Comparative visible-light driven selective oxidation to aldehydes of phenylmethanol (benzyl alcohol) and 4-pyridinylmethanol (4-pyridinecarbinol) on N-TiO and some commercial TiO samples.

Visible light (λ > 420 nm) selective photooxidation of phenylmethanol and 4-pyridinylmethanol in CHCN to the corresponding aldehydes on N-TiO is compared with homemade undoped TiO (U-TiO) and commercial undoped anatase specimens (such as PC105, PC500). Significant differences observed between N-TiO and undoped TiO are neither directly related to the surface area nor to the adsorbed amount of alcohol in the dark by surface area unit. FTIR and EPR spectroscopies are used to study the surface of TiO samples and to deeply understand the phenomena intervening in the visible-light photocatalytic activation of the doped vs the undoped oxides.

Probing the role of surface energetics of electrons and their accumulation in photoreduction processes on TiO₂.

We address the role of the energetics of photogenerated electrons in the reduction of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde on TiO2. This model molecule bears two functional groups featuring different reducibilities. Electrochemistry shows that reduction to 4-aminobenzyl alcohol occurs in entirely distinct potential ranges.

Design of heterogeneous photocatalysts based on metal oxides to control the selectivity of chemical reactions.

Photocatalysis is particularly relevant in order to realize chemical transformations of interest in synthesis and, at the same time, to move towards a "sustainable chemistry" with a minimal environmental impact. Heterogeneous systems with well-defined textural characteristics represent a suitable means to tailor the selectivity of photocatalytic processes. Here, we summarize and classify the significant features of photocatalysts consisting of photoactive metal oxides dispersed on high-surface-area solid supports, or constrained inside their porous network.

Evaluating the association between alterations in mineral metabolism and pruritus in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Uremic pruritus is the most frequent symptom in long-term hemodialysis patients. Abnormal laboratory parameters have been found with conflicting data.

Objective: To correlate the prevalence of pruritus with alterations in mineral metabolism in hemodialysis patients.

Matrix effects on the photocatalytic oxidation of alcohols by [nBu4N]4W10O32 incorporated into sol-gel silica.

Two heterogeneous photocatalysts have been prepared by entrapment of [nBu(4)N](4)W(10)O(32) in a silica matrix, through a sol-gel procedure: SiO(2)/W30% and SiO(2)/W10% with 30% and 10% of decatungstate, respectively. They are characterized by the presence of micropores of about 7 A and 15 A and mesopores of about 25 A. Due to different preparation procedures, SiO(2)/W10% presents a more remarkable porous network than SiO(2)/W30%.

Regio- and stereoselectivity in the decatungstate photocatalyzed alkylation of alkenes by alkylcyclohexanes.

Tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (WO) photocatalyzes radical alkylation reactions starting directly from alkanes. When using tert-butylcyclohexane and methylcyclohexane as the radical precursors, the addition to electrophilic alkenes (beta,beta-dialkylmethylenemalononitriles, acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, methyl vinyl ketone) is regioselective and exclusively gives 3- and 4-substituted cyclohexyl adducts, with no significant functionalization of the other positions. Furthermore, when a beta,beta-disubstituted alkene is used, the reaction is stereoselective (cis stereochemistry for the 1,3-cyclohexane derivatives and trans for the 1,4 isomers).

Partial oxidation of allylic and primary alcohols with O(2) by photoexcited TiO(2).

Proper reaction conditions have been found for the conversion of geraniol, citronellol, trans-2-penten-1-ol and 1-pentanol to the corresponding aldehydes with good chemo-selectivity (>70%) by photochemical excitation of suspensions of P25-TiO(2). It is demonstrated that adsorption of the alcohol on the surface as an alcoholate is necessary for its oxidation. ESR-spin trapping experiments point out that oxidation of alcohols starts with the formation of alkoxide radicals.

Photocatalytic activity of MCM-organized TiO(2) materials in the oxygenation of cyclohexane with molecular oxygen.

The photooxygenation of cyclohexane by molecular oxygen has been investigated on two mesoporous TiO(2) materials, which have been prepared using colloidal nanoparticles as building blocks. One of the structured systems (mpTiO(2)-50) is a mixture of 50% TiO(2) and 50% SiO(2); the second one (mpTiO(2)-100) is constituted by 100% of TiO(2). Both mpTiO(2)-100 and mpTiO(2)-50 can induce cyclohexane photooxidation in repeated cycles, but with the former the yield in cyclohexanone is higher and only traces of cyclohexanol are observed.

Brain death caused by electric shock and organ donation in children.

Introduction: There are still few publications about brain death caused by electric shock and the use of organs for donation in this situation. We sought to present our experience, with brain dead pediatric donors caused by electric shock.

Material And Methods: Notification registers of potential donors were analyzed from 1998 to 2005.

Photo-assisted chlorination of cycloalkanes with iron chloride heterogenized with Amberlite.

Photoexcitation under mild temperature and pressure conditions of FeCl4- heterogenized with Amberlite causes the conversion of several cycloalkanes to the corresponding monochlorinated products with selectivity higher than 95%.

Influence of complexation with cyclodextrins on photo-induced free radical production by the common sunscreen agents octyl-dimethylaminobenzoate and octyl-methoxycinnamate.

The influence of complexation with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) or beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) on the photo-induced production of free radicals by the sunscreen agents octyl-dimethylaminobenzoate (ODAB), oxybenzone (OB) and octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC) was investigated. The formation of radical species during irradiation was detected by spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl, nitroxide radical (TEMPO) and 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) were used a spin-traps.

