Synthesis and Application of Co‐Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐ethylene dimethacrylate) Coupled with Alizarin Yellow for Preconcentration and Determination of Lead in Water Samples by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐ethylene dimethacrylate) (PHEMA‐EDMA) beads were produced by free radical co‐polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA). Then, metal complexing ligand alizarin yellow was covalently attached onto PHEMA‐EDMA beads. The resulting resin has been characterized by FT‐IR and studied for the preconcentration and determination of trace Pb(II) ion from solution samples. The optimum pH value for sorption of the metal ion was 5. The sorption capacity of functionalized resin is 100 mg.g^‐1. The chelating resin can be reused for 20 cycles of sorption‐desorption without any significant change in sorption capacity. A recovery of 96% was obtained for the metal ion with 0.1 M nitric acid as eluting agent. The equilibrium adsorption data of Pb(II) on modified resin were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich models. Based on equilibrium adsorption data the Langmuir and Freundlich constants were determined 2.571 and 418.7 at pH 5 and 25 °C. The method was applied for lead ions determination from well water sample.     

Prodigiosin, the red pigment of Serratia marcescens, shows cytotoxic effects and apoptosis induction in HT-29 and T47D cancer cell lines

In this study, a red pigment of Serratia marcescens PTCC 1111 was purified and identified for antiproliferative activities in HT-29 and T47D cancer cell lines. (1)H-NMR spectroscopy and LC/MS analysis confirmed prodigiosin structure. The antiproliferative effects of prodigiosin were determined by employing the MTT assay. The changes in cell cycle pattern were studied with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) reagent using flow cytometry assay, and Annexin V-PI method was used for apoptotic analysis. Results of MTT assay showed that HT-29 cells were more sensitive to prodigiosin than T47D cells. Prodigiosin-treated HT-29 cells showed increase in S phase and decrease in G2/M, but treated T47D cells showed cell cycle pattern relatively similar to Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium (RPMI). Apoptotic effect of prodigiosin was higher than doxorubicin in HT-29 cells. The data reported here indicate that prodigiosin is a promising antineoplastic agent that triggers apoptosis in different cancer cell lines.     

Optimization of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and improvement of detection limit of methyl tert-butyl ether in water with the aid of chemometrics

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selective ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM) was applied to the determination of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in water samples. The effect of main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency was studied simultaneously. From selected parameters, volume of extraction solvent, volume of dispersive solvent, and salt concentration were optimized by means of experimental design. The statistical parameters of the derived model were R(2)=0.9987 and F=17.83. The optimal conditions were 42.0 μL for extraction solvent, 0.30 mL for disperser solvent and 5% (w/v) for sodium chloride. The calibration linear range was 0.001-370 μg L(-1). The improved detection limit with the aid of chemometrics was 0.3 ng L(-1). The relative standard deviation (RSD) with n=9 for 0.1 mg L(-1) MTBE in water with and without internal standard was 2.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the relative recoveries of spiked MTBE in different water samples were in the range of 100-105%.     

Tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) hexafluorophosphate catalyzed coumarin synthesis via pechmann condensation under solvent‐free condition

Tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) hexafluorophosphate ( Cu(CH₃CN)₄PF₆) is used as an efficient catalyst in the Pechmann condensation reaction of phenols with ethyl acetoacetate leading to the formation of coumarin derivatives in excellent yields under solvent free conditions at ambient temperature. The method is simple, solvent‐free and gives excellent yields in a short reaction time. J. Heterocyclic Chem.,(2011).     

Framework‐Substituted Bismuth Zeolite‐P: Synthesis and Characterization

Bismuth‐modified zeolite‐P (Bi‐ZP) was synthesized by hydrothermal methods during the phase transformation of analcime to zeolite‐P. The evolution of phase transformation of pure analcime to Bi‐ZP was investigated. The results showed that bismuth atoms were incorporated into the framework of the microporous zeolite‐P. The effect of various Bi/Al (0–3) and Si/Bi (1–5) mole ratios on the synthesis of bismuth modified zeolite were studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) technique and FT‐IR spectroscopy. Evolution of the growth process of Bi‐ZP spheres was carried out at different time intervals with XRD patterns and FE‐SEM images. The energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectrum indicated the existence of bismuth atoms in the synthesized Bi‐ZP. Framework substitutions of bismuth were evidenced by a set of complementary characterizations such as diffusive reflectance UV/Vis (DRS) and Raman spectroscopy on the synthesized Bi‐ZP (Si/Bi = 1).     

