Facile preparation of aromatic esters from aromatic bromides with ethyl formate or DMF and molecular iodine via aryllithium

Various aromatic bromides were treated with n-BuLi and subsequently with ethyl formate, followed by the reaction with ethanol and molecular iodine in the presence of K₂CO₃ to provide the corresponding aromatic ethyl esters in good yields. Moreover, aromatic bromides could be transformed into the corresponding aromatic methyl esters in good yields by the treatment with n-BuLi and subsequently with DMF, followed by the reaction with methanol, molecular iodine, and K₂CO₃. Some aromatics could be also converted into the corresponding aromatic esters in good yields by the treatment with n-BuLi, and subsequently with ethyl formate or DMF, followed by the reaction with molecular iodine and K₂CO₃. The present reactions offer a novel route for the transition-metal-free, carbon-monoxide-free, and therefore environmentally benign one-pot conversion of aromatic bromides and aromatics into aromatic esters.     

Controlled immobilization of palladium nanoparticles in two different fluorinated polymeric aggregate cores and their application in catalysis

Fluoroalkyl end-capped betaine-type cooligomeric nanocomposites-immobilized palladium nanoparticles were prepared by the reactions of palladium chloride with sodium acetate in the presence of sodium chloride and the corresponding fluorinated cooligomers. Outer blocks of poly(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorostyrene)-containing ABA-triblock copolymeric nanocomposites-immobilized palladium nanoparticles were prepared by the use of the corresponding block copolymers under similar conditions. TEM images showed that palladium nanoparticles can be immobilized outside the fluorinated cooligomeric nanocomposite cores; in contrast, palladium nanoparticles can be effectively immobilized inside these fluorinated ABA-triblock copolymeric nanocomposite cores. Thus, these two different fluorinated copolymers enabled the controlled immobilization of palladium nanoparticles in the fluorinated nanocomposite cores. These fluorinated nanocomposites-immobilized palladium nanoparticles were also applied to the catalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, and the different reactivity between these nanocomposites was observed.     

Raman spectroscopic study of phase transitions in undoped morphotropic PbZr1−xTixO3

Several PbZr_1−xTi_xO₃ (PZT) compositions in the proximity of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were examined by means of Raman spectroscopy in the 15–800 K temperature range. Previous studies performed by other researchers using various techniques evidenced that, in the phase diagram of PZT, areas with rhombohedral/monoclinic and tetragonal/monoclinic phases coexist across the MPB. For these compositions, either long‐range or short‐range symmetry ordering of the monoclinic phase should be considered, so that no true rhombohedral–monoclinic–tetragonal phase boundary exists. In addition, the onset of antiferrodistortive phase transitions between high‐T and low‐T perovskite phases has been predicted by ab initio calculations and experimentally reported. In the present work, low‐T and high‐T Raman scattering spectra were collected on undoped PbZr_1−xTi_xO₃ with compositions x = 0.42, 0.45, 0.465, 0.48 and 0.53 in an attempt to clarify the current open issues on the phase diagram of PZT. Spectra clearly belonging to the respective phases were observed in the rhombohedral, monoclinic and tetragonal areas, thus confirming that monoclinic ordering is long‐range only for a narrow range of compositions. Raman measurements at cryogenic temperatures allowed detecting all predicted low‐T phases, including the tetragonal one. These results are in good agreement with both ab initio calculations and experimental results obtained by other authors on the same compositions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrocatalytic evolution of hydrogen on porous alumina/gelcast-derived nano-carbon network composite electrode

We presented a way to fabricate new porous alumina/gelcast-derived nano-carbon network (NCN) composite electrode using gelcasting and reduction-sintering method. The morphology, crystalline phases, and nanostructure of the alumina/NCN electrode were characterized. The electrocatalytic activity of this elelctrode toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solutions was investigated. The electrocatalytic activity analyzed by cyclic voltammetry exhibited the onset potential for HER shifted in the positive direction favoring hydrogen generation with lower overpotential on the porous electrode, compared with pure carbon electrode. This behavior was attributed to the high porosity and electrochemical surface area as well as the nanostructure of the electrode that was pyrolyzed nano-carbon networks introduced into the alumina ceramic matrix, which can greatly enhance the electrode electrocatalytic activity toward HER. The associated kinetic parameters of HER were systematically investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.     

First principle lattice energy calculations for enantiopure and racemic crystals of α-(trifluoromethyl)lactic acid: Is self-disproportionation of enantiomers controlled by thermodynamic stability of crystals?

