Montmorillonite Supported Borohydride: A New Reducing Agent for Reductions Under Phase Transfer Conditions

A few cyclic and acyclic ketones were reduced in dichloro-methane, using reducing agents prepared from reusable montmorillonite clay supported phase transfer catalyst. A high percentage of axial attack (76–100%) by hydrides on substituted cyclohexanones observed, has been rationalised on the basis of a four center cyclic transition state for the clay absorbed ketone.     

Reaction of bis-Lactone in Rigid Polycycles with Alkyl Lithiums. Synthesis of Novel Oxa-Cace Compounds

Reaction of bis-lactone embodied in the rigid tircyclo [5.2.1.0^2,6] decane 5 with MeLi and t-BuLi produced the novel oxa-cage compounds 9 and 11 instead of the expected ketones 6.     

One-electron redox reactions of troxerutin in aqueous solutions

The oxidation of flavonoids is of great interest because of their action as antioxidants with the ability to scavenge radicals by means of electron-transfer processes. The redox reactions of the flavonoid derivative troxerutin, (2-[3,4-bis-(2-hydroxyethoxy) phenyl]-3[[6-deoxy-α-L-manno-pyranosyl)-β-(D-glucopyranosyl]-oxy]-5-hydroxy-7-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-4H-1-benzo-pyran-4-one), were investigated over a wide range of conditions, using pulse radiolysis and cyclic voltammetry. The oxidation mechanism proceeds in sequential steps. One-electron redox potentials for troxerutin were found to be +1.196, +0.846 and −0.634 V vs. NHE.     

A complete set of self‐consistent charge density‐functional tight‐binding parametrization of zinc chalcogenides (ZnX; X=O,S, Se,and Te)

We have developed a complete set of self‐consistent charge density‐functional tight‐binding parameters for Zn? X (X = Zn, O, S, Se, Te, Cd, H, C, and N). The transferability of the derived parameters has been tested against Pseudo Potential‐Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof (PP‐PBE) calculations and experimental values (whenever available) for corresponding bulk systems (e.g., hexagonal close packing, zinc‐blende, and wurtzite(wz)), various kinds of nanostructures (such as nanowires, surfaces, and nanoclusters), and also some small molecular systems. Our results show that the derived parameters reproduce the structural and energetic properties of the above‐mentioned systems very well. With the derived parameter set, one can study zinc‐chalcogenide nanostructures of relatively large size which was otherwise prohibited by other methods. The Zn‐Cd parametrization developed in this article will help in studying large semiconductor hetero‐nanostructures of Zn and Cd chalcogenides such as ZnX/CdX core/shell nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, and nanoalloys. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A family of oxorhenium(v) complexes incorporating chelated monoanionic ONN reduced Schiff base and dianionic ONNO tetradentate ligands: synthesis, spectroscopic and electrochemical studies

The green colored complexes of the type Re(V)O(L(SB))Cl(2), 1, have been synthesised by reacting NBu(4)[ReOCl(4)] with HL(SB) in dry ethanol. Here, L(SB)(-) are the deprotonated forms of N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-2-picolylamine (HL(SB)(1)); N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N',N'-dimethylethylenediamine (HL(SB)(2)) and N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N',N'-diethylethylenediamine (HL(SB)(3)). Similarly, NBu(4)[ReOCl(4)] reacted with N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-2-picolylamine (H(2)L(1)); N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N',N'-dimethylethylenediamine (H(2)L(2)); N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N',N'-diethylethylenediamine (H(2)L(3)); [N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)]-2-aminoethanol (H(2)L(4)); [N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)]-2-methyl-2-amino-1-propanol (H(2)L(5)); N,N-bis(1-hydroxyethyl)-2-picolylamine (H(2)L(6)), to give the monochloro complexes Re(V)O(L)Cl, 2. The X-ray structures of the complexes are reported. The molecular structures observed in the solid state are preserved in solution ((1)H NMR). In acetonitrile solution the Re(V)O(L)Cl, 2, display a one-electron couple, Re(VI)O(L)Cl(+)-Re(V)O(L)Cl, near 1.0 V vs SCE. The electrogenerated hexavalent complexes [Re(VI)O(L)Cl]ClO(4), 3, are paramagnetic and display sextet EPR spectra in solution at room temperature (A(av) approximately 417 (G), g approximately 1.914).     

