A novel rearrangement reaction in doubly charged ion mass spectra of acetophenone derivatives

A novel rearrangement reaction for a methyl group is found in doubly charged ion mass spectra of p-substituted acetophenone derivatives. The driving force for the reaction is discussed.     

Ion pairs in trifluoroacetolysis of 2-arylethyl arenesulfonates

The behavior of ion pairs in the trifluoroacetolysis of 2-arylethyl arenesulfonates was studied by means of tracer techniques with deuterium and oxygen-18.     

Molecular dynamics study of the methanol effect on the membrane morphology of perfluorosulfonic ionomers

The membranes of a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer swollen in 10-80 wt % methanol solution were investigated to elucidate the methanol effect on their morphologies, such as size of the solvent cluster, solvent location, and polymer structure, by using isothermal-isobaric molecular dynamics simulations. In higher methanol concentrations, we found less-spherical solvent aggregation and a more spread polymer structure because of the ampholytic nature of methanol. The partial radial distribution functions between solvent oxygen and fluorocarbons, which are composed of the main chain, clearly show that methanol is located closer to the polymer matrix than water. On the other hand, water is preferentially located in the vicinity of an acidic headgroup, SO(3)(-), compared with methanol, although both have similar attractive interaction energies to the acidic group. Furthermore, we discussed solvent dynamics and hydrogen bonding between sulfonic oxygen and solvent O-H groups.     

Adsorption factor and photocatalytic degradation of dye-constituent aromatics on the surface of TiO2 in the presence of phosphate anions

The photocatalytic degradation for some kinds of dye-constituent aromatics with TiO₂ in the presence of phosphate anions in aqueous dispersion was investigated under both visible light (λ>480 nm) and UV irradiation. The influences of phosphate anion upon the degradation of organics under these different conditions was revealed by the measurement of point of zero ξ-potential (P _ZC) of TiO₂, UV-VIS spectra, HPLC and LC-MS. The adsorption and photodegradation of some organics, which adsorb on the surface of TiO₂ by a dominating group bearing a positive charge, was enhanced, while that of others, which adsorb on the surface of TiO₂ by a dominating group bearing negative charge, was depressed by the presence of phosphate anions under UV irradiation at the experimental conditions (pH 4.3). It was confirmed that better adsorption of organics on the surface of TiO₂ had an advantage in their photocatalytic degradation under UV irradiation. On the other hand, although the adsorption of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene Blue (MB) markedly increased, their degradation under visible light irradiation was depressed in the presence of phosphate anions. It is suggested that phosphate anion greatly blocked the electron transfer from excited RhB and MB molecules as RhB and MB molecules predominantly adsorbed on the surface of TiO₂ through the electrostatic interaction with surface adsorbed phosphate anions.     

Kinetics of γ-ray polymerization of formaldehyde in the presence of carbon dioxide

A kinetic study of the γ-ray polymerization of formaldehyde in toluene solution in the presence of carbon dioxide was carried out at temperatures of + 13 to ?17°C. Two modes of the polymerization, spontaneous and γ-ray polymerization, occur in this system. The γ-ray polymerization, experimentally separated from the spontaneous polymerization, was investigated. The rate of γ-ray polymerization increased slightly with the square root of carbon dioxide concentration. The rate of polymerization was also found to be proportional to the dose rate and the square of monomer concentration. The molecular weight of polymer formed was independent of the reaction condition. The apparent activation energy was estimated to be 10.3 kcal./mole. The kinetics of the γ-ray polymerization in the presence of carbon dioxide are explained quantitatively by a cationic mechanism, and the role of carbon dioxide is as an action of retardation for neutralization of the cationic initiating species, which was produced by γ-radiation, by means of a reverse reaction with an electron. Physical and mechanical properties of the polymer obtained by γ-ray polymerization were also investigated.     

Purification of Food Color Red No. 106 (acid red) using pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography

pH-Zone-refining counter-current chromatography was successfully applied to the separation of the main components of Food Color Red No. 106 (R-106, acid red, Color Index No. 45100). A 300-mg quantity of sample was separated using the following two-phase solvent system: n-butanol-water, 40 mM sulfuric acid in organic stationary phase and 30 mM ammonia in aqueous mobile phase. The obtained fractions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The separation yielded 261.9 mg of main component of acid red with purity of 99.9%.     

A highly cis-selective synthesis of 2-ethynylaziridines by intramolecular amination of chiral bromoallenes: improvement of stereoselectivity based on the computational investigation

The base-mediated intramolecular amination of bromoallenes having an axial chirality is described. The treatment of (4S,aR)-4-alkyl-4-[N-(arylsulfonyl)amino]-1-bromobuta-1,2-dienes with NaH in DMF affords 2,3-cis-2-ethynylaziridines in good to excellent selectivity (2,3-cis:trans = 92:8-99:1). The reaction of (4S,aS)-bromoallenes with NaH/DMF also gives 2,3-cis-2-ethynylaziridines selectively (79:21-91:9). These experimental results have been rationalized by B3LYP density functional calculations together with the 6-31+G(d) basis set and the Onsager solvation model. The transition structures for cis-aziridine formation of both (4S,aR)- and (4S,aS)-bromoallenes in DMF are favored over the corresponding trans transition structures by 4.35 and 1.41 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore, the calculations predicted that a less polar solvent gives higher cis selectivity for (4S,aS)-bromoallenes. In fact, improvement of the cis selectivity to 99:1 has been realized by using a less polar solvent such as THF. The cyclization of bromoallenes bearing a beta- or gamma-amino group also affords four- and five-membered azacycles in a highly cis-selective manner.     

Diethylhydrogensilyl cyclic diethylsilylene derivatives in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of hydroxylated steroids. III-Fragmentations of 5β-pregnane-17,20,21-triol derivatives

A reaction of N,O-bis-(diethylhydrogensilyl) trifluoroacetamide with 5β-pregnane-17,20,21-triols afforded diethylhydrogensilyl (DEHS) cyclic diethylsilylene (DES) derivatives. 5β-Pregnane-3α,17α,20β,21-tetraol yielded the 3α,21-bis-DEHS-17α,20β-DES compound, whereas the structure of the major product from its 20α isomer was assigned as the 3α,17α-bis-DEHS-20α,21-DES derivative, which would undergo facile isomerization to the unstable 3α,21-bis-DEHS-17α,20α-DES structure under electron ionization. Fragmentations of these DEHS-DES compounds are discussed on the basis of isotope labelling experiments, linked scanning data, and accurate mass measurements.     

Cationic polymerization of formaldehyde in liquid carbon dioxide. Part I

A cationic polymerization of formaldehyde which gave a high molecular weight polymer was studied in liquid carbon dioxide at 20–50°C. In the polymerization without any catalyst both the rate of polymerization and the molecular weight of the resulting polymer increased rapidly with a decrease in the loading density of the monomer solution to the reaction vessel, and also increased with an increase in the initial monomer concentration. From these results it was concluded that the initiating species could be ascribed to an impurity contained in the monomer solution. Both the rate of polymerization and the degree of polymerization of the polymer also increased with rising temperature. The carboxylic acid added acted as a catalyst in the polymerization because of increase in the polymer yield, the molecular weight of polymer formed, and the number of moles of polymer chain with increasing dissociation constant of acid used. It was concluded that the polymerization in liquid carbon dioxide proceeded by a cationic mechanism. Methyl formate had no influence on the polymerization, but methanol and water acted as a chain-transfer agent.