Novel type of heterogenized CuCl2 catalytic systems for oxidative carbonylation of methanol

A novel type of heterogenized CuCl₂ catalysts was designed for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) taking account of the plausible reaction mechanism and intermediates. To prevent severe corrosion of the reaction equipment materials due to Cl^– while keeping the catalytic activity of the homogeneous CuCl₂ catalyst, we adopted, as supports (or ligands) of CuCl₂, four polymers, bearing a 2,2-bipyridine (bpy) or pyridine (py) unit, namely, poly(2,2-bipyridine-5,5-diyl) (Pbpy), poly(pyridine-2,5-diyl) (Ppy), poly(N,N-bisphenylene-2,2-bipyridine-4,4-dicarboxylic amide) (Bpya), and poly(4-methyl-4-vinyl-2,2-bipyridine) (Pvbpy), together with one chelate compound, 8-quinolinol. The catalytic activity, stability of heterogenized CuCl₂ and their corrosivities to stainless steels were examined in the liquid-phase reaction of the oxidative carbonylation of methanol. These polymer-supported catalysts showed considerable catalytic activity and stability for the DMC synthesis. In particular, the Pbpy-CuCl₂ and Ppy-CuCl₂ catalysts exhibited high DMC yields and selectivity comparable to those of the homogeneous CuCl₂ catalyst. This high activity appears to be associated with the presence of the -conjugated system in the polymers, which affect the redox reactions of Cu involved in the catalytic reaction. All of the polymer-supported CuCl₂ catalysts could be easily recycled after filtration, and the initial catalytic activity was maintained after three times of use. The corrosive characters of the catalysts were closely related to CuCl₂ leaching from the supports, which reflects the ability of supports to coordinate Cu. These experimental results suggest that both the electronic structure and the coordination ability of the polymer supports are key factors for the development of an effective catalytic system.     

ZnGA-MMT catalyzed the copolymerization of carbon dioxide with propylene oxide

Zinc glutarate (ZnGA) synthesized from zinc oxide and glutarate acid was dispersed on the surface of acid-treated montmorillonite (MMT) in quinoline to prepare ZnGA-MMT catalyst. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements indicated that the ZnGA on the surface of acid-treated MMT had the same crystalline structure as pure ZnGA. Copolymerization between CO₂ and propylene oxide (PO) was carried out under optimized reaction conditions using ZnGA-MMT catalyst, consequently giving poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) with high molecular weight in a very high yield (115.2 g polymer per gram of ZnGA). The obtained PPCs were investigated using ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectra, showing a completely alternating structure. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) examinations showed the PPCs with a high transition temperature of 38 °C and a very high decomposition temperature (>250 °C) due to the presence of MMT residual in polymer.     

Near-crater discoloration of white lead in wall paintings during laser induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis

During Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis of white lead pigment (basic lead carbonate, 2PbCO₃·Pb(OH)₂), used in wall paintings of historical interest, a yellow–brown discoloration has been observed around the crater. This phenomenon faded after a few days exposure under ambient atmosphere. It was established that the mechanism of this discoloration consists in lead oxides (PbO) formation. It was verified by further experiments under argon atmosphere that recombination of lead with oxygen in the plasma plume produces the oxides, which settle around the crater and induce this discoloration. The impact of discoloration on the artwork's aesthetic aspect and the role of atmosphere on discoloration attenuation are discussed. The mechanism is studied on three other pigments (malachite, Prussian blue and ultramarine blue) and threshold for discoloration occurrence is estimated.     

Vacuum-ultraviolet induced oxidation of the polymers polyethylene and polypropylene

The emission from low-pressure microwave plasmas in the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) region (λ < 200 nm) was investigated in order to use these plasmas as light sources for the study of the VUV photochemistry of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) as part of the study of plasma-polymer interaction. These polymers, immersed in low-presure oxygen, were exposed to radiation with wavelengths down to 112 nm, the cut off of magnesium fluoride used as a window to separate the polymer specimen from the plasma light source. Total oxygen incorporation in the surface [O], and the formation of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups were measured using XPS in combination with chemical derivatizations, particularly their dependence upon the radiation spectrum and the oxygen pressure around the sample. In most experiments the surface oxygen concentration [O] attained a constant value that appears to be related to the initial oxidation rate; this suggests a competition between oxygen incorporation and chain scission reactions, followed by the removal of volatile oxidation products. PE is usually oxidized to a higher level than PP, the latter appearing to be more susceptible to reaction with atomic oxygen than PE. A general initiation mechanism for the VUV experiments is proposed that allows us to explain the observed differences in behavior between PE and PP, and the results obtained under different irradiation conditions. The nature of oxidation products is in both cases very similar to what is observed after direct plasma treatment of the polymers. We conclude that short wavelength radiation contributes very appreciably to the observed surface modification effects during plasma treatment of PE and PP. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Insoluble polystyrene-bound quaternary onium salt catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates by the reaction of oxiranes with carbon dioxide

