XY-ZH compounds as potential 1,3-dipoles. Part 63: Silver catalysed azomethine ylide cycloaddition—the synthesis of spiro homoserine lactone analogues

A range of room temperature 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of imines of 2-amino-γ-lactone and thiolactone, catalysed by a combination of AgOAc or Ag₂O with NEt₃ or DBU, are described. The spiro lactones/thiolactones are formed regio- and stereoselectively as single cycloadducts in good yield via the syn dipoles and an endo-transition states.     

Organic phase conversion of bulk (wurtzite) ZnO to nanophase (wurtzite and zinc blende) ZnO

We describe the all-organic phase conversion of bulk commercial ZnO in the wurtzite modification to sub-30 nm ZnO that we find to be partially in the zinc blende [, a=4.568(3) Å] modification. The conversion involves refluxing ZnO in 2,4-pentanedione (acetylacetone) at 413 K to form the zinc 2,4-pentanedionate, which is decomposed by heating at 573 K in an appropriate high-temperature solvent such as dibenzylether to form nanophase ZnO. This nanophase, partially zinc blende ZnO can also be obtained in a single step by heating commercial zinc 2,4-pentanedionate in refluxing dibenzylether. Thermodiffractometry suggests that the conversion of zinc blende ZnO to wurtzite ZnO commences near 650 K.     

Physico-Chemistry of the Limestone Sulphation Process

Aspects of the mechanism of the overall reaction between CaCO₃/CaO and SO₂/SO₃ under oxidizing conditions are discussed. The limestone and lime sulphation processes were carried out in a thermobalance under conditions relevant to atmospheric fluidized bed combustion. Sulphated samples, prepared in the form of cross-section particles, were examined in a scanning electron microscope by energy-dispersive X-ray and back-scattered electron imaging. Photomicrographs are presented. The reaction proceeded from the outer surface of the particles and along the pores. Surface textural changes during the reaction were considered. The layer of products was identified as controlling both the rate and extent of limestone/lime sulphation. In the products, two sulphur-bearing solids (CaSO₄ and CaS) were identified. The presence of CaS, which may cause difficulties in practice, is attributed to CaSO₃ disproportionation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kristallstrukturanalyse von Ammonium-catena-polyphosphat II mit Röntgenpulvertechniken

Crystal Structure Determination of Ammonium catena-Polyphosphate II by X-Ray Powder Techniques The first structure determination of one of the five modifications of ammonium-catena-polyphosphate was performed using X-ray powder diffraction data. (NH₄PO₃)_nII is formed by phase transformation of (NH₄PO₃)_nI which on its part is obtained by condensation of NH₄H₂PO₄ at 200°C in presence of urea. Modification II crystallizes in P2₁2₁2₁ (a = 1 207.9(1), b = 648.87(8), c = 426.20(4) pm; Z = 4; 291 observed reflections; R(p) = 0.089; R(wp) = 0.111; R(I, hkl) = 0.088). The chain-anion runs parallel to the shortest axis, the period of identity is two. The ammonium ion is surrounded by a distorted tetrahedron of oxygen atoms (N? O-distances range from 285 to 292 pm, hydrogen bonds of middle strength).     

The surface and materials science of tin oxide

The study of tin oxide is motivated by its applications as a solid state gas sensor material, oxidation catalyst, and transparent conductor. This review describes the physical and chemical properties that make tin oxide a suitable material for these purposes. The emphasis is on surface science studies of single crystal surfaces, but selected studies on powder and polycrystalline films are also incorporated in order to provide connecting points between surface science studies with the broader field of materials science of tin oxide. The key for understanding many aspects of SnO₂ surface properties is the dual valency of Sn. The dual valency facilitates a reversible transformation of the surface composition from stoichiometric surfaces with Sn⁴⁺ surface cations into a reduced surface with Sn²⁺ surface cations depending on the oxygen chemical potential of the system. Reduction of the surface modifies the surface electronic structure by formation of Sn 5s derived surface states that lie deep within the band gap and also cause a lowering of the work function. The gas sensing mechanism appears, however, only to be indirectly influenced by the surface composition of SnO₂. Critical for triggering a gas response are not the lattice oxygen concentration but chemisorbed (or ionosorbed) oxygen and other molecules with a net electric charge. Band bending induced by charged molecules cause the increase or decrease in surface conductivity responsible for the gas response signal. In most applications tin oxide is modified by additives to either increase the charge carrier concentration by donor atoms, or to increase the gas sensitivity or the catalytic activity by metal additives. Some of the basic concepts by which additives modify the gas sensing and catalytic properties of SnO₂ are discussed and the few surface science studies of doped SnO₂ are reviewed. Epitaxial SnO₂ films may facilitate the surface science studies of doped films in the future. To this end film growth on titania, alumina, and Pt(1 1 1) is reviewed. Thin films on alumina also make promising test systems for probing gas sensing behavior. Molecular adsorption and reaction studies on SnO₂ surfaces have been hampered by the challenges of preparing well-characterized surfaces. Nevertheless some experimental and theoretical studies have been performed and are reviewed. Of particular interest in these studies was the influence of the surface composition on its chemical properties. Finally, the variety of recently synthesized tin oxide nanoscopic materials is summarized.     

