Simultaneous production of furfural, lignin and cellulose-rich residue from Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis by ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK biphasic system pretreatment.

A facile biphasic system composed of choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was developed to realize the furfural production, lignin separation and preparation of fermentable glucose from Eucalyptus in one-pot. Results showed that the ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK system owned the best property to convert hemicelluloses into furfural. Under the optimal conditions (MRChCl:1,2-propanediol = 1:2, raw materials:DES:MIBK ratio = 1:4:8 g/g/mL, 0.075 mol/L AlCl3·6H2O, 140 °C, and 90 min), the furfural yield and glucose yield reached 65.0 and 92.2 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the lignin with low molecular weight (1250-1930 g/mol), low polydispersity (DM = 1.25-1.53) and high purity (only 0.08-2.59 % carbohydrate content) was regenerated from the biphasic system. With the increase of pretreatment temperature, the ß-O-4, ß-ß and ß-5 linkages in the regenerated lignin were gradually broken, and the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups increased, but the content of aliphatic hydroxyl groups decreased. This research provides a new strategy for the comprehensive utilization of lignocellulose in biorefinery process.

Determination of amphenicol antibiotics and their glucuronide metabolites in urine samples using liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A rapid procedure for the determination of amphenicol antibiotics in human urine by liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) is proposed. The presence of thiamphenicol (TAP), florfenicol (FF) and chloramphenicol (CAP) in the human body can be attributed to their administration to treat certain diseases or by eating food of animal origin. The TAP, FF and CAP excreted in urine is mainly in the form of glucuronide conjugates, although their free forms may also be excreted to a lesser extent. In the procedure described, the enzymatic hydrolysis of amphenicol glucuronide forms in urine was carried out using ß-glucuronidase and sulfatase at pH 5 (37 °C, overnight) in order to discriminate the free and conjugated forms. Then, amphenicol antibiotics were submitted to dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) for preconcentration. All the parameters affecting DLLME efficiency were optimized, and the following conditions were selected: 0.9 g NaCl in 10 mL of urine, to which 1.2 mL methanol (as dispersant solvent) and 1 mL of 4-methyl-2-pentanone (as extractant solvent) were added. The absence of a matrix effect allowed quantification of the samples against aqueous standards. Detection limits were 29, 6 and 3 pg mL-1 for TAP, FF and CAP, respectively. Relative standard deviations were calculated to evaluate the intra- and inter-day precision and values lower than 10% were obtained in all cases. The trueness of the method was tested through recovery studies, obtaining satisfactory values (83-104%). Ten urine samples obtained from volunteers were analysed and all of them were free of the studied antibiotics.

One-pot selective conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into furfural and co-products using aqueous choline chloride/methyl isobutyl ketone biphasic solvent system.

This study investigated simultaneous lignocellulose fractionation and conversion in a one-pot reaction using an aqueous choline chloride/methyl isobutyl ketone (ChCl/MIBK) biphasic solvent system. Under the optimized condition (170 °C, 60 min, 0.6 wt% H2SO4, 10.7 wt% solid loading), the biphasic solvent solubilized 96% xylan in raw switchgrass, which was simultaneously converted to furfural with a yield of 84.04%. The biphasic solvent was also able to selectively extract lignin, which had a high purity (93.1%), and uncondensed moieties (i.e., Hibbert's ketone), as well as decreased molecular weight and polydispersity index. The resultant pulp was enriched with cellulose (73.3%), which can be completely hydrolyzed into glucose within 48 h via enzymatic hydrolysis. Aqueous ChCl was successfully recycled and reused for atleast three cycles with similar performance in switchgrass fractionation. This study demonstrated that aqueous ChCl/MIBK biphasic system was an effective solvent system for co-production of furfural, high quality technical lignin and digestible cellulose for further upgrading.

Lignocellulose fractionation into furfural and glucose by AlCl3-catalyzed DES/MIBK biphasic pretreatment.

