A novel strategy towards the asymmetric synthesis of orthogonally funtionalised 2-N-benzyl-N-alpha-methylbenzylamino- 5-carboxymethyl-cyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid

The asymmetric synthesis of the orthogonally funtionalised compounds tert-butyl 2-N-benzyl-N-alpha-methylbenzylamino-5-methoxycarbonylmethylcyclopentane- 1-carboxylate and methyl 2-N-benzyl-N-alpha-methylbenzylamino-5-carboxymethylcyclo- pentane-1-carboxylate by a domino reaction of tert-butyl methyl (E,E)-octa-2,6- diendioate with lithium N-alpha-methylbenzyl-N-benzylamide initiated by a Michael addition, subsequent 5-exo-trig intramolecular cyclisation and posterior selective hydrolysis with trifluoroacetic acid is reported.     

A study on the electronic spectra of vinylpyridines and 1,2-(dipyridyl)ethylenes. Molecular orbital calculations

The electronic absorption spectra of 2-, 3-, and 4-vinylpyridines and 1,2-(2,3-dipyridyl), 1,2-(2,4-dipyridyl), 1,2-(3,4-dipyridyl), and 1,2-(4,4-dipyridyl) ethylenes have been investigated in polar and nonpolar solvents. A correlation has been made between the geometry of the molecule and the observed spectrum. Molecular orbital calculations have been carried out using the INDO/S? CI procedure and a limited geometry optimization. The solvent effect at the MO level has been calculated. MO calculations predicted the existence of nπ* transitions that were not observed experimentally. The wave functions of the different CI states were calculated. The experimental transition energy as well as oscillator strength corresponded satisfactorily with the calculated ones. The observed transitions were assigned according to the results of MO calculations.     

Reactions with Carbo(heterylhydrazonoyl) Halides. I. Chemistry of Carbo(3-phenylpyrazol-5-yl-hydrazonoyl) Chlorides

The Carbo(3-phenylpyrazol-5-yl-hydrazonoyl) halides 1a , b react with active methylene compounds to yield the 1-(3-phenylpyrazol-5-yl)-pyrazole derivatives 2a – k (Scheme 1). The acyclic intermediates 3a , b could be isolated from reaction of 1a , b with acetylacetone, thus establishing the substitution mechanism for these reactions. Compounds 1a , b reacted with carbon disulfide, phenyl isothiocyanate, methyl cyanide, and with p-chlorobenzaldehyde to yield the corresponding heterocyclic derivatives 5 – 8 , respectively (Scheme 2). The behaviour of compounds 2 with hydrazine hydrate is reported.     

Microemulsion-based synthesis of CeO(2) powders with high surface area and high-temperature stabilities

Pure ceria powders, CeO(2), were synthesized in heptane-microemulsified aqueous solutions of CeCl(3) or Ce(NO(3))(3) stabilized by AOT (sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate), DDAB (di-n-didodecyldimethylammonium bromide), or DDAB + Brij 35 surfactant mixtures. Micellar DTAB (n-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide) and vesicular DDAB systems were also used as media for generating CeO(2). Characterization of the powders by X-ray powder diffractometry, laser-Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that in the presence of surfactants almost-agglomerate-free nanosized crystallites (6-13 nm) of anionic vacancy-free cubic CeO(2) were produced. In the absence of surfactants 21-nm-sized crystallites were formed, comparing with the 85-nm-sized crystallites when cubic CeO(2) was created via thermal decomposition of cerium oxalate. Surface characterization, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N(2) sorptiometry, and high-resolution electron microscopy showed AOT- or (DDAB + Brij 35)-stabilized microemulsions to assist in formation of crystallites exposing surfaces of large specific areas (up to ca. 250 m(2)/g) but of low stability to high-temperature calcination (28-13 m(2)/g at 800 degrees C). In contrast, the double-chained DDAB was found to generate cubic CeO(2) crystallites of lower initial surface areas (144 (microemulsion) to 125 (vesicles) m(2)/g)) but of higher thermal stability (55-45 m(2)/g at 800 degrees C). Hence, the latter cerias could be considered as appropriate components for total oxidation (combustion) catalysts.     

Three-phase plasma arc atomic-emission spectrometric analysis of environmental samples using an ultrasonic nebulizer

Combination of an ultrasonic nebulizer and plasma excitation sources for spectrochemical analysis offers desirable features of low detection limits, high sample throughput, wide dynamic range of operation, acceptable precision and accuracy, and simultaneous quantitative analytical capabilities. Moreover, the ultrasonic nebulizer does not require sample preconcentration. Recently we have developed a three-phase plasma arc (TPPA) for atomic emission spectrochemical analysis. In the present work, to increase the analytical utility of the three-phase plasma system, an ultrasonic nebulizer was used for sample introduction. The effects of the argon gas flow rate, current, excitation temperature have been studied. The analytical calibration curves are obtained for Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg and Mn, and detection limits have been calculated. The present technique is used to determine the concentration of the elements Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg and Mn in airborne samples.     

