Synthesis of spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite with intergranular mesoporous for alkylation of ethylbenzene with ethanol to produce m-diethylbenzene

Catalytic synthesis of m-diethylbenzene(m-DEB)through alkylation of ethylbenzene(EB)may be a promising alternative route in comparison with traditional rectification of mixed DEB,for which the top priority is to develop efficient and stable heterogeneous catalysts.Here,the spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite with abundant intergranular mesoporous is synthesized by the seed-mediated growth method for alkylation of EB with ethanol to produce m-DEB.The results show that the spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite exhibits better stability and higher alkylation activity at a lower temperature than those of commercial micropore ZSM-5.And then,the spherical nano-ZSM-5 is further modified by La_(2)O_(3) through acid treatment followed by immersion method.The acid treatment causes nano-ZSM-5 to exhibit the increased pore size but decreased the acid sites,and subsequent La_(2)O_(3) loading reintroduces the weak acid sites.As a result,the HNO_(3)-La_(2)O_(3)-modified catalyst exhibits a slight increase in EB conversion and DEB yield in comparison with unmodified one,and meanwhile,it still maintains high m-DEB selectivity.The catalyst after acid treatment achieves higher catalytic stability besides maintaining the high alkylation activity of EB with ethanol.The present study on the spherical nano-HZSM-5 zeolite and its modification catalyst with excellent alkylation ability provides new insights into the production of mDEB.

Tandem hydroalkylation and deoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolics to synthesize high-density fuels

Lignin is the most abundant naturally phenolic biomass,and the synthesis of high-performance renewable fuel from lignin has attracted significant attention.We propose the efficient synthesis of high-density fuels using simulated lignin cracked oil in tandem with hydroalkylation and deoxygenation reactions.First,we investigated the reaction pathway for the hydroalkylation of phenol,which competes with the hydrodeoxygenation form cyclohexane.And then,we investigated the effects of metal catalyst types,the loading amount of metallic,acid dosage,and reactant ratio on the reaction results.The phenol hydroalkylation and hydrodeoxygenation were balanced when 180℃ and 5 MPa H_(2)with the alkanes yield of 95%.By extending the substrate to other lignin-derived phenolics and simulated lignin cracked oil,we obtained the polycyclic alkane fuel with high density of 0.918 g·ml^(-1)and calorific value of41.2 MJ·L^(-1).Besides,the fuel has good low-temperature properties(viscosity of 9.3 mm^(2)·s^(-1)at 20℃ and freezing point below-55℃),which is expected to be used as jet fuel.This work provides a promising way for the easy and green production of high-density fuel directly from real lignin oil.

Production of linear alkylbenzene over Ce containing Beta zeolites

Ce-encapsulated Beta zeolite was synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method with citric acid complexing Ce in the absence of Na species.Additional citric acid can effectively prevent the deposition of Ce species during the hydrothermal synthesis of zeolites,leading to uniform distribution of Ce cluster in the framework of Beta zeolites.Moreover,the sodium-free synthesis system resulted that the Brønsted acid sites were mainly located on the straight channels and external surface of Beta zeolites,improving the utilization of Brønsted acid sites.In addition,Ce encapsulated Beta zeolites showed enhanced activity and robust stability in the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene based on the synergistic effect between Ce species and Brønsted acid sites,which pave the way for its practical application in the production of alkylbenzene.

Small molecule deoxynyboquinone triggers alkylation and ubiquitination of Keap1 at Cys489 on Kelch domain for Nrf2 activation and inflammatory therapy

Activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)by Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)alkylation plays a central role in anti-inflammatory therapy.However,activators of Nrf2 through alkylation of Keap1-Kelch domain have not been identified.Deoxynyboquinone(DNQ)is a natural small molecule discovered from marine actinomycetes.The current study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and molecular mechanisms of DNQ via alkylation of Keap1.DNQ exhibited significant anti-inflammatory properties both in vitro and in vivo.The pharmacophore responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of DNQ was determined to be theα,β-unsaturated amides moieties by a chemical reaction between DNQ and N-acetylcysteine.DNQ exerted anti-inflammatory effects through activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway.Keap1 was demonstrated to be the direct target of DNQ and bound with DNQ through conjugate addition reaction involving alkylation.The specific alkylation site of DNQ on Keap1 for Nrf2 activation was elucidated with a synthesized probe in conjunction with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.DNQ triggered the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of Keap1 by alkylation of the cysteine residue 489(Cys489)on Keap1-Kelch domain,ultimately enabling the activation of Nrf2.Our findings revealed that DNQ exhibited potent anti-inflammatory capacity throughα,β-unsaturated amides moieties active group which specifically activated Nrf2 signal pathway via alkylation/ubiquitination of Keap1-Kelch domain,suggesting the potential values of targeting Cys489 on Keap1-Kelch domain by DNQ-like small molecules in inflammatory therapies.

