The phenylation of acyltetracarbonylferrates

Diaryliodonium salts react with lithium acyltetracarbonylferrates to give aryl ketones and iodides in high yield, provided the THF medium contains a large proportion of pentane.     

Conversion of ketones into vinyl-oxiranes

A range of 1-(2-propenyl) alcohols was transformed in good yields into vinyl-oxiranes via the allylic bromide.     

Halotriazolium Axle Functionalised [2]Rotaxanes for Anion Recognition: Investigating the Effects of Halogen‐Bond Donor and Preorganisation

The anion‐templated synthesis of three novel halogen‐bonding 5‐halo‐1,2,3‐triazolium axle containing [2]rotaxanes is described, and the effects of altering the nature of the halogen‐bond donor atom together with the degree of inter‐component preorganisation on the anion‐recognition properties of the interlocked host investigated. The ability of the bromotriazolium motif to direct the halide‐anion‐templated assembly of interpenetrated [2]pseudorotaxanes was studied initially; bromide was found to be the most effective template. As a consequence, bromide anion templation was used to synthesise the first bromotriazolium axle containing [2]rotaxane, the anion‐binding properties of which, determined by ¹H NMR spectroscopic titration experiments, revealed enhanced bromide and iodide recognition relative to a hydrogen‐bonding protic triazolium rotaxane analogue. Two halogen‐bonding [2]rotaxanes with bromo‐ and iodotriazolium motifs integrated into shortened axles designed to increase inter‐component preorganisation were also synthesised. Anion ¹H NMR spectroscopic titration experiments demonstrated that these rotaxanes were able to bind halide anions even more strongly, with the iodotriazolium axle integrated rotaxane capable of recognising halides in aqueous solvent media. Importantly, these observations suggest that a halogen‐bonding interlocked host binding domain, in combination with increased inter‐component preorganisation, are requisite design features for a potent anion receptor.     

Application of SAXS to the study of particle-size-dependent thermal conductivity in silica nanofluids

Knowledge of the size and distribution of nanoparticles in solution is critical to understanding the observed enhancements in thermal conductivity and heat transfer of nanofluids. We have applied small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to the characterization of SiO₂ nanoparticles (10–30 nm) uniformly dispersed in a water-based fluid using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Size distributions for the suspended nanoparticles were derived by fitting experimental data to an established model. Thermal conductivity of the SiO₂ nanofluids was also measured, and the relation between the average particle size and the thermal conductivity enhancement was established. The experimental data contradict models based on fluid interfacial layers or Brownian motion but support the concept of thermal resistance at the liquid–particle interface.     

Synthesis of some phenanthridone derivatives

The alkylation of phenanthridone and some nuclear-substituted phenanthridones using sodium hydride in DMF/benzene is reported. Various 5-cyanoalkylphenanthridones were converted to further derivatives by either hydrolysis or reduction.     

A mass spectrometric investigation of the reduction product of 3H-1,2-benzodithiole-3-thione

A combination of electron impact, chemical ionization, field desorption and field ionization mass spectrometry has been employed to demonstrate that the LAH reduction product of 3H-1,2-benzodithiole-3-thione is the dimer, dibenzo[c,h]-3H,10H-dihydro-1,2,8,9-tetrathiecine.     

Nanoparticle assembly at fluid interfaces: structure and dynamics

The self-assembly of nanoparticles at fluid interfaces, driven by the reduction in interfacial energy, was investigated. With spherical, tri-n-octyl-phosphine-oxide covered cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles (1-8 nm), thermal fluctuations compete with the interfacial segregation giving rise to a size-dependent self-assembly of the particles. The structure of the nanoparticle assembly was studied using electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray scattering in situ, which indicate that the particles form a densely packed monolayer. The energetics of the adsorption of nanoparticles onto the interface was revealed by time-dependent fluorescence studies on a mixture of two different sized nanoparticles at the interface. The dynamics of the nanoparticles at the fluid interface, probed using fluorescence photobleaching methods, suggests a liquid-like behavior. The results have implications in the design of hierarchical self-assemblies of nanoparticles for the one-step fabrication of devices on multiple length scales.     

The photochemistry of citral

Citral (I) is cyclized by UV irradiation¹ to 2-isopropenyl-5-methylcyclopentane-carboxaldehyde (II), containing the carbon skeleton of the monoterpenes of ants and catmint. 1,6,6-Trimethylbicyclo[2,1,1]hexane-2-carboxaldehyde (XII, R = H), produced in lesser amount at the same time, was synthesized from camphor. The two photocitrals may, perhaps, come from a common intermediate containing the cyclopentane ring.