Study of lone working magnetic resonance technologists in Western Australia

Objectives: It is recommended that magnetic resonance (MR) technologists should not work alone due to potential occupational health risks although lone working is legally acceptable. The objective of this study was to investigate the current situation of lone working of MR technologists in Western Australia (WA) and any issue against the regulations. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire regarding the issues of occupational health of lone MR technologists was developed based on relevant literature and distributed to WA MR technologists. Descriptive (percentage of frequency, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Fisher’s exact, chi-square and t tests, and analysis of variance) were used to analyse the responses of the yes/no, multiple choice and 5 point scale questions from the returned questionnaires.Results: The questionnaire response rate was 65.6% (59/90). It was found that about half of the MR technologists (45.8%, 27/59) experienced lone working. The private magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) centres were more likely to arrange technologists to work alone (p <0.05). The respondents expressed positive views on issues of adequacy of training and arrangement, confidence and comfort towards lone working except immediate assistance for emergency (mean: 3). Factors of existence of MRI safety officer (p < 0.05) and nature of lone working (p < 0.001-0.05) affected MR technologists’ concerns. Conclusions: Lone working of MR technologists is common in WA especially private centres. The training and arrangement provided seem to be adequate for meeting the legal requirements. However, several areas should be improved by the workplaces including enhancement on immediate assistance for emergency and concern relief

Synthesis of Vinyl-, Allyl-, and 2-Boryl Allylboronates via a Highly Selective Copper-Catalyzed Borylation of Propargylic Alcohols

An efficient methodology for the synthesis of vinyl-, allyl-, and (E)-2-boryl allylboronates from propargylic alcohols via Cu-catalyzed borylation under mild conditions is reported. In the presence of commercially available Cu(OAc)(2) or Cu(acac)(2) and Xantphos, the reaction affords the desired products in up to 92% yield with a broad substrate scope (43 examples). Isolation of an allenyl boronate as the reaction intermediate suggests that an insertion elimination-type reaction, followed by borylcupration, is involved in the borylation of propargylic alcohols.</p

[{(MeLi)(4)(dem)(1.5)}(infinity)] and [(thf)(3)Li3Me{(NtBu)(3)S}] - How to reduce aggregation of parent methyllithium

Organolithium compounds play the leading role among the organometallic reagents in synthesis and in industrial processes. Up to date industrial application of methyllithium is limited because it is only soluble in diethyl ether, which amplifies various hazards in large-scale processes. However, most reactions require polar solvents like diethyl ether or TI-IF to disassemble parent organolithium oligomers. If classical bidentate donor solvents like TMEDA (TMEDA = N,N,N,N'tetramethyl- 1,2-ethanediamine) or DME (DME=1,2-dimethoxyethane) are added to methyllithium, tetrameric units are linked to form polymeric arrays that suffer from reduced reactivity and/or solubility. In this paper we present two different approaches to tune methyllithium aggregation. In [((MeLi)(4)(dem)(1.5)}(infinity)] (1; DEM - EtOCH2OEt, diethoxymethane) a polymeric architecture is maintained that forms microporous soluble aggregates as a result of the rigid bite of the methylene-bridged bidentate donor base DEM. Wide channels of 720 pm in diameter in the structure maintain full solubility as they are coated with lipophilic ethyl groups and filled with solvent. In compound 1 the long-range Li3CH3. . . Li interactions found in solid [{(MeLi)(4)}(infinity)] are maintained. A different approach was successful in the disassembly of the tetrameric architecture of [{(MeLi)(4)}(infinity)]. In the reaction of dilithium triazasulfite both the parent [(MeLi)(4)] tetramer and the [(Li-2[(NtBu)(3)S]}(2)] dimer disintegrate and recombine to give an MeLi monomer stabilized in the adduct complex [(thf)(3)Li3Me{(NtBu)(3)S}] (2). One side of the Lit triangle, often found in organolithium chemistry, is shielded by the tripodal triazasulfite, while the other face is mu (3)-capped by the methanide anion. This Li-3 structural motif is also present in organolithium tetramers and hexamers. All single-crystal structures have been confirmed through solid-state NMR experiments to be the same as in the bulk powder material