News

A chemist from RUDN University has developed a catalyst for the production of eugenol acetate, a substance that destroys the larvae of mosquitoes transmitting dangerous diseases, being a safe chemical for human health.

RUDN soil scientists have revealed a direct correlation between the rate of soil formation of carbon dioxide, called CO2 emissions, and the content of microbial biomass in it. It is known that CO2 emission from soil is mainly conditioned by respiration of soil microorganisms and plant roots. The more CO2 soil emits, the more microbial biomass it usually contains. It was shown that CO2 emission by chernozem of different ecosystems (or different types of land use) correlates with the content of microbial biomass, and most closely with the rate of its microbial respiration. And the soil with good microbial properties has the “best quality”, is more fertile, provides the highest yield of crops and other plant biomass.

A RUDN chemist has synthesized a catalyst for the production of gamma-valerolactone — an energy-intensive “green” biofuel. The catalyst based on zirconium dioxide and zeolite has shown high efficiency in converting the waste of wood plant materials — methyl levulinate — to gamma-valerolactone.

Biochemists from RUDN University determined which substances in peach leaves provide the antioxidant effect their extract has. They investigated the composition of the powders obtained from leaves of several varieties of peach and found that high polyphenol content correlates with antioxidant properties. The results will help start production of antioxidants from natural sources.

RUDN University chemists and their colleagues from the Russian Academy of Sciences have proposed new catalysts that allow to reduce the temperature of the oxidation reaction of alkanes three times — from 150 to 50 degrees. This significantly reduces the cost of synthesizing alcohols, aldehydes and other compounds needed, in particular, for the production of nylon and capron.

A chemist from RUDN University and his colleagues have proposed using residues from processing bay leaves as raw material for the production of chemically active substances, in particular antioxidants. Researchers have developed a mechanochemical method for the extraction of antioxidants, which reduces processing time by more than 10 times.

Chemists from RUDN University have studied the mechanism of radiation instability of thermoluminophores based on lithium tetraborate, which are used for the manufacture of radiation dosimeters. They found that the properties of the materials are deteriorating due to the breakdown of chemical bonds in the boron-oxygen network and the formation of clusters of manganese, which is part of the substances.

A RUDN University chemist revised the mechanism of the Henry reaction catalyzed by copper(II) complexes. Thus, using new copper(II) complexes (obtained in the same laboratory), he showed that water plays a crucial role in the asymmetric Henry reaction, directly participating in the catalytic cycle of the reaction. Previously, this factor was never taken into account, and all scientists thought that the copper(II) complex works as a classical Lewis acid.

RUDN immunologist came up with recombinant molecules Parietaria judaica pollen’s allergens are needed for allergen-specific allergy-immunotherapy.

RUDN chemist synthesized a fundamentally new catalyst for formic acid photo‑oxidation, which is considered to be the most perspective source of hydrogen for fuel elements. A catalyst based on titanium amorphous oxide is a new instrument for formic acid conversion. In the future, it will allow to abandon traditional costly catalysts based on palladium, platinum, and ruthenium.

RUDN doctors found an increased level of selenium and other significant microelements in wheat bread and wheat from selenium-rich areas. Thanks to this, bread and wheat can be used as a source of selenium for people with selenium deficiency.

The new polyethylene production technology made it possible to double the length of ethylene chains in comparison with those obtained by existing methods for polymers synthesis. To achieve that, the authors synthesised new types of reagents. The results of products structure study obtained by the RUDN University chemist will allow producing more durable and flexible material.