Effect of cerium, holmium and samarium ions on the thermal and structural properties of the HZSM-12 zeolite

The study of the incorporation of rare earth elements as additives in Y zeolites is a very interesting field of research, mainly by its potential application as additives in catalytic cracking process. In this work was studied the thermal and structural properties of cerium, holmium and samarium supported on HZSM-12 zeolite. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption, thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). TG/DSC/DTA analyses showed that the dehydration temperatures of RE/HZSM-12 zeolites (RE=Ce, Ho, Sm) increase in relation to pure HZSM-12. The acid properties were investigated by pyridine thermo desorption via TG. The results showed two events of mass loss attributed to elimination of pyridine adsorbed on the weak+medium acid sites and on the strong acid sites.     

The combined effect of photodegradation and stress cracking in polystyrene

This work aims to analyze the effects of photodegradation on the stress cracking resistance of polystyrene. Injection moulded samples were exposed to the ultraviolet light for various times in the laboratory prior to solvent contact. The bars were then stressed in a tensile testing machine under the presence of butanol. During this period the stress relaxation was monitored and the ultimate properties were evaluated after selected periods of stress cracking. Complementary tests were done by size exclusion chromatography and by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that butanol causes significant modification in polystyrene, with extensive surface crazing as well as reduction in mechanical properties. This is intensified under higher mechanical stress. The previous degraded samples showed a higher level of stress relaxation and a greater loss in tensile strength in comparison to the undegraded ones. The synergist action of photodegradation and stress cracking in polystyrene may be a consequence of the chemical changes caused by oxidation like the formation of polar chemical groups and the reduction in molecular weight.     

Nickel determination in osteoblast-like cell culture medium by adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with a mercury microelectrode

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of nickel, which is an alloying element in commonly used metallic biomaterials, on the biomaterials mineralization process. An electrochemical method was developed to quantify this metal ion in osteoblast-like cell culture medium (OST) by performing adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) at a mercury film microelectrode (MFM). The optimized analytical conditions and the square-wave CSV parameters for the analysis are: DMG concentration: 5.00 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹; ammonium chloride buffer: 0.10 mol L⁻¹ (pH 9.2); frequency: 50 Hz, amplitude 20 mV; step: 2 mV; adsorption time: 10 s, deposition potential: −0.70 V and reduction potential: −1.20 V. The limit of detection was 7.70 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ for an adsorption time of 10 s. The results achieved by CSV using the MFM were compared to those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to ensure the reliability of the electrochemical method. The mineralization process was evaluated by biochemical and histochemical assays.     

Nanoparticle-cored dendrimers: synthesis and characterization

The synthesis and characterization of a group of new dendrimers-namely, nanoparticle-cored dendrimers (NCDs)-are described. These materials were obtained by the reduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate phase-transferred into toluene in the presence of Fréchet-type polyaryl ether dendritic disulfide wedges of generation 1-5. These materials, possessing nanometer-sized gold clusters at the core and dendritic wedges radially connected to the core by Au-S bonds, were analyzed by TEM and TGA, and by UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopies. The number of branching units connected to the core decreased with the generation of the dendritic wedge, and this number changed from 2.18/nm(2) for Au-G-2 to 0.27/nm(2) for Au-G-5. This result suggests that, in the higher-generation NCDs, a large fraction of the surface area of the metal cluster is not passivated and is therefore available for catalytic activity.     

Determination of ambroxol in an automated multi-pumping pulsed flow system.

A new flow methodology exploiting the multi-pumping approach was developed for the spectrophotometric determination of ambroxol hydrochloride in pharmaceutical preparations. The flow manifold was implemented by using, exclusively, multiple solenoid-actuated micro-pumps, which acted simultaneously as sample insertion, solutions propelling and reagents commutation units. Linear calibration plots were obtained over an ambroxol concentration ranging from 10 to 200 mg l(-1) (r.s.d. < 0.5%, n = 15) and a sampling rate of about 60 samples per hour (flow rate = 1.92 ml min(-1), sample volume = 80 microl).     

The anionic alkylation of easily reducible arenes. A photochemical route to nucleophilic aromatic substitution of anthracene by organolithiums

High yield nucleophilic addition ensues upon mixing tetrahydrofuran solutions of benzyllithium or cyclooctadienyllithium and anthracene at low temperatures At least part of this addition proceeds by a single electron transfer pathway. Photolysis of the resulting adducts leads to the elimination of lithium hydride, giving net nucleophilic substitution in approximately 50% yield. The analogous reaction fails with naphthalene, where photolysis of the organolithium/ arene mixture leads to dimeric products derived from the organolithium.     

