The B2–B7 phase transition in symmetrical bent‐shaped mesogens with methoxy substitution

New mesogens composed of achiral bent molecules with thermally stable ester linkages, and laterally substituted by a methoxy group symmetrically near the central benzene ring, were synthesized. Texture, calorimetric, electro‐optical, X‐ray and dielectric measurements were performed. In most of studied compounds the antiferroelectric B₂ phase was found on cooling from the isotropic phase, followed by the B₇ phase at lower temperatures. Undulation of layers in the B₇ phase was confirmed by precise synchrotron studies.     

Photoinduced phase transitions and helix untwisting in the SmC* phase of a novel cinnamoyl-based liquid crystal

A photoinduced phase transition and helix untwisting in a new liquid crystal forming the SmC* phase were studied in detail. The compound consists of a cinnamoyl photosensitive fragment with C?=?C double bond capable of photoisomerisation and photocycloaddition. It was shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (365 nm) induces an extreme decrease in phase transitions temperatures (SmC*–SmA*, SmA*–N*, N*–I). Vertically aligned samples in the SmC* phase cause selective light reflection in the visible spectral range. The light action results in a noticeable helix untwisting that causes a shift in the selective light reflection peak to the long-wavelength spectral region. The temperature dependence of spontaneous polarisation P _s was measured and it was found that UV irradiation induces a decrease in the values of P _s. Photo-optical phenomena taking place in the liquid crystal are attributed to the formation of photoproducts having low anisometry, which disrupts mesophases.     

Synthesis,mesogenic and dielectric properties of fluorosubstituted isothiocyanatoterphenyls

The synthesis, mesomorphic and physical properties of 14 homologous series of laterally fluorinated 4?-alkyl-4-isothiocyanatoterphenyls were described. Influence of the number of fluorine atoms and their position in the terphenyl core on the phase transition temperatures, nematic range, dielectric and optic anisotropy as well as bulk viscosity were discussed. The compounds with the most optimal properties for formulation of nematic mixtures were selected, and mixture examples with low viscosity and medium or high birefringence were presented.     

Dielectric studies of two liquid crystalline benzoates with coupled and decoupled CN groups

The results of dielectric studies performed in a broad frequency range for two compounds, 4-cyanophenyl 4-n-heptylbenzoate (7BBCN) and 4-(4-cyanobutyloxy)phenyl 4- n-heptylbenzoate (7BB4CN), are compared. They have the same molecular core whereas the strongly polar CN group is attached to the benzene ring in 7BBCN or is separated from it by the butyloxy chain in 7BB4CN. 7BBCN has a nematic phase, whereas 7BB4CN exhibits a monotropic nematic and smectic A₂ polymorphism. Large differences in the dielectric properties of the two substances were found. The analysis of the results led to the conclusion that the antiparallel dipole-dipole associations are considerably stronger in the substance with a decoupled CN group.     

Dielectric studies of the 4-n-alkyl-4'-thiocyanatobiphenyl (nBT) homologous series (n=2-10) in the isotropic and E phases

Results of the dielectric studies of nine members of the nBT (4-n-alkyl-4'-thiocyanatobiphenyl, n= 2-10) homologous series in the crystal E (E) and isotropic (I) phases are presented. The dependence of the static permittivity ?_s in the isotropic phase, the longitudinal relaxation times τ_is and τ_∥, and the activation enthalpies ΔH _is and ΔH _∥ on the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain n are analysed. A considerable increase in the retardation factor g= τ_∥/τ_is with decreasing n is observed. The results are compared with those obtained for similar two-ring homologous series. The parameters characterizing the molecular rotations around the short axis in the E phase (τ_∥ and ΔH _∥) indicate a hardening of this solid-like phase with shortening of the alkyl chain.     

Pressurised solvent extraction of nitrated derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from roadside dust

An analytical method based upon the pressurised solvent extraction and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for analysis of nitrated derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) in roadside dust has been developed. Five nitro-PAHs (1-nitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene, 9-nitroanthracene, 2-nitrofluorene, 6-nitrochrysene) were chosen for this study because of their variable physical properties and effect on human health. Experiments with spiked inert matrix were used for the best extraction conditions finding. Different extraction conditions (temperature, pressure, solvents and duration of extraction cycle) were examined. The highest recoveries were observed at the extraction pressure of 14?MPa, temperature of 100°C and two cycles of 5?min extraction time, when dichloromethane was used as an extraction solvent. These conditions were applied to the extraction of nitro-PAHs from roadside dust. After extraction the nitro-PAHs fraction was isolated by the silica gel column chromatography. The GC-MS detector was used for analyses of the extracts. Recoveries of nitro-PAHs after extraction from roadside dust ranged from 60% for 9-nitroanthracene to 108% for 6-nitrochrysene.     

