Electrocatalytic Oxidation and Determination of Nitrite at Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Carbon Ceramic Electrode

In the present work, the electrochemical oxidation of nitrite on carbon ceramic electrode (CCE) modified with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The modified electrode exhibited catalytic activity toward the electrooxidation of nitrite. Experimental parameters such as solution pH, scan rate, concentration of nitrite and nanotubes amount were studied. It was shown nitrite can be determined by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and hydrodynamic amperometry (HA) using the modified electrode. Under the optimized conditions the calibration plots are linear in the concentration ranges of 15‐220 and 50‐3000 μM with limit of detections of 4.74 and 35.8 μM for DPV and HA, respectively. The modified electrode was successfully applied for analysis of nitrite in spinach sample. The results were favorbly compared to those obtained by UV‐Visible spectrophotometric method. The results of the analysis suggest that the proposed method has promise for the routine determination of nitrite in the examined products.     

Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT)‐Ionic Liquid‐Modified Carbon Paste Electrode: Probing FurazolidoneDNA Interactions and DNA Determination

The interactions of furazolidone (Fu) with double‐stranded calf thymus DNA (dsDNA) on the multi‐walled carbon nanotubes‐ionic liquid‐modified carbon paste electrode (MWCNT‐IL‐CPE) have been studied by cyclic voltammetry. In the presence of DNA, the cathodic peak current of Fu decreased and the peak potential shifted to a positive potential, indicating the intercalative interaction of Fu with DNA. The binding constant of Fu with DNA and stoichiometric coefficient has been determined according to the Hill's model. This electrochemical method was further applied to the determination of DNA. Two linear calibration curves were obtained for DNA detection in the concentration ranges of 0.03–0.10 and 0.10–4.0 μg l^?1 with a detection limit of 0.027 μg l^?1. The method was successfully applied to analyze Fu in serum samples.     

Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes by an Ionic‐Liquid Polymer: Dispersion of Pt and PtRu Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes and Their Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

Small beginnings : Metal nanoparticle/CNT nanohybrids are synthesized from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with an ionic‐liquid polymer. The Pt and PtRu nanoparticles with narrow size distribution (average diameter: (1.3±0.4) nm for PtRu, (1.9±0.5) nm for Pt) are dispersed uniformly on the CNTs (see images) and show good performance in methanol electrooxidation.

     

Chitosan‐Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes as Support for the High Dispersion of PtRu Nanoparticles and their Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were non‐covalently functionalized with chitosan (Chit) and then employed as the support for PtRu nanoparticles. The functionalization was carried out at room temperature without the use of corrosive acids, thereby preserving the integrity and the electronic conductivity of the CNTs. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that PtRu nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of Chit‐functionalized CNTs (CNT‐Chit) with small particle‐size. Cyclic voltammetry studies indicated that the PtRu nanoparticle/CNT‐Chit nanohybrids have a higher electrochemical surface area, electrocatalytic performance, and stability towards methanol oxidation compared to PtRu nanoparticles supported on the pristine CNTs.     

Zn-MOF-74负载ILs的结构稳定性和吸附研究

离子液体（ILs）作为一种新型绿色溶剂应用广泛,以多孔材料MOFs作为支撑体负载ILs,不仅有望降低离子液体的高粘性,而且有助于提高材料的吸附分离能力,但要如何选择适合MOFs体系来负载ILs是一个难点。本文采用密度泛函理论（DFT）,利用VASP和Gaussian 09 程序对负载IL（[Emim][BF4]）的Zn-MOF-74的结构稳定性进行系统研究,从几何结构、电荷分析、相互作用等方面将Zn-MOF-74@[Emim][BF4]复合体系与[Emim][BF4]和Zn-MOF-74比较分析。计算结果表明,负载[Emim][BF4]的Zn-MOF-74体系中,IL的阴离子与Zn-MOF-74的开放金属位点Zn发生强相互作用, Zn、F1原子之间因库仑力成键,造成了MOF-74配位构型的改变。IL的负载扰乱了Zn-MOF-74结构的对称性,增强了离子间相互作用。Zn-MOF-74 @[Emim][BF4]复合体系形变过程伴随着电荷转移,其吸附能为-1.032 eV,绘制的差分电荷以及相互作用图验证MOF和IL之间发生了化学吸附。进一步探讨负载离子液体的Zn-MOF-74吸附能力,研究了CO2在复合体系中吸附作用机制。     

