New synthesis of nanopowders of proton conducting materials. A route to densified proton ceramics

Low temperature routes have been developed for the preparation of BaCe_0.9Y_0.1O_2.95 (BCY10) and BaZr_0.9Y_0.1O_2.95 (BZY10) in the form of nanoparticulate powders for use after densification as ceramic membranes for a proton ceramic fuel cell. These methods make use on the one hand of the chelation of metal (II), (III) and (IV) ions by acrylates (hydrogelation route) and on the other of the destabilisation and precipitation of micro-emulsions. Both routes lead to single phase yttrium doped barium cerate or zirconate perovskites, as observed by X-ray diffraction, after thermal treatment at 900 °C for 4 h for BCY10 and 800 °C for BZY10. These temperatures, lower than those usually used for preparation of barium cerate or zirconate, lead to oxide nanoparticles of size <40 nm. Dense ceramics (?95%) are obtained by sintering BCY10 pellets at 1350 °C and BZY10 pellets at 1500 °C for 10 h. The water uptake of compacted samples at 500 °C is 0.14 wt% for BCY10 and 0.26 wt% for BZY10. Total conductivities in the range 300-600 °C were determined using impedance spectroscopy in a humidified nitrogen atmosphere. The total conductivity was 1.8×10⁻² S/cm for BCY10 and 2×10⁻³ S/cm for BZY10 at 600 °C. The smallest perovskite nanoparticles and highest conductivities were obtained by hydrogelation of precursor barium, zirconium, cerium and yttrium acrylates.     

Separation/preconcentration of trace amounts of Cr, Cu and Pb in environmental samples by magnetic solid-phase extraction with Bismuthiol-II-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles and their determination by ICP-OES

A new method for separation/preconcentration of trace amounts of Cr, Cu and Pb in environmental samples by magnetic solid-phase extraction (SPE) with Bismuthiol-II-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles and their determination by ICP-OES has been developed. The separation of the target analytes from the aqueous solution containing the target analytes and Bismuthiol-II-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles was simply achieved by applying external magnetic field. Optimal experimental conditions including pH, sample volume, eluent concentration and volume and co-existing ions have been studied and established. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the detection limits for Cr, Cu and Pb with enrichment factors of 96, 95 and 87 were found to be 0.043, 0.058 and 0.085 ng mL⁻¹ and their relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) were 3.5%, 4.6% and 3.7% (n = 5, C = 2 ng mL⁻¹), respectively. The method was validated with certified reference material (GBW50009-88) of environmental water sample and the analytical results coincided well with the certified values. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the determination of target analytes in river and lake water samples. Compared with established methods, the proposed method is characterized with high enrichment factor, fast separation and low detection limits.     

An unexpected synthesis of 7-azidofurazano[3,4-b]tetrazolopyrazine

In the course of our program focused on the preparation of high-nitrogen content heterocyclic compounds, we wish to report an original synthesis of the tricyclic 7-azidofurazano[3,4-b]tetrazolopyrazine via an unprecedented reaction between 2,6-dimethoxy-3,5-dinitropyrazine and hydrazine hydrate. This compound was identified by an X-ray diffraction analysis. Further studies of its structure by ¹⁵N and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy were carried out in different solvents. This allowed us to observe a noteworthy equilibrium involving three forms resulting from the reversible opening of a tetrazole ring.     

Synthesis and properties of novel liquid crystalline materials with super high birefringence: styrene monomers bearing diacetylenes, naphthyl, and nitrogen-containing groups

Three new liquid crystal asymmetrical styrene monomers bearing diacetylenes, naphthyl, and nitrogen-containing groups were successfully synthesized from 2-(bromoethynyl)-6-(hexyloxy)naphthalene, 4-(4-bromo-2-vinylphenyl)-2-methylbut-3-yn-2-ol, and derivatives of 4-ethynylaniline. The molecular structures of these compounds were confirmed by FTIR, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry. The liquid crystalline properties of monomers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscopy. Results indicated that all the compounds exhibited the nematic phase in liquid crystal state and super high optical birefringence of 0.5-0.8. The change of terminal nitrogen-containing group affected the birefringence values in the order of -N(CH₃)₂<-NH₂<-NCS. Moreover, measurements using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy showed their good photoluminescence properties and high quantum efficiency of 0.4-1.0.     

Organocatalytic conjugate addition of 1-bromonitroalkanes to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes: synthesis of nitrocyclopropanes

A variety of secondary amines were studied as the catalyst in the conjugate addition of 1-bromonitromethane to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. Proline was identified as the best catalyst for this reaction. MeOH/AcONa system was found to provide much better yields than CHCl₃/Et₃N system reported before. Good yields of nitrocyclopropane products were obtained with a variety of β-aryl acroleins. Several substituted 1-bromonitromethanes were also examined in the reaction. Both 1-bromonitroethane and 1-phenyl-1-bromonitromethane gave the corresponding nitrocyclopropanes in good yields. The diastereoselectivity of the reaction was strongly affected by the steric hindrance of 1-bromonitroalkanes.     

