Studies on the applicability of artificial neural network (ANN) in emulsion liquid membranes

An artificial neural network (ANN) model of emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) process is proposed in the present study which is able to predict solute concentration in feed during extraction operation and ultimate % extraction at different initial solute concentration in feed phase, internal reagent concentration, treat ratio, volume fraction of internal aqueous phase in emulsion and time. Because of the complexity in generalization of the phenomenon of ELM process by any mathematical model, the neural network proves to be a very promising method for the purpose of process simulation. The network uses the back-propagation algorithm (BPA) for evaluating the connection strengths representing the correlations between inputs (initial solute concentration in feed phase, internal reagent concentration, treat ratio, volume fraction of internal aqueous phase in emulsion and time) and outputs (solute concentration in feed during extraction operation and % extraction). The network employed in the present study uses five input nodes corresponding to the operating variables and two output nodes corresponding to the measurement of the performance of the network (solute concentration in feed during extraction and % extraction). Batch experiments are performed for separation of nickel(II) from aqueous sulphate solution of initial concentration in the 200–100 mg/l ranges. The network employed in the present study uses two hidden layers of optimum number of nodes being thirty and twenty. A leaning rate of 0.3 and momentum factor of 0.4 is used. The model predicted results in good agreement with the experimental data and the average deviations for all the cases are found to be well within ±10%.     

Aqueous polymerization on clay surfaces. III. The polymerization of methyl methacrylate by montmorillonite/thiourea initiating system

Initiation of polymerization of methyl methacrylate with redox system montmorillonite (with lattice Fe³⁺)–thiourea has been achieved. The rates are dependent on both clay mineral and thiourea. Amidosulfenyl radicals are believed to initiate the polymerization on the clay surface. The polymerization produced nonextractable clay–polymer adduct up to an extent of 70 wt %. The pH of the medium (in the acidic range) did not affect the polymerization rate.     

NMR spectrometric study of molecular complex formation of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with a number of phosphine oxides

Molecular complex formation between [60]- and [70]fullerenes with a series of phosphine oxides, namely, tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide, triphenyl phosphine oxide and tri-n-butyl phosphine oxide has been studied in CCl4 medium by NMR spectrometric method. Both [60]- and [70]fullerenes have been shown to form 1:1 adducts with the above series of phosphine oxides. Formation constants (K) for all the complexes have been determined from the systematic variation of NMR chemical shifts of specific protons of the donors in presence of [60]- and [70]fullerenes. Trends in the values of K suggest that [70]fullerene binds stronger with the phosphine oxides relative to [60]fullerene.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions ofcis-tetraaminediaqua-cobalt(III) with nitrite,azide and salicylate ions in aqueous acidic media

Summary Kinetic studies of the anation of the title complex by NO ₂ ^– show that it occurs in a stepwise manner leading to thecis-dinitro-complex both steps having a common rate equation:-d[complex]/dt = a[NO ₂ ^– ]/{[NO ₂ ^– ] + b}. The variation ofpseudo-first-order rate constant (k_obs) with [NO ₂ ^– ] indicates that the reaction proceeds through ion-pair interchange path. Activation parameters calculated by the Eyring equation are: H ₁ = (65±7) kJ mol^–1 and S ₁ = (–82±11) JK^–1 mol^–1 for the formation of [Co(NH₃)₄(NO₂)(H₂O)]²⁺, and H ₂ = (97±1) kJ mol^–1 and S ₂ = (6±2) JK^–1 mol^–1 for the formation of [Co(NH₃)₄(NO₂)₂]⁺. Anation of the title complex by N ₃ ^– at pH 4.1 also occurs in a stepwise manner ultimately producing thecis-diazido species. At a fixed pH the reaction shows a first-order dependence on [N ₃ ^– ] for each step. pH-variation studies at a fixed [N ₃ ^– ] show that the hydroxoaqua-form of the complex reactsca. 16 times faster than the diaqua form. Evidence is presented for an ion-pair preequilibrium at high ionic strength (I = 2.0 mol dm^–3). Activation parameters obtained from temperature variation studies are: H ₁ = (121±1) kJ mol^–1 and S ₁ = (104±3) JK^–1 mol^–1 (for the first step anation), and H ₂ = (111±2) kJ mol^–1 and S ₂ = (74±9) JK^–1 mol^–1 (for the second step anation). The reaction ofcis-tetraaminediaquacobalt(III) ion with salicylate (HSal^–) has been studied in aqueous acidic medium in the temperature range 39.8–58.2°C. The reaction is biphasic corresponding to the anation of two salicylate ions. The kinetic results for the first phase reaction are compatible with the equation: k_obs = k_IPQ[HSal^–]/(1 + Q[HSal^–]) where Q denotes ion-pair formation constant and k_IP is the first-order rate constant for the interchange reaction. The activation parameters obtained from the temperature dependence of rate are: H = (138±3) kJ mol^–1 and S = (135±4) JK^–1 mol^–1. The reaction seems to take place by a dissociative interchange mechanism.     

