Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Dehydrogenative ortho‐N‐Carbazolation of Diarylamines: Versatile Access to Unsymmetrical Diamines

The dehydrogenative C–N cross‐coupling of unprotected, secondary anilines through ortho‐N‐carbazolation has been achieved using a Ru catalytic system with O₂ as the terminal oxidant. The reactions proceed in an intermolecular fashion, selectively in the ortho position. Implications for the field of organic synthesis are discussed.     

NMR studies of carbon dioxide and methane self-diffusion in ZIF-8 at elevated gas pressures

Self-diffusion measurements with methane and carbon dioxide adsorbed in the Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) were performed by ¹H and ¹³C pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG NMR). The experiments were conducted at 298 K and variable pressures of 7 to 15 bar in the gas phase above the ZIF-8 bed. Via known adsorption isotherms these pressures were converted to loadings of the adsorbed molecules. The self-diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide measured by PFG NMR are found to be independent of loading. They are in good agreement with results from molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and resume the trend previously found by IR microscopy at lower loadings. Methane diffuses in ZIF-8 only slightly slower than carbon dioxide. Its experimentally obtained self-diffusion coefficients are about a factor of two smaller than the corresponding values determined by MD simulations using flexible frameworks.     

Lipase production byPenicillium restrictum in a bench-scale fermenter

A preliminary screening work selectedPenicillium restrictum as a promising micro-organism for lipase production. The physiological response of the fungus towards cell growth and enzyme production upon variable carbon and nitrogen nutrition, specific air flow rate (Qa) and agitation (N) was evaluated in a 5-L bench-scale fermenter. In optimized conditions for lipase production meat peptone at 2% (w/v) and olive oil at 1% (w/v) were used in a growth medium with a C/N ratio of 9.9. Higher C/N ratios favored cell growth in detriment of enzyme production. Low extracellular lipase activities were observed using glucose as carbon source suggesting glucose regulation. Final lipase accumulation of 13,000 U/L was obtained, using optimized specific air flow rate (Qa) of 0.5 wm and an impeller speed (N) of 200 rpm. Agitation showed to be an important parameter to ensure nutrient availability in a growth medium having olive oil as carbon source.     

Quasi-set theory for bosons and fermions: Quantum distributions

Abstruct Quasi-set theory provides a mathematical background for dealing with coll ections of indistinguishable elementary particles. In this paper, we show how to obtain the quantum statistics into the scope of quasi-set theory and we also discuss the Helium atom, which represents the simplest example where indistinguishability plays an important role. One of the advantages of our approach is that one of the most basic principles of quantum theory, namely, the Indistinguishability Postulate, does not need to be assumed even implicitely in the axiomatic basis of quantum mechanics.     

Intramolecular cyclisation of isosorbide by dimethylcarbonate chemistry

In this work the synthesis of a tricyclic isosorbide derivative in moderate yield directly from the dicarboxymethyl isosorbide in a continuous-flow apparatus is reported. The tricyclic structure has been isolated as pure and fully characterized. This product confirms the potentiality of dimethylcarbonate (DMC) as dehydrating agent also for complicated structure and opens up further investigation and application of DMC chemistry on renewable starting materials.     

High-temperature dynamic behavior in bulk liquid water: A molecular dynamics simulation study using the OPC and TIP4P-Ew potentials

Classical molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the high-temperature (above 300 K) dynamic behavior of bulk water, specifically the behavior of the diffusion coefficient, hydrogen bond, and nearest-neighbor lifetimes. Two water potentials were compared: the recently proposed “globally optimal” point charge (OPC) model and the well-known TIP4P-Ew model. By considering the Arrhenius plots of the computed inverse diffusion coefficient and rotational relaxation constants, a crossover from Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann behavior to a linear trend with increasing temperature was detected at T* ≈ 309 and T* ≈ 285 K for the OPC and TIP4P-Ew models, respectively. Experimentally, the crossover point was previously observed at T* ± 315–5 K. We also verified that for the coefficient of thermal expansion α _P (T, P), the isobaric α _P (T) curves cross at about the same T* as in the experiment. The lifetimes of water hydrogen bonds and of the nearest neighbors were evaluated and were found to cross near T*, where the lifetimes are about 1 ps. For T < T*, hydrogen bonds persist longer than nearest neighbors, suggesting that the hydrogen bonding network dominates the water structure at T < T*, whereas for T > T*, water behaves more like a simple liquid. The fact that T* falls within the biologically relevant temperature range is a strong motivation for further analysis of the phenomenon and its possible consequences for biomolecular systems.     

Gravimetric estimation of bismuth as bismuthyl dichromate

Summary Conditions are described for the quantitative precipitation of bismuthyl dichromate, (BiO)₂Cr₂O₇, and the suitability of this reaction for the gravimetric estimation of bismuth is shown. The use of arsenious oxide as a primary standard for the iodometric titration of excess chromate is emphasised.Sincere thanks of the authors are due to Prof. S. S. Joshi for research facilities and to Dr. G. S. Deshmukh for keen interest in the work.     

Hydrolysis of starch with immobilized glucoamylase

Glucoamylase (E.C.3.2.1.3) covalently immobilized onto chitin particles (d_st = 0.37 mm) was examined in two types of continuous bench-scale reactors (180 mL) fed with hydrolyzed manioc starch (15%, w/v): a two-phase reactor (liquid expanded-bed) and a threephase reactor (air expanded-bed). Several conditions of continuous operation were investigated, varying the biocatalyst load (16.7, 37.2, and 54 g/L) into the reactor and the hydraulic residence time. The best results were achieved with the two-phase reactor, which operated continuously for 20 d and showed a decrease of only 6% in conversion (starch to glucose). Conversion levels of 96% were obtained with a hydraulic residence time of about 4 h. A simple mathematical model was able to describe the experimental results of the two types of reactors considering biocatalyst deactivation.     

Calix[4]arene-cholic acid conjugates: a new class of efficient synthetic ionophores

The synthesis of a new class of amphiphilic calix[4]arene-based ionophores, relying on direct reductive amination as a key step, and the evaluation of their H+ and Na+ transporting properties is described.     

High frequency titrations: The silver-thiocyanate reaction

A high frequency (oscillometric) method for the titrimetric determination of small amounts of silver at dilutions down to $\text{1}\text{4000}$M with ammonium or potassium thiocyanate is described. Reverse titrations in the same order of dilution are also feasible. Oscillometric studies on the formation of soluble mercuric thiocyanate and of the sparingly soluble zinc tetracyanatomercuriate(l1) are in progress.