Application of the microwave acid digestion method to the decomposition of rock samples

The microwave acid digestion method was applied to the decomposition of rock samples and optimum conditions were investigated. Samples of 10–100 mg were decomposed by changing the amount and composition of acid, heating time and number of reheating steps and then the concentrations of Si, Fe, Mn, Na, K and Mg in these samples were measured. The concentrations agreed with reported values when 10 mg of sample were decomposed by heating for 60 s with 0.3 ml of concentrated HNO₃ and 0.1 ml of concentrated HF. Similarly, 100 mg of sample were also decomposed successfully by heating for 45–110 s with 0.3–1.0 ml of concentrated HNO₃ and 0.4–0.7 ml of concentrated HF. It is concluded that the microwave acid digestion method decomposes rock samples with a very short heating time and with small amount of reagents compared with methods using conventional sealed PTFE vessels, which require several hours for the heating step and several millilitres of reagents.     

Monodisperse thermosensitive particles prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization with microwave irradiation

The emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene (St) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) was successfully carried out with microwave irradiation, and the monodisperse thermoresponsive poly(styrene-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(St-co-NIPAAm)) particles with diameters in the range 100–130 nm were prepared. The morphology, size and size distribution of the poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), respectively. The results showed that poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles had spherical morphology, and the poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization with microwave irradiation were smaller, more uniform than those obtained with conventional heating. The hydrodynamic diameters of poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles were decreased as the temperature increased from 25 °C to 40 °C, and poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles collapsed remarkably at 32 °C, which is the lower critical solution temperature of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). The morphology of the assembled poly(St-co–NIPAAm) particles was observed by SEM, it was found that monodisperse poly(St-co-NIPAAm) particles could assemble to form the two-dimensional order structures.     

Molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene studied by gas electron diffraction combined with microwave spectroscopic data

The molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene

has been determined by gas electron diffraction (GED) combined with microwave (MW) spectroscopic data. Ab initio calculations at the HF/3–21G* level were carried out and used as structural constraints in the data analysis. The torsional vibration of the methyl group was treated as a large-amplitude motion. The structural parameters were determined to be: r_g(S---C₂) = 1.719(2) Å, r_g(C₂=C₃) = 1.370(3) Å, r_g(C₃---C₆) = 1.497(6) Å, r_g(C₂---H) = 1.101(5) Å, CSC = 91.6(2)°, SC₂C₃ = 113.3(5)°, SC₅C₄ = 111.3(3)°, C₂C₃C₆ = 123.2(11)° and C₃C₆H = 112(2)°. The values of r(S---C₂) − r(S---C₅) and r(C₂=C₃) − r(C₄=C₅) were fixed at the 3–21G* value of 0.002Å. Parenthesized values are the estimated limits of error (3σ) referring to the last significant digit.     

Molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene studied by gas electron diffraction combined with microwave spectroscopic data

The molecular structure of 3-methylthiophene has been determined by gas electron diffraction (GED) combined with microwave (MW) spectroscopic data. Ab initio calculations at the HF/3–21G* level were carried out and used as structural constraints in the data analysis. The torsional vibration of the methyl group was treated as a large-amplitude motion. The structural parameters were determined to be: r_{g(S---C2) = 1.719(2) Å}, r_{g(C2=C3) = 1.370(3) Å}, r_{g(C3---C6) = 1.497(6) Å}, r_{g(C2---H) = 1.101(5) Å}, CSC = 91.6(2)°, SC₂C₃ = 113.3(5)°, SC₅C₄ = 111.3(3)°, C₂C₃C₆ = 123.2(11)° and C₃C₆H = 112(2)°. The values of r(S---C₂) - r(S=C₅) and r(C₂=C₃)-r(C₄ =C₅) were fixed at the 3–21G* value of 0.002 Å. Parenthesized values are the estimated limits of error (3σ) referring to the last significant digit.     

Microwave-assisted rapid electrophilic fluorination of 1,3-dicarbonyl derivatives with Selectfluor

A microwave-assisted fluorination method for 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds using Selectfluor^® has been developed. 2-Monofluorinated products can be obtained in high yield in neutral reaction conditions with addition of 1 eq. of Selectfluor^®. Treatment of 1,3-dicarbonyls with 3 eq. of Selectfluor^® in the presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) as the base results in the formation of 2,2-difluorinated derivatives only.     

High-intensity ultrasound and microwave, alone or combined, promote Pd/C-catalyzed aryl-aryl couplings

Pd-catalyzed homo- and cross-couplings of boronic acids and aryl halides were successfully carried out both in aqueous media under high-intensity ultrasound (US) and in DME under microwave (MW). Heterogeneous catalysis with Pd/C was employed, avoiding phosphine ligands and phase-transfer catalysts. In a trial series involving 15 different iodo- and bromoaryls and 7 boronic acids, both energy sources drastically reduced reaction times affording biaryls in acceptable to good yields. With palladium(II) acetate as catalyst, electron-deficient aryl chlorides also reacted, affording a few biaryls in acceptable yields. Ullmann-type zinc-mediated homocoupling of iodo- and bromoaryls in the presence of Pd/C under CO₂ atmosphere was achieved in aqueous media under US, though not under MW. Suzuki homo- and cross-couplings were also carried out in a new reactor developed in our laboratory, featuring combined US and MW irradiation, further improving a green synthetic method.     

Microwave-assisted clean synthesis of 6-aryl-2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazines in [bmim][PF6]

An efficient and green approach was developed to prepare 6-aryl-2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazines from corresponding arylnitriles and dicyanodiamide in ionic liquid [bmim][PF₆] under computer-controlled microwave irradiation. Particularly valuable features of this method included the short reaction time, good yield, convenient operation and eco-friendly solvent.     

Microwave-assisted solid-phase Dötz benzannulation reaction: a facile synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted-1,4-naphthoquinones

A microwave-assisted solid-supported Dötz benzannulation of chromium carbene complexes with various alkynes has been developed. The oxidative cleavage of the resulting resin-bound 1,4-naphthols affords 2,3-disubstituted-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives in good to moderate yields with high purities.     

Emission characteristics of high-powered microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry by using nitrogen–oxygen mixture gas

A high-powered, microwave-induced nitrogen–oxygen plasma (N₂–O₂–MIP) generated by using an Okamoto cavity at atmospheric pressure was investigated when the observation height, the flow rate of carrier gas, and the oxygen content were varied as the experimental parameters. The emission characteristics of the plasma were evaluated with regard to the excitation temperature and the intensity ratio of atomic line to ionic line. The excitation temperature of the N₂–O₂–MIP was in the range of 5100–5700 K when the oxygen content was varied from 0 to 30% at the observation height of 7 mm and the carrier gas flow rate of 0.6 l/min. The intensity ratio of atomic line to ionic line was elevated with an increase in the oxygen content.     

Synthesis and characterization of new polyamides derived from di(4-cyanophenyl)isosorbide

New optically active polyamides were synthesized according to two ways: using a microwave-assisted polycondensation of an optically active isosorbide-derived diacylchloride with different aromatic diamines in NMP and using interfacial polymerization from an isosorbide-derived diamine with different diacylchlorides. The polymers are obtained with inherent viscosities in the range from 0.11 to 1.05 dL/g. The DSC and TGA measurements clearly demonstrate the high thermal stability of these polymers when considering the range of the melting points from 200 °C to 300 °C and the absence of decomposition till 350 °C.