Characterization and Three-dimensional Structural Modeling of Humic Acid via Molecular Mechanics and Molecular Dynamic Simulation

The humic acid（HA） sample obtained from the alluvial soil was characterized by elemental composition, pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（Py-GC-MS） and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance （13C NMR） spectroscopy. There is high fat content and a few nitrogen-containing functional groups in HA. Py-GC-MS demonstrates the characterization and structural identification of HA. One long list of identified pyrolysis products was proposed for the construction of conceptual model of HA. Solid-state 13C NMR data indicate there are higher values of alkyl-C, O-alkyl-C and aryl-C in HA. The elemental composition, structural carbon distribution and L3C NMR spectroscopy of simulated HA are consistent with those of experimental HA. HyperChem was used to simulate the three-dimensional molecular structure of the monomer, which was optimized by the molecular mechanics of the optimized potential for liquid simulations（OPLS） force field and molecular dynamics simulation to get the stable and balanced conformation. The deprotonation process study depicts that the degree of ionization of HA gets deeper, while the electronegativity of HA and the energy of van der Waals（vdW） increase. Moreover, the 3D structure of humic acid with -4 charges is the most stable. The deprotonation process is an endothermic process.     

Coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction and expanded bed adsorption for simplified medicinal plant processing and its theoretical model: Extraction and enrichment of ginsenosides from Radix Ginseng as a case study

A high‐efficient and environmental‐friendly method for the preparation of ginsenosides from Radix Ginseng using the method of coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption is described. Based on the optimal extraction conditions screened by surface response methodology, ginsenosides were extracted and adsorbed, then eluted by the two‐step elution protocol. The comparison results between the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption method and conventional method showed that the former was better than the latter in both process efficiency and greenness. The process efficiency and energy efficiency of the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption method rapidly increased by 1.4‐fold and 18.5‐fold of the conventional method, while the environmental cost and CO₂ emission of the conventional method were 12.9‐fold and 17.0‐fold of the new method. Furthermore, the theoretical model for the extraction of targets was derived. The results revealed that the theoretical model suitably described the process of preparing ginsenosides by the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption system.     

Application of supercritical fluid extraction coupled with counter–current chromatography for extraction and online isolation of unstable chemical components from Rosa damascena

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) coupled with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully used for the extraction and online isolation of the unstable compounds from Rosa damascene in a single extraction and separation operation in two stages. The solvent systems of SFE/HSCCC were optimized with the help of multiexponential function model. At the first stage, the upper phase of the solvent system of n‐butanol–tert‐butyl methyl ether–acetonitrile–0.1% aqueous TFA (1.7:1.0:0.8:4.0, v/v/v/v) was used as both the SFE entrainer and the HSCCC stationary phase, and the target compounds were eluted with the corresponding lower phase to separate the hydrophobic compounds. At the second stage, the upper phase of the solvent system of n‐hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (3.2:1.0:2.8:2.6, v/v/v/v) was used as both the SFE entrainer and the HSCCC stationary phase, followed by elution with the corresponding lower phase to separate the moderate hydrophobic compounds. Six compounds including formononetin, delphinidin, cyaniding, 5,6,4′‐trihydroxy‐7,8‐dimethoxy flavone, 5,3′‐dihydroxy‐7,8‐dimethoxy flavone, and 5‐hydroxy‐6,7,8,3′,4′‐pentamethoxy flavone were successfully separated in one extraction–separation operation within 300 min. The targeted compounds were identified by MS and NMR spectroscopy. This research has opened up great prospects for industrial application of SFE/HSCCC to the extraction and separation of unstable compounds.     

Ion Pairing Kinetics Does not Necessarily Follow the Eigen-Tamm Mechanism

The most recognized and employed model of the solvation equilibration in the ionic solutions was proposed by Eigen and Tamm, in which there are four major states for an ion pair in the solution： the completely solvated state, 2SIP （double solvent separate ion pair）, SIP （single solvent separate ion pair）, and CIP （contact ion pair）. Eigen and Tamm suggested that the transition from SIP to CIP is always the slowest step during the whole pairing process, due to a high free energy barrier between these two states. We carried out a series of potential of mean force calculations to study the pairing free energy profiles of two sets of model mono- atomic 1：1 ion pairs 2.0：x and x：2.0. For 2.0：x pairs the free energy barrier between the SIP and CIP states is largely reduced due to the salvation shell water structure. For these pairs the SIP to CIP transition is thus not the slowest step in the ion pair formation course. This is a deviation from the Eigen-Tamm model.     

（e, 2e） Investigations of the Simultaneous Ionization and Excitation of Helium to He＋（n=2）

Three-Coulomb-wave method is employed to treat the process of （e, 2e） simultaneous ion- ization and excitation to the n=2 state of helium, with radial and angular correlated wave-function of He target. The triple differential cross sections are calculated and analyzed in very asymmetric coplanar geometry at incident energies of 5.50, 1.50 and 0.57 keV. Results are compared with the absolute measurements and the theoretical first and second Born approximation. The present triply differential cross section （TDCS） is found to be in good agreement with experimental data qualitatively. The distinguishing feature noted in TDCS structure is the presence of intense recoil peak that for certain parameters is even larger than the binary peak, an unusual feature for the single-ionization process at high and intermediate energies.     

