Synergistic mechanisms of β-diketone derivatives and zinc-calcium soaps in PVC stabilisation

It has been possible to explain the mechanisms of stabilisation and of the synergistic effects of the β-diketone derivatives claimed in a patent as new stabilisers for improving the efficiency of those recipes based upon zinc and calcium soaps in the prevention of the initial discoloration of poly(vinyl chloride).Using chlorohexene as a model compound for allylic chloride structures and benzoylacetone as a model compound for enolised β-diketone derivatives, it has been shown that the benzoylacetone can substitute allylic chlorine atoms through a C-alkylation reaction which takes place only in the presence of ZnCl₂ as catalyst. This reaction drastically changes the percentage of the enol and causes the appearance of two bands at 1720 cm^?1 and 1680 cm^?1 in the infra-red spectrum due to the ketonic structures During the processing of the PVC on a rolling mill at 180°C in the presence of zinc and calcium stearates and benzoylacetone there is grafting of the ketone derivative through a C-alkylation reaction. There is a closed parallelism between the influence of the benzoylacetone on the dehydrochlorination of the chlorohexene and on the accumulation of chloride ions in the polymer matrix in the presence of zinc and calcium stearate. The synergistic effect of the benzoylacetone in the prevention of the initial discoloration is related to the substitution reaction through a C-alkylation which takes place only in the presence of zinc stearate which generates ZnCl₂ which, in turn, acts as a catalyst for both the C-alkylation and dehydrochlorination.     

(18‐Crown‐6)‐μ‐oxo‐hexa­kis(tetra­hydro­borato)diuranium(IV): an unprecedented asymmetric dinuclear complex

In the title compound, (1,4,7,10,13,16‐hexa­oxacyclo­octa­decane‐1κ⁶O)‐μ‐oxo‐1:2κ²O:O‐hexa­kis(tetra­hydro­borato)‐1κ³H;2κ²H;2κ²H;2κ³H;2κ³H;2κ³H‐diuranium(IV), [U₂(BH₄)₆O(C₁₂H₂₄O₆)], one of the U atoms (U1), located at the centre of the crown ether moiety, is bound to the six ether O atoms, and also to a tridentate tetra­hydro­borate group and a μ‐oxo atom in axial positions. The other U atom (U2) is bound to the same oxo group and to five tetra­hydro­borate moieties, three of them tridentate and the other two bidentate. The two metal centres are bridged by the μ‐oxo atom in an asymmetric fashion, thus giving the species (18‐crown‐6)(κ³‐BH₄)U=(μ‐O)—U(κ³‐BH₄)₃(κ²‐BH₄)₂, in which the U1=O and U2—O bond lengths to the μ‐O atom [1.979 (5) and 2.187 (5) Å, respectively] are indicative of the presence of positive and negative partial charges on U1 and U2, respectively.     

Ab initio SCF calculations on [V10O28]6−: A benchmark for the classical calculation and processing of molecular integrals on large Gaussian basis sets

A vector efficient implementation of the McMurchie and Davidson algorithm for the calculation of one- and two-electron molecular integrals is presented, as available in the Cray version of the ASTERIX program system. The implementation and performance of a vector-oriented strategy for the generation and processing of the P supermatrix is also discussed. This program system has been applied to the ab initio SCF computation of the ground-state wave function for the [V₁₀O₂₈]^6? ion, with a basis set of triple-zeta quality for the valence shell of oxygen generating 1404 GTOS and 574 CGTOS for the complete system. The performance and the bottlenecks of the integral calculation are discussed as a function of the integral classes. Two-dimensional maps of the electrostatic potential are presented for this molecule and compared to experimental information about proton fixation.     

The Williamson Reaction: A New and Efficient Method for the Alternate Resolution of 2,2'-Bis(bromomethyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl and 1,1'-Binaphthalene-2,2'-diol

Treatment of 2,2'-bis(bromomethyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl [(R,S)-2] with 1,1'-binaphthalene-2,2'-diol (+)-(R)-1 and cesium or potassium carbonate in refluxing acetone, gave the diastereoisomeric dioxacyclophanes (-)-(R,S)-3a and (+)-(R,R)-3b, both obtained in high yield, and the cyclic tetraether (+)-(R,R,R,S)-4 as isolated side product. Boron tribomide-promoted ether cleavage of 3a and 3b gave optically pure (-)-(S)-2 and (+)-(R)-2, respectively, and the recovered diol (+)-(R)-1. Alternatively, the same reaction sequence furnished the resolved diols (-)-(S)-1 and (+)-(R)-1 from (R,S)-1 and (+)-(R)-2, as well as optically pure 2,2'-bis(chloromethyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl (+)-(R)-5 from the racemic dibromide (R,S)-2 by using boron trichloride for ether cleavage.     

