Mechanical mixtures of Me (Ni, Pd) Ce oxides and silica-supported heteropolyacids: Role and optimal concentration of each active species in n-hexane isomerization

Catalytic properties of silica-supported heteropolyacids (HPA) in a mechanical mixture with reduced Me-Ce oxides (Me = Ni, Pd) in n-hexane isomerization are studied. The role of each component of the mixed oxides (Ce and, typically, Ni and Pd) and their optimum content has been illuminated: cerium is not only beneficial for eliminating or preventing coke deposition but is also effective for maintaining the Keggin structure of the highly-organized HPA during the reaction and probably allows a better dispersion of the second metal species. Nickel and palladium, present as Ni⁰ and Pd⁰, reinforce the activation of the alkane, which is difficult to obtain by means of a direct attack by an acid, and, thus, enhance noticeably the activity of the catalyst. The best mechanical mixtures are obtained with 30–70 wt % NiCeO-HPW/SiO₂ and 50–50 wt % Pd_0.1CeO-HPW/SiO₂. These mixtures have the highest efficiency for a Ni/(Ni + W) atomic ratio of 0.66 and a Pd/(Pd + W) ratio of 0.40, respectively. Finally, the conversion of n-hexane is in the order HPW > HSiW > HBW, which seems to be consistent with the order of their acid strength as per the literature, but the isomerization selectivity appears to be slightly higher on HSiW. Published in Russian in Kinetika i Kataliz, 2006, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 24–28. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Poisson algebras associated to quasi-Hopf algebras

We define admissible quasi-Hopf quantized universal enveloping (QHQUE) algebras by ?-adic valuation conditions. We show that any QHQUE algebra is twist-equivalent to an admissible one. We prove a related statement: any associator is twist-equivalent to a Lie associator. We attach a quantized formal series algebra to each admissible QHQUE algebra and study the resulting Poisson algebras.     

Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ketone)s containing naphthalene moieties obtained by direct copolymerization as novel polymers for proton exchange membranes

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether ketone)s (SPAEKs) were prepared by aromatic nucleophilic polycondensation of 2,6‐dihydroxynaphthalene with 5,5′‐carbonyl‐bis(2‐fluorobenzenesulfonate) and 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone. The structure and degree of sulfonation (DS) of the SPAEKs were characterized using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The experimentally observed DS values were close to the expected values derived from the starting material ratios. The thermal stabilities of the SPAEKs were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that in acid and sodium salt forms they were thermally stable in air up to about 240 and 380 °C, respectively. Transparent membranes cast from the directly polymerized SPAEKs exhibited good mechanical properties in both dry and hydrated states. The dependence of water uptake and of membrane swelling on the DS at different temperatures was studied. SPAEK membranes with a DS from 0.72 to 1.60 maintained adequate mechanical properties after immersion in water at 80 °C for 24 h. The proton conductivity of SPAEK membranes with different degrees of sulfonation was measured as a function of temperature. The proton conductivity of the SPAEK films increased with increased DS, and the highest room temperature conductivity (4.2 × 10^?2 S/cm) was recorded for a SPAEK membrane with a DS of 1.60, which further increased to 1.1 × 10^?1 S/cm at 80 °C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2866–2876, 2004     

A short proof for a generalization of Vizing's theorem

For a simple graph of maximum degree Δ, it is always possible to color the edges with Δ + 1 colors (Vizing); furthermore, if the set of vertices of maximum degree is independent, Δ colors suffice (Fournier). In this article, we give a short constructive proof of an extension of these results to multigraphs. Instead of considering several color interchanges along alternating chains (Vizing, Gupta), using counting arguments (Ehrenfeucht, Faber, Kierstead), or improving nonvalid colorings with Fournier's Lemma, the method of proof consists of using one single easy transformation, called “sequential recoloring”, to augment a partial k-coloring of the edges.     

Polygermoxanes suitable for biochemical purposes. Part I. Digermoxanes (low-viscosity oils)

In order to replace silicones in some of their biomedical applications, e.g. syringe lubrication, implants ets., a series of digermoxanes (R¹R²R³Ge)₂O (R = n–alkyl, aryl) were synthesized. These compounds are thermally stable oils; their viscosities, depending on the nature of substituents, lie in the range 1–72 cPo (mPa s) at 20°C.     

Sur les valeurs propres d'un oscillateur harmonique perturbé

Sans résumé Dedicated to Professor Shmuel Agmon     

Erratum: Symmetric iterative interpolation processes

Communicated by Charles A. Micchelli.     

Recent developments in the synthesis of 11β-aryl-estrone derivatives

An industrial synthesis of 11β-aryl-estrone derivatives is described, based on the 1,4-addition of the aryl side-chain, as a cuprate, on to a mixture of allylic 5(10) alpha and beta epoxides, followed by hydrolysis and subsequent aromatization.     

Le saut en zéro de la fonction de décalage spectral

We give a formula for the jump at zero of the spectral shift function associated with Schrödinger operator on manifolds with conical ends. We show that, according to its decay, a zero energy resonant state has a non-integer contribution.