Ionic liquids: structuration agents in a fluorinated matrix

The use of ionic liquids as functional building blocks based on pyridinium, imidazolium and phosphonium cations to achieve materials combining a structuration at nanoscale with the dramatic mechanical properties of the resulting ionomers has been successfully demonstrated for the first time in a fluorinated matrix.     

Multiplexed binding determination of seven glycoconjugates for Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectin I (PA-IL) using a DNA-based carbohydrate microarray

The binding of seven multivalent glycoconjugates displaying linear or antenna-like structures and different electronic environments were evaluated towards PA-IL on a DNA-based carbohydrate microarray. The affinity can be modulated by the charge and the topology of the galactosylated derivatives.     

Self-assembled naphthalenediimide derivative films for light-assisted electrochemical reduction of oxygen

This naphthalene diimide derivative, DC18, forms highly conjugated semiconducting stacked assemblies over electrodes after electrochemical conditioning. These molecular materials are very efficient towards electrochemical photoreduction of oxygen under visible light.     

Gene delivery with polycationic fullerene hexakis-adducts

Polyplexes prepared from DNA and globular compact polycationic derivatives constructed around a fullerene hexakis-adduct core have shown remarkable gene delivery capabilities.     

Quantum chemical computations of 1,3-phenylenediacetic acid

Molecular geometry, vibrational wavenumbers and gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) 13C NMR and 1H NMR chemical shift values of 1,3-phenylenediacetic acid (C10H10O4), in the ground state have been calculated by using ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) methods with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set for the first time. Comparison of the observed fundamental vibrational modes of 1,3-phenylenediacetic acid and calculated results by density functional B3LYP and Hartree-Fock methods indicate that B3LYP is superior to the scaled Hartree-Fock approach for quantum chemical studies. Geometric parameters (bond lengths and bond angles) and vibrational wavenumbers obtained by the HF and DFT/B3LYP methods are in good agreement with the experimental data. Furthermore, this is the first time the results of the calculated JCH and JCC coupling constants of the C10H10O4 molecule are presented in this study.     

An easily accessible Re-based catalyst for the selective conversion of methanol: evidence for an unprecedented active site structure through combined operando techniques

Heterogeneous Re/SiO(2) catalysts prepared using a one pot sol-gel synthesis were found to display high activity in the direct, selective methanol conversion to methylal, which is correlated to an unprecedented rhenium oxide structure.     

Synthesis, spectroscopy, and characterization of some bis-nicotinamide metal(II) dihalide complexes

We report synthesis of six new bis-nicotinamide metal(II) dihalide complexes [M(nia)(2)Cl(2); M = Mn, Co; nia:nicotinamide, M(nia)(2)Br(2); M = Mn, Hg; M(nia)(2)I(2); M = Cd, Cu], and their characterization by combining infrared spectroscopy with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Infrared spectra indicate that ring-nitrogen is the active donor cite, and the atomic structure of the complexes is determined to be polymeric octahedral or distorted polymeric octahedral. Spin polarized electronic ground state is obtained for Mn, Co, and Cu halide complexes. The colors of the complexes also support the conclusion of octahedral coordination around the metal atoms, in agreement with DFT results.     

Quantum chemical computational studies on 5-(4-bromophenylamino)-2-methylsulfanylmethyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester

The optimized molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies, and gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) (1)H and (13)C NMR shift values of 5-(4-bromophenylamino)-2-methylsulfanylmethyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester have been calculated by using Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional method (DFT/B3LYP) with 6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p) and LANL2DZ basis sets. The optimized molecular geometric parameters were presented and compared with the data obtained from X-ray diffraction. In order to fit the calculated harmonic wavenumbers to the experimentally observed ones, scaled quantum mechanics force field (SQM FF) methodology was proceeded. Correlation factors between the experimental and calculated (1)H chemical shift values of the title compound in vacuum and in CHCl(3) solution by using the conductor-like screening continuum solvation model (COSMO) were reported. The calculated results showed that the optimized geometry well reproduces the crystal structure. The theoretical vibrational frequencies and chemical shifts are in very good agreement with the experimental data. In solvent media the energetic behavior of the title compound was also examined by using the B3LYP method with the 6-31G(d) basis set, applying the COSMO model. The obtained results indicated that the total energy of the title compound decreases with increasing polarity of the solvent. Furthermore, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), natural bond orbital (NBO) and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of the title compound were performed by the B3LYP/LANL2DZ method, and also thermodynamic parameters for the title compound were calculated at all the HF and B3LYP levels.     

Thermal behavior of residues (sludge) originating from the sugarcane industry

The Brazilian sugarcane industry shows a great amount of generated sludge which should be utilized adequately. Two sludge samples, aerobic and anaerobic, were collected. Both were evaluated by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (DTA) as well as X-ray power diffraction. These compounds show variations of mass between 30 and 140 °C due to the dehydration stage. The DTA curves show that the compounds have an exothermic reaction between 450 and 550 °C, which indicates that this can be used as an energy source. Details concerning the kinetic parameters of the dehydration and thermal decomposition have also been described here. The kinetic study of these stages was evaluated in open crucibles under nitrogen atmosphere. The obtained data were evaluated with the isoconversional kinetic method. The results show that different activation energies were obtained for thermal decomposition.