The addition reaction of oxiranes ( 26a—e ) with carbon dioxide (CO₂) was performed using insoluble polystyrene beads containing pendant quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts as catalysts under atmospheric pressure. The reaction of 26a—e with CO₂ proceeded smoothly catalyzed by 1–2 mol % of the polymer-supported quaternary onium salts to give the corresponding cyclic carbonates ( 27a—e ) in high yields at 80–90°C. In this reaction system, the catalytic activity of the polymer-supported quaternary onium salts was strongly affected by the following factors: degree of ring substitution (DRS) of the onium salt residues to the polymer, degree of crosslinking (DC) of the polystyrene beads, chain length of the alkylene spacer between the polymer back-bone and the onium salt, hydrophobicity of the alkyl group on the onium salts, and kind of onium salts. That is, the polymer-supported quaternary phosphonium salts with low DRS and DC and with long alkylene spacer chain were found to have higher catalytic activity than low molecualr weight quaternary onium salts. The above polymer-supported catalysts can easily be separated at the end of a reaction by filtration and can be reused for at least seven runs. It was also found that the rate of reaction was proportional to the products of catalyst concentration and oxirane concentration. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

相转移催化合成对甲氧基肉桂酸-2-乙基己酯的研究

对甲氧基肉桂酸 2 乙基己酯是一种有效的ＵＶＢ防晒剂[1 ,2 ] ,一般采用Ｃｌａｉｓｅｎ Ｓｃｈｍｉｄｔ缩合反应制得[3] ,但由于催化剂ＫＯＨ处于水相 ,对反应物不能充分起到催化作用导致产率较低[4] 。我们利用乙二醇 (ＰＥＧ)为相转移催化剂合成立体专一的反式对甲氧基肉桂酸 2 乙基己酯 ,产率提高到 72 .5 %。合成路线如下 :1　实验部分1 .1　仪器与试剂ＢＩＯ ＲＡＰＦＴ45 0红外光谱仪 ,用液膜法测试 ;Ｂｒｕｒｅｒ ＡＭ 30 0超导核磁共振仪 (溶剂ＤＣ Ｃｌ3) ;ＭＡＴ/44Ｓ ,ＧＣ ＭＳ型色质联用谱仪 ;试剂均为分析纯 ,上海化学试剂…     

Hydrolysis of phosphorus acid esters in the sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate—<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-nonane—polyethylene glycol—water supramolecular system before and after the percolation threshold

The kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of O-ethyl O-p-nitrophenyl chloromethylphosphonate in a sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate—n-nonane—polyethylene glycol—water reverse micellar system was studied in a wide range of concentrations of the surfactant and water. The sign of the catalytic effect of micelles is inverted in the presence of the polymer. A sharp change in the apparent rate constant of hydrolysis of the phosphonate was found in a region of the temperature percolation threshold. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 60–67, January, 2007.     

Structure and properties of compatibilized recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/linear low density polyethylene blends

Blends of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R-PET) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were compatibilized with poly(styrene-ethylene/butyldiene-styrene) (SEBS) and maleic anhydride-grafted poly(styrene-ethylene/butyldiene-styrene) (SEBS-g-MA). Effects of compatilizer were evaluated systematically by study of mechanical, thermal and morphology properties together with crystallization behavior of PET. Tensile properties of the blends were improved effectively by the addition of 10 wt% SEBS-g-MA, elongation at break and charpy impact strength were increased with the increasing content of compatilizer. SEBS-g-MA is more effectual on mechanical properties of R-PET/LLDPE blends than SEBS. DSC analysis illustrates crystallinities of PET and LLDPE were increased by compatilizer at annealing condition. WAXD and FT-IR spectra show that annealing influences crystallization behavior of PET. Different compatilizer content results in different morphology structure, in particular, higher SEBS-g-MA content can induce the formation of a salami microstructure.     

Conductometric study of cationic and anionic complexes in propylene carbonate

Conductivity data are used to determine thermodynamic complex formation constants for cases in which both the initial electrolyte and the complexed electrolyte form ion pairs. Using the method described in the text, the complex formation constants of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ with the crown ether 18-crown-6 and of Li⁺ with the ligand triphenylphosphine oxide in propylene carbonate have been evaluated from conductance data. The complexation of AgBr in propylene carbonate solutions of n-etrabutylammonium bromide has also been studied by the measurement of molar conductivities. The results of these studies indicate that ion pairing should not be neglected, even in high permittivity solvents such as propylene carbonate, and that the ion pair association constants correlate well with structural studies on cation-crown ether molecular conformations.