactors for materials science has increased over the past decade because of their ability to create long-lasting electrochemical potential. In this study, we have grown single macroscopic tubes based on calcium carbonate and monitored their time-dependent behavior by in situ measurements of pH, ionic concentrations inside and outside the tubular membranes, and electrochemical potential differences. Furthermore, we have characterized the composition and structure of the tubular membranes by using ex situ X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopy. Based on the collected data, we propose a physicochemical mechanism for the formation and ripening of these peculiar CaCO₃ structures and compare the results to those of other chemical garden systems. We find that the wall of the macroscopic calcium carbonate tubes is a bilayer of texturally distinct but compositionally similar calcite showing high crystallinity. The resulting high density of the material prevents macroscopic calcium carbonate gardens from developing significant electrochemical potential differences. In the light of these observations, possible implications in materials science and prebiotic (geo)chemistry are discussed.     

Transmission and small angle scattering of 15 MeV electrons in silicon single crystals

Abstract

A novel technique for the study of structural damage incurred by single crystal silicon targets during ion implantation is described. The method is based upon copper-decoration of the vacancy rich damaged region, followed by radiochemical measurement of the resulting copper distribution. Utilizing neutron activation, sharply peaked radiocopper profiles are obtained, which are believed to represent the depth distributions of large, relatively immobile defects such as vacancy clusters, voids, or crystalline faults. A more efficient decoration of isolated vacancy-type defects is realized when Wu is employed as a radioisotopic tracer in the decoration step, however, the rapid diffusivity of these smaller species leads to less sharply defined radiocopper profiles. Both the neutron activation and radiotracer modifications of the technique yield damage profiles which are significantly shallower than the corresponding implanted impurity profiles.     

Corrosion inhibition of ammonium molybdate for AA6061 alloy in NaCl solution and its synergistic effect with calcium gluconate

The corrosion inhibition of ammonium heltamolybdate (AH) and calcium gluconate (CG) for AA6061 alloy in 3% NaCl solution was investigated by the electrochemical measurements. It indicates that AH inhibits the corrosion of AA6061 alloy and acts as an anodic inhibitor. Maximum inhibition efficiency reaches 74.3% at the concentration of 1 × 10^?4 mol.l^?1 AH. The results of the electrochemical studies reveal AH is physically adsorbed on the AA6061 alloy surface and the adsorption follows Langmuir isotherm. The combination of AH and CG enhances the inhibition efficiency to 95.9%. The enhanced inhibition is attributed to the promotion of AH adsorption by CG. The mixture of AH and CG is a mixed‐type inhibitor and renders the corrosion potential to more positive values. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calcium Carbonate Polyamorphism and Its Role in Biomineralization: How Many Amorphous Calcium Carbonates Are There?

Although the polymorphism of calcium carbonate is well known, and its polymorphs—calcite, aragonite, and vaterite—have been highly studied in the context of biomineralization, polyamorphism is a much more recently discovered phenomenon, and the existence of more than one amorphous phase of calcium carbonate in biominerals has only very recently been understood. Here we summarize what is known about polyamorphism in calcium carbonate as well as what is understood about the role of amorphous calcium carbonate in biominerals. We show that consideration of the amorphous forms of calcium carbonate within the physical notion of polyamorphism leads to new insights when it comes to the mechanisms by which polymorphic structures can evolve in the first place. This not only has implications for our understanding of biomineralization, but also of the means by which crystallization may be controlled in medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial contexts.     

CaII Binding Regulates and Dominates the Reactivity of a Transition‐Metal‐Ion‐Dependent Diesterase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The diesterase Rv0805 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a dinuclear metallohydrolase that plays an important role in signal transduction by controlling the intracellular levels of cyclic nucleotides. As Rv0805 is essential for mycobacterial growth it is a promising new target for the development of chemotherapeutics to treat tuberculosis. The in vivo metal‐ion composition of Rv0805 is subject to debate. Here, we demonstrate that the active site accommodates two divalent transition metal ions with binding affinities ranging from approximately 50 nm for Mn^II to about 600 nm for Zn^II. In contrast, the enzyme GpdQ from Enterobacter aerogenes, despite having a coordination sphere identical to that of Rv0805, binds only one metal ion in the absence of substrate, thus demonstrating the significance of the outer sphere to modulate metal‐ion binding and enzymatic reactivity. Ca^II also binds tightly to Rv0805 (K_d≈40 nm ), but kinetic, calorimetric, and spectroscopic data indicate that two Ca^II ions bind at a site different from the dinuclear transition‐metal‐ion binding site. Ca^II acts as an activator of the enzymatic activity but is able to promote the hydrolysis of substrates even in the absence of transition‐metal ions, thus providing an effective strategy for the regulation of the enzymatic activity.     

Alkaline Earth–Olefin Complexes with Secondary Interactions

Strontium and calcium (alkaline earth: Ae) olefin complexes stabilised by secondary Ae???F?C and β‐agostic Ae???H?Si interactions are presented. Olefin coordination onto the alkaline earths is plain in the solid state, and it is thermodynamically favoured over the coordination of THF. The existence of the Ae???olefin interactions is corroborated by solution NMR data and DFT computations. The coordination mode of the olefin varies with steric effects and, if enforced, olefin dissociation can be compensated by the other non‐covalent interactions, as supported by DFT computations.