Regiospecific Phenyl Esterification to Some Organic Acids Catalyzed by Combined Lewis Acids

A new and efficient method for the preparation of various phenyl esters has been achieved by a simple reaction of an acid with phenol in the presence of anhyd. ZnCl₂ and a catalytic amount of AlCl₃. This combined Lewis acid also catalyzes the selective phenyl esterification to different dioic acids and is very simple and high yielding.     

Influence of oxygen flow rate on the surface chemistry and morphology of radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films

Zinc oxide thin films were deposited, by radio frequency magnetron sputtering, on heated and unheated substrates. The oxygen flow rate was varied during deposition, and its effects on the structural and chemical properties of the films were investigated. The films had oriented c‐axis growth with nano‐crystallite size. Their surfaces manifested columnar microstructure, with a surface roughness that was suppressed by the introduction of oxygen. Chemical analysis showed that deposition under an oxygen atmosphere resulted in substantial reduction of oxygen vacancies, with a corresponding incorporation of chemisorbed species. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temperature Effect on the Phase Behavior of the Systems Water/Sucrose Laurate/Ethoxylated‐mono‐di‐glyceride/Oil

The phase behavior of the systems water/sucrose laurate/ethoxylated mono‐di‐glyceride/oil was investigated as function of temperature and the weight ratio of EMDG in the mixed surfactants. The oils were R (+)‐limonene, isopropylmyristate, and caprylic‐capric triglyceride. This study demonstrates that the phase inversion temperature (PIT) decreases and the efficiency of the mixed surfactants (γ¯) increase as the weight ratio of the EMDG in the mixed surfactants increases. R (+)‐limonene gave lower phase inversion temperatures and higher efficiencies compared to isopropylmyristate, and caprylic‐capric triglyceride. The solubilization capacity of the system water/sucrose laurate/oil increased upon the addition of ethoxylated mono‐di‐ glyceride which stabilize the surfactant layer and increase the interfacial area.     

Water‐in‐Crude Oil Emulsions in the Burgan Oilfield: Effects of Oil Aromaticity,Resins to Asphaltenes Content (R/(R+A)), and Water pH

Asphaltenes and resins separated from emulsion samples collected from Burgan oil field were used with heptane‐toluene mixtures as model oil to study the effect of oil aromaticity, resin content, and pH of the aqueous phase on the stability of water in model emulsions. It was confirmed that, as long as the asphaltenes are completely solubilized, increasing aromaticity leads to less stable emulsions. A consistent correlation between emulsion stability and relative resin mass content (R/(R+A)) was observed for all three of the field samples. There was a sharp decrease in stability when the R/(R+A) value exceeded 0.75. Emulsion stability was enhanced at high pH and possibly at very low pH (<2).     

Synthesis of Some Oil Spill Dispersants Based on Sorbitol Esters and Their Capability to Disperse Crude Oil on Seawater to Alleviate Its Accumulation and Environmental Impact

In this respect mono‐, di‐, and tri‐ sorbitol oleate esters [SMO, SDO, and STO] were prepared and then ethoxylated using ethylene oxide to obtain six sorbitol esters at different ethylene oxide content (e.o=5, 12, 15, 20, 35, and 45). They were tested as oil spill dispersants individually and in blends. From the obtained data, it was found that the blends are more effective than the corresponding individual surfactants. The maximum dispersion capability for the prepared surfactants was obtained at HLB range from 9 to 11 for the both individual surfactants and blends. The increase of total carbon number in the surfactant alkyl group leads to increase dispersion capability of the dispersant. The wide range of ethylene oxide content was used, but the maximum dispersion efficiency was obtained at ethylene oxide=20 in E(20)STO. Meanwhile, the dispersion capability increases when the interfacial tension decreases.     