Herein, an efficient DES/MIBK biphasic pretreatment system for preparation of furfural and fermentable glucose from lignocellulose was developed with AlCl3 as catalysis. The low-cost and renewable DES (Choline chloride-Oxalic acid) served not only as a Brønsted acid catalyst, but also as a pretreatment solvent in present work, and MIBK as an extracting reagent which can increase the yield of furfural in DES phase. The effects of this biphasic pretreatment on the furfural yield and saccharification of the lignocellulose before and after pretreatment were explored using HPLC, HAPEC, FT-IR, XRD and SEM. Under the best pretreatment condition (at 140 °C for 90 min), furfural could be obtained in 70.3% yield and 80.8% of the pretreated lignocellulose was saccharified, which was 8.4 times higher than that of the raw lignocellulose without pretreatment. In a word, this pretreatment system can be considered as a potential technique for efficient valorization of lignocellulose for production of furfural and fermentable glucose.

Potential impact of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) on phenols degradation in an UASB reactor and its degradation properties.

Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) as a solvent is extensively used for the phenols extraction from the wastewater, so it is unavoidable to expose in the effluent due to the solubility and leakage problem. The present study evaluated the impact of MIBK on phenols degradation in an UASB reactor and analyzed its degradation properties. The results indicated that the continuous dosing (0.1gL-1) and impact (10gL-1) of MIBK had limited effect on phenols removal (1-2% reduction) in the UASB reactor, but the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) values of sludge decreased by 45-75% after MIBK exposure. Anaerobic degradation rate of MIBK fitted well to a pseudo-first-order kinetic equation with respect to the initial concentration of 35mgL-1 (k=0.0115h-1, R2=0.9664). Furthermore, the relative methane generation rate constants of MIBK were 0.00816, 0.00613, 0.00273, and 0.00207d-1 at the initial concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, 5, and 10gL-1, respectively. MIBK showed higher inhibitory effect on the methanogenesis than on phenols degradation. This study pointed out that the industrial installations should consider the influence of solvent on anaerobic treatment of phenolic wastewater.

Direct Synthesis of Renewable Dodecanol and Dodecane with Methyl Isobutyl Ketone over Dual-Bed Catalyst Systems.

For the first time, we demonstrated two integrated processes for the direct synthesis of dodecanol or 2,4,8-trimethylnonane (a jet fuel range C12 -branched alkane) using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) that can be derived from lignocellulose. The reactions were carried out in dual-bed continuous flow reactors. In the first bed, MIBK was selectively converted to a mixture of C12 alcohol and ketone. Over the Pd-modified magnesium- aluminium hydrotalcite (Pd-MgAl-HT) catalyst, a high total carbon yield (73.0 %) of C12 oxygenates can be achieved under mild conditions. In the second bed, the C12 oxygenates generated in the first bed were hydrogenated to dodecanol over a Ru/C catalyst or hydrodeoxygenated to 2,4,8-trimethylnonane over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst. The as-obtained dodecanol can be used as feedstock in the production of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), which are widely used as surfactants or detergents. The asobtained 2,4,8-trimethylnonane can be blended into conventional jet fuel without hydroisomerization.

Direct Conversion of Mono- and Polysaccharides into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Using Ionic-Liquid Mixtures.

Platform chemicals are usually derived from petrochemical feedstocks. A sustainable alternative commences with lignocellulosic biomass, a renewable feedstock, but one that is highly challenging to process. Ionic liquids (ILs) are able to solubilize biomass and, in the presence of catalysts, convert the biomass into useful platform chemicals. Herein, we demonstrate that mixtures of ILs are powerful systems for the selective catalytic transformation of cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Combining ILs with continuous HMF extraction into methyl-isobutyl ketone or 1,2-dimethoxyethane, which form a biphase with the IL mixture, allows the online separation of HMF in high yield. This one-step process is operated under relatively mild conditions and represents a significant step forward towards sustainable HMF production.

The direct conversion of sugars into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid in a triphasic system.

