Pentafluorobenzaldehyde and its utilizing in organic synthesis

Over the past 50 years, pentafluorobenzaldehyde has received much attention due to its unique chemical and physical properties as well as its real or potential applications in chemistry of porphyrines, additives, drug delivery and in analytical chemistry. Pentafluorobenzaldehyde is multifunctional aromatic compound containing five atoms of fluorine and one aldehydic function. That is why it can provide nucleophilic substitutions of all or some atoms of fluorine, nucleophilic additions of aldehydic function, “haloform reaction” and some cyclization reactions. This year, it is being the 50th year, since the first synthesis of this compound was published.     

Visual spatial memory is enhanced in female rats (but inhibited in males) by dietary soy phytoestrogens

Background  

In learning and memory tasks, requiring visual spatial memory (VSM), males exhibit superior performance to females (a difference attributed to the hormonal influence of estrogen). This study examined the influence of phytoestrogens (estrogen-like plant compounds) on VSM, utilizing radial arm-maze methods to examine varying aspects of memory. Additionally, brain phytoestrogen, calbindin (CALB), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels were determined.     

Knowledge‐based choice of the initiator type for monomer removal by postpolymerization

The mechanisms involved in monomer removal by postpolymerization were investigated to establish a criterion to select the most effective initiator systems. Three redox systems yielding radicals of different hydrophobicities were studied. Efficiency in monomer removal by postpolymerization increased with the hydrophobicity of the radical formed from the initiator system. This result was independent of the water solubility of the residual monomer. The mechanistic reasons for this finding are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4245–4249, 2002