The lattice energies for the enantiopure and racemic crystals of α-(trifluoromethyl)lactic acid were calculated by a combination of the DFT calculations with the periodic boundary condition and the MP2 calculations of the interactions with neighboring molecules. The lattice energies calculated for the two crystals (−16.56 and −17.35 kcal/mol, respectively) show that the racemic crystals are thermodynamically more stable, although the racemic crystals sublime faster than the enantiopure crystals. The calculations suggest that the relative thermodynamic stability is not the cause of the faster sublimation rate of the racemic crystals compared with the enantiopure crystals. Although the crystals have hydrogen-bonding networks, the dispersion interactions contribute to the lattice energies significantly. The MP2 calculations for the evaluation of the dispersion interactions with the neighboring molecules are important for an accurate evaluation of the lattice energies. The relative thermodynamic stability of the two crystals is not determined solely by the hydrogen bonds. The interactions with other neighboring molecules also play important roles in determining the relative stability. We demonstrate that the geometry optimization is essential for an accurate evaluation of the lattice energy by the first principle calculation. The interaction energies calculated using the structure by X-ray diffraction often have large errors.     

Simultaneous determination of a pyridine-triphenylborane anti-fouling agent and its estimated degradation products using capillary zone electrophoresis

A commercial organoborane compound, pyridine-triphenylborane (PTPB), is often applied to ship hulls as an anti-fouling agent. We developed capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with direct UV detection for the simultaneous determination of PTPB and its estimated degradation products: diphenylborinic acid (DPB), phenylboronic acid (MPB), and phenol. The limits of detection (LODs) for PTPB, DPB, MPB, and phenol were, respectively, 25, 30, 50, and 29 μg/l at a signal-to-noise ratio of three. At concentrations of 0.5 mg/l, values of the relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 6, intra-day) of peak area were obtained, respectively, for PTPB, DPB, MPB, and phenol, as 4.1, 4.1, 4.7, and 3.4% for peak heights 3.6, 3.2, 1.7, and 1.4%, and for migration times 1.1, 1.1, 1.0, and 0.73%. The analytes were detected within 14 min. Simple photodegradation experiments were conducted to verify the usefulness of the proposed method for additional PTPB degradation investigations.     

High‐Yielding Synthesis of the Anti‐Influenza Neuraminidase Inhibitor (−)‐Oseltamivir by Two “One‐Pot” Sequences

The efficient asymmetric total synthesis of (?)‐oseltamivir, an antiviral reagent, has been accomplished by using two “one‐pot” reaction sequences, with excellent overall yield (60 %) and only one required purification by column chromatography. The first one‐pot reaction sequence consists of a diphenylprolinol silyl ether mediated asymmetric Michael reaction, a domino Michael reaction/Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction combined with retro‐aldol/Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction and retro Michael reactions, a thiol Michael reaction, and a base‐catalyzed isomerization. Six reactions can be successfully conducted in the second one‐pot reaction sequence; these are deprotection of a tert‐butyl ester and its conversion into an acyl chloride then an acyl azide, Curtius rearrangement, amide formation, reduction of a nitro group into an amine, and a retro Michael reaction of a thiol moiety. A column‐free synthesis of (?)‐oseltamivir has also been established.     

Electrochemical generation of silver acetylides from terminal alkynes with a Ag anode and integration into sequential Pd-catalysed coupling with arylboronic acids

An electro-oxidative method for generating silver acetylides from acetylenes with a Ag anode was developed. The reaction could be integrated into a Pd-catalysed electrochemical Sonogashira-type reaction. In the presence of the catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)(2) and 4-BzO-TEMPO, electro-generated silver acetylides reacted immediately with arylboronic acids to afford the corresponding coupling adducts in high yields.     

Variation of crystallization mechanisms in flash-lamp-irradiated amorphous silicon films

Flash lamp annealing (FLA) can form polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films with various microstructures depending on the thickness of precursor amorphous Si (a-Si) films due to the variation of crystallization mechanisms. Intermittent explosive crystallization (EC) takes place in precursor a-Si films thicker than approximately 2 μm, and the periodicity of microstructure formed resulting from the intermittent EC is independent of the thickness of a-Si films if their thickness is 2 μm or greater. In addition to the intermittent EC, continuous EC and homogeneous solid-phase crystallization (SPC) also occur in thinner films. These crystallization mechanisms are governed by the ignition of EC at Si film edges and the homogeneous heating of interior a-Si. The results obtained in this study could be applied to control the microstructures of flash-lamp-crystallized poly-Si films.     

syn-Selective Asymmetric Mannich Reaction of Sulfonyl Imines with Iminoesters Catalyzed by the N,N,N-Tridentate Bis(imidazolidine)pyridine (PyBidine)-Cu(OTf)(2) Complex

Chiral ligand: The [PyBidine-Cu(OTf)(2) ] (Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonate) complex catalyzed the asymmetric Mannich reaction of sulfonyl imines and iminoesters to give the products in a high syn-selective manner. For both 4-toluene (Ts)- and 4-nitrophenylsulfonyl (Ns)-imines, the syn-adducts were obtained in up to 99?% ee.