Decomposition of 2-propanol on an intermetallic compound for hydrogen storage

Decompositon of 2-propanol has been carried out on the hydrogen storage material Mg₂Cu and its modified form (OH–Mg₂Cu) to study their catalytic behavior. The reaction was carried out in a continuous flow type reactor in the temperature range of 403–513 K at various flow rates. Mg₂Cu showed good catalytic activity with large amounts of condensation products. Its modified form gave acetone as the only products. The reason for these differences is explained in terms of differences in the structure of the catalyst as determined by XRD and XPS, as well as by surface area measurements. The reason for the formation of condensation products is discussed.     

Biological mechanism profiling using an annotated compound library

We present a method for testing many biological mechanisms in cellular assays using an annotated library of 2036 small organic molecules. This annotated compound library represents a large-scale collection of compounds with diverse, experimentally confirmed biological mechanisms and effects. We found that this chemical library is (1) more structurally diverse than conventional, commercially available libraries, (2) enriched in active compounds in a tumor cell viability assay, and (3) capable of generating hypotheses regarding biological mechanisms underlying cellular processes. We elucidated biological mechanisms relevant to the antiproliferative activity of 85 compounds from this library that were selected using a high-throughput cell viability screen. We developed a novel automated scoring system for identifying statistically enriched mechanisms among such a subset of compounds. This scoring system can identify both previously known and potentially novel antiproliferative mechanisms.     

Catalytic alkene cyclohydroamination via an imido mechanism

Chiral-at-metal half-sandwich diamide complexes catalyse enantioselective cyclohydroamination of aminoalkenes at unexpectedly high rates given their high coordination number and steric bulk; substantial evidence is presented which argues against the established sigma-bond insertion process and is strongly indicative of an imido [2+2] cycloaddition mechanism.     

Decomposition mechanism of dinitramide onium salts

Thermal decomposition of dinitramide onium salts proceedsvia the dissociative mechanism when pK _a of the base is lower than 5.0 andvia the monomolecular decay of the anion at pK _a>7.0. On going from the melt to the solid state, the reaction mechanism does not change, and the rate decreases by 1–2 orders of magnitude. No anomalous effects inherent in dinitramide metal salts in the solid phase are observed during decomposition of onium salts. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 1951–1953, November, 1997     

Decomposition kinetics of iron (III)-diclofenac compound

Non-isothermal decomposition of iron (III)-diclofenac anhydrous salt was investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) under different conditions in opened and closed α-alumina pans under nitrogen atmosphere. To estimate the activation energy of decomposition, the Capela and Ribeiro isoconversional method was applied. The results show that due to the lid cover different activation energies were obtained. From these curves a tendency can be seen where the plots maintain the same profile for closed lids and almost run parallel to each other. Independently of the different experimental conditions no remarkably different results have been obtained.     

Self-assembly of cerium compound nanopetals via a hydrothermal process: Synthesis, formation mechanism and properties

Nanopetals of cerium hydroxycarbonate have been synthesized via a controlled hydrothermal process in a mixed water-ethanol medium. Electron microscopy indicates that each microsized flower consists of tens to hundreds of cerium hydroxycarbonate nanopetals. These nanopetals have a very large aspect ratio: a width as large as 10 μm, with a thickness as thin as 10 nm. The formation of the cerium compound depends strongly on the composition of the precursors, and is attributed to the favored ethanol oxidation by Ce(IV) ions over Ce(IV) hydrolysis process. Raman studies showed that microflower CeO₂ preferentially stabilizes O₂ as a peroxide species on its surface for CO oxidation.     

Decomposition pathways of an alkaline fuel cell membrane material component via evolved gas analysis

Petroleum samples were analyzed by TG between 25–600°C. Mass loss was observed up to 500°C. The volatile fraction of petroleum samples in the range of 25–150°C were recovered by bubbling the outgoing gaseous products of the TG experiments in dichloromethane. Each volatile fraction obtained was analyzed by HRGC-MS for identification and quantification of the major components. Following this procedure the classification of the petroleum samples were done according to the obtained mass losses between 25–150°C (which varied from 1.76 to 21.89%) and according to their normal paraffin, aromatic and naphthene contents.     

