Design of postmetallocene catalytic systems of arylimine type for olefi n polymerization: XV. Synthesis of (N-Aryl)salicylaldimine ligands containing a but-3-enyloxy group and their complexes with titanium(IV) dichloride

A series of (N-aryl)salicylaldimines was synthesized by the reaction of salicylaldehydes substituted in the positions 3 and 5 by bulky tert-butyl or α-cumyl groups with hydrochlorides of o-, m-, and p-(but-3-enyloxy) aniline in the presence of triethylamine. The obtained compounds formed by the reaction with TiCl₂(OPr-i)₂ complexes of titanium(IV) dichloride L₂TiCl₂.     

Ultrasonic speed in compressed liquid by a sing-around method

A new apparatus for the measurement of ultrasonic speed in compressed liquid was constructed. The reliability of this instrument was confirmed by measuring the speeds in pure benzene in the ranges from 283.15 to 323.15 K and pressures up to near freezing pressure, and by comparing the results with literature values. The isentropic compressibilities κ_S were also determined using the experimental speeds and densities, and the results κ_S(u) were compared with those observed directly elsewhere κ_S(d) and those calculated thermodynamically κ_S(c) from (p, V_m, T). At atmospheric pressure, the present results, while agreeing with κ_S(u) reported in the literature, show differences from κ_S(d) and κ_S(c), while those for higher pressures close on a simple curve with κ_S(c).     

Chemical effect on L X-ray fluorescence cross-sections of Hg,Pb and Bi compounds

Chemical effect on the photon induced L X-ray fluorescence cross-sections (σ_Lα, σ_Lβ and σ_Lγ) for Hg, Pb and Bi compounds were investigated. The samples were excited by gamma rays with energy 59.5 keV from ²⁴¹Am radioisotope source. L X-rays emitted by samples were counted by a Si(Li) detector with resolution 160 eV at 5.9 keV. We observed chemical effect on the photon induced L X-ray fluorescence cross-sections (σ_Lα, σ_Lβ and σ_Lγ) for Hg, Pb and Bi compounds. Our values were compared with calculated theoretical values.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the liquid-phase oxidation of tert-butyl phenylacetate

The oxidation of tert-butyl phenylacetate in ortho-dichlorobenzene at 140°C occurs with short chains. The primary nonperoxide reaction products (tert-butyl α-hydroxyphenylacetate, tert-butyl α-oxophenylacetate, and benzaldehyde) are formed by the decomposition of a hydroperoxide (tert-butyl α-hydroperoxyphenylacetate) and (or) by the recombination of peroxy radicals with and without chain termination. Benzaldehyde and tert-butyl α-hydroxyphenylacetate undergo radical chain oxidation in a reaction medium to result in benzoic acid and tert-butyl α-oxophenylacetate. Homolytic hydroperoxide decomposition is responsible for process autoacceleration and results in benzaldehyde, which is also formed from hydroperoxide by a nonradical mechanism, probably, via a dioxetane intermediate. Both of the reactions are catalyzed by benzoic acid. Benzoic acid has no effect on hydroperoxide conversion into tert-butyl α-oxophenylacetate, which most likely occurs as a result of hydroperoxide decomposition induced by peroxy radicals. The rate constants of the main steps of the process and kinetic parameters have been calculated by solving an inverse kinetic problem.     

Mixed oxides of sodium, antimony (5+) and divalent metals (Ni, Co, Zn or Mg)

A family of α-NaFeO₂-type oxides Na_xM_(1+x)/3Sb_(2−x)/3O₂ (M=Ni, Co, Zn, Mg; x≈0.8 or 0.9) has been prepared by solid state reactions and characterized by powder XRD. At x=1, ordering occurs with tripling the unit cells and formula units. The powder patterns for Na₃M₂SbO₆ (M=Ni, Co) comply with both trigonal P3₁12 cell and monoclinic C2/m cell. The Ni compound exhibits also a series of extremely weak reflections (I<0.3%) that need doubling of the c axis, and the final cell is C2/c, a=5.3048(3), b=9.1879(4), c=10.8356(7), β=99.390(5). These ambiguities are explained by stacking faults. The compounds absorb atmospheric moisture with c-axis expansion up to 29%. A delafossite-related superlattice Ag₃Co₂SbO₆ has been prepared by ion exchange and refined: P3₁12, a=5.3842(2), c=18.6613(10). Ionic conductivity of the Na_0.8Ni_0.6Sb_0.4O₂ ceramics, 0.4 S/m at 300 °C, is greater than reported previously, presumably owing to the grain orientation produced by hot pressing.     

