Photo‐Fenton and Riboflavin‐photosensitized Processes of the Isoxaflutole Herbicide

The proherbicide Isoxaflutole (IXF) hydrolyzes spontaneously to diketonitrile (DKN) a phytotoxic compound with herbicidal activity. In this work, the sensitized degradation of IXF using Riboflavin (Rf), a typical environmentally friendly sensitizer, Fenton and photo‐Fenton processes has been studied. The results indicate that only the photo‐Fenton process produces a significant degradation of the IXF. Photolysis experiments of IXF sensitized by Riboflavin is not a meaningful process, IXF quenches the Rf excited triplet (³Rf*) state with a quenching rate constant of 1.5 · 10⁷ m ^?1 s^?1 and no reaction is observed with the species O₂(¹Δ_g) or ${\mathrm{O}}_2^{·?}$ generated from ³Rf*. The Fenton reaction produces no changes in the IXF concentration. While the photo‐Fenton process of the IXF, under typical conditions, it produces a degradation of 99% and a mineralization to CO₂ and H₂O of 88%. A rate constant value of 1.0 × 10⁹ m ^?1 s^?1 was determined for the reaction between IXF and HO˙. The photo‐Fenton process degradation products were identified by UHPLC‐MS/MS analysis.     

Green one‐pot preparation of α‐Fe2O3@carboxyl‐functionalized yeast composite with high adsorption and catalysis properties for removal of methylene blue

Herein, the α‐Fe₂O₃@carboxyl‐functionalized yeast composite (α‐F@CFYC) was synthesized by direct oxidation of yeast with K₂FeO₄ and used as a novel adsorbent/heterogeneous Fenton catalyst for removal of methylene blue (MB). The obtained α‐F@CFYC was fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy, EDX, X‐ray diffraction analysis, Fourier‐transform infrared, thermogravimetry, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively, and the corresponding results showed that α‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were successfully obtained and deposited on yeast surface, as well as more functional groups were introduced/exposed on yeast surface. Furthermore, various influence parameters (eg, contact time, initial pH, and MB concentration) on the adsorption/catalysis ability of α‐F@CFYC for MB have been investigated in detail under ambient conditions. As a result, owing to the synergetic effect of the loaded α‐Fe₂O₃ and the introduced/exposed functional groups on yeast surface, the as‐obtained α‐F@CFYC exhibited high adsorption capacities and good catalysis degradation properties for MB.     

HAp‐encapsulated γ‐Fe2O3‐supported dual acidic heterogeneous catalyst for highly efficient one‐pot synthesis of benzoxanthenones and 3‐pyranylindoles

A novel method is reported for the synthesis of benzoxanthenone and 3‐pyranylindole derivatives via one‐pot three‐component reactions using a newly synthesized HAp‐encapsulated γ‐Fe₂O₃‐supported dual acidic heterogeneous catalyst, as a reusable and highly efficient nanocatalyst. In this protocol the use of the nanocatalyst provided a green, useful and rapid method to generate products in short reaction times (4–20 min) and in excellent yields (87–96%). The paramagnetic nature of the catalyst provided a simple, trouble‐free and facile approach for the separation of the catalyst by applying an external magnet, and it could be used in eight cycles without significant loss in catalytic efficiency.     

Green Oxidative Degradation of Methyl Orange with Copper(II) Schiff Base Complexes as Photo‐Fenton‐Like Catalysts

Two copper(II) complexes, namely [Cu(HL)Cl] ( 1 ) and [Cu(HL)Br] ( 2 ), where HL is the multidentate Schiff base N‐[(2‐oxy‐acetate)benzyl]‐2‐aminothanol, were synthesized and fully characterized. The Cu^II ions in 1 and 2 are pentacoordinate and the coordination arrangement is best described as distorted square‐pyramidal. The degradation of methyl orange (MO) was investigated using 1 and 2 as homogeneous photo‐Fenton‐like catalysts. 1 and 2 exhibited similar catalytic activity at neutral pH. The results suggest that they have advantages on catalyzing efficient degradation of organic dye through photo‐Fenton‐like reaction.     

