Aldol condensations over reconstructed Mg-Al hydrotalcites: structure-activity relationships related to the rehydration method

Two different rehydration procedures in the liquid or gas phase have been applied to reconstruct mixed oxides derived from calcined hydrotalcite-like materials to be used as catalysts for aldol condensation reactions. The as-synthesized hydrotalcite, its decomposition product, as well as the reconstructed solids upon rehydration were characterized by XRD, N(2) adsorption, He pycnometry, FTIR, SEM, TEM, (27)Al MAS-NMR and CO(2)-TPD (TPD=temperature-programmed desorption). Compared to the Mg-Al mixed oxide rehydrated in the gas phase (HT-rg), that rehydrated in the liquid phase (HT-rl) exhibits a superior catalytic performance with respect to the aldol condensation of citral with ketones to yield pseudoionones and in the self-aldolization of acetone. The textural properties of HT-rl and HT-rg differ strongly and determine the catalytic behavior. A memory effect led to a higher degree of reconstruction of the lamellar structure when the mixed oxide was rehydrated in the gas phase rather than in the liquid phase, although liquid-phase rehydration under fast stirring produced a surface area that was 26 times greater. This contrasts to typical statements in the literature claiming a higher degree of reconstruction in the presence of large amounts of water in the medium. CO(2)-TPD shows that the number of OH(-) groups and their nature are very similar in HT-rg and HT-rl, and cannot explain the markedly different catalytic behavior. Accordingly, only a small fraction of the available basic sites in the rehydrated samples is active in liquid-phase aldol condensations. Our results support the model in which only basic sites near the edges of the hydrotalcite platelets are partaking in aldol reactions. Based on this, reconstructed materials with small crystallites (produced by exfoliation during mechanical stirring), that is, possessing a high external surface area, are beneficial in the reactions compared to larger crystals with a high degree of intraplatelet porosity.     

Flow-injection spectrofluorimetric determination of ethylenethiourea

A flow-injection configuration is proposed for the fluorimetric determination of ethylenethiourea. The procedure is based on the inhibitory effect of ethylenethiourea on the oxidation of thiamine to thiochrome by mercury(II). A linear calibration graph was obtained between 0.1 and 2.0 μg mL^–1, with a sampling rate of 40 samples per hour and a relative standard deviation of about 1.11%. The usefulness of the method was tested for the determination of ethylenethiourea residues in water, milk, potatoes, pear, grape and apple. Received: 26 January 1998 / Revised: 6 April 1998 / Accepted: 9 April 1998     

Synthesis of anticonvulsant sulfamides. Theoretical study of the related mechanism

A theoretical study of the mechanisms associated with the synthesis of anticonvulsant symmetric N,N-substituted sulfamides is presented. Two possible synthetic routes are compared, which mainly differ in the use of pyridine as a nucleophilic agent in the reaction mechanism. Geometry optimization techniques and transition-state detection at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, modeling the solvent by means of an isodensity polarizable continuum approach, allow the most suitable method for the experimental process to be discerned.From the Proceedings of the 28th Congreso de Químicos Teóricos de Expresión Latina (QUITEL 2002)     

Study of Ligand Substitution Reactions at Pentacyanoferrates(II) in Aqueous Salt and Micellar Solutions

The ligand substitution reactions Fe(CN)(5)(4-(t)bupy)(3-) + 4-CNpy and Fe(CN)(5)(4-(t)bupy)(3-) + pzCO(2)(-) (4-(t)Bupy = 4-tert-butylpyridine; 4-CNpy = 4-cyanopyridine; pzCO(2)(-) = pyrazinecarboxylate) were studied in several aqueous salt and micellar solutions. Kinetic data in aqueous solutions showed that the two processes follow a dissociative mechanism, D, and the dependence of the first-order rate constants on [salt] on electrolyte aqueous solutions allow the estimation of the activation volumes corresponding to both reactions. Under true first-order conditions no kinetic micellar effects were found in anionic (SDS) and nonionic (Triton X-100) aqueous micellar solutions. In cationic micellar solutions (CTAB, CTAC, and TTAB) small kinetic micellar effects were found. These were related to the different ionic concentrations and the different polarity and structure of the Stern layer surrounding the cationic micellar aggregates, where the reactions take place, with respect to pure water. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Optimization of culture medium and conditions for penicillin acylase production by Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC 13664

The culture medium for Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC 13664 was optimized on a shake-flask scale by using a statistical factorial design for enhanced production of penicillin acylase. This extracellular enzyme recently has been reported to be a penicillin K acylase, presenting also high hydrolytic activity against penicillin V and other natural aliphatic penicillins such as penicillin K, penicillin F, and penicillin dihydroF. The factorial design indicated that the main factors that positively affect penicillin acylase production by S. lavendulae were the concentration of yeast extract and the presence of oligoelements in the fermentation medium, whereas the presence of olive oil in the medium had no effect on enzyme production. An initial concentration of 2.5% (w/v) yeast extract and 3 microg/mL of CuSO4 x 5H2O was found to be best for acylase production. In such optimized culture medium, fermentation of the microorganism yielded 289 IU/L of enzyme in 72 h when employing a volume medium/volume flask ratio of 0.4 and a 300-rpm shaking speed. The presence of copper, alone and in combination with other metals, stimulated biomass as well as penicillin acylase production. The time course of penicillin acylase production was also studied in the optimized medium and conditions. Enzyme production showed catabolite repression by different carbon sources such as glucose, lactose, citrate, glycerol, and glycine.     

