Unexpected dipivaloyl­ation of 9‐li­thia­ted fluorene: formation of 1‐(fluoren‐9‐yl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl­propyl pivalate

Treatment of 9‐li­thia­ted fluorene with pivaloyl chloride provided ap‐9‐pivaloyl­fluorene, (1), the major product, and a minor product ultimately identified as the title compound, C₂₃H₂₆O₂, (2). The latter was also formed directly, but slowly, from 9‐li­thia­ted‐(1) treated with pivaloyl chloride. Although (1) exists exclusively as its less sterically restricted ap rotamer, its sp²‐hybridized anion sterically impedes reaction at the 9‐position from either face. While 9‐li­thia­ted‐(1) is exclusively, but slowly, 9‐methyl­ated with methyl iodide, reaction with pivaloyl chloride, also slow, leads only to the O‐acyl­ated product, (2). The protons of the tert‐butyl‐C=C moiety approach a proton on the fluorene ring to well within the sum of their van der Waals radii, resulting in significant molecular compression, strain and distortion. For example, distortion in the moiety C=C(O)(C) is exhibited by the enlargement of C=C—C angle to 130.6 (2)° at the expense of the corresponding `equivalent' C=C—O angle, which is compressed to 116.46 (19)°.     

sp‐9‐Acetyl­fluorene,the initial acetyl­ation product of 9‐fluorenyl­lithium

The reaction of 9‐fluorenyl­lithium with acetyl chloride (tetra­hydro­furan, 213 K, under argon) provided four products which we have isolated and whose structures we have unequivocally identified for the first time. That of the initially formed component, 9‐acetyl­fluorene (C₁₅H₁₂O), described here, shows it to be exclusively the sp rotamer in its crystalline form. The acetyl C—C=O plane is essentially perpendicular to the planar fluorene ring and there is no indication of rotational restriction. In contrast, related 9‐pivaloyl­fluorene, which we reported previously, is rotationally restricted and exists exclusively as its ap rotamer, in which the pivaloyl C—C=O plane is also almost perpendicular to the fluorene ring.     

Thermal and hydraulic performance of a three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower

An experimental study was made of the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of a three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower. The experiments were carried out in a packed tower of 200 mm diameter and 2.5 m height. The packing used was spongy rubber balls 12.7 mm in diameter and with a density of 375 kg/m³. The tower characteristic was evaluated. The air-side pressure drop and the minimum fluidization velocity were measured as a function of water/air mass flux ratio (0.4–2), static bed height (300–500 mm), and hot water inlet temperature (301–334 K).

The experimental results indicate that the tower characteristics KaV/L increases with increases in the bed static height and hot water inlet temperature and with decreases in the water/air mass flux ratio. It is also shown that the air-side pressure drop increases very slowly with increases in air velocity. The minimum, fluidization velocity was found to be independent of the static bed height.

The data obtained were used to develop a correlation between the tower characteristics, hot water inlet temperature, static bed height, and the water/air mass flux ratio. The mass transfer coefficient of the three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower is much higher than that of packed-bed cooling towers with higher packing height.     

Rare earth element (REE) in surface mangrove sediment by instrumental neutron activation analysis

A study is carried out on the concentrations of rare earth element (REE) elements present in surface mangrove sediments from 10 locations throughout west coast Malaysia. In carrying out the analysis, the best and most convenient method being the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Samples were obtained, dried, crushed to powdery form and samples prepared for INAA. All the samples for analysis were weighted approximately 150 mg for short irradiation and 200 mg for long irradiation time. As calibration and quality control procedures, blank samples, standard reference material SL-1 were then irradiated with thermal neutron flux of 4 × 10¹² cm^?2 s^?1 at the MINT TRIGA Mark II research reactor which operated at 750 kW by using a pneumatic transport facility. The REE elements of surface sediment samples in this study are Dy, Sm, Eu,Yb, Lu, Tb, La and Ce. It was found that the level of concentrations of all the REE elements varies in the range (0.35–117.4 mg/kg). The geochemical behavior of REEs in surface sediments and normalized pattern (chondrite and shale) has been studied. The degree of sediments contaminations were computed using an enrichment factor. The results showed that the enrichment factor varied in the range (0.75–6.75).     

