Quantification of volatile PAHs present at trace levels in air flow by aqueous trapping—SPE and HPLC analysis with fluorimetric detection

In the context of a European project, a new approach of sampling of volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from air was developed. In fact, the aim of this project was to test the efficiency of an air cleansing prototype reactor, which was operating by non-thermal plasmolysis. With an eye to model the atmosphere ejected by the prototype, we needed to vaporise the volatile PAHs in an air stream at concentrations as low as those recommended by European Directives (96/62/CE) for PAHs in ambient air (i.e. 1 ng m⁻³). Our strategy was based on the analysis of PAHs trapped in an aqueous medium, in order to avoid important losses of volatile compounds observed during the delicate desorption-concentration step when classical solid supports are used. Then a study was carried out to determine: the design of the collecting part, the flow-rate of the air sampling, the nature and concentration of chemical additives used to enhance PAH solubility in water. The very highly diluted aqueous media obtained after the bubbling step were concentrated by solid-phase extraction (SPE) on hydrophobic cartridges and analysed on-line by reversed-phase HPLC with UV and fluorimetric detections. Lastly, the sampling technique was directly applied to the outlet of the air cleansing prototype and the analysis after 3-6 h of non-thermal plasmolysis showed that the target volatile PAHs were not present in an air stream initially polluted by volatile organic compounds.     

Synthesis of 4-arylcarbamoyl-5-(2-hydroxynaphthylazo)imidazoles and 1-substituted naphtho[2,1-e]imidazo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazines

The reactions of β-naphthol with 5-diazoimidazoles and imidazolyl-5-diazonium salts containing chemically different carboxamide groups in position 4 were studied. Heterocyclization of 4-arylcarbamoyl-5-(2-hydroxynaphthylazo)imidazoles formed in these reactions was investigated. The presence of the NH fragment in the amide group prevents this process, the reaction giving instead 3-substituted 3,7-dihydroimidazo[4,5-d][1,2,3]triazin-4-ones, which is due to reversibility of C-azo coupling. Methods for modification of 1-ethoxycarbonyl group in the naphtho[2,1-e]imidazo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine system were developed and used to prepare substituted carboxamides inaccessible by other routes. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1208–1213, July, 2006.     

The role of the π-bonding network for trigonal level splittings of tris-bidentate Cr(acac)3 and Cr(ox) 3 3−

The varying -bonding contributions in the title compounds caused by the different electronic and molecular structure of the chelate rings are used for explaining the large band splittings in the absorption spectra by trigonal symmetry. It is shown that usual ligand field theory and the angular overlap model are not able to account for the trigonal level splitting of Cr(acac)₃ for which the coordination sphere of oxygen atoms is nearly octahedrally arranged. The experimental finding can, however, be rationalized by an extended angular overlap model which considers the phase coupling of -orbitals in the ligands leading to non-additive contributions to the metal-ligand bond energy.On leave of absence from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria     

Efficient synthesis of isoflavone analogues via a Suzuki coupling reaction

Analogues of 3-aryl-8-isobutyl-5,6,7-trihydroxy-2-methyl-4H-chromen-4-one were synthesized with high yields via the Suzuki coupling reaction of 3-iodo-8-isobutyl-5,6,7-trimethoxy-2-methyl-4H-chromen-4-one with different aryl boronic acids.     

Fixed-nuclei and laboratory-frame formalisms for electron scattering by a spherical top,with full incorporation of symmetry

We discuss molecule-frame and laboratory-frame symmetry-adapted formalisms for electron scattering by a spherical top. The molecule-frame formalism is based on the fixed-nuclear-orientation approximation, both for electronically elastic scattering by a vibrationally rigid molecule and also for the more general case where electronic excitation and vibrational degrees of freedom are included. The laboratory-frame formalism is based on the exact symmetries of the problem, which are carefully related to the approximate symmetries of the molecule-frame treatment. We present both the forward and backward transformations between the two representations.     