Analysis of phase change during pervaporation with single component permeation

Individual (single) component pervaporation study helped to address some of the basic curiosities for the process of pervaporation. Investigations were carried out to focus on the location of vaporization during single component pervaporation. A mathematical model was developed for single component permeation during pervaporation, assuming two zones inside the membrane; namely, liquid permeation and vapour permeation zones. Considering a pressure distribution across the thickness of the membrane, Kelvin equation (saturation vapour pressure gets modified inside the membrane due to permeant membrane interactions) proved to be useful in developing the model. According to the model assumptions, the sorbed liquid first transports as liquid; and as soon as it finds the region, where pressure is Kelvin pressure, it evaporates and continues to transport as vapor. Further, the developed model was found to be useful in describing the flux in terms of downstream pressure variations. Accordingly, location of vaporization was determined. It was observed that vapor phase transport dominates in the membrane at low downstream pressures. Importance of consideration for both the phases, during modeling, is discussed. Activity profile, determined across the membrane, was observed to be in agreement with the experimental observations (as per literature). The study may help to establish a fundamental framework in turn to model for binary and/or multi-component mixtures.     

(S)‐3‐(Ammoniomethyl)‐5‐methylhexanoate (pregabalin)

The title compound, C₈H₁₇NO₂, exists as a zwitterion, adopting a propeller conformation. Molecules self‐assemble to form a hydrogen‐bonded layer parallel to the ab crystallographic plane connected by N⁺—H...O⁻ and C—H...O⁻ hydrogen bonds. These layers are stacked along the c axis and are stabilized by van der Waals interactions.     

Energies of charge transfer and supramolecular interactions of some mono O-substituted calix[6]arenes with [60]fullerene by absorption spectrometric method

Equilibria for the formation of supramolecular complexes of [60]fullerene with a series of mono O-substituted calix[6]arenes, namely: (i) 37-methoxy-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (1), (ii) 37-allyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (2), (iii) 37-phenacyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (3), (iv) 37-ethylester-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (4) and (v) 37-benzyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (5) have been studied in CCl4 medium by absorption spectroscopic technique. The stoichiometry has been found to be 1:1 ([60]fullerene:calix[6]arene) in each case. An absorption band due to charge transfer (CT) transition is observed in each case in the visible region. The vertical ionisation potentials (I(D)(v)) of all the calix[6]arenes under study have been estimated utilising CT transition energy. The experimental I(D)(v) values also yield a good estimate of the electron affinity of [60]fullerene. The degrees of CT in the ground state of the complexes have been found to be very low (about 0.15%). Resonance energy of the complexes have been estimated. Thermodynamic parameters for the supramolecular complex formation of [60]fullerene with mono O-substituted calix[6]arene receptors are reported. It is observed that among the calix[6]arenes under the present study, only 1 and 4 form inclusion complexes with [60]fullerene. This has also been substantiated by theoretical calculation using PM3 method. Thus presence of one substituent group (of different types) on the lower rim of the calix[6]arene molecule has been shown to govern the host-guest complexation process.     

Calculation of the Integral ∫T0T′mexp(–E/RT′)T′

A technique has been developed for the calculation of the ∫^T ₀ T′^mexp(–E/RT′)T′. The accuracy of the method is tested by comparing its predictions with numerical results and those of a method due to Quanyin and Su. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Primary electron-transfer dynamics in 2-phenylindole-9-cyanoanthracene system. A comparative study with 2-methylindole

Electrochemical measurements by cyclic voltammetry predict the possibility of occurrence of photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) reactions between the ground state of 2-phenylindole (2PI) (electron donor) and the excited singlet of 9-cyanoanthracene (9CNA) molecule acting as an electron acceptor. However, 2PI should be expected to behave as a relatively weaker electron donating agent than the structurally related donor 2-methylindole (2MI) as it possesses higher oxidation potential value. Both steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements in the polar acetonitrile (ACN) and ethanol (EtOH) solvents show that the fluorescence quenching phenomenon of 9CNA in presence of 2PI is primarily due to the involvement of dynamic process which in high probability should be PET. Nevertheless, in less polar tetrahydrofuran (THF) medium, the quenching of 9CNA results from the combined effect of dynamic and static modes. The transient absorption spectra, measured by using nanosecond laser flash photolysis, of 9CNA in presence of 2PI exhibit the signature of the bands of the anionic species of 9CNA, cation of the donor 2PI and the contact neutral radical. Observations of the transient absorption at the different delays infer that ion-recombination mechanism is responsible for production of the monomeric triplets of both 9CNA and 2PI. From the transient absorption decays in ACN medium, it has been demonstrated that the diffusional separation of ions from geminate ion-pair is facilitated in the case of 2MI-9CNA pair whereas for 2PI-9CNA system the energy wasting charge recombination dominates over the process of charge dissociation. From the above observations, the possibility of developing much potential photosynthetic model compounds with the donor 2MI, rather than with the other donor 2PI molecule has been hinted.     

Role of homogeneous solvents on photophysics of 3-pyrazolyl-2-pyrazoline derivative

S₀ → S₁ and S₀ → S₂ electronic transitions have been observed in UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy of 3-pyrazolyl-2-pyrazoline (PZ) in different homogeneous solvents. Radiative emissions and relaxation processes from S₁ and S₂ states of PZ have been resolved in water, ethylene glycol and glycerol whereas in polar aprotic and protic solvents the radiative transitions have been observed from S₁ state. The S₂–S₁ electronic energy spacing has been calculated from the absorption maxima of the S₀ → S₂ transitions and fluorescence maxima of the S₁ → S₀ transitions. Solute–solvent interactions have been established to rationalize the photophysical modification of PZ in H-bonding solvents.