Compact fiber laser at L-band region using Erbium-doped Zirconia fiber

A compact Erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) operating in L-band region is demonstrated using a fabricated Erbium-doped Zirconia fiber (EDZF) for the first time. The fiber is fabricated by combining Zr and Al to achieve the maximum Erbium ion concentration of 4320 wt ppm. By using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in a ring configuration, the laser operates at 1579.6 nm with a slope efficiency of 13.6% and the threshold pump power of 25.1 mW. The lasing wavelength is obtained at Bragg wavelength with an output power of 13 dBm and a 3 dB spectral width of 0.02 nm using a piece of 2 m long EDZF in conjunction with 120 mW of 1480 nm pump power.     

Molecular recognition of nucleobases and amino acids by sulphonato-calixnaphthalene-capped silver nanoparticles

The plasmon resonances of sulphonato-calixnaphthalene-capped silver nanoparticles have been used to study the complexation of the nanoparticles with nucleobases and amino acids. Only in the case of the nanoparticles capped with oxacalix[4]naphthalenesultone, does complexation of both nucleobases and certain amino acids occur. The complexation of the aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine and tryptophan, has previously not been observed for calixarene-capped silver nanoparticles.     

A Short and Elegant Synthesis of (±)‐Streptopyrrolidine

A brief and efficient approach for the synthesis of (±)‐5‐benzyl‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐pyrrolidine ( 1 ) from phenylalanine racemate is described. The key step is the stereocontrolled reduction of the keto functionality of benzylated pyrrolidinone intermediate ( 6 ) via sodium borohydride in carboxylic acid medium furnishing both (R,R)‐ and (S,S)‐configured diastereomers. The natural (R,R) enantiomer ( 2 ), however, crystallized out from its racemic mixture. Structure of 2 was confirmed by NMR, IR, elemental analyzer, and single crystal X‐ray crystallographic techniques.     

Linked Metal-cluster Systems: Isolation and Characterisation of {anti-[(p-cymene)RuCl]-μ-[κ2-P,P′;κ1-P′′-(PPh2CH2)3CMe]-[AuPt3(CO)3(PCy3)3]}(PF6)2

The new mixed-metal complex {anti-[(p-cymene)RuCl]-μ-[κ ²-P,P′;κ ¹-P′′-(PPh₂CH₂)₃CMe]-[AuCl]}PF₆ and its cluster derivative {anti-[(p-cymene)RuCl]-μ-[κ ²-P,P′;κ ¹-P′′-(PPh₂CH₂)₃CMe]-[AuPt₃(CO)₃(PCy₃)₃]}(PF₆)₂ have been prepared and characterized. Notably, NMR spectroscopy and high resolution FT-ICR mass spectrometry, including a tandem mass spectrometric analysis, demonstrated the formation of these compounds that was also confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

High resolution mass spectrometry for studying the interactions of cisplatin with oligonucleotides

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) has been used to probe the interaction of the anticancer drug cisplatin with oligonucleotides. The binding kinetics, the nature of the adducts formed, and the location of the binding site within the specifically designed double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides, ds(GTATTGGCACGTA) and ds(GTACCGGTGTGTA), were determined by recording mass spectra over time and/or employing tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The FT-ICR MS studies show that binding to DNA takes place via a [Pt(NH 3) 2Cl] (+) intermediate prior to formation of bifunctional [Pt(NH 3) 2] (2+) adducts. Tandem MS reveals that the major binding sites correspond to GG and GTG, the known preferred binding sites for cisplatin, and demonstrates the preference for binding to guanosine within the oligonucleotide. The obtained results are discussed and compared to published data obtained by other mass spectrometric techniques, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.