Abstract: Described herein are solid acid catalysts and the methods for catalytically preparing ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or esters thereof. In one aspect, a zeolite catalyst may be used. The catalyst may, in certain embodiments, be modified to improve the selectivity and/or conversion of a reaction. For instance, a catalyst may be modified by ion exchange to achieve a desirable acidity profile in order to achieve high level of conversion of reactants and selectivity for desirable products of the catalytic reaction. In another aspect, a variety of feed stocks (e.g., starting compositions) may be used including an ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, an ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, a ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, a ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, cyclic esters thereof (e.g., lactide), and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Described herein are solid acid catalysts and the methods for catalytically preparing ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or esters thereof. In one aspect, a zeolite catalyst may be used. The catalyst may, in certain embodiments, be modified to improve the selectivity and/or conversion of a reaction. For instance, a catalyst may be modified by ion exchange to achieve a desirable acidity profile in order to achieve high level of conversion of reactants and selectivity for desirable products of the catalytic reaction. In another aspect, a variety of feed stocks (e.g., starting compositions) may be used including an ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, an ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, a ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, a ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, cyclic esters thereof (e.g., lactide), and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Isothermal titration calorimetry methods for determining one or more binding characteristics of a ligand and a receptor according to aspects of the present invention include injecting a ligand into a sample cell of a calorimeter, the sample cell containing a receptor, wherein the injecting is continuous; obtaining heat flow values indicative of binding of the ligand to the receptor; and calculating the binding characteristic in real-time, producing a determined binding characteristic. Binding characteristics determined according to methods of the present invention include any one or more of ?H, ?S, ?G, equilibrium binding constant (K), and binding stoichiometry (n).

Abstract: Described herein are nanoreactors having various shapes that can be produced by a simple chemical process. The nanoreactors described herein may have a shell as thin as 0.5 nm and outside diameters that can be controlled by the process of making and have a nanoparticle enclosed therein. The nanoreactors have catalytic activity and may be used to catalyze a variety of chemical reactions.

Abstract: Described herein are nanoreactors having various shapes that can be produced by a simple chemical process. The nanoreactors described herein may have a shell as thin as 0.5 nm and outside diameters that can be controlled by the process of making and have a nanoparticle enclosed therein. The nanoreactors have catalytic activity and may be used to catalyze a variety of chemical reactions.