Oxidation kinetics of timahdit and tarfaya moroccan oil shales

Organic matter evolution and kinetics of combustion of Tarfaya and Timahdit oil shales have been examined by thermogravimetry (TG) and by differential thermal analysis (DTA). An agreement is observed between both techniques where it was found that combustion of organic matter occurs in two steps. Kissinger's method applied on experimental results gives an activation energy of the same magnitude for the first step of both oil shales (103 kJ mol^–1) whereas the second is 148 kJ mol^–1 for Timahdit and 118 kJ mol^–1 for Tarfaya.The changes in specific surface area during thermal combustion of Timahdit and Tarfaya oil shales have been studied by thermogravimetric gas sorption balance and correlated with experimental results obtained on TG/DTA in air. For Timahdit oil shale oxidation products, specific surface areas calculated from nitrogen adsorption data shows a slight increase during the temperature domain of 280 to 430°C and after this temperature, they increase sharply. However, data obtained with Tarfaya oil shales shows a significant increase at the temperature of maximum oxidation of the first stage of combustion of organic matter.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Quantitative determination of UV filters in sunscreen lotions using microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) has been applied to the separation of some UV filters (Eusolex 4360, Eusolex 6300, Eusolex OCR, Eusolex 2292, Eusolex 6007, Eusolex 9020, Eusolex HMS, Eusolex OS, and Eusolex 232) commonly used in sunscreen lotions. Use of a MEEKC buffer with a mixed surfactant system to stabilize the oil droplets and an organic modifier in the aqueous phase allowed separation of most of the selected analytes in a single run in a system fitted with a diode array detector recording three wavelengths (240 nm, 300 nm, and 380 nm) simultaneously. The microemulsion employed consisted of 2.25 g of SDS, 0.75 g of Brij 35, 6.6 g 1‐butanol, 0.8 g n‐octane, 17.5 g 2‐propanol, and 72.1 g of 10 mM borate buffer (pH 9.2). Detection limits from 0.65 to 6.0 μg/mL were obtained and the calibration plots were linear over at least one order of magnitude for all analytes. The developed method could be applied to the determination of UV filters in several sun protection products including lotions, milks, and oils. Comparison of the obtained data with those from an HPLC method described in the literature showed acceptable agreement.     

Cystine and cysteine analysis as the same phenylthiocarbamyl derivatives by HPLC in protein hydrolyzates

Summary A new approach is described, and a novel explanation presented, for the high performance liquid chromatographic analysis of cystine and cysteine as their phenylthiocarbamyl derivatives. PTC cystine and cysteine have been eluted with the same retention times and molar responses, most probably due to electrophilic attack of phenylisothiocyanate on cystine resulting in the scission of the disulfide bond yielding two moles of cysteine. Further, total PTC cystine and cysteine have been measured both in model solutions and in standard protein hydrolyzates (lysozyme, bovine albumin, ribonuclease) with the same linearity as the other ineteen amino acids. The reproducibility of the measurements, at the 250–750 pmole level, proved to be 4.1% (Relative Standard Deviation %) or less.     

The Intelligent Properties of Micro－reactors for Preparating Nanoparticles

TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by using micro-reactors. The shape and size of the nanoparticles produced from the original micro-reactors and the five times recycled micro-reactorsmother liquor were investigated on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) by using the original sample, freeze prepared sample, and dyeing treated sample, respectively. UV-VIS spectrometry was used to study the growth process of TiO2 nanoparticles in main reactors. The results showed that micro-reactors with nanometer magnitude had spherical or oval structures, and could restore to their original structure after they were destroyed. The products prepared in the original micro-reactors were similar to that in the micro-reactors recycled for many times, suggesting that the micro-reactors had memory function.     

ansa-Metallocene derivatives XXXIII. 2-Dimethylamino-substituted bis-indenyl zirconium dichloride complexes with and without a dimethylsilyl bridge: syntheses, crystal structures and properties in propene polymerization catalysis

Bis(2-N,N-dimethylamino-indenyl) zirconium dichloride, (2-(CH₃)₂N-C₉H₆)₂ZrCl₂, and dimethylsilyl-bridged bis(2-N,N-dimethylamino-indenyl) zirconium dichloride, (CH₃)₂Si(2-(CH₃)₂N-C₉H₅)₂ZrCl₂, were prepared by reaction of the corresponding ligand lithium salts with ZrCl₄ in toluene. Diffractometric structure determinations reveal C₂-symmetric complex geometries for both complexes. An increased electron density at the Zr center of the dimethylamino-substituted complexes is indicated by reduction potentials which are 0.3–0.4 V more negative than those of their unsubstituted analogs. When activated with methyl aluminoxane in toluene solution, (CH₃)₂Si(2-(CH₃)₂N-C₉H₅)₂ZrCl₂ catalyzes the polymerization of propene to polymers with a microstructure comparable with that of polymers produced with other Me₂Si-bridged bis(indenyl)ZrCl₂ complexes, but with a substantially increased fraction of i-propyl end groups derived from alkyl exchange between Zr-polymer and Al---Me species.     

A new method for the synthesis of diorganylvinylphosphine oxides

Diorganylvinylphosphine oxides were synthesized in 31–38% yields on heating (50°C) diorganylphosphine oxides with vinyl sulfoxides or divinyl sulfone in the presence of KOH. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1895–1896, October, 1997.     

Growth transition and morphology change in polypropylene

The growth rate of isotactic polypropylene is deduced from microscopic observations during isothermal crystallizations. A change in the growth regime is observed at 138 C and interpreted as a Regime III Regime II transition, according to Hoffman's kinetic theory of polymer crystallization. A Regime II Regime I transition is also theoretically predicted at 155 C, i. e. at a temperature outside the investigated temperature range. The Regime III Regime II transition is related to the positive to negative change in the spherulite birefringence, which is generally attributed to a change in the organization of crystalline lamellae: quadritic arrays of intercrossing lamellae atT _c < 138 C (Regime III) and preferentially radiating lamellae atT _c > 138 C (Regime II). It is suggested that such a morphological change could be interpreted using the concept of non-adjacent re-entry introduced in Hoffman's kinetic theory. This interpretation could also explain the interspherulitic ruptures observed in negative spherulites.     

Zinc porphyrin sensitized redox processes in microemulsions

Photoinduced electron transfer from Zn tetraphenylporphyrin to acceptors solubilized either in the lipid interior or aqueous bulk of anionic oil-in-water microemulsions has been investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis. While intimate cosolubilization appears to decrease the efficiency of electron transfer in the former, enhanced charge separation of the redox products has been observed in the latter.     

Comments on the electronic properties of cyclopropane,cyclobutane, and cyclohexane

Spectral quantities of cyclopropane, cyclobutane, cyclohexane, and of several derivatives, have been calculated by a semiempirical all-valence electron SCF-CI MO method. In cyclopropane, HOMO is practically localized in the carbon-frame, and LVMO is purely so. In cyclobutane, these two MO's are based on C-H bonds, while cyclohexane holds an intermediate position. Despite the overall similarity-experimental and computed-of the spectra of these molecules, assignments are non-parallel. Like cyclopropane, cyclobutane can extend conjugation, but to a diminished degree; cyclohexane behaves in this respect like an acyclic alkane. An interpretation of this gradation, in terms of the nature of high-lying MO's, is proposed.     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.