Mechanism of N-vinylcarbazole polymerization on Co(II)–13X molecular sieve

Kinetics of polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole over Co(II)-13X molecular sieves in toluene have been studied. The rate of polymerization (R_p) has been found to be second order with respect to percent exchange level of Co(II) and also to the NVC concentration at all the reaction temperatures of 40, 50 and 60°C. The rate increases with decreasing pH of the original exchanging salt solution up to a pH of about 3.5, beyond which it falls. The overall activation energy of polymerization has been found to decrease with increase in monomer concentration, exchange level of Co(II), and the hydrogen ion concentration of the original exchange solution. Average degree of polymerization also follows a similar trend. A mechanism of polymerization involving simultaneous propagation on both metal ion Co(II) and proton on a zeolite surface has been suggested. The two propagation routes are characterized by an average activation energy of 10.36 kcal/mol and 5.40 kcal/mol on the metal ion and proton centers, respectively.     

Thermochromism in nickel(II) complexes: thermal, solid state H NMR and single crystal X-ray analysis of bis-(N,N-dimethyl-1,2-ethanediamine) nickel(II) perchlorate

The complex bis-(N,N-dimethyl-1,2-ethanediamine) nickel(II) perchlorate undergoes a first-order thermochromic phase transition at ca. 476 K, changing its color from orange to red. The room temperature X-ray crystal structure determination showed that the nickel ion possesses a square-planar geometry with two five membered chelate rings, in the δλ conformation, forming the NiN₄ chromophore. The broad-line ¹H NMR indicates the onset of a dynamic disorder of diamine chelate rings at the phase transition temperature region, while T₁ measurement of ¹H affords the activation energy of the puckering metal chelate rings to be 26 kJ mol⁻¹. The electronic spectrum revealed that a weakening of ligand field around the nickel is associated with the phase transition.     

Intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of alkenes incorporated in a carbohydrate template. Synthesis of enantiopure bicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes and -[6.3.0]undecanes

Intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of alkenes with a furano sugar placed between them have been investigated under both copper(I)-catalyzed and sensitized conditions. The copper(I)-catalyzed photocycloaddition of the dienes 4a, 4b, and 4c led to unexpected formation of the thermodynamically less stable cis-syn-cis 4-5-5 tricyclic adducts 5a, 5b, and 5c, respectively. The sensitized photocycloaddition of the diene 14 also gave the cis-syn-cis adduct 15 showing that the copper(I) catalyst does not have any influence on the stereochemical course through coordination with the anomeric ring oxygen of the furano sugar. The identical stereochemical course observed under both catalyzed and sensitized photoaddition reactions have been attributed to be of steric origin. Bis(dienes) 25a and 25b, which gave an intractable mixture on copper(I)-catalyzed irradiation, underwent smooth photocycloaddition in the presence of benzophenone, and the resulting 1,2-divinyl cyclobutanes underwent spontaneous [3.3]-rearrangement at room temperature to produce bicyclo[6.3.0]undecanes 30a and 30b, respectively. This investigation provides an approach for the construction of enantiopure bicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes and -[6.3.0]undecanes.     

Immobilization of α-amylase from Bacillus circulans GRS 313 on coconut fiber

A simple and inexpensive method for immobilizing alpha-amylase from Bacillus circulans GRS 313 on coconut fiber was developed. The immobilization conditions for highest efficiency were optimized with respect to immobilization pH of 5.5, 30 degrees C, contact time of 4 h, and enzyme to support a ratio of 1:1 containing 0.12 mg/mL of protein. The catalytic properties of the immobilized enzyme were compared with that of the free enzyme. The activity of amylase adsorbed on coconut fiber was 38.7 U/g of fiber at its optimum pH of 5.7 and 48 degrees C, compared with the maximum activity of 40.2 U/mL of free enzyme at the optimum pH of 4.9 and 48 degrees C. The reutilization capacity of the immobilized enzyme was up to three cycles.     

Mechanism and kinetics of thermal decomposition of precipitates of the zinc oxide-aluminium oxide system from non-isothermal tg curves

Kinetics of decomposition of the precipitates of the ZnO&2sbndAl₂O₃ system, prepared by coprecipitation and mechanical mixing of the individual precipitates, have been studied. The decomposition of zinc basic carbonate is a first order rate process with an activation energy of 34.5 kcal/mole (Coats and Redfern equation). The decomposition of aluminium hydroxide is also best described as a first order rate process with one break in the Coats and Redfern plot corresponding to activation energies of 29.4 and 8.3 kcal/mole respectively. The entire course of decomposition of coprecipitated as well as mechanically mixed samples cannot be described by any one of the many rate equations available. Consequently, the Coats and Redfern equation has been employed. The plots indicate one or two breaks and thus two to three values of activation energy are reported. From the results it is to be concluded that decomposition of these precipitates is a heterogeneous process. The first step is definitely the decomposition of zinc basic carbonate followed by decomposition of aluminium hydroxide and/or interaction of the two precipitates resulting in the formation of “precursor” to spinel. The results of our earlier investigation on the same system (especially the formation of precursors) are well supported by the results reported in this investigation. p]A new equation (a modified form of the Elovich equation) has been proposed for such heterogeneous decomposition processes. The proposed equation also appears to be the general form of the equations where diffusion is the rate controlling process.     

