Quantum-chemical investigation of the mechanism of the sulfonation of pyrrole

A detailed quantum-chemical study of the sulfonation of pyrrole with regard to the effect of the solvent (the model of overlapping spheres) on the energy characteristics of the formation of the σ-complexes produced during attack on the α-and β-positions of the heterocycle and their possible transformation paths was made by density functional theory [the B3LYP/6-31G(d) method]. The possibility of mutual transformations between the isomeric σ-complexes by α/β-migration of the SO₃ is examined. The formation of pyrrolesulfonic acids was studied for the case of the intramolecular rearrangement of the complexes. Comparison of the activation energies shows that in contrast to the gas-phase reaction the formation of the β-sulfonic acid is preferred in methylene chloride: the solvation energy of the α-isomer of the σ-complex is higher than the energy for the transition state of its rearrangement and its product, α-pyrrolesulfonic acid, leading to an increase in the kinetic barrier and to a decrease of the energy gain on the path to the formation of the latter. The opposite variation of the energy characteristics on the path to the β-isomer with regard to solvation leads to agreement between the calculated data and the experimentally observed preferred formation of the β-pyrrolesulfonic acid. Dedicated to Mikhail Grigor’evich Voronkov. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1647–1654, November, 2006.     

Standard enthalpy of formation of lanthanum oxybritholites

Lanthanum-bearing silicate-oxyapatites or britholites, Ca_10–xLax(PO₄)_6–x(SiO₄)_xO with 1≤x≤6, have been synthesized by solid state reaction at high temperature. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Using two microcalorimeters, the heat of solution of these compounds have been measured at 298 K in a solution of nitric and hydrofluoric acid. A strained least squares method was applied to the experimental results to obtain the solution enthalpies at infinite dilution, and the mixing enthalpy in two steps. In the first step the mixing enthalpy obtained is referenced to the britholite monosubstituted and to the oxysilicate. The mixing enthalpy referenced to the oxyapatite and to the oxysilicate is then extrapolated. In order to determine the enthalpies of formation of all the terms of the solution, thermochemical cycles were proposed and complementary experiments were performed. The results obtained show a decrease of the enthalpy of formation with the amount of Si and La introduced in the lattice. This was explained by the difference in the bond energies of (Ca–O, P–O) and (La–O, Si–O).     

Identification of Coumarins and Antimicrobial Potential of Ethanolic Extracts of Dipteryx odorata and Dipteryx punctata

Dipteryx odorata and Dipteryx punctata are species native to the Amazonian, traded by extractivists to obtain coumarin. We aimed to analyze the presence of coumarin in the ethanolic extracts of leaves, branches and fruits of D. odorata and D. punctata and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of these extracts against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria of clinical interest. Chemical analyses were performed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For the antifungal assays, the fungi used were Cercospora longissima, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, two isolates of Fusarium spp. and Sclerotium rolfsii, and the antibacterial assay was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test with Burkholderia cepacia, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In D. odorata seed extracts and in D. punctata husks, endocarps, and seeds, we identified 1,2-benzopyrone. D. odorata endocarp extracts and D. punctata seeds provided the greatest decrease in mycelial growth of the evaluated phytopathogens, showing promise as an alternative control. The husk and endocarp extracts of both species had a weak effect on E. coli. This research is the first to compare the different parts of species of the genus Dipteryx and to evaluate the use of husks and endocarps of D. punctata fruits to obtain coumarin. Chemical analyses used to quantify the compounds existing in the extracts, and tests with phytopathogens in vitro and in vivo are currently being carried out.     

