Bifunctional sensor of nitric oxide and oxygen based on hematite nanotubes embedded in chitosan matrix

A novel hybrid bifunctional sensing platform for simultaneous determination of NO and O₂ has been developed, whereby hematite nanotubes are immobilized into the chitosan matrix onto a gold electrode (labeled as HeNTs-Chi/Au). The HeNTs distributed in porous-structured chitosan matrix not only offer abundant active sites for bifunctional sensing of NO and O₂, but also facilitate oxidation of NO and reduction of O₂ dramatically. Straight calibration curves are achieved in analyte concentration ranges of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.25 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ for NO and 2.5 × 10⁻⁷ to 6.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ for O₂. Also, the detection limits are low of 8.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ for NO and 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ for O₂. Such an efficient bifunctional sensor for NO and O₂ offers great potential in quantitation of NO levels in biological and medical systems, since NO level is highly regulated by various reactive oxygen species.     

Bifunctional cinchona alkaloids-catalyzed asymmetric [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters with oxazolones

A highly enantioselective [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters with oxazolones was realized with readily available cinchona alkaloids as the catalysts. Using this reaction, a series of highly functionalized δ-lactones with adjacent α-quaternary-β-tertiary stereocenters were obtained in high yields (up to 97%) and with good-to-excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).     

预处理温度对甘油氢解双金属Ir-Re催化剂性能的影响

在生物柴油生产过程中大量副产的甘油是重要的生物质转化平台化合物.通过甘油氢解制备高附加值的1,3-丙二醇是甘油的资源化利用的重要途径,能够显著提高生物柴油产业的经济效益,同时也是探究更复杂的糖醇类化合物氢解的模型反应.因此,甘油氢解制备1,3-丙二醇成为当前学术界的研究热点.通常,以Re或W为助剂修饰的贵金属催化剂是有效的甘油选择性氢解制1,3-丙二醇的催化剂,其中,双金属Ir-Re催化剂是目前最高效的催化剂之一.甘油氢解反应是典型的结构敏感性反应,它的催化性能依赖于双金属催化剂的结构,而后者受制备工艺条件如热处理方式及条件的影响.最近,我们报道了以直接还原法(即浸渍-还原法)制备的Ir-Re催化剂为合金结构,在甘油氢解中表现出更为优越的反应活性及目前报道中最高的1,3-丙二醇生成速率,并提出了可能的双功能反应机理,即催化剂表面的Re-OH酸性位和Ir均为甘油氢解的活性位.本文采用直接还原法制备KIT-6(具有三维有序介孔孔道结构的SiO2)负载的双金属Ir-Re催化剂,进一步研究还原温度对Ir-Re/KIT-6的结构及其催化性能的影响,揭示催化剂表面酸性在甘油氢解反应中的重要作用并阐明其构-效关系.结果显示不同还原温度(400–700 oC)制备的催化剂的比表面积、孔体积及孔径数据基本一致,表明还原温度对Ir-Re/KIT-6的织构性质的影响很小.根据程序升温还原和透射电镜-能量散射点扫描结果可知,不同温度还原后的催化剂表面Ir和Re均以金属态形式存在,同时两者存在直接的相互作用,形成了Ir-Re合金;而漫反射红外图谱上CO吸附峰的红移以及峰形的显著变化也印证了Ir-Re合金结构的形成. TEM结果显示,在400–700oC还原后得到的Ir-Re合金纳米粒子均匀分布于KIT-6上,尺寸基本一致(2.5–2.8 nm),与CO化学吸附结果一致.此外, NH3-程序升温脱附结果表明催化剂的酸量随着还原温度的升高而逐渐增大,但酸强度没有明显变化,这可能是由于高温还原进一步促进了Ir和Re的相互作用,在原子尺度上混合更为均匀所致. Ir-Re催化剂上甘油氢解反应结果显示,随着还原温度由400提高到600 oC,所制催化剂的活性先增加而后趋于稳定.由此可以认为Ir-Re催化性能的差异与Ir分散度和酸强度的关联较小,主要是由于催化剂表面酸量所致.直接关联酸量与反应活性(以反应时间内的平均1,3-丙二醇生成速率表示)可以看到,反应活性随着酸量的增加而线性增大,表明Ir-Re/KIT-6的表面酸量直接影响了甘油氢解反应速率的快慢,即酸位Re-OH直接参与了催化反应.众所周知, Re金属活化H2的能力很弱,而金属Ir在反应中起到催化加氢的作用.实验结果很好地印证了Ir-Re合金催化甘油氢解反应的双功能反应机理,即酸位Re-OH与金属Ir协同参与氢解反应,分别作为甘油吸附位和H2活化中心,因此提高催化剂的表面Re-OH的数量将是进一步提高催化活性的途径之一.总的来说,在400–700 oC还原得到的Ir-Re/KIT-6催化剂具有Ir-Re合金结构.还原温度对催化剂的织构性质、金属纳米粒子的尺寸、Ir的分散度及表面酸强度的影响不大,但还原温度的升高有利于Ir和Re的相互作用,显著提高了催化剂的表面酸量,因而提高催化活性.此外,表面酸量和反应活性的线性关系表明酸位Re-OH参与Ir-Re合金催化甘油氢解反应,印证了双功能反应机理.     