2,2,2-trifluoroethanol-induced molten globule state of concanavalin a and energetics of 8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate binding: calorimetric and spectroscopic investigation

The interaction of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) with concanavalin A has been investigated by using a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy at pH 2.5 and 5.2. All of the calorimetric transitions at both the pH values were found to be irreversible. In the presence of 4 mol kg(-1) TFE at pH 2.5, concanavalin A is observed to be in a partially folded state with significant loss of native tertiary structure. The loss of specific side chain interactions in the transition from native to the TFE-induced partially folded state is demonstrated by the loss of cooperative thermal transition and reduction of the CD bands in the aromatic region. Acrylamide quenching, 8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS) binding, and energy transfer also suggest that in the presence of 4 mol kg(-1) TFE at pH 2.5 concanavalin A is in a molten globule state. ITC has been used for the first time to characterize the energetics of ANS binding to the molten globule state. ITC results indicate that the binding of ANS to the molten globule state and acid-induced state at pH 2.5 displays heterogeneity with two classes of non-interacting binding sites. The results provide insights into the role of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions in the binding of ANS to concanavalin A. The results also demonstrate that ITC can be used to characterize the partially folded states of the protein both qualitatively and quantitatively.     

Study of formation of nano-quasicrystals and crystallization kinetics of Zr-Al-Ni-Cu metallic glass

The formation of nano-quasicrystals on isothermal annealing of melt-spun ribbons of Zr_69.5Al_7.5Ni₁₁Cu₁₂ metallic glass has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallization study of this metallic glass has been carried out using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in non-isothermal (linear heating) mode. It exhibits two-stage crystallization where the first stage corresponds to the precipitation of icosohedral nano-quasicrystalline phase. This has been confirmed with the help of TEM investigations. The crystallization parameters like the activation energy (E _c) and frequency factor (k ₀) have been derived using the Kissinger peak shift analysis. The activation energies for the first and second crystallization peak are found to be 278 and 295 kJ mol^–1, respectively. The frequency factors obtained for the two peaks are respectively 7.16·10¹⁹ and 1.42·10²⁰ s^–1. E _c, k ₀ and the Avrami exponent (n) have also been derived by fitting the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation for the transformed volume fraction (x) to the crystallization data. JMAK results of E _c for the first and second crystallization peak turn out to be 270 and 290 kJ mol^–1 respectively. However, k ₀ and n are found to be heating rate dependent as reported in similar studies. The values of n for the first crystallization stage ranges between 1.66 and 2.57 indicating diffusion-controlled transformation in agreement with earlier reports.     

One-step synthesis and characterization of difunctionalized N-confused tetraphenylporphyrins

Three disubstituted N-confused porphyrins (2-4) were prepared in ca. 4% yield using a one-pot synthesis. These porphyrins bear 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl groups substituted at the C(5) and C(20) meso positions and para-substituted (Br, NO(2), ethynyl) phenyl groups at the C(10) and C(15) meso positions. The specific orientation of the aryl rings around the macrocycle in porphyrin 2 was definitively determined using a combination of 1D ((1)H and (13)C) and 2D (gHMQC and gHMBC) NMR spectroscopy. The absorption spectra of 2-4 in CH(2)Cl(2) and dimethylacetamide are similar to those of N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin in the same solvents but have Soret and Q-bands that are shifted to lower energies. Steady-state fluorescence measurements revealed Q(x)(0,0) and Q(x)(0,1) bands similar in energy to the unsubstituted NCPs 1i and 1e. The fluorescence quantum yield results for two of these NCPs (2, 4) are atypical of porphyrin behavior and are being further investigated by time-resolved spectroscopy.     

Studies of solvation of ketocyanine dyes in homogeneous and heterogeneous media by UV/Vis spectroscopic method

Solvation characteristics of ketocyanine dyes (I-VI) have been investigated in pure solvents and heterogeneous media by absorption and fluorescence studies. The dyes are good reporters of solvent polarity. In protic solvents they exist as equilibrium mixtures of bare and hydrogen-bonded form in the ground state (S0), the latter being the emitting species. In aprotic solvents of low polarity association of the S1 state of the dye takes place. In aqueous micellar media the dye resides at the micelle water interface. The binding constant for dye-micelle interaction has been determined. Fluorescence data in beta-cyclodextrine solution resemble that for that neutral micellar solution indicating that the interaction between the -OH group of the heterogeneous part (micelle/cyclodextrine cavity) and the carbonyl oxygen of the dye is important in both the cases.