Low grade crude palm oil (LGCPO) presents as an attractive option as feedstock for biodiesel production due to its low cost and non-competition with food resources. Typically, LGCPO contains high contents of free fatty acids (FFA), rendering it impossible in direct trans-esterification processes due to the saponification reaction. Esterification is the typical pre-treatment process to reduce the FFA content and to produce fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). The pre-treatment of LGCPO using two different acid catalysts, such as titanium oxysulphate sulphuric acid complex hydrate (TiOSH) and 5-sulfosalicylic acid dihydrate (5-SOCAH) was investigated for the first time in this study. The optimum conditions for the homogenous catalyst (5-SOCAH) wer

Separation of Trigonelline, the major alkaloid in fenugreek seeds, is difficult because the extract of these seeds usually contains Trigonelline, choline, mucilage, and steroidal saponins, in addition to some other substances. This study amis to isolate the quaternary ammonium alkaloid (Trigonelline) and choline from fenugreek seeds (Trigonella-foenum graecum L.) which have similar physiochemical properties by modifying of the classical method. Seeds were defatted and then extracted with methanol. The presence of alkaloids was detected by using Mayer's and Dragendorff's reagents. In this work, trigonilline was isolated with traces of choline by subsequent processes of purification using analytical and preparative TLC techniques.

Four new complexes of Pd(II), Pt(II) and Pt(IV) with DMSO solution of the ligand 8-[(4-nitrophenyl)azo]guanine (L) have been synthesized. Reaction of the ligand with Pd(II) at different pH gave two new complexes, at pH=8, a complex of the formula [Pd(L)2]Cl2.DMSO (1) was formed, while at pH=4.5,the complex[Pd(L)3]Cl2.DMSO (2) was obtained. Meanwhile, the reaction of the ligand with Pt(II) and Pt(IV) revealed new complexes with the formulas[Pt(L)2]Cl2.DMSO (3)and [Pt(L)3]Cl4.DMSO (4) at pH 7.5 and 6 respectively.
All the preparations were performed after fixing the optimum pH and concentration. The effect of time on the stability of these complexes was checked. The stoichiometry of the complexes was determined by the mole ratio and Job

The work involves synthesis of new Schiff bases ( [V]a, b and [VI]a, b), pyrazoles[VII]a, b and pyrazolines[VIII]a, b derivatives containing isoxazoline unit starting with chalcones. 4bromoacetophenone was reacted with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde or 4-hydroxyacetophenone was reacted with 4-bromobenzaldehyde in basic medium to give chalcone by Claisen-Schemidt reaction. The chalcons [I]a, b was reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to form  isoxazolines [II]a, b. which were reacted with ethyl chloro acetate in basic medium to get ester compounds[III]a, b .The condensation new ester[III]a, b with hydrazine hydrate80% yieldedacid hydrazide [IV]a, b.The later compound refluxing  with  4-substituted benzaldehyde in dry benzene to

   Complexes  of  (Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+)  with  the  ligand  Ethyl  cyano  (2methyl  carboxylate phenyl  azo  acetate)  (ECA)  have  been  prepared  and characterized  by FTIR, (UV-Visible), Atomic  absorption spectroscopy, Molar conductivity measurements and magnetic moments measurements. The following general formula has been suggested for  the prepared  complexes  [M(ECA)2]Cl2 where M = (Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ ,Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+) and the geometry is octahedral.

Two series of bent core mesogen containing 1,2,4-traizole ring [X]a-e and [XI]a-e were synthesized by many steps starting from esterification of isophthalic acid with methanol to yield diester compound [I] which was converted to their acid hydrazide [II] and the acid hydrazide reacted with ammonium thiocyanate or phenyl isothiocyanate to yield compounds [III] and [IV] , respectively . Then cyclization by 4% NaOH to yielded 1,2,4 traizole-3- thiol compounds [V] and [VI], respectively, afterword adding hydrazine hydrate to yield compounds [VII] and [VIII] .These compounds condensated with different substituted aldehyde to give new Schiff bases[X]a-e and [XI]a-e,respectively. The synthesized compounds were characterized by melting points ,

   The aim of this paper is to present the first record of ctenophore species Pleurobrachia pileus (O. F. Müller, 1776) in the coral reef as was recently found in Iraqi marine waters. The specimens were collected from two sites, the first was in Khor Abdullah during May 2015, and the second site was located in the pelagic water of the coral reef area, near the Al-Basrah deep sea crude oil marine loading terminal. Three samples were collected at this site during May 2015, February and March 2018 which showed that P. pileus were present at a densities of 3.0, 2.2 and 0.55 ind./ m³ respectively. The species can affect on the abundance of other zooplankton community through predation.

The ground pearls, Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.) is a new insect pest on wheat recorded for
the first time from Mousl Province, North of Iraq.

New metal complexes of some transition metal ions Co(II), Cu(II) , Cd(II) and Zn(II) were prepared by their reaction with previously prepared ligands HLI= (P-methyl anilino) phenyl acetonitrile and HLII = (P-methyl anilino) –P– chloro phenyl acetonitrile . The two ligands were prepared by Strecker’s procedure which includ the reaction of p- toluidine with benzaldehyde and P- chlorobenzaldehyde respectively. Structures were proposed depending on atomic absorption , i.r. and u.v.visible spectra in addition to magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity measurements.

Naidid worms were sorted from 27 samples of aquatic macrophyta including ceratophyllum demersum , Potamogeton crispus and, Hydrilla verticellat with associated filamentous algae were collected from Euphrates River at Al-Mussayab city, 60 Km southwest Baghdad. The result of sorted worms revealed the presence of eight species of subfamily Naidinae, which are consider as new records for Iraq, including Stephensoniana trivandrana; Paranais frici, Ophidonais serpentine, Specaria josinae, Dero (Dero) evelinae , Dero (Aulophorus) indicus , Nais pseudobtusa and finally N. stolci. This investigation includes morphological descriptions for each species illustrated by identification criteria photos.