Synthesis and characterization of MCM-48 tubular membranes

MCM-48 membranes have been prepared on alumina supports of different pore sizes. A battery of characterization techniques has been used to study the physical properties and the quality of the membranes prepared. The highest quality membranes were prepared on supports with pore size of up to 60 nm. The MCM-48 membranes were tested in the separation of gas phase mixtures and a cyclohexane/O₂ selectivity higher than 270 was obtained. The selective separation of organic compounds from inert components is a result of the cooperative effects of capillary condensation in MCM-48 pores and of the specific interactions of the permeating compounds and the membrane material.     

Conjugated macrocycles related to the porphyrins. Part 2. Further synthetic and spectroscopic studies on difuryl analogs of the oxophlorins

The synthesis of three difuryl analogs of the oxophlorins is described. In common with the tetrapyrrolic oxophlorins, these compounds favor the keto tautomers and little, if any, of the enol tautomers are present in neutral solutions. Unlike the tetrapyrrolic systems, the difuryl oxophlorins give well resolved nmr spectra. Attempts to extend these studies to the synthesis of dithienyl oxophlorin analogs were unsuccessful.     

Affinity NMR: decoding DNA binding

We have shown that affinity NMR can be used to edit a NMR spectrum so that ligands that have affinity to DNA can be observed in the presence of other nonbinding molecules. Diffusion encoded spectroscopy (DECODES) can be used to identify the binding ligands. We were able to identify Hoechst 33342 as binding to the Drew-Dickerson dodecamer d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 in the presence of the nonbinding molecules adenine, adenosine, and thiamine. Affinity NMR appears to be readily applicable to DNA systems for the following reasons. (1) The relaxation rate of the DNA oligonucleotides is favorable, thus the signal intensity loss due to relaxation is not severe. (2) A comparison of the patterns of the DNA cross-peaks upon binding in the two-dimensional total correlation spectroscopy and correlation spectroscopy spectrum are easily performed, and the ligand signals in the two-dimensional DECODES spectrum can be readily identified. (3) The aromatic part of the DNA spectrum is devoid of 2D cross-peaks in these correlation spectra, greatly facilitating the interpretation of the bound ligand in the DECODES spectrum.     

Enantioseparation of Amino Acid Derivatives with a Cellulose-Based Chiral Stationary Phase

Five structurally related amino acid derivatives were enantioseparated by HPLC with a commercially available chiral stationary phase, Chiralcel OD-H. The chromatographic experiments were performed in the normal phase mode. n-Hexane/polar alcohol was used as mobile phase. Excellent baseline enantioseparations could be obtained for all these solutes. The effects of the concentration of polar alcohol and the column temperature on the retentions and enantioseparations were studied in detail. From the van't Hoff plots the corresponding apparent thermodynamic parameters were derived. Mechanism aspects of chiral recognition were discussed based on the relationship between the thermodynamic parameters and the structures of the solutes. It was found that the substituent of the phenyl group on the residual group of the amino acid derivatives was close relevant to thermodynamic origin of enantioseparation. Much better enthalpy–entropy compensation effect was obtained by plotting the differential, rather than the original, thermodynamic parameters.     

Experimental and theoretical studies of rate coefficients for the reaction O(3P)+CH3OH at high temperatures

Rate coefficients of the reaction O((3)P) + CH(3)OH in the temperature range of 835-1777 K were determined using a diaphragmless shock tube. O atoms were generated by photolysis of SO(2) with a KrF excimer laser at 248 nm or an ArF excimer laser at 193 nm; their concentrations were monitored via atomic resonance absorption excited by emission from a microwave-discharged mixture of O(2) and He. The rate coefficients determined for the temperature range can be represented by the Arrhenius equation, k(T) = (2.29 +/- 0.18) x 10(-10) exp[-(4210 +/- 100)T] cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1); unless otherwise noted, all the listed errors represent one standard deviation in fitting. Combination of these and previous data at lower temperature shows a non-Arrhenius behavior described as the three-parameter equation, k(T) = (2.74 +/- 0.07) x 10(-18)T(2.25 +/- 0.13) exp[-(1500 +/- 90)T] cm(3)molecule(-1) s(-1). Theoretical calculations at the Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP)6-311 + G(3df,2p) level locate three transition states. Based on the energies computed with coupled clusters singles, doubles (triples) [CCSD(T)]/6-311 + G(3df,2p)B3LYP6-311 + G(3df,2p), the rate coefficients predicted with canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling corrections agree satisfactorily with the experimental observations. The branching ratios of two accessible reaction channels forming OH + CH(2)OH (1a) and OH + CH(3)O (1b) are predicted to vary strongly with temperature. At 300 K, reaction (1a) dominates, whereas reaction (1b) becomes more important than reaction (1a) above 1700 K.     