A one-pot conversion of sugars into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is demonstrated in a triphasic system: tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) or water-methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)-water. In this reaction, sugars are first converted into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in TEAB or water (Phase I). The HMF in Phase I is then extracted to MIBK (Phase II) and transferred to water (Phase III), where HMF is converted into FDCA. Phase II plays multiple roles: as a bridge for HMF extraction, transportation and purification. Overall FDCA yields of 78 % and 50 % are achieved from fructose and glucose respectively.

Combined IR/NIR and density functional theory calculations analysis of the solvent effects on frequencies and intensities of the fundamental and overtones of the C ═ O stretching vibrations of acetone and 2-hexanone.

Vibrational overtone studies primarily focus on X-H stretching overtone transitions, where X is an atom like C, O, N, or S. In contrast, the studies on the C ═ O stretching overtones are very scattered. To advance the research in this field, we measured the fundamental, first, and second overtones of the C ═ O stretching vibration of acetone and 2-hexanone in n-hexane, CCl4, and CHCl3, as well as in the vapor phase using FT-IR/FT-NIR spectroscopy. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have also been performed to help the assignment of the C ═ O stretching bands and to guide interpretation of the experimental results. It was found that the wavenumbers, absorption intensities, and oscillator strengths of the C ═ O stretching bands show marked solvent dependence. In the fundamental and the first overtone regions, the intensities of the C ═ O stretching vibration were found to be pronouncedly more intense than those of the C-H stretching vibration. In the second overtone region, the intensities of the C-H stretching vibration are comparable to those of the C ═ O stretching vibration. The theoretical and observed decrease in integrated intensity upon going from the fundamental to the first overtone of the C ═ O stretching vibration is around 50, which is significantly larger than those of the O-H, C-H, and S-H stretching vibration. Both the calculated and experimental results suggest that excessive weakness in the C ═ O stretching overtone was shown to be a result of both a low anharmonicity and a substantial reduction in the oscillator strength. These results provide new insight into our understanding of the C ═ O stretching vibration.

Solvent-free synthesis of C10 and C11 branched alkanes from furfural and methyl isobutyl ketone.

Our best results jet: C10 and C11 branched alkanes, with low freezing points, are synthesized through the aldol condensation of furfural and methyl isobutyl ketone from lignocellulose, which is then followed by hydrodeoxygenation. These jet-fuel-range alkanes are obtained in high overall yields (≈90%) under solvent-free conditions.

Brushed block copolymer micelles with pH-sensitive pendant groups for controlled drug delivery.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of small aliphatic pendent groups conjugated through an acid-sensitive linker to the core of brushed block copolymer micelles on particle properties. METHODS: The brushed block copolymers were synthesized by conjugating five types of 2-alkanone (2-butanone, 2-hexanone, 2-octanone, 2-decanone, and 2-dodecanone) through an acid-labile hydrazone linker to poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(aspartate hydrazide) block copolymers. RESULTS: Only block copolymers with 2-hexanone and 2-octanone (PEG-HEX and PEG-OCT) formed micelles with a clinically relevant size (< 50 nm in diameter), low critical micelle concentration (CMC, < 20 µM), and drug entrapment yields (approximately 5 wt.%). Both micelles degraded in aqueous solutions in a pH-dependent manner, while the degradation was accelerated in an acidic condition (pH 5.0) in comparison to pH 7.4. Despite these similar properties, PEG-OCT micelles controlled the entrapment and pH-dependent release of a hydrophobic drug most efficiently, without altering particle size, shape, and stability. The molecular weight of PEG (12 kDa vs 5 kDa) induced no change in pH-controlled drug release rates of PEG-OCT micelles. CONCLUSION: Acid-labile small aliphatic pendant groups are useful to control the entrapment and release of a hydrophobic drug physically entrapped in the core of brushed block copolymer micelles.

Recovery of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) from Ralstonia eutropha cultures with non-halogenated solvents.