Effect of Catalyst Properties on Hydrocracking of Pyrolytic Lignin to Liquid Fuel in Supercritical Ethanol

The metal-acid bifunctional catalysts have been used for bio-oil upgrading and pyrolytic lignin hydrocracking. In this work, the effects of the metal-acid bifunctional catalyst properties, including acidity, pore size and supported metal on hydrocracking of pyrolytic lignin in supercritical ethanol and hydrogen were investigated at 260 ^oC. A series of catalysts were prepared and characterized by BET, XRD, and NH₃-TPD techniques. The results showed that enhancing the acidity of the catalyst without metal can promote pyrolytic lignin polymerization to form more solid and condensation to produce more water. The pore size of microporous catalyst was smaller than mesoporous catalyst. Together with strong acidity, it caused pyrolytic lignin further hydrocrack to numerous gas. Introducing Ru into acidic catalysts promoted pyrolytic lignin hydrocracking and inhibited the polymerization and condensation, which caused the yield of pyrolytic lignin liquefaction product to increase significantly. Therefore, bifunctional catalyst with high hydrocracking activity metal Ru supported on materials with acidic sites and mesopores was imperative to get satisfactory results for the conversion of pyrolytic lignin to liquid products under supercritical conditions and hydrogen atmosphere.     

Effects of Edge Oxidation on the Stability and Half‐Metallicity of Graphene Quantum Dots

A comprehensive first‐principles theoretical study of the electronic properties and half‐metallic nature of zigzag edge‐oxidized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) is carried out by using density functional theory (DFT) with the screened exchange hybrid functional of Heyd, Scuseria and Ernzerhof (HSE06). The oxidation schemes include ‐OH, ‐COOH and ‐COO groups. We identify oxidized GQDs whose opposite spins are localized at the two zigzag edges in an antiferromagnetic‐type configuration, showing a spin‐polarized ground state. Oxidized GQDs are more stable than the corresponding fully hydrogenated GQDs. The partially hydroxylated and carboxylated GQDs with the same size exhibit half‐metallic state under almost the same electric‐field intensity whereas fully oxidized GQDs behave as spin‐selective semiconductors. The electric‐field intensity inducing the half metal increases with the length of the partially oxidized GQDs, ranging from M=4 to 7.     

