Synthesis of Bis‐Heterocyclic 1H‐Imidazole 3‐Oxides from 3‐Oxido‐1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides

The reaction of 1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides 1 , which are conveniently accessible by treatment of the corresponding esters with NH₂NH₂?H₂O, with isothiocyanates in refluxing EtOH led to thiosemicarbazides (=hydrazinecarbothioamides) 4 in high yields (Scheme 2). Whereas 4 in boiling aqueous NaOH yielded 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thiones 5 , the reaction in concentrated H₂SO₄ at room temperature gave 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amines 6 . Similarly, the reaction of 1 with butyl isocyanate led to semicarbazides 7 , which, under basic conditions, undergo cyclization to give 2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐ones 8 (Scheme 3). Treatment of 1 with Ac₂O yielded the diacylhydrazine derivatives 9 exclusively, and the alternative isomerization of 1 to imidazol‐2‐ones was not observed (Scheme 4). It is important to note that, in all these transformations, the imidazole N‐oxide residue is retained. Furthermore, it was shown that imidazole N‐oxides bearing a 1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thione or 1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amine moiety undergo the S‐transfer reaction to give bis‐heterocyclic 1H‐imidazole‐2‐thiones 11 by treatment with 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dithione (Scheme 5).     

The degenerate C. Neumann system I: symmetry reduction and convexity

The C. Neumann system describes a particle on the sphere S ⁿ under the influence of a potential that is a quadratic form. We study the case that the quadratic form has ℓ +1 distinct eigenvalues with multiplicity. Each group of m _σ equal eigenvalues gives rise to an O(m _σ )-symmetry in configuration space. The combined symmetry group G is a direct product of ℓ + 1 such factors, and its cotangent lift has an Ad*-equivariant momentum mapping. Regular reduction leads to the Rosochatius system on S ^ℓ , which has the same form as the Neumann system albeit for an additional effective potential.     

Thermodynamic Investigation of Phase Equilibria in Metal Carbonate–Water–Carbon Dioxide Systems

Summary.  Solubility measurements as a function of temperature have been shown to be a powerful tool for the determination of thermodynamic properties of sparingly-soluble transition metal carbonates. In contrast to calorimetric methods, such as solution calorimetry or drop calorimetry, the evaluation of solubility data avoids many systematic errors, yielding the enthalpy of solution at 298.15 K with an estimated uncertainty of ±3 kJ · mol⁻¹. A comprehensive set of thermodynamic data for otavite (CdCO₃), smithsonite (ZnCO₃), hydrozincite (Zn₅(OH)₆(CO₃)₂), malachite (Cu₂(OH)₂CO₃), azurite (Cu₃(OH)₂(CO₃)₂), and siderite (FeCO₃) was derived. Literature values for the standard enthalpy of formation of malachite and azurite were disproved by these solubility experiments, and revised values are recommended. In the case of siderite, data for the standard enthalpy of formation given by various data bases deviate from each other by more than 10 kJ · mol⁻¹ which can be attributed to a discrepancy in the auxiliary data for the Fe²⁺ ion. A critical evaluation of solubility data from various literature sources results in an optimized value for the standard enthalpy of formation for siderite. The Davies approximation, the specific ion-interaction theory, and the Pitzer concept are used for the extrapolation of the solubility constants to zero ionic strength in order to obtain standard thermodynamic properties valid at infinite dilution, T = 298.15 K, and p = 10⁵ Pa. The application of these electrolyte models to both homogeneous and heterogeneous (solid-solute) equilibria in aqueous solution is reviewed. Received June 26, 2001. Accepted July 2, 2001     

Thermodynamic Investigation of Phase Equilibria in Metal Carbonate–Water–Carbon Dioxide Systems

 Solubility measurements as a function of temperature have been shown to be a powerful tool for the determination of thermodynamic properties of sparingly-soluble transition metal carbonates. In contrast to calorimetric methods, such as solution calorimetry or drop calorimetry, the evaluation of solubility data avoids many systematic errors, yielding the enthalpy of solution at 298.15 K with an estimated uncertainty of ±3 kJ · mol⁻¹. A comprehensive set of thermodynamic data for otavite (CdCO₃), smithsonite (ZnCO₃), hydrozincite (Zn₅(OH)₆(CO₃)₂), malachite (Cu₂(OH)₂CO₃), azurite (Cu₃(OH)₂(CO₃)₂), and siderite (FeCO₃) was derived. Literature values for the standard enthalpy of formation of malachite and azurite were disproved by these solubility experiments, and revised values are recommended. In the case of siderite, data for the standard enthalpy of formation given by various data bases deviate from each other by more than 10 kJ · mol⁻¹ which can be attributed to a discrepancy in the auxiliary data for the Fe²⁺ ion. A critical evaluation of solubility data from various literature sources results in an optimized value for the standard enthalpy of formation for siderite. The Davies approximation, the specific ion-interaction theory, and the Pitzer concept are used for the extrapolation of the solubility constants to zero ionic strength in order to obtain standard thermodynamic properties valid at infinite dilution, T = 298.15 K, and p = 10⁵ Pa. The application of these electrolyte models to both homogeneous and heterogeneous (solid-solute) equilibria in aqueous solution is reviewed.     

