Controlled-rate thermal analysis

Controlled-rate thermal analysis (CRTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the adsorbed water layers and the surface properties of different commercial activated carbons. A simple method is proposed to obtain information on the properties of the adsorbed water film and the surface heterogeneity of the materials studied. This method utilizes TG mass loss and the first derivative of the DTG mass loss curves with respect to temperature and time, obtained during programmed liquid thermodesorption. The obtained TG mass loss curves, which reflect the energetic heterogeneity, consisted of steps and inflections which were associated with the mechanism of wetting of the solid surfaces. The heights of these steps and inflections depend on the adsorption capacity, the adsorption potential and the nature and number of the active centers of the carbon samples studied. The values of the total porosity and the surface phase capacity obtained by this method are in good agreement with those estimated on the basis of independent methods. The behaviour of water/carbon samples was studied by means of DSC at subambient and elevated temperatures. The experimental results provided novel data on the structural heterogeneity, the thermal stability of the water/carbon interface and its phase and structural transitions.Support from the Research Council of Kent State University (Ohio, USA) is acknowledged. The author is pleased to thank Drs M. Jaroniec, R. K. Gilpin, J. Choma and R. Dobrowolski for fruitful discussions and the active carbon samples.     

Base-catalyzed reactions enhanced by solid acids: Amine-catalyzed nitroaldol (Henry) reactions enhanced by silica gel or mesoporous silica SBA-15

The reactions of various aldehydes with CH₃NO₂ catalyzed by Et₃N, n-C₆H₁₃NH₂, and Me₂N(CH₂)₂NH₂ were accelerated by the addition of silica gel to give aromatic (aliphatic) β-nitroalcohols, aromatic nitroalkenes, and aromatic 1,3-dinitroalkanes, respectively. Mesoporous silica SBA-15 showed higher activity than silica gel for the synthesis of aromatic nitroalkenes by the reactions of the corresponding aldehydes with CH₃NO₂ catalyzed by n-C₆H₁₃NH₂.     

Phloroglucinol derivatives and a chromone glucoside from the leaves of Myrtus communis

Seven new phloroglucinol derivatives, myrtucommunins A–D (1–4), 6-methylisomyrtucommulone B (5), 4-methylmyrtucommulone B (6), and 2-isobutyryl-4-methylphloroglucinol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7), and one new chromone derivative, undulatoside A 6′-O-gallate (8), were isolated from the leaves of Myrtus communis (Myrtaceae). Myrtucommunins A–D (1–4) were conjugates of polymethylated acylphloroglucinol and flavonol rhamnoside. The absolute configurations of the rhamnosyl moieties for 1–4 were confirmed to be l in each case by HPLC analyses, while those of the aglycones were assigned by comparisons of the experimental and TDDFT calculated ECD spectra. 6-Methylisomyrtucommulone B (5) and 4-methylmyrtucommulone B (6) were assigned as 6/6/6 tricyclic acylphloroglucinol derivatives with a racemic nature. Antimicrobial activities of 1–8 and related known compounds were evaluated.     

Determination of hydrogen ion by ion chromatography (IC) with sulfonated cation-exchange resin as the stationary phase and aqueous EDTA (ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid) solution as the mobile phase

An ion chromatographic (IC) method has been developed for determination of hydrogen ion (H⁺). It is based on the use of sulfonated cation-exchange resin as stationary phase, aqueous ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (dipotassium salt, EDTA-2K, written as K₂H₂Y) solution as mobile phase, and conductivity for detection. H⁺ was separated mainly by cation-exchange, but its elution was accelerated by the presence of EDTA. The order of elution for the model cations was H⁺ > Li⁺ > Na⁺ > NH₄ ⁺ > Ca²⁺ > > Mg²⁺. A sharp and highly symmetrical peak was obtained for H⁺ and this was attributed to the capacity of H₂Y₂ ^2– to receive and bind H⁺. H⁺ was detected conductiometrically and detector response (reduction in conductivity as a result of H⁺+H₂Y^2–→H₃Y^–) was linearly proportional to the concentration of H⁺ in the sample. The detection limit for H⁺ with this IC system was better than 4.7 μmol L^–1. A significant advantage of this method was the ability to separate and determine, in one step, H⁺ and other cations. The successful determination of H⁺ and other cation species in real acid-rain samples demonstrated the usefulness of this method.     

Theoretical study on dependence of hyperpolarizability of one‐dimensional ring system on the delocalization transition

We calculate the optical properties such as the polarization, the (hyper)polarizabilities, the critical vector potential, etc., in terms of the non‐Hermitian Anderson model of a 6‐site ring model. The dependence of the optical properties on the delocalization transition is investigated. It is found that all the total optical properties nonlinearly increase with the increase of the delocalization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

Silica gel-mediated hydrohalogenation of unactivated alkenes using hydrohalogenic acids under organic solvent-free conditions

Silica gel-mediated hydrochlorination of unactivated alkenes using 35% hydrochloric acid under organic solvent-free conditions proceeded to give the corresponding chlorides in good yields. Hydrobromination or hydriodination using 47% hydrobromic acid or 55% hydriodic acid afforded the corresponding halides, respectively. Silica gel could be recycled five times without any significant loss of activities.     

Temperature dependent control of the solubility of gallium nitride in supercritical ammonia using mixed mineralizer

Using a mass-loss method, we investigated the solubility change of gallium nitride (GaN) in supercritical ammonia with mixed mineralizers [ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl)?+?ammonium bromide (NH₄Br) and NH₄Cl?+?ammonium iodide (NH₄I)]. The solubilities were measured over the temperature range 450–550 °C, at 100 MPa. The solubility increased with NH₄Cl mole fraction at 450 °C and 100 MPa. The temperature dependence of the solubility curve was then measured at an equal mole ratio of the two mineralizers. The slope of the solubility–temperature relationship in the mixed mineralizer was between those of the individual mineralizers. These results show that the temperature dependence of the solubility of GaN can be controlled by the mineralizer mixture ratio. The results of the van’t Hoff plot suggest that the solubility species were unchanged over the investigated temperature range. Our approach might pave the way to realizing large, high-quality GaN crystals for future gallium-nitride electronic devices, which are increasingly on demand in the information-based age.     

An asymmetric synthesis of cis,anti, cis-tricyclo[5,3,0,02,6]decanes applying γ-hydroxymethyl-γ-butyrolactone as a chiral synthon. First asymmetric total synthesis of (−)-β-bourbonene

The asymmetric total synthesis of cis, anti, cis-tricyclo[5,3,0,0^2,6]decane sesquiterpene β-bourbonene is described. The key (2+2) photocycloaddition was carried out applying the optically pure butenolide derivative $\text{6b}$ as a chiral synthon.