γ‐Butyrolactone Copolymerization with the Well‐Documented Polymer Drug Carrier Poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) to Fine‐Tune Its Biorelevant Properties

Polymeric drug carriers exhibit excellent properties that advance drug delivery systems. In particular, carriers based on poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) are very useful in pharmacokinetics. In addition to their proven biocompatibility, there are several requirements for the efficacy of the polymeric drug carriers after internalization, e.g., nanoparticle behavior, cellular uptake, the rate of degradation, and cellular localization. The introduction of γ‐butyrolactone units into the hydrophobic block enables the tuning of the abovementioned properties over a wide range. In this study, a relatively high content of γ‐butyrolactone units with a reasonable yield of ≈60% is achieved by anionic ring‐opening copolymerization using 1,5,7‐triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec‐5‐ene as a very efficient catalyst in the nonpolar environment of toluene with an incorporated γ‐butyrolactone content of ≈30%. The content of γ‐butyrolactone units can be easily modulated according to the feed ratio of the monomers. This method enables control over the rate of degradation so that when the content of γ‐butyrolactone increases, the rate of degradation increases. These findings broaden the application possibilities of polyester‐polyether‐based nanoparticles for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems.     

Elimination of 4‐chlorophenol in aqueous solution by the Novel Pd/MIL‐101(Cr)‐Hydrogen‐Accelerated catalytic fenton system

Excessive consumption of Fe (II) and massive generation of sludge containing Fe (III) from classic Fenton process remains a major obstacle for its poor recycling of Fe (III) to Fe (II). Therefore, the MHACF‐MIL‐101(Cr) system, by introducing H₂, Pd⁰ and MIL‐101(Cr) into Fenton reaction system, was developed at normal temperature and pressure. In this system, the reduction of Fe^III back to Fe^II by solid catalyst Pd/MIL‐101(Cr) for the storage and activation of H₂, was accelerated significantly by above 10‐fold and 5‐fold controlled with the H₂‐MIL‐101(Cr) system and H₂‐Pd⁰ system, respectively. However, the concentration of Fe (II) generated by the reduction of Fe (III) could not be detected with the only input of H₂ and without the addition of MOFs material. In addition, the apparent consumption of Fe (II) in MHACF‐MIL‐101(Cr) system was half of that in classical Fenton system, while more Fe (II) might be reused infinitely in fact. Accordingly, only trace amount of Fe (II) vs H₂O₂ concentration was needed and hydroxyl radicals through the detection of para‐hydroxybenzoic acid (p‐HBA) as the oxidative product of benzoic acid (BA) by·OH could be continuously generated for the effective degradation of 4‐chlorophenol(4‐CP). The effects of initial pH, concentration of 4‐CP, dosage of Fe²⁺, H₂O₂ and Pd/MIL‐101(Cr) catalyst, Pd content and H₂ flow were investigated, combined with systematic controlled experiments. Moreover, the robustness and morphology change of Pd/MIL‐101(Cr) were thoroughly analyzed. This study enables better understanding of the H₂‐mediated Fenton reaction enhanced by Pd/MIL‐101(Cr) and thus, will shed new light on how to accelerate Fe (III)/Fe (II) redox cycle and develop more efficient Fenton system.     

