Photothermal Oxidation of Cinnamyl Alcohol with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Gold Nanoparticle/Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Nanocrystals

Gold nanoparticles with different mean sizes were formed on antimony-doped tin oxide nanocrystals by the temperature-varied deposition-precipitation method (Au/ATO NCs). Au/ATO NCs possess strong absorption in the near-infrared region due to Drude excitation in addition to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNPs around 530 nm. Au/ATO NCs show thermally activated catalytic activity for the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to cinnamaldehyde by hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic activity increases with a decrease in the mean Au particle size (d_Au) at 5.3 nm≤d_Au≤8.2 nm. Light irradiation (λ_ex >660 nm, ∼0.5 sun) of Au/ATO NCs increases the rate of reaction by more than twice with ∼95 % selectivity. Kinetic analyses indicated that the striking enhancement of the reaction stems from the rise in the temperature near the catalyst surface of ∼30 K due to the photothermal effect of the ATO NCs.     

Synthesis and properties of 7,7-bis(heteroazulen-3-yl)-8,8-dicyano-1,4-quinodimethanes

The synthesis and properties of a novel type of 7,7-bis(heteroazulen-3-yl)-8,8-dicyano-1,4-quinodimethanes (9a-c) are studied. The synthetic method is based on a TFA-catalyzed electrophilic aromatic substitution on the heteroazulenes with 4-(dicyanomethyl)benzaldehyde to afford the corresponding methane derivatives, followed by oxidative hydrogen abstraction with DDQ. The polarization of 9a-c is evaluated by the inspection of their ¹³C NMR and IR spectra. Based on the investigation of the UV-Vis spectra of 9a-c and protonated cations 10a-c, conformational changes of the heteroazulene-moiety and (dicyanomethyl)phenyl group are suggested. In the CV measurements of 9a-c, two reversible reduction waves are observed, indicating the stabilizing ability of heteroazulenes toward the corresponding radical and anion species. Furthermore, 9a-c exhibit two irreversible oxidation waves, which suggest a conformational change in the radical cation during the redox process. The conformational change is rationalized on the basis of the MO calculations.     

Novel synthesis, static and dynamic properties, and structural characteristics of 5-cyano[n](2,4)pyridinophane-6-ones (n= 9-6) and their chemical transformations

A novel synthesis of 5-cyano[n](2,4)pyridinophane-6-ones 12a-d (n= 9, 8, 7, and 6) consists of allowing cyanoacetatoamide to react with cycloalk-2-enones. Their static and dynamic properties as well as structural characteristics are studied on the basis of their spectroscopic properties, cyclic voltammetry, and theoretical calculations. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra at various temperatures have clarified the dynamic behavior of the methylene chains for [7](2,4)- and [6](2,4)pyridinophane-6-one derivatives 12c and 12d. The energy barrier (Delta G(++)) of the bridge flipping of 12c is estimated to be 12.0 kcal mol(-1)(T(c)= 0 degree C). On the other hand, compound 12d undergoes pseudorotation (conformational change of the methylene chain) at room temperature, and does not undergo bridge flipping even at 150 degree C in DMSO-d(6). The energy barrier (Delta G(++)) of the pseudorotation of the methylene chain 12d of is found to be 10.5 kcal mol(-1)(T(c)=-25 degree C), and thus, two stable conformers of the hexamethylene bridge of 12d are determined as predicted by theoretical calculations. Deformation of the pyridone ring of 12d is also determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Furthermore, chemical transformations of 12a-c leading to 5-carbamoyl[n](2,4)pyridinophanes 15a-c are also accomplished successfully in moderate to good yields.     

Accuracy and efficiency comparison of various nonlinear Kalman filters applied to multibody models

Nonlinear Dynamics - Multibody simulations are already used in many industries to speed up the development of new products. However, improvements in multibody formulations and the continuous...     

Evaluating the logistic mixture model on real and simulated TG curves

The aim of this paper is to evaluate and explain the fitting of dynamic TG curves by a mixture of logistic functions. This model assumes that more than one physical process may be involved in each mass loss step and that each physical process may extend along all the experiment. One of the main sources of difficulties in TG is that, very often, different stages of decomposition substantially overlap each other. Several real and simulated TG curves were analysed in this paper. An optimal fitting of the TG curves was obtained by a mixture of logistics. In many cases the optimal fitting reproduces accurately the TG curve. Accordingly, the TG curve can be understood as a sum of parallel reactions, where each single reaction is represented by one or a small number of logistic components. Additionally, making use of the analytical derivative of the fitting, a mixture of Arrhenius reaction order equations was applied to the same curves. In all the cases, the fitting obtained with the mixture of Arrhenius was worse than the obtained with the mixture of logistics. A software was developed to automatically perform these tasks. The physical meaning of the fitting was explained.     

