An Ontology-Based Method for Semi-Automatic Disassembly of LCD Monitors and Unexpected Product Types

Disassembly is a vital step in any treatment stream of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), preventing hazardous and toxic chemicals and materials from damaging the ecosystem. However, the large variations and uncertainties in WEEE is a major limitation to the implementation of automation and robotics in this field. Therefore, the advancement of robotic and automation intelligence to be flexible in handling a variety of situations in WEEE disassembly is sought after. This paper presents an ontology-based cognitive method for generating actions for the disassembly of WEEE, with a focus on LCD monitors, handling uncertainties throughout the disassembly process. The system utilizes reasoning about relationships between a typical LCD monitor product, component features, common fastener types, and actions that the system is capable of, to determine 4 key stages of robotic disassembly: component identification, fastener identification, disassembly action generation, and identification of disassembly extent. Further uncertainties in the form of possible failure of action execution is reasoned about to provide new actions, and any unusual scenarios that result in incorrect reasoning outputs are rectified with user-demonstration as a last resort. The proposed method is trialed for the disassembly of LCD monitors and a product unknown to the system, in the form of a DVD-ROM drive.

Biotransformation of Hydroxychalcones as a Method of Obtaining Novel and Unpredictable Products Using Whole Cells of Bacteria

The aim of our study was the evaluation of the biotransformation capacity of hydroxychalcones—2-hydroxy-4′-methylchalcone (1) and 4-hydroxy-4′-methylchalcone (4) using two strains of aerobic bacteria. The microbial reduction of the α,β-unsaturated bond of 2-hydroxy-4′-methylchalcone (1) in Gordonia sp. DSM 44456 and Rhodococcus sp. DSM 364 cultures resulted in isolation the 2-hydroxy-4′-methyldihydrochalcone (2) as a main product with yields of up to 35%. Additionally, both bacterial strains transformed compound 1 to the second, unexpected product of reduction and simultaneous hydroxylation at C-4 position—2,4-dihydroxy-4′-methyldihydrochalcone (3) (isolated yields 12.7–16.4%). During biotransformation of 4-hydroxy-4′-methylchalcone (4) we observed the formation of three products: reduction of C=C bond—4-hydroxy-4′-methyldihydrochalcone (5), reduction of C=C bond and carbonyl group—3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-methylphenyl)propan-1-ol (6) and also unpredictable 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,5-di-(4-methylphenyl)pentane-1,5-dione (7). As far as our knowledge is concerned, compounds 3, 6 and 7 have never been described in the scientific literature.

Solvent-free, Silica Catalyzed Intriguing Conversion of 3-Hydrazonobutan-2-one Oxime into Biacetyl Bis-hydrazone Schiff Bases

: An expeditious and operationally simple reaction between 3-hydrazonobutan-2-one oxime and different substituted benzaldehydes in presence of silica afforded an unexpected product, biacetyl bis-hydrazone Schiff bases in good yield on grinding in a mortar at room temperature, instead of expected product 3-(aryl)methylenehydrazonobutan-2-one oxime. Mild reaction conditions involving recyclable mineral support silica, environmentally benign and good yield in short reaction time are remarkable advantages of this protocol. Products were characterized by IR, NMR (1H and 13C) and elemental analyses.

An unusually short intermolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond in crystals of the hemi-hydrochloride salt of 1-exo-acetamidopyrrolizidine

The title compound [systematic name: (1R*, 8S)-2-acetamidooctahydropyrrolizin-4-ium chloride–N-[(1R, 8S)-hexahydro-1H-pyrrolizin-2-yl)acetamide (1/1)], 2(C9H16N2O)·HCl or C9H17N2O+·Cl−·C9H16N2O, arose as an unexpected product when 1-exo-acetamidopyrrolizidine (AcAP; C9H16N2O) was dissolved in CHCl3. Within the AcAP pyrrolizidine group, the unsubstituted five-membered ring is disordered over two orientations in a 0.897 (5):0.103 (5) ratio. Two AcAP molecules related by a crystallographic twofold axis link to H+ and Cl− ions lying on the rotation axis, thereby forming N—H...N and N—H...Cl...H—N hydrogen bonds. The first of these has an unusually short N...N separation of 2.616 (2) Å: refinement of different models against the present data set could not distinguish between a symmetrical hydrogen bond (H atom lying on the twofold axis and equidistant from the N atoms) or static or dynamic disorder models (i.e. N—H...N + N...H—N). Computational studies suggest that the disorder model is slightly more stable, but the energy difference is very small.

Hirshfeld surface analysis and crystal structure of N-(2-methoxyphenyl)acetamide

The title compound, C9H11NO2, was obtained as unexpected product from the reaction of (4-{2-benzyloxy-5-[(E)-(3-chloro-4-methylphenyl)diazenyl]benzylidene}-2-phenyloxazol-5(4H)-one) with 2-methoxyaniline in the presence of acetic acid as solvent. The amide group is not coplanar with the benzene ring, as shown by the C—N—C—O and C—N—C—C torsion angles of −2.5 (3) and 176.54 (19)°, respectively. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots indicate that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H...H (53.9%), C...H/H...C (21.4%), O...H/H...O (21.4%) and N...H/H...N (1.7%) interactions.