Liquid‐Crystalline Ionic Liquids as Ordered Reaction Media for the Diels–Alder Reaction

Liquid‐crystalline ionic liquids (LCILs) are ordered materials that have untapped potential to be used as reaction media for synthetic chemistry. This paper investigates the potential for the ordered structures of LCILs to influence the stereochemical outcome of the Diels–Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and methyl acrylate. The ratio of endo‐ to exo‐product from this reaction was monitored for a range of ionic liquids (ILs) and LCILs. Comparison of the endo:exo ratios in these reactions as a function of cation, anion and liquid crystallinity of the reaction media, allowed for the effects of liquid crystallinity to be distinguished from anion effects or cation alkyl chain length effects. These data strongly suggest that the proportion of exo‐product increases as the reaction media is changed from an isotropic IL to a LCIL. A detailed molecular dynamics (MD) study suggests that this effect is related to different hydrogen bonding interactions between the reaction media and the exo‐ and endo‐transition states in solvents with layered, smectic ordering compared to those that are isotropic.     

Nitrite Oxidation with Copper–Cobalt Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes Doped Conducting Polymer PEDOT Composite

Copper–cobalt bimetal nanoparticles (Cu?Co) have been electrochemically prepared on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs), which were electrodeposited with conducting polymer nanocomposites of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) doped with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Owing to their good conductivity, high mechanical strength, and large surface area, the PEDOT/CNTs composites offered excellent substrates for the electrochemical deposition of Cu?Co nanoparticles. As a result of their nanostructure and the synergic effect between Cu and Co, the Cu?Co/PEDOT/CNTs composites exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic activity towards the electrochemical oxidation of nitrite. Under optimized conditions, the nanocomposite‐modified electrodes had a fast response time within 2 s and a linear range from 0.5 to 430 μm for the detection of nitrite, with a detection limit of 60 nm . Moreover, the Cu?Co/PEDOT/CNTs composites were highly stable, and the prepared nitrite sensors could retain more than 96 % of their initial response after 30 days.     

Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes Non‐covalently Functionalized with Polyarginine: A New Alternative for the Construction of Reagentless NAD+/Dehydrogenase‐based Ethanol Biosensor

This work reports for the first time the development of a reagentless enzymatic amperometric biosensor for ethanol based on the use of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) non‐covalently functionalized with polyarginine (Polyarg) as platform for the robust immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and NAD⁺. The new strategy allows to obtain an integrated GCE/MWCNTs‐Polyarg/NAD⁺‐ADH ethanol biosensor with important advantages compared to the existing ethanol biosensors: avoids the external addition of the cofactor for each measurement, ensures a fast and sensitive quantification of ethanol due to the intimate interaction of the components, and allows the detection at considerably lower potentials due to the catalytic activity of the carbon nanostructures. These unique properties have made possible a very efficient ethanol quantification with a sensitivity of (1487±6) μA M^?1, detection limit of 0.65 μM, response time of 8 s, and reproducibility of 5.5 % with a very successful application for the quantification of ethanol in different commercial beverages.     

A Novel Strategy for Determination of Paracetamol in the Presence of Morphine Using a Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with CdO Nanoparticles and Ionic Liquids

A voltammetric sensor for determination of paracetamol in the presence of morphine is described for the first time. The synthesized CdO nanoparticles were characterized with different methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The paracetamol and morphine peaks are separated ca. 0.37 and 0.65 V, respectively; hence paracetamol can be analysed in the presence of morphine and more than 21 times of the current excess of paracetamol. The detection limits for paracetamol and morphine were 0.07 and 0.1 μM, respectively. The sensor has been successfully applied for the assay of the above compounds in real samples.     

Electrochemical Quantification of Hygroscopicity of Ionic Liquids with Solution‐Dissolved Potassium Ferricyanide as the Redox Probe