Designing chiral amido-oxazolines as new chelating ligands devoted to direct Cu-catalyzed oxidation of allylic CH bonds in cyclic olefins

A new type of amido-oxazoline ligands was conveniently synthesized from inexpensive and commercially available materials in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. The corresponding chiral copper complexes with this class of ligands [C₂ symmetric S,S-bis(amido-oxazoline-Cu(II) complex] were synthesized accordingly. The ORTEP diagram of ligand 6a and complex 6a-copper were compared and characterization of the complex confirmed the involvement of both dentate parts of the ligands, the oxygen and nitrogen atoms, in complexation with copper. The utilization of this amido-oxazoline ligands in the copper-catalyzed enantioselective esterification of allylic CH bonds of cyclic olefins with tert-butyl-4-nitrobenzoperoxoate resulted in the highest activities, yields (up to 95%) and enantioselectivities (up to 96%) in the presence of HZSM-5 zeolite. These new findings highlight the protocol as one of the most attractive and useful methods for the oxidation of the asymmetric allylic CH bond of cycloalkenes compared to other methodologies reported in the literature.     

The first use of a Rh(III) complex as a novel ionophore for thiocyanate-selective polymeric membrane electrodes

The feasibility of a newly synthesized Rh(III) complex, Rh[(trpy)(bpy)Cl](PF₆)₂, as a novel ionophore for the preparation of anion-selective polymeric membrane electrodes was tested. The ionophore exhibited anti-Hofmeister behavior with enhanced potentiometric selectivity toward thiocyanate ion compared to other anions. The influence of some experimental parameters such as membrane composition, nature and amount of plasticizer and additive and concentration of internal solution on the potential response of the SCN⁻ sensor were investigated. The electrode exhibits a Nernstian response for SCN⁻ over a wide concentration range (1.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹ M) with a slope −58.7 ± 0.5 mV per decade and a detection limit of 4.0 × 10⁻⁶ M (0.23 ppm). It could be used in a pH range of 3.0-8.0 and has a fast response time of about 15 s. The proposed sensor was used for the determination of thiocyanate ions in real samples such as urine and saliva of smokers and nonsmokers and, as an indicator electrode, in potentiometric titrations of SCN⁻ ion.     

A reinvestigation of the acid-promoted heterocyclization of 2-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)malononitriles in the presence of amines

The reinvestigation of the acid-promoted cyclization of 2-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)malononitriles, in the presence of benzylamine or aniline, in ethanol or acetonitrile, has confirmed that this is a long-time reaction process for a low-yielding synthesis of 2-amino-5-arylfuran-3-carbonitriles (2), or 2-amino-5-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitriles (4), depending on the base used. However, the microwave-assisted synthesis of 2-amino-5-(4′-methoxyphenyl)furan-3(4)-(di)carbonitriles (2c and 3c) proceeds in shorter reaction times and higher yields than does the classical thermal heating protocol. In these reactions we have observed for the first time, and characterized by their spectroscopic data and X-ray analysis, the unexpected formation of 2-amino-5-aryl-3 (4)-(di)carbonitriles (3), whose formation has been rationalized by density functional theory (DFT) analysis of the proposed reaction mechanism.     

Total synthesis and determination of the absolute configuration of coscinosulfate. A new selective inhibitor of Cdc25 protein phosphatase.

The first total synthesis of coscinosulfate 1, a metabolite isolated from a sea sponge, starting from (+)-sclareolide 3 is described. The convergent synthesis strategy relies on the coupling of sulfone 21 with the bromide 26. The sulfone fragment 21 was obtained by successive asymmetric aldol reaction with aldehyde 2 to introduce the stereocenters at C-12 and C-13, followed by one-carbon homologation via Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination. The selective sulfatation at C-12 was accomplished through the quinone intermediate 31 obtained by selective oxidation of hydroquinone 30; this, when followed by reduction, furnished the desired coscinosulfate 1. X-ray analysis of the intermediate aldehyde 18 confirmed the proposed structure.     

Temperature Sensitive Superabsorbent Hydrogels from Poly(N-t-butyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide) Grafted on Sodium Alginate

Temperature-sensitive hydrogels based on N-t-butylacrylamide (TBA), acrylamide (AAm), and sodium alginate were prepared by free radical polymerization method. Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and amonium persulfate (APS) were applied as water soluble crosslinker and initiator, respectively. The chemical structure of the hydrogels was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods. Morphology of the samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By changing the initial TBA/AAm mole ratios, hydrogels with different swelling properties were obtained. The rate parameters were found to be 2.0, 2.4, and 3.5 min for the superabsorbents with AAm/TBA weight ratio of 1.0, 1.3 and 2.0 respectively. The swelling behavior in distilled water and different pH solutions was investigated. A preliminary swelling kinetics and the absorbency under load (AUL) were also studied. At the applied pressure (2.07 kPa), maximum swelling was found to be 17, 19, and 21 (g/g) for the superabsorbent hydrogels with AAm/TBA weight ratios of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0, respectively.