Computational Study of the Substitution Effect on the Mechanism for the Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Ring Expansions of Unactivated Alkynylcyclopropanes

The ring expansion reactions of unactivated alkynylcyclopropanes X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ → X‐C=C₄H₅ (X = H, F, Cl, Me, OMe, NMe₂, CMe₃) were examined using the density functional theory calculations. All of the structures were completely optimized at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. For clarify the effect of the cationic gold(I), we also added AuPH₃⁺ as the catalyst into the system and the structures for Au were calculated at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory. The main finding of this work is that the singlet‐triplet splitting of X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ play an important role in determining the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the unactivated ring expansion reactions. When X‐C≡C‐C₃H₅ with a smaller singlet‐triplet splitting is utilized, the reaction has a smaller activation energy and a larger exothermicity.     

Calculations of dynamic dipole polarizabilities of Li and Na atoms in debye plasma using the model potential technique

The effects of Debye plasma on the frequency‐dependent polarizabilities of Li and Na atoms are investigated using symplectic algorithm within the framework of the pseudostate summation technique. Dynamic dipole polarizabilities of Li (2s ²S) and Na(3s ²S) as functions of scaled number density of the plasma electrons for arbitrary plasma temperature are presented. Screening effects on the resonance frequencies are also presented. In free‐atomic cases, our calculated results are comparable with the reported theoretical and experimental predictions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Solubility of novel open-chain crown ether bridged diphosphates in supercritical carbon dioxide

The solubility of newly synthesized chelating agents, i.e., tetraethylene glycol bis (2-ethylhexyl) dimethyl diphosphate (EG4EH), tetraethylene glycol bis (n-octyl) dimethyl diphosphate (EG4Oct), and tetraethylene glycol bis (2-butoxyethyl) dimethyl diphosphate (EG4BOE) in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) were determined at temperatures ranging from (318.15 to 333.15) K and pressures ranging from (12 to 21) MPa. Solubility increases in the order of EG4Oct (MW = 606.33) < EG4BOE (MW = 582.26) < EG4EH (MW = 606.33), indicating that branched side chains of the ligands play an important part in increasing solubility in scCO₂. Semi empirical density-based models proposed by Bartle and Chrastil were used to correlate the experimental data, and AARD values were calculated to be (1.2 to 2.9)% and (0.40 to 0.93)% for Bartle and Chrastil model, respectively. Additionally, the partial molar volumes of those compounds were estimated following the theory developed by Kumar and Johnston.     

Volumetric behaviour of the (2,2,4-trimethylpentane + methylbenzene + butan-1-ol) ternary system and its binary sub-systems within the temperature range (298.15–328.15) K

Densities and speeds of sound of the (2,2,4-trimethylpentane + methylbenzene + butan-1-ol) ternary system as well as all its binary sub-systems were measured at four temperatures, namely 298.15 K, 308.15 K, 318.15 K, and 328.15 K at atmospheric pressure by a vibrating-tube densimeter DSA 5000. The binary (isooctane + toluene) system was studied previously. Excess quantities (molar volume, adiabatic compressibility, and isobaric thermal expansivity) of the mixtures studied were calculated from the experimental densities and speed of sounds. The excess molar volume data were correlated using the Redlich–Kister equation. Both the positive and S-shaped excess molar volume curves were found for the systems studied. The excess molar volumes versus concentration of binary systems differed in the shape and temperature dependence. The experimental binary data were compared with literature data. The experimental excess molar volumes were analyzed by means of the Extended Real Associated Solution (ERAS) model. The experimental data and the ERAS model can help to estimate real behaviour of the systems studied.     

Thermodynamic modeling for clathrate hydrates of ozone

We report a theoretical study to predict the phase-equilibrium properties of ozone-containing clathrate hydrates based on the statistical thermodynamics model developed by van der Waals and Platteeuw. The Patel–Teja–Valderrama equation of state is employed for an accurate estimation of the properties of gas phase ozone. We determined the three parameters of the Kihara intermolecular potential for ozone as a = 6.815 · 10⁻² nm, σ = 2.9909 · 10⁻¹ nm, and ε · k_B⁻¹ = 184.00 K. An infinite set of ε–σ parameters for ozone were determined, reproducing the experimental phase equilibrium pressure–temperature data of the (O₃ + O₂ + CO₂) clathrate hydrate. A unique parameter pair was chosen based on the experimental ozone storage capacity data for the (O₃ + O₂ + CCl₄) hydrate that we reported previously. The prediction with the developed model showed good agreement with the experimental phase equilibrium data within ±2% of the average deviation of the pressure. The Kihara parameters of ozone showed slightly better suitability for the structure-I hydrate than CO₂, which was used as a help guest. Our model suggests the possibility of increasing the ozone storage capacity of clathrate hydrates (∼7% on a mass basis) from the previously reported experimental capacity (∼1%).