A redox reaction model for self-heating and aging prediction of Al/CuO multilayers

Sputter-deposited Al/CuO multilayers capable of highly energetic reactions have been the subject of intense studies for tunable initiation and actuation. Designing high performance Al/CuO-based initiator devices definitively requires reliable prediction of their ignition and reaction kinetics including self-heating or ageing as a function of heating rate and environmental conditions. The paper proposes a heterogeneous reaction model integrating an ensemble of basic mechanisms (oxygen diffusion, structural transformations, polymorphic phase changes) that have been collected from recent experimental investigations. The reaction model assumes that the rate of reaction is limited by the transport of oxygen across the growing layer of Al₂O₃ separating Al and CuO. Importantly, we show that the model predicts reasonably all exotherms through a wide range of temperature (ambient – 1000°C), all resulting from a pure diffusion process as experimentally observed for such Al/CuO multilayers. The model shows how the temperature ramp affects the structure of the multilayer and especially the growth of alumina-based interfacial regions. It highlights the importance of the interfacial chemistry evolution such as the native mixture of Al_xCu_yO_z transformation into a thin amorphous alumina, and the polymorphic phase transformation of this latter. The first one occurring at ～350°C results in a loss of continuity of the interface leading to the accelerated redox reaction whereas the second one occurring between 500 and 600°C produces a denser barrier to oxygen diffusion leading to the stop of redox reaction. We finally use the model to simulate thermal annealing as usually performed in accelerated ageing experiments. We theoretically observe and experimentally validate that a two weeks exposure of the multilayers at 200°C starts degrading the multilayers thermal properties whereas when the temperature remains below 200°C, the material keeps its entire integrity.     

Delaying Anticancer Drug Delivery by Self-Assembly and Branching Effects of Minimalist Dendron–Drug Conjugates

Self-assembly of a covalently-bound lipophilic drug to a dendronic scaffold for making organic nanoparticles is reported as a proof of concept in nanovectorization. A minimalist structural approach with a small PEG-dendron conjugated to paclitaxel (PTX), incorporating safe succinic and gallic acids, is efficient to provide the expected anticancer bioactivity, but also significantly retards and targets intracellular delivery of PTX in 2D and 3D lung cancer cell cultures. A branching effect of dendrons is crucial, when compared to linear PTX conjugates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light-scattering (DLS) studies indicate the formation of stable, low-disperse nanoparticles at 10⁻⁵ m in H₂0, which could also be responsible for the biological effects. An ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS method was used for the determination of intracellular PTX concentration over time, along with the survival rates of cancer cells. Similarly, cell survival assays were successfully correlated to a 3D cell culture with spheroids for mimicking tumors, when treated with PTX conjugates. Our work opens the way to a full evaluation program required for new chemical entities.     

Complexation of common metal cations by cyanins: Binding affinity and molecular structure

The ability of diverse metal cations to form complexes with cyanin has been investigated by means of Density Functional Theory (DFT) and the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM). The strongest preference is shown by trivalent metals which exceed that of Mg(II), indicating that ion replacement processes are suitable detoxification mechanisms for plants. Molecular structure analysis indicates that the larger the metal affinity of Cy⁻ the longer the C2-C1’ bond length and smaller ρ_b value. This is understood as upon metal complexation the Cy⁻ ligand molecular structure is more compatible with a dienolate-like structure rather than the 4′-keto-quinoidal-like structure. The weight of the former increases as stronger the binding. QTAIM charges indicate that the stronger the binding energy the larger the charge transfer from Cy⁻ to the metal, reducing its positive charge below the values indicated by the corresponding Lewis structure.     

Immunochemical determination of xenobiotics with endocrine disrupting effects

This paper is a review with more than 100 references discussing the immunochemical methods reported in the literature for the most important man-made chemicals with suspected endocrine disrupting activity. Details regarding immunizing hapten design, antibody production, and the features (limit of detection, dynamic range, specificity) of the most important immunochemical methods developed (ELISA, FIIA, immunosorbents, immunosensors, etc.) are presented for important environmental pollutants such as bisphenol A, phthalates, alkylphenol polyethoxylates, alkylphenols, polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, and dioxins. Availability of commercial reagents and methods is reported.     