Alkylene-functionality in bridged and fused nitrogen-rich poly-cyclic energetic materials:Synthesis,structural diversity and energetic properties

From the standpoint of chemical structures,the organic backbones of energetic materials can be classified into aromatic rings,nonaromatic rings,and open chains.Although the category of aromatic energetic compounds exhibits several advantages in the regulation of energetic properties,the nonaromatic heterocycles,assembling nitramino explosophores with simple alkyl bridges,still have prevailed in benchmark materials.The methylene bridge plays a pivotal role in the constructions of the classic nonaromatic heterocycle-based energetic compounds,e.g.,hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine(RDX)and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine(HMX),whereas ethylene bridge is the core moiety of state-of-the-art explosive 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane(CL-20).In this context,it is of great interest to employ simple and practical bridges to assemble aromatic and nonaromatic nitrogen-rich heterocycles,thereby expanding the structural diversity of energetic materials,e.g.,bridged and fused nitrogen-rich poly-heterocycles.Furthermore,alkyl-bridged poly-heterocycles highlight the potential for the open chain type of energetic materials.In this review,the development of alkyl bridges in linking nitrogen-rich heterocycles is presented,and the perspective of the newly constructed energetic backbones is summarized for the future design of advanced energetic materials.

Pilot Test of Preparing 2-Alkylanthraquinone Using Alkylation-Oxidation Technology

To expedite the development of industrial technology for producing 2-alkylanthraquinone,a novel pilot test of alkylation-oxidation technology was conducted.The process mainly included anthracene alkylation,separation of anthracene and 2-alkylanthracene,oxidation of 2-alkylanthracene,and product purification.Optimal alkylation conditions yielded a 91.1%conversion of anthracene and a 71.73%selectivity for 2-alkylanthracene.To address the separation problem of anthracene and 2-alkylanthracene,solvent-assisted distillation technology was developed,resulting in a 98.9%purity of 2-alkylanthracene and a 91.82%separation yield.When the molar ratio of H2O_(2) to 2-alkylanthracene was 7:1,a 98.96%conversion of 2-alkylanthracene and a 99.94%selectivity for 2-alkylanthraquinone were achieved.A novel composition of 2-alkylanthraquinone,including 2-tert-butylanthraquinone,2-tert-amylanthraquinone,and 2-hexylanthraquinone,was developed.This composition could be effectively separated and purified through a combination of crystallization and washing processes.The elemental composition of the product met the existing standards,and its hydrogenation performance closely matched that of commercially available 2-tert-amylanthraquinone products.

Regulating^(*)COOH intermediate via amino alkylation engineering for exceptionally effective photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction

Photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) into fuel represents a promising approach for achieving carbon neutrality,while realizing high selectivity in this process is challenging due to uncontrollable reaction intermediate and retarded desorption of target products.Engineering the interface microenvironment of catalysts has been proposed as a strategy to exert a significant influence on reaction outcomes,yet it remains a significant challenge.In this study,amino alkylation was successfully integrated into the melem unit of polymeric carbon nitrides(PCN),which could efficiently drive the photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction.Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations revealed that the introduction of amino alkylation lowers the energy barrier for CO_(2) reduction into^(*)COOH intermediate,transforming the adsorption of^(*)COOH intermediate from the endothermic to an exothermic process.Notably,the as-prepared materials demonstrated outstanding performance in photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction,yielding CO_(2)at a rate of 152.8μmol h^(-1) with a high selectivity of 95.4%and a quantum efficiency of 6.6%.

Visible-light-driven external-photocatalyst-free alkylative carboxylation of alkenes with CO_(2)

Herein,we report a novel protocol for visible-light-driven alkylative carboxylation of alkenes with CO_(2) in the absence of external photocatalyst.Under the irradiation of visible light,a variety of 4-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines(alkyl-DHPs)serve as not only alkyl radical precursors but also photoexcited reductants probably with the potential to reduce benzyl radicals.Several styrenes and acrylates are applicable in this reaction to give structurally diverse carboxylic acids in good to excellent yields.These reactions feature mild reaction conditions(1 atm of CO_(2),room temperature,visible light,photocatalyst-and transition metalfree),good functional group tolerance,easy scalability,as well as high regio-,and chemo-selectivity.Mechanistic investigations provide evidence that alkyl radical,benzyl radical and carbanion might be involved in this reaction,providing a novel strategy for CO_(2) utilization.