Modelling interaction between ammonia and nitric oxide molecules and aquaporins

Aquaporin is a family of small membrane-proteins that are capable of transporting nano-sized materials. In the present paper, we investigate the structure of these channels and provide information about the mechanism of individual molecules being encapsulated into aquaglyceroporin (GlpF) and aquaporin-1 (AQP1) channels by calculating the potential energy. In particular, we presents a mathematical model to determine the total potential energy for the interaction of the ammonia and nitric oxide molecules and different aquaporin channels which we assume to have a symmetrical cylindrical structure. We propose to describe these interactions in two steps. Firstly, we model the nitrogen atom as a discrete point and secondly, we model the three hydrogen atoms on the surface of a sphere of a certain radius. Then, we find the total potential energy by summing these interactions. Next, by considering the nitric oxide molecule as two discrete atoms uniformly distributed interacting with GlpF and AQP1 channels then gathering all pairs of interaction to determine the potential energy. Our results show that the ammonia and nitric oxide molecules can be encapsulated into both GlpF and AQP1 channels.     

Identification of ligands that target the HCV-E2 binding site on CD81

Hepatitis C is a global health problem. While many drug companies have active R&D efforts to develop new drugs for treating Hepatitis C virus (HCV), most target the viral enzymes. The HCV glycoprotein E2 has been shown to play an essential role in hepatocyte invasion by binding to CD81 and other cell surface receptors. This paper describes the use of AutoDock to identify ligand binding sites on the large extracellular loop of the open conformation of CD81 and to perform virtual screening runs to identify sets of small molecule ligands predicted to bind to two of these sites. The best sites selected by AutoLigand were located in regions identified by mutational studies to be the site of E2 binding. Thirty-six ligands predicted by AutoDock to bind to these sites were subsequently tested experimentally to determine if they bound to CD81-LEL. Binding assays conducted using surface Plasmon resonance revealed that 26 out of 36 (72 %) of the ligands bound in vitro to the recombinant CD81-LEL protein. Competition experiments performed using dual polarization interferometry showed that one of the ligands predicted to bind to the large cleft between the C and D helices was also effective in blocking E2 binding to CD81-LEL.     

Synthesis of Interglycosidically S‐Linked 1‐Thio‐Oligosaccharides Under Microwave Irradiation*

Microwave irradiation (MWI) has accelerated the synthesis of S‐(2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)thiouronium bromide (2a), whose reaction with 2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranosyl bromide (1a) in the presence of Et₃N afforded stereoselectively the acetylated β,β‐1‐thiotrehalose 4a. Similarly, the respective D‐galactopyranosyl 4b and 2‐acetylamino‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucopyranosyl 4c analog as well as 4,4′‐di‐O‐(2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D‐galactopyranosyl) 4d and 4,4′‐di‐O‐(2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranosyl) 4e derivatives of 2,2′,3,3′,6,6′‐hexa‐O‐acetyl β,β‐1‐thiotrehalose were prepared.     

Two Unusual Carbohydrate Reactions: Nucleophilic Ring Opening of an Anhydrosugar and Reductive Elimination with Co‐occurring Hydrogenation

Treatment of the 1,6‐anhydrosugar epoxide 5 with a cyano‐Gilman cuprate [(CuCN (6 eq.), MeLi (12 eq.)] surprisingly led to the open chain rearranged (2S,3R)‐1,2‐dihydroxy‐3,6‐dimethylheptan‐4‐one (7), structurally confirmed by conversion to the corresponding diacetate 8. Another unusual reaction was found by hydrogenation of the 2‐tosyl‐1‐bromosugar 11, leading in one operation to the twofold deoxygenated chiral pyran derivative 14. This procedure might prove to be useful in the rapid deoxygenation of sugar derivatives.     

A New Approach for the C-Alkylation of Unsaturated Sugars Involving the Benzothiazol-2-Ylthio Leaving Group

ABSTRACT

The leaving ability of the benzothiazol-2-ylthio group was applied to the C-alkylation of a 2,3-enopyranoside model structure. Coordination of the organometallic reagent to the thio-heterocyclic moiety was responsible for a stereospecific syn conjugate alkyl attack.