Quantification of hygroscopicity of ionic liquids (ILs) is of great importance in both fundamental studies and practical applications of ILs. This study demonstrates an electrochemical method for effectively quantifying the hygroscopicity of ILs through electrochemically monitoring water contents absorbed into ILs. The measurements of water content absorbed into the ILs are performed with square wave voltammetry (SWV) based on the water‐induced enhancement of diffusion of solution‐dissolved potassium ferricyanide (K₃Fe(CN)₆) redox probe. For demonstration, two kinds of ILs with different hygroscopicity (i.e., hydrophilic Bmim⁺Gly^? and hydrophobic Bmim⁺PF₆^?) are employed in this study. The dissolution of K₃Fe(CN)₆ redox probe into ILs is found to have little effect on the hygroscopicity of ILs. The hygroscopicity of ILs is thus able to be quantified by monitoring water content absorbed into ILs as a function of time when ILs are stored at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure under 55 % relative humidity (RH). Under the conditions employed in this study, the hygroscopicity of Bmim⁺Gly^? and Bmim⁺PF₆^? is determined to be 1.33 M per hour and 0.05 M per hour, respectively, which are almost consistent with those measured with Karl Fischer titration under the same conditions. The electrochemical method demonstrated in this study is experimentally simply and environmentally benign and may be potentially extended for general quantification of hygroscopicity of ILs.     

Supported Palladium Oxide Nanoparticles in SBA‐15 as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

Palladium nanoparticles were first synthesized through the thermal decomposition method and subsequently immobilized on ordered mesoporous silica material, SBA‐15, to afford PdO/SBA‐15 catalyst. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption‐desorption measurement, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The catalytic activity was tested for the aerobic oxidation of alcohols. Easy recovery, high yeilds and relatively short reaction times were observed for the mentioned catalyst.     

The Synthesis of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles by Solvothermal Method using Ionic Liquid as Additive

The solvothermal reactions of Ti(OiPr)₄ in alcohol using ionic liquid as additive were investigated. In the presence of [BMIM][Cl], [BMIM][Br], [BMIM][NTf₂], [BMIM][SO₃Me], [BMIM][SO₄Me], or [BMIM][OTf] (BMIM = 1‐Butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium), pure anatase nanoparticles were obtained. The controlled hydrolysis of Ti(OiPr)₄ in the presence of ionic liquids to form titanium oxo clusters plays a key role in the formation of anatase nanostructures, and ionic liquids can be repeatedly used to synthesise anatase nanoparticles. However, in the presence of [BMIM][PF₆], [BMIM]₂[Ti(OH)₆] was obtained by an anion exchange reaction.     

Efficient and Reusable Sn(II)‐containing Imidazolium‐based Ionic Liquid as a Catalyst for the Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol

A simple and efficient catalytic system [BBIM]Br–SnCl₂ for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant has been developed. Reaction conditions such as the catalyst dose, the solvents, reaction temperature, reaction time, and the amount of hydrogen peroxide were investigated. The optimum reaction conditions identified were 0.11 g of catalyst, no solvent, 65°C, 15 min, and 2 mmol of hydrogen peroxide. Oxidation of various alcohols was also investigated under the optimized conditions. The catalyst [BBIM]Br–SnCl₂ can be easily recovered and reused for six reaction runs without significant loss of catalytic activity, because the Sn species of the catalyst can be coordinated with the imidazole ring of the ionic liquid. The reused catalyst was further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to evaluate its chemical properties. The results proved that the [BBIM]Br–SnCl₂ catalyst was stable and reusable for the oxidation reactions. A possible mechanism for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde is proposed.     

Synthesis of Pd‐Pt Ultrathin Assembled Nanosheets as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for Ethanol Oxidation

Control over composition and morphology of nanocrystals (NCs) is significant to develop advanced catalysts applicable to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and further overcome the performance limitations. Here, we present a facile synthesis of Pd?Pt alloy ultrathin assembled nanosheets (UANs) by regulating the growth behavior of Pd?Pt nanostructures. Iodide ions supplied from KI play as capping agents for the {111} plane to promote 2‐dimensional (2D) growth of Pd and Pt, and the optimal concentrations of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and ascorbic acid result in the generation of Pd?Pt alloy UANs in high yield. The prepared Pd?Pt alloy UANs exhibited the remarkable enhancement of the catalytic activity and stability toward ethanol oxidation reaction compared to irregular‐shaped Pd?Pt alloy NCs, commercial Pd/C, and commercial Pt/C. Our results confirm that the Pd?Pt alloy composition and ultrathin 2D morphology offer high accessible active sites and favorable electronic structure for enhancing electrocatalytic activity.     

A Green Method for the Synthesis of Cyclopenta[b]chromen‐1(9H)‐one Derivatives in Ionic Liquids

A series of cyclopenta[b]chromen‐1(9H)‐one derivatives is prepared in high yields by a one‐pot reaction of substituted salicylaldehydes and cyclopentane‐1,3‐dione in ionic liquids of [BMIm]Br, the procedure is very mild and environmentally benign.     

