Improving the Photocatalytic Activity of Modified Anatase TiO2 with Different Concentrations of Aluminum under Visible Light: Mechanistic Survey

Visible light‐driven Al‐doped TiO₂ with different aluminum contents (2, 5 and 10 mol%) were synthesized via a facile sol–gel method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV‐visible diffuse reflectance, energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy as well as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods were used for the characterization of the obtained nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of the samples was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The yield of the degradation RhB was estimated to be 71%, 89%, 65% and 56%, for the bare TiO₂, 2%, 5% and 10% Al‐doped TiO₂, respectively. It was found that 2 mol% of Al‐doped TiO₂ shows the best photocatalytic performance. In low concentration of dopant, separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs promoted, and subsequently, the degradation efficiency increased. It was proposed that the degradation of RhB by 2 mol% Al‐doped TiO₂ photocatalyst follows both N‐deethylation and chromophore cleavage mechanisms, while the N‐deethylation still predominated over cleavage of dye chromophore structure. The key role of hydroxyl radicals in RhB degradation was verified by the effects of scavengers. In addition, the photocatalyst can be reused for three runs without any significant loss of its catalytic activity.     

Prediction of viscoelastic properties with coarse‐grained molecular dynamics and experimental validation for a benchmark polyurea system

To explore the relationship between microscopic structure and viscoelastic properties of polyurea, a coarse‐grained (CG) model is developed by a structure matching method and validated against experiments conducted on a controlled, benchmark material. Using the Green‐Kubo method, the relaxation function is computed from the autocorrelation of the stress tensor, sampled over equilibrium MD simulations, and mapped to a real time scale established by matching self‐diffusion rates of atomistic and CG models. Master curves computed from the predicted stress relaxation function are then compared with dynamic mechanical analysis experiments mapped to a wide frequency range by time–temperature superposition, as well as measurements of ultrasonic shear wave propagation. Computational simulations from monodisperse and polydisperse configurations, representative of the benchmark polyurea, show excellent agreement with the experimental measurements over a multidecade range of loading frequency. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 797–810     

Highly hydrated cations: deficiency, mobility, and coordination of water in crystalline nonahydrated scandium(III), yttrium(III), and lanthanoid(III) trifluoromethanesulfonates

Trivalent lanthanide-like metal ions coordinate nine water oxygen atoms, which form a tricapped trigonal prism in a large number of crystalline hydrates. Water deficiency, randomly distributed over the capping positions, was found for the smallest metal ions in the isomorphous nonahydrated trifluoromethanesulfonates, [M(H2O)n](CF3SO3)3, in which M = Sc(III), Lu(III), Yb(III), Tm(III) or Er(III). The hydration number n increases (n = 8.0(1), 8.4(1), 8.7(1), 8.8(1) and 8.96(5), respectively) with increasing ionic size. Deuterium (2H) solid-state NMR spectroscopy revealed fast positional exchange between the coordinated capping and prism water molecules; this exchange started at temperatures higher than about 280 K for lutetium(III) and below 268 K for scandium(III). Similar positional exchange for the fully nonahydrated yttrium(III) and lanthanum(III) compounds started at higher temperatures, over about 330 and 360 K, respectively. An exchange mechanism is proposed that can exchange equatorial and capping water molecules within the restrictions of the crystal lattice, even for fully hydrated lanthanoid(III) ions. Phase transitions occurred for all the water-deficient compounds at approximately 185 K. The hydrated scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate transforms reversibly (DeltaH degrees = -0.80(1) kJ mol(-1) on cooling) to a trigonal unit cell that is almost nine times larger, with the scandium ion surrounded by seven fully occupied and two partly occupied oxygen atom positions in a distorted capped trigonal prism. The hydrogen bonding to the trifluoromethanesulfonate anions stabilises the trigonal prism of water ligands, even for the crowded hydration sphere of the smallest metal ions in the series. Implications for the Lewis acid catalytic activity of the hydrated scandium(III) and lanthanoid(III) trifluoromethanesulfonates for organic syntheses performed in aqueous media are discussed.     

Synthesis,characterization and application of nano-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-N-(silica-n-propyl)-N′-sulfo-ethane-1,2-diaminium chloride as a highly efficient catalyst for the preparation of N,N′-alkylidene bisamides

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A novel mesoporous nanomaterial, namely nano-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-N-(silica-n-propyl)-N′-sulfo-ethane-1,2-diaminium chloride...     