Reduced downstream costs, together with high purity recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), will accelerate the commercialization of high quality PHA-based products. In this work, a process was designed for effective recovery of the copolymer poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(HB-co-HHx)) containing high levels of HHx (>15 mol%) from Ralstonia eutropha biomass using non-halogenated solvents. Several non-halogenated solvents (methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, and butyl acetate and ethyl acetate) were found to effectively dissolve the polymer. Isoamyl alcohol was found to be not suitable for extraction of polymer. All PHA extractions were performed from both dry and wet cells at volumes ranging from 2 mL to 3 L using a PHA to solvent ratio of 2% (w/v). Ethyl acetate showed both high recovery levels and high product purities (up to 99%) when using dry cells as starting material. Recovery from wet cells, however, eliminates a biomass drying step during the downstream process, potentially saving time and cost. When wet cells were used, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was shown to be the most favorable solvent for PHA recovery. Purities of up to 99% and total recovery yields of up to 84% from wet cells were reached. During polymer recovery with either MIBK or butyl acetate, fractionation of the extracted PHA occurred, based on the HHx content of the polymer. PHA with higher HHx content (17-30 mol%) remained completely in solution, while polymer with a lower HHx content (11-16 mol%) formed a gel-like phase. All PHA in solution could be precipitated by addition of threefold volumes of n-hexane or n-heptane to unfiltered PHA solutions. Effective recycling of the solvents in this system is predicted due to the large differences in the boiling points between solvent and precipitant. Our findings show that two non-halogenated solvents are good candidates to replace halogenated solvents like chloroform for recovery of high quality PHA.

Bifunctionalized hollow nanospheres for the one-pot synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone from acetone.

Pd-doped propyl sulfonic acid-functionalized hollow nanospheres proved to be efficient bifunctionalized catalysts for the one-pot synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) from acetone and hydrogen in liquid phase. These hollow nanospheres exhibited a higher activity than their bulk mesoporous counterparts (SBA-15 or FDU-12), mainly due to the short diffusion resistance of hollow nanospheres. Hollow nanospheres with silica frameworks showed higher activity and selectivity for MIBK than those with ethane-bridged frameworks, suggesting that hollow nanospheres with hydrophilic surface properties favor the formation of MIBK. This is probably due to the increased affinity of the hydrophilic surface towards acetone and its decreased affinity towards MIBK, which precludes deep condensation of MIBK with acetone. Under optimal conditions, up to 90 % selectivity for MIBK can be obtained with conversions of acetone as high as 43 %. This result is among the best reported so far for mesoporous silica-based catalysts. The control/fine-tuning of morphology and surface properties provides an efficient strategy for improving the catalytic performance of solid catalysts.

Efficient hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived ketones over bifunctional Pt-polyoxometalate catalyst.

Acidic heteropoly salt Cs(2.5)H(0.5)PW(12)O(40) doped with Pt nanoparticles is a highly active and selective catalyst for one-step hydrogenation of methyl isobutyl and diisobutyl ketones to the corresponding alkanes in the gas phase at 100 °C with 97-99% yield via metal-acid bifunctional catalysis.

Ceramic primer heat-treatment effect on resin cement/Y-TZP bond strength.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different heat-treatment strategies for a ceramic primer on the shear bond strength of a 10-methacryloyloxydecyl-dihydrogen-phosphate (MDP)-based resin cement to a yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) ceramic. Specimens measuring 4.5 × 3.5 × 4.5 mm(3) were produced from Y-TZP presintered cubes and embedded in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Following finishing, the specimens were cleaned using an ultrasound device and distilled water and randomly divided into 10 experimental groups (n=14) according to the heat treatment of the ceramic primer and aging condition. The strategies used for the experimental groups were: GC (control), without primer; G20, primer application at ambient temperature (20°C); G45, primer application + heat treatment at 45°C; G79, primer application + heat treatment at 79°C; and G100, primer application + heat treatment at 100°C. The specimens from the aging groups were submitted to thermal cycling (6000 cycles, 5°C/55°C, 30 seconds per bath) after 24 hours. A cylinder of MDP-based resin cement (2.4 mm in diameter) was constructed on the ceramic surface of the specimens of each experimental group and stored for 24 hours at 37°C. The specimens were submitted to a shear bond strength test (n=14). Thermal gravimetric analysis was performed on the ceramic primer. The data obtained were statistically analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test (α=0.05). The experimental group G79 without aging (7.23 ± 2.87 MPa) presented a significantly higher mean than the other experimental groups without aging (GC: 2.81 ± 1.5 MPa; G20: 3.38 ± 2.21 MPa; G100: 3.96 ± 1.57 MPa), showing no difference from G45 only (G45: 6 ± 3.63 MPa). All specimens of the aging groups debonded during thermocycling and were considered to present zero bond strength for the statistical analyses. In conclusion, heat treatment of the metal/zirconia primer improved bond strength under the initial condition but did not promote stable bonding under the aging condition.

Intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of homoallylketenes to bicyclo[2.1.1]hexan-5-ones.

Intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of γ,δ-unsaturated ketenes derived from hex-5-enoyl chloride derivatives gave bicyclo[2.1.1]hexan-5-ones with complete regioselectivity.

Biodegradation kinetics of methyl iso-butyl ketone by acclimated mixed culture.

Methyl iso-butyl ketone (MIBK) is a widely used volatile organic compound (VOC) which is highly toxic in nature and has significant adverse effects on human beings. The present study deals with the removal of MIBK using biodegradation by an acclimated mixed culture developed from activated sludge. The biodegradation of MIBK is studied for an initial MIBK concentration ranging from 200-700 mg l(-1) in a batch mode of operation. The maximum specific growth rate achieved is 0.128 h(-1) at 600 mg l(-1)of initial MIBK concentration. The kinetic parameters are estimated using five growth kinetic models for biodegradation of organic compounds available in the literature. The experimental data found to fit well with the Luong model (R(2) = 0.904) as compared to Haldane model (R(2) = 0.702) and Edward model (R(2) = 0.786). The coefficient of determination (R(2)) obtained for the other two models, Monod and Powell models are 0.497 and 0.533, respectively. The biodegradation rate found to follow the three-half-order kinetics and the resulting kinetic parameters are reported.

Enhanced production of 6-aminopenicillanic acid in aqueous methyl isobutyl ketone system with immobilized penicillin G acylase.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of penicillin G for production of 6-amino-penicillanic-acid (6-APA) was achieved by using penicillin G acylase as catalyst in an aqueous-methylisobutyl ketone (MIBK) system. The optimization was carried out and it was found that the best conversion was improved 10% more than the aqueous system, which was obtained at the conditions: initial pH 8.0, 5.0% (W/V) substrate (penicillin G), and temperature at 35 degrees C, and the ratio of aqueous and organic phase was 3:1. The stability of the biocatalyst was studied at the operational conditions. After 5 cycles of semi-batch reactions, the residual activity of penicillin G acylase was 69.2% of the initial activity. There was no apparent loss of the yield of product. This process has a potential application in the industrial scale production of 6-APA because it simplifies the process effectively.

Determination of cyanide, in urine and gastric content, by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after direct flow injection of dicyanogold.

A rapid and sensitive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (ESI-MS-MS) procedure was developed for the determination of cyanide (CN(-)). CN(-) in biological fluids was reacted with NaAuCl(4) to produce dicyanogold, Au(CN)(2)(-), which was extracted with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). One microliter of the extract was injected directly into an ESI-MS-MS instrument. Quantification of CN(-) was performed by selected reaction monitoring of the product ion CN(-) at m/z 26 that derived from precursor ion Au(CN)(2)(-) at m/z 249. CN(-) could be measured in the quantification range of 10(-7) to 5x10(-5) M with the limit of detection at 4x10(-8) M using 10 microL of urine within 10 min. A victim's urine and gastric content were diluted with water to 4-fold and 500-fold and measured, respectively.