Physico-chemical and thermochemical studies of the hydrolytic conversion of amorphous tricalcium phosphate into apatite

The conversion of amorphous tricalcium phosphate with different hydration ratio into apatite in water at 25 °C has been studied by microcalorimetry and several physical-chemical methods. The hydrolytic transformation was dominated by two strong exothermic events. A fast, relatively weak, wetting process and a very slow but strong heat release assigned to a slow internal rehydration and the crystallization of the amorphous phase into an apatite. The exothermic phenomenon related to the rehydration exceeded the crystalline transformation enthalpy. Rehydration occurred before the conversion of the amorphous phase into apatite and determined the advancement of the hydrolytic reaction. The apatitic phases formed evolved slightly with time after their formation. The crystallinity increased whereas the amount of HPO₄²⁻ ion decreased. These data allow a better understanding of the behavior of biomaterials involving amorphous phases such as hydroxyapatite plasma-sprayed coatings.     

Utility of N‐[4‐(N‐Substituted Sulfamoyl)Phenyl] Cyanothioformamides in the Synthesis of Heterocyclic Compounds

The novel cyanothioformamides 2a‐d were prepared by treatment of isothiocyanatosulfonamides 1a‐d with potassium cyanide at room temperature. Cyclocondensation of compounds 2b,c with phenyl isocyanate as electrophile furnished the corresponding imidazolidines 3a,b . The reactivity of compound 3a towards some nitrogen nucleophiles was investigated. Thus, the thiosemicarbazone 4 and imidazo[4,5‐b]quinoxaline 6 were synthesized by condensation of compound 3a with thiosemicarbazide and o‐phenylenediamine, respectively. Treatment of 3a with hydrochloric acid afforded compound 7 . Our investigation was extended to include the reactivity of cyanothioformamide 2 towards o‐aminophenol, anthranilic acid, and o‐phenylenediamine and yielded the corresponding heterocycles 9 , 11 and 13 derivatives, respectively. Structures of the synthesized compounds were established by their elemental analysis and spectral data.     

In situ assembled ZIF superstructures via an emulsion-free soft-templating approach

Assembling well-defined MOF superstructures remains challenging as it requires easily removable hard templates or readily available immiscible solutions for an emulsion-based soft-template approach. In this work, a single-step emulsion-free soft templating approach is reported to spontaneously prepare hollow ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 colloidosomes with no further purification. These superstructures can load different enzymes regardless of the size and charge with a high encapsulation efficiency of 99%. We envisage that this work will expand the repertoires of MOF superstructures by the judicious selection of precursors and the reaction medium.

An emulsion-free approach for the preparation of hollow ZIF-8 superstructures in a single step is established based on metal sulfate hydrates in methanol.     

A β-glucosidase from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

The filamentous fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, grown on a xylose medium, was found to excrete one β-glucosidase (β-glu x). The enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, anion-exchange chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gel filtration chromatography. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 130 kDa by HPLC gel filtration and 60 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that β-glu x may be a homodimer. For p-nitrophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside hydrolysis, apparent K _m and V _max values were found to be 0.09 mM and 193 U/mg, respectively, while optimum temperature and pH were 55–60°C and pH 5.0, respectively. β-Glu x was strongly inhibited by Fe²⁺ and activated about 35% by Ca²⁺. β-Glu x possesses strong transglucosylation activity in comparison with commercially available β-glucosidases. The production rate of total glucooligosaccharides (GOSs) from 30% cellobiose at 50°C and pH 5.0 for 6 h with 0.6 U/mL of enzyme preparation was 80 g/L. It reached 105 g/L under the same conditions when using cellobiose at 350 g/L (1.023 M). Finally, GOS structure was determined by mass spectrometry and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.     

Spectral and magnetic properties of phenylazo-6-aminouracil complexes

Complexes of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) with substituted phenylazo-6-aminouracils containing (-H, p-OH, p-CH(3), p-OCH(3) p-COOH) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic measurements and spectral measurements (IR, UV-Vis, ESR). Infrared spectra assigned the fundamental bands of the major groups, O-H, N-H, C-H, C=O, C=N, N=N, C-N and C-O (nu, delta and gamma modes of vibrations). The absence of nu(OH) and the appearance of nu(C=O) in the infrared spectra of the free ligands of 5-(p-tolyl and p-anisylazo)-6-aminouracil, assigned the keto structure, whereas in cases of 5-(phenyl, p-hydroxyphenyl and p-carboxyphenylazo)-6-aminouracil ligands, the data showed strong nu(OH) and nu(C=O) bands to assign keto-enol tautomerisms. The modes of interactions between the ligands and the metals were discussed, where oxygen and nitrogen atoms (of amino-amide groups) are involved in chelation. The azo group was not involved in chelation for all the prepared complexes except those of copper complexes derived from 5-(phenyl, p-tolyl, p-hydroxyphenyl and p-carboxyphenylazo)-6-aminouracils. The room temperature effective magnetic moment values, the Nujol mull spectra and ESR proved that all the prepared complexes were of octahedral geometry, except the nickel complex derived from 5-(phenylazo)-6-aminouracil and cobalt complex derived from 5-(p-carboxy-phenylazo)-6-aminouracil were square planar.