Comparison of the Use of Washburn's Equation in the Distance-Time and Weight-Time Imbibition Techniques

Two experimental methods are usually employed to study liquid penetration in porous media. One of them is based on the measure of the height of the advance liquid front vs time, and the other one is based on the measure of the weight gained by the porous system due to the liquid penetration vs time. Generally, the experimental data obtained from these techniques are analyzed through Washburn's equation. However, depending on which of them is selected, different conditions, coming from the experimental method, are needed to be taken into account in order to get the correct application of Washburn's equation to the experimental data. Although these conditions are different for each method, we prove in this paper that only if these conditions are considered both techniques are equivalent to analyze imbibition experiments using Washburn's equation. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Volumes of mixing ofn-alkanenitriles withn-alkanes: Interpretation through the Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory

We present in this work the results of measurements of excess volumes of mixing V ^E at 30°C over the whole composition range for sixteen mixtures of n-hexanenitrile, n-octanenitrile, n-decanenitrile, and n-dodecanenitrile mixed individually with n-heptane, n-decane, n-tridecane, and n-hexadecane. The experimental values of V ^E show a regular pattern of behavior for the four sets of binary systems. In each group of mixtures for a given n-alkanenitrile, the magnitude of V ^E decreases as the n-alkane chain-length decreases. For mixtures containing a common n-alkane, V ^E decreases with increasing n-alkanenitrile chain-length. In order to explain the observed behavior, we have used the Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory, which divides V ^E into three different contributions. The agreement between the theoretical and experimental V ^E is reasonable for the systems studied.     

Epidermal lignin deposition in quinoa cotyledons in response to UV-B radiations

UV-B radiation (280-320 nm) is harmful to living organisms and has detrimental effects on plant growth, development and physiology. In this work we examined some mechanisms involved in plant responses to UV-B radiation. Seedlings of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) were exposed to variable numbers of UV-B radiation doses, and the effect on cotyledons was studied. We analyzed (1) cotyledons anatomy and chloroplasts ultrastructure; (2) peroxidase activity involved in the lignification processes; and (3) content of photosynthetic pigments, phenolic compounds and carbohydrates. Exposure to two UV-B doses induced an increase in the wall thickness of epidermal cells, which was associated with lignin deposition and higher activity of the peroxidase. The chloroplast ultrastructure showed an appearance typical of plants under shade conditions, likely in response to reduced light penetration into the mesophyll cells due to the screening effect of epidermal lignin deposition. Exposure to UV-B radiation also led to (1) enhancement in the level of phenolics, which may serve a protective function; (2) strong increase in the fructose content, a fact that might be related to higher requirement of erythrose-4P as a substrate for the synthesis of lignin and phenolics; and (3) reduction in the chlorophyll concentration, evidencing alteration in the photosynthetic system. We propose that the observed lignin deposition in epidermal tissues of quinoa is a resistance mechanism against UV-B radiation, which allows growing of this species in Andean highlands.     

Synthesis of C3 benzo[1,2-e:3,4-e':5,6-e"]tribenzo[l]acephenanthrylenes ("crushed fullerene" derivatives) by intramolecular palladium-catalyzed arylation

The C60 polyarenes 4, 5, 18 a, and 18 b have been synthesized from truxene by triple alkylation at C5, C10, and C15 followed by a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular arylation. The synthesis of "crushed fullerene" C60H30 (2) is the most efficient reported to date and proceeds in 33% overall yield.     

