QSAR-based toxicity classification and prediction for single and mixed aromatic compounds

Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) based on the octanol/water partition coefficient were employed to predict acute toxicities of 36 substituted aromatic compounds and their mixtures. In this study, the model developed by Verhaar et al. was modified and used to calculate octanol/water partition coefficients of chemical mixtures. To validate the model, acute toxicities of these chemicals were measured to Vibrio fischeri in terms of EC⁵⁰. The results indicated that the obtained QSAR models could be used to predict toxicities of samples consisting of these substituted aromatic compounds, individually or in combinations. The obtained equations were proved to be robust enough by using the leave-one-out test method. By classifying these chemicals into two groups, polar and non-polar, the toxicities of chemical mixtures within each group can be predicted accurately from their calculated partition coefficients.     

Effect of Molecular Crowding on the Temperature–Pressure Stability Diagram of Ribonuclease A

FT‐IR spectroscopic and thermodynamic measurements were designed to explore the effect of a macromolecular crowder, dextran, on the temperature and pressure‐dependent phase diagram of the protein Ribonuclease A (RNase A), and we compare the experimental data with approximate theoretical predictions based on configuration entropy. Exploring the crowding effect on the pressure‐induced unfolding of proteins provides insight in protein stability and folding under cell‐like dense conditions, since pressure is a fundamental thermodynamic variable linked to molecular volume. Moreover, these studies are of relevance for understanding protein stability in deep‐sea organisms, which have to cope with pressures in the kbar range. We found that not only temperature‐induced equilibrium unfolding of RNase A, but also unfolding induced by pressure is markedly prohibited in the crowded dextran solutions, suggesting that crowded environments such as those found intracellularly, will also oppress high‐pressure protein unfolding. The FT‐IR spectroscopic measurements revealed a marked increase in unfolding pressure of 2 kbar in the presence of 30 wt % dextran. Whereas the structural changes upon thermal unfolding of the protein are not significantly influenced in the presence of the crowding agent, through stabilization by dextran the pressure‐unfolded state of the protein retains more ordered secondary structure elements, which seems to be a manifestation of the entropic destabilization of the unfolded state by crowding.     

Preparation and evaluation of a novel molecularly imprinted SPE monolithic capillary column for the determination of auramine O in shrimp

A novel method combining molecular imprinting and SPE was developed in a capillary column for the determination of auramine O in shrimp. The capillary monolithic column was prepared by UV‐initiated in situ polymerization, using auramine O as template and methacrylic acid and ethylene dimethacrylate as functional monomer and cross‐linker, respectively. The properties of the prepared capillary monolithic column were investigated under the optimized conditions coupled with HPLC, and then the morphologies of the inner polymers were characterized by SEM. The calibration curve was expressed as A = 103C + 19.8 (r = 0.9992) with a linear range of 0.25–25.0 μg/mL, and the recoveries of auramine O at different concentrations in shrimp ranged from 90.5 to 92.4% with RSDs ranging from 2.1 to 4.4%. The capacities of the molecularly imprinted polymer and nonimprinted polymer columns were 0.722 and 0.147 μg/mg, respectively, and the LOD (S/N = 3) of auramine O in shrimp was 17.85 μg/kg. Under the selected conditions, the enrichment factors obtained were higher than 70‐fold. The results indicate that the prepared molecularly imprinted capillary monolithic column was reliable and applicable to the analysis of auramine O in shrimp.     

Study of Chiral Ionic Liquid as Stationary Phases for GC

Due to the synthetic flexibility and special enantioselectivity, chiral ionic liquids (CILs) have heightened interest and an increasing number of CILs has been designed and utilized. In this work, CIL named l-1-butyl-3-(2-propionic-1-ether) imidazolium bromide ([BAlaIM]Br) derived from natural amino acids was synthesized, with chiral center at cation moiety. Chiral stationary phases for gas chromatography were then prepared by mixing the CIL with polymeric ionic liquid ([PSOMIM][NTf₂], homemade) at different ratios (4:1, 2:1, and 1:1). The column efficiency was measured to be about 3,200 plates m^?1 (8 m × 0.25 mm i.d.) when the content of [BAlaIM]Br was 50 % (mass percent) in the mixed stationary phase. All columns were coated via the static coating method using 0.30 % (w/v) of stationary phases dissolved in methanol. The results showed that the CIL contributed to the selectivity of stationary phase toward positional isomers dichlorobenzenes, methylnaphthalenes and pinenes, etc. Meanwhile, [BAlaIM]Br showed better selectivity for enantiomers such as carvones, citronellals, limonenes and camphors. The interactions between chiral selector and enantiomers were also discussed.     

Convenient Preparation of Cycloalkenyl Boronic Acid Pinacol Esters

A practical method for the preparation of cycloalkenyl boronic acid pinacol esters is described. These important synthetic intermediates are typically made using more expensive methods like transition metal-catalyzed borylation of alkenyl halides or triflates. In this work, they are obtained from the simple corresponding cycloalkanones, which are subjected to Shapiro reaction conditions followed by trapping with a borate ester. The requisite products are obtained in very good to excellent yields, and the reactions can be scaled up to multigram amounts. By providing a simple alternative to common methods that make use of expensive transition-metal catalysts and formation of sensitive intermediates, this convenient method will be useful for the synthesis of ring-containing partners for Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling and other reactions employing boronic esters as substrates.     