An atom interferometer for measuring loss of coherence from an atom mirror

We describe an atom interferometer to study the coherence of atoms reflected from an evanescent wave mirror. The interferometer is sensitive to the loss of phase coherence induced by the defects in the mirror. The results are consistent with and complementary to recent measurements of specular reflection.Received: 3 August 2004, Published online: 26 October 2004PACS: 03.75.Be Atom and neutron optics - 03.75.Dg Atom and neutron interferometry - 39.20. + q Atom interferometry techniques The Laboratoire Charles Fabry is part of the Federation LUMAT, FR2764 du CNRS.     

Stereocontrolled transformation of nitrohexofuranoses into cyclopentylamines via 2-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes: incorporation of polyhydroxylated carbocyclic beta-amino acids into peptides

A promising new strategy for the transformation of nitrohexofuranoses into cyclopentylamines, based on intramolecular cyclization followed by controlled opening of the resulting 2-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane derivatives, allowed the first total synthesis of a carbocyclic beta-amino acid and its incorporation into peptides. This strategy also afforded a new route to cyclopentylamines with well-known glycosidase inhibition properties. [reaction: see text]     

Recovery of cryopreserved embryogenic cultures of maritime pine--effect of cryoprotectant and suspension density

Embryogenic cultures were obtained from seeds of open-pollinated maritime pine trees representing part of a breeding population. The aim of the present study was to develop and optimize a protocol for cryopreservation of Pinus pinaster somatic embryogenic tissue. The density of the embryogenic suspension and the type of pre-treatment significantly affected the recovery of cryopreserved embryogenic cultures, as evaluated by their survival and regrowth rate. An initial density of the suspension culture of 250 mg/ml improved the regrowth rate of the embryogenic lines. Pre-treatment with maltose 0.4 M significantly increased the regrowth rate when compared to the other tested carbohydrates. Also, the addition of DMSO in a mixture of PEG 4000 and sucrose (PSD solution), instead of DMSO alone, at the same final concentration, was clearly beneficial for recovery of cryopreserved tissues. This improved method for the cryopreservation of P pinaster embryogenic of cultures allowed the successful recovery of 97 percent of the lines stored in liquid of nitrogen.     

Oxidative Addition of Carbon–Carbon Bonds to Gold

The oxidative addition of strained C? C bonds (biphenylene, benzocyclobutenone) to DPCb (diphosphino‐carborane) gold(I) complexes is reported. The resulting cationic organogold(III) complexes have been isolated and fully characterized. Experimental conditions can be adjusted to obtain selectively acyl gold(III) complexes resulting from oxidative addition of either the C(aryl)? C(O) or C(alkyl)? C(O) bond of benzocyclobutenone. DFT calculations provide mechanistic insight into this unprecedented transformation.     

Hydrogen transfer vs proton transfer in 7-hydroxy-quinoline.(NH3)3: a CASSCF/CASPT2 study

Multiconfigurational CASSCF and CASPT2 calculations were performed to investigate the enol --> keto tautomerization in the lowest singlet excited state of the 7-hydroxyquinoline.(NH3)3 cluster. Two different reaction mechanisms were explored. The first one corresponds to that proposed previously by Tanner et al. (Science 2003, 302, 1736) on the basis of experimental observations and CASSCF optimizations under Cs-symmetry constraints. This mechanism comprises four consecutive steps and involves nonadiabatic transitions between the valence 1pipi* state and a pisigma* Rydberg-type state, resulting in hydrogen-atom transfer. Single-point CASPT2 calculations corroborate that for Cs-symmetry pathways hydrogen-atom transfer is clearly preferred over proton transfer. The second mechanism, predicted by CASSCF optimizations without constraints, implies proton transfer along a pathway on the 1pipi* surface in which one or more ammonia molecules depart significantly from the molecular plane defined by the hydroxyquinoline ring. The results suggest that both mechanisms may be competitive with proton transfer being somewhat favorable over hydrogen-atom transfer.