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Utilizing carbon dioxide as a carbon source for the synthesis of olefins and aromatics has emerged as one of the most practical methods for CO2 reduction. In this study, an improved selectivity of 85% for targeting products (ethylbenzene and propylbenzene) is achieved with a benzene conversion of 16.8% by coupling the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to olefins over the bifunctional catalyst "Oxide-Zeolite" (OX-ZEO) and the alkylation of benzene with olefins over ZSM-5. In addition to investigating the influence of SAPO-34 and ZSM-5 zeolite acidity on product distribution, catalyst deactivation due to coke formation is addressed by modifying both molecular sieves to be hierarchical to extend the catalyst lifespan. Even after 100 h of operation at 400 °C, the catalysts maintained over 80% selectivity towards the target products, with benzene conversion over 14.2%. Furthermore, the pathway of propylbenzene formation is demonstrated through simple experimental design, revealing that the surface Brønsted acid sites of SAPO-34 serve as its primary formation sites. This provides a novel perspective for further investigation of the reaction network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: The genus Xylocarpus contains two mangrove species, X. granatum and X. moluccensis, and a rare non‐mangrove, X. rumphii. The two mangrove species are ideal models to study the biogeography of coastal plants with a unique dispersal ability, that is via buoyant propagules. We constructed the phylogeny of Xylocarpus and its relatives and determined the population structures of the two mangrove species. We aimed to elucidate the roles of continental drift and long‐distance dispersal (LDD) in shaping the present‐day distribution of Xylocarpus and to determine the factors affecting the patterns of population differentiation. Location: The Indo‐West Pacific (IWP) region. Methods: Thirty populations of X. granatum, 15 of X. moluccensis and four of X. rumphii were sampled across the IWP region. Five chloroplast DNA intergenic spacers were sequenced for Xylocarpus and outgroup species to determine divergence times. The genetic diversity, divergence and structure of the two mangrove species were further analysed using five nuclear and two chloroplast DNA loci. Migrations between oceanic regions were estimated. Results: The genus Xylocarpus diverged from its sister genus Carapa approximately 19.4 Ma. The populations of X. granatum differentiated into three groups, with genetic breaks present across the Malay Peninsula and Wallacea, whereas X. moluccensis populations differentiated into two groups, with a genetic break present only across the Malay Peninsula. Migration was also observed between populations of the Southeast Asian and Australasian regions in X. moluccensis but not in X. granatum. Main conclusion: Since Xylocarpus originated after the breakup of Gondwana and subsequent plate motions, its current distribution range should have been facilitated by present‐day LDD instead of past continental drift. Despite the capacity of LDD, the presence of differing population structures across land barriers (the Sunda and Sahul Shelves) and ocean currents indicated differential limitations in the dispersal capabilities of X. granatum and X. moluccensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excoecaria agallocha is one of the predominant mangrove species in the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) region with an extensive range of distribution. To infer the current geographical patterns of genetic variation and provide new insights on the historical population dynamics of mangrove species in the IWP region, we sampled E. agallocha across its distribution range and investigated the phylogeography of this species using four chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments. Our results showed that E. agallocha possessed a high degree of species-level genetic diversity, while the average genetic diversity within populations was much lower. The presence of population genetic structure was supported by the estimates of genetic differentiation and the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). Of the ten haplotypes identified, no haplotypes were shared between the East Indian Ocean (EIO), the West Pacific Ocean (WPO), and the North Australian (NA) regions. Genealogy analysis, haplotype distribution patterns, and the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) consistently suggested the existence of three haplotype groups distributed in distinct geographical locations. The genealogical breaks observed and further analysis of geographic/genetic barriers indicated that both land barriers and oceanic currents may have played important roles in the divergence and demography of E. agallocha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of the Study: We isolated and characterized 16 expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeat (EST‐SSR) markers in Itea chinensis (Iteaceae), a common evergreen broadleaf tree, for future studies on the genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of the species. Methods and Results: Based on transcriptome data of I. chinensis, a total of 36 primer pairs were initially designed and tested. Of these, 16 were successfully amplified and showed clear polymorphism. For these markers, the number of alleles per locus varied from two to 15. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0 to 0.600 and 0.072 to 0.554, respectively. Furthermore, all loci were successfully cross‐amplified in two congeneric species, I. oblonga and I. yangchunensis. Conclusions: The EST‐SSR markers described here can be used to study the genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns of I. chinensis and other related species in Itea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]