Theoretical study of electronic structure of rhodium mononitride and interpretation of experimental spectra

Potential energy curves of 22 electronic states of RhN have been calculated by the complete active space second‐order perturbation theory method. The X¹Σ₀⁺ is assigned as the ground state, and the first excited state a³Π₀+ is 978 cm^?1 higher. The ¹Δ(I) and B¹Σ⁺ states are located at 9521 and 13,046 cm^?1 above the ground state, respectively. The B¹Σ⁺ state should be the excited state located 12,300 cm^?1 above the ground state in the experimental study. Moreover, two excited states, C¹Π and b³Σ⁺, are found 14,963 and 15,082 cm^?1 above the X¹Σ⁺ state, respectively. The transition C¹Π₁–X¹Σ₀⁺ may contribute to the experimentally observed bands headed at 15,071 cm^?1. There are two excited states, D¹Δ and E¹Σ⁺, situate at 20,715 and 23,145 cm^?1 above the X¹Σ⁺ state. The visible bands near 20,000 cm^?1 could be generated by the electronic transitions D¹Δ₂–a³Π₁ and E¹Σ⁺₀–X¹Σ⁺₀ because of the spin–orbit coupling effect. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Zinc-Mediated Cyclodimerization of 1,5-Diaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-one in Aqueous Solution Under Ultrasound Irradiation

Synthesis of 2-cinnamoyl-1-styryl-3,4-diarylcyclopentanol via cyclodimerization of 1,5-diaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-one mediated by zinc was carried out in good yields at room temperature in NH₄Cl (aq.) and tetrahydrofuran under ultrasonic irradiation. In comparison with conventional methods, the main advantages of the present procedure are shorter reaction time and better yields.     

Electroless plating of copper on fly ash cenospheres using polyaniline‐Pd activation

The polyaniline of different intrinsic oxidation states, viz., the emeraldine (EM) and the leucoemeraldine (LM) states, were coated on 3‐aminopropyltriethoxy silane modified fly ash cenospheres. Without prior sensitization by SnCl₂ solution, Pd activation by PdCl₂ solution was carried out on EM and LM laden cenospheres, followed by electroless plating of copper (Cu). The topography and composition of the composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, etc. The results indicate that the oxidation state of the LM layer showed a much bigger increase than that of the EM layer in the Pd activation process, while coupled Pd reduction underwent to a more extent on the LM layer. The metallic Pd atoms on the LM and EM layers surface initiated the subsequent electroless plating of Cu, and the coated Cu on LM laden cenospheres had a much more uniform and compact morphology than that on EM laden cenospheres. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Emulsifiers on Acrylate Latex Blends

The poly(methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate/acrylic acid) [P(MMA/BA/AA)] and poly (styrene/butyl acrylate/acrylic acid) [P(St/BA/AA)] latexes were synthesized using the emulsifier octylphenol polyoxyethylene(10) ether (OP-10) and ammonium sulfate allyloxy nonylphenoxy poly(ethyleneoxy)(10) ether(DNS-86). The optimum amount of OP-10 and DNS-86 was 1.5% and 2.5% respectively. The P(MMA/BA/AA) and P(St/BA/AA) latex containing 1.5% OP-10 or 2.5% DNS-86 were blended pairwise. The performances of latex blends and parent latexes as a function of emulsifiers content in parent latexes were determined. The results indicated that the stability of latex blends is favorable, and particle size distribution was more uniform and thermal stability was improved after blending.     

Immobilization and sustained release of cefalexin on MCF nano-mesoporous material

Abstract

Mesocellular foams (MCF) silica nanometer mesoporous molecular sieve was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal route. This method used poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propyl glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) as template, tetraethyl orthosilicate as silica source and 1, 3, 5-trimethylbenzene as pore-expanding agent to prepare nano mesoporous MCF in acidic medium. The MCF mesoporous material was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, low temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77?K, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage, cefalexin dosage and contact time on the immobilization of cefalexin were studied. Under the optimized conditions, MCF has the best effect on the drug immobilization. The maximum immobilization amount of cefalexin in MCF nano-mesoporous material is 498.8?mg/g. The behavior of adsorption of cefalexin by MCF belongs to multilayer heterogeneous adsorption, which accords with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. In the adsorption process, all the ΔH⁰, ΔS⁰ and Gibbs free energy change ΔG⁰ are less than zero, indicating that the adsorption process is spontaneous, exothermic entropy decreasing reaction at ordinary temperature. Kinetic investigation showed that the adsorption process of cefalexin on MCF belongs to the pseudo-second-order kinetic process. The release laws of composite material cephalexin-MCF in the simulated body fluid, gastric and intestinal fluid were investigated, respectively. The maximum cumulative release rate in simulated body fluid was 99.4% at 18?h. The maximum cumulative release rate in the simulated gastric juice was 48.7% at 6?h and in the simulated intestinal fluid the maximum cumulative release rate of 61.9% was achieved at 8?h. These release processes satisfy the zero-order ordered kinetic process.