Synergistic effect of dealumination and ceria impregnation to the catalytic properties of MOR zeolite

MOR zeolite has been extensively employed as a catalyst in industries. However, high Brønsted acidity in MOR leads to rapid deactivation due to coke deposition on the pore mouths; thus, the surface acidity of MOR needs to be moderated. Herein, we report a modification of MOR chemical composition via acid treatment and deposition of ceria nanoparticles using a wet impregnation method. The acid treatment successfully increases the Si/Al ratio of MOR from 8.39 to 11.58 and reduces the total acid site concentration of MOR from 990 μmol/g to 752 μmol/g. The acidity of MOR is decreased when the Si/Al ratio is increased since the quantity of Brønsted acid sites is proportional to the number of Al framework. In addition, the acid treatment also improves the external surface area of MOR. Furthermore, ceria particles were successfully deposited on the MOR surface using wet impregnation method. The ceria content of parent MOR sample is lower compared to that of preceded by the acid treatment, which may be attributed to the formation of more terminal silanol groups. Finally, catalytic test on Friedel–Crafts alkylation of toluene with benzyl alcohol shows that the synergy between dealumination and the impregnation of ceria significantly improves the activity of MOR zeolite.     

C5-methylation of cytosine in B-DNA thermodynamically and kinetically stabilizes BI

We have examined the backbone dynamics of two alternating purine-pyrimidine dodecamers. One sequence consists of "pure" GC bases; the other one contains 5-methylcytosines. The effect of the methyl groups on the backbone substates BI/BII was investigated by means of molecular dynamics. The methylation influences, on one hand, the transition barrier between BI and BII and, on the other hand, the state of equilibrium. The kinetic consequences are an increase of the DeltaG of Gp5mC steps by 1.5 kcal/mol and a decrease of the DeltaG of 5mCpG steps by 0.8 kcal/mol (compared with the nonmethylated DNA). Thus, the additive group differentiates between the two occurring dinucleotide steps and renders the phosphate of the 5-methylcytosine more rigid, as proposed by experimental studies. The thermodynamic consequences are an increase of the DeltaG of Gp5mC steps by 1.1 kcal/mol and a decrease of the DeltaG of 5mCpG steps by 0.8 kcal/mol. The reason for this shift in equilibrium is still not completely clear on a molecular basis. But we can conclude that the indirect readout of DNA is influenced by methylation.     

The N6-methyl group of adenine further increases the BI stability of DNA compared to C5-methyl groups

Methylated DNA bases are natural modifications which play an important role in protein-DNA interactions. Recent experimental and theoretical results have shown an influence of the base modification on the conformational behavior of the DNA backbone. MD simulations of four different B-DNA dodecamers (d(GC)(6), d(AT)(6), d(G(5mCG)(5)C), and d(A(T6mA)(5)T)) have been performed with the aim to examine the influence of methyl groups on the B-DNA backbone behavior. An additional control simulation of d(AU)(6) has also been performed to examine the further influence of the C5-methyl group in thymine. Methyl groups in the major groove (as in C5-methylcytosine, thymine, or N6-methyladenine) decrease the BII substate population of RpY steps. Due to methylation a clearer distinction of the BI substate stability between YpR and RpY (CpG/GpC or TpA/ApT) steps arises. A positive correlation between the BII substate population and base stacking distances is seen only for poly(GC). A methyl group added into the major groove increases mean water residence times around the purine N7 atom, which may stabilize the BI substate by improving the hydration network between the DNA backbone and the major groove. The N6-methyl group also forms a water molecule bridge between the N6 and O4 atoms, and thus further stabilizes the BI substate.     

Solid-phase micro-extraction procedure for the determination of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in water by on-fibre derivatisation with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide

The headspace solid-phase micro-extraction technique with on-fibre derivatisation followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has been evaluated for the analysis of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in water. An asymmetric factorial design has been performed to study the influence of five experimental factors: extraction time and temperature, derivatisation time and temperature and pH. The best extraction performance is achieved in the headspace mode, with 5 mL stirred water samples (pH 4) containing 1.3 g of NaCl, equilibrated for 30 min at 25 °C, using divinylbenzene-carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane as the fibre coating. On-fibre derivatisation has been used for the first time with 50 μL of bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide at 25 °C during 15 min, leading to effective yields. The proposed method provides high sensitivity, good linearity and repeatability (relative standard deviation of 5.1% for 10 ng mL⁻¹ and n = 5). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.4 and 1.4 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. Analytical recoveries obtained for different water samples were approx. 100%.     

A review on the green synthesis of hierarchically porous zeolite

Conventional bottom-up and top-down methods for synthesizing hierarchical zeolite have led to complicated economic and environmental issues due to the requirement of expensive and hazardous organic molecules, the large amount of acid/base solution, high energy, and expensive starting materials. Besides, the bottom-up method through the hydrothermal crystallization evokes safety issues due to the high autogenous pressure. Accordingly, considerable efforts have been made to develop green route synthesis of hierarchical zeolite by eliminating the use of a solvent (solvent-free), utilizing sustainable starting materials and green secondary template (mesoporogen), as well as eliminating the use of mesoporogen (mesoporogen-free). Other routes, including recycling of mother liquor, steam-assisted conversion, gel-like-solid phase method, and silanization, are also elaborated, as they are reported to promote a green and facile approach for the synthesis of hierarchical zeolites. In this review, we provide recent progress on the development of the green synthesis of hierarchically porous zeolite.     

Stable All‐Organic Radicals with Ambipolar Charge Transport

A series of neutral long‐lived purely organic radicals based on the stable [4‐(N‐carbazolyl)‐2,6‐dichlorophenyl]bis(2,4,6‐trichlorophenyl)methyl radical adduct (Cbz‐TTM) is reported herein. All compounds exhibit ambipolar charge‐transport properties under ambient conditions owing to their radical character. High electron and hole mobilities up to 10^?2 and 10^?3 cm² V^?1 s^?1, respectively, were achieved. Xerographic single‐layered photoreceptors were fabricated from the radicals studied herein, exhibiting good xerographic photosensitivity across the visible spectrum.     

FLUCTUATION-INDUCED KERR EFFECT NEAR THE SMECTIC-A‒SMECTIC-Cα* PHASE TRANSITION

Abstract

The anomalous increase of Kerr effect due to pretransitional fluctuations has been investigated in the SmA phase close to the SmA-SmC_α* transition point in antiferroelectric liquid crystals MHPOBC and MHPOCBC. We have developed a Landau theory taking into account the fluctuations and shown that there are two contributions to the Kerr effect. On the basis of theoretical results, the experimental results obtained in MHPOBC and MHPOCBC were discussed and a clear evidence of the fluctuation-induced Kerr effect was presented.