Revisiting the Hirao cross-coupling: improved synthesis of aryl and heteroaryl phosphonates

The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of dialkylphosphite with aromatic electrophiles (Hirao coupling) was re-investigated. Some limitations in terms of palladium loadings and substrate reactivity are alleviated with the use of Pd(OAc)₂ complexed to 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) as a ligand. Various aryl and heteroaryl halides are employed to deliver both known and novel substituted phosphonates. The first examples of aryl chloride couplings are also reported.     

Extractive separation of Cu<Superscript>2+</Superscript>–Co<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Ni<Superscript>2+</Superscript>–Co<Superscript>2+</Superscript> mixtures using <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-salicylideneaniline

A study on the extraction of copper(II), cobalt(II), and nickel(II) from solutions containing ions of both metals with N-salicylideneaniline(SAN) in chloroform has been realized. Distribution of the metal ions in wide range of pH has been studied. Extraction of copper(II) was always favored over that of cobalt(II). Extraction of copper(II) from binary metal solution is selective and it can be quantitatively separated from cobalt(II). The equilibrium constant of the extraction of cobalt and nickel from an aqueous solution containing both metals using SAN were evaluated. The separation factors for cobalt and nickel were expressed as a function of the distribution of nickel and cobalt. From these results, salicylideneaniline is an adequate extractant for extractive separation of such mixtures.     

Effects of ascorbic acid on the physiochemical,rheological, and antioxidant properties of citrus essential oil-based emulsion stabilized by pectin

The present study was conducted to enhance the peel of Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) by using their essential oils (EOs) as a potential source of natural bioactive molecules. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and their chemical profile was determined through GC-MS analysis. O/W EO emulsions were prepared using pectin as biopolymer emulsifier at different proportions, including different amounts of ascorbic acid (0, 0.5, and 1% w/w). The effect of pectin and ascorbic acid concentrations on the stability and rheological behavior of emulsions was investigated. It was found that adding ascorbic acid to the appropriate concentration of pectin enhances the interfacial membranes surrounding the oil droplets and decreases the droplet sizes. As a result both the viscoelastic modules and the resulting viscosity of emulsions increase leading to an improvement of their stability. Antioxidant activity of orange EO emulsion in combination with ascorbic acid was found significantly higher than that without ascorbic acid, and higher than that of individual components. Overall, this study would be helpful in developing more effectives systems with promising physical and antioxidant characteristics for the preservation of foods.     

Synthesis,identification and antimicrobial activity of substituted thiazolines and 1,3,4-thiadiazines from dehydroacetic acid

The reaction of thiosemicarbazones with various α-chloroketones in the presence of anhydrous NaOAc led to 4-thiazolines 5, 7 or 1,3,4-thiadiazines 11 in good yields. Structure elucidation was carried out by ¹H, ¹³C, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The purity of these new products was confirmed by HRMS. A possible mechanism for the formation of 5, 7, and 11 was discussed. All the synthesized novel 4-thiazoline and 1,3,4-thiadiazine derivatives were evaluated in vitro for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against six pathogenic bacteria and a strain of yeast: Escherichia coli ATCC 25992, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27852, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 methicillin-resistant, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 methicillin-sensitive, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698 Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and Candida albicans IPA (200). Some compounds exhibited relatively significant antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Recent Advances on Electrochemical Sensors Based on Electroactive Bacterial Systems for Toxicant Monitoring: A Minireview

In recent years, there have been advancements in the development of bacterial electrochemical sensors for toxicity monitoring, especially through utilization of electroactive bacteria. Accordingly, this mini review summarizes the recent advances in the design of bacterial-based electrochemical sensors with a specific discussion of main methodologies used for preparation of bioelectrodes based on electroactive bacteria. Additionally, current trends in the design of efficient and high performing bacterial electrochemical sensors for toxicity monitoring are presented. An overview of the most relevant findings and challenges of this technology for practical are provided and might serve as a general outlook for planning further research.     

Regiocontrol in the palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphinylation of terminal alkynes

The regioselectivity of the palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphinylation of terminal alkynes was investigated. Complementary conditions to achieve the predominant formation of either the linear or the branched alkenyl-H-phosphinate products were identified. With Pd/xantphos in acetonitrile, the linear isomer is generally obtained with good to excellent selectivity, and E-stereospecificity. On the other hand, by using Pd/dppf in the non-polar solvent toluene, good selectivity for the branched alkenyl-H-phosphinate is typically observed. The role of various reaction parameters is studied.     