Solvent Extraction Separation of Th(IV) and U(VI) with PC-88A

Liquid-liquid extraction of Th(IV) and U(VI) has been investigated by commercial extractant PC-88A in toluene. The optimum conditions for extraction of these metals have been established by studying the various parameters like acid concentration/pH, reagent concentration, diluents and shaking time. The extraction of Th(IV) was found to be quantitative with 0.1–1.0M HNO₃ acid and in the pH range 1.0–4.0 while U(VI) was completely extracted in the pH range 1.0–3.5 with 2.5·10^–2M and 2.·10^–2M PC-88A in toluene, respectively. The probable extracted species have been ascertained by log D-log C plot as ThR₄·4HR and UO₂R₂·2HR, respectively. The method permits separation of Th(IV) and U(VI) from associated metals with a recovery of 99.0%.     

One-step separation-free amperometric biosensor for the detection of protein

A novel enzyme biosensor for the detection of protein is presented. The biosensor was made from a screen-printed three-electrode configuration. Amino acid oxidase was immobilized with glutaraldehyde and polyethylenimine on a working electrode made of rodinised carbon. A protease was immobilized on an immunodyne membrane and was placed on the electrode. A protein sample was deposited on the membrane, and was subsequently hydrolyzed to amino acids in the presence of the protease. This in turn produced hydrogen peroxide by the immobilized amino acid oxidase. The oxidation of hydrogen peroxide was then detected at +400 mV vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The method was very effective at detecting a very low level of protein. The sensor does not require any washing step. The sensor works with only 40 μl of sample per detection, and may be used on-site as a disposable sensor using a hand-held meter. The electrodes are also stable for more than 6 weeks.     

Fabrication of Large‐Scale Hierarchical ZnO Hollow Spheroids for Hydrophobicity and Photocatalysis

We report here the preparation of a crystalline, pure hexagonal phase of ZnO as hollow 500–800 nm spheroids in the presence of organic bases, such as pyridine, using zinc acetate as the precursor salt. The spheroids exhibit unique 3D hierarchical architectures, like cocoons, and demonstrate improved superhydrophobic (water contact angle, 150°) character due to the inherited air‐trapped capillarity within the cocoon structure. The simple synthetic strategy used in this process is modified hydrothermolysis (MHT), which represents a general approach and may contribute to the formation mechanism of the hollow nanostructures with highly improved porosity. Depending on the concentration of the precursor salt, it has been possible to cover glass plates or the inner wall of a reaction vessel with ZnO nanocrystals. A low salt concentration (<0.01 M ) allows the easy preparation of a superhydrophobic glass surface, whereas a high salt concentration (>0.01 M ) results in the precipitation of cocoons at the bottom of the reaction vessel as a solid mass together with a deposited thin film of ZnO nanocrystals covering the inner wall of the glass vessel. The thickness of the film successively grows through repetitive hydrothermolysis processes for which a low salt concentration (<0.01 M ) was employed. Because of the hollow cocoonlike morphology, the surface area of the film is greatly increased, which makes it accessible for functionalization by incoming substrates from both sides (internally and externally) and helps to drive a competent photocatalytic dye degradation pathway. The heterocyclic base pyridine exclusively develops cocoons. Thus, the mechanism of self‐aggregation of ZnO nanocrystals under MHT reaction conditions has been studied and the characterization of the compounds has been supported with physical measurements.     

Double-CO3(2-) centered [Co(II)5] wheel and modeling of its magnetic properties

A high-spin Co(II) cluster with a rare pentagonal molecular structure and formula [Co(5)(CO(3))(2)(bpp)(5)]ClO(4) (1; Hbpp is 2,6-bis(phenyliminomethyl)-4-methylphenolate) has been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This topology arises from fusing five [Co(2)(bpp)] moieties in a cyclic manner around two CO(3)(2-) central ligands, resulting in propeller-like configuration. The irregular coordination of the carbonate ions to the metal centers results in a combination of coordination numbers (CNs) of the Co(II) ions of five and six. The bulk magnetization of this complicated magnetically exchanged system has been modeled successfully by employing a matrix diagonalization technique. For this, the combination of S=3/2 ions (CN=5) with ions exhibiting strong spin-orbit coupling (CN=6) has been considered and a perturbative approach to handle the data in the whole studied range of temperatures (2-300 K) yielding parameters of g and D (for the five-coordinate Co(II) ions), of A, κ, λ, and Δ (for the metals with spin-orbit coupling) and of the exchange constants J. The agreement with results from DFT calculations, also presented here, is remarkable.     

Monoclinic CuO nanoflowers on resin support: recyclable catalyst to obtain perylene compound

Monoclinic CuO crystallite in grams has been obtained from resin bound Cu(II)-1,10-phenanthroline complex, R(-)[Cu(1,10-phen)(2)](2+) that becomes a recyclable catalyst for oxidative phenol coupling (OPC) reaction. Thus an exclusively intuitive blue fluorescing perylene derivative is derived from colorless 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene (2,7-DHN) in high yield.