Gamma radiation effects on physical properties of parchment documents: Assessment of Dmax

Parchments are important documents that give testimony for History; therefore these materials should be respected and preserved. Considering incremental biodeterioration problems that have to be faced daily, the Archive of the University of Coimbra (AUC) is involved in different scientific projects in order to evaluate and determine new methods for document decontamination and preservation.The aim of this study was to evaluate gamma radiation effects on the colour and texture of the AUC parchment documents. The assessment of these effects was used to estimate the maximum gamma radiation dose (D_max) that could guarantee parchment documents′ decontamination treatment, without significant alteration of their physical properties. Parchment samples were exposed to gamma radiation doses ranging from 10 to 30 kGy. The texture and colour of samples were assessed before and after the irradiation procedure, using a texture analyser and an electronic colorimeter. Hardness and springiness were determined based on texture spectra. Lightness (L?), Chroma (C), greenness vs. redness (a*) and yellowness vs. blueness (b*) values were obtained from colorimetric measures. Results indicate no significant effects of gamma radiation on the texture and colour of parchment for the studied doses.     

Electronic structure of IPR and non-IPR endohedral metallofullerenes: Connecting orbital and topological rules

The electronic structure of endohedral metallofullerenes is rationalized by connecting the apparently independent orbital and topological rules that explain the stability of this family of fullerenes. The separation of the 12 pentagons of the fullerene, which is maximized in order to minimize the Coulomb repulsion, is found to be correlated with the orbital energies of the cage that accepts the electron transfer from the internal cluster. An explanation for the absence of non-IPR cages in large-size EMFs is also provided.     

Préparation,caractérisation et réactivité de l’acide 1-vanado-11-molybdo-phosphorique supporté sur des matériaux silicatés mésoporeux dans l’oxydation du propène

The H₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀ heteropolyacid (HPA) was supported at 30 wt.% by the dry impregnation method on HMS, CMI-1 and SBA-15 mesoporous materials. The state of the HPA and those of the supports were examined by nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, (DR) FT–IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, thermal analysis (TG–ATD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of support on the catalytic behavior of H₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀ was studied in the propene oxidation at 350 °C. It was shown that the presence of H₄PMo₁1VO₄₀, modifies the textural properties of mesoporous materials (decrease of surface area) without destroying their structure. The interaction support–heteropolyacid leads to the formation of (SiOH²⁺)(H₃PMo₁₁VO₄₀^?) surface species more stable than H₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀ species and that appear to be the active sites in the propene oxidation.     

Esterification of acetic acid with n-Butanol using vanadium oxides supported on γ-alumina

Esterification of acetic acid with n-Butanol has been studied in a heterogeneous reaction system using two γ-alumina-supported vanadium oxide catalysts with different V loadings, which were prepared by the impregnation of a precipitated alumina. The alumina support and the supported catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption, EDX analysis and NH₃-TPD techniques. The effects of the reaction time, of the molar ratio of the reactants, of the speed of agitation and of the mass fraction of the catalyst on the catalytic properties were studied. In the presence of the supported catalyst containing 10 wt % V₂O₅ (10V-Al₂O₃ sample) the conversion reached 87.7% after 210 min of reaction at 100 °C with an n-Butanol-to-acetic acid mole ratio equal to one. The conversion as well as the total acidity measured by TPD of NH₃ increased in the following order: Al₂O₃ < 5V-Al₂O₃ (5 wt % V₂O₅/Al₂O₃) < 10V-Al₂O₃. In all cases the reaction was completely selective to n-butyl acetate. Nevertheless, a loss in catalytic activity after three reaction cycles with 10 V₂O₅–Al₂O₃ catalyst was observed.     

Low‐dimensional compounds containing bioactive ligands. IV. Unusual ionic forms of 5‐chloroquinolin‐8‐ol

Bis(5‐chloro‐8‐hydroxyquinolinium) tetrachloridopalladate(II), (C₉H₇ClNO)₂[PdCl₄], (I), catena‐poly[dimethylammonium [[dichloridopalladate(II)]‐μ‐chlorido]], {(C₂H₈N)[PdCl₃]}_n, (II), ethylenediammonium bis(5‐chloroquinolin‐8‐olate), C₂H₁₀N₂²⁺·2C₉H₅ClNO⁻, (III), and 5‐chloro‐8‐hydroxyquinolinium chloride, C₉H₇ClNO⁺·Cl⁻, (IV), were synthesized with the aim of preparing biologically active complexes of Pd^II and Ni^II with 5‐chloroquinolin‐8‐ol (ClQ). Compounds (I) and (II) contain Pd^II atoms which are coordinated in a square‐planar manner by four chloride ligands. In the structure of (I), there is an isolated [PdCl₄]²⁻ anion, while in the structure of (II) the anion consists of Pd^II atoms, lying on centres of inversion, bonded to a combination of two terminal and two bridging Cl⁻ ligands, lying on twofold rotation axes, forming an infinite [–μ₂‐Cl–PdCl₂–]_n chain. The negative charges of these anions are balanced by two crystallographically independent protonated HClQ⁺ cations in (I) and by dimethylammonium cations in (II), with the N atoms lying on twofold rotation axes. The structure of (III) consists of ClQ⁻ anions, with the hydroxy groups deprotonated, and centrosymmetric ethylenediammonium cations. On the other hand, the structure of (IV) consists of a protonated HClQ⁺ cation with the positive charge balanced by a chloride anion. All four structures are stabilized by systems of hydrogen bonds which occur between the anions and cations. π–π interactions were observed between the HClQ⁺ cations in the structures of (I) and (IV).     

Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate Aldolase Catalyzed Synthesis of Structurally Diverse Polyhydroxylated Pyrrolidine Derivatives and Evaluation of their Glycosidase Inhibitory Properties

The chemoenzymatic synthesis of a collection of pyrrolidine‐type iminosugars generated by the aldol addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to C‐α‐substituted N‐Cbz‐2‐aminoaldehydes derivatives, catalyzed by DHAP aldolases is reported. L ‐Fuculose‐1‐phosphate aldolase (FucA) and L ‐rhamnulose‐1‐phosphate aldolase (RhuA) from E. coli were used as biocatalysts to generate configurational diversity on the iminosugars. Alkyl linear substitutions at C‐α were well tolerated by FucA catalyst (i.e., 40–70 % conversions to aldol adduct), whereas no product was observed with C‐α‐alkyl branched substitutions, except for dimethyl and benzyl substitutions (20 %). RhuA was the most versatile biocatalyst: C‐α‐alkyl linear groups gave the highest conversions to aldol adducts (60–99 %), while the C‐α‐alkyl branched ones gave moderate to good conversions (50–80 %), with the exception of dimethyl and benzyl substituents (20 %). FucA was the most stereoselective biocatalyst (90–100 % anti (3R,4R) adduct). RhuA was highly stereoselective with (S)‐N‐Cbz‐2‐aminoaldehydes (90–100 % syn (i.e., 3R,4S) adduct), whereas those with R configuration gave mixtures of anti/syn adducts. For iPr and iBu substituents, RhuA furnished the anti adduct (i.e., FucA stereochemistry) with high stereoselectivity. Molecular models of aldol products with iPr and iBu substituents and as complexes with the RhuA active site suggest that the anti adducts could be kinetically preferred, while the syn adducts would be the equilibrium products. The polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines generated were tested as inhibitors against seven glycosidases. Among them, good inhibitors of α‐L ‐fucosidase (IC₅₀=1–20 μM ), moderate of α‐L ‐rhamnosidase (IC₅₀=7–150 μM ), and weak of α‐D ‐mannosidase (IC₅₀=80–400 μM ) were identified. The apparent inhibition constant values (K_i) were calculated for the most relevant inhibitors and computational docking studies were performed to understand both their binding capacity and the mode of interaction with the glycosidases.     

Gold‐ or Platinum‐Catalyzed Cascade Processes of Alkynol Derivatives Involving Hydroalkoxylation Reactions Followed by Prins‐Type Cyclizations

An efficient method for the synthesis of [3.3.1]bicyclic compounds from easily available alkynol derivatives has been developed. The reaction is based on a gold‐ or platinum‐catalyzed tandem process that involves an intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of a triple bond followed by a Prins‐type cyclization. The reaction has been carried out with differently substituted alkynol derivatives and oxygen‐, nitrogen‐, and carbon‐centered nucleophiles. The incorporation of halogen atoms as nucleophiles and elimination reactions has also been studied. Enantiomerically pure [3.3.1]bicyclic systems were easily synthesized from the chiral pool.     

Intramolecular Homolytic Substitution of Sulfinates and Sulfinamides

A general and efficient method for the synthesis of cyclic sulfinates and sulfinamides based on intramolecular homolytic substitution (S_Hi) at the sulfur atom by aryl or alkyl radicals is described. Both alkyl and benzofused compounds can be accessed directly from easily prepared acyclic precursors. Enantiomerically enriched sulfur‐based heterocycles were formed through an S_Hi process with inversion of configuration at the sulfur atom. Cyclization of prochiral radicals proceeded with varying stereochemical outcomes, depending on the size of the incoming radical. 2‐Pyridyl and 2‐quinolyl radicals led to biaryl compounds, which result from attack onto the ortho position of the arylsulfinate rather than a thiophilic substitution.