The role of the solvation shell decomposition of alkali metal ions in their selective complexation by resorcinarene and its cavitand

2-Methylresorcinarene and its methylene-bridged cavitand derivative as host compounds were investigated in selective complexation of alkali metal ions as guests in methanol media by photoluminescence measurements. These host molecules possess either flexible (2-methylresorcinarene) or rigid (cavitand) molecular skeleton. The Benesi–Hildebrand method and the van't Hoff theory have been applied to determine the stability constants and the thermodynamic parameters, respectively. Considerable interactions between 2-methylresorcinarene and Li⁺ or Na⁺ ions have been observed while the rigid cavitand derivative can interact only with K⁺ or Cs⁺ ions. Neither the complexes of 2-methylresorcinarene with K⁺ or Cs⁺ nor those of the cavitand derivative with Li⁺ or Na⁺ ions are stable at room temperature in methanol media. Quantum-chemical investigations justified that only solvated Li⁺ and Na⁺ ions can form stable complexes with 2-methylresorcinarene while unsolvated K⁺ and Cs⁺ ions form stable complexes with the methylene-bridged cavitand. These results highlight that the stability of the guest solvation shell and its size could play a key role in the selectivity behaviour of host molecules.     

Synthesis and application of novel carbohydrate-based ammonium and triazolium salts

The synthesis of nine new carbohydrate-based quaternary ammonium salts and two new triazolium salts starting from d-glucose has been accomplished. Our synthesis utilized the regio- and stereoselective ring opening reaction of 2,3-anhydro sugars by nucleophilic reagents to afford the key intermediates. In these new types of phase transfer catalysts, the ammonium and triazolium functions are directly attached to the carbohydrate scaffold in different positions (2-, 3-, 6-positions of the sugar). The efficiency of the altrose- and glucose-based quaternary salts were tested in the alkylation of N-(diphenyl) methylene glycine tert-butyl ester with benzyl bromide. To our knowledge this is the first example when sugar-based quaternary ammonium or triazolium salts were used successfully as phase transfer catalysts. The enantiomeric recognition ability of the synthesized salts towards racemic Mosher’s acid silver salt was also investigated by ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy.     

金纳米粒子在TiO2气凝胶基质上的行为: 光催化活性评价和结构研究

TiO2 -Au aerogels containing different amounts of gold nanoparticles of different sizes (5 and 16 nm) were successfully synthesized using a sol-gel procedure, and were tested for salicylic acid photodegradation under UV irradiation. The structure and morphology of the obtained materials were investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to study the optical properties. The effects of the gold nanoparticles on the TiO2 crystallization process were twofold, as follows: (i) the number of crystallized zones was strongly related to the concentration of the gold nanoparticles, and (ii) the smaller gold particles increased the time taken for the crystallization of the samples. It was found that the noble metal-doped samples exhibited higher degradation rates compared with bare titania. It was found that the most active photocatalyst in each studied system was the sample with the highest concentration of gold nanoparticles. Additionally, the highest degradation rate value was obtained with the smallest Au nanoparticles (46.4 10-3 μmol/(L·s).     

Aryl‐Phosphonate Lanthanide Complexes and Their Fluorinated Derivatives: Investigation of Their Unusual Relaxometric Behavior and Potential Application as Dual Frequency 1H/19F MRI Probes

A series of low molecular weight lanthanide complexes were developed that have high ¹H longitudinal relaxivities (r₁) and the potential to be used as dual frequency ¹H and ¹⁹F MR probes. Their behavior was investigated in more detail through relaxometry, pH‐potentiometry, luminescence, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Fitting of the ¹H NMRD and ¹⁷O NMR profiles demonstrated a very short water residence lifetime (<10 ns) and an appreciable second sphere effect. At lower field strengths (20 MHz), two of the complexes displayed a peak in r₁ (21.7 and 16.3 mM ^?1 s^?1) caused by an agglomeration, that can be disrupted through the addition of phosphate anions. NMR spectroscopy revealed that at least two species are present in solution interconverting through an intramolecular binding process. Two complexes provided a suitable signal in ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and through the selection of optimized imaging parameters, phantom images were obtained in a MRI scanner at concentrations as low as 1 mM . The developed probes could be visualized through both ¹H and ¹⁹F MRI, showing their capability to function as dual frequency MRI contrast agents.     

Fingerprinting pre-historical symbolic artefacts by a non-destructive methodological approach

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A contribution to the discussion about Vila Nova de São Pedro (VNSP) as a production centre of symbolic lithic artefacts, the origin of raw...     

Effect of bulk density on flame resistance of rockwool in combined fire-resistant facings

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Fire protection of steel structures is playing an increasingly important role nowadays. The fire protection of steel structures can be solved with...     

An Abnormal N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Carbon Dioxide Adduct from Imidazolium Acetate Ionic Liquids: The Importance of Basicity

In the reaction of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate [C₂C₁Im][OAc] ionic liquid with carbon dioxide at 125 °C and 10 MPa, not only the known N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–CO₂ adduct I , but also isomeric aNHC‐CO₂ adducts II and III were obtained. The abnormal NHC‐CO₂ adducts are stabilized by the presence of the polarizing basic acetate anion, according to static DFT calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics studies. A further possible reaction pathway is facilitated by the high basicity of the system, deprotonating the initially formed NHC‐CO₂ adduct I , which can then be converted in the presence of the excess of CO₂ to the more stable 2‐deprotonated anionic abnormal NHC–CO₂ adduct via the anionic imidazolium‐2,4‐dicarboxylate according to DFT calculations on model compounds. This suggests a generalizable pathway to abnormal NHC complex formation.     

Synthesis of 1,2,7,7a-tetrahydro-1aH-cyclopropa[b]quinoline-1a-carboxylic acid derivatives, doubly constrained ACC derivatives, by a remarkable cyclopropanation process

Reaction of N-benzoyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-2-carboxylic acid with acetic anhydride resulted in 1H,3H,5H-oxazolo[3,4-a]quinolin-3-one derivative 13. Different cyclopropanation processes were applied to 13, but only diazomethane in the presence of water furnished the hitherto unknown methyl 1,2,7,7a-tetrahydro-1aH-cyclopropa[b]quinoline-1a-carboxylate 14, which can be considered as a doubly constrained 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid system. The mechanism of the cyclopropanation was studied in detail. The new ACC ester 14 was transformed into fused tetracyclic hydantoin derivatives, which comprised a new type of heterocyclic system.