Characterization of polyoxometalate/polymer photo-composites: A toolbox for the photodegradation of organic pollutants

Different inorganic/organic photocomposites based on polyoxometalate (POM) nanoparticles have been developed for photocatalytic applications. Currently, polyoxometalate nanoparticles have been successfully in-situ embedded into an acrylate polymer network by photopolymerization upon mild visible light irradiation at 405 nm. The proposed POM/polymer photocomposites have been characterized using complementary techniques for a better understanding of their photocatalytic activity. Interestingly, the obtained photocomposites exhibit high rigidity, excellent thermal stability, a non-negligible porosity and new functionalities such as light reactivity and redox properties. Moreover, developed composites showed efficient catalytic activity for the color removal of aqueous solutions of erythrosine and rose Bengal under Light Emitting Diodes LED@375 nm irradiation reaching 80 and 90% as a final color removal, respectively.     

Analytical characterization of cell–asbestos fiber interactions in lung pathogenesis

Asbestos is a fiber causing lung diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. Although the process involving these diseases remains to be elucidated for developing drugs and treatments, direct consequences of fiber exposure in humans have been clearly demonstrated. These diseases are first characterized by histological heterogeneity and combine chronic inflammation with fibrosis and cellular alterations. As a consequence, asbestosis is usually diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease and treatments are usually inefficient to cure the patients. Here, we review the links established between asbestos fiber chemistry and morphology with the occurrence of associated lung diseases. Cytological and histological aspects of diseases are described with respect to current analytical capabilities, notably for microscopy techniques.     

Reaction of 3‐substituted and 4‐bromo‐3‐substituted isoquinolin‐1‐(2h)‐ones with propargyl bromide

Isoquinolinones were brominated using N‐bromosuccinimide in dimethylformamide at room temperature to give 4‐bromo‐3‐substituted isoquinolin‐1‐(2H)‐ones. The reaction of these isoquinolinones with propargyl bromide in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate yielded N and O‐alkylated products.     

Separation of saponins and determination of quinovic acid 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside fromNauclea diderrichii (de Wild) Merr. Bark by high performance liquid chromatography

Summary A reversed-phase HPLC determination of 11 saponins and an alkaloid glycoside inNauclea diderrichii bark is described. Quantitative analysis of quinovic acid 3-0-α-L-rhamnopyranoside which is one of the main saponins was determined, using Chrysanthelline A as internal standard. The complete separation was achieved in 47 minutes. The method of quantification was validated.     

Choosing joint distributions so that the variance of the sum is small

The paper considers how to choose the joint distribution of several random variables each with a given marginal distribution so that their sum has a variance as small as possible. A theorem is given that allows the solution of this and of related problems for normal random variables. Several specific applications are given. Additional results are provided for radially symmetric joint distributions of three random variables when the sum is identically zero.     

New 3π‐2Spiro Ladder‐Type Phenylene Materials: Synthesis,Physicochemical Properties and Applications in OLEDs

New routes to ladder‐type phenylene materials 1 and 2 are described. The oligomers 1 and 2 , which possess a “3π‐2spiro” architecture, have been synthesized by using extended diketone derivatives 3 and 10 as key intermediates. The physicochemical properties of the new blue‐light emitter 2 were studied in detail and compared with those of the less‐extended 1 . Owing to the recent development of fluorenone derivatives and their corresponding more conjugated analogues as potential electron‐transport materials in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) and as n‐type materials for photovoltaic applications, we also report herein the thermal, optical and electrochemical behavior of the key intermediates, diketones 3 and 10 . Finally, the application of dispiro 2 as a new light‐emitting material in OLEDs is reported.     

Norbornanes. Part 21. Bridging strain in norbornyl and oxanorbornyl cations

Further evidence is presented that the 2-norbornyl cation is stabilized primarily by C(2)–C(6) bridging, and that C(2)–C(7) bridging leads to prohibitive strain. Thus, a comparison of the heats of hydrogenation of nortricyclene 17 and bicyclo[3. 2. 0. 0.^2,7]heptane 18 indicates that the strain energy of the latter is ca. 21.5 kcal/mol higher that that of 17 . Furthermore, 6-exo-2-oxabicyclo[2. 2. 1]heptyl sulfonates 8 ionize with strong O(2) participation to the bridged oxonium ion 12. In contrast, 2-endo-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl sulfonates 11 ionize without O(7) participation to form the unbridged carbenium ion 15 .