Pyridinedicarboxamide strands form double helices via an activated slippage mechanism

The intertwining process of two strands of oligo-pyridinecarboxamides to form a double helix (Nature 2000, 407, 720) is found to consist of a series of discrete steps, where the tail of one of the strands proceeds inside the other single helix in an eddy-like process. While a plethora of minima can be located along the pathway, they exist only for a few, well-defined supramolecular arrangements of the two molecules. The initial transition state for the introduction of one molecule in the pitch of the other has the largest barrier and is therefore the rate-determining step of an activated slippage mechanism, which is characterized by a series of roller-coasting hills. Along the entire pathway, the intramolecular energy that stabilizes the single helices is slowly transformed into intermolecular energy that finally provides the necessary stabilization only near the end of the entwining process. Solvent or other chemical factors, such as the presence of ions, able to destabilize the full formation of the double helix may therefore drastically affect its formation.     

催化裂解甲烷制备氢气和碳纳米纤维

采用浸渍法制备了Ni/MgO与Ni/O-D(氧化金刚石)催化剂,分别研究了反应温度和空速对甲烷催化裂解转化率的影响,并利用XPS、SEM、EDS等测试技术对催化剂进行了表征. 结果表明,33Ni/O-D和41Ni/MgO分别在500与650 ℃能长时间维持其催化活性,前者在150 min内的甲烷转化率＞8%,后者则在120 min内的甲烷转化率＞25%;甲烷初始转化率随裂解反应温度升高而增大,但温度过高导致催化剂迅速失活;降低空速有利于提高甲烷的转化率,但却会降低氢气产量;甲烷裂解生成的碳产物形貌取决于载体和催化反应条件,较低温度(500和550 ℃)下,Ni/O-D表面的裂解碳呈现出纤维状,在650 ℃以上则表现为板结颗粒堆积并将Ni完全覆盖,但该温度下的Ni/MgO表面仍能形成碳纤维,并随空速降低存在直径增加的趋势.     

Controllable Synthesis of Covellite Nanoparticles via Thermal Decomposition Method

In this study, covellite (CuS) nanoparticles were synthesized through a facile and low temperature thermal decomposition method using [Cu(sal)₂]- oleylamine complex, (sal = salicylaldehydeato, prepared in situ from [Cu(sal)₂] and oleylamine as the precursors), and sulfur as the Cu²⁺ source and S source, respectively. Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, electron diffraction and ultraviolet–visible absorption (UV–Vis) spectra were used for the characterization of the products. The effect of reaction parameters, such as the copper:sulfur molar ratio, the reaction temperature and the reaction time on the shape, size and phase of CuS nanostructures, was investigated. The results showed that the, covellite (hexagonal structure of CuS) with an average size between 20 and 45 nm could be obtained with the Cu:S molar ratio of 1: 3 at 105 °C for 60 min. With increasing the reaction temperature from 105 to 200 °C, non-stoichiometric Cu_1.65S with the average size of 25–50 nm was obtained due to the different existing state of the released Cu²⁺ ions from the copper-oleylamine complex.     

熔盐分解制备氧化锌纳米晶

以新制的乙酰丙酮合锌为前驱体,添加NaCl助剂,在650℃熔盐分解制得了六棱柱形结构的ZnO纳米晶.用X-射线衍射分析(XRD)、能量色散X射线分析(EDX)和场发射扫描电子显微镜(FFSEM)对粉体进行了表征.结果表明,ZnO为六棱柱形纳米晶,属六方纤锌矿结构,结晶性好,平均长度约90nm,平均直径约60nm,长径比约为1.5:1.通过与不添加NaCl的对比试验,简单探讨了六棱柱形ZnO纳米晶的生长过程.     

Phosphodiester cleavage in ribonuclease H occurs via an associative two-metal-aided catalytic mechanism

Ribonuclease H (RNase H) belongs to the nucleotidyl-transferase (NT) superfamily and hydrolyzes the phosphodiester linkages that form the backbone of the RNA strand in RNA x DNA hybrids. This enzyme is implicated in replication initiation and DNA topology restoration and represents a very promising target for anti-HIV drug design. Structural information has been provided by high-resolution crystal structures of the complex RNase H/RNA x DNA from Bacillus halodurans (Bh), which reveals that two metal ions are required for formation of a catalytic active complex. Here, we use classical force field-based and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations for modeling the nucleotidyl transfer reaction in RNase H, clarifying the role of the metal ions and the nature of the nucleophile (water versus hydroxide ion). During the catalysis, the two metal ions act cooperatively, facilitating nucleophile formation and stabilizing both transition state and leaving group. Importantly, the two Mg(2+) metals also support the formation of a meta-stable phosphorane intermediate along the reaction, which resembles the phosphorane intermediate structure obtained only in the debated beta-phosphoglucomutase crystal (Lahiri, S. D.; et al. Science 2003, 299 (5615), 2067-2071). The nucleophile formation (i.e., water deprotonation) can be achieved in situ, after migration of one proton from the water to the scissile phosphate in the transition state. This proton transfer is actually mediated by solvation water molecules. Due to the highly conserved nature of the enzymatic bimetal motif, these results might also be relevant for structurally similar enzymes belonging to the NT superfamily.     