The search for stationary points on a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical potential-energy surface

 We propose a methodology to locate stationary points on a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical potential-energy surface. This algorithm is based on a suitable approximation of an initial full Hessian matrix, either a modified Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarg–Shanno or a Powell update formula for the location of, respectively, a minimum or a transition state, and the so-called rational function optimization. The latter avoids the Hessian matrix inversion required by a quasi-Newton–Raphson method. Some examples are presented and analyzed. Received: 16 July 2001 / Accepted: 9 October 2001 / Published online: 9 January 2002     

A New Laboratory Experiment Based on a Chemical Transformation of Santonin: Synthesis of Santonic Acid

In this paper we describe a new comprehensive laboratory experiment based on a chemical transformation of santonin. The experiment is designed as a puzzle-solving exercise for advanced undergraduate organic chemistry courses and consists of the structure elucidation of santonic acid, the product obtained by the action of strong alkalis on santonin. An enquiry-based approach helps the students achieve this goal by combining their knowledge of organic chemistry and spectroscopy together with mechanistic thinking.     

Determination of the relative stereochemistry of flexible organic compounds by Ab initio methods: conformational analysis and Boltzmann-averaged GIAO 13C NMR chemical shifts

Ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock level with full-geometry optimization using the 6-31G(d) basis set, and GIAO (gauge including atomic orbitals) (13)C NMR chemical shifts, are presented here as a support in the study of the stereochemistry of low-polar organic compounds having an open-chain structure. Four linear stereoisomers, fragments of a natural product previously characterized by experimental (13)C NMR spectra, which possesses three stereogenic centers, 11 carbon atoms, and 38 atoms in total, were considered. Conformational searches, by empirical force-field molecular dynamics, pointed out the existence of 8-13 relevant conformers per stereoisomer. Thermochemical calculations at the ab initio level in the harmonic approximation of the vibrational modes, allowed the evaluation, at 298.15 K, of the standard Gibbs free energy of the conformers. The (13)C NMR chemical shift of a given carbon atom in each stereoisomer was considered as the average chemical shift value of the same atom in the different conformers. The averages were obtained by the Boltzmann distribution, using the relative standard free energies as weighting factors. Computed parameters related to linear correlation plots of experimental (13)C chemical shifts versus the corresponding computed average data allowed us to distinguish among the four stereoisomers.     

Second-derivative constant-wavelength synchronous scan spectrofluorimetry for determination of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene in drinking water

The use of derivative constant-wavelength synchronous scan fluorimetry is reported for the determination of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants in drinking water (linearity range 0.4-4 mug 1(-1)). The limits of detection (LD) and quantification (LQ) (mug 1(-1)) are 0.01 and 0.07 for benzo[b]fluoranthene, 0.03 and 0.12 for benzo[a]pyrene and 0.19 and 0.57 for indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene in the presence of three other pollutants, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[ghi]perylene and fluoranthene. The precision (RSD /= 85%) were satisfactory.     

Synthesis and structural aspects of urea/dialkylamine inclusion compounds

The synthesis and structural aspects of urea host-guest inclusion compounds containing linear secondary alkylamines (dibutyl-,dipentyl-, dihexyl-, dioctyl-) at 25°C are reported. Elemental analysis,¹³C CP-MAS NMR and¹H-NMR Spectroscopy, and Powder X-ray Diffraction Analysis confirm the inclusion process. The basic host structure of the products is similar to that of urea-hydrocarbon systems.¹³C MAS-NMR experiments show chemical shift differences for the confined guest molecule with respect to the liquid phase. Stoichiometry and |c _g| values for the inclusion compounds with dipentyl-and dihexylamine suggest a commensurate structure.     

Superheated liquids for extraction of solid residues from winemaking processes

Solid residues from winemaking processes have been subjected to extraction with superheated water–ethanol mixtures. Identification and characterization of the extracted compounds were achieved by spectrophotometry, gas chromatography with either flame-ionization or mass detectors, and-high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Extraction was performed statically with single or repeated cycles. All variables affecting the extraction process have been studied and optimised. The extraction time and temperature were 65 min and 210 °C, respectively. Extracts comprised two phases—an aqueous phase, rich in phenolic compounds, and an oily phase, comprising mainly fatty acids. The method allows manipulation of extract composition by changing the applied pressure, temperature, water-to-ethanol ratio, and pH. The method is faster than traditional extraction procedures for obtaining valuable compounds from these residues.