Density functional theory study of the mechanism of the proline-catalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction

Transition structures associated with the C-C bond-formation step of the proline-catalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction between acetone and isobutyraldehyde have been studies using density functional theory methods at the B3LYP/6-31G** computational level. A continuum model has been selected to represent solvent effects. For this step, which is the stereocontrolling and rate-determining step, four reactive channels corresponding to the syn and anti arrangement of the active methylene of the enamine relative to the carboxylic acid group of l-proline and the re and si attack modes to both faces of the aldehyde carbonyl group have been analyzed. The B3LYP/6-31G** energies are in good agreement with experiment, allowing us to explain the origin of the catalysis and stereoselectivity for these proline-catalyzed aldol reactions. Received: 2 April 2002 / Accepted: 18 July 2002 / Published online: 11 October 2002 Acknowledgements. This work was supported by research funds provided by the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura of the Spanish Government by DGICYT (project PB98–1429). All the calculations were performed on a Cray–Silicon Graphics Origin 2000 of the Servicio de Informática de la Universidad de Valencia. We are most indebted to this center for providing us with computer capabilities. Correspondence to: L. R. Domingo e-mail: domingo@utopia.uv.es     

纳米CeO2基固溶体催化柴油机碳颗粒物燃烧性能

采用柠檬酸溶胶鄄凝胶法制备CeO2基固溶体催化剂(Ce0.7Zr0.3O2-δ、Ce0.7Pr0.3O2-δ和Ce0.7Gd0.3O2-δ), 并考察了固溶体和三种常用载体(TiO2、SiO2和Al2O3)及其负载KNO3后的催化碳黑燃烧活性. 结果表明, CeO2基固溶体催化剂具有很高的催化燃烧活性, 其活性接近TiO2、SiO2和Al2O3负载30%KNO3催化剂的活性. 因为纳米CeO2基固溶体的形成, 提高了催化剂的抗烧结能力, 使氧更活泼, 从而提高氧化还原性能, 有利于碳颗粒燃烧. 由于CeO2基固溶体本身的高活性, 因此KNO3的添加不能明显提高CeO2基固溶体催化剂(尤其是Ce0.7Zr0.3O2-δ和Ce0.7Pr0.3O2-δ)的催化燃烧活性, 但KNO3能显著提高TiO2, SiO2和Al2O3的催化燃烧活性.     

Microstructure and electrical properties of BaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and (Ba,Sr)TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> ferroelectric thin films on nickel electrodes

Nickel thin films have been sputtered on standard Si/SiO₂ substrates with TiO₂ as an adhesive layer. The thermal stability of these substrates was analyzed. SEM images show an increase in grain size with annealing temperature. They were found to be stable till 800°C, beyond which the nickel layer disintegrated. These substrates were used for deposition of BaTiO₃ and (Ba,Sr)TiO₃ dielectric thin films under a reducing atmosphere. The dielectric thin films were processed with various pyrolysis and annealing temperatures in order to optimize the dielectric properties. Increased pyrolysis temperatures showed an increase in the grain size. Results on these nickelised substrates were finally compared with dielectric films deposited on platinized silicon substrates under identical conditions but crystallized in an oxygen atmosphere.     

Fabrication of lead titanate single crystalline nanowires by hydrothermal method and their characterization

Single crystalline nanowires of lead titanate (PbTiO₃) were fabricated by hydrothermal method at 200°C using lead acetate and n-tetrabutyl titanate as starting materials, where sodium hydroxide was served as a mineralizer. Crystalline phases, microstructure and optical properties of PbTiO₃ nanowires were investigated. The PbTiO₃ nanowires were uniform and continuous along the long axis, and were composed of single crystalline PbTiO₃ with a tetragonal perovskite structure. The diameter of a single nanowire was around 12 nm and the length reached up to 3 μm. The chemical composition of the samples and the valence states of elements were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopic investigation suggested that the absorption edge of optical transition of the first excitonic state occurred at around 320 nm. A blue-green light emission peaking at about 471 nm (2.63 eV) is observed at room temperature, and the intensity of this emission increased with increasing excitation wavelength. Oxygen vacancies are responsible for the light emission of PbTiO₃ nanowires.     

Chemical Constituents from Cynoglossum gansuense

Two new alkaloids, i.e., (2,3‐dihydro‐1‐oxo‐1H‐pyrrolo[1,2‐a]pyrrol‐7‐yl)methyl (2S*,3S*)‐3‐[(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)oxy]‐2‐hydroxy‐2‐(1‐methylethyl)butanoate ( 1 ) and 1,2‐dihydro‐8‐methoxy‐2‐oxoquinoline‐4‐carboxylic acid ( 2 ), were isolated from the alcoholic extract of the whole plant of Cynoglossum gansuense, together with twelve known compounds Their structures were characterized by means of spectroscopic methods, especially by ¹H‐, ¹³C‐, and 2D‐NMR, as well as by HR‐MS experiments and comparison with literature data.     

