An Efficient Green Synthesis of a New Class of α‐Aminophosphonates under Microwave Irradiation Conditions in the Presence of PS/PTSA

The present work focuses on the study of catalytic activity of polystyrene‐supported p‐toluenesulfonic acid (PS/PTSA) and the synthesis of α‐aminophosphonates from the Kabachnik–Fields (KF) reaction under microwave irradiation in solvent‐free conditions. Recently, the catalytic activity of PS/PTSA was tested with good yields. This procedure is the simplest, most straightforward, environment friendly method for the synthesis of α‐aminophosphonates from simple to different substituted aldehyde substrates. Furthermore, this catalyst can be recovered and reused without loss of its catalytic activity.     

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) with 1-(2′-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol in the presence of Trition X-100

Uranium(VI) reacts with 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol to form a red-coloured chelate in the pH range 5.3–7.2, maintained by 0.04 M acetate buffer. Absorbance of the sparingly soluble complex, solubilized and stabilized by Triton X-100, is measured after 30 min and it is stable for at least 16 hours. The complex exhibits maximum absorbance at 575 and 625–630 nm, but absorbance at longer wavelengths is not stable. The 12 complex obeys Beer's law over the concentration range 0.4–6.4 g of uranium(VI) per cm³, has molar absorptivity 3.36·10⁴ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1, Sandell sensitivity 7.0 ng·cm^–2, formation constant (log K) 9.32 and coefficient of variation ±0.77%. Effect of 60 ions has been studied and selectivity improved considerably in presence of CDTA. The method has been applied for determination of uranium content in a rock sample.     

Spectroscopic properties of Ho 3 + -doped K–Sr–Al phosphate glasses

Trivalent holmium-doped K–Sr–Al phosphate glasses ( $\mathrm{P}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{5}$ – $\mathrm{K}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ –SrO– $\mathrm{Al}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ – $\mathrm{Ho}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ ) were prepared, and their spectroscopic properties have been evaluated using absorption, emission, and excitation measurements. The Judd–Ofelt theory has been used to derive spectral intensities of various absorption bands from measured absorption spectrum of 1.0 mol% $\mathrm{Ho}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ -doped K–Sr–Al phosphate glass. The Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters ( $\varOmega_{\lambda}$ , $\times10^{-20}~\mathrm{cm}^{2}$ ) have been determined of the order of $\varOmega_{2} = 11.39$ , $\varOmega_{4} = 3.59$ , and $\varOmega_{6} = 2.92$ , which in turn used to derive radiative properties such as radiative transition probability, radiative lifetime, branching ratios, etc. for excited states of $\mathrm{Ho}^{3+}$ ions. The radiative lifetimes for the ${}^{5}F_{4}$ , ${}^{5}S_{2}$ , and ${}^{5}F_{5}$ levels of $\mathrm{Ho}^{3+}$ ions are found to be 169, 296, and 317 μs, respectively. The stimulated emission cross-section for 2.05-μm emission was calculated by the McCumber theory and found to be $9.3\times10^{-2 1}~\mathrm{cm}^{2}$ . The wavelength-dependent gain coefficient with population inversion rate has been evaluated. The results obtained in the titled glasses are discussed systematically and compared with other $\mathrm{Ho}^{3+}$ -doped systems to assess the possibility for visible and infrared device applications.     

Infrared‐to‐Visible Light Conversion in Er3+–Yb3+:Lu3Ga5O12 Nanogarnets

Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co‐doped Lu₃Ga₅O₁₂ nanogarnets were prepared and characterized; their structural and luminescence properties were determined as a function of the Yb³⁺ concentration. The morphology of the nanogarnets was studied by HRTEM. Under 488 nm excitation, the nanogarnets emit green, red, and near‐infrared light. The decay curves for the (⁴S_3/2, ²H_11/2) and ⁴F_9/2 levels of the Er³⁺ions exhibit a non‐exponential nature under resonant laser excitation and their effective lifetimes are found to decrease with an increase in the Yb³⁺ concentration from 1.0 to 10.0 mol %. The non‐exponential decay curves are well fitted to the Inokuti–Hirayama model for S=8, indicating that the mechanism of interaction for energy transfer between the optically active ions is of dipole–quadrupole type. Upon 976 nm laser excitation, an intense green upconverted emission is clearly observed by the naked eyes. A significant enhancement of the red‐to‐green intensity ratio of Er³⁺ ions was observed with an increase in Yb³⁺ concentration. The power dependence and the dynamics of the upconverted emission confirm the existence of two‐photon upconversion processes for the green and red emissions.     

Rapid spectrophotometric determination of zirconium with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol

Zirconium reacts with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol in the pH range 3.8-5.8 to form a red chelate that is soluble in methanol-water mixtures. The absorbance of the 1:3 complex obeys Beer's law over the zirconium concentration range 0.02-0.44 mug/ml and has a molar absorptivity of 1.54 x 10(5) 1.mole(-1). cm(-1) at 585 nm. The formation constant is log beta(3) = 16.15. Of 59 species studied, only EDTA, Ga, In, Ti, Hf and V(V) interfere seriously.