Microwave-assisted dilute acid pretreatment of different agricultural bioresources for fermentable sugar production

Microwave-assisted pretreatment can be used for fermentable sugar production from lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, the optimum hydrolysis conditions of barley husk, oat husk, wheat bran, and rye bran were determined in power level, treatment time, solid-to-liquid ratio and dilute acid ratio as follows: 700 W, 6.92 min, 1:18.26 w/v, and 3.67% for barley husk, 600 W, 6.96 min, 1:17.22 w/v, and 3.47% for oat husk, 600 W, 6.92 min, 1:16.69 w/v, and 1.85% for wheat bran, and 460 W, 6.15 min, 1:17.14 w/v, and 2.72% for rye bran. The fermentable sugar concentrations were 37.21 (0.68 g/g), 38.84 (0.67 g/g), 49.65 (0.83 g/g), and 36.27 g/L (0.62 g/g) under optimum conditions, respectively. The results showed that microwave-assisted pretreatment is a promising technology which can be successfully implemented for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass for high sugar yield. On the other hand, hydrolysates included some inhibitors such as organic acids, furans, and phenolic compounds. Lignocellulosic biomass used in this study can be employed as good feedstocks for value-added product production in the fermentation process, after the inhibitors have been detoxified/removed with different detoxification methods.     

Synthesis and characterization of an unsymmetric salicylaldimine ligand derived from 1-(2-Aminoethyl) piperazine and investigation of its analytical properties for the extraction and preconcentratoion of some divalent cations

The synthetic, structural, spectroscopic and analytical properties of steric hindered Schiff-base ligand [N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine)-1-(2-Aminoethyl) piperazine (HL)] and its mononuclear Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes are described. The new unsymmetric steric hindered Schiff base ligand containing a donor set of NONO was prepared by the reaction of 1-(2-Aminoethyl) piperazine with 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldehyde. Certain metal complexes of this ligand were synthesized by treating an ethanolic solution of the ligand with an equimolar amount of metal salts. The ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, ¹H NMR, elemental analysis, molar conductivity and magnetic susceptibility techniques. The reaction of this ligand in a 1:2 mole ratio with metal acetate afforded mononuclear metal complexes. The molar conductivity (??_M) values of the metal complexes of Ni(II), Co(II) and Cu(II) were in the range of 6.4 to 9.8 ??^?1 cm² mol^?1 at room temperature. Preconcentration and separation of Cu²⁺ from aqueous solution using N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine)-1-(2-Aminoethyl) piperazine (HL) as a new extractant were studied. The extraction experiments were carried out at various pHs. While Cu²⁺ showed the highest extractability and selectivity at pH 7.0, extractions of Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ were unsuccessful due to precipitate formation.     

Synthesis,characterization and redox properties of a new vic-dioxime and its transition metal complexes

A novel vic-dioxime, 1,2 dihydroxyimino-1-p-tolyl-3-aza-6-morpholine heptane (LH₂) was prepared by reacting anti-p-tolylchloroglyoxime with 4-(3-aminopropyl)morpholine in absolute THF. Mononuclear complexes with a metal–ligand ratio of 1:2 were prepared using Co^II, Cu^II and Ni^II salts. The ligand and its complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR, u.v.–vis., ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra, magnetic susceptibility measurements, thermogravimetric analyses (t.g.a.), and by cyclic voltammetry.     

Synthesis, Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Investigations of Two vic-Dioximes and Their Mononuclear Ni（Ⅱ）, Cu（Ⅱ） and Co（Ⅱ） Metal Complexes Containing Morpholine Group

Two vic-dioxime ligands （LxH2） containing morpholine group have been synthesized from 4-[2-（dimethylaminoethyl）] morpholine with anti-phenylchloroglyoxime or anti-monochloroglyoxime in absolute THF at -15 ℃. Reaction of two vic-dioxime ligands with MCl2·nH2O （M： Ni, Cu or Co and n=2 or 6） salts in 1 ： 2 molar ratio afforded metal complexes of type [M（LxH）2] or [M（LxH）2·2H2O]. All of metal complexes are non-electrolytes as shown by their molar conductivities （Am） in DMF （dimethyl formamide） at 10^-3 mol·L^-1. Structures of the ligands and metal complexes have been solved by elemental analyses, FT-IR, UV-Vis, ^1H NMR and ^13C NMR, magnetic susceptibility measurements, molar conductivity measurements. Furthermore, redox properties of the metal complexes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry.     