Conversion of lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative into high-density jet fuel

Synthesizing high-density fuel from lignocellulose can not only achieve green and low-carbon development,but also expand the feedstock source of hydrocarbon fuel.Here,we reported a route of producing high-density fuel from lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative cyclopentanol through alkylation and hydrodeoxygenation,HY with SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) molar ratio of 5.3 was screened as the alkylation catalyst in the reaction of model phenolic compounds and mixtures,and the reaction conditions were optimized to achieve conversion of phenolic compounds higher than 87%and selectivity of bicyclic and tricyclic products higher than 99%.Then two phenolic pools simulating the composition of two typic lignin oils were studied to validate the alkylation and analyze the competition mechanism of phenolic compounds in mixture system.Finally,real lignin oil from depolymerized of beech powder was tested,and notably80%of phenolic monomers in the oil were converted into fuel precursor.After hydrodeoxygenation,the alkylated product was converted to fuel blend with a density of 0.91 g/mL at 20℃and a freezing point lower than-60℃,very promising as high density fuel.This work provides a facile and energyefficient way of synthesizing high-performance jet fuel directly from lignocellulosic derivatives,which decreases processing energy consumption and improve the utilization rate of feedstock.

Elucidating the effect of oxides on the zeolite catalyzed alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene

In the present work, the effect of oxides on the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene was comprehensively investigated over MCM-49 n-heptanol, n-heptaldehyde and n-heptanoic acid were selected as the model oxides herein, and obvious decrease of lifetime could be caused by only trace amount of oxides added in the feedstocks. However, the deactivated catalysts were difficult to be regenerated by extraction with hot benzene. Additionally, coke-burning was also proved to be incapable to regenerate the deactivated catalysts mainly for the dealumination during calcination. Further characterizations complementary with DFT calculations were conducted to demonstrate that the deactivation was mainly due to the firm adsorption of oxides on the acid sites.

Enhanced ortho-selective t–butylation of phenol over sulfonic acid functionalized mesopore MTW zeolites

Novel organo-inorganic hybrid materials(MTW-x-SO_(3)H) have been fabricated by immobilizing 3-mercap topropyltriethoxysilane onto mesopore MTW zeolites, which is treated via a simple oxidation process with hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant to transform sulfhydryl group into sulfonic acid group. The organic sulfhydryl groups are covalently bonded to the external surface of MTW zeolites through the condensation between siloxane arising from organic fragments with silanol groups on the surface of MTW zeolites, the hybrids contain sulfonic acid group within the external surface of MTW zeolites and an opened mesoporous system in the matrix of MTW zeolites, which provide enough accessible Brùnsted acid sites for the alkylation between phenol with tert-butyl alcohol. Through this methodology it's possible to prepare multifunctional materials where the plenty of mesopores are benefit for the introduction of larger numbers of sulfonic acid groups that contributes to activity during reactions, resulting in high activity(>55%) of MTW-4-SO_(3)H and desired selectivity(>56%) of 2-TBP(2-tert-butyl phenol) in the alkylation between phenol with tert-butyl alcohol.

Alkyl-tetralin base oils synthesized from coal-based chemicals and evaluation of their lubricating properties

Naphthenic base oil is an important lubricating base oil and very scarce in the global petroleum resources.Herein,a series of alkylated tetralin fluids similar to naphthenic base oils were produced by the alkylation of tetralin and a-olefins(n-hexene,n-octene,n-decene)with ionic liquid Et_3NHCl/AlCl_(3)as the catalyst,where the applied raw materials are totally derived from the coal chemical industry.The product composition could be controlled by adjusting the feeding ratio of tetralin and olefin.The synthetic fluids were evaluated as lubricating base oils to reveal the structure-property correlations.Their principal physicochemical and tribological properties depend on the chain-length of a-olefins and the number of alkyl groups onto the aromatic rings.Bis-(octyl-or decyl-)alkyl tetralin exhibited good properties in terms of viscosity,thermo-oxidation stability and pour point,as well as friction-reducing and anti-wear performance,showing great potential for producing naphthenic base synthetic oils from coal-based chemicals.

Strain effects on Li^(+) diffusion in solid electrolyte interphases:A molecular dynamics study

Dilithium ethylene dicarbonate(Li_(2)EDC) and dilithium butylene dicarbonate(Li_(2)BDC) are the common organic compositions of the solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) layers in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.The Li^(+) diffusion in the amorphous and ordered phases of Li_(2) EDC and Li_(2) BDC under various strains has been investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations.It is found that different strains lead to diverse changes in Li^(+) diffusivity.The tensile strain makes the Li+diffusion coefficients increase in amorphous and ordered Li_(2)EDC or Li_(2) BDC,and the compressive strain makes the Li+diffusion coefficients decrease in them.The average Li+coordination number calculation,ion conductivity calculation and the calculation of the residence autocorrelation function in amorphous and ordered Li_(2)EDC or Li_(2)BDC are performed to further analyze the strain effects on Li^(+) transport in them.The factors influencing Li^(+) diffusion in amorphous and ordered Li_(2)EDC or Li_(2) BDC under the strain are discussed.

A comparative single-pulse shock tube experiment and kinetic modeling study on pyrolysis of cyclohexane,methylcyclohexane and ethylcyclohexane

The pyrolysis of cyclohexane,methylcyclohexane,and ethylcyclohexane have been studied behind reflected shock waves at pressures of 5 and10 bar and at temperatures of 930-1550 K for 0.05%fuel diluted by Argon.A single-pulse shock tube(SPST)is used to perform the pyrolysis experiments at reaction times varying from 1.65 to 1.74 ms.Major products are obtained and quantified using gas chromatography analysis.A flame ionization detector and a thermal conductivity detector are used for species identification and quantification.Kinetic modeling has been performed using several detailed and lumped chemical kinetic mechanisms.Differences in modeling results among the kinetic models are described.Reaction path analysis and sensitivity analysis are performed to determine the important reactions controlling fuel pyrolysis and their influence on the predicted concentrations of reactant and product species profiles.The present work provides new fundamental knowledge in understating pyrolysis characteristics of cyclohexane compounds and additional data set for detailed kinetic mechanism development.

Hydrothermal conversion of fructose to lactic acid and derivatives:Synergies of metal and acid/base catalysts

With increasing strict regulation on single-use plastics,lactic acid(LA)and alkyl lactates,as essential monomers for bio-degradable polylactic acid(PLA)plastic products,have gained worldwide attention in both academia and industry.While LA is still dominantly produced through fermentation processes from start,chemical synthesis from cellulosic biomass remains a grand challenge,owing to poor selectivity in activating CAH and CAC bonds in sugar molecules.To our best knowledge,recent publications have been focused on hydrothermal conversion of glucose to LA,while this review summarizes the highlights on direct thermal conversion of fructose as starting material to LA and derivatives.In particular,the synergies of metal/metal cations and acid/base catalysts will be critically revised on retro-aldol and dehydration reactions.This work will provide insights into rational design of active and selective catalysts for the production of carboxylic acids from biomass feedstocks.

Understanding the interfacial behaviors of benzene alkylation with butene using chloroaluminate ionic liquid catalyst: A molecular dynamics simulation

To better understand the benzene alkylation with chloroaluminate ionic liquids(ILs) as catalyst, the interfacial properties between the benzene/butene binary reactants and chloroaluminate ILs with varying cation alkyl chain length and different anions were investigated using molecular dynamics(MD) simulations. The results indicate that ILs can obviously improve the interfacial width, solubility and diffusion of reactants compared to H_(2)SO_(4). The longer alkyl chains of cations present a density enrichment at the interface and protrude into the binary reactants phase. Furthermore, the ILs consisting of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium cations([Omim]^(+)) and the stronger acidity heptachlorodialuminate anions([Al_(2)Cl_(7)]^(-)) are more beneficial to promote the interfacial width and facilitate the dissolution and diffusion of benzene in both the IL bulk and the interfacial region in comparison to the ones with shorter alkyl chains cations and weaker acidity anions. The information gives us a better guideline for the design of ILs for benzene alkylation.

