Cobaloximes with mixed dioximes having C and S side chains: Synthesis, structure and reactivity

Ten mixed dioxime complexes RCo(L)(dmgH)Py [R = Cl, Me, Et, Bu, Benzyl] [L = dSPhgH (1-5) and dSEtgH (6-10)] have been synthesized and characterized by NMR. Formation of 1 and 6 is very fast and takes only 5 and 15 min in ethanol. Molecular oxygen insertion in 5 and 10 is monitored and forms mixture of products within 5 min. The crystal structure of 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 is reported. Benzyl ring is oriented over dmgH wing in both 5 and 10 and has a weak C-H…π interaction (3.33 Å and 3.22 Å) and this causes high upfield shift of the dmgH protons. Electrochemical study on 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 is also reported. Because of increased electron donation by SEt group, 6 is more difficult to reduce than 1.     

A New Plastic Optical Fiber Sensor for Oxygen Based on Fluorescence Enhancement

A new method for the detection of low oxygen concentration is proposed here. The system is based on the principle of enhancement of fluorescence yield of tetraphenylporphine (TPP) dye at λ=656 nm when excited by He-Cd laser at λ =441 nm in the presence of oxygen. The sensor head was fabricated by cladding the ARTON fiber core with the poly-4-methy1-1-pentene polymer matrix doped with TPP. The experimental results obtained indicate a good enhancement in the fluorescence when the sensor head is exposed to oxygen. The response was found to be linear and stable in the range of (100 ppm-1%) with the resolution of 0.01%. The sensor response was characterized by studying its response for change in temperature and is discussed below.     

Chemical shifts of K X-Ray absorption edge of copper in oxides

The K absorption edges of copper in the metal, cuprous oxide and cupric oxide are presented. The extended fine structure has been recorded in all the three substances.     

On mixed binary surfactant systems comprising MEGA 10 and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides: a detailed physicochemical study with a critical analysis

Self-aggregation of mixed binary nonionic and ionic surfactants comprising N-methyl-N-decanoyl glucamide (MEGA 10) and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (C(12)-, C(14)-, and C(16)TAB) has been investigated in detail by different physical methods. The counter-ion binding, aggregation number, and polarity of the mixed micelles have been determined. The results have been analyzed in the light of the theories of Rubingh and Maeda. The thermodynamic parameters of the micellization process have been evaluated and discussed. The interfacial adsorptions of the mixed amphiphiles including their surface excesses and head-group areas have also been evaluated. Based on the head-group areas, the overall shapes of the mixed micelles have been predicted from the estimation of the amphiphile packing parameters.     

Biosensor incorporating cell barrier architectures for detecting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> alpha toxin

Alpha toxin is a common virulent factor of Staphylococcus aureus and is believed to play crucial roles in pathogenicity induced by S. aureus. Alpha toxin is also known to induce permeability to endothelial cell monolayers in vitro due to the formation of interendothelial gaps. The present study is directed towards measuring alpha toxin using a whole-cell-based biosensor. The biosensor, consisting of a confluent monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on a potassium ion-selective electrode, takes advantage of cell permeability dysfunction to detect the presence of small quantities of alpha toxin. When a confluent monolayer of cells was formed on the membrane surface, the response of the electrode toward the marker ion, potassium, was inhibited. Upon exposing this sensor to varying concentrations of alpha toxin for 20 min, an increase in sensor response to potassium was observed. The response thus obtained was indirectly related to the concentration of alpha toxin. The detection limit of this sensor for alpha toxin was found to be 0.1 ng/ml. Cell monolayers were stained with silver nitrate to quantify the formation of intercellular gaps as well as to study the effect of this toxin on HUVECs morphology. A strong positive correlation was observed between the response obtained from the biosensor and the area of the intercellular gaps. Silver staining also revealed the tendency of cells to round up upon being exposed to alpha toxin. Figure Measuring alpha toxin using a whole-cell-based biosensor     

Phase transformation in Ni–Mn–Sn ferromagnetic shape memory alloy thin films induced by dense ionization

The effects of 200 MeV Au ions irradiation on the structural and magnetic properties of Ni–Mn–Sn ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA) thin films have been systematically investigated. In order to understand the role of initial microstructure and phase of the film with respect to high energy irradiation, the two types of Ni–Mn–Sn FSMA films having different phases at room temperature were irradiated, one in martensite phase (Ni_58.9Mn_28.0Sn_13.1) and other in austenite phase (Ni₅₀Mn_35.6Sn_14.4). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images along with the diffraction patterns of X-rays and electrons confirm that martensite phase transforms to austenite phase at a fluence of 6×10¹² ions/cm² and a complete amorphization occurs at a fluence of 3×10¹³ ions/cm², whereas ion irradiation has a minimal effect on the austenitic structure (Ni₅₀Mn_35.6Sn_14.4). Thermo-magnetic measurements also support the above mentioned behaviour of Ni–Mn–Sn FSMA films with increasing fluence of 200 MeV Au ions. The results are explained on the basis of thermal spike model considering the core and halo regions of ion tracks in FSMA materials.     

Relative reactivities of 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds towards permanganate in ethanoic acid medium. Mechanism of the oxidation processes

The oxidative behaviour of the 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds, viz., glyoxal, biacetyl and benzil, towards permanganate in ethanoic acid medium in the presence of HClO₄ has been investigated. The reaction is first order with respect to MnO^– ₄, substrate, as well as H⁺. The rate decreases with an increase in ionic strength. Different thermodynamic parameters have been evaluated. The protonated dialdehyde or diketone reacts with permanganate ion to form an intermediate ester which decomposes in a slow step to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid via C—C bond cleavage.     

A facile ratiometric and colorimetric azo-dye possessing chemosensor for Ni2+ and AcO− detection

A new tailor-made colorimetric chemosensor 1, containing pyridine and benzothiazole moieties connected through an azo (–N = N–) linkage has been synthesised. In 9:1 (v/v) aqueous THF (pH 7.0 HEPES buffer), it showed a conspicuous naked-eye colour change upon binding to Ni²⁺ (colourless to light green) and AcO^?  (colourless to orange) resulting in their ratiometric sensing. The cation and anion recognition property of the chemosensor 1 was monitored by UV–vis spectral analysis and ¹H NMR titrations.     

Benzyl cobaloximes with thiodioximes: Synthesis, structure and reactivity

Five benzyl cobaloximes with different thiodioximes, BnCo[d(SR)gH]₂Py, have been synthesized and four of these complexes have been characterized by X-ray. The reactivity of these complexes towards molecular oxygen has been studied. The puckering of the Co(dioxime)₂ unit, caused by dioxime side chain, the SR group, significantly influences the Co-C bond reactivity. Structural features in one of the oxygen inserted cobaloximes have been studied to confirm if puckering of dioxime is the guiding factor. The reactivity is also affected, to some extent, by the C-H…π interaction between the benzyl and the dioxime moiety.     

Some existence and construction results of polygonal designs

This paper revisits the existence and construction problems for polygonal designs (a special class of partially balanced incomplete block designs associated with regular polygons). We present new polygonal designs with various parameter sets by explicit construction. In doing so we employ several construction methods — some conventional and some new. We also establish a link between a class of polygonal designs of block size 3 and the cyclically generated ‘λ-fold triple systems’. Finally, we show that the existence question for a certain class of polygonal designs is equivalent to the existence question for ‘perfect grouping systems’ which we introduce.