Photocatalytic formation of a carbamate through ethanol-assisted carbonylation of p-nitrotoluene.

The nitroarene p-nitrotoluene is converted with a selectivity higher than 85% to the corresponding carbamate at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, using photoexcited particles of TiO2 as catalyst and EtOH as carbonylating species.

Complexation of the sunscreen agent, phenylbenzimidazole sulphonic acid with cyclodextrins: effect on stability and photo-induced free radical formation.

The interaction between the sunscreen agent, phenylbenzimidazole sulphonic acid (PBSA) and hydrophilic alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin derivatives was investigated under acidic conditions (pH 4.0) by phase-solubility analysis. Among the available cyclodextrins, hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) and random methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (RM-beta-CD) had the greatest solubilizing activity.

Polyoxotungstate photoinduced alkylation of electrophilic alkenes by cycloalkanes.

Alkyl radical obtained by irradiation of tetrabutylammonium decatungstate in acetonitrile in the presence of cycloalkanes (C5H10, C6H12, C7H14) are efficiently trapped by electrophilic alkenes (acrylonitrile, isopropylydenmalonitrile, isopropylydencyanoacetate) to give the corresponding alkylated aliphatic nitriles. The reaction can be carried out up to complete conversion of the alkene with reasonable (in most cases 60-65 %) yields. Addition of the radicals to the alkene is followed by electron transfer from reduced decatungstate regenerating the sensitizer (turn over number up to 60).

Glucose oxidase catalyses the reduction of O2 to H2O2 in the presence of irradiated TiO2 and isopropyl alcohol.

Catalytic amounts of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger (GO) are active in the reduction of O2 to H2O2 in the presence of irradiated suspensions of TiO2 and isopropyl alcohol as electron donor. An explanation of this behaviour is given on the basis of the ability of the enzyme to capture electrons from the photoexcited TiO2 instead of its natural substrate, glucose. This process has a marked positive effect on both the oxidation of isopropyl alcohol to acetone and the formation of radical intermediates, which have been detected, for the first time, by EPR-spin trapping investigation.

Photoinitiated catalysis in Nafion membranes containing palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin and iron(III) meso-tetrakis-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin for O2-mediated oxidations of alkenes.

Immobilisation of both palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin (PdTMPyP4+) and iron(III) meso-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin (FeTDCPP+) in the same membrane of Nafion creates a new composite system, in which the photoexcited palladium complex induces the O2-mediated oxidation of cyclohexene to the corresponding allylic hydroperoxide and the iron porphyrin works as a catalyst for specific oxygenations of cyclohexene and cyclooctene. The role of PdTMPyP4+ is to induce the photoactivation of O2 with visible light (lambda > 500 nm) to generate singlet oxygen (1O2) by means of energy transfer from the excited triplet state. Consequently, the 1O2-mediated oxidation of cyclohexene to cyclohexenyl hydroperoxide can be realised with a selectivity greater than 90%.

Photochemically driven models of oxygenases based on the use of iron porphyrins.

Photoexcited iron porphyrins can be used to mimic the catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450 oxygenases both in the reduction of halogenated alkanes and in the oxidation of hydrocarbons by O2 itself at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The results reported indicate that there is a similarity and a complementarity of photonic activation with other more conventional methods of activation of model systems of oxygenases. In fact, by irradiating at suitable wavelengths, it is possible to induce redox reactions which mimic those of natural oxygenases, avoiding the difficulties caused by parallel processes which could be expected when chemical reagents are used.

Oxidation of Cyclohexane by Molecular Oxygen Photoassisted by meso-Tetraarylporphyrin Iron(III)-Hydroxo Complexes.

The photochemical and photocatalytic properties of iron meso-tetraarylporphyrins bearing an OH(-) axial ligand and different substituents in the beta-positions of the porphyrin ring are reported. Irradiation (lambda = 365 nm) in the absence of dioxygen leads to the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) with the formation of OH(*) radicals. Substituents at the pyrrole beta-positions are found to markedly affect the photoreduction quantum yields.

Photoexcitation of the methionine-iron bond in iron(III) cytochrome c: bimolecular reaction with NADH.

When iron(III) cytochrome c aqueous solutions containing NADH are irradiated with polychromatic light (wavelength greater than 280 nm), iron(II) cytochrome c and NAD+ in the stoichiometric ratio 2/1 are observed to be the principal reaction products, independently of the presence of oxygen; in addition, a minor process due to direct photodegradation of the nucleotide is observed. The selection of monochromatic 290 nm irradiation light (at which NADH has an absorbance minimum) and an adequate reactant concentration allowed parallel reactions to be minimized and new information to be obtained on the mechanism of the photoredox process. The experimental results are consistent with a reaction mechanism whereby NADH donates one electron to a "reactive intermediate" of the hemoprotein formed from the light-induced methionine-to-iron charge transfer excited state.

[Reduction of cytochrome c by NADH induced by light].

We have studied the behaviour of Fe(III) cytochrome c upon irradiation in the 290-360 nm wavelength range either in the presence or in the absence of NADH; in both cases the photoexcitation caused the reduction of the heme iron. When the irradiation was performed in the absence of NADH, the iron reduction was coupled to a non reversible modification in the protein structure; the photoreduction quantum yield was decreasing with the increase of the irradiation wavelength. Irradiation in the presence of NADH gave heme iron reduction coupled to NADH oxidation and the protein resulted finally unmodified; the quantum yield depended on the irradiation wavelength in a way similar to the observed in the absence of NADH, but it was tenfold higher.