A study of the mechanism of the oxidative cyclization of benzaldehyde semicarbazones induced by cupric perchlorate in acetonitrile

Treatment of benzaldehyde semicarbazones 1a-i with cupric perchlorate in acetonitrile at 40 provided selectively the corresponding 1,2,4-triazolin-5-ones 2a-i . The relative rate constants for 2a-i formation were determined by the competitive method. The results obtained showed that electron-donating substituents (methyl and methoxy) increase the reaction rate, while the reverse was found for electron-withdrawing substituents (chloro and nitro group). The reactivity data are discussed on the grounds of two possible mechanisms.     

Foreword to the memorial issue for Professor Roberto Marassi

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry -     

Effect of steam on structure and mechanical properties of biomedical block copolymers

The effect of steam on the micro‐phase structure and mechanical properties of different block copolymers used in biomedical devices is investigated via FT‐IR, tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Steam sterilization, commonly performed on medical devices and simulated in this work, affects the copolymers' morphology, due to high temperature and humidity conditions. FT‐IR analysis reveals that steam induces a modification in the crystalline conformations of copolymers with a pre‐existing hydrogen bonding network, that is, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and poly(ether‐block‐amide) (PEBA), while it does not significantly affect the domain conformation in styrenic block copolymers (SEBS), due to weak interaction with water. As a consequence, relevant changes of the mechanical properties, closely related to the microdomain structure, are found for TPU and PEBA after sterilization, while SEBS mechanical behavior remains stable, as demonstrated by tensile tests and DMA results. For this reason, SEBS is suggested as the best choice in terms of durability in biomedical applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1337–1346     

Evaluation of magnetic force distribution on a pair of superconducting bulk magnets

We study the construction of superconducting permanent magnets by RE123 bulk materials and the investigation of these industrial applications such as a magnetic separation. A bulk magnet can generate strong magnetic fields exceeding 2 T, which is the limit of ordinary iron-cored electromagnets, in a compact device with a low running cost. A magnetic field distribution of the bulk magnet is a cone shape, and it contributes to an increase of magnetic force which is proportional to the product of a magnetic field and its gradient. It is important to evaluate magnetic force when the application of the bulk magnet is discussed. In this paper, two Gd123 bulk materials of 65 mm in diameter were magnetized using a pair of superconducting bulk magnet system and three-axis components of magnetic flux density (B_x,⋅B_y, and B_z) in an open space between the magnetic poles were scanned with pitch of 2 mm in each direction. From these measured data, the axial and radial components of magnetic force factor, B_z⋅dB_z/dz and B_r⋅dB_r/dr, were calculated. At 10 mm gap, the B_z⋅dB_z/dz value reached 180.6 T²/m for a field of 2.33 T, which is comparable to B_z = 6.76 T for a common 10 T–100 mm∅ superconducting magnet.     

Analysis of sterols by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry combined with chemometrics

A newly developed high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) method has been successfully used to analyze plasma concentrations of various phytosterols (cholestanol and beta-sitosterol) and cholesterol metabolites (desmosterol and lathosterol). This was based on an unusual solvent combination of water/methanol vs. methanol/acetone/n-hexane applied on a Purospher Star RP-18e (125 x 2 mm, 3 microm) column, which proved excellent for the separation, identification and quantification of plasma sterols. Simple solid-phase extraction preparation of plasma samples was performed, followed by the developed fast and robust HPLC separation. Results on four groups of people were compared, those with low, normal and high plasma cholesterol levels and those with high cholesterol levels on statin therapy, and the results were evaluated using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Variable selection for LDA was achieved using backward removal selection. Highly discriminatory variables were the ratios of desmosterol to sitosterol and of lathosterol to total plasma cholesterol. The latter ratio was also excellent for distinguishing subjects on statin therapy. The success rate of classification was 100%. The present pilot study shows the potential of HPLC/MS analysis and chemometrics for studying cholesterol-related disorders and warrants future full-scale medical study.     

Photoassisted adsorption of allylamine and 1-butene on H:Si(111) studied by surface vibrational spectroscopies

Ultraviolet photoassisted adsorption of terminally double-bonded molecules, allylamine (CH2=CH-CH2-NH2) and 1-butene (CH2=CH-CH2-CH3), on hydrogen-terminated silicon (111) surface was attempted to obtain adsorbates covalently terminating the surface Si atoms. The adsorption process was monitored by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, multiple internal infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Allylamine adsorbates emerged upon delivery of allylamine gas under ultraviolet irradiation. The N-H bonds in allylamine were evidenced to survive over the photoadsorption process by vibrational analysis and by the reaction with ketene. CH3- groups were detected at low coverage, indicating anchoring of the organic moieties by the secondary (sec-) type carbon atoms, which were taken over by the primary (n-) type with increasing coverage. C-D bonds were detected after deposition on deuterium-terminated Si(111) upon incorporation of Si-terminating H into the hydrocarbon part of adsorbates. In the case of 1-butene, not only the C=C end but also the CH3- end of a molecule might attach on Si, resulting in emergence of adsorbates composed of CH2 groups. The newly obtained adsorbates are prospective as a material applied for nanolithography, fine electrochemistry, and nano-biotechnology.     

Adsorption of unsaturated hydrocarbon moieties on H:Si(111) by Grignard reaction

Grafting of unsaturated hydrocarbon moieties (-CH(2)-CH=CH(2), -CH=CH(2), -CH(2)-CH=CH-CH(3), and -CCH) by a C-Si covalent bond was attempted by the Grignard reaction on hydrogen-terminated Si(111) in tetrahydrofuran solutions. The product adsorbates were monitored by vibrational methods of high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy and multiple internal infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, as well as Auger electron spectroscopy. The temperature and the period of reaction were adjusted so as to preserve the unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds. The -CH(2)-CH=CH(2) group was introduced by a mild reaction condition, with the reservation of the C=C double bond confirmed. The unsaturated bonds in -CH(2)-CH=CH-CH(3) and -CCH were also reserved. Only in the case of -CH=CH(2) was the reservation of the C=C double bond not realized. Unsaturated hydrocarbon moieties are applicable for further organic modification to introduce functional groups, and are prospective materials in nanofabrication and biological application on silicon wafer surfaces.     

Can the absence of solvation of neutral reagents by ionic liquids be responsible for the high reactivity in base-assisted intramolecular nucleophilic substitutions in these solvents?

[reaction: see text] The kinetics of the rearrangement of the Z-phenylhydrazone of 3-benzoyl-5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (1a) into the relevant 4-benzoylamino-2,5-diphenyl-1,2,3-triazole (2a) induced by amines have been studied in two room-temperature ionic liquids (IL-1, [BMIM][BF4] and IL-2, [BMIM][PF6]). The data collected show that the reaction occurs faster in ionic liquids than in other conventional solvents previously studied (both polar or apolar, protic or aprotic). Presumably, this could depend on their peculiar ability to minimize the strong substrate-solvent, amine-solvent and amine-amine interactions occurring in conventional solvents.     

Oxidative cyclization of some aldehyde semicarbazones induced by metallic salts

The oxidative cyclization of some aldehyde semicarbazones 10 with four different oxidizing agents has been effected. The structure of the semicarbazones and the nature of cyclizing agent affected the rate and yield of cyclization but they did not show any influence on the regiochemistry of reaction. In fact, 1,2,4-triazoline 20 was the only heterocyclic ring obtained by the cyclization reaction.