O-silylated enolate phenylthialkylation: A synthesis of α,β-unsaturated 5- and 6-membered lactones.

ZnBr₂-catalysed phenylthioalkylation of ketene bis(trimethylsilyl)acetals, obtained from carboxylic acids, with appropriate α-chlorosulphides can be used to prepare γ- and δ- lactones.     

Enantiomeric Separation of Adrenergic Amines in Citrus Species, Related Genera and Dietary Supplements by Capillary Electrophoresis

Citrus aurantium L. (Rutaceae) fruit extracts have recently been used for weight loss. Among the adrenergic amines the most important active constituent is the sympathomimetic compound synephrine and commercially available extracts are standardized for their content of this active principle. A capillary electrophoresis method was developed for the quantitative and qualitative determination of d-synephrine, l-synephrine, d-octopamine, l-octopamine, tyramine, n-methyl tyramine and hordenine. The electrophoretic separation was performed using a 75 cm × 50 µm ID (66.5 cm effective length) fused silica capillary. The samples were injected by pressure for 5s at 50 mbar and the running voltage was 30 kV at the injector end of the capillary. The method developed was successively applied to the determination of the adrenergic amines in dietary supplements, in various Citrus species including Citrus aurantium, jams and juices. Synephrine was the main component and present in the levels from 0.02–0.17% in various Citrus species and 0.42–69.28 mg in dietary supplements claiming to contain Citrus aurantium. Parameters affecting the resolution between (+) and (−)-enantiomers, such as pH, cyclodextrin concentration, temperature, organic modifier, buffer concentration and capillary dimensions were reported.     

Helical poly(3-methyl-4-vinylpyridine)/amino acid complexes: preparation, characterization, and biocompatibility

Helical poly(3-methyl-4-vinylpyridine) (P3M4VP)/amino acid complexes have been prepared via acid-base reaction of the achiral polymer with D and L amino acids: alanine, leucine, valine, serine and phenylalanine. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of P3M4VP/D- and L-alanine complexes in CH(3)OH/H(2)O show opposing (near mirror image) Cotton effect signals at 278.4, 274.8 and 270.8 nm, indicating the formation of enantiomeric secondary structures. The formation of the enantiomeric structures is supported by observed [alpha](D)(25) values of -3.0 and +3.0 for the P3M4VP/D-alanine and P3M4VP/L-alanine complexes, respectively. The preparation of helical P3M4VP/amino acid complexes has been carried out in CH(3)OH and H(2)O at pH 1.8 and 2.7. The intensities of the Cotton effect signals were good. For example, for the P3M4VP/L-alanine complexes in CH(3)OH/H(2)O and H(2)O (pH 1.8), the second Cotton effect signal around 275-277 nm show [theta;] values of 49 980 and 79 210 deg . cm(2) . dmol(-1), respectively. The formation of the helical secondary structure is rapid. The acid-base reaction between P3M4VP and L-alanine in CH(3)OH/H(2)O, in 10 min, show a CD spectrum with Cotton effect signals at 274 and 272 nm with [theta] values of 27,000 deg . cm(2) . dmol(-1) and -36,000 deg . cm(2) . dmol(-1), respectively. P3M4VP permits ready conformational reorientation on complexation with amino acids, but once the helical P3M4VP/amino acid complexes are formed, it is stable at room temperature. P3M4VP is not compatible with HeLa ovarian cancer cells, but the helical P3M4VP/amino acid complexes are compatible with HeLa cells. The complexes minimally interfere with the adhesion and growth of HeLa cells on complex surfaces. Helical poly(3-methyl-4-vinylpyridine)/D- and L-alanine complexes support the attachment and growth of HeLa cells. The micrographs shows HeLa cells after three days: left panel: on P3M4VP/L-alanine complex; right panel: on P3M4VP/D-alanine complex.     

Transient rheological behavior of lyotropic (acetyl)(ethyl)cellulose/m-cresol solutions

The chiroptical properties and transient rheological behavior of (acetyl)(ethyl)cellulose (AEC) m-cresol liquid crystalline solutions have been investigated. Chiroptical properties were manipulated through (i) increasing degree of acetylation of ethyl cellulose (EC), and (ii) blending AEC with EC. At the same average degree of acetylation (DA), the chiroptical properties of pure AEC were different from those of the EC/AEC mixtures. However, at the same DA, the AEC and mixed AEC/EC solutions showed similar steady state flow and oscillatory behaviors, but the transient behaviors were different. At high flow rates the mixed AEC/EC solutions exhibited double recoil after cessation of steady-state flow, whereas the AEC solutions showed double recoil only in the high DA AEC solutions. All solutions, pure and mixed, had the same stress relaxation behavior. Both pitch and handedness affected the transient behavior. After cessation of high shear rate flow, the rate of modulus evolution decreased with increasing pitch, and was faster in right-handed mesophases than in left-handed ones at a similar pitch.     

