Two New Cyclopeptides from Arenaria oreophila (Caryophyllaceae)

Two new cyclopeptides, named arenariphilin A ( 1 ) and arenariphilin B ( 2 ), were isolated from the whole plants of Arenaria oreophila. Their structures were determined as cyclo‐(Thr‐Gly) ( 1 ) and cyclo‐(Ser₁‐Gly ‐Ser₂‐Ile ‐Phe₁‐Phe₂) ( 2 ) on the basis of spectral data, especially by 2D‐NMR.     

Radiation polymerization of thermo-sensitive poly (N-vinylcaprolactam)

Temperature-sensitive poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) both in water-soluble state and in gel was prepared by γ-radiation polymerization. The effects of radiation dose, radiation dose rate and monomer concentration on polymerization and the low critical solution temperature characteristics of the polymer were studied. The results show that the polymer prepared within certain radiation dose (beyond 2 kGy) and dose rate range (2–14 Gy/min) has good temperature sensitivity and uniformity.     

EPR parameters and local geometry for Cr3+ and V2+ ions in HfS2 crystals

From the high-order perturbation formulas of EPR parameters (zero-field splitting D, g factors gparallel, gperpendicular and hyperfine structure constants Aparallel, Aperpendicular) based on the two spin-orbit coupling parameter model for 3d3 ions in trigonal symmetry, the EPR parameters of Cr3+ and V2+ ions in HfS2 crystals are calculated. From the calculations, it is found that the local trigonal distortion angle theta of impurity center in HfS2:Cr3+ is smaller than that in HfS2:V2+. The dominant cause of the small zero-field splitting |D| and g-anisotropy |Deltag|=|gparallel-gperpendicular| in HfS2:Cr3+ (compound to HfS2:V2+) is due to the small local trigonal distortion angle theta rather than to the small impurity-ligand distance R in HfS2:Cr3+.     

A new method for the functionalization of [60] fullerene: an unusual 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition pathway leading to a C60 housane derivative

[reaction: see text] A variant of the Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction provides a new and convenient functionalization of fullerenes. This method complements the widely used Prato and Bingel-Hirsch reactions. The derived, highly functionalized cyclopentenone and cyclopentenamine fullerene compounds upon hydrolysis are suitable for further functionalization and may serve well in the synthesis of new C60 derivatives possessing uncommon and interesting properties.     

Cure behavior of epoxy resin/MMT/DETA nanocomposite

The Flory's gelation theory, non-equilibrium thermodynamic fluctuation theory and Avrami equation have been used to predict the gel time t _g and the cure behavior of epoxy resin/organo-montmorillonite/diethylenetriamine intercalated nanocomposites at various temperatures and organo-montmorillonite loadings. The theoretical prediction is in good agreement with the experimental results obtained by dynamic torsional vibration method, and the results show that the addition of organo-montmorillonite reduces the gelation time t _gand increases the rate of curing reaction, the value of k, and half-time of cure after gelation point t_1/2 decreases with the increasing of cure temperature, and the value of n is ~2 at the lower temperatures (<60°C) and decreases to ~1.5 as the temperature increases, and the addition of organo-montmorillonite decreases the apparent activation energy of the cure reaction before gelation point, but has no apparent effect on the apparent activation energy of the cure reaction after gelation point. There is no special curing process required for the formation of epoxy resin/organo-montmorillonite/diethylenetriamine intercalated nanocomposite. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Studies of the electrochemical behavior of epinephrine at a homocysteine self-assembled electrode

The self-assembled electrode with the homocysteine monolayer (Hcy/Au) has been characterized by infrared spectroscopy and ac impedance spectroscopy in electrolyte. The Hcy/Au electrode is demonstrated to promote the electrochemical response of epinephrine (E) by cyclic voltammetry. A pair of well-defined redox waves was obtained and the calculated standard rate constant (k_s) is 2.1×10⁻² cm s⁻¹ at the self-assembled electrode. The reduction peak of E can be used to determine the concentration of E in presence of ascorbic acid (AA) owing to the Hcy/Au also promoting the electrochemical oxidation of AA.     

Syntheses and properties of mixed dinuclear copper(II) complexes with heterocyclic dithiocarbamates and a cyclic octadentate tertiary amine

Five new Cu^II complexes of general formula [Cu₂(Rdtc)tpmc](ClO₄)₃, (1)–(5), where tpmc and Rdtc ^– refer to N,N,N,N-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,8,11-teraazacyclotetradecane and piperidine- (Pipdtc), 4-morpholine- (Morphdtc), 4-thiomorpholine- (Timdtc), piperazine- (Pzdtc) or N-methylpiperazine- (N-Mepzdtc) dithiocarbamates, respectively, have been prepared. Elemental analyses, conductometric and magnetic measurements, u.v./vis, i.r., e.p.r. and mass spectroscopy have been employed to characterize them. The complexes adopt an exo coordination of Cu^II ions and tpmc. The dithiocarbamate ion joins both the sulphur and the copper atoms acting as a bridging ligand The presence of different heteroatoms in the piperidine ring influences the (C=N) and (C=S) vibrations which decrease in the order of the complexes: Pipdtc>N-Mepipdtc>Pzdtc>Morphdtc>Timdtc ligands. Attention has been paid to the detailed mechanism of the mass spectral fragmentation of the complexes. The g _eff factors of the complexes have been also estimated by e.p.r. spectra. Finally, the complexes obtained demonstrate microbiologycal activity against some bacteria.     

Interaction between the antibacterial compound,oleuropein, and model membranes

Oleuropein, a secoiridoid glycoside extracted from the olive tree, Olea europaea L., has been described as showing antibacterial properties. However, the exact mechanism of these antimicrobial properties is not yet well understood. In the present study, we have studied the interaction of oleuropein with phosphatidylglycerol (PG) as a model membrane for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (Gram-positive bacteria) and phosphatidylethanolamine and Escherichia coli (E. coli) lipid extract as a model membrane for E. coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The study has been carried out using monolayers as model membranes and using kinetics at constant area and compression isotherms with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) observations. The results show that oleuropein interacts in higher extent with PG monolayers, which is related with its stronger antibacterial effect against Gram-positive bacteria. The effects on the membrane are probably produced at the cell surface because oleuropein did not form stable mixed monolayers with the lipids assayed at the air/water interface.     

Synthesis of 1,2-Diphenylpyrazolidin-4-ol and its Derivatives

Summary. A synthesis of 1,2-diphenylpyrazolidin-4-ol via direct heterocyclization of 1,2-diphenylhydrazine with 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane, its O-epoxypropyl-, O-ethyl-, and O-benzylderivatives are described. Novel hydrazone derivatives with pyrazolidine units were also synthesized. The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods as well as elemental analyses.     

Polyamide thin film composite membrane prepared from m-phenylenediamine and m-phenylenediamine-5-sulfonic acid

Thin film composite (TFC) membranes based polyamide were prepared with m-phenylenediamine (MPD), m-phenylenediamine-5-sulfonic acid (SMPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) through interfacial polymerization technique on the polysulphone supporting film. The membranes were characterized using permeation experiments with salt water, attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) as well as scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). This study has shown that the active layer of TFC membrane is aromatic polyamide, including sulfuric acid function group (-SO₃H) according to the result of ATR-IR and XPS. The NaCl rejection of RO membranes decreased and the flux increased when W_SMPD/W_MPD increased from 0 to 1, and the linear part with pendant -COOH in membrane barrier layer increased with the increase of SMPD content, but the surface of membrane becoming smoother and smoother with the increase of SMPD content. So the membranes performance mainly was determined by chemical structure in their barrier layer.