Preparation of highly dispersed CuO catalysts on oxide supports for de-NO(x) reactions

CuO based catalysts dispersed on silica-alumina supports at low (0.56 wt.%) and high (13 wt.%) Al(2)O(3) content were prepared by adsorption method with or without ultrasound treatment. The catalysts obtained were studied in their bulk (atomic absorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed reduction) and surface (N(2) adsorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) properties. Significant differences between the series of catalysts prepared over the two supports in terms of size of the CuO aggregates and of their redox properties were evidenced. All the catalysts were tested in the selective catalytic reduction of NO(x) using C(2)H(4) as reducing species (HC-SCR process) in highly oxidant atmosphere. The CuO-catalysts prepared using ultrasounds were the most active. Moreover, they displayed a peculiar activity being able to activate NO both by reducing it to N(2), in larger extent, and by oxidizing it to NO(2).     

New interpretation of local dynamics of poly(dimethyl siloxane) observed by quasielastic neutron scattering

Synthetic and natural polymers have complex dynamic behavior with distinct motions taking place on a wide range of time and length scales. For poly(dimethyl siloxane) we show that, at temperatures above the melting point, the reorientation of the CH3 groups provides a non-negligible contribution to the incoherent dynamic structure factor. Analysis of the quasielastic neutron scattering data is carried out using a model function that includes fast rotational motion of the CH3 groups and local conformational transitions between isomeric states. By using this model, detailed comparison between experimental data and theoretical predictions at distances where deviations from the traditional Rouse model are expected becomes possible.     

The synthesis of pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazoles. Regio- and stereo-selective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of (1Z)-rel-(4R,5R)-1-arylmethylene-4-benzoylamino-5-phenyl-3-pyrazolidinon-1 -azomethinimines

Reaction of rel-(4R,5R)-4-benzoylamino-5-phenyl-3-pyrazolidinone (4) with aromatic aldehydes 5a-f gave the corresponding (1Z)-rel-(4R,5R)-1-arylmethylene-4-benzoylamino-5-phenyl-3-pyrazolidinon-1-azomethinimines 6a-f . 1,3-Dipolar cycloadditions of azomethinimines 6a-f to various dipolarophiles, which were found to proceed regio- and stereo-selectively, afforded the corresponding pyrazolo[1,2-a]-pyrazoles 8a-f, 10 , and 13–16 . Reaction of azomethinimine 6a with hydrogen cyanide gave rel-(5R,6R)-6-benzoylamino-5,6-dihydro-3,5-diphenyl-1-oxo-1H,7H-pyrazolo[1,2-a][1,2,3]triazole (18) as a representative of a new ring system.     

Divide and conquer: the engineering of delegation

Computational Management Science - Members of an organization have conflicting preferences. Principal-agent theory analyzes how and under which conditions this conflict can be resolved by means of...     

Application of chiral dipyridylmethane ligands in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

New chiral C₁-symmetric dipyridylmethane ligands have been prepared from naturally occurring monoterpenes according to a method based on two consecutive constructions of the pyridine rings. These ligands have been assessed in the enantioselective palladium catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethylmalonate. Enantioselectivity up to 68% ee has been obtained.     

Tuning the structural and magnetic properties of thermally robust coordination polymers

Thermally robust materials of the M(5-X-pyrimidin-2-olate)2 type [M = Co, X = Cl (1(Cl)), X = Br (1(Br)), X = I (1(I)); M = Zn, X = Cl (2(Cl)), X = Br (2(Br)), X = I (2(I))] have been synthesized. Their X-ray powder diffraction structural characterization has revealed that they crystallize as I2d diamondoid frameworks, isomorphous to those of the pristine [M(pyrimidin-2-olate)2]n analogues (1(H), M = Co; 2(H), M = Zn). The magnetic measurements of the 1(X) series at magnetic fields of 100, 300, and 5000 Oe reveal a weak ferromagnetic ordering taking place below the Néel temperature (T(N) approximately 20 K), arising from spin canting phenomena of the antiferromagnetically coupled cobalt centers. Moreover, magnetic hysteresis studies carried out on the 1(X) series at 2 K reveal a strong dependence of both the coercive field H(coer) (2500, 1000, 775, and 500 Oe for 1(Br), 1(Cl), 1(I), and 1(H), respectively) and the remnant magnetization M(rem) (0.0501 mu(B) for 1(Br) and 1(Cl), 0.0457 mu(B) for 1(I), and 0.0358 mu(B) for 1(H)) on the 5-substituent of the pyrimidin-2-olates. The molecular alloys [Co(5-Y-pyrimidin-2-olate)2] (Y = Cl/Br, 1(Cl/Br)) and [Co(5-Y'-pyrimidin-2-olate)2] (Y' = Br/I, 1(Br/I)) have also been prepared and characterized, proving that they have intermediate properties. These materials combine interesting functional properties, such as chemical inertness, magnetism, photoluminescence, and (although weak) SHG activity.     

Chemical Profile,Antioxidant Capacity,and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils Extracted from Three Different Varieties (Moldoveanca 4, Vis Magic 10, and Alba 7) of Lavandula angustifolia

Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity of lavender essential oils (LEOs) extracted from three different varieties of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (1-Moldoveanca 4, 2-Vis magic 10, and 3-Alba 7) have been determined. These plants previously patented in the Republic of Moldova were cultivated in an organic agriculture system in the northeastern part of Romania and then harvested in 3 consecutive years (2017–2019) to obtain the essential oils. From the inflorescences in the complete flowering stage, the LEOs were extracted by hydrodistillation. Then, their composition was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and by Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The major identified constituents are as follows: linalool (1: 32.19–46.83%; 2: 29.93–30.97%; 3: 31.97–33.77%), linalyl acetate (1: 17.70–35.18%; 2: 27.55–37.13%; 3: 28.03–35.32%), and terpinen-4-ol (1: 3.63–7.70%; 2: 3.06–7.16%; 3: 3.10–6.53%). The antioxidant capacity as determined by ABTS and DPPH assays indicates inhibition, with the highest activity obtained for LEO var. Alba 7 from 2019. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the LEOs and combinations were investigated as well, by using the disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), the yeast Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), and clinical isolates. Our results have shown that LEOs obtained from the three studied varieties of L. angustifolia manifest significant bactericidal effects against tested microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli), and antifungal effects against Candida albicans. The mixture of LEOs (Var. Alba 7) and geranium, respectively, in tea tree EOs, in different ratios, showed a significant enhancement of the antibacterial effect against all the studied strains, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Selective Synthesis of 2D Mesoporous CuO Agglomerates by Pulsed Spark Discharge in Water

Metal oxide nanomaterials, including copper oxide, have attracted great attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties that are dependent on particle size and morphology. In this study, we propose an alternative technique for the synthesis of 2D mesoporous CuO agglomerates that is both efficient and ecological. This technique is based on the use of pulsed spark discharges between copper electrodes immersed in deionized water. Detailed TEM analyses show that the synthesized CuO nanostructures are composed of elementary nanocrystals with sizes in the order of a few nanometers. Assessments of the effects of applied voltage (5 and 20 kV) and discharge pulse width (100 and 500 ns) demonstrate that the latter parameter influences the size and density of nanocrystals in a nanostructure. Moreover, voltage and pulse width may both be used to finely control the direct optical band gap energy of CuO nanostructures between 3.0 and 3.4 eV. The efficient and ecological technique developed in this study produces 2D mesoporous CuO agglomerates that can be readily used in other processes.