Mechanism of ruthenium tetroxide-catalysed oxidation of aldoses by alkalineN-bromoacetamide

The kinetics of oxidation of three aldoses (glucose, mannose and galactose) byN-bromoacetamide (NBA) in the presence of an alkaline solution of RuO₄ as catalyst and Hg(OAc)₂ as co-catalyst and as a scavenger for bromide have been investigated. The main products of the oxidation are the corresponding aldonic acids. The reaction is zero order with respect to aldose and OH⁻. First order dependence of the reaction on both NBA and RuO₄ at low concentrations shifts to zero order at higher concentrations. Addition of acetamide decreases the reaction rate, while addition of Hg(OAc)₂ has the opposite effect. No significant effect of ionic strength was observed. OBr⁻ is postulated as the reactive oxidising species and a mechanism involving co-catalysis by RuO₄ and Hg^II is proposed. TMC 2588     

Relevance of chemistry to white biotechnology

White biotechnology is a fast emerging area that concerns itself with the use of biotechnological approaches in the production of bulk and fine chemicals, biofuels, and agricultural products. It is a truly multidisciplinary area and further progress depends critically on the role of chemists. This article outlines the emerging contours of white biotechnology and encourages chemists to take up some of the challenges that this area has thrown up.     

Convenient route to enantiopure aryl cyclopentanes via Diels-Alder reaction of asymmetric dienes. Total synthesis of (+)-herbertene and (+)-cuparene

A general route for the synthesis of highly substituted aryl cyclopentanes has been developed involving Diels-Alder reaction of asymmetric dienes prepared from (+)-camphoric acid followed by aromatization of the resulting cyclohexene derivatives. Employing this protocol enantiospecific synthesis of (+)-herbertene and (+)-cuparene has been accomplished.     

A facile synthesis of natural products chaetomellic acid A and 1,7(Z)- nonadecadiene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid

Synthesis of recently isolated bioactive natural products chaetomellic acid A anhydride (1) and a novel 1,7(Z)-nonadecadiene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (2) have been described. Chemoselective carbon[bond]carbon S(N)2' coupling reactions of appropriate Grignard reagents with dimethyl bromomethylfumarate (7) in diethyl ether in the presence of HMPA at room temperature furnished the corresponding diesters 8 and 15 in 60-62% yields. The formed diesters 8 and 15 on hydrolysis gave respectively the corresponding desired diacids 9 and 2 in quantitative yields. Acetic anhydride induced ring closure of diacids 9 and 2 respectively gave the chaetomellic acid A anhydride (1) and isochaetomellic acid B anhydride (16) with 38-39% overall yields in five steps.     

Gravimetric determination of thorium and zirconium

Summary Thorium and zirconium can be quantitatively precipitated by quinaldinic acid atph 2.7 and 3, respectively. As the precipitates are of nonstoichiometric composition they are to be ignited to oxides. By this reagent thorium can be quantitatively separated from arsenic (As³⁺), mercury (Hg²⁺), rare earths, manganese, magnesium and alkaline earths and zirconium from all the aforesaid ions excepting rare earths which contaminate to a slight extent.     

Direct determination of traces of Ag, Cd, Pb, Bi, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Li, Be, Cu and Sb in environmental waters and geological materials by simultaneous multi-element graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with Zeeman-effect background correction

A method was developed for direct determination of minor and trace amounts of Cr, Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Li, Pb, Cd, Bi, Sb, Be and Ag in silicate rock, lake and stream sediments using a microwave oven dissolution method and a multi-element graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer equipped with a Zeeman-effect background correction device. The measurement technique was also suitable for direct determination of trace and ultra-trace amounts of these elements in drinking and seawater samples. A rock or sediment sample was brought into solution in a Teflon vessel by heating in a microwave oven with a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia, followed by a further heating with a mixture of boric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The specified elements were directly determined in a group of four elements in one firing and eight elements in two firings from this solution or from a diluted solution using the optimum operating parameters developed in this work. The method, tested with 23 international reference rocks and sediments and seven international quality control and reference water samples, showed good to excellent agreement with the recommended values.     

Synthesis and characterization of square-planar palladium(II) complexes containing anti- and syn-furan-2-aldoxime

Summary Fifteen palladium(II) square-planar complexes containing monodentate and/or bidentate anti- and syn-furan-2-aldoxime (FDH) have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, molecular weight determination, conductance studies, magnetic moments and i.r. spectral studies. The monodentate ligand coordinates through the nitrogen atom while the bidentate ligand coordinates through the furan oxygen atom and the nitrogen atom. The C-O-C stretching frequency of the furan ring may be taken as the criterion for the denticity of this ligand and is observed at 1240 and 1270 cm^– in anti- and syn-furan-2-aldoxime respectively. A shift to lower frequency occurs (in the complex) if the ligand is bidentate, however this frequency is unaffected if the ligand is monodentate.     

Spectrophotometric determination of isoproturon using p-aminoacetophenone and its application in environmental and biological samples

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of isoproturon, a widely used herbicide is described here which is based on alkaline hydrolysis of isoproturon to its corresponding primary amine followed by diazotization and coupling with p-aminoacetophenone in alkaline medium. The absorption maxima of the coloured compound formed is measured at 525 nm. Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration range of 0.5-5.0 mug in a final solution volume of 25 ml (0.02-0.2 ppm). The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity were found to be 8.6x10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and 0.0002 mug cm(-2), respectively. The method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of isoproturon in environmental and biological samples.     

Quantitative estimations of ferric iron by phosphoric acid in aqueous-alcoholic medium

Summary The only method recommended for the direct estimation of ferric iron in presence of HCl is to reduce the ferric iron to ferrous iron and then to titrate against KMnO₄ solution by adding Reinhardt-Zimmermann reagent (MnSO₄ + H₂SO₄ + H₃PO₄). The solubility of the phosphato complexes of ferric chloride and phosphoric acid is much reduced by adding a nonaqueous solvent, ethyl alcohol or acetone. This property has been availed of to find out a method of estimating ferric iron directly against standard solution of phosphoric acid in aqueous-nonaqueous medium using K₄Fe(CN)₆ or cupferron as external indicators. A slight discrepancy at the end point, however, exists in the direct titration but it can be removed by applying a correction factor determined from the estimated results.