Size‐Dependent Electrocatalytic Activity of Free Gold Nanoparticles for the Glucose Oxidation Reaction

Understanding the fundamental relationship between the size and the structure of electrode materials is essential to design catalysts and enhance their activity. Therefore, spherical gold nanoparticles (GNSs) with a mean diameter from 4 to 15 nm were synthesized. UV/Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and under‐potential deposition of lead (UPD_Pb) were used to determine the morphology, size, and surface crystallographic structure of the GNSs. The UPD_Pb revealed that their crystallographic facets are affected by their size and the growth process. The catalytic properties of these GNSs toward glucose electrooxidation were studied by cyclic voltammetry, taking into account the scan rate and temperature effects. The results clearly show the size‐dependent electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation reactions that are controlled by diffusion. Small GNSs with an average size of 4.2 nm exhibited high catalytic activity. This drastic increase in activity results from the high specific area and reactivity of the surface electrons induced by their small size. The reaction mechanism was investigated by in situ Fourier transform infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Gluconolactone and gluconate were identified as the intermediate and the final reaction product, respectively, of the glucose electrooxidation.     

Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagent Mediated Synthesis of 2‐Methylbenzofuran Derivatives by Pummerer‐type Reaction in Ionic Liquid

An efficient route for the synthesis of 2‐methylbenzofuran derivatives utilizing hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and a‐(methylthio)acetone via Pummerer‐type reaction in ionic liquid is described.     

The Direct Electron Transfer of Iron‐Containing Superoxide Dismutase (Fe‐SOD) and its Catalysis for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) on a Gold Electrode

In this work, for the first time, the direct electron transfer of iron‐containing superoxide dismutase (Fe‐SOD) was observed by cyclic voltammetry on a gold (Au) electrode in three RTILs, i.e., 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF₄), 1‐n‐propyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (PMIBF₄) and 1‐n‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIBF₄). And the results demonstrate that when the scan rate was as low as 1 mV/s, a pair of well‐defined quasi‐reversible peaks of Fe‐SOD was presented, while as the potential scan rate was above 10 mV/s, the reduction peak of Fe‐SOD disappeared though its oxidation peak could be clearly observed even as the potential scan rate was up to 400 mV/s, strongly indicating that these CVs we observed were attributable to Fe‐SOD rather than the impurities in RTILs. Its catalysis for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was directly verified by the shifting of formal potential, E⁰′, of ORR, to the positive direction though the value of standard rate constant, κ⁰, corresponding to ORR, was not much enhanced. In PMIBF₄, for the multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)‐modified gold electrode, both the reduction peak current and oxidation peak current for oxygen redox reaction were all dramatically enhanced compared to the case of a bare gold electrode, and the value of κ⁰ was also increased from 3.1 × 10^?3 cm s^?1 for the bare gold electrode, to 17.5 × 10^?3 cm s^?1. Hence, in the presence of Fe‐SOD in RTILs, MWCNTs, showing catalysis for the electron transfer process of ORR, coupled with Fe‐SOD, leading to the shifting of formal potential corresponding to ORR to the positive direction, presented us a satisfactory catalysis for ORR in RTILs. Some reasons available for this catalysis behavior stemming from Fe‐SOD, and MWCNTs as well, for ORR are discussed based on the previously developed proposition.     

Water‐ and Organo‐Dispersible Gold Nanoparticles Supported by Using Ammonium Salts of Hyperbranched Polystyrene: Preparation and Catalysis

Gold nanoparticles (1 nm in size) stabilized by ammonium salts of hyperbranched polystyrene are prepared. Selection of the R groups provides access to both water‐ and organo‐dispersible gold nanoparticles. The resulting gold nanoparticles are subjected to studies on catalysis in solution, which include reduction of 4‐nitrophenol with sodium borohydride, aerobic oxidation of alcohols, and homocoupling of phenylboronic acid. In the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol, the catalytic activity is clearly dependent on the size of the gold nanoparticles. For the aerobic oxidation of alcohols, two types of biphasic oxidation are achieved: one is the catalyst dispersing in the aqueous phase, whereas the other is in the organic phase. The catalysts are reusable more than four times without loss of the catalytic activity. Selective synthesis of biphenyl is achieved by the homocoupling of phenylboronic acid catalyzed by organo‐dispersible gold nanoparticles.