Photolysis of polyesters: Poly(propylene-1,2-maleate) and poly(propylene-1,2-ortho-phthalate)

A spectroscopic study of the photo-oxidation of poly(propylene-1,2-maleate), poly(propylene-1,2-o-phthalate) and poly(propylene-1,2-maleate-o-phthalate) under 280–480 nm radiation was investigated in detail. Results obtained indicate that, during photolysis of these polyesters, the primary photoreactions involve excitation of conjugated structures: carbonyl groups (in ester groups)—double bonds or carbonyl groups-phenylene rings. The secondary reactions occur by complicated mechanisms resulting in oxidation, scission, radical termination and cross-linking of structures present in the photolysed polyesters. Light of wavelength 280–480 nm causes deterioration in the polyesters in the early stages of irradiation. Singlet oxygen does not react with these polyesters even during long periods of exposure. Photo-oxidation mechanism occurs by free radical mechanism.     

Efficient asymmetric synthesis of an azasugar in water

An extremely efficient asymmetric synthesis of a pyrrolidine azasugar was completed in only four steps in water, without the use of protecting groups and in 60% overall yield from a simple, achiral bis-electrophile.     

Preparation and partial characterization of a soluble site-to-site directed enzyme complex composed of alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase

A soluble, bifunctional enzyme complex has been prepared by crosslinking lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase with glutaraldehyde. The crosslinking was performed on a solid phase while the active sites of alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase were held adjacent to one another with the aid of a bis-NAD analog. Subsequently, the enzyme complex was released from the solid phase. The soluble enzyme complex was then purified by using NAD-Sepharose as an affinity adsorbent. Based on gel filtration experiments, the complex was estimated to consist of one of each dehydrogenase. By using a third enzyme, lipoamide dehydrogenase, which competes with lactate dehydrogenase for NADH produced by alcohol dehydrogenase, the effect of site-to-site orientation was studied. It was found that about 83% of the NADH produced by alcohol dehydrogenase was oxidized by site-to-site oriented lactate dehydrogenase compared to a figure of only about 61% obtained in an identical system of separate enzymes. This indicates that given two alternative routes, the preference for the one to lactate dehydrogenase over the one to lipoamide dehydrogenase is enhanced when lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase are site-to-site oriented.     

Synthetic routes to trace constituents of algal pheromone bouqets and other information-imitating substances

Structural modifications of multifidene ( 1 ), viridiene ( 2 ) and ectocarpene ( 5 ) led to the synthesis of eleven new pheromone components or imitatin substances mostly by Grignard alkylation of cyclopentene and cycloheptadiene synthons. A new lactone α,ω dienol conversion is reported.     

The exchange rate between dissolved tripalmitin and tripalmitin crystals

The focus of this paper is on understanding the exchange between dissolved fats and fat crystals in dispersions by quantifying the rate of the exchange between the fats in solution and in crystals. In the studies reported here, tripalmitin (PPP) was used as model fat. The dispersions contained PPP crystals and dissolved radio-labelled PPP (14C-PPP, used as the probe) in a medium chain triglyceride oil (MCT). The exchange process between the dissolved 14C-PPP and unlabelled PPP crystals was followed using a radio-detector. The effect of the crystal concentration on the exchange rate was studied. The results suggested that the rate of the exchange is dependent upon both the dissolution of the surface of the crystals and also diffusion and crystallisation of the dissolved compounds.     

A Review on the Potential and Limitations of Recyclable Thermosets for Structural Applications

Abstract

The outstanding performance of conventional thermosets arising from their covalently cross-linked networks directly results in a limited recyclability. The available commercial or close-to-commercial techniques facing this challenge can be divided into mechanical, thermal, and chemical processing. However, these methods typically require a high energy input and do not take the recycling of the thermoset matrix itself into account. Rather, they focus on retrieving the more valuable fibers, fillers, or substrates. To increase the circularity of thermoset products, many academic studies report potential solutions which require a reduced energy input by using degradable linkages or dynamic covalent bonds. However, the majority of these studies have limited potential for industrial implementation. This review aims to bridge the gap between the industrial and academic developments by focusing on those which are most relevant from a technological, sustainable and economic point of view. An overview is given of currently used approaches for the recycling of thermoset materials, the development of novel inherently recyclable thermosets and examples of possible applications that could reach the market in the near future.     