Novel laccase redox mediators: spectral, electrochemical, and kinetic properties

The screening of potential redox mediators for laccase was performed using homogeneous enzyme preparations from Coriolus hirsutus and Coriolus zonatus. It was discovered that derivatives of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolones were efficient substrates for the laccases. The characterization of two representatives of the 1-phenyl-pyrazolone class, sodium 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4- methylamino-pyrazolone-5-N(4)-methanesulfonate and 1-(3'-sulfophenyl)-3- methylpyrazolone-5, in the reaction catalyzed by laccase was carried out using spectral, electrochemical, and enzyme kinetics methods. The kinetic parameters for the oxidation of the newly discovered substrates were comparable with those for 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation by laccase. Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that oxidation of these compounds yielded two high-potential intermediates capable of oxidizing veratryl alcohol, which was used as a lignin model substrate, to the corresponding aldehyde and acid. 1-(3'-Sulfophenyl)-3- methylpyrazolone-5 was about 30-40% as effective in degrading veratryl alcohol compared to ABTS as judged from high-performance liquid chromatography kinetic studies. 1-Phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolones may be of commercial interest for oxidoreductase-catalyzed biodegradation of organic compounds.     

Effects of

Effects of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) micelles on second-order rate constants (k(n)(obs)) for nucleophilic reactions of amines (piperidine and n-butylamine) with ionized phenyl salicylate (PS(-)) reveal a nonlinear decrease with the increase in [D(n)] (where [D(n)] = [CTABr](T) - cmc) at a constant [NaBr] and 35 degrees C. The observed data, at a constant [NaBr], fit reasonably well to a pseudophase model of micelles, and such a data fit gives kinetic parameters such as CTABr micellar binding canstant (K(S)) of PS(-). The effect of [NaBr] upon K(S) is explained with the empirical relationship K(S) = K(S)(0)/(1 + psi[NaBr]), where psi is an empirical parameter.     

Changes produced in the electrical resistivity of ErH2 thin films when converted to ErH3 due to hydrogen treatment

The resistivity of thin films (80–200 Å) of ErH₂ increases sharply when heated for 2 h at 300 °C in vacuum in the presence of hydrogen gas at 10^–2 Torr. This confirms that the films, originally metallic conductor, have become converted to semiconducting ErH₃ which is in conformity with the structural studies. The negative values of TCR also indicate the semiconducting nature of the hydrogen treated films. Activation energies of the films have been evaluated.     

The level scheme of133Sb

Nuclear spectroscopy studies of ₅₁ ¹³³ Sb₈₂ have been performed at the recoil fission product separators JOSEF and LOHENGRIN. A tentative level scheme has been established for this nucleus with one proton in addition to the doubly closed shell core¹³²Sn. Two isomeric states with half-lives of 3 and 16 μs have been found at excitation energies of >4300 keV and 4526 keV, respectively. Lower limits of 15/2 are deduced for the spins of these levels. The h_11/2 proton state is suggested at 2792 keV in agreement with the systematics of the lighter Z=51 isotopes and the heavier N=82 isotones. Several states have been observed between 4300 and 4600 keV which are probably due to the coupling of the single proton to core-excited states which have energies between 4000 and 4800 keV.     

Unsteady incompressible flow of magnetized aluminium oxide and titanium oxide nanoparticles with blood base fluid

In this investigation, a mixed convective nanoparticles fluid flow over an inclined plate is deliberated. The effects of slip boundary wall and magnetic field are also considered. The dimensionless governing system for the considered problem is attained by implementing recent definitions of fractional derivatives (FD). The generalized solution is obtained through the Laplace Transformation Scheme (LTS) for the momentum and thermal expressions. To improve the novelty and to demonstrate some more physical perception of the stated research work, some remarkable special cases of velocity distribution through CF and AB-fractional derivative concept are addressed, whose daily life implication is well known in the existing literature. Moreover, to evaluate the physical interest of the stated problem, the outcomes of the obtained system graphical illustrations are made by utilizing MATHEMATICA. As a result, we concluded that the aluminium oxide $A{l}_2{O}_3$ nanoparticles show more decaying behavior as compared to titanium oxide $Ti{O}_2$ nanoparticles for temperature and velocity profile. Furthermore, both fields i.e., momentum and thermal distributions are increased with the help of rising estimations parameter. Current results report novel applications in enhancement of heat transfer, thermal engineering, chemical processes, engineering and electronics devices, solar systems, extrusion processes, fission reactions etc.     

Reduction of soluble colloidal MnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> by <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">DL</Emphasis>-malic acid in the absence and presence of nonionic TritonX-100

Kinetics of oxidation of DL-malic acid by water soluble colloidal MnO₂ (prepared from potassium permanganate and sodium thiosulfate solutions) have been studied spectrophotometrically in the absence and presence of nonionic Triton X-100 surfactant. The reaction is autocatalytic and manganese(II) (reduction product of the colloidal MnO₂) may be the autocatalyst. The order of the reaction is first in colloidal [MnO₂] as well as in [malic acid] both in the absence and presence of the surfactant. The reaction has acid-dependent and acid-independent paths and, in the former case, the order is fractional in [H⁺]. The effect of externally added manganese(II) is complex. The results show that the rate constant increases as the manganese(II) concentration is increased. It is not possible to predict the exact dependence of the rate constants on manganese(II) concentration, which has a series of reactions with other reactants. In the presence of TX-100, the observed effect on k is catalytic up to a certain [TX-100]; thereafter, an inhibitory effect follows. The catalytic effect is explained in terms of the mathematical model proposed by Tuncay et al. (in Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Aspects 149:279 3). Activation parameters associated with the observed rate constants (k_obs/k) have also been evaluated and discussed.