An ionic liquid mediated one-pot synthesis of substituted thiazolidinones and benzimidazoles

An expeditious one-pot synthesis of 2,3-diaryl/2-aryl-3-heteroaryl-1,3-thiazolidin-4-ones and 1-aryl-1H,3H-thiazolo[3,4-a]benzimidazoles have been accomplished by condensing hetero/aromatic amine, 2-mercaptoacetic acid, aromatic aldehyde and 1,2-phenylenediamine, 2-mercaptoacetic acid and aromatic aldehyde, respectively, in ionic liquids, viz, 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-methoxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate.     

A synthesis of di- and tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters from aldehydes by the magnesium carbenoid 1,2-CH and 1,2-CC insertion as the key reaction

Addition reaction of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, which were derived from aldehydes, with lithium enolate of tert-butyl acetate at −78 °C in THF gave adducts in high yields. Treatment of these adducts with Grignard reagents resulted in the formation of magnesium carbenoids via the sulfoxide-magnesium exchange reaction. When the adducts were derived from alkyl aldehydes or electron-deficient aromatic aldehydes, carbenoid 1,2-CH insertion reaction took place from the magnesium carbenoids to afford β,γ-unsaturated butyric esters having a substituent at the β-position. On the other hand, when the adducts were derived from electron-rich aromatic aldehydes, carbenoid 1,2-CC insertion reaction took place from the magnesium carbenoids to give β,γ-unsaturated butyric esters having the aromatic group at the γ-position. Highly stereospecific 1,2-CC insertion reactions were observed in the latter reactions. When the addition reactions were quenched with iodoalkanes, the alkylated adducts were obtained in quantitative yields. Tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters, or in some case γ,δ-unsaturated esters, were obtained by the treatment of the alkylated adducts with EtMgCl. These procedures provide a good way for a new synthesis of di- and tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters from aldehydes with two or three carbon-carbon bond-formations.     

Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for the selective determination of 17β-estradiol in fishery samples with high performance liquid chromatography

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been synthesized by a thermo-polymerization method using methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker, acetonitrile as porogenic solvent, and 17β-estradiol as template. The MIP showed obvious affinity for 17β-estradiol in acetonitrile solution, which was confirmed by absorption experiments. After optimization of molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) conditions, three structurally related estrogenic compounds (17β-estradiol, estriol, and diethylstilbestrol) were used to evaluate the selectivity of the MIP cartridges. The MIP cartridges exhibited highly selectivity for E₂, the recoveries were 84.8 ± 6.53% for MIPs and 19.1 ± 1.93% for non-imprinted polymer (NIP) cartridges. The detection and quantification limits correspond to 0.023 and 0.076 mg L⁻¹. Furthermore, the MISPE methods were used to selectively extract E₂ from fish and prawn tissue prior to HPLC analysis. This MISPE-HPLC procedure could eliminate all matrix interference simultaneously and had good recoveries (78.3-84.5%).     

Evidence of formation of H2CN by a concerted reaction

We have investigated the possibility of formation of H₂CN by the concerted reaction H₂ + CN → H₂CN at energy regimes of over 60 kcal/mol relative to the global minimum. We have concluded that this concerted reaction is possible in principle provided that H₂ is vibrationally excited.     

Supramolecular Structures with the 2‐Propyl‐4,5‐dicarboxy‐1H‐imidazole Ligand: Hydrothermal Synthesis,Structures, and Photoluminescence

Self‐assembly of the rigid organic ligand 2‐propyl‐4,5‐dicarboxy‐1H‐imidazole ( L ) with different metal ions (Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺) led to four new complexes, namely, [M( L )(phen)] [M = Zn ( 1 ); Ni ( 2 ); Cd ( 3 )] and [Cu( L )( 4 )] (phen = 1,10‐phenanthroline). Their structures were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses, and they were further characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Whereas compounds 1 , 2 , and 3 are discrete units, hydrogen‐bonding interactions play a vital role in these complexes. Compounds 1 and 2 form one‐dimensional (1D) and two‐dimensional (2D) structures through hydrogen‐bondinginteractions with helical character. In 1 , the hydrogen bonds (O–H ··· O) alternately bridge the M^II cations of the discrete units to form a one‐dimensional (1D) infinite helical chain. Complex 2 forms a 2D helical layer through parallel hydrogen bonds (N/O–H ··· O/N) between two adjacent helical chains. In 3 , the hydrogen bonds (N–H ··· O) connect adjacent discrete units into a ten‐membered ring with extension into a one‐dimensional double‐chain supramolecular structure. Complex 4 is a two‐dimensional gridlike (4,4) topological layer which is extended to a 3D network by hydrogen bonding. The solid‐state fluorescence spectrum of complex 3 was determined.