Influence of drying method on morphology and properties of asymmetric cellulose hollow fiber membrane

Using a dry/wet spinning process, asymmetric cellulose hollow fiber membranes (CHFM) were prepared from a dope composed of cellulose/N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide/water. The formation mechanism for the finger-like macrovoids at the inner portion of as-spun fibers was explained. Naturally drying and three solvent exchange drying methods were tried to investigate their influence on morphology and properties of CHFM. It was found that the ethanol-hexane exchange drying was an appropriate method to minimize morphology change of the as-spun CHFM, whereas the naturally drying caused the greatest shrinkage of the fibers that made the porous membrane become dense. The result, CHFM from ethanol-hexane exchange drying performed the highest gas permeation rate but gas permeation of the naturally dried membrane could not be detectable. The resultant CHFM from the ethanol-hexane exchange drying also showed acceptable, mechanical properties, thus it was proposed to be an appropriate method for gas separation purpose. The experimental results supported the proposed drying mechanism of CHFM. The free water would evaporate or be replaced by a solvent that subsequently would evaporate but the bonded water would remain in the membrane. What dominated the changes of membrane morphology during drying should be. the molecular affinities of cellulose-water, water-solvent and solvent-solvent. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New chiral ferrocenyldiphosphine ligand for catalytic asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

New chiral ferrocenyldiphosphine ligands (R)-(S)-3 and (R)-(S)-4 were prepared. The ligands were employed in Ru(II) catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones to give corresponding secondary alcohols. Up to 99% conversion with 90% e.e. was obtained on Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl-2/4 in transfer hydrogenation of acetophenones with propan-2-ol. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of acid strength of zeolites in liquid-phase alkylation of benzene with ethylene

The role of acid strength of zeolites in liquid-phase alkylation of benzene with ethylene was studied over beta, MCM-22, and USY zeolites by means of adsorbing NH3 at different temperatures. The strong acid sites are active centers, while the weak acid sites are inactive. The selectivity behavior of the strong acid sites varies with the relative acid strength as well as the types of the zeolites.

Structural probing of D-fructose derived ligands for asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A series of new chiral ligands derived from D-fructose have been synthesized and applied in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. Comparison of the enantioselectivities obtained with these ligands demonstrated that the catalytic properties are highly dependent upon the structure of ligands, a rational explanation of the structural effects on the catalytic properties is provided. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asymmetric cyclopropanation of styrene catalyzed by Cu-(chiral Schiff-base) complexes

Asymmetric cyclopropanation of olefins was carried out with chiral copper-Schiff base complexes derived from copper acetate monohydrate, substituted salicylaldehydes and a chiral amino alcohol. Substituents on salicylaldehyde framework demonstrate a significant effect on the steroselectivities. Those with electron-withdrawing properties enhance the selectivities, whereas bulky sustituents in ortho position to the phenol hydroxy group decrease the selectivities. An ee of more than 98% was achieved for the reaction of styrene with diazoacetate. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.