Topological and thermodynamic investigations of molecular interactions in binary mixtures: Molar excess volumes and molar excess enthalpies

Molar excess volumes and molar excess enthalpies of butyl acetate (i) with cyclohexane or benzene or toluene or o-, m- or p-xylene (j) binary mixtures have been measured dilatometrically and calorimetrically over the entire composition range at 308.15 K. The observed data have also been analyzed in terms of graph theoretical approach. The analysis of V^E data by graph theoretical approach suggests that butyl acetate in pure state exists as associated entity and (i + j) mixtures are characterized by the presence of (i–j) molecular entity. It has further been observed that V^E and H^E values calculated by this approach agree well with the corresponding experimental values. The presence of molecular entity is further confirmed by IR study of (i + j) mixture.     

Preparing β-blocker (R)-Nifenalol based on enantioconvergent synthesis of (R)-p-nitrophenylglycols in continuous packed bed reactor with epoxide hydrolase

An engineered epoxide hydrolase from Vigna radiate (VrEH2_M263N) shows near-perfect enantioconvergence in single enzyme mediated hydrolysis of racemic p-nitrostyrene oxide (pNSO). To explore industrial potential of the promising biocatalyst, we tried to immobilize the VrEH2 variant by covalently linking onto a commercially available amino resin ECR8405F. Then a 5-mL packed bed reactor filled with the immobilized VrEH2_M263N was connected with macroporous resin NKA-11 for in situ product adsorption, and the product (R)-p-nitrophenyl glycol (pNPG) was harvested by methanol elution, with 91% isolated yield and 97% ee. The continuous reactor was operated stably for more than 100?h with a space time yield of 20?g?L^?1?h^?1. Subsequently, the β-blocker (R)-Nifenalol was prepared by chemically synthesized from (R)-pNPG, affording the product in an overall yield of 61.3% (1.5?g) and an enantiopurity of 99.9% ee after recrystallization.     

Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics and morphology of wollastonite-filled β-isotactic polypropylene composites

To obtain wollastonite-filled β-iPP composites, the wollastonite with β-nucleating surface (β-wollastonite) was prepared through chemical reaction between wollastonite with α-nucleating surface (α-wollastonite) and pimelic acid. The formation of calcium pimelate on the surface of wollastonite was proved using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. The crystallization behavior, melting characteristics, non-isothermal crystallization kinetics, and crystalline morphologies of α- and β-wollastonite-filled iPP composites were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. It is found that the crystallization peak temperatures of β-wollastonite-filled iPP composites were higher than that of α-wollastonite-filled iPP composites, which indicated that wollastonite with β-nucleating surface has stronger heterogeneous nucleation than that of wollastonite with α-nucleating surface. Although the crystallization temperatures of iPP and iPP composites decreased with increasing cooling rates, α-wollastonite-filled iPP composites mainly crystallized in α-spherulite and β-wollastonite-filled iPP composites formed β-spherulite. In addition, the spherulite size of β-wollastonite-filled iPP composites was smaller than that of α-wollastonite-filled iPP composites. Jeziorny and Mo methods were applicable to study the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of wollastonite-filled iPP composites. The activation energy (?E) and the nucleation efficiency (EN) of non-isothermal crystallization were calculated by Kissinger method and the equation proposed by Fillon, respectively. The β-wollastonite-filled iPP composites exhibited higher crystallization rate, activation energy, and EN than that of α-wollastonite-filled iPP composites.     

Elastic behavior of non-Gaussian polymethylene chains

In this paper, elastic behaviors of non-Gaussian polymethylene (PM) chains with chain length N=100 are investigated by rotational isomeric state model. Here the tetrahedral lattice of PM chain and the non-local interaction of Sutherland potential are adopted. In the metropolis movement of PM chain, a four-bond movement model is used. The average energy and average Helmholtz free energy with various elongation ratios λ are calculated by Monte Carlo simulation method. The average energy increases with elongation ratio λ and the average Helmholtz free energy decreases with elongation ratio λ. The elastic force f and the energy contribution to elastic force f_u can be obtained from f=∂〈A〉/∂r and f=∂〈U〉/∂r. We find that the elastic force f increases with elongation ratio λ and the energy contribution f_u decreases with elongation ratio λ, and f_u is less than zero. The ratio f_u/f is close to −0.21 for λ?1.25, and −0.04 to −0.35 for λ>1.25 at T=364 K. In our calculation, the rubber elasticity may be discussed in terms of the chemical structure of polymer chains.     