Quantum-chemical investigation of the effect of solvent polarity on the direction of sulfonation of pyrrole

The relative stability of the isomeric σ-complexes formed in the sulfonation of pyrrole at the α-or β-position (the α-isomer is energetically more favorable) does not agree with the experimentally established positional selectivity of substitution (the formation of β-pyrrolesulfonic acid). However, quantum-chemical calculations of the energy parameters for the reaction of pyrrole and SO₃ with due regard to the solvation effect in the model solvent methylene chloride (ε = 8.93) lead to the conclusion that the calculated activation energy of the rearrangement to the more favorable β-pyrrolesulfonic acid for the less favorable β-isomer of the σ-complex is lower than on the path to the formation of the α-pyrrolesulfonic acid. It was shown that the significant increase in the polarity of the model medium in the transition to DMSO (ε = 46.7) does not lead to substantial change in the energy parameters of the reaction. The explanation for the positional selectivity during the sulfonation of pyrrole using Py·SO₃, according to previous data, involves the participation of the pyridine in the transformation of the σ-complexes into the products. The calculations were made by the B3LYP/6-31G(d) and HF/3-21+G methods using the model of overlapping spheres to take account of solvation. Dedicated to E. J. Lukevics on his 70th birthday __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 34–40, January, 2007.     

Enthalpy characteristics of dilute solutions of acetonitrile

The enthalpies of mixing of acetonitrile with formamide,N-methylformamide,N,N-dimethylformamide, and hexamethylphosphoric triamide were measured in the temperature interval from 283.15 to 328.15 K. The enthalpy coefficients of binary and ternary interactions were calculated by the methods of the McMillan-Mayer theory. The contributions to the enthalpy of solution due to the formation of a cavity in the solvent, Δ_cav H°, and those due to the interaction of the solute with the solvent, Δ_int H°, were determined. The enthalpies of the specific and non-specific solvation of acetonitrile in the corresponding amides were calculated. Specific interactions were found to contribute the most to the solvation enthalpy of acetonitrile. The obtained values were compared with analogous values for solutions of acetonitrile in water and alcohols. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 289–293, February, 1997.     

Calculation of the ground‐state energy and studies of other properties of exotic helium atoms with the use of boundary conditions of wave function

The minimum energy and average distance between particles of doubly muonic helium atoms Heμμ (He²⁺ + 2μ ), are calculated with the use of a wave function that satisfies boundary conditions such as the behavior of the wave function when two particles are close to each other or far away from each other. In this wave function, the muon–muon correlation in doubly muonic helium atoms is described to arrive at the correct behavior for r₁₂ tending to zero and infinity. It is shown that the obtained results are very close to the values calculated by others. Finally, to confirm the method and results, calculated values are compared with a similar electronic system, and it is shown that the small differences in the energies of Heμμ and He are due to the reduced masses, as expected. In addition to being very simple, the proposed wave function provides relatively accurate values for the energy and expectation values of r²ⁿ, emphasizing the importance of the local properties of the wave functions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Evaluation of the effect of silicon on the carbonization process of Colombian semi-anthracites

The environmental impacts associated with the exploitation and transformation of fossil resources aggravate the planet's situation in terms of climate change. Due to this, this paper studies an alternative use of mineral coal as a precursor to obtaining new materials with different properties to the starting coals. The thermal degradation of two Colombian semi-anthracites is analyzed through the thermogravimetry (TG) technique coupled to a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) equipment from room temperature (25 °C) to 900 °C, at a heating rate of 10 K min^?1 in an inert atmosphere. The catalytic effect of the addition of silicon to these samples before being subjected to a carbonization process is evaluated during this process. The results indicated that the primary reaction occurs in the temperature range between 400 and 680 °C, where the highest mass loss rate was observed. At the end of the heating process, the TG profile of the samples with silicon addition showed losses between 14.33 and 18.82% in mass, these values being slightly higher compared to the starting and demineralized samples. The release of water, light gases such as CO₂, CH₄, and species such as toluene, phenol and formic acid was identified in most of the samples. The presence of silica seems to favor the release of all these species, being more evident in one of the semi-anthracites studied. According to the results obtained, it is proved that the presence of silicon in samples subjected to carbonization processes has a catalytic effect that improves some characteristics of the new materials obtained, thus contributing to the use of carbon to get new materials.