Synthesis,crystal structure,spectroscopic investigations,and computational studies of Ni(II) and Pd(II) complexes with asymmetric tetradentate NOON Schiff base ligand

Structural Chemistry - In the present study, an asymmetric tetradentate NOON Schiff base ligand 2,2′-((4-methyl-1,2-phenylene)bis(nitrilomethylylidene))bis(4-chlorophenol) (H2L) was...     

Isophorone‐based organometallic chromophores: Synthesis,characterization and investigation of electro‐optical properties

A series of hybrid donor–acceptor complexes with a ferrocene moiety and isophorone derivatives were synthesized. Data from ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared, atomic absorption and mass spectroscopies and CHN analysis supported the predicted structure of the products. A comparative investigation was performed using UV–visible, cyclic voltammetry and fluorescence measurements. Density functional theory was used to optimize the chromophore structure and calculation of highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels. The ferrocene/isophorone hybrids show useful properties for further development and studies as electro‐optic materials.     

Simple and efficient synthesis of 5‐substituted 1‐H‐tetrazoles using metal‐modified clay catalysts

The synthesis of 5‐substituted 1‐H‐tetrazoles based on reaction of a series of aromatic nitriles with sodium azide was investigated. The reaction was catalyzed by modified montmorillonite K‐10 including Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺ metal ions. The best results obtained by Mont‐K10‐Cu catalyst. The catalysts were reused several times without loss of their activity. The present procedure offers advantages such as a shorter reaction time, simple workup, recovery, and reusability of the catalyst. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:168–173, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20672     

Application of β-cyclodextrin in polymeric solid phase for separation and determination of lead in different environmental matrices

Immobilization of β-cyclodextrin on Dowex resin as an insoluble polymeric matrix by covalent bond presents a new solid-phase medium for preconcentration of Pb (II) at trace level in environmental samples prior to its flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination. The method is based on the sorption of lead after passing on modified Dowex sorbent in a column. The effect of several parameters such as pH, flow rate of sample, eluent kind and volume was investigated. The sorption capacity of the matrix has been found to be 0.4996?mg?g^?1 of adsorbent with the preconcentration factor of 250 for Pb (II). Nitric acid (3 M) as an eluent was sufficient to obtain quantitative recovery (>95%) for Pb (II). The optimum flow rate was 10?ml?min ^?1. The calibration curve was linear in the range of (3–250?ng?mL^?1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The limit of detection (LOD) based on three times the standard deviation of the blank was 1.37?ng?mL^?1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for determination of 10?ng?mL^?1 and 100?ngmL^?1 of Pb (II) was 3.00 % and 0.58 % (n?=?10), respectively. The method was successfully applied to determination of lead in some environmental samples such as tap water, river water, soil and rice.     

Synthesis of palladium nanoparticles on organically modified silica: Application to design of a solid-state electrochemiluminescence sensor for highly sensitive determination of imipramine

Organically modified silica substrate containing amine and vinyl functional groups were used for reduction and stabilization of palladium nanoparticles. Uniform spherical nanoparticles of palladium with average diameter of 10 nm were formed on silica substrate by direct contact of the substrate with an aqueous solution of palladium precursor, without the addition of any chemical reducer. Moreover, a sensitive and selective solid state electrochemiluminescence sensor was fabricated for the determination of imipramine, based on Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-palladium nanoparticles doped carbon ionic liquid electrode. In this process, imipramine acts as a co-reactant for Ru(bpy)₃²⁺. It is believed that the enhancement of the electrochemiluminescence signal in the presence of palladium nanoparticles in the composite is due to palladium catalytic effect on electrochemical and also chemical process involved in formation of Ru(byp)₃²⁺*. In addition, the results confirmed that, the rigid composite electrode shows the characteristic of microelectrode arrays. The proposed method was applied to the determination of imipramine in tablets and urine samples. The electrochemiluminescence intensity showed good linearity with the imipramine concentration from 1–100 pM, with a detection limit of 0.1 pM.     

Dicyano(7‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐6H‐dibenzo[b,d]pyran‐9‐yl)methanide Salts via a Multicomponent Reaction

Dialkylammonium dicyano(7‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐6H‐dibenzo[b,d]pyran‐9‐yl)methanides 4a – 4j are obtained in good yields via a simple reaction between 3‐acetylcoumarins (=3‐acetyl‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐ones) 1 and malononitrile ( 2 ) in EtOH (Table 1). In this reaction, a charge‐separated zwitterionic salt is formed.