Fitting complex potential energy surfaces to simple model potentials: application of the simplex-annealing method

A stochastic method of optimization, which combines simulated annealing with simplex, is implemented to fit the parameters of a simple model potential. The main characteristic of the method is that it explores the whole space of the parameters of the model potential, and therefore it is very efficient in locating the global minimum of the cost function, in addition to being independent of the initial guess of the parameters. The method is employed to fit the complex intermolecular potential energy surface of the dimer of water, using as a reference the spectroscopic quality anisotropic site-site potential of Feller et al. The simple model potential chosen for its reparameterization is the MCY model potential of Clementi et al. The quality of the fit is assessed by comparing the geometry of the minimum, the harmonic frequencies, and the second virial coefficients of the parameterized potential with the reference one. Finally, to prove more rigorously the robustness of this method, it is compared with standard nonstochastic methods of optimization.     

Conformational mobility of thianthrene-5-oxide

[reaction: see text] Data on the apparent dipole moment of thianthrene-5-oxide (1) and (1)H NMR spectra in different solvents support the conformational mobility of 1, which flaps between two limit boat conformations with the sulfinyl group in pseudoequatorial and pseudoaxial positions, respectively. The conformational equilibrium of 1 occurs too fast for the (1)H NMR (500 MHz) time-scale even at -130 degrees C, and the equilibrium constant has not been determined. The apparent dipole moments of 1 in n-hexane and 1,4-dioxane and the (1)H NMR spectra of 1 and the model compounds cis- and trans-thianthrene-5,10-dioxides (2) and thianthrene (5) in different solvents and at various temperatures confirm that the relative position of the conformational equilibrium of 1 is solvent-dependent, and more polar solvents favor the conformation with the sulfoxide group in the pseudoaxial position (1(')(ax)). Variable-temperature (1)H NMR spectra have established the interconversion barrier of trans-2 and confirmed that the conformational equilibrium of cis-2 is strongly displaced toward the conformation with both sulfinyl groups in the pseudoequatorial position. The (1)H NMR data support the transannular interaction of the functional groups in 1 and trans-2.     

Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Small Communities

The heating values of municipal solid waste generated in three towns with a population of less than 50 000, situated in Galicia (Spain), were measured with a static bomb calorimeter. Samples of raw refuse were burnt either as received or after sorting of the different combustible components. A study was made of samples from controlled and uncontrolled landfills. The calorific values were compared with those corresponding to a commercial residual derived fuel in order to study the possibility of using municipal solid waste as a source of recovered energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A new approach to 6-deoxy-D-allofuranose- and 6-deoxy-L-talofuranose derivatives from 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene α-D-glucofuranose

3-O-Acetyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene--D-allofuranose (2 b) was prepared from 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene--D-allofuranose (1 b). Treatment of2 b with triphenylphosphine-diethyl azodicarboxylate afforded regio- and stereospecifically the 5,6-epoxy--D-allo derivative (3). The other diastereomeric compound, 5,6-epoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene--L-talofuranose (6) was also prepared stereoselectively from2 b via the intermediates5 a and5 b. The epoxy sugars3 and6 were converted with lithium aluminum hydride to the corresponding 6-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene--D-allofuranose (4 a) and --L-talofuranose (7 a) derivatives. Hydrolysis of4 a and7 a afforded 6-deoxy-D-allose and 6-deoxy-L-talose, respectively. The corresponding 3,5-di-O-acetyl- (4 b and7 b) and the 3,5-O-(tetraisopropyldisiloxane-1,3-diyl) derivatives (4 c and7 c) are also described. Selective removal of the isopropylidene group and subsequent acetylation offers a convenient route to prepare sugar derivatives containing furanose ring, like8 b, as a suitable precursor for nucleoside analogs.Herrn Prof. Dr.K. Komarek mit den besten Wünschen zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

thermal stability of epoxy systems badge (n=0)/1,2-dch and badge (n=0)/ 1,2-dch/vinylcyclohexene dioxide

The thermal degradation of the epoxy system diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (BADGE n=0)/1,2-diamine cyclohexane (DCH) containing different concentrations of an epoxy reactive diluent was studied by thermogravimetric analysis in order to determine the reaction mechanism of the degradation process and to compare it with the results for the same system without diluent. The value of the activation energy, necessary for this study, was calculated using various integral and differential methods. Values obtained using the different methods were compared to the value obtained by the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa"s method (between 193-240 kJ mol^-1 depending on the diluent concentration) with does not require a knowledge of the nth order reaction mechanism. All the experimental results were compared to master curves in the range of Doyle"s approximation (20-35% of conversion). Analysis of the results suggests that the reaction mechanism could be F₂, F₃, or A₂ type. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.