CoFe2O4-embedded silica nanoparticles containing sulfonic acid groups were found to be highly active solid acid catalysts for hydrolysis of disaccharides (sucrose and cellobiose) and polysaccharides (starch and cellulose) with facile magnetic separation.

One-pot synthesis of xanthene derivatives was achieved by a route involving the cascade three-component coupling reaction of arynes with DMF and active methylenes followed by the SN2' reaction of three-component coupling products with thiols. The reactivity of three-component coupling products toward nucleophiles and the further conversion of oxygen heterocycles allowing facile incorporation of structural variety were studied.

A polymeric catalyst prepared from poly[l-(4-hydroxyphenyl)etylene] (1) and Zn(C2H5)2 was found to be effective for the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and 1,2-epoxypropane. The highest activity was observed when a mole ratio of phenolic hydrogen in 1 to Zn(C2H5)2 equal to unity was applied in contrast to the catalysts so far reported. The structure of the catalyst after the copolymerization was determined by IR and H' NMR spectroscopy. A Zn-CZH5 bond in this system was confirmed to be the active center. A possible inactivation process of the catalyst is proposed.

The photogalvanic effects of thionine and Fe(II) salt systems were studied by use of thin-layer photocells. Three systems of the cell components, i.e., SnO2/thionine–Fe(II) aq/Pt, SnO2/thionine–Fe(II)-gelatinized reagent/Pt, and SnO2/polymeric thionine membrane–Fe(II)/Pt, were compared. The photopotential ΔE and the photocurrent I were the largest in the third system. It was concluded that the excellent ability of the polymeric thionine system to generate the photo-induced electricity is due to the strong electrostatic repulsion between Fe3+ and the semi-species bound to the cationic polymers, since the repulsion diminished the short-circuit in a solution or the bulk-backward reaction with Fe3+. The electron-recycling in a solution took place not only through the transportation of Fe3+ to the cathode, but also through the electron-exchange reaction between Fe2+ and Fe3+  via hydrogen bonds.

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