A Guide to the Russian Academy of Sciences - University of Texas ...

catalysts) and now they are being carried out without pressure at moderate
temperatures: vinylation of alcohols, nitrogen heterocycles, thiols; ethynylation of
aldehydes and ketones; acetylene-allene- 1,3-dienic isomerization (synthesis of
allenyl and 1,3-dienic ethers). A large series of investigations on the structure and
acid-base properties of unsaturated ethers, sulfides, sulfoxides and pyrroles has
been performed.
The chemistry of organic compounds of silicon, germanium, tin is being developed in the
following directions: compounds of penta-and hexacoordinate silicon (silatranes,
dragonoids, etc.); carbofunctional organosilicon compounds, adsorbents, ionexchangers
and complex-forming agents thereof; macrocyclic highly unsaturated
silicon-containing hydrocarbons; organosilicon compounds for use in
microelectronics; organosilicon heterocycles; chemistry of siloxanes and silanones;
biologically active organosilicon compounds for use in medicine and agriculture;
chemical reactions of elemental sulfur with arylhaloalkanes leading to thiophene or
1,2- dithiolene-3-thione derivatives (Voronkov's reaction). The following have also
been studied: high temperature synthesis of organic compounds of sulfur, thermal
reactions of thiyl and selenyl radicals; synthesis of organic phosphorus compounds
from elemental phosphorus; unsaturated organic compounds of chlorine and
fluorine; unsaturated compounds of sulfur, selenium, tellurium.
Chemistry of wood and natural compounds of the Siberian flora: bioactive compounds
extracted from wild-growing plants are studied and, based on this research, new
medicines for the treatment of chronic and difficult to cure diseases (antipsoriatic
drugs, non-steroid agents for birth control, immunomodulators) are being
examined; innovative processes for wood delignification, cellulose pulping which
are based on a comprehensive utilization of wood raw material are being worked
out. New technologies for the preparation of efficient medicines, vitamins, food
additives, intermediates for use in drug manufacture (dehydroquercetin,
arabinogalactan, vanilin, syrinaldehyde, polyphepan) are being developed.
In the field of macromolecular chemistry innovative effective methods for the synthesis of
polymers possessing a number of technically valuable properties have been
developed: water-soluble, hydrophilic and bioactive polymers; sulfur-containing
aromatic (heteroaromatic) electro-conducting polymers and copolymers;
vinylchloride and vinyl ether copolymers (new PVC-materials). Interpolymer
interactions of polyelectrolytes in aqueous media (efficient methods of waste water
purification) have been studied. Investigations in the chemistry of substituted
acrylic systems are in progress. The fundamental research carried out at the Institute
has laid the basis for further developments in the following fields: industrial organic
synthesis, oil-, gas- and coal-processing (modification of the existing methods and
introduction of innovative technologies); pharmaceutical industry (new medicines,
modified methods for the preparation of known drugs and vitamins); wood
chemistry (new approaches to comprehensive utilization of renewable feedstock);
agricultural chemistry (ecologically benign pesticides, pesticide activators, growth
regulators, products for use in animal farming); mining and enrichment industry
(new flotations agents, adsorbents and metal extractants); building industry (new
materials, sealants, putties, binders); perfumery, vitamin and food industries
(technology for manufacturing fragrance and flavor compounds, intermediates for
vitamins A and E, food additives and food preserving agents); metal treatment
(lubricant-coolants and quenchers); energetics and ecology (ecologically friendly
fuel from low- grade coals, low pollutant gasoline of increased efficiency, ionexchange
resins for water cleansing, adsorbents for industrial wastes and
decontamination in the case of emergency spillage of oil products); electronics and
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