Abstract: The present application provides a one-pot catalytic process which involves the formation of 1,4-dibenzodiazepines from o-haloaldimines (either pre-formed or formed in situ) of formula (I) and o-haloanilines of formula (II) via a palladium catalyzed Buchwald-Hartwig reaction and a cyclization sequence, to afford the 1,4-dibenzodiazepine products of formula (III). The present application describes the preparation of the 1,4-dibenzodiazepine products of formula (III) from simple commercial raw materials by efficient processes.

Abstract: The present application describes a novel type of picolinamide-cinchona organocatalyst that allows for the successful transformation of ketimines to chiral amines with very high enantioselectivities and with the highest TOFs reported for any particular organocatalyst to date. These organocatalysts have also been immobilized to a variety of solid supports, including magneto-nanoparticles.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separation of solid particles in liquid suspension by non-continuous filter unclogging aided filtration. The said method uses vacuum as suspension flowing force, which is applied under a closed circuit. The said separation is based on filtration vessels, using filtration fabrics of known mesh, and uses a reverse direction of suspension flow and air suction through the filters to avoid clogging of the filter fabrics. The separated particles can be recovered and collected from any of the filters for subsequent use or simply discarded. In a particular form of the invention, the said apparatus is used to separate fungus spores from solid medium in suspension. The said apparatus is constituted by a support structure and comprises three interconnected systems: the filtration system, the vacuum system and the control system. The said filtration system comprises column reservoirs (2, 4, 24, 22), suspension transport tubes (25) and filters (3 and 23).

Abstract: This invention refers to isolation and utilization of the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia var. chlamydosporia strain PcMR in biological control of nematodes, characterized in that it has a high virulence against Meloidogyne spp. in in-vitro microbiologic tests, pot tests and field tests. In these tests, the strain PcMR, isolated in Portugal, have a good performance in the ability to control Meloidogyne spp. populations and shows a good capacity to produce high amounts of chlamydospores used to produce inoculum and to colonize plant roots that might be infected by Meloidogyne spp. This strain can be utilized as part of biological control methods that effectively control root-knot-nematode populations belonging to genus Meloidogyne and this invention refers also to production and utilization of nematicides based on Pochonia chlamydosporia var. chlamydosporia strain PcMR and any organisms derived from this strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a firm's diagnosis which evaluates the position of a product or single product firm in the market according to its strategy of differentiation. Based on an Integrated Innovation Model (IIM), a system of data recovery (for example, a questionnaire) allows making a diagnosis of firms. Based on the averages of each of three dimensions used in the model (competitive pressure, differentiation and outcome), it calculates the respective position in those dimensions. After this, the diagnostic provides firm's position in the four spaces of the IIM. The three dimensions of the model are divided into subdimensions, and then a comparison is made between each dimension and the respective subdimensions. Data recovery could be repeated for several firms and, with the storage of results, which can then be used for benchmarking by comparing a firm to the respective industry and also to the high performing firms in the industry.