A bird nest-like manganese dioxide and its application as electrode in supercapacitors

A novel bird nest-like nanostructured MnO2(BNNS-MnO2) was prepared by a facile and cost-effective strategy. Their structures and morphologies were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Capacitive behaviors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge. The obtained nano-MnO2 possesses a well designed loose-assembled hierarchical nanoarchitecture with an appropriate crystallinity which gives rise to excellent performances as an electrode material for supercapacitors. A maximum specific capacitance of 917 F/g has been obtained at a current density of 5 mA/cm2 in 6 mol/L KOH aqueous solution, and a specific capacitance of 210 F/g has been maintained for 500 cycles. As the low cost of MnSO4 and KCr2O7 and the low reaction temperature, the present method avoids the requirements for complicated operations, time/energy-consuming and expensive reagents, and perhaps is ready for the industrialization of nano-MnO2 production.     

Synthesis and study of N,N‐disubstituted 4‐[(4‐aminophenyl)diazenyl]benzylidene‐4′‐alkylanilines

A series of N,N‐disubstituted‐4‐[(4‐aminophenyl)diazenyl]benzylidene‐4′‐alkylanilines (azo dyes) were synthesized from the reaction of the corresponding benzaldehyde with alkylanilines. These azo dyes exhibit nematic and SmC phases on heating. Their order parameter, photo‐stability and miscibility were studied by investigation of a representative sample.     

On the use of ‘shortcuts’ in the method of continuous variation (Job's method)

The use of modified Job plot methodology provides a quick and easy means for evaluating host–guest stoichiometry and requires less material than the original method. In this short paper, the results of a recent anion recognition study using thiourea-functionalised norbornanes and [n]polynorbornanes are presented. A significant difference between the plots constructed using the original and modified method was observed and, as such, caution is advised when the modified Job's method is solely used for the determination of host–guest stoichiometry.     

Organophosphine/phosphite‐stabilized silver(I) complexes bearing N‐acetylbenzamide ligand: synthesis,characterization and potential application in metal organic chemical vapor deposition

New N‐silver(I) acetylbenzamide complexes of type L_n?AgNC₉H₈O₂ (L = PPh₃; n = 1, 2a; n = 2, 2b; n = 3, 2c; L = P(OEt)₃; n = 1, 2d; n = 2, 2e; n = 3, 2f) were prepared. These complexes were obtained in high yields and characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C{H} NMR, ³¹P{H} NMR and IR spectroscopy, respectively. The molecular structure of 2b has been determined by X‐ray single‐crystal analysis in which the silver atom is in a distorted tetrahedral geometry and crystallizes as cis–trans. New N‐silver(I) acetylbenzamide complexes have a four‐membered ring, which could influence their chemical and physical properties and modulate volatility. Metal organic chemical vapor deposition experiments were carried out successfully at 400°C and 450°C using 2e as precursor for the deposition of silver films, respectively. The high‐purity silver film obtained at 400°C is dense and homogeneous. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal-oxidative degradation of high-amylose corn starch

Thermal oxidation degradation of high-amylose (80 %) cornstarch has been studied using thermogravimetry analyser coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR). The linear structure of amylose provides a modal material to understand how the starch microstructure affects on the decomposition mechanisms. Kinetics of the thermal oxidation has been studied using different methods. It is found that the thermal oxidation degradation is more complex than thermal degradation, thermal oxidation degradation kinetics of the starch can be interpreted in terms of multi-step degradation mechanism, the activation energies obtain from Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (F–W–O) method and modified Coats–Redfern method are in good agreement. TG-FTIR and FTIR results confirm that the thermal oxidation mechanism of starch is a process containing long chain scission and glowing combustion.     

Synthesis of Cationic Dumbbell-shaped Fullerene Nanostructures as Potential Photodynamic Sensitizers

A design of novel hydrophilic tetracationic dumbbell-shaped [60]fullerene nanostructures was made by balancing the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity characteristics of the fullerene adduct for their potential application as photodynamic sensitizers in the PDT treatment. A sequential protection-deprotection reaction pathway was applied for the functional differentiation between primary and secondary amine moieties of pentaethylene hexamine. Synthesis of the target molecule involves two key steps of unsymmetrical esterification and amidation of malonic acid and subsequent fullerenation. The synthetic strategy was accomplished using mild reaction conditions in the intermediate molecule preparation and led a moderate overall product yield.     

Conversion of Penicillin G Into Cephalexin Employing a Second-Order Asymmetric Transformation

2′5- and 2′R- and S- cephalexin, (5b) and (5c) respectively, both available in six stages from penicillin G, have each been converted to the more useful 2′R-isomer (5a) by a base catalysed epimerization and selective crystallization process involving the N-nitrosoimidazolidinyl derivatives (7).