Light scattering behaviour of low-molecular-weight polymers in mixed solvents with very high selective sorption

Some low-molecular-weight polymers (poly(butyl methacrylate), nylon 6, nylon 12) in the solvent system m-cresol/n-heptane, with effective refractive index increments (?n/?c)_μ in the range 0.34?0.81 ml/g, have been studied by light scattering. These extremely large values, measured by differential refractometry of solutions in the state of dialysis equilibrium, are mainly due to very great selective sorption of one solvent component (m-cresol) on the polymers studied. The effect inherent to these systems, viz. that of the free solvent composition change, has been discussed and exemplified by the light scattering behaviour of solutions of oligomers of butyl methacrylate. The light scattering anomalies observed with solutions of some nylons in m-cresol/n-heptane have been interpreted as due to interaction of polymer end-groups. It has been demonstrated that the determination of $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{w}}$ of the order of 10³ by light scattering in systems with large (?n/?c)_μ values, i.e. with large scattering power, is possible with good accuracy.     

Preparation and identification of bis(formylmethano)[60]fullerene isomers: the first systematic study on bifunctionalized [60]fullerenes with dissymmetric addends

Fourteen isomers of bis(formylmethano)C₆₀ were isolated and characterized. A mixture of the bisadducts was obtained by the reaction of C₆₀ with an α-formylsulfonium ylide, and then separated into 15 fractions by preparative HPLC, preparative TLC, and recycling preparative HPLC. Fourteen of the fifteen fractions were found to consist of a single isomer, respectively, which were assigned to the trans-2 (3 diastereo-isomers), trans-3 (3 diastereo-isomers), trans-4 (3 diastereo-isomers), equatorial (2 diastereo-isomers), and cis-2 (3 diastereo-isomers) bisadducts by the comparison of their UV/vis spectra with those of the bisadducts obtained by the Bingel-Hirsch reaction. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis, the transformation of the formyl groups, and the dipole moment calculation clarified the stereochemistry of the substituents on the two cyclopropane bridge-head carbons (in/in, in/out, and out/out).     

Spektrochemische bestimmung von sulfat bzw. Chlorid mit roentgenfluoreszenz nach anreicherung durch mitfällung an BaCrO4 BZW. AgSCN aus verdünnten lösungen

Sulphate and chloride are quantitatively co-precipitated from dilute solutions (10^?5- 10^?4M) with BaCrO₄ and AgSCN respectively, and determined in the precipitate by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Ratios of count-rates I_S/I_Cr and I_Cl/I_Sfor the appropriate K_α-lines are used for quantitative evaluation by comparison with reference standards prepared the same way. The method enables both sulphate and chloride to be determined in 50–100 ml of tap-water with a reproducibility of about 3%.     

Synthesis of polypyrrole–polycaprolactone composites by emulsion polymerization and the electrorheological behavior of their suspensions

Polypyrrole–polycaprolactone (PPy-PCL) composites were synthesized by emulsion polymerization to improve their mechanical and electrical properties by forming conducting polymer composites and hence enhance the electrorheological (ER) response. Various PPy-PCL composite particles were synthesized by controlling the amount of PCL. The ER response increased with increasing electric field strength and particle volume fraction. A power-law dependence, τ?=?Kφ ^m E ⁿ , showed a good fit to the yield stresses when m?=?2 and n?=?1.5. The dependence of E ^1.5 is consistent with the conduction model and the dependence of φ ² appears to be related to structural changes with the electric field, which leads to many-body interactions between the particles. The ER response also increased with increasing amount of PCL, but the dielectric properties and dc conductivities of the PPy-PCL composite particles and the dielectric properties of the PPy-PCL composite suspensions were not consistent with the ER behavior. However, the particle diameter increased with the increasing amount of PCL, which is consistent with the ER behavior. The ER behavior of various amounts of PCL fits τ?=?85.12d ⁴ E ^3/2 quite well. The proportionality of d ⁴ appears to be due to the many-body interactions between the particles.     

Strength predictions by applied effective volume theory in short-glass-fibre-reinforced plastics

Uniaxial stresses were evaluated under flexural, tensile and torsional tests with various fibre volume fractions, v_f, and specimen sizes to develop simple and effective predictions on the quasi-static strength of compression-moulded short-glass-fibre-reinforced phenolic resin. The distributions in fibre orientation and fibre length were represented by Weibull and normal distributions, regardless of v_f. The size effect was characterized by uniaxial stress testing and Weibull statistical analysis. The effective volume theory (EVT) was used to predict the quasi-static strength for v_f of 0.0 with a scale parameter of 108.2 MPa and a shape parameter of 8.92. Strength prediction while considering V_eff and v_f was proposed by applying the EVT of the resin matrix to a method that combined a modified rule of mixtures and the Thai-Hill failure criterion. The measured value agreed well with the prediction for each V_eff and v_f, regardless of manufacturing defects in the matrix resin.     