Nanomagnetically modified vitamin B3 (Fe3O4@Niacin): An efficient and reusable green biocatalyst for microwave‐assisted rapid synthesis of 2‐amino‐3‐cyanopyridines in aqueous medium

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles of modified vitamin B₃ (Fe₃O₄@Niacin) represent a new, efficient and green biocatalyst for the one‐pot synthesis of 2‐amino‐3‐cyanopyridine derivatives via four‐component condensation reaction between aldehydes, ketones, malononitrile, and ammonium acetate under microwave irradiation in water. This new magnetic organocatalyst was easily isolated from the reaction mixture by magnetic decantation using an external magnet and reused at least six times without significant degradation in the activity. The catalyst was fully characterized by FT‐IR, XRD, SEM, VSM, UV–Vis, DLS and EDS. Excellent yield, very short reaction time (7–10 min), operational simplicity, easy work‐up procedure, avoidance of hazardous or toxic catalysts and organic solvents are the main advantages of this green methodology which makes it more economic than the other conventional methods.     

Efficient conversion of fructose to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural by functionalized γ‐Al2O3 beads

Millimeter size γ‐Al₂O₃ beads were prepared by alginate assisted sol–gel method and grafting organic groups with propyl sulfonic acid and alkyl groups as functionalized γ‐Al₂O₃ bead catalysts for fructose dehydration to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF). Experiment results showed that the porous structure of γ‐Al₂O₃ beads was favorable to the loading and dispersion of active components, and had an obvious effect on the properties of the catalyst. The lower calcination temperature of γ‐Al₂O₃ beads increased the specific surface area, the hydrophobicity and the activity of catalysts. Competition between the reaction of alkyl groups and ‐SH groups with surface hydroxyl during the preparation process of the catalyst influenced greatly the acid site densities, hydrophobic properties and activity of the catalyst. With an increase in the alkyl group chain, the hydrophobicity of catalysts increased obviously and the activity of the catalyst was enhanced. The most hydrophobic catalyst C₁₆‐SO₃H‐γ‐Al₂O₃–650°C exhibited the highest yield of 5‐HMF (84%) under the following reaction conditions: reaction medium of dimethylsulfoxide/H₂O (V/V, 4:1), catalyst amount of 30 mg, temperature of 110°C and reaction time of 4 hr.     

Formation of CaCO3 deposits on OMS‐2 surface to synergistically promote peroxymonosulfate activation and organic dyes degradation

The development of green and efficient catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and organic pollutants degradation has received widespread attention. In this study, the hybrid CaCO₃/OMS‐2 catalysts were prepared by a simple precipitation approach and characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction, N₂ adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. It was found that deposition of CaCO₃ on OMS‐2 surface can weaken the Mn‐O bond by formation of Ca‐O‐Mn bond. The interactions between CaCO₃ and OMS‐2 significantly enhanced Acid Orange 7 degradation in the presence of PMS with a pseudo‐first‐order kinetic constant of 0.21 min^?1, which was much higher than those of OMS‐2 (0.026 min^?1) and CaCO₃ (0.021 min^?1). The CaCO₃/OMS catalysts were also much more efficient than other reported OMS‐2 hybrid catalysts, and could be performed over a wide solution pH and for other organic dyes degradation. Sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were formed from the oxidation of low valent manganese species by PMS as the active species in the system. This study can provide a simple method for the design of efficient manganese‐based hybrids for wastewater remediation via PMS activation.     

B(C6F5)3/Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Ketimine–Ene Reaction of 2‐Aryl‐3H‐indol‐3‐ones and α‐Methylstyrenes

The enantioselective ketimine–ene reaction is one of the most challenging stereocontrolled reaction types in organic synthesis. In this work, catalytic enantioselective ketimine–ene reactions of 2‐aryl‐3H‐indol‐3‐ones with α‐methylstyrenes were achieved by utilizing a B(C₆F₅)₃/chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) catalyst. These ketimine–ene reactions proceed well with low catalyst loading (B(C₆F₅)₃/CPA=2 mol %/2 mol %) under mild conditions, providing rapid and facile access to a series of functionalized 2‐allyl‐indolin‐3‐ones with very good reactivity (up to 99 % yield) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee). Theoretical calculations reveal that enhancement of the acidity of the chiral phosphoric acid by B(C₆F₅)₃ significantly reduces the activation free energy barrier. Furthermore, collective favorable hydrogen‐bonding interactions, especially the enhanced N?H???O hydrogen‐bonding interaction, differentiates the free energy of the transition states of CPA and B(C₆F₅)₃/CPA, thereby inducing the improvement of stereoselectivity.     

