Conference summary on the first international workshop on advanced superhard materials

Composite diamond anvils have been developed for high-pressure/high-temperature measurements of diamond anvil cells. The anvils are fabricated using single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from previously used and/or slightly damaged anvils made of natural or synthetic diamond. These composite anvils can be fabricated to possess optical characteristics at least comparable to conventional diamond anvils, whereas the single-crystal CVD portion is more durable because of its enhanced toughness relative to natural diamond. The viability of such anvils is demonstrated in measurements on hydrogen at megabar pressures and high temperature.     

Destruction Kinetics of 2,4 Dichlorophenol Aqueous Solutions in an Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Oxygen

The processes of degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) aqueous solutions under the action of atmospheric pressure of DBD in oxygen were studied. The degradation of 2,4-DCP proceeds efficiently, the degree of decomposition reaching 100%. The degradation kinetics of 2,4-DCP obeys a formal first-order kinetic law on concentration of 2,4-DCP. The effective rate constants depend weakly on the experimental conditions and are equal to ~ 2 s^?1. Based on experimental data, the energy efficiency of 2,4-DCP decomposition was determined to be in the range of 0.039–0.173 molecules per 100 eV depending on the experimental conditions. The composition of the products was studied by gas chromatography, chromatography-mass spectrometry, UV/visible spectroscopy, fluorescent methods and some chemical methods. The main decomposition products present in the solution were found to be carboxylic acids, aldehydes and chloride ions, whereas carbon dioxide and molecular chlorine appear in the gas. The results obtained are compared with similar data from other advanced oxidation processes (AOP’s) methods.     

Expedient Strategy for the Synthesis of 5-Acylethynylpyrrole-2-carbaldehydes

5-Acylethynylpyrrole-2-carbaldehydes have been synthesized from the protected pyrrole-2-carbaldehydes by their transition-metal-free topochemical mechanoactivated ethynylation with acylbromoacetylenes in a solid Al₂O₃ medium (room temperature, 6 h, 41–54% yields).     

Evidence for Kinetic Nucleation in Helical Nanofiber Formation Directed by Chiral Solvent for a Perylene Bisimide Organogelator

The self‐assembly behavior of an achiral perylene bisimide (PBI) organogelator that bears two 3,4,5‐tridodecyloxybenzoylaminoethyl substituents at the imide positions has been investigated in chiral solvents (R)‐ and (S)‐limonene in great detail by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). CD spectroscopic studies on dilute solutions revealed a preferential population of one‐handed helical assemblies in chiral solvent with an enantiomeric excess close to 100 %, whereas AFM images of more than 100 nanofibers of the organogel obtained from more concentrated solutions were found to consist of both handed helices with an enantiomeric excess of only 20 %. This discrepancy is attributed to the fast gelation process at high dye concentration that evidently proceeds through non‐equilibrated nuclei in a kinetic rather than thermodynamic self‐assembly process. Under these conditions the chiral induction from the homochiral solvent may not be adequate in effectively populating only one‐handed helices.     

High-temperature chemical transformations of tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides with aromatic diamines in rolivsan matrix

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - Thermochemical transformations of ternary thermosetting systems consisting of rolivsans, aromatic tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides, and aromatic diamines...     

Sterically Hindered o‐Quinone Annulated with Dithiete: A Molecule Comprising Diolate and Dithiolate Coordination Sites

A new stable sterically hindered o‐quinone annelated with a 1,2‐dithiete ring was prepared by using mild conditions. The skeleton of the compound comprises diolate and dithiolate functions that have the potential to bind metals leading to the corresponding complexes. The reactivity of this compound as a ligand with respect to both coordination sites was studied. Reactions with metals indicate that the o‐quinone function is reduced in the first stage to give semiquinonate and catecholate complexes. The dithiolate coordination site was involved in the reaction in a few cases only after diolate was bound. A trinuclear manganese complex with coordination on both sites was obtained and characterized by EPR spectroscopy. The electrochemical study of this quinone fused with dithiete is reported.