Pitch aromaticity

The mesophases are formed from aromatics which are produced from smaller molecules by condensation. Since the large-area molecules behave like discs, the liquid-crystal phases of pitch aromatics are referred to as discotic liquid crystals or, when arranged along a preferred axis, as discotic nematic phases. 

Naphthalene, anthracene, carbazole [86-74-8] phenol [108-95-2] and cresyUc acids are found in the tar. Phenol and cresyUc acids are useful as chemical and resin intermediates. The aromatic chemicals are useful in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, dyes, fragrances, and pesticides. Various grades of pitch are made from residues of tar refining. Coal-tar pitch is used for roofing and road tar, and as a binder mixed with petroleum coke to produce anodes for the aluminum industry. 

Trimesic acid is also referred to as 5-carboxyisophthahc acid [554-95-0] trimesinic acid, or trimesitinic acid. It is a smaH-volume, synthetic chemical and is sold commercially. Traces of trimesic acid as well as other aromatic carboxyUc acids with three or more carboxyUc acid groups are found in lignite (137), and when various types of coals or coal components such as brown coal, asphaltene, or coal-tar pitch are oxidized. 

Coal tar is the condensation product obtained by cooling to approximately ambient temperature, the gas evolved in the destmctive distillation of coal. It is a black viscous Hquid denser than water and composed primarily of a complex mixture of condensed ring aromatic hydrocarbons. It may contain phenoHc compounds, aromatic nitrogen bases and their alkyl derivatives, and paraffinic and olefinic hydrocarbons. Coal-tar pitch is the residue from the distillation of coal tar. It is a black soHd having a softening point of 30—180°C (86—359°F). 

Low temperature tars contain 30—35 wt % non aromatic hydrocarbons, ca 30% of caustic-extractable phenols in the distillate oils, and 40—50% of aromatic hydrocarbons. The latter usually contain one or more alkyl substituent groups. On atmospheric distillation, coke-oven tars yield 55—60% pitch, whereas CVR tars give 40—50% pitch. The pitch yield from low temperature tars is in the 26—30% range. 

Cancerous skin lesions of workers exposed to pitch dust undoubtedly support the behef that these lesions are caused by polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, although it had not been possible to demonstrate their carcinogenic action in animals more closely related to humans, such as monkeys. 

Pitches can be transformed to a mesophase state by further chemical and physical operations. Heat treatment of conventional pitches results in additional aromatic polymeriza tion and the distillation of low molecular weight components. This results in an increase in size and concentration of large planar aromatic molecular species whereupon the precursor pitch is transformed to a mesophase state exhibiting the characteristics of nematic Hquid crystals (1). Additional heat treatment converts the mesophase pitch to an infusible aromatic hydrocarbon polymer designated as coke. 

Fig. 12. A, Schematic representation of parallel arrays of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon molecules in a mesophase sphere. B, a) isolated mesophasc spheres in an isotropic fluid pitch matrix b) coalescence of mesophase c) structure of semi-coke after phase inversion and solidification.

Mochida, I., Shimizu, K.., Korai, Y., Otsuka, H. and Fujiyama, S., Structure and carbonization properties of pitches produced catalytically from aromatic hydrocarbons with HF/BFj, Carbon, 1988, 26(6), 843 852. 

Only a limited number of coal-denved pitches were examined by H NMR because of their low solubility in solvents commonly used m conventional proton magnetic resonance. Table 12 reports the distribution of hydrogen for three of the pitches. Unlike coal-tar pitches, which typically have over 85% of the hydrogen bonded to aromatic carbon, the matenals listed in Table 12 are characterized by a high content of aliphatic hydrogen. 

Carcinogens Cancer-producing agents Skin Respiratory Bladder/urinary tract Liver Nasal Bone marrow Coal tar pitch dust crude anthracene dust mineral oil mist arsenic. Asbestos polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons nickel ore arsenic bis-(chloromethyl) ether mustard gas. p-naphthylamine benzidine 4-am i nodi pheny lam ine. Vinyl chloride monomer. Mustard gas nickel ore. Benzene. 

Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH), see Coal tar pitch volatiles... 

Coal tar pitch volatiles, see Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH), as benzene solubles Cobalt metal, dust and fume (as Co)... 

A peptoid pentamer of five poro-substituted (S)-N-(l-phenylethyl)glycine monomers, which exhibits the characteristic a-helix-like CD spectrum described above, was further analyzed by 2D-NMR [42]. Although this pentamer has a dynamic structure and adopts a family of conformations in methanol solution, 50-60% of the population exists as a right-handed helical conformer, containing all cis-amide bonds (in agreement with modeling studies [3]), with about three residues per turn and a pitch of 6 A. Minor families of conformational isomers arise from cis/trans-amide bond isomerization. Since many peptoid sequences with chiral aromatic side chains share similar CD characteristics with this helical pentamer, the type of CD spectrum described above can be considered to be indicative of the formation of this class of peptoid helix in general. 

As such, the magainins provide a useful initial target for peptoid-based peptido-mimetic efforts. Since the helical structure and sequence patterning of these peptides seem primarily responsible for their antibacterial activity and specificity, it is conceivable that an appropriately designed, non-peptide helix should be capable of these same activities. As previously described (Section 1.6.2), peptoids have been shown to form remarkably stable hehces, with physical characterishcs similar to those of peptide polyprohne type-I hehces (e.g. cis-amide bonds, three residues per helical turn, and 6A pitch). A faciaUy amphipathic peptoid helix design, based on the magainin structural motif, would therefore incorporate cationic residues, hydrophobic aromatic residues, and hydrophobic aliphathic residues with threefold sequence periodicity. 

The terms embalming and mummification are often employed as synonyms to refer to the deliberate preservation of corpses so that they keep, as much as possible, their lifelike appearance. To embalm or mummify a dead body is to preserve it by artificial, chemical means. Dehydratation, the removal of water, for example, provides suitable conditions for the preservation of organic mater in general and of corpses in particular many ancient corpses have been mummified by dehydration. In some ancient societies, after the corpse was dry it was impregnated or filled with aromatic substances, usually known as balms, such as molten resin, pitch, or tar, preventing it from becoming unsightly. 

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