Catalytic behavior of a ZnO/TiO2 composite in the synthesis of polycarbonate diol.

ZnO/TiO2 catalysts with different ZnO contents have been prepared through equal volume impregnation method, characterized by XRD, SEM, Py-IR, ICP, XPS, NH3-TPD and N2 adsorption/desorption, and evaluated in the synthesis of polycarbonate diol (PCDL) through transesterification. The results showed that titanium zinc oxide formed in these catalysts, and the content of acidic sites varied with the ZnO content, and ZnO/TiO2 (10%) has the highest acid amount. The ZnO/TiO2 (20%) with medium acidic sites showed the highest catalytic activity. The synthesis process of polycarbonate glycol was also optimized. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the yield of PCDL was 72.5%, and the M n reached 4829 g mol-1 with a PDI of 1.6.

Effect of L-cysteine on the oxidation of cyclohexane catalyzed by manganeseporphyrin.

Effect of L-cysteine as the cocatalyst on the oxidation of cyclohexane by tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) catalyzed by manganese tetraphenylporphyrin (MnTPP) has been investigated. The results showed that L-cysteine could moderately improve the catalytic activity of MnTPP and significantly increase the selectivity of cyclohexanol. Different from imidazole and pyridine, the L-cysteine may perform dual roles in the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane. Besides as the axial ligand for MnTPP, the L-cysteine could also react with cyclohexyl peroxide formed as the intermediate to produce alcohol as the main product.

Isolation and characterization of an abamectin-degrading Burkholderia cepacia-like GB-01 strain.

Abamectin is widely used in agriculture as an insecticide and in veterinary as an anti-parasitic agent, and has caused great environmental pollution by posing potential risk to non-target soil invertebrates and nearby aquatic systems. A bacterium designated GB-01, which was capable of degrading abamectin, was isolated from soil by enrichment culture method. On the basis of morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, combined with phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene, the bacterium GB-01 was identified as Burkholderia cepacia-like species. The bacterium GB-01 was able to utilize abamectin as its sole carbon source for growth, and could degrade more than 90% of abamectin at initial concentrations of 50 and 100 mg l(-1) in mineral salt medium in 30 and 36 h, respectively. The longer degradation cycle was observed with abamectin concentrations higher than 100 mg l(-1). Optimal growth temperatures and pH values with highest degradation rate were 30-35 degrees C and 7-8, respectively. Two new degradation products were identified and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) based mass spectral data and a plausible partial degradation pathway of abamectin was proposed. This is the first report in which an abamectin-degrading Burkholderia species isolated from soil was identified and characterized.