     

The Effect of Active Carbon on the Kinetics of Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate

Rates of 2–2¹?azobisisobutyronitrile initiated polymerization of methyl methacrylate in benzene were determined at 77.2, 65.0, and 50.0°C. The variation of molecular weight of the polymer with temperature and conversion was also studied. At a fixed conversion of 2.0%, the molecular weight decreased from 2.05 × 10⁵ at 50°C to 1.4 × 10⁵ at 77.2°C. The ratio of the propagation rate coefficient to the square root of the termination rate coefficient was found to be 0.61, 0.397, and 0.374 at 77.2, 65.0, and 50.0°C, respectively, with an uncertainty of ±0.5°C in temperature. The effect of active carbon on the rates of polymerization at 77.2°C was measured. Rates of polymerization decreased in the presence of active carbon. For example, the initial rate of polymerization decreased from 7.8 × 10^?4 mole/(liter min) to 4.6 × 10^?4 mole/(liter min) when the carbon concentration was varied from 0 to 9.65 g/liter. The molecular weight of the polymer increased from an average of 1.4 × 10⁵ in the absence of carbon to 1.5 × 10⁵ when carbon was present.     

Thermodynamics of solvent extraction processes: Effect of diluent on the enthalpy of formation of tri-n-octylammonium chloride

Four thermodynamic functions, pK, ΔH, ΔS and ΔG, of neutralization of tri-n-octylamine by hydrogen chloride, R₃N + HCl ⇌ R₃NHCl, in benzene, cyclohexane and chloroform have been determined calorimetrically at 303.15K. The free energy changes of the neutralization reaction indicate that the stability of the triocylammonium chloride formed increases from cyclohexane to benzene to chloroform. This is the order of decreasing tendency of the salt toward aggregation. It is suggested that the phenomenon is due to the difference in solvation between the amine base and the ammonium salt in any one solvent, rather than to the effect of solvation of the salt alone.     

Differential drop calorimetry for the determination of enthalpy of fusion

Drop calorimetry was modified in order to adapt it to the measurement of the enthalpy of fusion of materials with above-ambient fusion temperatures, T_F, such as salt hydrates suitable as phase change materials. In the modified form, differential drop calorimetry, the energy delivered to the molten sample at temperatures above T_F and by the crystalline sample at temperatures below T_F are extrapolated to T_F to give the enthalpy of freezing. The calorimetric system was calibrated electrically and with acetamide (T_F=353.3 K) and applied to the congruently melting magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, cadmium nitrate tertrahydrate, ammonium alum, and several hydrated salt mixtures.     

Validation of Molecular Simulation: An Overview of Issues

Computer simulation of molecular systems enables structure–energy–function relationships of molecular processes to be described at the sub‐atomic, atomic, supra‐atomic, or supra‐molecular level. To interpret results of such simulations appropriately, the quality of the calculated properties must be evaluated. This depends on the way the simulations are performed and on the way they are validated by comparison to values Q^exp of experimentally observable quantities Q. One must consider 1) the accuracy of Q^exp, 2) the accuracy of the function Q( r ^N) used to calculate a Q‐value based on a molecular configuration r ^N of N particles, 3) the sensitivity of the function Q( r ^N) to the configuration r ^N, 4) the relative time scales of the simulation and experiment, 5) the degree to which the calculated and experimental properties are equivalent, and 6) the degree to which the system simulated matches the experimental conditions. Experimental data is limited in scope and generally corresponds to averages over both time and space. A critical analysis of the various factors influencing the apparent degree of (dis)agreement between simulations and experiment is presented and illustrated using examples from the literature. What can be done to enhance the validation of molecular simulation is also discussed.     

The investigation of the electronic effects of polyfluoro-aryl group by means of nmr spectroscopy

The relationship between NMR ¹⁵N, ¹⁷O, ³¹P, ⁷⁷Se, ¹³C spectral parameters and electronic structure of number of polyfluoroaromatic compounds has been discussed. The increase of the nuclei shielding has been found in all classes of investigated polyfluorinated compounds in respect to the corresponding hydrocarbon analogues. That effect has been discussed in terms of decrease of the conjugation between the unshared electron density of heteroatoms and the π-system of polyfluorinated benzene ring. The conductivity of substituent electronic effects on the π-system of the polyfluoroaryl group by the heteroatom has been estimated from NMR ¹³C data. The sensitivity of nuclei shielding towards interamolecular electronic effects has been noticed to increase from oxygen to selenium and the analysis of the influence of the intramolecular electronic effects on the ¹⁷O and ⁷⁷Se shifts has been given. The influence of the substituents either in pentafluorophenyl ring or adjacent to heteroatom have been shown to correspond those in the hydrocarbon analogues.The conclusion about the influence of polyfluoroaryl group on the character of bonds between different atoms in functional group has been made from the NMR ¹⁷O and ¹⁵N data for aromatic nitro-derivatives. Polyfluorophenyl group in respect to phenyl one deshields the oxygen atom and shields the nitrogen atom. The same effect of pentafluorophenyl group has been observed by other spectral methods.The different screening of ¹⁷O, ¹⁵N, ³¹P and ⁷⁷Se nuclei due to the action of substituents adjacent to the element and variation of the coordination number of heteroatom have been used to the solvation of a number of problems in chemistry of the heteroanalogues of carbenium ions and the detail investigation of the mechanism of electrophylic substitution in the field of polyfluoroaromatic compounds.     

