Preparation and characterization of Cu (II) supported on poly(8‐hydroxyquinoline‐p‐styrene sulphonate) and its application as catalyst for the synthesis of hexahydroquinolines

Cu ( II ) supported on poly(8‐hydroxyquinoline‐p‐styrenesulfonate) (Cu ( II )@PHQSS) was prepared and fully characterized by the different techniques including fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal gravimetric (DTG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDS). Afterward, the Cu ( II )@PHQSS as nanostructured catalyst was used as catalyst for the synthesis of hexahydroquinolines.     

Preparation and characterization of new inorganic–organic hybrid catalyst H3PMo12O40/Hyd‐SBA‐15 and its application in the domino multi‐component reaction

We present novel inorganic–organic hybrid catalyst to accomplish domino multi‐component reaction (MCR) for synthesis of 3‐amino‐2′‐oxospiro[benzo[c]pyrano[3,2‐a]phenazine‐1,3′‐indoline]‐2‐carbonitrile/carboxylate derivatives. This methodology offers remarkable development by easy production of H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀/Hyd‐SBA‐15 in regard to solving the problem of using harsh catalysts, also it demonstrates to be impressive and environmentally friendly in term of low reaction times and high yields.     

Importance of verifying queue model assumptions before planning with simulation software

This case study uses empirical data gathered at an Australian refinery to verify the assumptions for queue distributions before using special-purpose software to plan the off-road-truck hauling of titanium dioxide to a refinery (n = 773). Easy-to-use spreadsheet software is utilized to verify assumptions for queue models. Managers are able to make decisions based on economic implications of queue models to avoid making costly planning mistakes. Analysts can use nonparametric hypothesis-testing techniques to verify distribution assumptions for optimization without having to write hard-to-maintain and complex algebraic linear equations or nonlinear search routines.     

Ethanol determination in frozen fruit pulps: an application of quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance

This study reports the chemical composition of five types of industrial frozen fruit pulps (acerola, cashew, grape, passion fruit and pineapple fruit pulps) and compares them with homemade pulps at two different stages of ripening. The fruit pulps were characterized by analyzing their metabolic profiles and determining their ethanol content using quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR). In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract more information from the NMR data. We detected ethanol in all industrial and homemade pulps; and acetic acid in cashew, grape and passion fruit industrial and homemade pulps. The ethanol content in some industrial pulps is above the level recommended by regulatory agencies and is near the levels of some post‐ripened homemade pulps. This study demonstrates that qNMR can be used to rapidly detect ethanol content in frozen fruit pulps and food derivatives. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘New mathematics’ and teaching

Inside the scientific world it is not always understood that the mood of mathematics, which is a product and a part of culture, can change with time. This is partly why many have been surprised by the coming of the so‐called new mathematics.

In the truly creative mathematical mind two opposite tendencies coexist: the logical and the imaginative. Apparently it seems that new mathematics can be reduced to a purely logical machinery. In fact it contains as much imaginative contributions as classical mathematics. But it is difficult to show simultaneously the logical sequence of propositions and the clumsy progression of research itself. Mathematical exposition does not always follow the ‘ most natural slopes’ of the mind. Unfamiliar presentations often give an impression of ‘ abstraction ‘, more familiar ones an impression of concreteness ‘.

So it appears that difficulties with new mathematics are mostly of psychological origin. Misuses of it can easily raise up intolerance reactions and emotional blocks. Perhaps insisting upon the fact that, here as elsewhere, it is important to be able to guess, to realize that intuition and imagination are essential, could help to make new mathematics better understood, more useful and more able to be considered as a unifing element among sciences.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation of Aldehydes: Single Component Catalyst and Mechanistic Studies

An aerobic oxidation of aldehydes towards carboxylic acids in MeCN using 1 atm of pure oxygen or oxygen in air as the oxidant and a catalytic amount of single component catalyst, Fe(NO₃)₃ · 9H₂O, has been developed. Carboxylic acids with different synthetically useful functional groups were obtained at room temperature. Two mechanistic pathways have been proposed based on isotopic labeling, NMR monitoring, and control experiments. The practicality of this reaction has been demonstrated by conducting several 50 mmol‐scale reactions using pure oxygen or an air‐flow of ~30 mL/min.     

Classroom note: The area under x α by geometry

By stretching the area under the curve x ^α it is shown to be of the form x ^{α + 1} p(α). Geometry is then used to prove p(α) = 1/(α + 1).     

Exhaled breath condensate: Determination of non-volatile compounds and their potential for clinical diagnosis and monitoring. A review

Exhaled breath condensate is a promising, non-invasive, diagnostic sample obtained by condensation of exhaled breath. Starting from a historical perspective of early attempts of breath testing towards the contemporary state-of-the-art breath analysis, this review article focuses mainly on the progress in determination of non-volatile compounds in exhaled breath condensate. The mechanisms by which the aerosols/droplets of non-volatile compounds are formed in the airways are discussed with methodological consequences for sampling. Dilution of respiratory droplets is a major problem for correct clinical interpretation of the measured data and there is an urgent need for standardization of EBC. This applies also for collection instrumentation and therefore various commercial and in-house built devices are described and compared with regard to their design, function and collection parameters. The analytical techniques and methods for determination of non-volatile compounds as potential markers of oxidative stress and lung inflammation are scrutinized with an emphasis on method suitability, sensitivity and appropriateness. The relevance of clinical findings for each group of possible non-volatile markers of selected pulmonary diseases and methodological recommendations with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration that is essential for future development into a fully validated clinical diagnostic tool are given.     

Characterization of an Algerian diatomite by inverse gas chromatography: Specific and non-specific contribution and Lewis acid–base parameters

The fundamental understanding of the behavior of a solid is intimately related to the understanding of the interactions on the surface of the latter, a major challenge in particular if the material is natural and ecological. The infinite dilution-inverse gas chromatography was used to evaluate the surface thermodynamic properties of several phases (grafted and/or coated) diatomite. A series of non- or polar-solute probes were injected at temperatures of 45?°C and 90?°C. The dispersive surface free energies values of the supports decrease with increasing temperature and their active surface is amphoteric with predominantly acidic character.