Dehydrogenation of ammonia borane aided by hydrophobic ionic liquids

The beneficial effect on the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane due to mixing with hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) is investigated by means of detailed combined TG–DTA and IR measurements. Desorption of several mixtures of ammonia borane with hydrophobic ILs having bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-imide or trifluorosulfonyl-imide anions was studied in both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The addition of hydrophobic liquids lowers the dehydrogenation temperatures and allows the observation of the decomposition process without any induction time even at temperatures below 90 °C. The IR data of the products of the decomposition confirm that ILs do not react with AB but provide an highly polar medium which promotes the decomposition reaction. Furthermore, the proposed method to enhance hydrogen release from ammonia borane provides the possibility of working in air avoiding any protective atmosphere.     

Factor probabilistic distance clustering (FPDC): a new clustering method

Factor clustering methods have been developed in recent years thanks to improvements in computational power. These methods perform a linear transformation of data and a clustering of the transformed data, optimizing a common criterion. Probabilistic distance (PD)-clustering is an iterative, distribution free, probabilistic clustering method. Factor PD-clustering (FPDC) is based on PD-clustering and involves a linear transformation of the original variables into a reduced number of orthogonal ones using a common criterion with PD-clustering. This paper demonstrates that Tucker3 decomposition can be used to accomplish this transformation. Factor PD-clustering alternatingly exploits Tucker3 decomposition and PD-clustering on transformed data until convergence is achieved. This method can significantly improve the PD-clustering algorithm performance; large data sets can thus be partitioned into clusters with increasing stability and robustness of the results. Real and simulated data sets are used to compare FPDC with its main competitors, where it performs equally well when clusters are elliptically shaped but outperforms its competitors with non-Gaussian shaped clusters or noisy data.     

Synthesis of fluorinated 1,2,4-oxadiazin-6-ones through ANRORC rearrangement of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles

The reaction of 3-ethoxycarbonyl-5-perfluoroalkyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles with hydroxylamines has been investigated, evidencing the possibility of competitive reaction paths. Nucleophilic addition of hydroxylamine to the electrophilic C(5) of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring, followed by ring-opening and ring-closure with enlargement, leads to high yield and in very mild experimental conditions to the formation of 5-hydroxyamino-3-perfluoroalkyl-6H-1,2,4-oxadiazin-6-ones, one of these presenting water gelation ability. In turn, reactions with N-methylhydroxylamine lead the exclusive formation of 4-perfluoroacylamino-2-methyl-2H-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-ones through the well known Boulton-Katritzky rearrangement.     

Novel spectrophotometer for the measurement of color and appearance

A new spectrophotometer design permits simultaneous measurement of color and surface appearance attributes of reflecting specimens. The new design provides a multi-channel spectrometer that is simple, compact, light, and inexpensive, while having a unique combination of features and performance. Novel d/8° geometry provides new capabilities. With a single quick measurement, the instrument measures color and several other appearance attributes. A concentric optical configuration used for the spectrometer eliminates third-order optical aberrations. The optical design and unique features are described and performance data are presented.     

A New Approach to The Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure 4-Deoxy Sugars

In a recent paper² we have reported the design and synthesis of 3-C-lithiated 5,6-dihydro-1,4-dithiin-2-yl[(4-methoxybenzyl)oxy]methane (1) which can be utilized as an allylic alcohol anion equivalent and leads to three-carbon elongations of various electrophiles by introduction of a fully protected hydroxypropenyl moiety. The latter contains a double bond, which can be unravelled to the cis configuration by diastereoselective removal³ of the dimethylene-disulfur bridge, as well as a protected primary hydroxyl group that, depending on the deprotection conditions used (DDQ/NaBH₄ or DDQ), may either lead to the free allylic alcohol or to an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde.