Hierarchically structured catalysts for cascade and selective steam reforming/hydrodeoxygenation reactions.

We report a hierarchically structured catalyst with steam reforming and hydrodeoxygenation functionalities being deposited in the micropores and macropores, respectively. The catalyst is highly efficient to upgrade the pyrolysis vapors of pine forest product residual, resulting in a dramatically decreased acid content and increased hydrocarbon yield without external H2 supply.

Synthesis and application of pyridine-based ambipolar hosts: control of charge balance in organic light-emitting devices by chemical structure modification.

We studied the influence of a pyridine moiety versus a phenyl moiety when introduced in the molecular design of an ambipolar host. These pyridine-based host materials for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were synthesized in three to five steps from commercially available starting materials. The isomeric hosts have similar HOMO/LUMO energies; however, data from OLEDs fabricated using the above host materials demonstrate that small structural modification of the host results in significant changes in its carrier-transporting characteristics.

4,7-diphenylisobenzofuran: a useful intermediate for the construction of phenyl-substituted acenes.

The formation and subsequent reactivity of previously unknown 4,7-diphenylisobenzofuran, 5, is reported. The Diels-Alder reaction between 5 and p-benzoquinone in boiling glacial acetic acid yields an unprecedented exo,exo anti dual cycloaddition product, 16b, in excellent yield and with 100% diastereoselectivity. Differences between the reactivities of 5 and the more common 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran are highlighted.

Synthesis of 1,3-difluoroaromatics in one pot by addition of difluorocarbene from sodium chlorodifluoroacetate to 1,2-substituted cyclobutenes.

[formula: see text] The synthesis of 1,3-difluoro-2,4-diphenylbenzene has been accomplished in one step from 1,2-diphenylcyclobutene using the environmentally benign difluorocarbene precursor sodium chlorodifluoroacetate. In addition, the preparation of the previously unknown compound 1,3-difluoro-2,4-di-n-propylbenzene has been accomplished in one step from 1,2-di-n-propylcyclobutene using Seyferth's reagent (Ph-Hg-CF3) and sodium chlorodifluoroacetate.