Miscibility in systems containing aqueous solutions of various alkylbenzenesulfonates, toluene and, n-butanol

Miscibility relationships in four-component systems containing sodium alkylbenzenesulfonates, toluene, n-butanol, and water were studied at 25°C in the hope of clarifying the complex systems used in the “micellar flood” enhanced oil recovery process. Phase boundary curves for the pseudo three-component systems (constant sulfonate/water ratios, 2.5 moles sulfonate per kg water) were determined. The sulfonates included those of benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, isopropylbenzene, mesitylene, cymene, methyl-t-butylbenzene, and diisopropylbenzene, in all of which the alkyl substituents are smaller than in the usual surfactants. The phase boundary curves have similar and fairly symmetrical shapes. The amount of n-butanol (cosolvent) required to produce miscibility decreases with increasing number of alkyl carbons on the benzene ring of the sulfonates and seems relatively independent of the isomeric structure. The sodium salt of diisopropylbenzenesulfonate gives the lowest phase boundary curve (least n-butanol required for miscibility) among the nine sulfonates studied.     

Enhanced electrodeposition of indium hexacyanoferrate thin films through improved plating solution stability

An ordinary plating solution for indium hexacyanoferrate (InHCF) thin film deposition, mainly composed of equal concentrations of In³⁺ and [Fe(CN)₆]^3–, usually forms precipitates rapidly when either concentration is higher than few millimolar. This contributes to the plating solution's instability. Moreover, electrodeposited capacities are limited accordingly. In this work, the plating solution's stability and the electrodeposition of InHCF were greatly enhanced by adding a large amount of K⁺ and/or H⁺. It was found that a 10-mM plating solution added with 1 M HCl and 1 M KCl could be stored as fresh over a one-week period, whereas an unmodified plating solution became useless within a couple of minutes. Also, such cationic additions, especially adding H⁺, increased the electrodeposited capacity ca. 18 times at least, as compared with that obtained from the unmodified plating solution. Furthermore, related enhancing mechanisms were proposed and verified. To sum up, this study offers a means for better InHCF electrodeposition and should promote the applications of InHCF films. Electronic Publication     

THE ACTION SPECTRUM FOR INDUCTION OF CHRONIC ACTINIC DERMATITIS IS SIMILAR TO THAT FOR SUNBURN INFLAMMATION

The action spectrum for induction of the abnormal cutaneous response at 24 h in the photosensitivity disorder chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) was determined in 15 patients and found to be the same in shape as that for normal sunburn in fair-skinned individuals at 24 h, as determined for 47 control volunteers, although displaced in magnitude. This suggests that an endogenous chromophore(s), the same as or similar to that/those responsible for human sunburn, may be responsible for initiation of the abnormal reaction to irradiation in CAD, and that the putative antigen associated with the CAD reaction may be derived from that/those or associated molecules.     

Bioprocessing of commodity chemicals research directions for government,industry, and academia

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The US chemical industry is facing maturing markets, variability in raw materials supply, and stiff competition from emerging chemical industries in other...     

Substituted γ-lactones. Some observations on the synthesis and reactivity of 4-aroyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanones

The reaction pathway towards formation of 4-aroyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanones 1 from the base catalyzed reaction between an acetophenone, diethyl oxalate and formaldehyde was investigated. If methoxide was used as base, a transesterification was found to occur in the first step, while a side reaction, namely the retro Claisen reaction, was in competition with the desired lactone formation in the second step. The nature of the solvent and the acidic character of 1 as well as the basicity of the aminoarylene were found to have a profound influence on the course of the reaction of 1 with aminoarylenes.     

A simple and general method for the synthesis of multicomponent Na2V6O16.3H2O single-crystal nanobelts

Multicomponent Na2V6O16.3H2O (barnesite) single-crystalline nanobelts were synthesized by a direct reaction-crystallization growth of bulk V2O5 and NaF powders under hydrothermal treatment without using any templates or catalysts. This new strategy could be extended to prepare other one-dimensional multicomponent nanomaterials including ammonium, alkali-metal or alkali-earth metal vanadium oxide bronzes and other transition metal oxyfluorides. This is an efficient and mild solution method with clear advantages over the traditional high-temperature approach for the large-scale production of 1D multicomponent nanomaterials. The applicability of this approach toward the preparation of other inorganic systems, such as tungstates and molybdates, will be explored.     

Cyano-bridged CuII-MV (M = Mo, W) bimetallic layered complexes exhibiting novel honeycomblike structures

Self-assembly of a new precursor [Cu(L)](ClO4)2 (1) (L = macrocyclic ligand) with octacyanometalates [M(CN)8]3- (M = Mo, W) produced two-dimensional cyano-bridged Cu(II)-M(V) bimetallic assemblies [Cu(L)]3n[M(CN)8]2n.6nH2O [M = Mo (2), W (3)] with novel honeycomblike structures, characterized by spectroscopic data, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, and magnetic measurements. The crystallographic determination reveals that compounds 2 and 3 are isostructural and crystallize in the triclinic system (P). The Cu atom in a distorted octahedral environment experiences a tetragonal elongation of apical nitrogen atoms exhibiting average Cu-Nax lengths of 2.566 Angstroms for 2 and 2.593 Angstroms for 3, which accounts for the Jahn-Teller effect of a Cu(II) ion. The Cu-NC angles are magnetically important, ranging from 135.7 to 159.2 degrees. Three types of L in the crystal lattice are observed, which are dependent on the relative positions of the pendant hydroxyl groups with respect to the CuN4 basal plane. The positions are correlated with hydrogen bonding of OH groups to neighboring atoms. The magnetic data indicate that ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions between Cu(II) and M(V) through the CN linkage coexist.