Non-isothermal kinetic of oxidation of tungsten carbide

Tungsten carbide, WC, has shown dissimilar thermal behavior when it is heated on changeable heating rate and flow of oxidant atmosphere. The oxidation of WC to WO₃ tends to be in a single and slow kinetic step on slow heating rate and/or low flux of air. Kinetic parameters, on non-isothermal condition, could be evaluated to the oxidation of WC to heating rate below 15°C min⁻¹ or low flow of air (10 mL min⁻¹). The reaction is governed by nucleation and growth at 5 to 10°C min⁻¹ then the tendency is to be autocatalytic, JMA and SB, respectively.     

A thermoanalytical study of the oxidation of chalcocite

A sample of chalcocite of particle size 45–75 μm, has been oxidised in a TG-DTA apparatus at a heating rate of 10 deg·min⁻¹ and the products at various temperatures characterised by XRD, SEM, FTIR and EPMA. This has enabled the events in the TG-DTA record to be assigned to specific chemical reactions, as well as the development of a full reaction scheme for the oxidation of chalcocite. Only minor reactions occurred up to 430°C, but above this temperature there was significant oxidation which resulted in an exotherm and mass gain. These events were due primarily to the oxidation of sulfide to copper(I) oxide, and the formation of copper(II) sulfate. The reaction then slowed, but melting commenced at 490°C which permitted further oxidation to take place with the appearance of a second exotherm and mass gain. By 570°C, sulfide oxidation was complete, but solid-solid reactions took place between Cu₂O and CuSO₄ to produce CuO·CuSO₄. Some conversion of Cu₂O had occurred. By 775°C, CuO and CuO·CuSO₄ were the only phases detected. Above this temperature the latter phase was unstable and decomposed to the end product CuO. In celebration of the 60^th birthday of Dr. Andrew K. Galwey     

Effect of the degree of sulfoethylation of polyethylenimine on the selectivity of sorption of palladium(ii) from binary solutions

Poly(N-2-sulfoethylethylenimine) (SEPEI) with a degree of modification equal to 0.30, 0.58, and 0.74, cross-linked with diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, demonstrates efficient sorption properties with respect to Pt^IV, Pd^II, and Au^III ions. The selectivity coefficient K_Pd/Au in a HCl solution with pH 0.8 decreases from 90 to 61, and the selectivity coefficient K_Pd/Pt in a HCl solution with pH 3.9 increases from 0.94 to 480 with an increasing degree of modification. A thiourea hydrochloric acid solution effectively removes metal ions; the desorption of Pt^IV, Pd^II, and Au^III from the SEPEI surface reaches 100, 96.9, and 83.8%, respectively.

     

Kinetics of biodesulfurization of a high-sulfur coal

The apparent activation and deactivation energies and the corresponding frequency factors of coal desulfurization byThiobacillus ferrooxidans have been determined to be ΔE _a = 60.9 kJ,A _a = 1.45 s^-1 and ΔE_d = 178.3 kJ,A _d = 5.65×10²⁷ s^-1, respectively. The thermo-dynamic values (AG^?, ΔH ^?, and ΔS^?) of the activated complex were calculated. Kinetic parameters of the Monod equation were determined to beV _m = 55.9 mg dm^-3 h^-1 andK = 24.1% pulp density. The maximum rate of desulfurization of coal was found to beV _m = 55.7 mg dm^-3 h^-1 for the particle size. The generalized second order regression equation relating the yield of desulfurization to the leaching parameters was shown to adequately predict coal extraction data and optimum values of process variables. Tank leaching studies using optimum conditions resulted coal desulfurization about 90%. The iron hydrolysis reactions involving the formation of mono- and poly-nuclear, hydroxo- and sulfato complexes of amorphous and crystalline precipitates were discussed.     

