Air-activated carbons from almond tree pruning: Preparation and characterization

In this work the results obtained in the preparation and characterization of carbons made from almond tree pruning by non-catalytic and catalytic gasification (using K and Co) with air are analyzed and discussed. The main aim was to obtain high quality activated carbons at the lowest possible cost. The variables studied have been the temperature (190-260 °C) and the time (1-10 h) in non-catalytic gasification and the influence of the catalyst type (K and Co, 1 wt.% referred to cation, at 190 °C and 1 h) and the time (1-4 h) in catalytic gasification with Co at 190 °C. The air flow rate used in all the series was 167 cm³ min⁻¹. In non-catalytic gasification the reaction normalized rate versus the conversion degree was maintained until a conversion value of 10% for the experiment made at 260 °C since, at lower temperatures, this rate drops quickly for low conversion values. The N₂ adsorption isotherms for the carbons of this series resemble type I, although there is an increase of N₂ adsorbed volume at relatively high pressures. A temperature rise produced an increase of the carbon porosity and BET specific surface (116-469 m² g⁻¹). The activation time has a positive effect on the N₂ volume adsorbed by the carbons. The isotherms shapes were similar to those previously commented. A concentration equal to 1 wt.% was used to study the influence of the catalyst type. Under the studied experimental conditions, Co drives to a bigger porosity development than K, although with both catalysts a very similar pore size distribution is obtained. The activation time, in the gasifications catalyzed with Co, gives rise to a very important porosity development in the carbons. This produces a strong increase of the carbon specific surface area with very high values in the 4 h experiment, in which a BET specific surface of 959 m² g⁻¹ was obtained.     

Benzylic cleavage and McLafferty rearrangement under electron ionization conditions in the fragmentation of 5,6-dialkyl-2, 4-diarylpyrimidines

Several 5,6-dialkyl-2,4-diarylpyrimidines were prepared and their electron ionization (EI) mass spectra reported. The benzylic cleavage takes place easily together with an important McLafferty rearrangement. The involvement of the nitrogen atom appears to be important in the fragmentation of 5-methyl-substituted pyrimidines. In contrast, the 6-methyl-substituted pyrimidines undergo benzylic cleavage without hydrogen transfer. Thus, the difference in the mass spectrometric behaviour allows the identification of these isomeric compounds which, in contrast, exhibit only small differences in their NMR spectra. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A re-statement of the Hohenberg–Kohn theorem and its extension to finite subspaces

Bearing in mind the insight into the Hohenberg–Kohn theorem for Coulomb systems provided recently by Kryachko (Int J Quantum Chem 103:818, 2005), we present a re-statement of this theorem through an elaboration on Lieb’s proof as well as an extension of this theorem to finite subspaces. Contribution to the Serafin Fraga Memorial Issue.     

Determination of pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene residues in water by derivative synchronous solid-phase spectrofluorimetry

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and pyrene (Pyr) are two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showing native fluorescence in solution. Both compounds have been determined in water at trace levels by solid-phase spectrofluorimetry, in which BaP and Pyr are fixed on Sephadex G-25 gel and the relative fluorescence intensity is measured after the system is packed in a 1-mm silica cell. First-derivative synchronous spectra obtained at =38 nm were used to determine BaP and Pyr in the presence of other potentially interferent PAHs. The spectral characteristics of the PAHs-gel system are described, the applicable concentration ranges being 0.4–2.5 ng/ml for BaP and 0.7–4.5 ng/ml for Pyr. The relative standard deviations were 1.1% and 1.4% for BaP and Pyr respectively. The detection limits were 0.04 ng/ml for BaP and 0.1 ng/ml for Pyr. The method was applied to the analysis of both compounds in water at trace levels and a recovery study on tap, natural and sea waters was carried out.     

Determination of iron at ng/ml level by solid phase spectrophotometry after preconcentration on cation exchange filters

A cationic exchanger paper is used to retain analytes in solution and, after drying, to analyze directly by measuring the UV-Vis absorbance of the paper. The method was applied to determination of iron using its known 1,10-phenanthroline complex. Using 100 ml of sample the applicable concentration range was between 1.0 and 10.0 ng/ml with a detection limit of 0.2 ng/ml and a RSD around 2%. The method was applied to determination of iron total in snow, human serum and wine.     

Infrared and ab initio studies of hydrogen bonding and proton transfer in the complexes formed by pyrazoles

The results of experimental studies and quantum mechanical calculations of vibrational spectra and structure of hydrogen bonded complexes formed by pyrazole (P) and 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (DMP) are presented. IR spectra of pyrazoles in solutions, gas phase, and solid state have been investigated in wide range of concentrations and temperatures. It has been found that in the gas phase both P and DMP reveal the equilibrium between monomers, dimers, and trimers. In solutions the equilibrium between monomers and trimers dominates, no bands, which can be attributed to dimers were detected. DMP retains the trimer structure in solid state, while in the case of pyrazole P, formation of the crystal provides another type of association. Geometrical and spectral characteristics of dimers and trimers, obtained by ab initio calculations, are presented and compared with experimental data.

