The chemical behavior and degradation mitigation effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles in perfluorosulfonic acid polymer electrolyte membranes

Perfluorosulfonic acid membranes are susceptible to degradation during hydrogen fuel cell operation due to radical attack on the polymer chains. Mitigation of this attack by cerium-based radical scavengers is an approach that has shown promise. In this work, two formulations of crystalline cerium oxide nanoparticles, with an order of magnitude difference in particle size, are incorporated into said membranes and subjected to proton conductivity measurements and ex-situ durability tests. We found that ceria is reduced to Ce(III) ions in the acidic environment of a heated, humidified membrane which negatively impacts proton conductivity. In liquid and gas Fenton testing, fluoride emission is reduced by an order of magnitude, drastically increasing membrane longevity. Sideproduct analysis demonstrated that in the liquid Fenton test, the main point of attack is weak polymer end groups, while in the gas Fenton test, there is additional side-chain attack. Both mechanisms are mitigated by the addition of the ceria nanoparticles, whereby the extent of the concentration-dependent durability improvement is found to be independent of particle size.     

A new nano‐sized mononuclear Cu (II) complex with N,N‐donor Schiff base ligands: sonochemical synthesis,characterization, molecular modeling and biological activity

A new, simple Cu²⁺ nano‐structure Schiff base complex in methanol medium has been synthesized by the ultrasonic method. Structure of the compound was confirmed by FT‐IR, GC‐Mass and other spectroscopic techniques. The copper oxide (CuO) was achieved from the copper nano‐structure Schiff base complex as the raw material after calcination for 3 hr at 600 °C. According to results Cu²⁺ gives a complex with mole ratio 1:2 of metal to ligand (ML₂) with Schiff base which a distorted square planer is the most probable geometry for it. The calculations results from XRD patterns propose the nano‐sized complexes. The SEM images show morphology of both the copper complex and the CuO powder were plate‐like. The metal chelates of Cu²⁺ in two states of bulk and nano have been screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against four bacteria, gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) and three strains of fungus (Aspergillus flavus). The nano metal chelates were shown to possess more antibacterial activity than the bulk chelate. Finally, the empirical parameters of Schiff base compounds showed a good agreement with theoretical ones.     

Selective solid phase extraction of palladium by adsorption of its 5(p-dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine complex on silica-PEG as a new adsorbent

The nickel(II) complex of a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA-Ni²⁺) was directly electrodeposited on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to give a DNA-Ni/GCE electrode. It was investigated in terms of its capability of electro-oxidizing methanol in alkaline medium. It exhibits stable redox behavior of the Ni²⁺/Ni³⁺ couple by cyclic voltammetry. The DNA-Ni²⁺ membrane showed excellent electrocatalytic suitability for the electro-oxidation of methanol, is stable and responds reproducibly. The linear range for the detection of methanol in alkaline medium is from 8.0 µM to 2.4 mM, and the limit of detection is 2.0 µM (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3).     

Unique substituted 3-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazino[1,2-a]benzimidazole-1-carboxamides generated by Ugi 3CC using bifunctional starting material

2-(2-Formyl-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)acetic acid, as a bifunctional formyl-acid was prepared in four steps. This compound underwent one-pot reaction with primary amines, and alkyl isocyanides under Ugi conditions. A series of novel 3-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazino[1,2-a]benzimidazole-1-carboxamides were obtained in moderate to excellent yields.     

The reaction of (N‐isocyanimino) triphenylphosphorane with an electron‐poor α‐haloketone in the presence of aromatic carboxylic acids: A novel three‐component reaction for the synthesis of disubstituted 1,3,4‐oxadiazole derivatives

Reactions of electron‐poor α‐haloketones with (N‐isocyanimino) triphenylphosphorane in the presence of aromatic carboxylic acids proceed smoothly at room temperature and in neutral conditions to afford disubstituted 1,3,4‐oxadiazole derivatives in high yields. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:368–372, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20626     

Green and efficient synthesis of 1H-indazolo[1,2-b] phthalazine-1,6,11(13H)-triones using ZrO(NO3)2.2H2O as a novel catalyst and theoretical study of synthesized compounds

The one-pot three-component synthesis for the preparation of 1H-indazolo[1,2-b] phthalazine-1,6,11(13H)-triones through condensation of phthalimide, hydrazine monohydrate, dimedone, and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of a novel catalytic amount of ZrO(NO₃)₂.2H₂O at reflux conditions in water has been reported. Quantum theoretical calculations for the three structures of compounds ( 5a , 5b , and 5c ) were performed using the G3MP2, LC-ωPBE, MP2, and B3LYP methods with the 6-311 + G** basis set. After optimizing the structures, geometric parameters were obtained and experimental measurements were compared with the calculated data. The structures of the products were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and elemental analysis. IR spectra data and ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts computations of the 1H-indazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-1,6,11(13H)-trione derivatives in the ground state were calculated. Frontier molecular orbitals, total density of states, thermodynamic parameters, and molecular electrostatic potentials of the title compounds were investigated by theoretical calculations. Molecular properties such as the ionization potential (I), electron affinity (A), chemical hardness (η), electronic chemical potential (μ), and electrophilicity (ω) were investigated for the structures. Consequently, there was an excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical results.     

Facile,efficient and diastereoselective synthesis of α-hydrazine tetrazoles through a novel one-pot four-component reaction

A novel and efficient method for the diastereoselective synthesis of α-hydrazine tetrazoles via an isocyanide-based multicomponent reaction is reported in good yields. The α-hydrazine tetrazoles were obtained by a facile azide Ugi four-component reaction (U-4CR) using cyclic ketones, trimethylsilyl azide, hydrazides, and corresponding isocyanide without any catalyst and with high bond forming efficiency at room temperature.     

Oxime derivatives as α-electrophiles. from α-tetralone oximes to tetracyclic frameworks

When subjected to the conditions of a Semmler-Wolff/Schroeter aromatization, the oximes of 4-benzyl-substituted tetralones undergo an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction to form tetracyclic frameworks.     

A novel four-component reaction for the synthesis of disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives

The 1:1 imine intermediate generated by the addition of benzyl amine to cyclobutanone is trapped by (N-isocyanimino)triphenylphosphorane in the presence of an aromatic carboxylic acid leads to the formation of the corresponding iminophosphorane intermediate. Disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives are formed via intramolecular aza-Wittig reaction of the iminophosphorane intermediate. The reactions were completed in neutral conditions at room temperature. The disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives, were produced in excellent yields.