Some Isometric Properties of Subspaces of Function Spaces

We investigate the isometric properties of subspaces of Banach spaces which are unconditionally complemented in their biduals. In particular, we determine the fixed point properties for Müntz subspaces of dilation-stable weakly sequentially complete function spaces on [0, 1].     

Molecular hydrogen-induced nucleation of hydrogenated silicon nanocrystals at low temperature

Highly crystallized hydrogenated silicon layers were obtained via the treatment of hydrogenated polymorphous silicon films in a molecular hydrogen ambient. This contrasts other postdeposition studies that obtained nanocrystalline silicon films but necessitated either a plasma activation or high-temperature annealing. The structure of the samples was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy to determine the crystallite volume fraction, which was found to increase up to 80% within 1 hour of treatment. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the roughness of the surfaces was found to increase after the H₂ treatment. Optical transmission and spectroscopic ellipsometry revealed the pronounced porosity of the films characterized by a static refractive index that is below three, which is a low value for hydrogenated silicon films and a void fraction that is around 15% in the bulk of the films. The effect of the hydrogen molecules on the structure of the films was discussed in terms of the compressive stress exerted by the molecules, trapped in structural inhomogeneities, on the amorphous tissue. It is suggested that for this process to take effect, the films need to be porous and that the amorphous network needs to be in a “relaxed” state.     

Theoretical study of the aluminum distribution effects on the double proton transfer mechanisms upon adsorption of 4,4'-bipyridine on H-ZSM-5

The aluminum distribution effects on the adsorption of 4,4'-bipyridine (44BPY) in the straight channel of H-ZSM-5 simulated by two ten-membered ring clusters (2-10T) have been investigated by DFT methods. The energetic and structural properties of the complexes formed upon interaction of 44BPY with the zeolite Br?nsted acid sites for six different aluminum distributions were determined by B3LYP/6-31+G* calculations. Dispersion energies were estimated by performing single point calculations at the MP2 and M06-2X levels. Interaction energies were corrected for basis set superposition error (BSSE). The minimum energy pathways of the double proton transfer from H-ZSM-5 to 44BPY were characterized. Two mechanisms are proposed: a concerted mechanism in which both protons are simultaneously transferred giving the bidentate ion pair complex (44BPYH?2?/2-10T2?) and a consecutive mechanism in which one proton is transferred directly leading to the monodentate ion pair complex (44BPYH?/2-10T?), whereas the second proton can be transferred according to Al distribution. The formation of monodentate or bidentate complexes strongly depends on the Al distribution.     

Density functional theory investigation of the redox properties of tricyclopentadienyl- and phospholyluranium(IV) chloride complexes

The redox behavior of tricyclopentadienyl- and phospholyluranium(IV) chloride complexes L(3)UCl with L = C(5)H(5) (Cp), C(5)H(4)Me (MeCp), C(5)H(4)SiMe(3) (TMSCp), C(5)H(4)(t)Bu ((t)BuCp), C(5)Me(5) (Cp*), and C(4)Me(4)P (tmp), has been investigated using relativistic density functional theory calculations, with the solvent being taken into account using the conductor-like screening model. A very good linear correlation (r(2) = 0.99) has been obtained between the computed electron affinities of the L(3)UCl complexes and the experimental half-wave reduction potentials E(1/2) related to the U(IV)/U(III) redox systems. From a computational point of view, our study confirms the crucial importance of spin-orbit coupling and solvent corrections and the use of an extended basis set in order to achieve the best experiment-theory agreement. Considering oxidation of the uranium(IV) complexes, the instability of the uranium(V) derivatives [L(3)UCl](+) is revealed, in agreement with experimental electrochemical findings. The driving roles of both the electron-donating ability of the L ligand and the U 5f orbitals on the redox properties of the complexes are brought to light. Interestingly, we found and explained the excellent correlation between variations of the uranium Hirschfeld charges following U(IV)/U(III) electron capture and E(1/2). In addition, this work allowed one to estimate theoretically the half-wave reduction potential of [Cp*(3)UCl].