Cp2ZrCl2‐catalyzed synthesis of 2‐substituted quinozolin‐4(3H)‐ones

Zirconocene dichloride (Cp₂ZrCl₂) in the presence of DMF was found to be a highly efficient catalyst for the synthesis of structurally diverse 2‐substituted quinozolin‐4(3H)‐ones by reaction of anthranilimide with a wide range of aryl aldehydes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Degradation of hazardous organic dyes with solar‐driven advanced oxidation process catalyzed by the mixed metal–organic frameworks

phosphonate‐based bimetallic metal‐ organic frameworks, namely STA‐12(M₁, M₂) (M₁, M₂ = Mn, Fe, Co), show photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution under natural sunlight irradiation. The degradation of the dyes, appears to be faster with STA‐12(Fe, Mn) than other synthesized MOFs. Thus, photo‐Fenton oxidative discoloration of dyes has been studied by H₂O₂ catalyzed with the STA‐12(Fe, Mn). The process is first order with respect to dyes and the synergistic index in the STA‐12(Fe, Mn)/sunlight/H₂O₂system reached as high as 472%. Mineralization of dyes was discussed by spectroscopic and TOC measurement. Besides, the efficiency of STA‐12(Fe, Mn) used in photocatalytic process was attentively investigated through the characterization of reactive radicals, the stability and reusability of the photocatalyst, also the effect of operational parameters such as H₂O₂ dosage, solution pH and initial dye concentration. This work demonstrates the first example of facilitating photo‐Fenton‐like excitation of H₂O₂ via phosphonate based mixed metal organic frameworks as photocatalysts and explained a new opportunity for solar‐induced AOP environmental remediation and protection.     

Heterogeneous Fenton Degradation of Organic Pollutants in Water Enhanced by Combining Iron-type Layered Double Hydroxide and Sulfate

Water pollution derived from organic pollutants is one of the global environmental problems. The Fenton reaction using Fe²⁺ as a homogeneous catalyst has been known as one of clean methods for oxidative degradation of organic pollutants. Here, a layered double hydroxide (Fe²⁺Al³⁺-LDH) containing Fe²⁺ and Al³⁺ in the structure was used to develop a “heterogeneous” Fenton catalyst capable of mineralizing organic pollutants. We found that sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻) immobilized on the Fe²⁺Al³⁺-LDH significantly facilitated oxidative degradation (mineralization) of phenol as a model compound of water pollutants to carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a heterogeneous Fenton process. The phenol conversion and mineralization efficiency to CO₂ reached >99% and ca. 50%, respectively, even with a reaction time of only 60 min.     

Copper(I)‐N2S2‐salen type complex covalently anchored onto MCM‐41 silica: an efficient and reusable catalyst for the A3‐coupling reaction toward propargylamines

The immobilization of copper complexes by covalent anchoring of the ligand on the surface of mesoporous MCM‐41 has been described. Bis[2‐(phenylthio)benzylidene]‐1,2‐ethylenediamine as a new N₂S₂ donor salen‐type ligand was covalently anchored onto nanopores of MCM‐41 coordinated with copper (I) halide. The organic–inorganic hybrid material was achieved readily using 3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane as a reactive surface modifier. 2‐Nitrobenzaldehyde was reacted smoothly with the thiol moieties in order to form functionalized nanoporous silica with carbaldehyde groups. The resulting supported organic moieties were converted to thiosalen ligand and coordinated with CuX (X = CN, Cl, Br, I). Characterization of the heterogeneous catalyst by X‐ray diffraction, N₂ sorption, FT‐IR, diffuse reflectance UV‐visible and TGA techniques indicated successful grafting of the copper complex inside the nano‐channels of MCM‐41. The heterogenized catalyst was evaluated by the Mannich condensation reaction of aldehydes, amines and alkynes. In this reaction, the corresponding propargylamines were obtained as single products in good to excellent yields. Factors such as reaction temperature, solvent, catalyst loading, leaching and reusability of the catalyst also were discussed. The use of MCM‐41 as support permits an easier separation and recycles with only a marginal decrease in reactivity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Engineered mesoporous ionic‐modified γ‐Fe2O3@hydroxyapatite decorated with palladium nanoparticles and its catalytic properties in water

