Biofuel Combustion Chemistry: From Ethanol to Biodiesel

Biofuels, such as bio‐ethanol, bio‐butanol, and biodiesel, are of increasing interest as alternatives to petroleum‐based transportation fuels because they offer the long‐term promise of fuel‐source regenerability and reduced climatic impact. Current discussions emphasize the processes to make such alternative fuels and fuel additives, the compatibility of these substances with current fuel‐delivery infrastructure and engine performance, and the competition between biofuel and food production. However, the combustion chemistry of the compounds that constitute typical biofuels, including alcohols, ethers, and esters, has not received similar public attention. Herein we highlight some characteristic aspects of the chemical pathways in the combustion of prototypical representatives of potential biofuels. The discussion focuses on the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms and the formation of undesired, harmful, or toxic emissions, with an emphasis on transportation fuels. New insights into the vastly diverse and complex chemical reaction networks of biofuel combustion are enabled by recent experimental investigations and complementary combustion modeling. Understanding key elements of this chemistry is an important step towards the intelligent selection of next‐generation alternative fuels.     

The photocatalytic decomposition of chloroform by tetrachloroaurate(III)

Abstract  

Near-UV irradiation of solutions of (Bu₄N)AuCl₄ in aerated ethanol-stabilized chloroform causes the continuous decomposition of chloroform, as evidenced by the production of many equivalents of HCl and peroxides. At the outset of irradiation, most of the AuCl₄ ⁻ is reduced to AuCl₂ ⁻, but the reduction stops and is reversed. The same experiments done in ethanol-free chloroform cause chloroform decomposition only until the irreversible reduction of the gold is complete. In deoxygenated ethanol-free chloroform, irreversible reduction to AuCl₂ ⁻ is accompanied by the formation of HCl and CCl₄, while the main decomposition products in deoxygenated ethanol-stabilized chloroform are HCl and C₂Cl₆. It is proposed that, in ethanol-free chloroform, photoreduction of AuCl₄ ⁻ begins with the concerted elimination of HCl from an association complex of CHCl₃ with AuCl₄ ⁻, and that ethanol suppresses { \textCHCl₃ ·\textAuCl₄ ^- } \{ {\text{CHCl}}_{3} \cdot {\text{AuCl}}_{4}^{ - } \} complex formation, leaving a slower radical process to carry out the photoreduction of AuCl₄ ⁻ in ethanol-stabilized chloroform. In the presence of oxygen, the radical process causes a build-up of CCl₃OOH, which reoxidizes AuCl₂ ⁻ to AuCl₄ ⁻ and allows the photodecomposition of CHCl₃ to continue indefinitely.     

The application of multiplexed,multi‐dimensional ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to the high‐throughput screening of lysosomal storage disorders in newborn dried bloodspots

Lysozomal storage disorders are just beginning to be routinely screened using enzyme activity assays involving dried blood spots and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This paper discusses some of the analytical challenges associated with published assays including complex sample preparation and potential interference from excess residual substrate. Solutions to these challenges are presented in the form of on‐line two‐dimensional chromatography to eliminate off‐line liquid‐liquid extraction (LLE) and solid‐phase extraction (SPE), the use of ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) to separate excess substrate from all other analytes and multiplexed sample introduction for higher throughput required of a population screening assay. High sensitivity, specificity and throughput were demonstrated using this novel method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluoride-bridged {Ln(2)Cr(2)} polynuclear complexes from semi-labile mer-[CrF(3)(py)(3)] and [Ln(hfac)(3)(H(2)O)(2)

The trifluorido complex mer-[CrF(3)(py)(3)] (py = pyridine) reacts with 1 equiv. of [Ln(hfac)(3)(H(2)O)(2)] and depending on the solvent forms the tetranuclear clusters [Cr(2)Ln(2)(μ-F)(4)(μ-OH)(2)(py)(4)(hfac)(6)], 1Ln, and [Cr(2)Ln(2)(μ-F)(4)F(2)(py)(6)(hfac)(6)], 2Ln, in acetonitrile and 1,2-dichloroethane, respectively (Ln = Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er; hfacH = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone). Reaction with [Dy(hfac)(3)(H(2)O)(2)] in dichloromethane produces the dinuclear cluster [CrDy(μ-F)F(OH(2))(py)(3)(hfac)(4)], 3Dy. All the clusters feature fluoride bridges between the chromium(iii) and lanthanide(iii) centres. Fits of susceptibility data for 1Gd and 2Gd reveal the fluoride-mediated chromium(iii)-lanthanide(iii) exchange interactions to be 0.43(5) cm(-1) and 0.57(7) cm(-1), respectively (in the convention). Heat capacity measurements on 2Gd reveal a moderate magneto-caloric effect (MCE) reaching -ΔS(m)(T) = 11.4 J kg(-1) K(-1) for ΔB(0) = 9 T → 0 T at T = 4.1 K. Out-of-phase alternating-current susceptibility (χ') signals are observed for 1Dy, 2Dy and 2Tb, demonstrating slow relaxation of the magnetization.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Decarbonylation of Primary Alcohols with the Liberation of Syngas

A new iridium ‐ catalyzed reaction in which molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide are cleaved from primary alcohols in the absence of any stoichiometric additives has been developed. The dehydrogenative decarbonylation was achieved with a catalyst generated in situ from [Ir(coe)₂Cl]₂ (coe=cyclooctene) and racemic 2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (rac‐BINAP) in a mesitylene solution saturated with water. A catalytic amount of lithium chloride was also added to improve the catalyst turnover. The reaction has been applied to a variety of primary alcohols and gives rise to products in good to excellent yields. Ethers, esters, imides, and aryl halides are stable under the reaction conditions, whereas olefins are partially saturated. The reaction is believed to proceed by two consecutive organometallic transformations that are catalyzed by the same iridium(I)–BINAP species. First, dehydrogenation of the primary alcohol to the corresponding aldehyde takes place, which is then followed by decarbonylation to the product with one less carbon atom.     

A high precision spectrophotometric method for on-line shipboard seawater pH measurements: the automated marine pH sensor (AMpS)

Measurement strategies for understanding the oceanic CO(2) (carbon dioxide) system are moving towards in situ and ship of opportunity sampling techniques. Automated instrumentation with high accuracy and sampling frequencies will enable a greater understanding of the fluxes of marine carbon and lead to a more reliable constrain on the calculated uptake of anthropogenic CO(2) by the oceans. This paper describes the automated marine pH sensor (AMpS); new instrumentation and methodology for the determination of seawater pH using dual spectrophotometric measurements of sulfonephthalein indicator in a semi-continuous seawater stream. The pH values measured during a recent study in the Weddell Sea are used to illustrate the excellent properties of the AMpS. The method has an on-line precision of better than 0.001 pH units and an estimated accuracy of better than 0.004 pH units. The instrument is compact, portable and has a measurement frequency of 20 samples per hour. The instrument is ideally suitable for operation on ships of opportunity.