Exogenous donors of nitric oxide (a chemical aspect)

The review considers problems related to the formation, in the living organism, of nitric oxide, a versatile and vitally important regulator of cell metabolism. The pathways of formation of endogenous nitric oxide from L-arginine are discussed and the main approaches to increasing the NO concentration by introducing various types of exogenous nitric oxide donors into the organism and chemical and biological characteristics of these donors are considered. Primary attention is devoted to the known drugs that were shown to release NO under hydrolytic, oxidative, or reductive conditions. The solution of problems related to the elucidation of the mechanisms of drug action requires that the formation of nitric oxide be taken into account.     

炼铝用碳阳极中碱金属氧化物作用机理的量子化学研究

本文应用CNDO/2法研究了炼铝用碳阳极中添加碱金属氧化物的吸附行为, 通过优化得到了吸附的最佳模型, 考察了吸附结合能随分子间距的变化, 进而给出了碱金属氧化物在碳阳极中作用的机理。量子化学计算结果表明: 碱金属氧化物添加到炼铝用碳阳极中起传输电子的电桥作用, 是碳阳极在空气中氧化反应以及铝电解时生成氧气的氧化反应的催化剂; 理论计算和实验结果二者吻合较好, 可以用来解释若干实验结果。     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Mo-Based Oxide Catalysts and Selective Oxidation of Alkanes

Mo-V-M(=Al, Ga, Bi, Sb and Te)–O mixed oxide catalysts were synthesized hydrothermally for the first time, characterized structurally, and tested for ethane and propane oxidation after activation by various ways. These catalysts were black solids of rod-shaped (fiber like) crystals, which had a layer structure in the direction of fiber axis and a high dimensional arrangement of metal octahedra in the cross-section plane. These fresh crystalline materials became active for catalytic oxidation of alkanes after heat-treatment at 600 °C and subsequent grinding in order to increase exposed plane of the cross-section. The resulting catalysts were very active for an oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane with 80% of the ethylene selectivity in the reaction temperature range of 300 to 400 °C and also showed about 50% selectivity to acrylic acid in the propane oxidation. Multi-functional character which derived from the high dimensional structure of the catalysts and mechanism of the selective alkane oxidation were discussed.     

Determination of the specific interaction of disubstituted aromatic compounds on hydrous zirconium oxide-loaded porous polymer resin

Summary A porous polymer resin loaded with hydrous zirconium oxide (Zr-gel) was evaluated as a stationary phase for the liquid chromatographic separation of disubstituted aromatic compounds. The prepared Zr-gel was used to separate disubstituted phenols andortho-substituted benzoic acid derivatives in reversed-phase mode. The retention time of catechol was greater than those of other disubstituted phenols; this implies that the Zr-gel has specificity for the phenolic hydroxyl group. The retention behavior ofortho-substituted benzoic acid derivatives on the Zr-gel was also evaluated in reversedphase mode using buffer. Phthalic acid was specifically retained in the vicinity of pH 6.0, which has been regarded as the equal adsorbic point. Similar behavior was also observed for salicylic acid, although the retention time of salicylic acid was less than that of phthalic acid. It seems that the specific retention behavior of hydrous zirconium oxide is a result of complexation with ligands such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. The results of this study have revealed that the retention mechanism of hydrous zirconium oxide is a combination of ion exchange and interaction based on complexation with ligands.     

Composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carlina acanthifolia</Emphasis> Root Essential Oil

The root of Carlina acanthifolia All. (Asteraceae) contained 1.0% of essential oil (expressed in g per 100 g of dried plant material). Using GC and GC/MS, nine components were identified (100% of total oil). The structure of benzyl 2-furylacetylene (carlina oxide), which is the principal component of the oil (91.5%), was spectrometrically identified. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 331–332, July–August, 2005.