Chemical Defense in the Plant Bug Lopidea robiniae (Uhler)

Secretions from the metathoracic glands (MTG) of the black locust bug, Lopidea robiniae (Uhler) (Heteroptera: Miridae) contained six major compounds, including (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-octen-1-ol (E)-2-heptenal, and (Z)-3-octen-1-ol. Males and females did not differ significantly in the relative compositions of identified compounds. In feeding trials, six bird species [robin (Turdus migratorious), blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), killdeer (Charadrius vociferus), starling (Sturnus vulgaris), and house wren (Troglodytes aedon)] demonstrated feeding aversions towards L. robiniae, implying that black locust bugs are chemically defended. Bugs discharged the liquid contents of their MTG when attacked, thereby producing a strong and distinct odor. Some birds immediately ejected bugs out of their mouth after biting them, suggesting that the MTG secretion was a deterrent.     

Predicting cetane numbers of n-alcohols and methyl esters from their physical properties

Cetane numbers (C#) for the homologous series of straight-chain, saturated n-alcohols, C₅−C₁₂ and C₁₄, were determined according to ASTM D 613. Measured C# ranged from 18.2–80.8 and increased linearly with carbon number (CN). Regression analyses developed equations that related various physical properties or molecular characteristics of these alcohols to calculated C#. The degree of relationship between measured and calculated C# was expressed as R². The decreasing order of the precision with which these properties correlated with C# was: boiling point (bp)>melting point (mp)>CN>heat of combustion (HG)>refractive index (n²⁰ _D)>density (d). This ranking was based upon R² (0.99–0.96) and the Average % error (2.8–7.2%). C# were also determined for straight-chain homologs of saturated methyl esters with CN of 6, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18. C# ranged from 18.0–75.6 and increased curvilinearly with CN. Equations were also developed that related physical properties of these esters to C#. The precision with which these properties correlated with C# was: bp>viscosity (V)>heat of vaporization (HV)>HG>CN>surface tension (ST)>mp>n²⁰ _D>d. R² ranged from 0.99 for bp to 0.98 for d. Equations for the alcohols were linear or quadratic, while equations for the esters were linear, quadratic or cubic based upon statistical considerations that included a Student’s t-test. With related physical properties and these equations, accurate predictions of C# can be made for saturated n-alcohols and methyl esters.     

费托合成水相副产物混合醇分离脱水工艺模拟及优化

针对费托合成水相副产物混合醇的回收问题,通过对混合醇的物性进行分析结合流程模拟软件Aspen Plus,开发了一种费托合成水相副产混合醇分离脱水工艺。运用Aspen Plus中的灵敏度分析工具计算出各塔理论板数、进料位置、回流比等操作参数,并对全工艺流程进行节能分析,提出了最优的工艺流程。模拟计算结果表明,该工艺得到的合成水中含醇量为PPM级,混合醇回收率很高,得到的混合醇产品含水量小于1%,优化后的工艺节能42%。     

拓扑指数X用于脂肪醇的QSPR研究

为了更好地揭示脂肪醇的各种物理化学性质与结构的关系,通过对100余种饱和脂肪醇分子的拓扑结构特点的研究,提出1种新的拓扑指数X,并运用回归分析方法研究了饱和脂肪醇的沸点(BP)、空腔表面积(CSA)、折光指数(n_D)、光离子化灵敏度(SM),半数致死浓度(LC_(50)),疏水性参数(lgP)和味阀值(poL)等多种物理化学性质与拓扑指数X的相关性,建立了定量结构-性质相关(QSPR)模型。结果表明所建立的QSPR模型方程具有良好的稳定性和预测能力,较好地揭示了这些物理化学性质的变化规律。     

化学-酶法动态动力学拆分外消旋仲醇研究进展

介绍了外消旋仲醇动态动力学拆分的反应原理及金属配合物、酸性沸石催化仲醇消旋化反应的机理,论述了近年来过渡金属配合物催化剂、酸性催化剂与固定化脂肪酶结合,进行仲醇动态动力学拆分反应的研究进展。     

气相色谱法测定合成气制烯烃水相产物中低碳醇、醛、酮、酸化合物

采用气相色谱法建立了合成气制烯烃(SGTO)水相产物中低碳醇、醛、酮、酸的测定方法,对分离条件进行优化,使用标准试样测定了线性范围和工作曲线,考察了方法的精密度和准确度,并采用该方法对SGTO实际水相产物中低碳醇、醛、酮、酸进行了测定。实验结果表明,在一定质量浓度范围内,低碳醇、醛、酮、酸各组分均呈现良好的线性关系,相关系数大于0.99。标样的回收率在93.4%~109.8%之间,6次重复测定的相对标准偏差小于3.9%。SGTO实际水相产物中低碳(C1~6)醇、醛、酮、酸的分析结果表明,SGTO实际水相产物中低碳(C1~6)醇、醛、酮、酸的总含量(w)在1.5%~3.0%之间;其中,乙醇的含量最高,丙酮其次。     

Understanding and Prediction of the Clouding Phenomenon by Spontaneous and Effective Packing Concepts

In this work, we show by which mechanism branching of the hydrocarbon chains influences the cloud point of nonionic, ethoxylated surfactants. The temperature-induced separation into a dilute and a concentrated liquid phase is of liquid–gas type and can be explained by the relative probability of endcaps and branching points of the cylindrical micelles in both phases. The influence of branches on the hydrocarbon chains can be easily understood by means of spontaneous and effective packing concepts, while quantification via hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB), hydrophilic-lipophilic difference (HLD), and HLD-Net Average Curvature requires parametrization. The phase equilibrium above the cloud point phenomenon is equivalent to the Winsor I type phase equilibrium, one of the five known phase equilibria in ternary systems.     

Production of (S)-β-Nitro Alcohols by Enantioselective C−C Bond Cleavage with an R-Selective Hydroxynitrile Lyase

Hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL)-catalysed stereoselective synthesis of β-nitro alcohols from aldehydes and nitroalkanes is considered an efficient biocatalytic approach. However, only one S-selective HNL—Hevea brasiliensis (HbHNL)—exists that is appropriate for the synthesis of (S)-β-nitro alcohols from the corresponding aldehydes. Further, synthesis catalysed by HbHNL is limited by low specific activity and moderate yields. We have prepared a number of (S)-β-nitro alcohols, by kinetic resolution with the aid of an R-selective HNL from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtHNL). Optimization of the reaction conditions for AtHNL-catalysed stereoselective C−C bond cleavage of racemic 2-nitro-1-phenylethanol (NPE) produced (S)-NPE (together with benzaldehyde and nitromethane, largely from the R enantiomer) in up to 99 % ee and with 47 % conversion. This is the fastest HNL-catalysed route known so far for the synthesis of a series of (S)-β-nitro alcohols. This approach widens the application of AtHNL for the synthesis not only of (R)- but also of (S)-β-nitro alcohols from the appropriate substrates. Without the need for the discovery of a new enzyme, but rather by use of a retro-Henry approach, it was used to generate a number of (S)-β-nitro alcohols by taking advantage of the substrate selectivity of AtHNL.