Control of n-alkanes crystallization by ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers

The crystallization of paraffins from their solution at low temperature was investigated in the presence of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers that allow the control of the size of the crystals. Depending on the type of solvent and distribution of the paraffin lengths, the mechanisms of crystal formation and growth are different. Precipitation of the EVA prior to the paraffins leads to the nucleation of a large number of crystals, whereas the adsorption of EVA on the surface of the growing crystals slows down the crystal growth. EVA can act either as a nucleating agent or as a growth inhibitor. These two mechanisms were identified from the analysis of the temperature of crystallization (cloud point), the chemical composition of the crystals, and the observations of the crystal habit. The EVA was able to co-crystallize with the paraffins in crystals of an orthorhombic structure and the melting enthalpies of the crystalline paraffin did not depend significantly on their neighborhood. The energies of interaction between the different paraffinlike components are close to each other, so that minor changes of the experimental conditions may lead to dramatic effects. This is the basic rationale for the large behavioral diversity observed in these systems.

Settling of paraffin crystals in cooled middle distillate fuels

The mechanism of action of additives that control the sedimentation of paraffin crystals after their crystallization in model diesel oil has been studied by means of a new experimental approach. The chemical analysis of the crystals and detailed measurements of the sedimentation phenomenon give new insights into this complex process. Thus, the wax antisettling additives used for preventing wax crystal sedimentation adsorb at the surfaces of wax particles and provide them with enhanced colloidal stability. The settling rate is not related to the size of the crystals or the viscosity of the liquid medium, but to the ability of the additives to prevent the aggregation of wax crystals. The reported methodology makes it possible to investigate the fundamental mechanisms, but also to evaluate structure-activity relationships of the various additives used in the petroleum industry.

Lewis Acid-Promoted, Stereocontrolled, Gram Scale, Diels-Alder Cycloadditions of Electronically Matched 2-Pyrones and Vinyl Ethers: The Critical Importance of Molecular Sieves and the Temperature of Titanium Coordination with the Pyrone

(R)-(+)-Binol-titanium coordinates with commercial methyl 2-pyrone-3-carboxylate and promotes mild, highly enantiocontrolled Diels-Alder cycloadditions with electron-rich vinyl ether CH(2)=CHOCH(2)-1-naphthyl and vinyl silyl ether CH(2)=CHOSiMe(2)Bu-t leading to valuable 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (calcitriol) intermediate (-)-2. Unexpectedly, two subtle variables were found to be critical for obtaining reproducibly over 90% enantioselectivities in gram scale cycloadditions: (1) the moisture content (15-17% is best) of the molecular sieves used to prepare the binol-titanium complex according to the Mikami protocol and (2) the temperature (50 degrees C is best) at which the pyrone ester is mixed with the binol-titanium complex. Unsubstituted 2-pyrone undergoes ytterbium-promoted, high-pressure, regioselective, and stereoselective Diels-Alder cycloaddition with benzyl vinyl ether to form versatile bicyclic lactone (+/-)-4 on gram scale.