FT IR ATR Study of Molecular Interactions in the Urea/Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Urea/Diethyl Sulfoxide Binary Systems

FT IR ATR spectra of urea/dimethyl sulfoxide and urea/diethyl sulfoxide mixtures in the S=O and N—H stretching vibration regions at different molar ratios have been measured. On the basis of the band deconvolution data, various types of intermolecular associated forms, including dimers and hydrogen-bonded urea–sulfoxide complexes, have been revealed. The latter has been confirmed also by ab initio calculations.     

Synthesis of pyridone and pyridine rings by [4+2] hetero-cyclocondensation

Substituted pyridones and pyridines have been synthesised efficiently by employing iminium salt as a key precursor. These compounds were prepared using tandem [4+2] cycloaddition/deamination between azabutadiene and dienophiles.     

Effect of equimolar salt to decyltrimethylammonium decyl sulfate on vesicle formation and surface adsorption

The aqueous solution of mixture of sodium decyl sulfate (SDeS) and decyltrimethylammonium bromide (DeTAB) has been found to form equilibrium multilamellar vesicles (MLV) spontaneously. We measured the surface tension of the aqueous solution of 1:1 mixture of SDeS and DeTAB as a function of temperature T at various molalities m under atmospheric pressure. The surface density, the entropy of adsorption and the entropy of vesicle formation are evaluated and compared with those of the decyltrimethylammonium decyl sulfate (DeTADeS) aqueous solution system to investigate the role of small counterions in the mechanism of equilibrium vesicle formation. The saturated surface density Gamma (H,C ) vs T curve of the SDeS/DeTAB system sits below that of the DeTADeS system. Therefore, sodium and bromide ions are negatively adsorbed and nevertheless, they neutralize the electric charge of the decyl sulfate ion DeS(-) and the decyltrimethylammonium ion DeTA(+) to some extent to weaken the electrostatic attraction between the polar head groups in the adsorbed film. The net surfactant concentration required for vesicle formation was larger in the SDeS/DeTAB system. Hence, the electrostatic attraction between the polar head groups of the surfactant ions which is one of the major driving forces for vesicle formation is weakened by the presence of the counterions Na(+) and Br(-). Small but distinct changes in the surface density and the entropies of MLV formation of the SDeS/DeTAB system from those of the DeTADeS system were also found.     

A very efficient,copper-free palladium catalyst for the Sonogashira reaction with aryl halides

The new complex [Pd[t-Bu2PCH2N(CH2Ph)CH2P t-Bu2](OAc)2] is a very efficient catalyst for the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of aryl halides with acetylenes at room temperature, without co-catalyst.     

New polycyclic diamine scaffolds from dimerization of 3-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines in acidic medium

[reaction: see text] 3-Alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines dimerize in acidic medium, at low temperature, to give polycyclic imminium salts derivatives that were reduced to afford new polycyclic diamine scaffolds. The reaction can be extended to enantiopure series starting from R-(+)- or S-(-)-1-phenylethylamine. Long exposure of the polycyclic imminium salt intermediates to air moisture at 20 degrees C resulted in formation of new amide derivatives. This is probably due to the addition of water followed by an intramolecular oxido-reduction process.     

An overview of laboratory performance studies conducted by the IAEA for marine pollution studies of metals and organic contaminants

Aspects of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) for marine environmental studies are discussed, focusing on recent laboratory performance studies (LPS) and the production of reference materials for trace metals and organic compounds in various marine matrices. The IAEA has organized seventeen global interlaboratory studies for a range of organic contaminants. Of note has been the inclusion of numerous polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) and some sterols of anthropogenic origin. Concurrently, there have been eleven worldwide intercomparison exercises for trace metals in the marine environment, most of which included methylmercury. Although such interlaboratory studies can help improve performance in individual laboratories and regional laboratory networks, the results reveal that problems remain in the determination of some metals and many organic contaminants.     

Influence of camphorsulfonic acid in nitroxide‐mediated styrene miniemulsion polymerization

The rate‐accelerating effects of camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) on nitroxide‐mediated styrene miniemulsion polymerization were studied. Polymerizations were initiated with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator and mediated with either 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (TEMPO) or 4‐hydroxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (OH‐TEMPO). Although CSA has been used to accelerate the rate in bulk nitroxide‐mediated polymerizations, it has not been well studied in emulsion/miniemulsion. With dispersed systems, the effectiveness of CSA is likely to be affected by partitioning between the aqueous and organic phases. In styrene miniemulsion experiments performed over a range of conditions, the effect of adding CSA varied from negligible to significantly increasing the final conversion and molecular weight, depending on the nitroxide:BPO ratio. At a ratio of nitroxide:BPO = 1.7, the effect of CSA addition is small, whereas the final conversion and molecular weight are dramatically enhanced by CSA addition when the nitroxide:BPO ratio is 3.6. CSA is most effective in enhancing the rate and molecular weight when the initial free‐nitroxide concentration is higher. The magnitude of the rate and molecular weight enhancement was similar for TEMPO and OH‐TEMPO despite their differences in water solubility. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2828–2841, 2002     

Certification of total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in mussel homogenate (Mytilus edulis) reference material, IAEA-142

Due to the increased demand for new reference materials certified for total and methylmercury (MeHg) a sample of mussel homogenate (IAEA-142) has been prepared. Thirteen experienced laboratories reported results for total Hg of which 9 laboratories also reported results for MeHg content. Laboratories reporting MeHg results used various isolation techniques (solvent extraction, saponification, acid leaching, ion-exchange separation, and distillation) and detection systems (cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CV AAS), cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV AFS), gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC/ECD) and HPLC with CV AAS detector). In the case of total Hg, most of the laboratories used acid digestion, only two used alkaline dissolution, followed either by CV AAS or CV AFS. One laboratory used neutron activation analyses with radiochemical separation. The data received were in good agreement. The value for total Hg was certified to be 126 ng/g, with a 95% confidence interval from 119 to 132 ng/g. For MeHg the certified value of 47 ng/g expressed as Hg was assigned, with a 95% confidence interval from 43 to 51 ng/g. Stability testing has shown that both total and MeHg are stable if samples are stored in a dry and dark place at room temperature. The sample is now available as a certified reference material and is, in particular, useful for quality control measurements of Hg and MeHg in mussel samples at low concentration levels.     

Mouvement du lithium dans deux nouvelles familles d'électrolytes solides: Les boracites Li4+xB7O12+x/2Cl et les halogénoborates de lithium vitreux

The boracites Li_4+xB₇O_12+x/2Cl and the related B₂O₃---xLi₂O---yLiCl glasses have been studied by cw and pulsed NMR between 130 and 500°K. Above 160°K the ⁷Li spectrum is composed of two lines: a broad one due to nonmobile Li⁺ ions and a narrow one due to diffusing Li⁺ with a hopping frequency greater than the dipolar frequency. The activation energy deduced from spin-lattice relaxation time measurements (T₁) is lower than that given by variation of conductivity with temperature. At low temperature T₁ disagrees with the BPP prediction (T₁ ω²_o). The diffusion process may be explained by the existence of a distribution of the local energy barriers.