Decomposition of Trimethylamine by an Electron Beam

To identify the decomposition characteristics of trimethylamine (TMA) by electron beam (EB), we conducted an experiment based on process parameters, including absorbed dose (2.5–10 kGy), background gas (air, O₂, N₂ and He), water content (1,200, 14,300, and 27,500 ppm), initial concentration (50, 100, and 200 ppm) and reactor type (batch or continuous flow system). Air background gas showed a maximum TMA removal efficiency of 86 % at 10 kGy and that was the highest efficiency of all background gases. Energy efficiencies were higher when the absorbed dose was lower (e.g., 2.5 kGy). Decomposition efficiencies of all initial TMA concentrations were approximately >90 % at 10 kGy. Removal efficiencies increased up to 30 % as water vapor increased. As a by-product, it is observed that CH₃ radical formed by EB irradiation was converted into CH₄ by reaction with residual TMA, (CH₃)₂NH, and H. These results suggest that EB technology can be applied for TMA treatment under low concentration and high flow rate conditions.     

Decomposition of methane in an AC discharge

This paper presents qualitative and quantitative product analysis results from an atmospheric-pressure AC discharge of nitrogen containing trace levels of methane and oxygen. In the absence of oxygen the primary products were unreacted methane, hydrogen, and hydrogen cyanide. Methane destruction efficiency was unaffected by trace oxygen addition; however, hydrogen and hydrogen cyanide levels decreased and the concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water increased as the level of added oxygen increased. The only cyanide compound that persisted with air as the bulk gas was cyanogen. A chemical mechanism is presented which qualitatively explains the observed product distributions.NRC/NRL postdoctoral fellow.NRL research apprentice program, summer 1984.     

Decomposition of Acetaldehyde Using an Electron Beam

This study investigated the decomposition characteristics of acetaldehyde using an electron beam. The removal efficiency (RE) in air, O₂, N₂ and He atmospheres at 10 kGy were 88, 89, 94 and 35 %, respectively. By varying the initial concentration (C₀), G-values at 240 ppm (C₀) were maintained from 6.4 to 7.0 molecules/100 eV, while the G-values at 34 and 60 ppm (C₀) decreased from 4.5 to 1.1 and from 6.6 to 2.0 molecules/100 eV when the absorbed dose increased from 2.5 to 10 kGy. The RE of acetaldehyde at 96 % relative humidity was approximately 10–15 % higher than that at dry air when the absorbed doses were 5–10 kGy. Increasing the water supply did not provide additional improvement of the RE at 2.5 kGy. CO, CO₂, O₃ and trace VOC compounds such as C₂H₄O₂, C₇H₆O, C₆H₆, C₇H₈ and C₈H₁₀ were detected as by-products.     

Recombination of ozone via the chaperon mechanism

The recombination of ozone via the chaperon mechanism, i.e., ArO+O2 --> Ar+O3 and ArO2+O --> Ar+O3, is studied by means of classical trajectories and a pairwise additive Ar-O3 potential energy surface. The recombination rate coefficient has a strong temperature dependence, which approximately can be described by T(-n) with n approximately 3. It is negligible for temperatures above 700 K or so, but it becomes important for low temperatures. The calculations unambiguously affirm the conclusions of Hippler et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 93, 6560 (1990)] and Luther et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 7, 2764 (2005)] that the chaperon mechanism makes a sizable contribution to the recombination of O3 at room temperature and below. The dependence of the chaperon recombination rate coefficient on the isotopomer, studied for two different isotope combinations, is only in rough qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The oxygen atom isotope exchange reaction involving ArO and ArO2 van der Waals complexes is also investigated; the weak binding of O or O2 to Ar has only a small effect.