The Reductive Dehydration of Cellulose by Solid/Gas Reaction with TiCl4 at Low Temperature: A Cheap,Simple, and Green Process for Preparing Anatase Nanoplates and TiO2/C Composites

Metal oxides and metal oxide/carbon composites are entering the development of new technologies and should therefore to be prepared by sustainable chemistry processes. Therefore, a new aspect of the reactivity of cellulose is presented through its solid/gas reaction with vapour of titanium(IV) chloride in anhydrous conditions at low temperature (80 °C). This reaction leads to two transformations both for cellulose and titanium(IV) chloride. A reductive dehydration of cellulose is seen at the lowest temperature ever reported and results in the formation of a carbonaceous fibrous solid as the only carbon‐containing product. Simultaneously, the in situ generation of water leads to the formation of titanium dioxide with an unexpected nanoplate morphology (ca. 50 nm thickness) and a high photocatalytic activity. We present the evidence showing the evolution of the cellulose and the TiO₂ nanostructure formation, along with its photocatalytic activity. This low‐temperature process avoids any other reagents and is among the greenest processes for the preparation of anatase and also for TiO₂/carbon composites. The anisotropic morphology of TiO₂ questions the role of the cellulose on the growing process of these nanoparticles.     

Versatile functional poly(3‐hexylthiophene) for hybrid particles synthesis by the grafting onto technique: Core@shell ZnO nanorods

We demonstrate an efficient strategy to anchor poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) onto zinc oxide (ZnO) surfaces. Synthesis of a novel triethoxysilane‐terminated regioregular P3HT is herein reported and supported by thorough characterization. Three triethoxysilane‐terminated P3HTs of different molar masses were prepared via a hydrosilylation reaction from allyl‐terminated P3HT. MALDI‐TOF and ¹H NMR were performed to characterize the polymer and show that around 80% of the chains are end‐functionalized. These polymers were then grafted onto the ZnO nanorods to create a macromolecular self‐assembled monolayer. This versatile technique could be subsequently applied to different metal oxide surfaces, such as silicon, titanium, or indium‐tin oxide, and represents a new one‐pot strategy based on triethoxysilane coupling reaction. Importantly, the influence of the molar mass on the grafting density and the polymer shell thickness was studied via thermo gravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties of the hybrid materials were determined by UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence to show a quenching effect of P3HT fluorescence by ZnO when grafted. This electronic transfer associated with an improved miscibility of the ZnO@P3HT, makes these hybrid materials suitable candidates for photovoltaic applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 30–38     

Clay Catalysis: Stork's Alkylation and Acylation of Cyclohexanone Without Isolation of Enamine

Cyclohexanone and morpholine in the presence of KSF under azeotropic distillation gave 1-morpholinocyclohexene which is alkylated or acylated in situ without isolation of the enamine. The overall yield of these Stork's reactions are better or equivalent to those obtained by isolation of the enamine.     

Exaltone® (=Cyclopentadecanone) from Isomuscone® (=Cyclohexadecanone), a One‐C‐Atom Ring‐Contraction Methodology via a Stereospecific Favorskii Rearrangement: Regioselective Application to (−)‐(R)‐Muscone

Treatment of cyclohexadecanone ( 1g ; with I₂ (2.2 mol‐euqiv.) and KOH in MeOH) furnished the unsaturated (Z)‐ester 2g in 83% yield, via a stereospecific Favorskii rearrangement (Scheme 1). Further treatment with 3‐chloroperbenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) afforded the unreported epoxy ester 3g (88% yield), which was cleaved in 33% yield to Exaltone^® (=cyclopentadecanone; 1f ) with NaOH in MeOH/H₂O and then HCl at 65°. This methodology was similarly extended to higher (C₁₇) and lower (C₁₅ to C₁₁) cyclic ketone analogues, as well as regioselectively to (?)‐(R)‐muscone ( 5c ) and homomuscone ( 5f ) (Scheme 2). Olfactive properties of the corresponding macrocyclic 1‐oxaspiro[2,n]alkanes and ‐alkenes 4 and 8 , resulting from a Corey? Chaykovsky oxiranylation, are also presented.     

MRI investigation of granular interface rheology using a new cylinder shear apparatus

The rheology of granular materials near an interface is investigated through proton magnetic resonance imaging. A new cylinder shear apparatus has been inserted in the magnetic resonance imaging device, which allows the control of the radial confining pressure exerted by the outer wall on the grains and the measurement of the torque on the inner shearing cylinder. A multi-layer velocimetry sequence has been developed for the simultaneous measurement of velocity profiles in different sample zones, while the measurement of the solid fraction profile is based on static imaging of the sample. This study describes the influence of the roughness of the shearing interface and of the transverse confining walls on the granular interface rheology.     

Syntheses,Structures and Photoelectron Spectra of Phospha-Alkenes and Phospha-Alkynes and Their Transition Metal Complexes

Abstract

The chemistry of the novel phospha-alkenes RP[dbnd]CR'₂, and phospha-alkynes, RC[tbnd]P, containing 2pπ-3pπ bonds is of current interest.^1,2 Recent molecular orbital calculations,^3,4 suggest that the highest occupied molecular orbital in CH₂[dbnd]PH is of the π-type with the phosphorus lone pair ó-orbital only slightly more stable while the π? lumo orbital is relatively low lying. We now report He (I) photoelectron spectroscopic studies on a variety of RC[tbnd]P molecules^5,6 which indicate that the homo is also of the π-type and the π-σ separation is much greater than that found in the analogous RC[tbnd]N systems.