Iridium-mediated asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,3-diphenylbutadiene: a revealing kinetic study

Hydrogenation of 2,3-diphenylbutadiene mediated by a chiral iridium carbene oxazoline complex was studied. The kinetics of the reaction showed that it occurred in two distinct stages. The first corresponded to slow consumption of the diene to form half-hydrogenated products, i.e., monoenes. After all the diene was consumed, however, the reaction was much faster and more stereoselective. These data were interpreted in terms of possible catalytic intermediates.     

Sonochemical synthesis of mass single-crystal PbS nanobelts

Based on sonochemical technique, large-scale PbS nanobelts are successfully synthesized in the mixed solution of PbCl₂ and Na₂S₂O₃. These nanobelts are characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electronic diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and high-resolution TEM. The as-synthesized PbS nanobelts have width of about 80 nm, length up to several millimeters, and width-to-thickness ratio of about 5. In addition, the growth mechanism of PbS nanobelts is suggested.     

Morphology and thermal properties of a PC/PE blend with reactive compatibilization

Reactive compatibilization of immiscible polymers is becoming increasingly important and hence a representative study of a polycarbonate/high density polyethylene (PC/HDPE) system is the focus of this paper. A grafted copolymer PC‐graft‐ethylene‐co‐acrylic acid (PC‐graft‐EAA) was generated as a compatibilizer in situ during processing operation by ester and acid reaction between PC and ethylene‐acrylic acid (EAA) in the presence of the catalyst dibutyl tin oxide (DBTO). As the polyethylene (PE) matrix does not play any part during the synthesis of the copolymer and since PC and EAA are also immiscible, to simplify the system, the influence of this copolymer formation at the interface between PC and EAA on rheological properties, phase morphology, and crystallization behavior for EAA/PC binary blends was first studied. The equilibrium torque increased with the DBTO content increasing in EAA/PC blends on Haake torque rheometer, indicating the in situ formation of the graft copolymer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of cryogenically fractured surfaces showed a significant change at the distribution and dispersion of the dispersed phase in the presence of DBTO, compared with the EAA/PC blend without the catalyst. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies suggested that the heat of fusion of the EAA phase in PC/EAA blends with or without DBTO reduced with the formation of the copolymer compared with pure EAA. Then morphological studies and crystallization behavior of the uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends of PC/PE were studied as functions of EAA phase concentration and DBTO content. Morphological observations in PC/PE blends also revealed that on increasing the EAA content or adding the catalyst DBTO, the number of microvoids was reduced and the interface was intensive as compared to the uncompatibilized PC/PE blends. Crystallization studies indicated that PE crystallized at its bulk crystallization temperature. The degree of crystallinity of PE phase in PC/PE/EAA blends was also reduced with the addition of EAA and DBTO compared to the uncompatibilized blends of PC/PE, indicating the decrease in the degree of crystallinity was more in the presence of PC‐graft‐EAA. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size-selective deposition and sorting of lyophilic colloidal particles on surfaces of patterned wettability

A highly parallelizable means of positioning or sorting particles in a size-selective manner into arrays is demonstrated based on the placement of particle suspensions on surfaces of patterned wettability and the subsequent evaporation of the suspending solvent. The method relies on creating lyophilic features of dimensions similar to or greater than those of the particles to be arrayed and smaller than those of the particles to be excluded. As the contact line recedes, it fills lyophilic features, creating discrete fluid elements that mimic the underlying lyophilic pattern. The fluid elements have aspect ratios dictated by the contact angle. By adjusting the size of the lyophilic features, the heights of the fluid elements can be adjusted to sequester or exclude particles based on their diameter. The principal interest of this work is its broad applicability. No prior understanding of the particle properties is needed except for the size of the particle and its ability to be suspended in a solvent.     

Determination of Total Reduced Thiol Levels in Plasma Using a Bromide Substituted Quinone

The exploitation of 2‐bromo‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (NQBr) as a selective redox label for the determination of reduced thiol functionalities (RSH) has been investigated. The system is selective for RSH functionality, giving distinct voltammetric signals for glutathione and cysteine but can also be adapted for broad spectrum thiol detection. Ion chromatographic protocols based on conductimetric detection enable total RSH analysis (protein and monomolecular moieties) within human plasma. Bromide released through the reaction can be easily quantified and integrated within normal IC measurements. The efficacy of the approach has been assessed and the response validated through comparison with the standard colorimetric technique.     