A new mesoporous organic–inorganic nanocomposite was formulated and then used as stabilizer and support for the preparation of palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs). The properties and structure of Pd NPs immobilized on prepared 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) chemically tagged on mesoporous γ‐Fe₂O₃@hydroxyapatite (ionic modified (IM)‐MHA) were investigated using various techniques. The synergistic effects of the combined properties of MHA, DABCO and Pd NPs, and catalytic activity of γ‐Fe₂O₃@hydroxyapatite‐DABCO‐Pd (IM‐MHA‐Pd) were investigated for the Heck cross‐coupling reaction in aqueous media. The appropriate surface area and pore size of mesoporous IM‐MHA nanocomposite can provide a favourable hard template for immobilization of Pd NPs. The loading level of Pd in the nanocatalyst was 0.51 mmol g^?1. DABCO bonded to the MHA surface acts as a Pd NP stabilizer and can also lead to colloidal stability of the nanocomposite in aqueous solution. The results reveal that IM‐MHA‐Pd is highly efficient for coupling reactions of a wide range of aryl halides with olefins under green conditions. The superparamagnetic nature of the nanocomposite means that the catalyst to be easily separated from solution through magnetic decantation, and the catalytic activity of the recycled IM‐MHA‐Pd showed almost no appreciable loss even after six consecutive runs.     

Visible Light Promoted β‐C—H Alkylation of β‐Ketocarbonyls via a β‐Enaminyl Radical Intermediate

A 5πe carbonyl activation mode is reported on the basis of photo‐induced single‐electron‐transfer (SET) oxidation of a secondary enamine. The resultant β‐enaminyl radical intermediate was trapped by a wide range of Michael acceptors, producing β‐alkylation products of β‐ketocarbonyls in a highly efficient manner.     

Synthesis of (−)‐3‐Carene‐2,5‐dione via Allylic Oxidation of (+)‐3‐Carene

Activated carbon‐supported CuCl₂ (CuCl₂/AC) is a heterogeneous catalyst for the liquid‐phase selective allylic oxidation of (+)‐3‐carene with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and O₂ to produce (?)‐3‐carene‐2,5‐dione. The possible reaction mechanism and the effects of different factors on the allylic oxidation were investigated. The optimal conditions are as follows: reaction temperature, 45 °C; molar ratio of CuCl₂ to (+)‐3‐carene, 1%; volume ratio of (+)‐3‐carene to TBHP, 1:3; and reaction time, 12 h. Under the optimal conditions, the conversion of (+)‐3‐carene reached 100%, whereas the selectivity for (?)‐3‐carene‐2,5‐dione reached 78%. The CuCl₂/AC catalyst was characterized via X‐ray diffraction, and the chemical structure of the target compound was identified via infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and optical analysis.     

A Semi‐Conductive Copper–Organic Framework with Two Types of Photocatalytic Activity

Based on the newly designed ligand 4′‐(3,5‐dicarboxyphenyl)‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine (DCTP), a unique semi‐conductive 3D framework {[Cu^ΙCu^ΙΙ₂(DCTP)₂]NO₃?1.5 DMF}_n ( 1 ) with a narrow band gap of 2.1 eV, was obtained and structurally characterized. DFT calculations with van de Waals correction employed to explore the electronic structure of 1 , clearly revealed its semi‐conductive behavior. Furthermore, we found that 1 exhibits a superior band alignment with water to produce hydrogen and degrade organic pollutants. Without adding any photosensitizers, 1 displays an efficiently photocatalytic hydrogen production in water based on the photo‐generated electrons under UV/Vis light. 1 also exhibits excellent photo‐degradation of methyl blue under visible‐light owing to the strong oxidization of excited holes. It is the first example of MOFs with doubly photocatalytic activities related to photo‐generated electrons and holes, respectively.     

