CoI-Catalyzed Barbier Reactions of Aromatic Halides with Aromatic Aldehydes and Imines

The reductive Barbier coupling of aromatic halides and electrophiles has been achieved using a CoBr₂/1,10-phenanthroline catalytic system and over stoichiometric amounts of zinc. The reaction displayed a broad scope of substrates, including (hetero)aryl chlorides as pro-nucleophiles and aldehydes or imines as electrophiles, leading to diarylmethanols and diarylmethylamines in moderate to excellent yields, respectively.     

Studies in the formation of heterocyclic rings containing nitrogen

Synthesis of 1-benzyl-3-methyl (I), 1-beazyl-3-substituted benzyl (II) and 1-methyl-3-substituted benzyl (III)-2-aryl benzimidazolines is described. (I) acc obtained by the condensation of N¹benzyl-N²methyl-o-phenylenediamine with various aldehydes in metharol. Compounds (II) are prepared from N¹-benzyl-N²-arylidene-o-phenylenediamines in acetic acid, through a process of disproportionation involving an oxidation-reduction process. Likewise, (III) are obtained from N¹-methyl-N²-arylidenc-o-phenylenediamines. The exact structure of N¹-benzyl-N²-arylidene-o-phenylenediamines which can exist in the open chain form or in the ring form has been investigated using nmr spectroscopy.     

Effect of radiation dose on the properties of natural rubber nanocomposite

Effect of radiation dose and carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the mechanical properties of standard Malaysian rubber (SMR) was investigated in this study. SMR nanocomposites containing 1–7 phr CNT were prepared using the solvent casting method and the nanocomposites were radiated at doses of 50–200 kGy. The change in mechanical properties, especially, tensile strength (Ts), elongation at break (Eb), hardness and tensile modulus at 100% elongation (M₁₀₀) were studied as a function of radiation dose. The structure and morphology of reinforced natural rubber was investigated by FESEM, TEM and AFM in order to gain further evidence on the radiation-induced crosslinking. It was found that the Ts, M₁₀₀ and the hardness of the SMR/CNT nanocomposites significantly increased with radiation dose; the elongation at break exhibited an increase up to 100 kGy, and a downward trend thereafter. Results on gel fraction further confirmed the crosslinking of SMR/CNT nanocomposites upon radiation.     

Determination of Young's modulus of epoxy coated polyethylene micro-cantilever using phase-shift shadow moiré method

Young′s moduli of various epoxy coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) micro-cantilevers were determined from the deflection results obtained using the phase-shift shadow moiré (PSSM) method. The filler materials for epoxy coatings were aluminum and graphite powders that were mixed with epoxy at various percentages. Young′s moduli were calculated from theory based on the deflection results. The PET micro-cantilever coated with aluminum-epoxy coating showed increasing value of Young′s modulus when the ratios of the aluminum-epoxy were increased. The graphite-epoxy coating on the PET micro-cantilever also showed the same trend. The experimental results also show that Young′s modulus of the graphite-epoxy coating is higher than aluminum-epoxy coating in comparison at the same mixing ratio.     

Studies in the formation of heterocyclic rings containing nitrogen: Part XXIII. Condensation ofo-aminobenzamide with aldehydes and schiff bases

N-Arylidene orthanilamides undergo isomeric cyclisation in acetic acid to the corresponding 2-aryl-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydro-4-oxoquinazolines. The u.v. and n.m.r. spectra of some of the arylidene derivatives and their isomeric tetrahydroquinazolines have neeb studied. Condensation ofo-aminobenzamide either with aromatic aldehydes in nitrobenzene or Schiff bases in acetic acid has yielded 2-aryl-4 (3H)-quinazolinones.     

Electronegativities in the calculation of diatomic molecular parameters (Hydrides of some transition elements)

The force constants for diatomic molecules and isolated bonds may be expressed by using equalized electro-negativities, bond orders, bond strengths and interatomicdistances. We have studied Mn¹H, Mn²H, Co²H, Ni¹H, Ni²H, Cu¹H, Cu²H, Ag¹H, and Ag²H and have determined the proportionality constant d, as well as the Lennard-Jones parameters a and b, for the potential energy functions used by Szöke and calculated the anharmonicity ω_eξ_e and the rotational-vibrational coupling constant α_e. The relation between electronegativity and ionization potential has been verified and the variations of molecular parameters with atomic number Z have been studied.     

Viscoelastic Properties and Thermal Stability of Nanohydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly-Lactic Acid for Load Bearing Applications

We studied the reinforcing effects of treated and untreated nanohydroxyapatite (NHA) on poly-lactic acid (PLA). The NHA surface was treated with three different types of chemicals; 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES), sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and polyethylenimine (PEI). The nanocomposite samples were prepared using melt mixing techniques by blending 5 wt% untreated NHA and 5 wt% surface-treated NHA (mNHA). Based on the FESEM images, the interfacial adhesion between the mNHA filler and PLA matrix was improved upon surface treatment in the order of mNHA (APTES) > mNHA (SDS) > mNHA (PEI). As a result, the PLA-5wt%mNHA (APTES) nanocomposite showed increased viscoelastic properties such as storage modulus, damping parameter, and creep permanent deformation compared to pure PLA. Similarly, PLA-5wt%mNHA (APTES) thermal properties improved, attaining higher Tc and Tm than pure PLA, reflecting the enhanced nucleating effect of the mNHA (APTES) filler.