The synthesis and utilization of mesoporous Cu‐MCM‐41 catalysts for hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate to ethylene glycol is described in this article. Physicochemical properties of these Cu‐MCM‐41 catalysts have been investigated by N2‐physisorption, X‐ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma, N2O titration, transmission electron microscopy, temperature programmed reduction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the copper loading significantly influenced the pore structure and copper surface area of the catalyst. High catalytic performance is obtained over a 20Cu‐MCM‐41 catalyst with a full DMO conversion and EG yield of 92% at a LHSV of 3.0 h−1. The catalytic performance of optimized 20Cu‐MCM‐41 catalyst could be attributed to the fine copper dispersion and large copper surface areas. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 2530–2539, 2013

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Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as one of the critical gaseous signaling molecules, has important physiological functions in the human body, and abnormal levels of hydrogen sulfide are closely related to tumors, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other diseases. In order to enable the detection of H2S in the physiological environment, herein, a new H2S fluorescence probe, named C-HS, based on a coumarin–chalcone fluorescence platform was developed. The fluorescence probe provides specific recognition of H2S within a wide pH detection range (5.5–8.5), a rapid recognition response (within 10 min) for H2S molecules, and a high selectivity for competing species. The probe C-HS possesses low cytotoxicity and is used to achieve the detection of exogenous/ endogenous H2S in living cells, indicating that the constructed probe C-HS has the ability to track changes in intracellular H2S levels. Therefore, probe C-HS could be a potential tool for the early diagnosis of H2S-related diseases.

Pt-decorated In 2 O 3 hollow microspheres were prepared using a template and reflux method. The size of the prepared carbon templates was adjusted from 200 nm to 1.3 μm by introducing chloroplatinic acid during the hydrothermal process. At the same time, Pt nanoparticles inside the carbon layer were protected from oxidation and agglomeration. Also, the folds created on the surface of the hollow sphere during shrinkage led to a substantial increase in specific surface area. The response of the In 2 O 3 -based sensor toward acetone was significantly enhanced by the addition of Pt decoration. This improvement can be attributed to the increased availability of active sites for the target gas and the consequential alteration of the energy band structure. In addition, high response sensitivity, rapid dynamic processes, long-term reliability, and selectivity have all been achieved. The detectable limit is less than 1 ppm, which might satisfy the 1.8 ppm threshold value in the exhaled breath of patients with diabetes. Consequently, the proposed sensor has great sensitivity and can detect lowconcentration of acetone, making it an ideal choice for applications such as monitoring daily dietary intake, managing diabetes, and inspecting industrial production processes.