Nano palladium supported on high‐surface‐area metal–organic framework MIL‐101: an efficient catalyst for Sonogashira coupling of aryl and heteroaryl bromides with alkynes

Palladium nanoparticle‐incorporated metal–organic framework MIL‐101 (Pd/MIL‐101) was successfully synthesized and characterized using X‐ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, X‐ray photoelectron, UV–visible and infrared spectroscopies, and transmission electron microscopy. The characterization techniques confirmed high porosity and high surface area of MIL‐101 and high stability of nano‐size palladium particles. Pd/MIL‐101 nanocomposite was investigated for the Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction of aryl and heteroaryl bromides with various alkynes under copper‐free conditions. The reusability of the catalyst was tested for up to four cycles without any significant loss in catalytic activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis of cationic and anionic drugs in methanol

The actual mobilities and dissociation constants of acidic and basic pharmaceuticals were determined in methanol. Actual mobilities were derived from the dependence of the effective mobilities of the analytes on the pH of the methanolic background electrolyte solution (pH(MeOH)). The pKa values of the pharmaceuticals in methanol (pK(a,MeOH)) were calculated by non-linear curve fitting to the measured mobility values. It was found that the shift in pKa value (when compounds were transferred from water to methanol) increased with the acidity of the analyte. The average pKa shift for compounds exhibiting acidic properties in water was ca. 5.5 units, and the shift for basic compounds about 2 units. As was shown for a mixture of beta-blockers, the calculated actual mobilities and pKa values can be utilised in the optimisation of pH conditions for separation. The practical value of the method was illustrated by the analysis of urine samples.     

A monomeric selenium(IV) diimide and a dimeric seleninylamine

The selenium(IV) diimide AdN=Se=NAd (Ad = 1-adamantyl) adopts a monomeric structure with a Z,E configuration in the solid state whereas the seleninylamine OSe(mu-NBut)2SeO crystallizes as the cis-dimer.     

Greenhouse gas abatement — toward Pareto-optimal decisions under uncertainty

This paper examines the economic logic of integrated assessment — balancing the costs against the benefits of greenhouse gas abatement. Stylized facts are employed in a multiregion computable general equilibrium model with a public good. The percentage shares of global emissions are determined outside the model — based upon some form of international agreement — and emission rights are tradeable between regions. The analysis is confined to Pareto-optimal (cooperative) solutions. We focus on the sensitivity of initial decisions to low-probability, high-consequence scenarios associated with cumulative emissions. For simplicity, there are only two regions, two tradeable goods, two time periods, and two states-of-world. With the particular form of public good model adopted here (production rather than utility function impacts), it turns out that a Pareto-optimal hedging strategy is indepedent of the emission shares allocated to each region. Equity issues may be separated from those of economic efficiency. Similar results extend to cases in which there are additional regions, tradeable goods, time periods, and states-of-world.Presented at the Conference on the Economics of Global Environmental Change, Birmingham University, May 9–11, 1994. This research was funded by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The views presented here are solely those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of EPRI or its members.     

Evaluation of epifluorescence image analysis of biofilm growth on stainless steel surfaces

Biofilm growth of Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fragi, Pediococcus inopinatus and Listeria monocytogenes was studied on stainless steel surfaces at room and low temperatures to evaluate the results of traditional hygiene measures. The results were compared with those of image analysis of stainless steel surfaces in an epifluorescence microscope. Statistical analyses were carried out to determine the variations between the conventional cultivation swab method, the glycocalyx amount obtained using swabbing, and the values of the areas of the biofilm, slime and cells. As a general rule, old biofilms showed total counts at approximately the same levels as the young biofilm. The results showed that temperature affected the results for all strains except B. subtilis. The strains of Pe. inopinatus and Ps. fragi showed increased attachment at 6°C and L. monocytogenes at 25°C. The biofilm slime was more easily detached than the cells. The results indicated that the traditional swab method is not reliable for the measurement of biofilm formation on surfaces.     

Heck cross-coupling of vinyl heteroaromatic compounds with aryl and heteroaryl halides using Pd(II) complex under phosphine-free conditions

The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of vinyl heteroaromatic compounds with aryl bromides and heteroaryl bromides is described using air and moisture stable N,N′,N″,O-tetrafunctional Pd catalyst under phosphine-free conditions. As a result a variety of trans-1,2-disubstituted vinyl heterocycles were obtained in high to good yields.     