IR spectra of solutions containing P and DMP with a number of acids (acetic and trifluoroacetic acids, pentachlorophenol, HBr) have been studied in parallel with ab initio calculations. It has been found that pentachlorophenol forms with pyrazoles complexes with one strong hydrogen bond O–HN, while NH pyrazole group remains unbonded. With carboxylic acids DMP forms 1:1 cyclic complexes with two hydrogen bonds. In the case of acetic acid, the complex in CH₂Cl₂ solution reveals molecular structure with OHN and C=OHN bonds, in accordance with results of the calculations. For trifluoroacetic acid, the calculations predict the molecular structure to be energetically more stable in the case of the isolated binary complex (in gas phase), while the experimental spectrum of CH₂Cl₂ solution gives an evidence of the proton transfer with formation of the cyclic ionic pair with two NH⁺O⁻ bonds. The agreement with experimental results can be improved by taking into account the influence of environment in the framework of Onsager or Tomasi models. The shape of proton potential function of the complexes and medium effect on its parameters, resulted from experimental data and calculations, are discussed. It has been found that the number of potential minima and their relative depth depend strongly on the method of calculations and the basic set. Under excess of trifluoroacetic acid, the formation of 2:1 acid–DMP complex has been detected. Spectral characteristics and results of calculations point to the cyclic structure of this complex, which includes homoconjugated bis-trifluoroacetate anion and DMPH⁺ cation. With HBr both studied pyrazoles were found to form ionic complexes including one or two pyrazole molecules per one acid molecule and correspondingly monocation or homoconjugated cation BHB⁺.     

Simultaneous determination of yohimbine and boldine by first-derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry

A method for the simultaneous determination of yohimbine and boldine in mixtures by first-derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry has been developed. The method is based on their native fluorescence in 0.1N sulphuric acid medium. The constant wavelength difference chosen to optimize the determination was =_em -_em=82 nm. Yohimbine was measured at _ex//_em= 285/367 nm, and boldine at _ex/_em=272/354 nm. The range of application is 10–500 g/l for yohimbine and 1–50 g/l for boldine. The method was applied to the determination of yohimbine and boldine in synthetic mixtures and pharmaceuticals, with errors generally 2%. Relative standard deviations were about 2%.Dedicated to Professor Fermin Capitán on his 72th birthday     

4‐(2‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine and the 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐, 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐ and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐substituted derivatives

The 1,5‐benzodiazepine ring system exhibits a puckered boat‐like conformation for all four title compounds [4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₁H₁₈N₂O, (I), 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (II), 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (III), and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (IV)]. The stereochemical correlation of the two C₆ aromatic groups with respect to the benzodiazepine ring system is pseudo‐equatorial–equatorial for compounds (I) (the phenyl group), (II) (the 2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl group) and (III) (the 3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl group), while for (IV) (the 2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl group) the system is pseudo‐axial–equatorial. An intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl OH group and a benzodiazepine N atom is present for all four compounds and defines a six‐membered ring, whose geometry is constant across the series. Although the molecular structures are similar, the supramolecular packing is different; compounds (I) and (IV) form chains, while (II) forms dimeric units and (III) displays a layered structure. The packing seems to depend on at least two factors: (i) the nature of the atoms defining the hydrogen bond and (ii) the number of intermolecular interactions of the types O—H...O, N—H...O, N—H...π(arene) or C—H...π(arene).     

Importance of chain-chain interactions on the band gap of trans-polyacetylene as predicted by second-order perturbation theory

We employ the Laplace-transformed second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory for periodic systems in its atomic orbital basis formulation to determine the geometric structure and band gap of interacting polyacetylene chains. We have studied single, double, and triple chains, and also two-dimensional crystals. We estimate from first principles the equilibrium interchain distance and setting angle, along with binding energy between trans-polyacetylene chains due to dispersion interactions. The dependence of the correlation corrected quasiparticle band gap on the intrachain and interchain geometric parameters is studied, obtaining that the gap of the compound structures is substantially reduced with respect to the single chain polymer.     

Volumetric Properties of the Ternary System 1,4-Dioxane + Butyl Acrylate + Ethyl Acrylate and Its Binary Butyl Acrylate + Ethyl Acrylate at 298.15 K

Densities of the ternary system 1,4-dioxane + butyl acrylate + ethyl acrylate and its binary butyl acrylate + ethyl acrylate have been measured in the whole composition range, at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure, using an Anton Paar DMA 5000 oscillating U-tube densimeter. The calculated excess molar volumes of the binary system are positive and were correlated with the Redlich–Kister equation and with a series of Legendre polynomials. Several models were used to correlate the ternary behavior from the excess molar volume data of their constituent binaries and were found equally good to fit the data. The best fit was based on a direct approach, without information on the component binary systems.