Novel Reactions of Organomolybdenum and Organotungsten Compounds: Additive–Reductive Carbonyl Dimerization,Spontaneous Transformation of Methyl Ligands into μ-Methylene Ligands,and Selective Carbonylmethylenation

Hitherto there was no reaction known that permits transformations of R¹R²-CO → 0.5 R¹R²R³C–CR¹R²R³ in one step. This type of additive–reductive carbonyl dimerization is now possible using alkoxy(alkyl)tungsten(v) complexes with aromatic, heteroaromatic or α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. When a corresponding phenyl complex was employed in a test experiment, it was revealed that an aliphatic ketone could be used as the substrate in this reaction. A second interesting type of reaction is the transformation of CH₃ ligands into μ-CH₂ ligands, which occurs during the treatment of MeLi or Me₃Al with molybdenum or tungsten chlorides (oxidation states VI and V, for Mo additionally IV) at low temperatures with liberation of CH₄. Here, the question arises as to whether the intermediate involved has a terminal CH₂ ligand (Schrock carbene complex) or a μ-CH₃ ligand (CH₃ bound by a two-electron three-center bond to two metal atoms). Of all the μ-CH₂ complexes obtained, those which were synthesized by the action of MeLi on molybdenum chlorides can be recommended as reagents for carbonylmethylenation of aldehydes and ketones. They display high selectivity, very low basicity, a surprising resistance to protons, they are readily available, can be easily modified and, as regards their selective behavior, they have been investigated more thoroughly than other readily accessible carbonylmethylenation reagents of comparable selectivity. The results of NMR spectroscopic investigations on the structure of the μ-CH₂ complexes, and associated reaction mechanisms are discussed. A survey of carbonylmethylenation reagents, which have been reported in the literature, permits comparisons to be made with carbonylmethylenating molybdenum and tungsten complexes.     

甲烷氧化偶联Ti-La-Li系混合氧化物催化剂

研究了Ti-La-Li三元氧化物的组成、结构及其对甲烷氧化偶联反应的催化性能；用XRD、IR、XPS和SEM等方法对催化剂进行表征，结果表明：在LiTi_xLa_(1-x)O_2系列催化剂中，随x值的不同，可生成LaTi_(1－y)Li_yO_(3-λ)、Li_2TiO_3、La_(0.66)TiO_(2.993)、La_2O_3和Li_(1.33)Ti_(1.66)O_4几种物相，其中，钙钛矿到三元复合氧化物LaTi_(1-y)Li_yO_(3-λ)是甲烷氧化偶联反应的主要活性相，活性位Li~＋-O~－-Ti~(3＋)的形成是活性提高的主要原因．Li_2TiO_3和La_(0.66)TiO_(2.993)是深度氧化活性相，而Li_(1.33)Ti_(1.66)O_4既无偶联活性，也无深度氧化活性．     

氧化偶联聚合方法合成电活性聚芳醚酮

通过氧化偶联聚合方法成功地合成出电活性聚芳醚酮. 该反应条件温和, 操作简单, 室温下即可进行. 用红外光谱、核磁共振谱、高效凝胶渗透色谱、循环伏安、热失重、X射线衍射等技术对所合成的聚合物进行了表征, 并探讨了聚合物的性能.     

Electrooxidative coupling of salts of nitro compounds with halide,nitrite, cyanide,and phenylsulfinate anions

Electrolysis of salts of primary and secondary nitro compounds (nitroethane, 1- and 2-nitropropanes, nitrocyclohexane, and nitrocycloheptane) in the presence of excess halide, nitrite, cyanide, and phenylsulfinate anions under undivided and divided amperostatic electrolysis conditions in a two-phase medium (CH₂Cl₂/H₂O) produces geminal nitrohalides (35–85% yields), dinitro compounds (15–51%), nitronitriles (6–27%), and nitrosulfones (50–70%). The salts of secondary nitro compounds form the products of oxidative coupling with halide and phenylsulfinate anions under the undivided electrolysis conditions. In all other cases, divided electrolysis is required. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1539–1546, July, 2005.