Comparative studies of reactions of commercial polymers with molecular oxygen,singlet oxygen,atomic oxygen and ozone—I. Reactions with cis-1,4-polybutadiene

The oxidation of cis-1,4-polybutadiene by molecular oxygen, singlet oxygen, atomic oxygen and ozone has been studied using u.v. and i.r. spectroscopic methods. Some possible implications of the results of oxidation in the presence of singlet oxygen (parallel free radical oxidation) and atomic oxygen (formation of NO₂ and its reaction with polymer) are discussed. Chain scission was observed during all types of oxidation. A new mechanism involving opening of double bonds and formation of biradicals has been considered in detail.     

Synthesis of 11C-amides using [11C]carbon monoxide and in situ activated amines by palladium-mediated carboxaminations

[11C]Carbon monoxide at low concentrations, aryl halides and amines were used in the palladium-mediated synthesis of twenty 11C-amides. In the study several approaches to improve the radiochemical yield were explored. Eight of the selected amides were prepared by in situ activation of the amines using lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and the radiochemical yields of these reactions were improved compared to utilising a previous reported method. In the synthesis of 1-[carbonyl-11C]benzoyl-3-methyl-1H-indole (11) from 3-methyl-1H-indole (25), the corresponding organotin-amine was prepared prior to the acylation reaction. In a typical experiment, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)[carbonyl-11C]acetamide (5) was prepared in 15% radiochemical yield using 4-aminophenol (20) but the yield increased to 63% when the amine was activated by lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide.     

Isotherms for adsorption of cellobiohydrolase I and II fromtrichoderma reesei on microcrystalline cellulose

Adsorption to microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) of pure cellobiohydrolase I and II (CBH I and CBH II) fromTrichoderma reesei has been studied. Adsorption isotherms of the enzymes were measured at 4‡C using CBH I and CBH II alone and in reconstituted equimolar mixtures. Several models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Jovanovic) were tested to describe the experimental adsorption isotherms. The isotherms did not follow the basic (one site) Langmuir equation that has often been used to describe adsorption isotherms of cellulases; correlation coefficients (R²) were only 0.926 and 0.947, for CBH I and II, respectively. The experimental isotherms were best described by a model of Langmuir type with two adsorption sites and by a combined Langmuir-Freundlich model (analogous to the Hill equation); using these models the correlation coefficients were in most cases higher than 0.995. Apparent binding parameters derived from the two sites Langmuir model indicated stronger binding of CBH II compared to CBH I; the distribution coefficients were 20.7 and 3.7 L/g for the two enzymes, respectively. The binding capacity, on the other hand, was higher for CBH I, 1.0 Μmol (67 mg) per gram Avicel, compared to 0.57 Μmol/g (30 mg/g) for CBH II. The isotherms when analyzed with the combined Langmuir-Freundlich model indicated presence of unequal binding sites on cellulose and/or negative cooperativity in the binding of the enzyme molecules.     

Synthesis and photophysics of one mononuclear Mn(III) and one dinuclear Mn(III,III) complex covalently linked to a ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridyl) complex

The preparation of donor (D)-photosensitizer (S) arrays, consisting of a manganese complex as D and a ruthenium tris(bipyridyl) complex as S has been pursued. Two new ruthenium complexes containing coordinating sites for one (2a) and two manganese ions (3a) were prepared in order to provide models for the donor side of photosystem II in green plants. The manganese coordinating site consists of bridging and terminal phenolate as well as terminal pyridyl ligands. The corresponding ruthenium-manganese complexes, a manganese monomer 2b and dimer 3b, were obtained. For the dimer 3b, our data suggest that intramolecular electron transfer from manganese to photogenerated ruthenium(III) is fast, k(ET) > 5 x 10(7) s(-)(1).