Single‐Crystalline and Near‐Monodispersed NaMF3 (M=Mn,Co, Ni,Mg) and LiMAlF6 (M=Ca,Sr) Nanocrystals from Cothermolysis of Multiple Trifluoroacetates in Solution

We report the synthesis of single‐crystalline and near‐monodispersed NaMF₃ (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Mg), LiMAlF₆ (M=Ca, Sr), and NaMgF₃:Yb,Er nanocrystals (quasisquare nanoplates, nanorods, and nanopolygons) by the cothermolysis of multiple trifluoroacetates in hot combined organic solvents (oleic acid, oleylamine, and 1‐octadecene). The nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, TEM, superconductive quantum interference device (SQUID), and upconversion luminescence spectroscopy. By regulating the polarity of the dispersant, the NaMF₃ (M=Mn, Co, Ni) nanoplates were partially aligned to form nanoarrays on copper TEM grids. The sizes of the NaMF₃ nanocrystals were easily tuned by the use of proper synthetic conditions such as reaction temperature and time and solvent composition. On the basis of a series of experiments in which the reaction conditions were varied, together with GC–MS and FTIR analysis, the reaction pathways for the formation of these nanocrystals from trifluoroacetate precursors were proposed. The magnetic measurements showed that the differently sized NaMnF₃ square plates displayed interesting weak ferromagnetic behavior on the nanometer scale. The strong red upconversion luminescence emitted from the NaMgF₃:Yb,Er nanorods under 980‐nm near‐IR laser excitation suggests that NaMgF₃ may be a good candidate host material for red upconversion luminescence.     

Dispersion of silica nano-particles in sol-gel hybrid resins for fabrication of multi-scale hybrid nanocomposite

Multi-scale hybrid nanocomposites containing both ∼15 nm silica colloids and ∼2 nm oligosiloxanes in a methacryl polymer matrix were newly designed and fabricated. Colloidal silica sols were dispersed in methacryl oligosiloxanes nano-hybrid resins synthesized by sol-gel reaction of methacryloxypropylmethoxysilane and diphenylsilanediol. On the basis of TEM and SANS analyses, it was confirmed that the silica colloids were compatibly dispersed and different sizes of colloidal silica and oligosiloxanes co-exist in the solutions. Multi-scale hybrid nanocomposites fabricated by UV and thermal curing with incorporation of silica colloids in the nano-hybrid materials show enhanced mechanical and thermal characteristics.     

Ab initio and infrared spectral study of 4′-substituted phenylthiolbenzoates

The geometry of the 4′-cyano-(4′-CNPTB) and the 4′-methoxy-(4′-MePTB) phenylthiolbenzoates were obtained by ab initio calculations employing 6–31G basis set at Hartee-Fock level of theory. The results predict an extended form of the molecules and torsional angle between the phenyl rings at 90.85(6)⁰ and 90.87(3)⁰, respectively. On the basis of vibrational analysis the frequency assignment was carried out. The calculated frequencies were compared with the experimental IR spectral data in carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulfide solutions and in solid state.     

On the copolymerization of acrylates in the modified microemulsion process

Copolymerization of methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, and butyl acrylate in turn was performed in the modified microemulsion polymerization process, i.e., continuous addition of monomer to a preemulsified system. It was found that the particle size of the copolymer microlatex did not change distinctly with the monomer composition. The estimation of emulsifier coverage on the microlatex particles indicated that the process switched from a traditional microemulsion to a normal seeded emulsion polymerization very soon after monomer dropping began. Therefore, a longer dropping time is needed to produce a microlatex with narrow dispersed particle size. Besides, in the modified microemulsion polymerization less emulsifier is needed to produce a stable microlatex. This behavior is related to the mechanism of normal seeded emulsion polymerization during monomer dropping.     

Supported molybdena catalysts: Characterization of oxidized,reduced, and sulfided MoO3 prepared by an adsorption method

Highly dispersed molybdena-titania catalyst can be prepared by an equilibrium adsorption method. In this method, molybdate anions adsorb onto the positively charged titania surfaces via electrostatic attraction by controlling the pH of the impregnating solution and they increase as an inverse function of the pH. ⁹⁵Mo-NMR and UV spectroscopic studies of impregnating solution show that the polymeric species like Mo₇O₂₄ ⁶-ions are adsorbed on titania in the acidic impregnating solution. XRD, Raman, and XPS data of the calcined samples show that mono-layer coverage of molybdenum oxide over-layer possesses a highly distorted MoO₆ group with a molecular geometry resembling the distorted square pyramid. The catalytic oxidation of methanol over the surface molybdate species on titania possesses higher turnover numbers and higher selectivities of partial oxidation products than the catalysts supported on alumina, silica, zirconia, or magnesia. Changes of the surface properties either after reduction and sulfiding treatment over monolayer catalyst on titania have also been investigated. The NO chemisorption and XPS studies show that two types of active sites appeared after reduction treatment: one site is active for hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene and the other site is active for metathesis of propene. A higher degree coordinative unsaturations of MO is required for hydrogenation than metathesis. After sulfiding treatments of the catalyst, hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene also requires triply coordinative unsaturation, and hydrogenolysis of thiophene requires the ensemble of doubly or triply coordinative unsaturations.     

Determination of aristolochic acid by capillary zone electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA) in dietary supplements and selected herbs is described. A clear separation of AA from other sample constituents was achieved within 5 minutes without any sample clean up. A mixture of 20 mM-morpholinethanesulphonic acid+10 mM-BisTrisPropane+0.2% hydroxyethylcelullose in 10% methanol serves as a background electrolyte. The linearity, accuracy, intra-assay and detection limit of the developed method are 200–6000 ng/mL, 95–103%, 3.5%, and 50 ng/ml, respectively. Ease of use, sufficient sensitivity and low running cost are the most important attributes of the CZE method. The proposed CZE method was compared with HPLC.     

Studies of the soluble part of oxidised coals

Soluble products obtained from the oxidation of four types of coal, each characterised by different degree of coalification and different degree of sulphur content, are studied. The coals are oxidised with peracetic acid (PAA) and nitric acid. Analyses are performed by Atmospheric Pressure-Temperature Programmed Reduction (AP-TPR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The soluble products contain much more sulphur than the insoluble products of oxidation. The products obtained from the reaction with HNO₃ contain higher amounts of inorganic sulphur compounds, while those obtained from the reaction with PAA are characterised by an increased content of organic sulphur species.     

Diaqua­bis[2′‐(4,5‐diaza­fluoren‐9‐yl­idene)picolinohydrazidato‐κ2N,O]zinc(II) tetra­hydrate: a metal–water chain complex containing cyclic water hexa­mers

In the title compound, [Zn(C₁₇H₁₀N₅O)₂(H₂O)₂]·4H₂O, cyclic water hexa­mers forming one‐dimensional metal–water chains are observed. The water clusters are trapped by the co‐operative association of coordination inter­actions and hydrogen bonds. The Zn^II ion resides on a centre of symmetry and is in an octa­hedral coordination environment comprising two O atoms and two N atoms from two 2′‐(4,5‐diaza­fluoren‐9‐yl­idene)picolinohydrazidate ligands and two water mol­ecules.     

Synthesis of novel tryptamine and β-carboline derivatives via palladium-catalyzed reaction of bromotryptamine with organic boronic acids

New tryptamine 5, 7 and β-carboline derivatives 3 were preparated by palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of 5-bromotryptamine 1 with aryl boronic acids. Dedicated to Professor András Lipták on his 70^th birthday.