Preparation of a mercaptopropyl bonded silica intermediate in supercritical carbon dioxide: synthesis, characterisation and chromatography of a quinine based chiral stationary phase

This research examines the preparation of a mercaptopropyl bonded silica intermediate in supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO(2)) and the subsequent conversion in sc-CO(2) to a quinine derived chiral stationary phase (CSP). The effects of reaction temperature, pressure and time on the surface coverage of the silica intermediate were investigated when porous silica particles (Exsil-Avanti, 3microm) were reacted with 3-trimethoxymercaptopropylsilane in sc-CO(2). We present results which demonstrate that a stable mercaptopropyl bonded silica intermediate can be successfully prepared under supercritical conditions of 40 degrees C, 483bar, in a substantially reduced reaction time of 1h with superior surface coverages compared to organic solvent based methods. The further utility of this supercritical fluid technology was demonstrated by the free radical addition of a quinine derived chiral selector onto a mercaptopropyl bonded silica intermediate in sc-CO(2). This supercritical fluid generated chiral stationary phase (CSP) was utilised for the direct LC enantioseparation of a series of 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl (DNB) amino acids. Bonded silica samples were characterised using elemental analysis, diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, solid state (13)C and (29)Si CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This supercritical fluid functionalisation approach offers an efficient and cleaner alternative to existing organic solvent based approaches for the preparation of bonded silica phases.     

Synthesis of new terpolymers with heterocyclic pendant groups

Chemical modifications of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), an inexpensive and commercial homopolymer, to obtain terpolymers containing 1,2,4 or 1,3,4 oxadiazolic pendant groups are described. These new materials are physically and spectroscopically characterized.     

Mass spectra of some per-O-benzoyl-alditols and -aldobiitols

Electron impact mass spectra of some per-O-benzoyl-alditols and -aldobiitols are reported and the major fragmentation pathways are discussed.     

The Decoupling Technique for Continuously Varying Time Delay Systems

This note extends Clarke's decoupling technique to systems with varying time delays in the state variable. We show how it can be used to derive the usual necessary conditions for such problems.     

Rheology of particle suspensions in viscoelastic media. Wood flour-polypropylene melt

The dynamic mechanical behavior of suspensions of wood flour in polypropylene (PP) melts was investigated at varying filler concentrations. The main observed features were related to the viscoelastic nature of the polymer and to the filler aggregation, where the process of formation and destruction of particle clusters is governed by the polymer chain dynamics. The effect of the wood flour particles at low and large deformations was analyzed. The sample containing a wood flour concentration of 50% (by weight) showed a solid like behavior at low frequencies and was identified as the sample closer to a liquid-solid transition (LST). The values of the Newtonian viscosity obtained from sinusoidal oscillations at low frequencies were related to the concentration of filler in the suspensions. Moreover, a filler concentration scaling was found, that allows to obtain a master curve using the neat polymer as the reference and from which it is possible to calculate the dynamic mechanical behavior of all the suspensions. Apparently, for this system, the relaxation mechanisms of the neat polymer are not changed by the presence of the filler. However, the corresponding relaxation times are increased as a function of the filler concentration.     

Compatibilization of Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA)/Plasticized Cellulose Acetate Extruded Blends through the Addition of Reactively Extruded Comb Copolymers

In the perspective of producing a rigid renewable and environmentally friendly rigid packaging material, two comb-like copolymers of cellulose acetate (AC) and oligo(lactic acid) OLA, feeding different percentages of oligo(lactic acid) segments, were prepared by chemical synthesis in solvent or reactive extrusion in the melt, using a diepoxide as the coupling agent and were used as compatibilizers for poly(lactic acid)/plasticized cellulose acetate PLA/pAC blends. The blends were extruded at 230 °C or 197 °C and a similar compatibilizing behavior was observed for the different compatibilizers. The compatibilizer C1 containing 80 wt% of AC and 14 wt% of OLA resulted effective in compatibilization and it was easily obtained by reactive extrusion. Considering these results, different PLAX/pAC(100-X) compounds containing C1 as the compatibilizer were prepared by extrusion at 197 °C and tested in terms of their tensile and impact properties. Reference materials were the uncompatibilized corresponding blend (PLAX/pAC(100-X)) and the blend of PLA, at the same wt%, with C1. Significant increase in Young’s modulus and tensile strength were observed in the compatibilized blends, in dependence of their morphologic features, suggesting the achievement of an improved interfacial adhesion thanks to the occurred compatibilization.     

Quantitative and physical evaluation of patchouli essential oils obtained from different sources of Pogostemon cablin

Patchouli essential oil can be obtained from fresh, dried and fermented plant material. It is a highly valuable product in the fragrance industry and its quality changes depending upon raw material age and oil storage. In this work, patchouli essential oils derived from different treatments have been subjected to GC-FID quantitative analysis using an internal standard (ISTD) method with response factors (RF). Samples were obtained from i) fresh plants; ii) hydrodistillation of one year mature and fermented plants; iii) hydrodistillation of one year mature plants; iv) commercial products from Indonesia and Malaysia. Linear Retention Indices (LRI) for both polar and non-polar GC-MS analyses were also measured as a tool for qualitative analysis towards a homologous series of C7-C30 n-alkanes. The results obtained confirmed that, in all samples, patchouli alcohol was the main volatile constituent, with higher amount in lab-scale produced oils, compared with commercial samples. Other major compounds, in lab oils and commercial samples respectively, were: delta-guaiene, alpha-guaiene, pogostol, seychellene and alpha-patchoulene. Another 36 compounds were also found.