Assessment of mobility of heavy metals in two soil types by use of column leaching experiments and chemometric evaluation of elution curves

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the mobility of heavy metals (HMs) in two types of soils (acidic forest soil and neutral agricultural soil) by leaching with calcium chloride solution in column experiments. The screening properties of neutral agricultural soil towards pollution by heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd) are approximately 10 times higher than those of acid forest soil. The neutral agricultural soil, polluted artificially by one pore volume (PV) of an HMs solution of concentration 200 mg L^?1, can screen the leaching of these metals over several hundreds of years. The higher apparent desorption rate and per cent desorption of HMs (especially Cd) in acid forest soil indicated a higher potential of intensive migration of the metals across the profile and indicated potential risk of Cd pollution for this type of soil. The latest approach of artificial neural networks to describe transport of HMs in soil has been also evaluated. Using a simple three-layer perceptron topology with three hidden neurons, the experimental data could be simulated. The results suggested that the pH of soil is a major factor controlling the retention of the heavy metals in the soils.     

Benzofurazane as a New Redox Label for Electrochemical Detection of DNA: Towards Multipotential Redox Coding of DNA Bases

Benzofurazane has been attached to nucleosides and dNTPs, either directly or through an acetylene linker, as a new redox label for electrochemical analysis of nucleotide sequences. Primer extension incorporation of the benzofurazane‐modified dNTPs by polymerases has been developed for the construction of labeled oligonucleotide probes. In combination with nitrophenyl and aminophenyl labels, we have successfully developed a three‐potential coding of DNA bases and have explored the relevant electrochemical potentials. The combination of benzofurazane and nitrophenyl reducible labels has proved to be excellent for ratiometric analysis of nucleotide sequences and is suitable for bioanalytical applications.     

Synthesis and structure–activity relationship study of cytotoxic lupane-type 3β-O-monodesmosidic saponins with an extended C-28 side chain

A concise synthesis of lupane triterpenes with an elongated carbon chain at the C-28 position, as well as saponins containing d-mannose, l-arabinose, and l-rhamnose moieties at the C-3 position is described. The overall synthesis of the new triterpenes involved seven linear steps starting from natural betulin: selective protection of a hydroxyl group, oxidation, elongation of the carbon chain by Grignard reaction, and deoxygenation. O-Glycosides were obtained by glycosylation of triterpenes with classical Schmidt's donors. Additionally, all new compounds were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic activities. Several triterpenes and the corresponding saponins exhibited an interesting cytotoxic activity profile against human cancer cell lines. The therapeutical index of active triterpenes is very high, since almost none of them were cytotoxic for normal BJ fibroblasts. These results open the way to the synthesis of various lupane-type saponin derivatives as potentially bioactive compounds.     

High‐ and low‐temperature phases in isostructural 4‐chloro‐3‐nitroaniline and 4‐iodo‐3‐nitroaniline

The structures of 4‐chloro‐3‐nitroaniline, C₆H₅ClN₂O₂, (I), and 4‐iodo‐3‐nitroaniline, C₆H₅IN₂O₂, (II), are isomorphs and both undergo continuous (second order) phase transitions at 237 and 200 K, respectively. The structures, as well as their phase transitions, have been studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and difference scanning calorimetry experiments. Both high‐temperature phases (293 K) show disorder of the nitro substituents, which are inclined towards the benzene‐ring planes at two different orientations. In the low‐temperature phases (120 K), both inclination angles are well maintained, while the disorder is removed. Concomitantly, the b axis doubles with respect to the room‐temperature cell. Each of the low‐temperature phases of (I) and (II) contains two pairs of independent molecules, where the molecules in each pair are related by noncrystallographic inversion centres. The molecules within each pair have the same absolute value of the inclination angle. The Flack parameter of the low‐temperature phases is very close to 0.5, indicating inversion twinning. This can be envisaged as stacking faults in the low‐temperature phases. It seems that competition between the primary amine–nitro N—H...O hydrogen bonds which form three‐centred hydrogen bonds is the reason for the disorder of the nitro groups, as well as for the phase transition in both (I) and (II). The backbones of the structures are formed by N—H...N hydrogen bonding of moderate strength which results in the graph‐set motif C(3). This graph‐set motif forms a zigzag chain parallel to the monoclinic b axis and is maintained in both the high‐ and the low‐temperature structures. The primary amine groups are pyramidal, with similar geometric values in all four determinations. The high‐temperature phase of (II) has been described previously [Garden et al. (2004). Acta Cryst. C 60 , o328–o330].