Ellipsometry study of the photo‐oxidation of poly[(2‐methoxy‐5‐hexyloxy)‐ p‐phenylenevinylene]

Poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) (PPV) and its derivatives exhibit strong luminescence, being serious candidates to be used as active layers in organic light‐emitting diodes. However, the structural degradation caused by photo‐oxidation is an obstacle for commercial applications of such materials. Here, we show that spectroscopy ellipsometry is a useful technique to investigate the photo‐oxidation of poly[(2‐methoxy‐5‐hexyloxy)‐p‐phenylenevinylene] (MH‐PPV), a PPV derivative, which emits a red color light. Spectroscopy ellipsometry enables determination of the complex dielectric function—?*(E)—of MH‐PPV thin‐layer films exposed to air, in the 2.1–4.2 eV energy range, as a function of the light exposure time (t_e). By using the Lorentz model to fit the experimental ?*(E) curves, it was inferred that the interactions among polymeric chains increase with t_e. From ?*(E), it is also possible to obtain the complex refractive index, N*(E) = n + ik. At higher energies (where k ? n), n increases from 1.32 to 1.40 with the photo‐oxidation progress. The behavior of n was investigated by using the Lorenz–Lorentz equation, taking into account the contribution for n by the chromophores of MH‐PPV. The effect of photo‐oxidation, mainly due to the replacement of vinyl C?C by the ketone C?O bonds, is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared measurements, an effect that reduces the average effective polymer conjugation length. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1033–1041, 2004     

Hydrolytic degradation of poly(ε‐caprolactone) with different end groups and poly(ε‐caprolactone‐co‐γ‐butyrolactone): characterization and kinetics of hydrocortisone delivery

Asymmetric telechelic α‐hydroxyl‐ω‐(carboxylic acid)‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) (HA‐PCL), α‐hydroxyl‐ω‐(benzylic ester)‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) (HBz‐PCL), and an asymmetric telechelic copolymer α‐hydroxyl‐ω‐(carboxylic acid)‐poly(ε‐caprolactone‐co‐γ‐butyrolactone) (HA‐PCB) were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (CL). CL and CL/γ‐butyrolactone mixture were used to obtain homopolymers and copolymer respectively at 150°C and 2 hr using ammonium decamolybdate (NH₄) [Mo₁₀O₃₄] (Dec) as a catalyst. Water (HA‐PCL and HA‐PCB) or benzyl alcohol (HBz‐PCL) were used as initiators. The three polylactones reached initial molecular weights between 2000 and 3000 Da measured by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H‐NMR). Compression‐molded polylactone caplets were allowed to degrade in 0.5 M aqueous p‐toluenesulfonic acid at 37°C and monitored up to 60 days for weight loss behavior. Data showed that the copolymer degraded faster than the PCL homopolymers, and that there was no difference in the weight loss behavior between HA‐PCL and HBz‐PCL. Caplets of the three polylactones containing 1% (w/w) hydrocortisone were placed in two different buffer systems, pH 5.0 with citrate buffer and pH 7.4 with phosphate buffer at 37°C, and monitored up to 50 days for their release behavior. The release profiles of hydrocortisone presented two stages. The introduction of a second monomer in the polymer chain significantly increased the release rate, the degradation rate for HA‐PCB being faster than those for HBz‐PCL and HA‐PCL. At the pH studied, only slight differences on the liberation profiles were observed. SEM micrographs indicate that hydrolytic degradation occurred mainly by a surface erosion mechanism. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.