1,2,4-Triazolium-5-ylidene and 1,2,4-triazol-3,5-diylidene as new ligands for transition metals

Ab initio calculations show the 1,2,4-triazolium-5-ylidene (3a) and 1,2,4-triazol-3,5-diylidene (4a) are true minima on the potential surface. As expected, 4a is much higher in energy than its triazole isomers 5a, 6a and 8a and the 1,2,4-triazol-3-ylidene (7a). Sodium methoxyde adds to the diquaternary salt of 1,2,4-triazoles (9b,c) to give the corresponding monocationic heterocycles 10b,c in 70 and 50% yield, respectively. One equivalent of silver(I) acetate reacts with 9b leading to the bis(1,2,4-triazolium-5-ylidene)silver(I) complex (11b) in 80% yield. Under the same experimental conditions, but using two equivalents of silver(I) acetate, solid-state one-dimensional polymers 12′b,c featuring the coplanar 1,2,4-triazol-3,5-diylidene ligands coordinated to silver(I) are obtained in 90% yield. 12′c has been fully characterized including a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study.     

On the Photochemical Proton Expulsion Capability of Fringelite D – A Model of the Protist Photosensory Pigments of the Stentorin and Blepharismin Types

Summary.  Using simultaneous two-photon excitation of fringelite D and a fluorescence indicator embedded in a vesicle system it was demonstrated that after excitation a proton was transferred from the pigment to the indicator similarly as recently documented for hypericin. Semiempirical AM1 calculations were used to show that the radical species formed by electron transfer from the excited pigment state constitutes an acid which is therefore well suited for intermolecular proton transfer. Accordingly, this process constitutes a suited candidate for the primary photoprocess in the signal transduction cascade of the photosensory pigments of the stentorin and blepharismin type. Received April 26, 2000. Accepted May 16, 2000     

Nanocellulose Polymer Composites as Innovative Pool for (Bio)Material Development

Summary: Using a “never-dried” procedure (according to Figure 4) shaped bacterial nanocellulose (BC, 1% cellulose, 99% water) has been modified by the formation of BC-polymer composites. For this purpose, acrylate and methacrylate monomers and methacrylate crosslinkers were photopolymerized inside an ethanol-swollen nanofiber network. Using the ethanol as solvent and as confirmed by model reactions the synthetic polymer (SP) part of the composites is constructed of crosslinked polymers (number of repeating units in the range of 500). As part of ongoing work on the development of (bio)materials from the innovative pool of BC composites these investigations are recently directed towards the creation of collagen-like materials. Thus, for these purposes, mainly water absorption capacity, strength, and elasticity have to be controlled, whilst still retaining essential features of BC like shape, nanofiber network, pore system, and proved biocompatibility. Using acrylic acid, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone as acrylate monomers and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 1,4-butandiol dimethacrylate as crosslinkers of different concentrations either a filling of the pores or a coating of the fibers in the BC nanocomposites could be achieved. The small cellulose content of the composites significantly increases the water absorption value and the strength of the material as well as the ability of re-swelling in the case of fiber coated composites. Sample 12 is an optimized BC-SP composite regarding important properties of hyaline cartilage like Young's modulus in the range of 5–20 MPa using the well-known Simplex-method.     

Polymerization of Polar Monomers Using Cyclopentadienyl Complexes of the Alkaline Earth Metals

Tetramethylcyclopentadienyl complexes of magnesium, calcium and strontium are efficient catalysts at −78 °C for the solution polymerization of polar monomers such as alkyl methacrylates in the presence of only small amounts of triethylaluminium as cocatalyst. The molecular mass of the resulting polymers is predictable on the monomer/catalyst ratio. The polymerization reaction follows a first order kinetics with respect to the initial catalyst concentration. Block-copolymers are easily available by sequential dosage of the monomer. A living polymerization mechanism is proposed involving activation of the catalyst by alkylation and subsequent insertion of coordinated monomers.     

Stochastic Multi-Scale Methods for Turbulent Flow Simulations

The use of currently available methods for turbulent flow simulations is faced with significant problems: one has the choice between efficient methods with relatively low predictive power (which require evidence in each case) or relatively accurate but very expensive methods. The unification of these methods would be very helpful for a better understanding of the generality of modeling assumptions, and to make an optimal use of characteristic advantages of models. Previously, this problem was addressed on the basis of deterministic equations, which resulted in many different heuristic interpolation procedures. These problems can be solved by addressing the question considered at the more general level of stochastic equations: in this way it is possible to obtain consistent stochastic multi-scale methods which imply corresponding deterministic equations. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Separation and Characterization of Ethylene-Propylene Copolymers by High-Temperature Gradient HPLC Coupled to FTIR Spectroscopy

Summary: The chromatographic separation of ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymers with regard to chemical composition was accomplished by a new technique - high- temperature gradient HPLC. Using a mobile phase of ethylene glycol monobutylether (EGMBE) and 1,2,4–trichlorobenzene (TCB), and silica gel as the stationary phase, copolymers with different ethylene contents were separated according to their chemical compositions. Using a sample solvent of n-decanol and a column temperature of 140 °C, chromatographic conditions were established that correspond to separation in a precipitation-redissolution mechanism. With the aim to obtain further information on the separation process, the HPLC system was coupled to FTIR spectroscopy through a LC-Transform interface. The FTIR data confirmed that the copolymers were separated according to the ethylene content of the eluted samples.