Control of mesoporous structure of aerogels derived from cresol-formaldehyde

Polycondensation of a cresol mixture (C(m)) with formaldehyde (F) in basic aqueous solutions leads to formation of highly cross-linked C(m)F aquagels that can be supercritically dried with carbon dioxide to form organic C(m)F aerogels. Aerogels synthesized with different catalyst contents and reactant concentrations are characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The present experimental results suggest that the C(m)F aerogels are typical mesoporous materials and have almost no micropores in bulk. The microstructure of the organic C(m)F aerogels can be controlled and tailored effectively by varying synthesis conditions during the initial sol-gel process. C(m)F organic aerogels with specific surface area as high as 627 m(2)/g and corresponding pore volume 2.06 ml/g have been obtained with a dominant pore size of 30 nm. C(m)F organic aerogels with peaky pore size distributions concentrated at 11 nm have also been prepared.     

One-Pot Formation of Carbonates from the Reactions of Carbonyl Compounds with Samarium Diiodide and Methyl Chloroformate

Treatment of carbonyl compounds with SmI₂ and methyl chloroformate in the presence of molecular sieves provides the cyclic carbonates or biscarbonates of pinacols. This one-pot reaction proceeds rapidly even with aliphatic ketones. The stereochemistry obtained by this procedure is different from that of conventional pinacolic couplings.     

Resolution of the non-steady-state kinetics of the two-step mechanism for the Diels-Alder reaction between anthracene and tetracyanoethylene in acetonitrile

The Diels-Alder reaction between anthracene and tetracyanoethylene in acetonitrile does not reach a steady-state during the first half-life. The reaction follows the reversible consecutive second-order mechanism accompanied by the formation of a kinetically significant intermediate. The experimental observations consistent with this mechanism include extent of reaction-time profiles which deviate markedly from those expected for the irreversible second-order mechanism and initial pseudo first-order rate constants which differ significantly from those measured at longer times. It is concluded that the reaction intermediate giving rise to these deviations cannot be the charge-transfer (CT) complex, which is formed during the time of mixing, but rather a more intimate complex with a geometry favorable to the formation of the Diels-Alder adduct. The kinetics of the reaction were resolved into the microscopic rate constants for the individual steps. The rate constants, as shown in equation 1, at 293 K were observed to be 5.46 M(-)(1) s(-)(1) (k(f)), 14.8 s(-)(1) (k(b)), and 12.4 s(-)(1) (k(p)). Concentration profiles calculated under all conditions show that intermediate concentrations increase to maximum values early in the reaction and then continually decay during the first half-life. It is concluded that the charge-transfer complex may be an intermediate preceding the formation of the reactant complex, but due to its rapid formation and dissociation it is not detected by the kinetic measurements.     

Acceleration of Organic Reactions Using Microwave

The use of microwave technology in accelerating organic reactions has received intense attention leading to immense growth recently. Accordingly, we have been interested in improving the efficacy of organic processes by microwave irradiation. Here we report our results on the microwave assisted direct amide formation from carboxylic acid and amine, the hydrolysis of biopolymers, and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The reactions carried out under microwave irradiation, in general, …     

Facile cyclization of amidyl radicals generated from N-acyltriazenes

N-Acyltriazenes serve as a tin-free and initiator-free source for amidyl radicals. Thermal decomposition of N,N′-diaryl-N-(4-pentenoyl)triazenes in refluxing toluene led to the formation of monocyclic and tricyclic lactams in satisfactory yields via 5-exo amidyl radical cyclization.     

Solid Phase Synthesis of 4H-Pyrimido[2,1-b] Benzothiazol-4-ones from Resin-Bound Cyclic Malonic Ester

The solid phase synthesis of 4H-pyrimido[2,1-6] benzothizaol-4-ones has been reported.     

The molecular structure of norbornene as determined by electron diffraction and microwave spectroscopy

The molecular structure of norbornene has been investigated in the gas phase by combining electron diffraction data with microwave spectroscopic rotational constants. The interatomic distances (r_g) and bond angles were obtained by applying a least squares program to the refined experimental molecular diffraction intensities. The CC bond length was found to be 1.336 ± 0.002 Å while the

) bond length was 1. 529 ± 0.007 Å. Other bond lengths and angles included (IUPAC numbering system was used for norbornene): C₁-C₆ = 1.550 ± 0.020 Å, C₁-C₇ = 1.566± 0.005 Å, C₅-C₆ = 1.556 ± 0.005 Å, C-H_ave. = 1.103 ± 0.003 Å, ∠C₁C₂C₄ = 95.3°. The dihedral angle between planes C₁C₂C₃C₄ and C₁C₆C₅C₄ is 110.8 ± 1.5° while that between C₁C₂C₃C₄ and C₁C₇C₄ is 122.3°. The moments of inertia calculated from ED structure are in good agreement with microwave spectroscopic values.     

Molecular structure of 1,2,4-triazole

The molecular structure of 1,2,4-triazole has been determined by gas phase electron diffraction. The intemuclear distances and bond angles were obtained by applying a least-squares analysis to the experimental intensity. The bond distances (r_g) and bond angles were N₁-N₂ = 1.380 ± 0.010 Å, N₂C₃ = 1.329 ± 0.009 Å, C₃-N₄ = 1.348 ± 0.009 Å, N₁-C₅ = 1.377 ± 0.004 Å, N₄C₅ = 1.305 Å (calculated value). N-H = 0.990 Å, C-H = 1.054 Å, ∠N₁N₂C₃ = 102.7± 0.5°, ∠N₂C₃N₄ = 113.8 ± 1.3°, ∠N₂N₁C₅ = 108.9 ± 0.8°, ∠H₁N₁N₂ = 110.9°, ∠H₂C₃N₄ = 119.2°, ∠H₃C₅N₁ = 131.0°, ∠C₃N₄C₅ = 105.7° (calculated value) and ∠N₄C₅N₁ = 108.7° (calculated value).     

Total Synthesis of (+/-)-Leporin A

An efficient synthesis of (+/-)-leporin A (1) has been developed using a tandem Knoevenagel condensation-inverse electron demand intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction to construct the key tricyclic intermediate 3 from pyridone 5 and dienal 6 in one pot in 35% yield. Hydroxylation (71%) of 3 and methylation (77%) of the resulting hydroxypyridone 2 completed the first total synthesis of (+/-)-leporin A (1).     

Study on osmotic pressures for aqueous lysozyme and alpha-chymotrypsin-electrolyte solutions with two Yukawa potentials

The equation of state (EOS) of Duh and Mier-y-Terán for one Yukawa potential is expanded to two Yukawa potentials to describe the nonidealities of the charged lysozyme and alpha-chymotrypsin solutions. Instead of the classical DLVO theory, the attractive dispersion and double-layer repulsion interactions are represented by two Yukawa potentials, respectively. For the aqueous lysozyme solutions, the only adjustable dispersion energy parameter epsilon/k is regressed and the average deviation is 1.76%. For the aqueous alpha-chymotrypsin solutions, two adjustable parameters (the molecular weight and dispersion energy parameter) are regressed and the average deviation is 7.62%. Some correlation and prediction results are discussed.