A New Strategy for the Synthesis of alpha-Difluoromethyl-Substituted alpha-Hydroxy and alpha-Amino Acids

A new method for the preparation of alpha-chlorodifluoromethyl-, alpha-bromodifluoromethyl-, and alpha-difluoromethyl-substituted alpha-hydroxy and alpha-amino acid esters 11, 19-21 is described. The key step of the synthesis is the regioselective alkylation of ketones 5, 7-9 and imines 16-18 with C-nucleophiles. The ketones 7-9 are readily available from 3,3,3-trifluorolactate 1 by a five-step procedure. Subsequent removal of the protecting groups from 19-21 provides the corresponding free amino acids 25, 26, 28.     

"ENERGY"-DEPENDENT QUENCHING OF CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE and THERMAL ENERGY DISSIPATION IN INTACT LEAVES DURING INDUCTION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Abstract— Intact leaves, previously adapted to darkness for a prolonged period of time, were suddenly illuminated with a strong, photosynthetically saturating, white light (ca 1500 μmol m⁻² s^_1), resulting in the rapid establishment of a large energy-dependent chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (q_E) as shown by in vivo fluorescence measurements with a pulse amplitude modulation technique. Two different photothermal methods, photoacoustic spectroscopy and photothermal deflection spectroscopy, were used to monitor thermal deactivation of excited pigments during the dark-light transitions. The in vivo photothermal signals measured with both techniques were shown to remain constant during induction of photosynthesis under high light conditions, suggesting that, in contrast to current hypotheses, energy-dependent quenching q_E is not associated with significant changes in thermal dissipation of absorbed light energy in the chloroplasts. When photosynthesis was induced with a low-intensity modulated light, a noticeable decrease in the heat emission yield was observed resulting from the progressive activation of the competing photochemical processes.     

Un nouveau type d'alcaloïdes isoquinoleiques,les bisaporphines

The structures of Beccapoline and Beccapolinium, two new isoquinoline alkaloids from $\text{Polyathia beccarii}$, Annonaceae, have been elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. They are the first examples of natural bisaporphines.     

Chemical ionization desorption mass spectrometry of some quaternary ammonium salts

The ammonia chemical ionization desorption spectra of N,N-dimethyl quaternary ammonium iodides in addition to high protonated molecular ion [M + H]⁺ intensity, show signals for an ion radical composed of N-methyl abstracted salt cation and ammonia [C + NH₃? CH₃]^+˙. These ions corresponding to the cation +2 show increased importance in the chemical ionization mode, using the same reagent gas. The technique of chemical ionization desorption appears suitable for the analysis of salts, and thus for the determination of the molecular weight of both anion and cation.     

A systematic study of the interactions between chemical partners (metal, ligands, counterions, and support) involved in the design of Al2O3-supported nickel catalysts from diamine-Ni(II) chelates

1.5 Ni wt %/Al2O3 catalysts have been prepared by incipient wetness impregnation using [Ni(diamine)x(H2O)(6-2x)]Y2 precursors (diamine = 1,2-ethanediamine (en) and trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine (tc); x = 0, 1, and 2; Y = NO3- and Cl-), to avoid the formation, during calcination, of difficult-to-reduce nickel aluminate. N2 was chosen for thermal treatment to help reveal and take advantage of the reactions occurring between Ni2+, ligands, counterions, and support. In the case of [Ni(en)2(H2O)2]Y2 salts used as precursors, in situ UV-vis and DRIFT spectroscopies show that after treatment at 230 degrees C Ni(II) ions are grafted to alumina via two OAl bonds and that the diamine ligands still remain coordinated to grafted nickel ions but in a monodentate way, bridging the cation with the alumina surface. With Y = Cl-, the chloride counterions desorb as hydrogen chloride, and hydrogen released upon decomposition of the en ligands is able to reduce a fraction of nickel ions into metal as evidenced by XPS. In contrast, with Y = NO3-, compounds such as CO or NO are formed during thermal treatment, indicating that nitrate ions burn the en ligands. After thermal treatment at 500 degrees C, a surface phase containing Ni(II) ions forms, characterized by XPS and UV-vis spectroscopy. Temperature-programmed reduction shows that these ions can be quantitatively reduced to the metallic state at 500 degrees C, in contrast with the aluminate obtained when the preparation is carried out from [Ni(H2O)6]2+, which is reduced only partly at 950 degrees C. On the other hand, a total self-reduction of nickel complexes leading to 2-5-nm metal particles is obtained upon thermal treatment via the hydrogen released by a hydrogen-rich ligand such as tc, whatever the Y counterion. An appropriate choice of the ligand and the counterion allows then to obtain selectively Ni(II) ions or a dispersed reduced nickel phase after treatment in N2, as a result of the reactions occurring between the chemical partners present on alumina.