Optimization of the process parameters of synthesis of vinblastine imprinted polymer

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are tailor-made polymers with high selectivity for the template molecule. This selectivity arises from the synthetic procedure followed to prepare the MIP. In this work, the influence of process parameters on the preparation of vinblastine (VLB) imprinted polymers was presented. In the procedure of polymerization, VLB (0.1 mmol) was used as the template molecule and a commonly used initiator, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), was employed to initiate the reaction at 60 °C. The influence of the following parameters was investigated: the moles of functional monomer (MAA, 0.3-1.0 mmol), the moles of cross-linker (EDMA, 1.5-5.0 mmol) and the porogenic solvent (toluene or acetonitrile). A mathematical method of uniform design was applied to optimize these selected parameters in order to increase the selectivity of MIP for template molecule. The experimental data were analyzed to obtain the regression model and the optimal conditions were achieved by optimization with uniform design software. The MIP was synthesized under the optimal conditions that 1.0 mmol of MAA and 5.0 mmol of EDMA copolymerized in toluene in the presence of 0.1 mmol of VLB. After removal of the template molecule, the obtained MIP was then employed as the sorbents of solid-phase extraction (SPE) to separate VLB from Catharanthus roseus extract. The results showed that the polymer exhibited high affinity to the template molecule and could separate and enrich VLB from C. roseus extract effectively. The recovery of VLB on the optimal MIP was 89.00%, which agreed closely with the predicted recovery. Therefore it is possible to further improve the nature of the polymer by optimizing the polymerization parameters with the method of uniform design.     

Fluorescence quantification of tetracycline in the presence of quenching matrix effect by means of a four-way model

In this work, a four-way tensor is used to model the quenching effect in fluorescent measurements. By means of the analysis of excitation-emission matrices obtained in the determination of tetracycline in tea, which acts as quencher, it is shown as the impossibility to use a calibration, or an addition standard based on a three-way model. It is analysed the quencher multiplicative effect made on the tetracycline signal by means of an ANOVA. However, by arranging the experimental data in a four-way tensor, it is viable to perform a calibration based on the parallel factor analysis, PARAFAC, decomposition and a four-way partial least squares, 4-PLS, regression to quantify the tetracycline in the presence of the matrix quencher effect. 4-PLS calibration provides better results. In the range from 40 to 220 μg L⁻¹ gives an average of relative errors in absolute value equal to 8.02% in prediction (3.40% in calibration). The repeatability as standard deviation in this range is 5.08 μg L⁻¹ and the method is accurate, slope and intercept being statistically equal to 1 and 0, respectively when a regression calculated versus true concentration is performed. Moreover, it has a decision limit (CCα) of 13.87 μg L⁻¹ for a probability of false positive, α, equal to 0.05 and a capability of detection (CCβ) of 26.63 μg L⁻¹ (for probabilities of false positive, α, false negative, β, equals to 0.05).     

Degree of Complexation of Anticoagulant Rodenticides with Human Serum Albumin: Effect of Saccharose and Sodium

A theoretical treatment has been developed to describe association between rodenticides and human serum albumin (HSA). The degree of complexation n_c (the amount (%) of complexed guest) and the association constant (K) for rodenticide–HSA binding were determined. Enthalpy–entropy compensation was also investigated in relation to this mathematical model to confirm rodenticide binding behavior with HSA. The role of the sodium cation and saccharose in this association were also analyzed. As expected for a salting-out agent, addition of Na⁺ cation to the mobile phase led to enhancement of n_c and K values by increasing the hydrophobic effect. When saccharose was increased above a critical x_c value equal to 4 mM, a decrease of the association constant and the degree of complexation was observed, owing to reduction of the radius of curvature of the HSA cavity.