Environmental pollution study by multielemental neutron activation analysis of garden soil samples from Nagpur City, India

A multielemental instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method has been employed for the determination of 30 elements in seven garden soil samples from Nagpur City and two intercomparison soil standards from IAEA, Vienna and Institute of Radioecology and Applied Nuclear Techniques (IRANT), Slovak Republic. Environmental implications of elemental concentrations in different soils have been discussed.     

A new macrocyclic polystyrene-based sensor for chromium (III) ions

A new tetradentate dihydrogen perchlorate macrocyclic ligand (2,4,9,11-tetraphenyl-1,5,8,12-tetraazacyclotetradeca-1,4,8,11-tetraene dihydrogen perchlorate) was prepared and characterised. The macrocycle behaves as a selective chelating ion-exchanger for some metal ions. The polystyrene-based membrane electrode is found to exhibit quite promising selectivity for Cr3+ ions. It can be used to estimate chromium concentrations in the range 3.16x 10(-6)-1.00x10(-1) M with a near-Nernstian slope of 17.5 mV per decade of concentration between pH 3.0 to 6.5. The electrode is found to possess a fast response time of 15 s and was used over a period of three months with good reproducibility (s = +/- 0.3 mV). The selectivity coefficient values for mono-, di- and trivalent cations indicate excellent selectivity for Cr3+ ions over a large number of other cations. Anions such as Cl- and SO4(2-) do not interfere and the electrode also works satisfactorily in a mixed organic-water solution. The sensor has been used as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of Cr3+ with EDTA. The practical utility of the membrane sensor has also been demonstrated in solutions contaminated with detergents (CTAB and SDS). Above all, the membrane sensor has been very successfully used to determine Cr3+ in some foods.     

Bivalent 3d-metal complexes of malonyl- and succinyldihydrazide based macrocyclic ligands. Synthesis and characterization

Summary The macrocycles 2,10-dimethyl-3,4,8,9,15-pentaazabicyclo-[9.3.1]-pentadeca-1 (15),2,9,11,13-penta-ene-5,7-dione (L) and 2,11-dimethyl-3,4,8,9,10,16-pentaazabicyclo[10.3.1]-hexadeca-1 (16),2,10,12,14-penta-ene-5,8-dione (L) were prepared and characterized by elemental, i.r. and mass spectral data. The macrocycles react with various metal(II) chlorides to yield complexes of the types [MLCl₂H₂O] (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn), [MLCl₂H₂O] (M = Mn, Ni, Cu or Zn) and [Co₃L₂Cl₄]Cl₂. The complexes were characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods.     

Quantification of Valerenic Acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis by HPTLC

A simple, rapid, cost-effective and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis which is one of the stable compounds of Valeriana officinalis and designated as a key marker compound. Valerenic acid makes substantial contribution to the sedative and spasmolytic activity of the essential oil and extract of Valeriana officinalis. Separation and quantification was achieved by HPTLC using ternary mobile phase of hexane: ethyl acetate: acetic acid (80:20:0.5 v/v) on precoated silica gel 60F₂₅₄ aluminium plates and densitometric determination was carried out after derivatization with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent at 700 nm, in absorption-reflectance mode. The calibration curves were linear in the range of (500 ng–2.5 μg). This is the first HPTLC report for the identification and quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis.     

Total synthesis of (-)- and (+)-lentiginosine

Total synthesis of (-)-lentiginosine was achieved from D-mannitol using highly stereoselective reactions. Similarly, (+)-lentiginosine was synthesized from L-tartaric acid.     

General solution for Poisson-Boltzmann equation in semiinfinite planar symmetry

Self-assembled multilayer thin films have been prepared on Au substrate by alternate surface derivatization with L-cysteine hydrochloride and cupric perchlorate. The layer-by-layer structure at each step of multilayer formation was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The measurements indicate that there are two structure modes in the multilayers. One is that Cu(2+) sandwiches between two amino acid groups. The other one is that Cu(+) is bonded through disulfide and thiolate. This process is also confirmed by cyclic voltammetry of Cu ion at different self-assembled multilayers. Steps further on will lead to repeated multilayer films.     

Role of Surface Molecular Architecture and Energetics of Hydrogen Bonding Sites in Adsorption of Polymers and Surfactants

Hydrogen bonding is generally thought to be an ubiquitous adsorption mechanism, which often foils selective adsorption schemes. Through investigation of hydrogen bonding energy and its dependence on surface molecular architecture, it may be possible to develop new methodologies to control the adsorption of surfactants and polymeric flocculants, depressants, and dispersants used in particulate processing industries. A model system using St?ber silica spheres and polyethylene oxide, a polymer known for its ability to form hydrogen bonds, was examined. The effect of two different surface treatments of the silica particles, calcination and rehydroxylation, upon the adsorption of two polymer molecular weights was studied. The adsorption behavior was then linked to the respective surface structures via characterization of the surfaces using FTIR, NMR, and Raman techniques. In this paper role of hydrogen bonding sites and surface architecture on adsorption is discussed. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Benzyne cyclisation with carbanion activated aromatic rings1

Attempts to cyclise o-chlorophenyl benzyl ether, sulphide, sulphoxide and sulphone by treatment with KNH₂/NH₃ were unsuccessful. Similar reaction of 1-(o-chlorophenyl)-2,2-diphenylethane led to amination whereas α-(o-chlorobenzyl)phenylacetic acid gave a dihydrocoumarin. Reaction of 4- and 2-(o-chlorophenethyl)-pyridines, however, afforded products comprising benzisoquinolines and 1-pyridylbenzocyclobutenes.     

Phase transitions in chlorobenzene-cis-decalin mixtures

The dielectric constant ?' and loss tangent tan δ of chlorobenzene-cis-decalin mixtures have been measured in the temperature range 77 K to 330 K and frequency range 0.1 to 100 kHz. On cooling, ?' increases with decreasing temperature upto about 135 K, after which it drops rapidly with decreasing T followed by a slow decrease. This indicates that the liquid mixture goes to an amorphous phase which transforms to a glass phase of restricted dipole rotation below T_g; however, the peak in ?' is due to relaxation in the amorphous phase (α relaxation) and does not give an exact T_g. On heating, the behaviour of the cooling curve is retraced upto 160 K, after which ?' drops suddenly to a value lower than that at 77 K in the glass phase. This indicates the transition to a crystalline phase in which dipole rotational freedom is completely lost. The crystalline phase changes to a eutectic liquid phase of high ?' at a temperature (200 K) lower than the melting point of chlorobenzene and cis-decalin. Dielectric dispersion is observed only in the glass and amorphous phases. The dielectric relaxation time is independent of the concentration of chlorobenzene.