Carbon dioxide production in the oxidation of organic acids by Cerium(IV) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

The stoichiometry of CO₂ production during the ceric oxidation of various organic acids is measured under conditions with organic acid excess. Measurements utilize a photometric methodology. For anaerobic conditions stoichiometries [CO₂]_produced:[Ce(IV)]_reduced of about 0 (malonic acid), 0.5 (e.g., glyoxylic acid), and 1.0 (oxalic acid) are found. Oxalic acid showed an oxygen-induced decrease of CO₂ production, while other compounds such as malonic acid increased the amount of produced CO₂ or showed no changes (e.g., tartronic acid). In the case of mesoxalic acid the stoichiometry is increased from about 0.5 to 2.0 due to the presence of molecular oxygen. The results are discussed on the basis of simple reaction mechanisms demonstrating that useful information on reaction pathways and intermediates can be extracted from these simple measurements. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 899–902, 1998     

Structure and property development in poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) during heat treatment under tension

The evolution of several structural characteristics during isothermal heat treatment of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) was studied. In this work, heat treatment was interrupted after different treatment times, with the specimens immediately quenched to room temperature. These specimens were then characterized by tensile testing, wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering, and optical microscopy. Structural parameters obtained from these measurements relate to crystal perfection (via the paracrystalline axial distortion parameter), axial crystallite size, transverse crystallite size, degree of chain misorientation, and degree of pleating. Structural and mechanical parameters were then plotted against heat-treatment time to obtain kinetic isotherms for each parameter. The kinetics of the removal of chain misorientation parallels that of tensile modulus increase under all conditions. Of the other structural parameters, only the kinetics of pleat removal mimics that of modulus change, indicating that pleat removal is the effective cause of increased chain alignment and thereby of increased axial stiffness. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Heteroatom‐Doped Carbon Dots (CDs) as a Class of Metal‐Free Photocatalysts for PET‐RAFT Polymerization under Visible Light and Sunlight

A key challenge of photoregulated living radical polymerization is developing efficient and robust photocatalysts. Now carbon dots (CDs) have been exploited for the first time as metal‐free photocatalysts for visible‐light‐regulated reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Screening of diverse heteroatom‐doped CDs suggested that the P‐ and S‐doped CDs were effective photocatalysts for RAFT polymerization under mild visible light following a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) involved oxidative quenching mechanism. PET‐RAFT polymerization of various monomers with temporal control, narrow dispersity (?≈1.04), and chain‐end fidelity was achieved. Besides, it was demonstrated that the CD‐catalyzed PET‐RAFT polymerization was effectively performed under natural solar irradiation.     

Chemical reactions in treatment with pulsed electric discharges of an active metallic charge in a solution of a chromium(VI) salt

Effect of pulsed electric discharges on aqueous solutions of chromium(VI) in a reactor with an aluminum or iron charge was studied. A mechanism of the occurring processes was suggested. Changes in the pH values of the aqueous solutions of chromium(VI) and the composition and yield of the products formed were determined. The possibility of water treatment to remove chromium by this method was demonstrated.     

Ionic liquid as an efficient promoting medium for fixation of carbon dioxide: a clean method for the synthesis of 5-methylene-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones from propargylic alcohols, amines, and carbon dioxide catalyzed by Cu(I) under mild conditions

[reaction: see text] The reactions of propargylic alcohols, aliphatic primary amines, and CO2 were conducted in CuCl/[BMIm]BF4 system to produce the corresponding 5-methylene-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones under relatively mild conditions. The products could be conveniently isolated by means of liquid-liquid extraction. The solvent ionic liquid as well as CuCl catalyst can be recovered and reused three times without appreciable loss of activity. By this green approach, several new 5-methylene-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones were prepared in excellent yields and purity and were well-characterized.     

Preparative asymmetric reduction of ketones in a biphasic medium with an (S)-alcohol dehydrogenase under in situ-cofactor-recycling with a formate dehydrogenase

The substrate range of a novel recombinant (S)-alcohol dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus erythropolis is described. In addition, an enzyme-compatible biphasic reaction medium for the asymmetric biocatalytic reduction of ketones with in situ-cofactor regeneration has been developed. Thus, reductions of poorly water soluble ketones in the presence of the alcohol dehydrogenase from R. erythropolis and a formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii can be carried out at higher substrate concentrations of 10-200 mM. The resulting (S)-alcohols were formed with moderate to good conversion rates, and with up to >99% ee.     

Robust Binding between Carbon Nitride Nanosheets and a Binuclear Ruthenium(II) Complex Enabling Durable,Selective CO2 Reduction under Visible Light in Aqueous Solution

Carbon nitride nanosheets (NS‐C₃N₄) were found to undergo robust binding with a binuclear ruthenium(II) complex ( RuRu′ ) even in basic aqueous solution. A hybrid material consisting of NS‐C₃N₄ (further modified with nanoparticulate Ag) and RuRu ′ promoted the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to formate in aqueous media, in conjunction with high selectivity (approximately 98 %) and a good turnover number (>2000 with respect to the loaded Ru complex). These represent the highest values yet reported for a powder‐based photocatalytic system during CO₂ reduction under visible light in an aqueous environment. We also assessed the desorption of RuRu ′ from the Ag/C₃N₄ surface, a factor that can contribute to a loss of activity. It was determined that desorption is not induced by salt additives, pH changes, or photoirradiation, which partly explains the high photocatalytic performance of this material.     

