A microfluidic method to study demulsification kinetics

We present the results of experiments studying droplet coalescence in a dense layer of emulsion droplets using microfluidic circuits. The microfluidic structure allows direct observation of collisions and coalescence events between oil droplets dispersed in water. The coalescence rate of a flowing hexadecane-in-water emulsion was measured as a function of the droplet velocity and droplet concentration from image sequences measured with a high-speed camera. A trajectory analysis of colliding droplet pairs allows evaluation of the film drainage profile and coalescence time t(c.) The coalescence times obtained for thousands of droplet pairs enable us to calculate coalescence time distributions for each set of experimental parameters, which are the mean droplet approach velocity (v(0)), the mean dispersed phase fraction (φ) and the mean hydraulic diameter of a droplet pair (d(p)). The expected value E(t(c)) of the coalescence time distributions scales as E(t(c)) is proportional to (v(0))(-0.105±0.043)(d(p))(0.562±0.287), but is independent of φ. We discuss the potential of the procedure for the prediction of emulsion stability in industrial applications.     

Novel pseudopolymorph of the active metabolite of perindopril

The dimethyl sulfoxide hemisolvate of perindoprilat [systematic name: (1S)‐2‐((S)‐{1‐[(2S,3aS,7aS)‐2‐carboxyoctahydro‐1H‐indol‐1‐yl]‐1‐oxopropan‐2‐yl}azaniumyl)pentanoate dimethyl sulfoxide hemisolvate], C₁₇H₂₈N₂O₅·0.5C₂H₆OS, an active metabolite of perindopril, has been synthesized, structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and compared with its ethanol disolvate analogue [Pascard et al. (1991). J. Med. Chem. 34 , 663–669]. Both compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic P2₁2₁2₁ space group in the same zwitterionic form, with a protonated alanine N atom and an anionic carboxylate group at the n‐alkyl chain. The three structural units present in the unit cell (two zwitterions and the solvent molecule) are held together by a rich system of O—H...O, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen‐bond contacts.     

Preparation of hollow polylactide microcapsules through premix membrane emulsification—Effects of nonsolvent properties

Hollow polylactide microcapsules that can be used as ultrasound contrast agents were prepared using premix membrane emulsification. Polylactide/dichloromethane and dodecane solutions were emulsified together with a nonsolvent phase (water or a water–alcohol mixture) by repeated passage through a glass fibre membrane. The solvent, dichloromethane, diffuses out of the droplets and the polylactide solidifies around a droplet of dodecane. To investigate the effect of the nonsolvent properties on the size and span of the microcapsules, different methanol–water, ethanol–water and 2-propanol–water mixtures were used as nonsolvents.     

Preparation of trisodium O-monoalkyl and O-monoaryl diphosphates

Trisodium O-methyl, O-butyl, O-phenyl, and O-(4-nitrophenyl) diphosphates were synthesized from sodium dimethylamido-O-(2-cyanoethyl) phosphate and O-alkyl-and O-aryl phosphoric acids. While in the previously described method, sodium hydroxide was used for the preparation of O-phenyl diphosphate, in our current work, we present an improved protocol, where sodium methoxide is used to increase the yields of O-alkyl and O-aryl diphosphates. The structures of final compounds were determined by ¹H NMR, ³¹P NMR, and IR spectroscopy. The sodium O-alkyl- and O-aryl diphosphate salts prepared by this method may be used for the study of biological activity of diphosphate analogues.     

Theoretical Study of Molecular Structure, Tautomerism, and Geometrical Isomerism of N-Methyl- and N-Phenyl-Substituted Cyclic Imidazolines, Oxazolines, and Thiazolines