Active precursor promoting nucleation/growth of MwW zeolite and controlling its morphology

MWW zeolites is an important catalyst in petrochemical industry.However,the efficient preparation of Mww zeolites still faces challenges,and the origin of influential factors for regulating its structure properties also remains obscure.Herein,we designed a nanoscale amorphous silica-alumina species denoted as active precursor(APS),and adopt the APS in the HMI mixture to synthesize MCM-22 zeolite(APS-MWW)successfully.To reveal the distinctive role of APS in promoting the crystallization of MWW zeolites,two crystal materials(ITQ-1 and MCM-22)and one mother liquor(ML)as seeds to synthesize three types of MWW zeolites.Typically,when adding APS in the synthetic mixture,the HMI amount was reduced to less than a quarter and crystallization time was reduced to 36 h.APS-MWW sample provides a smaller particle size(2-4μm)and thinner stacked layer thickness(5-20 nm).Synchrotron radiation Small Angle X-ray Scattering(SAXS)shows each seed has a different impact on the species'fractal structure and size distribution in the mixture,which is highly related to the nucleation and growth of MWW zeolites.APS shows a large number of 6 membered ring(MR)structure units which play a sig-nificant role in boosting the rapid nucleation and growth of APS-MwW zeolite.Among the synthesized MWW zeolites,the APS-MWW performs the highest ethylbenzene yield in the alkylation reaction of benzene-ethylene,which is attributed to its moderate flake thickness,appropriate texture properties and more external surface acidity.The results will provide a new perspective for producing MwW-types zeolites by using the available and effective active precursor.

Low-temperature photothermal-induced alkyl radical release facilitates dihydroartemisinin-triggered“valve-off”starvation therapy

The high nutrient and energy demand of tumor cells compared to normal cells to sustain rapid proliferation offer a potentially auspicious avenue for implementing starvation therapy.However,conventional starvation therapy,such as glucose exhaustion and vascular thrombosis,can lead to systemic toxicity and exacerbate tumor hypoxia.Herein,we developed a new“valve-off”starvation tactic,which was accomplished by closing the valve of glucose transporter protein 1(GLUT1).Specifically,dihydroartemisinin(DHA),2,20-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane]dihydrochloride(AI),and Ink were co-encapsulated in a sodium alginate(ALG)hydrogel.Upon irradiation with the 1064 nm laser,AI rapidly disintegrated into alkyl radicals(R·),which exacerbated the DHA-induced mitochondrial damage through the generation of reactive oxygen species and further reduced the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate(ATP).Simultaneously,the production of R·facilitated DHA-induced starvation therapy by suppressing GLUT1,which in turn reduced glucose uptake.Systematic in vivo and in vitro results suggested that this radical-enhanced“valveoff”strategy for inducing tumor cell starvation was effective in reducing glucose uptake and ATP levels.This integrated strategy induces tumor starvation with efficient tumor suppression,creating a new avenue for controlled,precise,and concerted tumor therapy.

Synthesis of Fluorene Derivatives Via TfOH-catalyzed Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts Alkylation Reactions

We devoloped an efficient and simple method to synthesize fluorene derivatives via intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of chalcones.The transform is catalyzed by TfOH in CH_(3)NO_(2)at 80℃and the yield is up to 99%.

Structural optimization and performance trade-off strategies for semi-crystalline sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) membranes in high-concentration direct methanol fuel cells

Direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs) have attracted extensive attention as promising next-generation energy conversion devices. However, commercialized proton exchange membranes(PEMs) hardly fulfill the demand of methanol tolerance for DMFCs employing high-concentration methanol solutions.Herein, we report a series of semi-crystalline poly(arylene ether ketone) PEMs with ultra-densely sulfonic-acid-functionalized pendants linked by flexible alkyl chains, namely, SL-SPEK-x(where x represents the molar ratio of the novel monomer containing multiple phenyl side chain to the bisfluoride monomers). The delicate structural design rendered SL-SPEK-x membranes with high crystallinity and well-defined nanoscale phase separation between hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases. The reinforcement from poly(ether ketone) crystals enabled membranes with inhibited dimensional variation and methanol penetration. Furthermore, microphase separation significantly enhanced proton conductivity. The SL-SPEK-12.5 membrane achieved the optimum trade-off between proton conductivity(0.182 S cm^(-1), 80 ℃), water swelling(13.6%, 80 ℃), and methanol permeability(1.6 × 10^(-7)cm~2 s^(-1)). The DMFC assembled by the SL-SPEK-12.5 membrane operated smoothly with a 10 M methanol solution, outputting a maximum power density of 158.3 mW cm^(-2), nearly twice that of Nafion 117(94.2 mW cm^(-2)). Overall, the novel structural optimization strategy provides the possibility of PEMs surviving in high-concentration methanol solutions, thus facilitating the miniaturization and portability of DMFC devices.