A water-stable lanthanide metal-organic framework for fluorimetric detection of ferric ions and tryptophan

Microchimica Acta - The preparation of a highly water stable and porous lanthanide metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles (denoted SUMOF-7II; SU refers to Stockholm University) is described....     

The Utility of p-N-Succinimidobenzoyl Isothiocyanate in Synthesis of Benzoxazole,Quinazoline, Pyrimidine, 1,2,4-Triazoline, 1,3-Thiazolidine,and Thiourea Derivatives

Reactions of p-N-succinimidobenzoyl isothiocyanate (1) with different nucleophilic reagents afforded adducts. Simultaneous or subsequent cyclization of these adducts gave access to a variety of different heterocycles, including benzoxazole, quinazoline, pyrimidine, 1,2,4-triazoline, 1,3-thiazolidine and others. The structures of the new products were confirmed by their micro-analytical and spectral data.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Polymer micromixers bonded to thermoplastic films combining soft‐lithography with plasma and aptes treatment processes

Over the past few years, a growing interest on covalent bonding of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices to thermoplastic films has developed due to reduced costs, biocompatibility, and flexibility. The silane reagent, 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) has been applied to create this bonding. Here, we report on the fabrication of replica PDMS micromixer devices from a silicon mold using soft lithography that is rapid, facile, and cost‐effective to manufacture. After replica molding, the PDMS micromixer devices were bonded to the APTES‐activated thermoplastic films of polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate. Characterization of these thermoplastic surfaces was analyzed by contact angle measurement, surface free energy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. To demonstrate the functionality of this technology, we have analyzed the PDMS micromixers by a peel test, nonleakages, and mixing with the injection of inks, a surfactant, and varying pH solutions. To our knowledge, this is the first reported example in literature of the PDMS–APTES–thermoplastic films preparation that integrates a complex micromixer device. Here, we have established that the hydrophobicity of both sealed polymers required alteration in order for dispersion of a polar liquid in the mixing loops. The application of a polar solvent before injection can remedy this ill effect formulating a hydrophilic micromixer. These preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the fabrication technology, bonding technique, and application of the micromixer that, once optimized, can eventually integrate more components to formulate a lab‐on‐a‐chip with the fabrication of gold microelectrodes for biological analysis of blood or plasma. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Highly magnetic latexes from submicrometer oil in water ferrofluid emulsions

The synthesis of functionalized submicrometer magnetic latex particles is described as obtained from a preformed magnetic emulsion composed of organic ferrofluid droplets dispersed in water. Composite (polystyrene/γ‐Fe₂O₃) particles were prepared according to a two‐step procedure including the swelling of ferrofluid droplets with styrene and a crosslinking agent (divinyl benzene) followed by seeded emulsion polymerization with either an oil‐soluble [2,2′‐azobis(2‐isobutyronitrile)] or water‐soluble (potassium persulfate) initiator. Depending on the polymerization conditions, various particle morphologies were obtained, ranging from asymmetric structures, for which the polymer phase was separated from the inorganic magnetic phase, to regular core–shell morphologies showing a homogeneous encapsulation of the magnetic pigment by a crosslinked polymeric shell. The magnetic latexes were extensively characterized to determine their colloidal and magnetic properties. The desired core–shell structure was efficiently achieved with a given styrene/divinyl benzene ratio, potassium persulfate as the initiator, and an amphiphilic functional copolymer as the ferrofluid droplet stabilizer. Under these conditions, ferrofluid droplets were successfully turned into superparamagnetic polystyrene latex particles, about 200 nm in size, containing a large amount of iron oxide (60 wt %) and bearing carboxylic surface charges. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2642–2656, 2006     

Effect of thiol-containing monomer on the preparation of temperature-sensitive hydrogel microspheres

The main objective of this study is to prepare, thermally, sensitive microgel particles bearing thiol groups via precipitation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and vinylbenzylisothiouronium chloride (VBIC) using 2-2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)-dihydrochloride (V50) as initiator. The influence of various parameters has been investigated as a systematic study to point out the role of each reactant on polymerization conversion, and consequently, on particles and water-soluble polymer formation. The final microgel particles were characterized with respect to particle size and swelling ability. The aim of this paper is to complete our first short communication; Macromolecular symposia, 2000. 150: p. 283–290.     

Bis(aldehydes): Versatile precursors for novel bis(14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes), bis(pyrano[3,2-c:5,6-c']dichromenedione), and bis(dihydrobenzo[a]xanthenones) via multicomponent reactions

A synthesis of novel bis(4-(14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes) and bis(dihydro-8H-benzo[a]xanthenones) was performed in good yields via pseudo-multicomponent, or multicomponent reactions, of bis-aldehydes with four equivalents of β-naphthol or with a mixture of two equivalents of each β-naphthol and dimedone in the presence of a catalytic amount of p-toluenesulfonic acid. Bis(pyrano[3,2-c:5,6-c′]dichromenediones) or tetrakis(4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones) could also be obtained in good yields through pseudo-multicomponent reactions of bis(aldehydes) with four molar ratio of 4-hydroxycoumarin.     

The Use of Voltammetry for Sorption Studies of Arsenic (III) Ions by Magnetic Beads Functionalized with Nucleobase Hydrazide Derivatives

In this work the interaction characteristics of nucleobases with As(III) are studied. Novel materials consisting of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with adenine hydrazide (AH), guanine hydrazide (GH) and uracil hydrazide (UH) were elaborated. The adsorption isotherms were investigated electrochemically and it was shown that the adsorption capacity of the nanoparticles towards arsenic (III) increased in the following order: AH<UH<GH. The electrochemical detection of As(III) using the GH functionalized MNPs offered better results compared with the other functionalizations, with a sensitivity of 1.92 μA μg⁻¹ L and a limit of detection of 1.6 μg/L (21 nM).     

Depth profiling of coated metallic artifacts adopting laser-induced breakdown spectrometry

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a relatively novel technique that is being applied to the characterization of interfaces in layered materials as an alternative to other classic surface analytical techniques.     

Salt Effects in the Cononsolvency of Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is well known to exhibit reentrant behavior or cononsolvency in response to the composition of a mixed solvent consisting of water and a low‐chain alcohol. Since the solvent structure plays an important role in this phenomenon, the presence of structure‐breaking/structure‐making ions in solution is expected to have a dramatic effect on the cononsolvency of PNIPAM. The present work examines the way that the presence of different salts can modify the reentrant‐phase diagram displayed by a cationic PNIPAM microgel in the mixed ethanol/water solvent. The effects of four Hofmeister anions—SO₄^2?_, Cl^?, NO₃^? and SCN^?—with different abilities to modify the solvent structure are analyzed. The species with kosmotropic or structure‐making character show a clear competition with ethanol for the water molecules, intensifying the nonsolvency of the PNIPAM with the EtOH volume fraction (?_e). However, striking results are found with the most chaotropic or structure‐breaking anion, SCN^?. In contrast to what happens in water‐rich solutions, the presence of SCN^? in alcohol‐rich solvents enhances the solubility of the polymer, which macroscopically results in the microgel swelling. Moreover, this ion displays great stabilizing properties when ?_e> is 0.2. These results have been explained by considering how chaotropic or structure‐breaking ions interact with water and ethanol molecules.