Asymmetric phase-transfer reactions under base-free neutral conditions

Although quaternary onium salt-catalyzed phase-transfer reactions are generally believed to require base additives, we discovered even without any base additives conjugate additions of 3-substituted oxindoles proceeded smoothly in the presence of lipophilic quaternary onium bromide under water-organic biphasic conditions. The mechanism of this novel base-free neutral phase-transfer reaction system was investigated, and the assumed catalytic cycle was presented together with interesting effects of water and lipophilicity of the phase-transfer catalyst. The base-free neutral phase-transfer reaction system could be applied to highly enantioselective conjugate additions, aldol reaction, sulfenylation, and chlorination under the influence of chiral bifunctional onium bromides as key catalysts.     

Synthesis of Telechelic Polystyrene by Radical Polymerization Using 1,4-Bis(p-tert-Butylphenylseleno-Methyl)benzene as a Photoiniferter

Abstract

1,4-Bis(p-tert-butylphenylselenomethyl) benzene was synthesized, and used as a bifunctional photoiniferter for the polymerization of styrene. Both the polymer yields and the number average of molecular weights (_n) of polymers increased with the polymerization. The polymerization of styrene by this iniferter permitted telechelic polystyrene containing arylseleno groups at both chain ends, and the degree of functionality was 1.9. The seleno groups of both chain ends of polystyrene were reduced quantitatively by tri-n-butyltin hydride. These seleno groups in polystyrene were also eliminated by treatment with hydrogen peroxide to give telechelic polystyrene with carbon-carbon double bond at both chain ends. Further, polystyrene with double bonds was converted to telechelic polystyrene carrying terminal functional groups as epoxy, hydroxy, and iodide group, respectively.

     

Molecular design of neutral intramolecular complexes bearing two silicon atoms anchored by a carbonyl oxygen atom: N,N'-bis(silylmethyl)propylene ureas

B3LYP and MP2 computations have been performed on a variety of Si,Si'-substituted N,N'-bis(silylmethyl)propylene ureas. According to electron-density atoms-in-molecules (AIM) and electron localization function (ELF) quantum-topological analyses, a transition from the unstable non-chelate forms of these compounds to mono- and bis-chelate forms results in the successive interaction of one and two tetracoordinate silicon atoms with the carbonyl oxygen and the formation, respectively, of one and two covalent, polar Si...O bonds. This previously unknown X-Si<--O-->Si-X type of bonding in isomers possessing an anchor structure may be classified as a five-center, six-electron (5c-6e) bond. The factors that favor the existence of Si,Si'-substituted N,N'-bis(silylmethyl)propylene ureas exclusively in the form of stable, bridged complexes (the size of equatorial ligands and the electronegativity of axial substituents at the silicon atom, change in the donor capability of the carbonyl group, and effect of the polar solvent) are discussed.     

Theoretical prediction regarding structural and thermodynamical characteristics of stable CH3PO2 isomers and unimolecular decomposition mechanisms of species CH3P(O)2, CH3O?PO,and CH2P(O)OH

The detailed isomerization and dissociation reaction potential energy profile of the CH₃PO₂ system was established at the UCCSD(T)/6‐311++G(3df,2p)//UB3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory. Seventy minimum isomers were located and connected by 93 optimized interconversion transition states. Furthermore, 32 isomers with high kinetic stability were predicted to be possible candidates for further experimental detection. The bonding nature of the suggested stable isomers was analyzed while their molecular properties including heats of formation, adiabatic ionization potentials, and adiabatic electronic affinities were calculated at the G2, G2(MP2), G3, and CBS‐Q levels. Based on the isomerization and dissociation potential energy surface, possible unimolecular decomposition mechanisms and pathways of the low‐lying molecules CH₃P(?O)₂, CH₃O? P?O, and CH₂?P(?O)OH were discussed. Furthermore, the transition state theory rate constants of the primary unimolecular dissociation channels were also calculated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009     

双官能度自由基引发剂应用研究的进展

双官能度引发剂在自由基聚合中的应用不断受到重视，本文介绍了常用的双官能度引发剂，并综述了其在制备嵌段共聚物及引发乙烯类单体（如苯乙烯、氯乙烯、丙烯酰胺等）聚合的研究进展。