Robust Binding between Carbon Nitride Nanosheets and a Binuclear Ruthenium(II) Complex Enabling Durable,Selective CO2 Reduction under Visible Light in Aqueous Solution

Carbon nitride nanosheets (NS‐C₃N₄) were found to undergo robust binding with a binuclear ruthenium(II) complex ( RuRu′ ) even in basic aqueous solution. A hybrid material consisting of NS‐C₃N₄ (further modified with nanoparticulate Ag) and RuRu ′ promoted the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to formate in aqueous media, in conjunction with high selectivity (approximately 98 %) and a good turnover number (>2000 with respect to the loaded Ru complex). These represent the highest values yet reported for a powder‐based photocatalytic system during CO₂ reduction under visible light in an aqueous environment. We also assessed the desorption of RuRu ′ from the Ag/C₃N₄ surface, a factor that can contribute to a loss of activity. It was determined that desorption is not induced by salt additives, pH changes, or photoirradiation, which partly explains the high photocatalytic performance of this material.     

Mechanochemical Iridium(III)‐Catalyzed C−H Bond Amidation of Benzamides with Sulfonyl Azides under Solvent‐Free Conditions in a Ball Mill

Mechanochemical conditions have been applied to an iridium(III)‐catalyzed C?H bond amidation process for the first time. In the absence of solvent, the mechanochemical activation enables the formation of an iridium species that catalyzes the ortho‐selective amidation of benzamides with sulfonyl azides as the nitrogen source. As the reaction proceeds in the absence of organic solvents without external heating and yields the desired products in excellent yields within short reaction times, this method constitutes a powerful, fast, and environmentally benign alternative to the common solvent‐based standard approaches.     

Vanadium uptake and an effect of vanadium treatment on 18 F-labeled water movement in a cowpea plant by positron emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS)

We present real time vanadate (V⁵⁺ ) uptake imaging in acowpea plant by positron emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). Vanadium-48was produced by bombarding a Sc foil target with 50 MeV -particlesat Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Application (TIARA) AVFcyclotron. Then ⁴⁸ V was added to the culture solution to investigatethe V distribution in a cowpea plant. The real time uptake of the ⁴⁸V was monitored by PETIS. We measured the distribution of ⁴⁸Vin a whole plant after 3, 6 and 20 hours of V treatment by Bio-imaging AnalyzerSystem (BAS). After the 20 hour treatment, vanadate was detected at the up-groundpart of the plant. To know the effect of V uptake on plant activity, ¹⁸F-labeled water uptake was analyzed by PETIS. When a cowpea plantwas treated with V for 20 hours before ¹⁸ F-labeled water uptakeexperiment, the total amount of ¹⁸F-labeled water absorption wasdrastically decreased. Results suggest the inhibition of water uptake wasmainly caused by the vanadate already moved to the up-ground part of the plant.     

Oxygen reduction in an acid medium: electrocatalysis by CoNPc(1,2) impregnated on a carbon black support; effect of loading and heat treatment

O₂ reduction in an acid medium has been investigated on a transition metal macrocycle, CoNPc(1,2), impregnated on a carbon black support with a high dibutylphthalate adsorption value, using a rotating disk electrode and voltammetry techniques described previously, combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Optimal activity was found for a bilayer coverage (n = 2) at 17%–18% w/w loading. Heat treatment seems to be beneficial for n 3: it increases the overall number N of exchanged electrons and improves the electrode wetting. For the most active samples, mixed Co(II)/Co(III) valencies were displayed.     

Pd/CaCO3 in liquid poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG): an easy and efficient recycle system for partial reduction of alkynes to cis-olefins under a hydrogen atmosphere

Lindlar’s catalyst (Pd/CaCO₃) in PEG (400) has been found to be the most reusable reaction medium for selective reduction of alkynes to cis-olefins. The catalyst and PEG were recycled five times without loss of activity.     

Direct Observation of Primary C−H Bond Oxidation by an Oxido‐Iron(IV) Porphyrin π‐Radical Cation Complex in a Fluorinated Carbon Solvent

Oxido‐iron(IV) porphyrin π‐radical cation species are involved in a variety of heme‐containing enzymes and have characteristic oxidation states consisting of a high‐valent iron center and a π‐conjugated macrocyclic ligand. However, the short lifetime of the complex has hampered detailed reactivity studies. Reported herein is a remarkable increase in the lifetime (80 s at 10 °C) of Fe^IV(TMP^+.)(O)(Cl) ( 2 ; TMP=5,10,15,20‐tetramesitylporphyrin dianion), produced by the oxidation of Fe^III(TMP)(Cl) ( 1 ) by ozone in α,α,α‐trifluorotoluene (TFT). The lifetime is 720 times longer compared to that of the currently most stable species reported to date. The increase in the lifetime improves the reaction efficiency of 2 toward inert alkane substrates, and allowed observation of the reaction of 2 with a primary C?H bond (BDE_C‐H=ca. 100 kcal mol^?1) directly. Activation parameters for cyclohexane hydroxylation were also obtained.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of 22-hydroxy-23-acetylenic steroids, key intermediates in steroid side chain construction. Observation of a directive effect by an α-chiral site during asymmetric reduction with -B-3-pinanyl-9-BBN (Alpine-Borane)

An efficient stereoselective synthesis of 22- - and 22- -hydroxy-23-acetylenic steroids has been developed using -Alpine-Borane (125:1, ) and L-Selectride (1:11, ) to reduce the 22-keto steroid. -Alpine-Borane provides an unexpectedly low 1:2.7, ratio due to the influence of the α- chiral center at C-20 of the steroid.