Determination of aluminum oxide in and on high-purity aluminum by a phenol dissolution method

A simple rapid determination of aluminum oxide in aluminum is described. Aluminum reacts with phenol at 180°C forming aluminum phenoxide but aluminum oxide does not. After the reaction, the aluminum oxide is filtered off and brought into aqueous solution by fusion with potassium hydrogensulfate for determination by atomic absorption spectrometry or by the 8-quinolinol spectrophotometric method. The reaction between aluminum and phenol is stoichiometric. The procedure is applicable to the determination of aluminum oxide in commercial aluminum metals of various forms. The method is relatively rapid and appears to be superior to the conventional bromine—methanol method.     

Total synthesis and absolute stereochemistry of (+)-batzellaside B and its C8-epimer, a new class of piperidine alkaloids from the sponge Batzella sp.

The first total synthesis of (+)-batzellaside B and its C8-epimer was completed from a known l-arabinose-derived tribenzyl ether in 22 steps with overall yields of 3.9% and 5.4%, respectively. The absolute configuration of (+)-batzellaside B was unambiguously determined to be 1S,3S,4S,5R,8S by the Mosher analysis of a synthetic intermediate prepared through a separate route.     

Exact bounds on epsilon processes

In this paper we show that the lengths of the approximating processes in epsilon substitution method are calculable by ordinal recursions in an optimal way.     

Synthesis of 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylacetic acid derivatives

1,3,4-Thiadiazol-2-ylacetic acids 4 were prepared by lithiation of 2-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazoles 1 , followed by treatment with carbon dioxide. Diethyl 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylmalonates 6 were prepared by nucleophilic displacement reaction of the corresponding bromides 5 with diethyl malonate. Introduction of the amino group at the a-position of 4 or 6 was carried out via oximation or bromination to give the amino ester 9 or 4 . Attempts to prepare DL-α-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylacetic acids from 9 or 4 were unsuccessful because the amino acids were decarboxylated too rapidly to be isolated in the free form.     

Corrosion analysis and monitoring of the environmental factors for the deterioration of chromium-bearing reinforcing steel in mortar

To understand environmental factors, Cl ion concentration and pH were monitored by inserting microelectrodes into artificial pores in the mortar. The corrosion behavior of reinforcing steels containing chromium were investigated with carbon steel (SM) by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). From the EIS, the corrosion resistance of the Cr-bearing reinforcing steel was visibly higher than the SM reinforcing steel. Simultaneously, the Cl ion concentration in the mortar was obtained using Ag/AgCl microelectrodes, showing that this behavior is generally controlled by diffusion. Similarly, the pH in the mortar was obtained using W/WOx microelectrodes. With a 20-mm cover thickness, pH was limited to approximately pH 11, but with a 10-mm cover thickness, pH continued to decrease to around pH 9.5. Solutions were prepared simulating the condition in the pores in mortar and were used in EIS measurements. The charge transfer resistance, R _ct, in the simulated solutions showed good correspondence with that in the actual mortar. This is attributed to the fact that the corrosion of reinforcing steel was controlled by the solution conditions (mainly Cl concentration and pH) in mortar. Moreover, it was found that, as compared with SM, Cr-bearing steel could keep the passive film in severe condition, and have long incubation time until the passive film was destroyed.