Wood identification using pressure DSC data

This work addresses the problem of supervised classification of industrial wood species (seven different types in the present study) through their thermo‐oxidative stability. This is evaluated by pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) using the ASTM E2009. The maximization of the ratio of correct classification and the reduction of the costs of this activity are intended. This supervised classification problem was carried out using two different proposals: applying novel nonparametric functional data analysis techniques, based on kernel estimation, to the original PDSC curves, and using machine learning classification approaches applied to different multivariate data sets. The multivariate data sets were obtained, on the one hand, by estimating the fractal (Hausdorff) dimension of the PDSC curves by several methods, jointly with selecting the parameters from fitting a nonlinear model to the PDSC curves and, on the other hand, applying principal component analysis or partial linear squares to the thermograms. The results obtained show that the PDSC curves can be used to discriminate wood samples when these innovative and traditional statistical techniques are applied. In the best of the cases, a probability of correct classification that equals to 0.92 was obtained. PDSC represents a new alternative to the use of images, spectra, and other thermal signals as thermogravimetric analysis for classification purposes.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size‐Dependence of the Activity of Gold Nanoparticle‐Loaded Titanium(IV) Oxide Plasmonic Photocatalyst for Water Oxidation

Mesoporous TiO₂ nanocrystalline film was formed on fluorine‐doped tin oxide electrode (TiO₂/FTO) and gold nanoparticles (NPs) of different sizes were loaded onto the surface with the loading amount kept constant (Au/TiO₂/FTO). Visible‐light irradiation (λ>430 nm) of the Au/TiO₂/FTO photoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell with the structure of photoanode|0.1 m NaClO4 aqueous solution|Ag/AgCl (reference electrode)|glassy carbon (cathode) leads to the oxidation of water to oxygen (O₂). We show that the visible‐light activity of the Au/TiO₂/FTO anode increases with a decrease in Au particle size (d) at 2.9≤d≤11.9 nm due to the enhancement of the charge separation and increasing photoelectrocatalytic activity.     

Novel photo-induced oxidative cyclization of 1,3-dimethyl-5-(1-arylmethylidene)pyrimidine-2,4,6(1,3,5H)-triones: synthesis and properties of areno[5,6]pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions and their photo-induced autorecycling oxidizing reaction toward some amines

Novel photo-induced oxidative cyclization was accomplished to synthesize areno[b]pyrimido[5,4-e]pyran-2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions 13a-c⁺·ClO₄⁻. Furthermore, 13a-c⁺·BF₄⁻ and their phenyl-substituted derivatives 19a,b⁺·BF₄⁻ were alternatively synthesized by the reaction of salicylaldehyde and its naphthyl derivatives with barbituric acids and subsequent treatment with aq. HBF₄. Structural characteristics of 13a-c⁺ and 19a,b⁺ were clarified on inspection of the UV-vis and NMR spectral data as well as X-ray crystal analyses. The electrochemical properties were studied by the CV measurement. In a search for reactivity, reactions of 13a-c⁺·BF₄⁻ with some nucleophiles, hydride, benzylamine, and H₂O, were also carried out. The photo-induced autorecycling oxidation reactions of 13a-c⁺·BF₄⁻ toward some amines under aerobic conditions were carried out to give the corresponding imines (isolated by converting to the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones) in 643-3600% yield (recycling number of 13a-c⁺·BF₄⁻: 6.4-36.0).     

Synthesis, properties, and oxidizing ability of areno-annulated 1,3-dimethyl-10-phenylcyclohepta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine- 2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions

[structures: see text] Novel areno-annulated 1,3-dimethyl-10-phenylcyclohepta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions 12a,b+ x BF4(-) and 16a+ x BF4(-) were synthesized by three-step reactions, starting from the reactions of benzo[b]tropone and naphtho[2,3-d]tropone with 6-anilino-1,3-dimethyluracil. Structural characteristics of 12a,b+ and 16a+ were clarified on inspection of the UV-vis and NMR spectral data as well as by X-ray crystal analyses. The stability of cations 12a,b+ and 16a+ is expressed by the pK(R+) values which were determined spectrophotometrically as the values of ca. 0.5-9.0. The pK(R+) value of the naphtho[b]tropylium ion 4+ was clarified to be much lower, at <0. The electrochemical reduction of 12a,b+ and 16a+ exhibited reduction potentials at -0.46 to -0.67 (V vs Ag/AgNO3) upon cyclic voltammetry (CV). The reduction potentials of the benzotropylium ion and cation 4+ were -0.26 and -0.09 V, respectively. In a search for reactivity, reactions of 12a,b+ x BF4(-) with some nucleophiles, hydride and diethylamine, were carried out. Although the reactions of 12a+ x BF4(-) afforded C11 adduct 19 as a single product, the addition reactions of 12b+ x BF4(-) proceeded at both C9 and C11. The attempted reduction of methyl benzoylformate by using 21 was carried out unsuccessfully. The photoinduced oxidation reaction of 12a,b+ x BF4(-) and 16a+ x BF4(-) toward some amines under aerobic conditions was carried out to give the corresponding imines (isolated by converting to the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones) with the recycling number of 3.6-21.7.     

Sesquiterpenes from termite soldiers. Structure of amiteol,a new 5β, 7β, 10β-eudesmane from amitermesexcellens

The defense secretions of termite soldiers in the genera $\text{Amitermes}$, $\text{Noditermes}$, and $\text{Prorhinotermes}$ contain sesqueterpene hydrocarbons, alcohols and ethers. Three new eudesmanes possessing the hitherto unknown 5β, 7β, 10β configuration were identified from $\text{Amitermes}$$\text{excellens}$.