An Easy-Made, Economical and Efficient Carbon-Doped Amorphous TiO2 Photocatalyst Obtained by Microwave Assisted Synthesis for the Degradation of Rhodamine B.

The search for novel materials and the development of improved processes for water purification have attracted the interest of researchers worldwide and the use of titanium dioxide in photocatalytic processes for the degradation of organic pollutants contained in water has been one of the benchmarks. Compared to crystalline titanium dioxide (cTiO2), the amorphous material has the advantages of having a higher adsorption capacity and being easier to dope with metal and non-metal elements. In this work, we take advantage of these two features to improve its photocatalytic properties in the degradation of Rhodamine B. The structural characterization by XRD analysis gives evidence of its amorphous nature and the SEM micrographs portray the disc morphology of 300 nm in diameter with heterogeneous grain boundaries. The degradation of Rhodamine B tests with the amorphous TiO2 using visible light confirm its improved catalytic activity compared to that of a commercial product, Degussa P25, which is a well-known crystalline material.

Novel phthalocyaninatobis(alkylcarboxylato)silicon(IV) compounds: NMR data and X-ray structures to study the spacing provided by long hydrocarbon tails that enhance their solubility.

The reaction between trans-PcSiCl2 (1) and the potassium salts of six fatty acids (2 a-2 f) led to the trans-PcSi[OOC(CH2)nCH3]2 compounds (3 a-3 f), which were characterised by elemental analysis, IR, UV/Vis and 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. From a detailed study of the NMR spectra, the strong anisotropic currents of the Pc macrocycle were found to have an effect on up to the sixth methylenic group. As expected, the length of the hydrocarbon tail does not affect the chemical shift of the 29Si nucleus of any of the compounds, appearing at around -222.6. The structures of PcSi[OOC(CH2)nCH3]2, where n = 7, 10, 12, 13 and 20, were determined by X-ray crystallography. All the compounds were found to be triclinic with a P1 space group. In all cases the observed crystallographic pseudosymmetry is Ci and the asymmetric unit consists of half a molecule. The silicon atom is at the centre of a distorted octahedron and hence its coordination number is six. The carboxylate fragments are in a trans configuration with respect to the Pc macrocycle. The supramolecular structures are discussed in detail herein. The correlation between the 1H NMR chemical shifts and the position of the corresponding carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon tail reveals that the dicarboxylate substituents exhibit a spacer-like behaviour that enhances the solubility. A detailed study of the tail variable allowed us to evaluate the loss of radial shielding along the Pc2- ligand.

Nanocap-shaped tin phthalocyanines: synthesis, characterization, and corrosion inhibition activity.

Thermal and microwave reactions between [PcSn(IV)Cl2] (1) and the potassium salts of eight fatty acids (2 a-h) led to cis-[(RCO2)2Sn(IV)Pc] compounds (3 a-h) in yields ranging from 54 to 90 %. Compounds 3 a-h were fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopy (IR, UV/Vis, multinuclear NMR), and seven X-ray diffraction structures, whereby two different allotropes were observed in two cases. The two carboxylates in 3 have a cis anisobidentate binding mode, octacoordination of the tin atoms with square-antiprismatic geometry, and pi-electron-rich nanocap shapes. On account of the latter characteristics, 3 a-h compounds have anticorrosion properties. LPR and Tafel electrochemical methods were used to characterize the behavior of these derivatives in naturally aerated sour brine, which is a common environment in petroleum production and refinery operations. The measurement of the corrosion rate of carbon steel AISI 1018 in the presence of 3 a-h (500 ppm) gave efficiencies of 61-87 % for the inhibitor performance. Of the different derivatives examined, compounds 3 e and 3 h were the most effective corrosion inhibitor prototypes.

Microwave assisted stereoselective synthesis of cis-substituted TinIV phthalocyanine dicarboxylates. application as corrosion inhibitors.

Two PcSn(IV) dicarboxylate molecules were obtained through efficient microwave methodology with the aim to test them as corrosion inhibitors in the oil industry. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, (1)H, (13)C NMR, and X-ray diffraction. The relative configuration of the two carboxylates is cis, placing the fatty acid moieties on the same face of the phthalocyanine macrocycle. In the solid-state the tin atoms possess square antiprismatic octacoordinated geometries. Both tin phthalocyanines were tested as corrosion inhibitors for hydrogen sulfide corrosive media showing a chemisorption process of the nanocap motifs on the metallic surface. Apparently, the length of the hydrophobic chain contributes significantly to the inhibition efficiency, in the sense that shorter chains increase the efficiency.