Studies on stereoselective approaches to β-carboline derivatives

Transformation of β-carboline derivatives into optically active entities were studied and the de and ee values of the resulted compounds were detected. Dedicated to Professor Károly Lempert on his 80th birthday.     

Chain-transfer constant of fluoroalcohols

Chain transfer constants of some fluoroalcohols [HCF₂(CF₂)_n?1CH₂OH, n = 2, 4, 6] in the catalyzed polymerization of vinyl acetate, styrene, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate at 60°C have been evaluated by a method based on degree of polymerization. Since fluoroalcohols are normally nonsolvents for polymers, a homogeneous reaction phase is maintained by carrying out the polymerization in benzene (except in case of acrylonitrile, where no solvent was used). The transfer constants vary, depending on the reactivity as well as the polarity of the radicals, in the following order: vinyl acetate > styrene > methyl methacrylate > acrylonitrile. Of the three fluoroalcohols studied, the transfer constants increase with the increasing value of n. The results have been interpreted in terms of polar structure contribution in the transition state of the transfer reactions.     

流动注射壳聚糖在线微柱预富集电热原子吸收光谱法测定痕量Cr(Ⅵ)

以天然高分子材料壳聚糖作在线预富集柱填料,流动注射与电热原子光谱联用测定痕量Cr(Ⅵ).采样体积5.80mL,采样频率22样/h,富集倍数51倍,线性范围0.02μg/L～0.12μg/L,该方法的检出限(3s,n=11)0.69ng/L,相对标准偏差5.1%(CCr(Ⅵ)=0.10μg/L,n=11).将该方法用于环境水样、茶叶样品和头发样品中Cr(Ⅵ)的测定,结果满意.     

Synthesis and crystallization kinetics of the novel ion exchanger Na<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>4</Subscript>Si<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>10</Subscript> for cesium removal

Thermodynamics and crystallization kinetics of the hydrothermal synthesis of Na₄Ti₄Si₃O₁₀ (NaTS) were systemically studied by both experiments and model simulation. Experimental results showed that the curve of crystallinity with time was a characteristic signmoid in the shape that indicated the crystallization of Na₄Ti₄Si₃O₁₀ was a typical spontaneous nucleation process on the laboratory scale. Crystallization of NaTS belongs to the liquid-liquid transformation mechanism and the reaction is endothermic (ΔH = 15.3 kJ/mol). A mathematic model of crystallization kinetics was developed to simulate the synthesis of NaTS. Runge-Kutta and simplex methods were adopted to solve the partial differential equations. Model results fitted well with the experimental data and showed that the synthesis process belongs to spontaneous nucleation and crystal growth. Moreover, the very small crystal growth constant (5.6·10⁻⁷) and gel dissolution constant (7.0·10⁻⁷) indicate they are the rate-limiting steps of the whole synthesis process.     

Groups of paramagnetic centres in coal samples with different carbon contents

Complex systems of paramagnetic centres existing in demineralised flame coal (71.4 wt% C), medium-rank coal (85.6 wt% C) and anthracite (94.9 wt% C) were analysed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). Different groups of paramagnetic centres were searched in macerals (exinite, vitrinite, inertinite) of coals with carbon contents of 73.8 wt% C and 85.6 wt% C. Experimental EPR spectra were fitted by different superposition of theoretical lines. Total concentration of paramagnetic centres both in coal and macerals increases with carbon content in the sample. Total concentration of paramagnetic centres in macerals increases from exinite to inertinite. Four groups of paramagnetic centres were found in medium-rank coal, and only two groups exist in flame coal and anthracite. The EPR spectrum of medium-rank coal is a superposition of two broad and two narrow lines. Both broad and narrow, and two narrow lines were measured in EPR spectra of flame coal and anthracite, respectively. Two types of paramagnetic centres with broad lines and one group with narrow lines exist in exinite and vitrinite from medium-rank coal. Two narrow components were observed in EPR spectra of its inertinite. Two different broad electron paramagnetic resonance signals were detected for macerals from low-coalificated coal. Paramagnetic centres systems of medium-rank coal samples reveal the most complex character. Broad EPR lines were not observed for the higher coalificated samples, i.e., anthracite and inertinite from medium-rank coal. Narrow lines do not occur in EPR spectra of low-coalificated macerals. Strong dipolar interactions and fast spin-lattice relaxation processes are characteristic for paramagnetic centres with broad lines. Strong exchange interactions and short spin-lattice relaxation time were measured for paramagnetic centres with the narrowest EPR signals.