Provided is a process for depolymerizing lignin, the process comprising exposing a liquid feed comprising lignin and a solvent to a metal-incorporated solid mesoporous silicate catalyst under conditions sufficient to depolymerize the lignin to produce one or more aromatic monomers.

Provided herein are compounds (e.g., compounds of Formula (I) and Formula (II), that modulate HCN channels, intermembrane proteins that serve as nonselective voltage-gated cation channels in the plasma membranes of heart and brain cells. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising the compounds, and methods of treating HCN-related disorders (e.g., pain) with the compounds in a subject, by administering the compounds and/or compositions described herein.

A compound represented by formula (e):

##STR00001##

where R.sup.1 represents a branched chain or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and R.sup.f1 and R.sup.f2 represent fluorinated alkoxy groups.

A method of alkylating or acylating an arene includes reacting the arene with an organic halide in the presence of an aprotic solvent and a catalyst of formula (I)
MR.sup.1.sub.mX.sub.n.Z(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)(I)
wherein M is Al, Ga, or Fe; R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl; m is 0 or 1; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl; each occurrence of X is independently a halogen; n is 2 or 3; the sum of m and n is 3; and Z is S or O. When M is Al, then m is 1, n is 2, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently substituted with at least one electron-withdrawing group. When M is Ga or Fe, then m is 0 and n is 3.

A method of alkylating or acylating an arene includes reacting the arene with an organic halide in the presence of an aprotic solvent and a catalyst of formula (I)
MR.sup.1.sub.mX.sub.n.Z(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)(I)
wherein M is Al, Ga, or Fe; R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl; m is 0 or 1; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl; each occurrence of X is independently a halogen; n is 2 or 3; the sum of m and n is 3; and Z is S or O. When M is Al, then m is 1, n is 2, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently substituted with at least one electron-withdrawing group. When M is Ga or Fe, then m is 0 and n is 3.

Provided is a process for depolymerizing lignin, the process comprising exposing a liquid feed comprising lignin and a solvent to a metal-incorporated solid mesoporous silicate catalyst under conditions sufficient to depolymerize the lignin to produce one or more aromatic monomers.

Provided is a process for depolymerizing lignin, the process comprising exposing a liquid feed comprising lignin and a solvent to a metal-incorporated solid mesoporous silicate catalyst under conditions sufficient to depolymerize the lignin to produce one or more aromatic monomers.

A fluorine-containing compound represented by a following general formula (1) is provided. [In the general formula (1), X represents a halogen atom or an alkoxy group, R.sup.1 represents a branched chain or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and R.sup.f1 and R.sup.f2 represent fluorinated alkoxy groups. n represents an integer of 0 or greater.] ##STR00001##

A fluorine-containing compound represented by a following general formula (1) is provided. [In the general formula (1), X represents a halogen atom or an alkoxy group, R.sup.1 represents a branched chain or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and R.sup.f1 and R.sup.f2 represent fluorinated alkoxy groups. n represents an integer of 0 or greater.] ##STR00001##

A method of alkylating or acylating an arene includes reacting the arene with an organic halide in the presence of an aprotic solvent and a catalyst of formula (I)

MR.sup.1.sub.mX.sub.n.Z(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)(I)

wherein M is Al, Ga, or Fe; R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl; m is 0 or 1; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alkyl; each occurrence of X is independently a halogen; n is 2 or 3; the sum of m and n is 3; and Z is S or O. When M is Al, then m is 1, n is 2, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently substituted with at least one electron-withdrawing group. When M is Ga or Fe, then m is 0 and n is 3.