Microfluidic cells with interdigitated array gold electrodes: Fabrication and electrochemical characterization

Microfluidic flow cells combined with an interdigitated array (IDA) electrode and/or individually driven interdigitated electrodes were fabricated and characterized for application as detectors for flow injection analysis. The gold electrodes were produced by a process involving heat transfer of a toner mask onto the gold surface of a CD-R and etching of the toner-free gold region by short exposure to iodine-iodide solution. The arrays of electrodes with individual area of 0.01 cm² (0.10 cm of length × 0.10 cm of width and separated by gaps of 0.05 or 0.03 cm) were assembled in microfluidic flow cells with 13 or 19 μm channel depth. The electrochemical characterization of the cells was made by voltammetry under stationary conditions and the influence of experimental parameters related to geometry of the channels and electrodes were studied by using K₄Fe(CN)₆ as model system. The obtained results for peaks currents (I_p) are in excellent agreement with the expected ones for a reversible redox system under stationary thin-layer conditions. Two different configurations of the working electrodes, E_i, auxiliary electrode, A, and reference electrode, R, on the chip were examined: E_i/R/A and R/E_i/A, with the first presenting certain uncompensated resistance. This is because the potentiostat actively compensates the iR drop occurring in the electrolyte thin layer between A and R, but not from R to each E_i. This is confirmed by the smaller difference between the cathodic and anodic peak potentials for the second configuration. Evaluation of the microfluidic flow cells combined with (individually driven) interdigitated array electrodes as biamperometric or amperometric detectors for FIA reveals stable and reproducible operation, with peak heights presenting relative standard deviations of less than 2.2%. For electrochemically reversible species, FIA peaks with enhanced current signal were obtained due to redox cycling under flow operation. The versatility of microfluidic flow cells, produced by simple and low-cost technique, associated with the rich information content of electrochemical techniques with arrays of electrodes, opens many future research and application opportunities.     

A concise and stereospecific synthesis of some cyclitols containing eight-membered rings: cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraoles

A concise and efficient synthesis of cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraoles, new polyhydroxylated eight-membered carbocycles, is described starting from cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene. Cyclooctene endoperoxide obtained by photooxygenation of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene was the key compound in the synthesis. Reduction of the endoperoxide with zinc or thiourea followed by acetylation of the hydroxyl group and OsO₄/NMO oxidation of the double bond gave (1R(S),2S(R),3R(S),4S(R))-cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraol. Interestingly, epoxidation of cyclooctene-1,4-diol with m-CPBA also afforded trans-epoxy-diol 17. (1R(S),2R(S),3R(S),4S(R))-cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraol was easily obtained by hydrolysis of epoxy-diol 17.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy- and 3-amino-3-phenylpropanoic acid

Ethyl (S)-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate (S)-2 was obtained by the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 3-phenyl-3-oxopropionate 1 with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 9080). The kinetic resolution of racemic ethyl 2-acetoxy-3-phenyl-propionate rac-3 with the same microorganism, gave after hydrolysis ethyl (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionates (R)-2 and (S)-2 which were converted by a straightforward series of reactions to the enantiomers of 3-amino-3-phenyl-propionic acids (S)-6 and (R)-6. The asymmetric reduction and hydrolytic kinetic resolution were also tested with several other whole cell systems under a variety of conditions.     

Synthesis and properties of BCOD-fused trithiasapphyrin and trithiabenzosapphyrins

Bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene(BCOD)-fused trithiasapphyrin was prepared by 3+2 condensation of BCOD-fused thiatripyrrane with BCOD-fused bithiophene. The BCOD-fused trithiasapphyrin was successfully converted to pentabenzo[b,g,l,q,v]sapphyrin by the thermal retro-Diels-Alder reaction. In this case, trithiapentabenzo[b,g,l,q,v]- and trithiadibenzo[g,q]sapphyrins were selectively prepared by control of the temperature in the thermal retro-Diels-Alder reaction.     

The synthesis of chiral β-ketosulfoxides by enantioselective oxidation and their stereocontrolled reduction to β-hydroxysulfoxides

Various chiral non-racemic β-ketosulfoxides, a class of compounds frequently used in asymmetric synthesis, were prepared in good yields by tert-butyl hydroperoxide oxidation of the corresponding sulfides in the presence of a complex between titanium and (S,S)-hydrobenzoin. The ee values of almost all of the purified products were >98%. As ascertained by X-ray analysis and/or by NMR spectroscopy, the use of the (S,S)-form of the ligand led to aryl β-ketosulfoxides with (R_S)-configuration and to methyl phenacyl sulfoxide with the (S_S)-configuration. Some of the aryl ketosulfoxides were subjected to reduction with DIBAL-H/ZnCl₂ and the corresponding β-sulfinylalcohols with an (R,R_S)-configuration produced.