Vibrational analysis of amino acids and short peptides in hydrated media. I. L-glycine and L-leucine

Raman scattering and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) attenuated transmission reflectance (ATR) spectra of two alpha-amino acids (alpha-AAs), i.e., glycine and leucine, were measured in H2O and D2O (at neutral pH and pD). This series of observed vibrational data gave us the opportunity to analyze vibrational features of both AAs in hydrated media by density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-31++G* level. Harmonic vibrational modes calculated after geometry optimization on the clusters containing each AA and 12 surrounding water molecules, which represent primary models for hydration scheme of amino acids, allowed us to assign the main observed peaks.     

Preparation, crystal structures, and magnetic features for a series of dinuclear [Ni(II)Ln(III)] Schiff-base complexes: evidence for slow relaxation of the magnetization for the Dy(III) derivative

A series of dinuclear [Ni(II)Ln(III)] Schiff-base complexes (using a Schiff-base dicompartmental ligand derived from o-vanillin [H(2)valpn = 1,3-propanediylbis(2-iminomethylene-6-methoxy-phenol)]) with Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and a hydroxo-bridged tetranuclear [Ni(II)Yb(III)] are reported. The crystal structures have been solved for 10 dinuclear complexes revealing four arrangements for the dinuclear units, which are modulated by the coordinated solvent molecules and the nitrato-anion interactions. The magnetic behaviors have been investigated, and the nature of the Ni(II)-Ln(III) exchange interaction has been emphasized by comparison with the behavior of the related [Zn(II)Ln(III)] derivatives. This allowed for establishing that the interaction within these compounds is antiferromagnetic with the 4f ions of the beginning of the Ln series and turns ferromagnetic from Gd(III) toward the end of the series. AC susceptibility investigations clearly show the occurrence of slow relaxation processes of the magnetization close to 2 K for the dinuclear [Ni(II)Dy(III)] complex.     

Structural and magnetic properties of nano-crystalline FeCoNiN thin films

Iron cobalt nickel nitride (FeCoNiN) thin films are prepared by sol-gel spin coating route. The structural, magnetic and surface properties of the thin films are evaluated. The crystalline nature of thin films was enhanced upon annealing, leading to increased crystallite size. The X-ray diffraction shows mixed phases with crystallite size in the range of 20–26.93 nm. Thin films show ferromagnetism at room temperature. Coercivity and saturation magnetization are in the range of 642–716 Oe and 2.5–7.5 emu/cm³ respectively. Both coercivity and saturation magnetization increased with annealing of thin films. Magnetic properties are related to the crystallinity of thin films. The increase in crystallite size results into an increase of magnetic properties. Rectangular shaped particles are seen on the surface of thin films. The same type of grains can be seen on the surface of thin films which confirmed the formation of FeCoNiN as predicted by XRD. These novel thin films might be used in memory devices and optoelectronic applications.     

Anisotropic slip magneto-bioconvection flow from a rotating cone to a nanofluid with Stefan blowing effects

A mathematical model for two dimensional steady laminar natural convective anisotropic slip boundary layer flows from a rotating vertical cone embedded in ethylene glycol bionanofluid is presented. The influence of Stefan blowing is also taken into account. Four different non-particles namely Copper (Cu), Alumina (Al₂O₃), Copper Oxide (Cuo), Titanium Oxide (TiO₂) are explored. Suitable similarity transformations are used to convert the governing equations into non-linear ordinary differential equations. These are then solved numerically, with appropriate boundary conditions, utilizing an implicit finite difference method (the BVP5C code in MATLAB). During computation Sc, Lb, Le and Lb are presented as unity, whilst $\mathrm{Pr}$ is taken as 151. The effects of the governing parameters on the dimensionless velocities, temperature, nanoparticle volume fraction, density of motile microorganisms as well as on the local skin friction, local Nusselt, Sherwood number and motile micro-organism number density are thoroughly examined via tables and graphs. It is found that the skin friction factor increases with tangential slip, magnetic field and Schmidt number whilst it decreases with blowing parameter and spin parameters. It is further observed that both the friction and heat transfer rates are highest for copper nanoparticles and lowest for TiO₂nanoparticles. Validation of the BVP5C numerical solutions with published results for several special cases of the general model is included. The study is relevant to electro-conductive bio-nano-materials processing.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (2E) 3‐amino‐2‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)acrylate and symmetric bisacrylates by transamination reactions

A range of various amines 2(a–i) was tested in transamination reactions using ethyl 2‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)‐3‐dimethylamino‐acrylate 1a. The (E)‐s‐cis/trans conformation of some representative products 4 was analyzed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. The C‐2/C‐3 bond of the compounds 3(a–i) is strongly polarized by a push‐pull effect. In the same manner, reactions of ethyl 2‐(benzoxazol‐2‐yl)‐3‐dimethylamino‐acrylate 1c with 1,4‐diaminobenzene 2i, ethylenediamine 2i, and 1,5‐diaminomaphthalene 2k have been investigated and gave directly the corresponding symmetric bis‐acrylates 4(a–c) in good yields. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 446–454, 1999     

Amphiphilic Biodegradable Poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-Poly(ethylene glycol) – Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) Triblock Copolymer Synthesis by Maghnite-H+ as a Green Catalyst

Amphiphilic biodegradable (PCL-PEG-PCL) triblock copolymers have been successfully prepared by the ring opening polymerization of ?-caprolactone (CL) in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) at 80°C employing Maghnite-H⁺ a non-toxic Montmorillonite clay as catalyst. Maghnite-H⁺ reacts as a solid source of protons to induce ?-caprolactone polymerization. The triblock architecture, molecular weight and thermal properties of the copolymers were characterized by NMR spectra, GPC and DSC analyses. The effect of Maghnite-H⁺ proportion and PEGs on the rate of copolymerization and on average molecular weight of resulting copolymers was studied. A cationic mechanism for the copolymerization reaction was proposed.     