In situ electrochemical ESR and voltammetric studies on the anodic oxidation of para-haloanilines in acetonitrile

An in situ electrochemical electron spin resonance (ESR) study on the electro-oxidation of para-chloroaniline, para-bromoaniline, and para-iodoaniline dissolved in acetonitrile at gold electrodes is reported. ESR spectra obtained using a tubular flow cell reveal the presence of a paramagnetic dimer product derived from para-aminodiphenylamine, during oxidative electrolysis, suggesting the coupling of reactive electrogenerated radical cations with neutral parent haloaniline molecules. The ESR signal intensity behaves in a manner expected for a radical species reacting with second-order kinetics, suggesting the paramagnetic dimer is, itself, unstable. The theory describing the ESR signal intensity flow rate behavior for this reaction mechanism is developed for the tubular arrangement and used to extract mechanistic and kinetic data from the experimental results for the cases of para-chloroaniline and para-bromoaniline. Further mechanistic aspects, including proton and halide ion expulsion during dimerization, are explored voltammetrically and with the aid of digital simulations using Digisim. Comparison of the ESR signal and voltammetric measurements suggests that an additional mechanism operates which does not lead to paramagnetic products. Additionally, the in situ electrolysis of N,N-dimethyl-para-bromoaniline is reported to generate the stable radical cation of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylbenzidine, and a mechanism of electro-oxidation is, thus, proposed.     

Role of OH-stretch/torsion coupling and quantum yield effects in the first OH overtone spectrum of cis-cis HOONO

A joint theoretical and experimental investigation is undertaken to study the effects of OH-stretch/HOON torsion coupling and of quantum yield on the previously reported first overtone action spectrum of cis-cis HOONO (peroxynitrous acid). The minimum energy path along the HOON dihedral angle is computed at the coupled cluster singles and doubles with perturbative triples level with correlation consistent polarized quadruple zeta basis set, at the structure optimized using the triple zeta basis set (CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ//CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ). The two-dimensional ab initio potential energy and dipole moment surfaces for cis-cis HOONO are calculated as functions of the HOON torsion and OH bond length about the minimum energy path at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ and QCISD/AUG-cc-pVTZ (QCISD-quadratic configuration interaction with single and double excitation and AUG-augmented with diffuse functions) level of theory/basis, respectively. The OH-stretch vibration depends strongly on the torsional angle, and the torsional potential possesses a broad shelf at approximately 90 degrees , the cis-perp conformation. The calculated electronic energies and dipoles are fit to simple functional forms and absorption spectra in the region of the OH fundamental and first overtone are calculated from these surfaces. While the experimental and calculated spectra of the OH fundamental band are in good agreement, significant differences in the intensity patterns are observed between the calculated absorption spectrum and the measured action spectrum in the 2nu(OH) region. These differences are attributed to the fact that several of the experimentally accessible states do not have sufficient energy to dissociate to OH+NO(2) and therefore are not detectable in an action spectrum. Scaling of the intensities of transitions to these states, assuming D(0)=82.0 kJ/mol, is shown to produce a spectrum that is in good agreement with the measured action spectrum. Based on this agreement, we assign two of the features in the spectrum to Deltan=0 transitions (where n is the HOON torsion quantum number) that are blue shifted relative to the origin band, while the large peak near 7000 cm(-1) is assigned to a series of Deltan=+1 transitions, with predominant contributions from torsionally excited states with substantial cis-perp character. The direct absorption spectrum of cis-cis HOONO (6300-6850 cm(-1)) is recorded by cavity ringdown spectroscopy in a discharge flow cell. A single band of HOONO is observed at 6370 cm(-1) and is assigned as the origin of the first OH overtone of cis-cis HOONO. These results imply that the origin band is suppressed by over an order of magnitude in the action spectrum, due to a reduced quantum yield. The striking differences between absorption and action spectra are correctly predicted by the calculations.     

Synthesis of a deca-lithium cage containing an [(RN)2As(mu-NR)As(NR)2]4- tetraanion; a homologue of group 15 trianions of the type [E(NR)3]3-

The novel, deca-lithium cage [(mtaNHLi)(As2(Nmta)5)-Li(4).2thf]2 (1) (mtaN = 5-methylthiazolyl, C4H4N2S) contains an imido-bridged tetraanion [(mtaN)2As(mu-Nmta)-As(Nmta)2]4-, which represents a new type of multi-functional imido group 15 ligand framework (homologous with group 15 anions of the type [As(NR)3]3-).     

The method of non-paired spatial orbitals

The calculation of non-paired spatial orbitals and alternant molecular orbital wavefunctions for the benzyl radical is described. The NPSO and AMO methods give comparable energy lowerings which indicate that they make substantial allowance for electron correlation. The calculated spin densities are not in very good accord with experiment and it is thought that this reflects inadequacies in the integral approximations used.