Ultrasound accelerated Claisen-Schmidt condensation: A green route to chalcones

Chalcones have been synthesized under sonochemical irradiation by Claisen-Schmidt condensation between benzaldehyde and acetophenone. Two basic activated carbons (Na and Cs-Norit) have been used as catalysts. The effect of the ultrasound activation has been studied. A substantial enhancing effect in the yield was observed when the carbon catalyst was activated under ultrasonic waves. This “green” method (combination of alkaline-doped carbon catalyst and ultrasound waves) has been applied to the synthesis of several chalcones with antibacterial properties achieving, in all cases, excellent activities and selectivities. A comparative study under non-sonic activation has showed that the yields are lower in silent conditions, indicating that the sonication exerts a positive effect on the activity of the catalyst. Cs-doped carbon is presented as the optimum catalyst, giving excellent activity for this type of condensation. Cs-Norit carbon catalyst can compete with the traditional NaOH/EtOH when the reaction is carried out under ultrasounds. The role of solvent in this reaction was studied with ethanol. High conversion was obtained in absence of solvent. The carbons were characterized by thermal analysis, nitrogen adsorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Acetylene weak bands at 2.5 μm from intracavity Cr:ZnSe laser absorption observed with time-resolved Fourier transform spectroscopy

The spectral dynamics of a mid-infrared multimode Cr(2+):ZnSe laser located in a vacuum sealed chamber containing acetylene at low pressure is analyzed by a stepping-mode high-resolution time-resolved Fourier transform interferometer. Doppler-limited absorption spectra of C(2)H(2) in natural isotopic abundance are recorded around 4000 cm(-1) with kilometric absorption path lengths and sensitivities better than 3 10(-8) cm(-1). Two cold bands are newly identified and assigned to the ν(1)+ν(4) (1) and ν(3)+ν(5) (1) transitions of (12)C(13)CH(2). The ν(1)+ν(5) (1) band of (12)C(2)HD and fourteen (12)C(2)H(2) bands are observed, among which for the first time ν(2)+2ν(4) (2)+ν(5) (-1).     

Effects of trapped electrons on the line shape in emission Mössbauer spectra

To explain line broadening in emission Mössbauer spectra as compared to the corresponding absorber measurements, the model of trapped electrons has been proposed. Auger electrons (emitted, e.g. after electron capture by ⁵⁷Co or after the converted isomeric transition of ^119mSn), as well as secondary electrons, may be trapped in the proximity to the nucleogenic ion. Electrons captured by lattice traps at different distances from the daughter ion induce an asymmetric distribution of quadrupole splitting in the resulting emission spectra, as shown in a few examples. This model is supported by estimates of quadrupole splitting values which may be caused by such trapped electrons located at specified distances from the nucleogenic atom.     

Strain-induced modification of magnetic structure and new magnetic phases in rare-earth epitaxial films

Rare earths exhibit complex magnetic phase diagrams resulting from the competition between various contributions to the magnetic energy: exchange, anisotropy and magnetostriction. The epitaxy of a rare-earth film on a substrate induces (i) a clamping to the substrate and (ii) pseudomorphic strains. Both these effects are shown to lead to modifications of the magnetic properties in (0 0 1)Dy, (0 0 1)Tb and (1 1 0)Eu films. In Dy and Tb films, spectacular variations of the Curie temperature have been evidenced. Additionally, Tb films exhibit a new large wavelength magnetic modulation. In Eu films, one of the helical magnetic domains disappears at low temperature whereas the propagation vectors of the other helices are tilted. The link between structural and magnetic properties is underlined via magnetoelastic models. Moreover, molecular beam epitaxy permits the growth of Sm in a metastable dhcp phase. The magnetic structure of dhcp Sm has been elucidated for the first time. In this review, neutron scattering is shown to be a powerful technique to reveal the magnetic structures of rare-earth films.     

Deacetalisation-bicyclisation routes to novel polycyclic heterocycles using stannous chloride dihydrate

The stannous chloride dihydrate-mediated deprotection-bicyclisation of a range of amides possessing a pendant acetal group is reported. These mild reaction conditions have been used to prepare a number of ring-fused heterocyclic compounds, some in enantiomerically pure form, which should be of interest both in their own right and as building blocks for the production of more complex target molecules.