Mechanistic evaluation of the halocyclization of 4-penten-1-ol by some Bis(2-substituted pyridine) and Bis(2,6-disubstituted pyridine)bromonium triflates

The halocyclization reaction of 4-penten-1-ol mediated by various bis(2-substituted pyridine) and (2,6- disubstituted pyridine)bromonium triflates (P(2)Br(+)OTf(-)) was investigated to determine the influence of the substituents on the mechanism of reaction. In all cases, the reaction proceeds via a two-step process where the starting P(2)Br(+) reversibly dissociates to a reactive monosubstituted PBr(+), which then is captured by 4-penten-1-ol to form halocyclized product (2-bromomethyltetrahydrofuran). The dissociation rate constant of P(2)Br(+) (k(d)) is sensitive to the steric bulk at the 2- and 6-positions, and in the case of the 2, 6-dicyclohexylpyridine or 2,6-dicyclopentylpyridine, the P(2)Br(+) species are too unstable to isolate. The partitioning ratio of the reactive intermediate (PBr(+)) between reversal and product formation (k(-)(d)/k(2)) is not particularly sensitive to the nature of the pyridine, the limiting values being 3-7 except in the case of bis(2(-)-menthylpyridine)bromonium triflate where the k(-)(d)/k(2) ratio is approximately 80. The reaction of 4-penten-1-ol and its OD isotopomer with bis(lutidine)bromonium triflate was investigated to determine the deuterium kinetic isotope effect (dkie) on the bromocyclization reaction. The (k(-)(d)/k(2))(H/D) ratio is 1.0, indicating that the rate-limiting step for the bromocyclization is probably formation of a PBr(+)-4-penten-1-ol complex which does not involve substantial changes in the bonding of the OH. The cyclization of 4-penten-1-ol and 4-pentenoic acid mediated by bis(2(-)-menthylpyridine)bromonium triflate produces an enantiomeric excess in the cyclized products of only 2.4% and 4.8% respectively.     

Ring-opening Polymerization of e-Caprolactone Using Lanthanide Tris(4-tert-butylphenolate)s as a Single-component Initiator

The ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactone (CL) initiated by novel single lanthanide tris(4-tert-butylphenolate)s [Ln(OTBP)3] is reported. Single-component La(OTBP)3 can effectively prepare polycaprolactone (PCL) with over 90% yield and viscosity average molecular weight about 60 x 10 under quite mild conditions: molar ratio of CL to initiator is 1000, 60 C, 2 h in toluene. Mechanism study indicates that the monomer inserts into the growing chain via the break of acyl-oxygen bond of CL.     

Organic Reactions in Ionic Liquids： An Efficient Method for the Synthesis of Phenacyl Esters by Reaction of Carboxylic Acids with α-Bromoacetophenone Promoted by Potassium Fluoride

An efficient method is reported for the synthesis of phenacyl esters by reaction of carboxylic acids with a-bromoacetophenone promoted by potassium fluoride in ionic liquid [Bmim]PF6, the yield of the reaction is almost quantitative and the products are essentially pure.     

Quinine/selectfluor combination induced asymmetric semipinacol rearrangement of allylic alcohols: an effective and enantioselective approach to alpha-quaternary beta-fluoro aldehydes

A quinine/Selectfluor combination inducing rearrangement reaction of allylic alcohols was discovered, which involved a moderate yield with good enantioselective construction of alpha-quaternary carbon center and beta-fluoro aldehyde under base condition.     

Determination of dispersity of crushed granite

Summary Experimental crushed granite column breakthrough curves, using ⁹⁹Tc as spike tracer and ³H as invariant tracer, were analyzed by different linear regression techniques. Dispersity of crushed granite and the retardation factor of ⁹⁹TcO₄^- on the crushed granite were determined simultaneously by one linear regression. Dispersity of crushed granite was also obtained with ³H as invariant tracer by the other linear regression. The dispersities found by spike source and invariant source methods are compared. Experimental results show that the dispersity found by the spike source method is close to that found by the invariant source method. This indicates that dispersity is only a characteristic of the dispersion medium.