The geometries of various tautomers and isomers of 2-methylamino-2-imidazoline, 2-methylamino-2-oxazoline, 2-methylamino-2-thiazoline, 2-phenylamino-2-imidazoline, 2-phenylamino-2-oxazoline, and 2-phenylamino-2-thiazoline have been studied using the Becke3LYP/6–31+G(d,p) DFT, ONIOM(Becke3LYP/6–31+G(d,p):HF/3–21G^*) and ONIOM(Becke3LYP/6–31+G(d,p):AM1) methods. The optimized geometries indicate that these molecules show a distinctly nonplanar configuration of the cyclic moieties. In the gas phase, the amino tautomers (with exception of 2-phenylamino-2-imidazoline) are computed to be more stable than the imino tautomers. Of the two possible (E and Z) isomers of methyl and phenyl derivatives of imino-oxazolidine and imino-thiazolidine species, the (Z) isomers have the lowest energy. The iminozation free energies in the gas phase were found to be 5 – 15 kJ/mol. Absolute values of K _T depend strongly on the accuracy of the method used for calculation of free energy. Solvation (using the MD simulations) causes, in most cases, a shift in tautomeric preference toward the imino species.     

Lower Rim-Upper Rim Hydrogen-Bonded Adducts of Calix[4]arenes

An upper-rim-substituted calix[4]arene tetracarboxylic acid forms hydrogen-bonded duplexes with lower-rim-substituted tetra(4-pyridyl)- and tetra(3-pyridyl)calix[4]arenes in chloroform. The formation of these adducts was studied by extraction experiments. The association constants determined via (1)H NMR dilution experiments in CDCl(3) are 7.6 x 10(3) and 1.3 x 10(3) M(-1) for the 4-pyridyl and the 3-pyridyl derivative, respectively. IR studies in the solid state and in solution indicate that the interaction is based on hydrogen bonding and that the degree of proton transfer is negligible. VPO measurements support the formation of 1:1 adducts.     

Selective adsorption and reactivity of dipeptide stereoisomers in clay mineral suspension

Preferential adsorption of dipeptide diastereomers (dialanine, Val-Ala) on clay mineral surfaces was observed. Significantly higher adsorption of dipeptides composed from only one type of enantiomer of amino acid units in comparison to those containing both L- and D-type of amino acid units in their molecules, was experimentally proven. This selectivity was explained in terms of different hydrophobic properties of diastereomers, which are probably controlled by intramolecular interactions between nonpolar and polar parts of dipeptide molecules affected by their stereochemistry. A significantly higher reactivity of stereoisomers composed from the same type of amino acid enantiomers to form amide bonds was proven as well. Theoretical study could distinguish different properties of the diastereomers. The results of the calculations indicate possible effects of molecular stability in the stereoselectivity during the adsorption and reactions of Ala(2) diastereomers.     

Interaction of local anaesthetics with an anionic receptor site. An ab initio SCF study on procaine, lidocaine, tocainide and mexiletine and their HCO2 complexes

The ab initio SCF method was used to study the interaction of the local anaesthetics (LAs) procaine, lidocaine, tocainide and mexiletine with anionic receptor binding sites (Asp⁻, Glu⁻) represented by formate. In the case of procaine a two-centre binding site model for the binding of LAs was constructed. This model allows optimum interactions with the cationic amine part and the polar oxygen regions of procaine. The binding of procaine base was also investigated proving that this interaction is much weaker than the interaction of charged LA with its receptor binding sites. Finally, the effect of medium was studied (employing direct reaction field theory). The solvent changes the equilibrium geometry and decreases the energy of the complexes.     

Microcapsules with a pH responsive polymer: Influence of the encapsulated oil on the capsule morphology

Microcapsules were prepared by microsieve membrane cross flow emulsification of Eudragit FS 30D/dichloromethane/edible oil mixtures in water, and subsequent phase separation induced by extraction of the dichloromethane through an aqueous phase. For long-chain triglycerides and jojoba oil, core-shell particles were obtained with the oil as core, surrounded by a shell of Eudragit. Medium chain triglyceride (MCT oil) was encapsulated as relatively small droplets in the Eudragit matrix. The morphology of the formed capsules was investigated with optical and SEM microscopy. Extraction of the oil from the core-shell capsules with hexane resulted in hollow Eudragit capsules with porous shells. It was shown that the differences are related to the compatibility of the oils with the shell-forming Eudragit. An oil with poor compatibility yields microcapsules with a dense Eudragit shell on a single oil droplet as the core; oils having better compatibility yield porous Eudragit spheres with several oil droplets trapped inside.