Sonogashira cross-coupling of 3-bromo-1,2-diones: an access to 3-alkynyl-1,2-diones

A new general method for the synthesis of enols of cyclic 3-alkynyl-substituted 1,2-diketones is developed. Sonogashira cross-coupling of silyl enolates of cyclic 3-bromo-cyclopentane- and 3-bromo-cyclohexane-1,2-diones with variety of substituted acetylenes afforded enols of cyclic 3-alkynyl-1,2-diones with good yields (up to 93%) in a short reaction time. The starting 3-bromo-1,2-diones are easily obtainable by direct bromination of 1,2-diones with NBS.     

Reaction kinetics and solubility in water‐organic binary solutions are governed by similar solvation equilibria

The solvation effects observed in water‐organic solutions were studied by combining data for reaction kinetics and dissolution equilibria by means of a linear free‐energy (similarity) analysis. Kinetic data for the pH‐independent hydrolysis of (4‐methoxyphenyl)‐2,2‐dichloroacetate measured in this work and solubility data for naphthalene, and other substrates of low polarity, in aqueous binary mixtures of methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and 1,4‐dioxane were used. Linear similarity relationships were discovered for these data over the full range of solvent compositions studied. To gain insight into the similarities observed between these different phenomena, molecular dynamics simulations were carried out for naphthalene and an ester in water–acetonitrile solutions. The results revealed considerable preferential solvation of these substrates by the co‐solvent. Linear relationships between the experimental data and the mole fractions of acetonitrile in the solvation shells of substrates were found. Surprisingly, a linear relationship was found between the mole fractions of acetonitrile in the solvation shells of the ester and naphthalene. This linearity indicated that a similar solvation mechanism governs even such different phenomena as dissolution and reaction kinetics. The relationships between the experimental data and the results of the molecular dynamics calculations found in this work explained the solvent effect observed in water‐organic solutions on the molecular level. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

GC–MS with photoionization of cold molecules in supersonic molecular beams—Approaching the softest ionization method

A new type of photoionization ion source was developed for the ionization of cold molecules in supersonic molecular beams (named Cold PI). The system was based on a GC–MS with supersonic molecular beams and its fly‐through EI of cold molecules ion source (Cold EI) plus quadrupole mass analyzer. A continuously operated deuterium VUV photoionization lamp was added and placed above and between the supersonic nozzle and skimmer whereas the Cold EI ion source served only as a portion of the ion transfer ion optics. The supersonic nozzle and skimmer were voltage biased and the VUV light crossed the supersonic expansion about 10 mm from the nozzle. We obtained over three orders of magnitude enhancement in the relative abundance of the molecular ion of squalane in Cold PI versus in photoionization of this compound as a thermal compound. Accordingly, we also proved that standard photoionization is not as soft ionization method as previously perceived for large compounds. We found that Cold PI is as soft as and possibly softer than field ionization; thus, it could be the softest known ionization method. The ionization yield was about 200–300 times weaker than with Cold EI yet our limit of detection was about 200 femtogram in SIM mode for cholesterol and pyrene which is reasonable. Practically, all hydrocarbons gave only molecular ions with rather uniform response whereas alcohols gave some molecular ions plus major fragment ions particularly with a loss of water (similarly to field ionization). We tested Cold PI in the GC–MS analysis of diesel fuels and analyzed the time averaged data for group type information. We also found that we can analyze the diesel fuels by fast under 20‐s flow injection analysis in which the generated averaged mass spectrum of molecular ions only could serve for the characterization of fuels.     

Superhydrophobic polyolefin surfaces: controlled micro- and nanostructures

Superhydrophobic polyolefin surfaces were prepared by simultaneous micro- and nanostructuring. Electropolished aluminum foil was microstructured with a micro working robot and then anodized in polyprotic acid. The surface microstructure can be tailored by adjusting the settings of the micro working robot and the nanostructure by adjusting the parameters of the anodization procedure. Surface structuring was done by injection molding where a microstructured anodized aluminum oxide mold insert was used to pattern the surfaces. Structuring had a marked effect on the contact angle between the injection-molded polyolefins and water. When the optimized microstructure was covered with nanostructure, the static contact angle between polypropylene and water obtained a value of about 165 degrees and the sliding angle decreased to about 2.5 degrees. The superhydrophobic state was achieved.