Bioinspired Scaffolding by Supramolecular Amines Allows the Formation of One- and Two-Dimensional Silica Superstructures

Silica materials attract an increasing amount of interest in (fundamental) research, and find applications in, for example, sensing, catalysis, and drug delivery. As the properties of these (nano)materials not only depend on their chemistry but also their size, shape, and surface area, the controllable synthesis of silica is essential for tailoring the materials to specific applications. Advantageously, bioinspired routes for silica production are environmentally friendly and straightforward since the formation process is spontaneous and proceeds under mild conditions. These strategies mostly employ amine-bearing phosphorylated (bio)polymers. In this work, we expand this principle to supramolecular polymers based on the water-soluble cationic cyanine dye Pinacyanol acetate. Upon assembly in water, these dye molecules form large, polyaminated, supramolecular fibers. The surfaces of these fibers can be used as a scaffold for the condensation of silicic acid. Control over the ionic strength, dye concentration, and silicic acid saturation yielded silica fibers with a diameter of 25 nm and a single, 4 nm pore. Unexpectedly, other unusual superstructures, namely, nummulites and spherulites, are also observed depending on the ionic strength and dye concentration. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) showed that these superstructures are formed by aligned silica fibers. Close examination of the dye scaffold prior silicification using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and UV/Vis spectroscopy revealed minor influence of the ionic strength and dye concentration on the morphology of the supramolecular scaffold. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) during silicification unraveled that if the reaction is kept under static conditions, only silica fibers are obtained. Experiments performed on the dye scaffold and silica superstructures evidenced that the marked structural diversity originates from the arrangement of silica/dye fibers. Under these mild conditions, external force fields can profoundly influence the morphology of the produced silica.     

Limits of miniaturization: assessing ITP performance in sub-micron and nanochannels

The feasibility of isotachophoresis in channels of sub micrometer and nanometer dimension is investigated. A sample injection volume of 0.4 pL is focused and separated in a 330 nm deep channel. The sample consists of a biomatrix containing the fluorescently-labeled amino acids glutamate and phenylalanine, 20 attomoles of each. Isotachophoretic focusing is successfully demonstrated in a 50 nm deep channel. Separation of the two amino acids in the 50 nm deep channel however, could not be performed as the maximum applicable voltage was insufficient. This limit is imposed by bubble formation that we contribute to cavitation as a result of the mismatch in electro-osmotic flow, so called electrocavitation. This represents an unexpected limit on the miniaturization of ITP. Nonetheless, we report the smallest isotachophoretic separation and focusing experiment to date, both in terms of controlled sample injection volume and channel height.     

Synthesis and polymerization of new di‐octadecyl ester derivatives of α‐hydroxymethyl acrylate: A structure‐property correlation for their copolymers with methyl methacrylate

New ether dimer (ED‐Od) and diester (ODE) derivatives of α‐hydroxymethylacrylate, each having two octadecyl side chains, were synthesized and (co)polymerized to evaluate the effects of differences in the structures of the monomers on final (co)polymer properties, particularly glass transition temperature. The free radical polymerizations of both monomers yielded high‐molecular weight polymers. Cyclopolymer formation of ED‐Od was confirmed by ¹³C NMR analysis and the cyclization efficiency (0.95 or greater) was found to be as high as the cyclization efficiencies of the cyclopolymerizations of ether dimers of various alkyl α‐hydroxymethylacrylates synthesized previously. Copolymers of both ED‐Od and ODE with methyl methacrylate (MMA) showed significant T_g decreases over PMMA due to octadecyl side groups causing “internal” plasticization. Comparison of the T_g's of the copolymers of octadecyl methacrylate, ED‐Od and ODE with MMA revealed that the impacts of these monomers on depression of T_g's are identical. That is, the magnitude of decrease in T_g's was quantitatively related to the number of the octadecyl side groups in the copolymers rather than their placement on the same or randomly incorporated repeat units. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7785–7793, 2008     

Acyclic Branched α-Fluoro Ketones for the Direct Asymmetric Mannich Reaction Leading to the Synthesis of β-Tetrasubstituted β-Fluoro Amines

The preparation of acyclic β-fluoro amines bearing tetrasubstituted fluorine stereocenters is described via a direct Zn/ProPhenol-catalyzed Mannich reaction. The reaction utilizes branched vinyl or alkynyl α-fluoro ketones that can be coupled with a range of aryl, heteroaryl, vinyl, or cyclopropyl aldimines in high yield and with excellent diastereo- (up to >20:1) and enantioselectivity (up to 99 %). The use of readily cleaved tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) or carboxybenzyl (Cbz) imine protecting groups adds utility to the reaction by allowing for easy access to the free amine products under mild and chemoselective reaction conditions.     

Evidence for an oscillatory signature in atmospheric neutrino oscillations

Muon neutrino disappearance probability as a function of neutrino flight length L over neutrino energy E was studied. A dip in the L/E distribution was observed in the data, as predicted from the sinusoidal flavor transition probability of neutrino oscillation. The observed L/E distribution constrained nu(micro)<-->nu(tau) neutrino oscillation parameters; 1.9x10(-3)0.90 at 90% confidence level.     

Red and Blue Compounds Formed from Copper(II) Bromide and the Ligand 7-Isobutyl-5-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine: Synthesis, Spectroscopy and Single-Crystal Structures

Abstract  

Two newly synthesized coordination compounds copper(II) bromide with the ligand 7-isobutyl-5-methyl[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (abbreviated as ibmtp) are presented, together with their 3D crystal structure and spectroscopic and magnetic properties. The compounds are CuBr₂(ibmtp)₂ (1) (red crystals) and [CuBr(ibmtp)₄]Br(H₂O)₃ (2) (blue crystals). In (1) the Cu(ii) ion is present in a distorted tetrahedral environment, while in (2) the Cu(ii) ion has a square pyramidal geometry. These crystal structures are also the first ones reported with the ligand ibmtp.