EIS and adjunct electrical modeling for material selection by evaluating two mild steels for use in super-alkaline mineral processing

The production of metal concentrates during mineral processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals involves a variety of highly corrosive chemicals which deteriorate common mild steel as the material of choice in the construction of such lines, through rapid propagation of localized pitting in susceptible parts, often in sensitive areas. This requires unscheduled maintenance and plant shut down. In order to test the corrosion resistance of different available materials as replacement materials, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests were carried out. The EIS numerical outputs were then transformed into an equivalent electric circuit using Z-View software, and the predictive behavior was contrasted with actual performance after long-term immersion, depicted through SEM, EDS, XRD and weight change observations. Also, results of pits and cracks, obtained with climax software-enhanced polarization resistance, and reduced capacitance added to much diminished current densities, verified the acceptable performance of CK₄₅ compared with high priced stainless steel substitutes with comparable operational life. Therefore, CK₄₅ can be a suitable alternative in steel constructions which are exposed to super-alkaline and corrosive environments.     

Reaction of N‐(phenyl and methyl)‐C‐arylnitrones with DMAD in ionic liquid: Efficient synthesis of Δ4‐isoxazolines

Facile synthesis of N‐(methyl and phenyl)‐Δ⁴‐isoxazolines via the reaction of (Z)‐N‐(methyl and phenyl)‐C‐arylnitrones with dimethyl acethylenedicarboxylate, DMAD, in ionic liquid is described. (Z)‐N‐methyl‐C‐arylnitrones afforded the high yield of N‐methyl‐Δ⁴‐isoxazolines 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e in ionic liquid, [bmim]BF₄, at room temperature. However, the reaction of (Z)‐N‐phenyl‐C‐arylnitrones with DMAD afforded the mixtures of cis and trans isomers of related N‐phenyl‐Δ⁴‐isoxazolines ( 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h , 5i , 5j , 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , 6f , 6g , 6h , 6i , 6j ) under these conditions. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

Stereoselective synthesis of analogs of the macrolactone of isomigrastatin

An approach for the highly stereoselective synthesis of analogs of the macrolactone of isomigrastatin is described. Our optimized strategy is based on a very efficient lactone opening, a Wittig olefination reaction and a ring closing metathesis. The syntheses were accomplished in 10–11 steps and good overall yields.     

Artificial Protein Crosstalk with a Molecule that Exchanges Binding Partners

Drawing inspiration from allosteric signaling enzymes, whose catalytic and regulatory units are non-covalently linked, we have devised a method to establish unnatural, effector-mediated enzyme activation within native cells. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by introducing a synthetic regulatory unit (sRU) onto glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) through non-covalent means. Our study reveals that this synthetic regulator mediates an unnatural crosstalk between GSK-3 and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), whose expression is regulated by cellular oxygen levels. Specifically, with this approach, the constitutively active GSK-3 is transformed into an activable enzyme, whereas LDHA is repurposed as an unnatural effector protein that controls the activity of the kinase, making it unnaturally dependent on the cell‘s hypoxic response. These findings demonstrate a step toward imitating the function of effector-regulated cell-signaling enzymes, which play a key biological role in mediating the response of cells to changes in their environment. In addition, at the proof-of-principle level, our results indicate the potential to develop a new class of protein inhibitors whose inhibitory effect in cells is dictated by the cell‘s environment and consequent protein expression profile.     

Efficient and green synthesis of dihydropyrimido[4,5-b]quinolinetriones using MWCNTs@TEPA/Co (II) as a novel and eco-friendly catalyst

A new heterogeneous nanocatalyst [MWCNTs@TEPA/Co (II)] was successfully prepared using multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a suitable and efficient support for covalent anchoring of tetraethylene pentaamine (TEPA)/Co (II). The new heterogeneous catalyst was prepared through an easy and applicable method, and characterized by various techniques such as Fourier transform-infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, mapping, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller. Synthesized catalyst was used efficiently for the preparation of dihydropyrimido [4,5-b]quinolinetrione derivatives via the four-components reaction of barbituric acid, dimedone, aryl aldehyde and amines under thermal conditions. The nanostructure catalyst was easily recovered by filtration and reused several times without noticeable loss of its catalytic activity. Low amounts of catalyst (0.005 g), short reaction times and green conditions are some merits of the presented method.     

Electrocatalytic reduction of Molecular Oxygen with a Copper (II) Coordination Polymer

Oxygen reduction at the polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) interface catalyzed by a Cu (II) coordination polymer (Cu–pol) was studied with two lipophilic electron donors ferrocene (Fc) and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). The results of the ion transfer voltammetry and two-phase shake flask experiments suggest proceeding of the catalytic reaction as proton-coupled electron transfer reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide and water. In this process, while the protons supplied from the aqueous phase, the electrons provided from the organic phase by the weak electron donor, Fc. The O₂ molecule takes a superoxide structure with Cu–pol which resulted to hydrogen peroxide or water on reduction. Furthermore, the results revealed that the apparent rate constant of TTF + Cu-pol is higher than that of Fc + Cu-pol system due to the faster kinetic reaction of TTF with respect to Fc.     

Unimolecular reactions on formaldehyde S0 PES

The competitive unimolecular reactions of formaldehyde, H₂CO→H₂+CO; H₂CO→trans-HCOH and H₂CO→H+HCO, were comparatively studied under the direct dynamics formalism, using Density functional and ab initio levels of theory. In addition, the geometric isomerization trans-HCOH→cis-HCOH was evaluated. Calculated reaction path properties were used in the determination of Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus microcanonical rate coefficients. The reaction dynamics was evaluated for each individual process based on the nuclear displacements in the reaction path and normal coordinate analysis. Our results found are in very good agreement with experimental barrier heights and quantum yields trends.     

Investigation of 3D Contour Map and Intermolecular Interaction of Dopamine with β-Cyclodextrin and 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

The interactions of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) with β-cyclodextrin and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was characterized using UV–visible, 2D fluorescence, 3D fluorescence, FT–IR, PXRD and SEM techniques. PM3, PM7 and DFT methods were used to optimize the structures of the inclusion complexes in the gas phase. The absorbance and fluorescence intensities of DA increased in the presence of CDs in aqueous solution. The binding energy, HOMO–LUMO energy gap and Mulliken atomic charges were computed for the inclusion complexes. NBO analysis revealed a greater number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in DA:HP-β-CD. Experimental and theoretical results suggested that the DA molecule is deeply embedded in the cavities of both CDs.     

Humulene derivatives from Saharian Asteriscus graveolens

Three new sesquiterpene-humulenes, (?)- asteriscunolides I (1), J (2) and (?)-(2Z,6E,9Z)-8-oxo-1α-acetoxy-2,6,9-humulatrien-12-oic acid (3) were isolated from the leaves-flowers of the Saharan medicinal plant Asteriscus graveolens along with six known compounds. The structures of the compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic mono and bidimensional NMR, mass spectrometry and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1–3 were evaluated for cytotoxic assay, no significant activity was detected.     

DFT modeling of the first step of plastoquinol oxidation by the iron–sulfur protein of the cytochrome b6f complex

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