Copper and amine free Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction catalyzed by efficient diphosphane-palladium catalyst

The commercially available diphosphane ligand MeO-BIPHEP was first investigated in the palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction in the absence of copper and amine.The coupling of various aryl bromides and aryl chlorides with phenylacetylene gave moderate to excellent yields.     

Preparation and characterization of cross-linked β-cyclodextrin polymer/Fe_3O_4 composite nanoparticles with core-shell structures

Cross-linkedβ-cyclodextrin polymer/Fe₃O₄ composite nanoparticles with core-shell structures were prepared via cross linking reaction on the surface of carboxymethylβ-cyclodextrin（CM-β-CD） modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles inβ-cyclodextrin alkaline solution by using epichlorohydrin as crosslinking agent.The morphology,structure and magnetic properties of the prepared composite nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy（TEM）,Fourier transform infrared（FTIR） spectrometry,X-ray diffraction（XRD） measurement,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA） and Vibrating sample magnetometry （VSM）,respectively.     

Electrochemically induced anatase inhibits bacterial colonization on Titanium Grade 2 and Ti6Al4V alloy for dental and orthopedic devices

Bacterial contamination of implanted devices is a common cause of their failure. The aim of the present study was to assess the capability of electrochemical procedures to: (a) promote the formation of anatase on the surface of commercially pure Grade 2 Ti and Ti Grade 5 (Ti6Al4V) alloy; (b) inhibit in vitro biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis and oral plaque in vivo, (c) preserve favorable response of osteoblasts and fibroblasts to materials surfaces. Ti Grade 2 and Ti Grade 5 were respectively anodized at two different voltages: 90 and 130V for pure titanium; 100 and 120V for Ti6Al4V alloy. Surface characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with EDS probe, laser profilometry and X-ray diffractometry. Bacterial adhesion characterization was performed either in vitro and in vivo in patients. Osteoblast and fibroblast response was evaluated by metabolic activity assessment. The higher voltage applied in the anodization treatment of pure titanium (130V) and Ti6Al4V alloy (120V) surfaces, compared to the untreated pure titanium and Ti6Al4V and to lower voltage treatments, resulted in a greater decrease in bacterial attachment and biofilm formation in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In contrast, the high voltage treatments were found to promote osteoblasts and fibroblasts proliferation. The observations indicated that the experimented high voltage anodization treatments may contribute to preserve the tissue integration and reduce bacteria colonization of titanium and titanium alloy for implantable applications.     

Insights on the mechanism for synthesis of methylenedianiline from aniline and formaldehyde through HPLC-MS and isotope tracer studies

The mechanism for synthesis of 4,4-methylenedianiline(MDA) via condensation reaction of aniline with formaldehyde has been studied extensively in this paper.The intermediate and by-products were isolated and identified.The combination of isotope labeling and HPLC-MS characterizations disclosed that the reaction proceeded through an S_N2 reaction mechanism.Moreover,the effect of aniline/formaldehyde molar ratio on the formation of MDA was investigated.This work would be of significance to understand the reaction mechanism deeply and provide valuable information for further improving the yield of desired product.     

Anionic synthesis of binary random in-chain multi-functionalized poly(styrene/butadiene/isoprene and dimethyl [4-phenylvinyl)-phenyl]silane)(PS-DPESiH,PB-DPESiH,PI-DPESiH) copolymers

The binary random in-chain silyl-hydride multi-functionalized poly(styrene/butadiene/isoprene and dimethyl[4-(1-phenylvinyl) phenyl]silane)(PS-DPESiH,PB-DPESiH,PI-DPESiH) copolymers were successfully synthesized.These functionalized copolymers were prepared in hexane with n-BuLi as the initiator at 50℃for 4 h.The silyl-hydride groups were introduced into polymer backbones quantitatively by living anionic polymerization.The copolymers were determined through ’H NMR,size exclusion chromatography(SEC) and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) techniques,while the number of silyl-hydride groups was calculated and discussed.     

Minimizers of the Lawrence–Doniach Functional with Oblique Magnetic Fields

We study minimizers of the Lawrence–Doniach energy, which describes equilibrium states of superconductors with layered structure, assuming Floquet-periodic boundary conditions. Specifically, we consider the effect of a constant magnetic field applied obliquely to the superconducting planes in the limit as both the layer spacing s → 0 and the Ginzburg–Landau parameter \({\kappa = \epsilon^{-1} \to \infty}\), under the hypotheses that \({s=\epsilon^\alpha}\) with 0 < α < 1. By deriving sharp matching upper and lower bounds on the energy of minimizers, we determine the lower critical field and the orientation of the flux lattice, to leading order in the parameter \({\epsilon}\). To leading order, the induced field is characterized by a convex minimization problem in \({\mathbb {R}^3}\). We observe a “flux lock-in transition”, in which flux lines are pinned to the horizontal direction for applied fields of small inclination, and which is not present in minimizers of the anisotropic Ginzburg–Landau model. The energy profile we obtain suggests the presence of “staircase vortices”, which have been described qualitatively in the physics literature.     

Plant cystoliths: a complex functional biocomposite of four distinct silica and amorphous calcium carbonate phases

Plant cystoliths are mineralized objects that are formed by specialized cells in the leaves of certain plants. The main mineral component of cystoliths by volume is amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and the minor component is silica. We show that the silica stalk is formed first and is essential for ACC formation. Furthermore, the cystolith is shown to be composed of four distinct mineral phases with different chemical properties: an almost pure silica phase grades into a Mg-rich silica phase. This Mg-rich silica is overlaid by a relatively stable ACC phase. A bulky and less stable ACC phase encapsulates the first ACC phase. This architecture poses interesting questions about the role of Mg in the silica phase and suggests a strategy for ACC stabilization that takes advantage of a precise regulation of the mineral-growth microenvironment.