Effect of Curing Process on the Dynamic Response of Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Films

Summary: The time relaxation of the optical transmission of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal films was investigated after application of an electric rectangular pulse. These films, consisting of liquid crystalline microdomains dispersed in a polymer matrix, were obtained by polymerization induced phase separation using ultraviolet and electron beam curing techniques. The effects of the curing procedure and film thickness on the transmission properties were investigated. The electro-optical response was expressed via a hierarchy of order parameters. A good agreement between the experimental data and calculated transmission values was found.     

Mononuclear Cu and dinuclear Cu–Ln complexes of benzimidazole based ligands including N and O donors: Syntheses,characterization, X-ray molecular structures and magnetic properties

The synthesis of two mononuclear precursor copper complexes, [(HL²)₂Cu], 1, and [(HL³)₂Cu]·H₂O, 2, and three dinuclear Cu–Ln complexes, [(HL¹)₂Cu(CH₃CN)₂Gd(NO₃)₃], 3, [(HL³)₂CuGd(NO₃)₃]·2(H₂O), 4, and [(HL³)₂CuTb(NO₃)₃]·2(H₂O), 5, based on the ligands H₂L¹ (4-bromo-2-[1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]-6-methoxyphenol), H₂L² (2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-4-bromo-6-methoxyphenol) and H₂L³ (2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-6-methoxyphenol) are described in this contribution. The X-ray crystal structures of H₂L², 1, 3, 4, and 5 have been solved. The novel ligand H₂L² crystallizes with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit; several intermolecular hydrogen contacts connect alternate independent H₂L² molecules into chains developing along c. In complex 1, two (HL²)⁻ ligands chelate the copper ion through their imidazolyl nitrogen and phenoxo oxygen atoms, in a relative head to tail arrangement. The molecular structure of 3 is similar to those of the previously reported Cu–Ln complexes of H₂L¹. In the isostructural complexes 4 and 5, two HL³ ligands sandwich one Cu²⁺ ion through their N,O sites and one Ln³⁺ ion through their O₂ site, implying a relative head to head arrangement, at variance with the relative head to tail arrangement of HL² in the mononuclear copper precursor 1. The magnetic properties of 1, 3, 4, and 5 have been investigated. Extended intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions operate in complex 1 ((J_Chain = −0.8(1) cm⁻¹). Ferromagnetic interactions between Gd (S = 7/2) and Cu (S = 1/2) centers operate in complexes 3 and 4, leading to an S = 4 ground state (J_CuGd = 7.2(2) cm⁻¹ for 3 and J_CuGd = 6.5(2) cm⁻¹ for 4). Depopulation of the Tb Stark levels, preclude obtaining reliable information on the presence and sign of the Cu–Tb interaction in 5. These new complexes are complementary to those previously reported: the Cu–O₂–Gd core is planar while deformations are borne by the ligands at variance with previous examples where the constraints were located at the Cu–O₂–Gd core. The presence of two independent ligands in the Cu,Gd coordination spheres confers a degree of freedom greater than that allowed by a unique tetradentate ligand. As a result, the strength of the magnetic interaction is not solely related to the dihedral angle between the CuOO and GdOO planes in the central core.     

Hydrolysis Kinetic Studies of Schiff Bases Derived from Pyrrolic Aldehydes in Buffered Aqueous Ethanol and Sulfuric Acid Solutions: Structural Effects of Substitutes

Two series of substituted N‐pyrrolyl‐2‐methylene‐aniline were synthesized and characterized to study their stability in a large domain of pH (0–14) and especially in the H₀ domain (–4 to 0). The hydrolysis kinetics of the azomethine group was established in homogeneous media using a thermostated UV–vis spectrophotometer. The hydrolysis mechanism was investigated, and the experimental kinetic constants were calculated. Then, the pH–rate diagram profile was determined and the structural effect of substitutes on the kinetic constants was clarified and discussed.     

Hypothetical <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypercloso</Emphasis> Octahedral M<Subscript>4</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript> Clusters: A New Mode of Dinitrogen Coordination?

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations carried out on a series of [M₄(CO)₁₂N₂]²⁺ and M₄(CO)₁₂N₂ (M=Fe, Ru, Os) predict that the M₄N₂ square bipyramidal (octahedral) architecture should be stable for the particular electron count of 6 skeletal electron pairs (or 60 metal valence electrons). This octahedral architecture is electron-deficient with respect to the Wade-Mingos rules and exhibits a through-cage N–N bond of order one. Thus, these hypothetical clusters present a new coordination mode of dinitrogen.