Liquefaction of corn stover and preparation of polyester from the liquefied polyol

This research investigated a novel process to prepare polyester from corn stover through liquefaction and crosslinking processes. First, corn stover was liquefied in organic solvents (90 wt% ethylene glycol and 10 wt% ethylene carbonate) with catalysts at moderate temperature under atmospheric pressure. The effect of liquefaction temperature, biomass content, and type of catalyst, such H₂SO₄, HCl, H₃PO₄, and ZnCl₂, was evaluated. Higher liquefaction yield was achieved in 2 wt% sulfuric acid, 1/4 (w/w) stover to liquefying reagent ratio; 160°C temperature, in 2h. The liquefied corn stover was rich in polyols, which can be directly used as feedstock for making polymers without further separation or purification. Second, polyester was made from the liquefied corn stover by crosslinking with multifunctional carboxylic acids and/or cyclic acid anhydrides. The tensile strength of polyester is about 5 MPa and the elongation is around 35%. The polyester is stable in cold water and organic solvents and readily biodegradable as indicated by 82% weight loss when buried in damp soil for 10 mo. The results indicate that this novel polyester could be used for the biodegradable garden mulch film production.     

Poly[tetra‐μ‐aqua‐hexa­aquadi‐μ3‐malon­ato‐dinitratodibarium(II)nickel(II)]

The title complex, [Ba₂Ni(C₃H₂O₄)₂(NO₃)₂(H₂O)₁₀]_n, has a two‐dimensional layer structure. The Ni atom lies on a crystallographic centre of symmetry in an octa­hedral NiO₆ environment, and is coordinated by four malonate O atoms in a planar arrangement and by two water mol­ecules in axial positions. The coordination of the unique Ba atom involves two nitrate O atoms, five water mol­ecules and three malonate O atoms.     

Anodic Deposition of Iodide Ion at Silver Electrode

Anodic deposition of iodide ion on silver at 25° in aqueous (0.5 M KNO₃) and in 90% (w/w) ethanol-water (0.05 M KClO₄) solutions was studied galvanostatically. The exchange current density, transfer coefficient and the rate constants for the electrode reaction were evaluated. The experimental results revealed that the overall electrode reaction and the charge-transfer step was the same one, i.e., , which might be assumed highly reversible as reflected by the exchange current density (i) and transfer coefficient (α). The numerical values of the rate constants, and at 25° were, in aqueous solution, 1.02×10^?5 and 2.88×10^?6, and in ethanol solution, 2.88×10^?5 and 6.3×10^?6 cm sec^?1, respectively.     

Interactions of Some Amino Acids with Aqueous N,N-Dimethylacetamide Solutions at 298.15 and 308.15 K: A Volumetric Approach

The apparent molar volumes, V _φ , of glycine, L-alanine and L-serine were obtained in aqueous 0 to ∼4 mol⋅kg⁻¹ N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) solutions from density measurements at 298.15 and 308.15 K. The standard partial molar volume, V _φ ^o, and standard partial molar volumes of transfer, Δ_tr V _φ ^o, were determined for these amino acids. It has been shown that hydrophilic-hydrophilic interactions between charged groups of the amino acids and the —CON= group of DMA are predominant in the case of glycine and L-serine, but for L-alanine the interactions between its side group (—CH₃) and DMA are predominant. An increase in temperature increases the standard partial molar volumes but decreases the transfer volumes of the amino acids. The results have been interpreted in terms of cosphere overlap model.