A simple homemade spectrophotometer

A simple portable spectrophotometer was constructed and used to perform analytical experiments. The developed model uses available tools and materials such as light emitting diode lamps, compact discs, plastic and cardboard boxes and a cell phone camera to build a design that illustrates the major components of spectrophotometers. The spectra of serial concentrations of KMnO₄ (50?600 μM) were recorded and the values of absorbance were extracted at λ_max to build the calibration curve. A linear relationship between the concentration and absorbance was obtained with the coefficient of determination 0.994. The model was also utilized to study the spectra of KMnO₄, phenolphthalein and bromothymol blue in comparison with a Shimadzu UV-1800 spectrophotometer as a reference instrument. In spite of the differences in the observed spectra, the recorded λ_max were almost identical to those measured by the developed model. The model was successfully used to determine the concentration of sodium alendronate through ligand-exchange complexation with ferric salicylate.     

Enantiospecific synthesis of carbapentostatins

In this paper we describe enantioselective syntheses of (+)-carbapentostatin (8) and its cyclopentyl analogue 12b. A new and efficient one-pot, two-step preparation of aldehyde 15 has been developed, based on the borane reduction of N-Pf-protected L-aspartic acid gamma-methyl ester (13) and Swern oxidation of the resulting alcohol. Homologation to diester 18 and ring formation by Dieckman cyclization, followed by reduction and dehydration steps, afford the 4-amino-1-cyclopentenemethanol derivative 22. Hydroboration and oxidation transform this compound stereospecifically into aminocyclopentanol 26, the key aminocyclitol component for an asymmetric synthesis of (+)-carbapentostatin.     

Kinetics of hydrolysis of some new heterocyclic azomethines

Kinetics of base hydrolysis of new heterocyclic azomethines derived from active methyl quaternary salts and aromatic nitroso compounds were investigated in the presence of 70% (wt/wt) water-methanol. The base hydrolysis of these compounds is strictly first-order with respect to OH^– and azomethine. The rate determining step is suggested to be the attack of the hydroxide ion on the free base. Effects of water content and nature of organic hydroxylic solvent have been studied. It is concluded that specific solute-solvent interactions through dispersion forces play a major role in the base hydrolysis rate of the azomethines investigated. The effect of pH (2.98 – 12.24) on hydrolysis rates of compounds having a diethylamino substituent in the presence of 30% methanol has been studied. In acidic media, the rate determining step is probably the water attack on the protonated substrate.     

Synthesis of Thiophenes,Azoles and Azines with Potential Biological Activity by Employing the Versatile Heterocyclic Precursor N‐Benzoycyanoacetylhydrazine

This research work is concerned with the use of N‐benzoyl cyanoacetylhydrazine ( 3 ) in synthesizing several new heterocyclic compounds with potential biological activity, via its reaction with various chemical reagents. The synthesized derivatives have actually exhibited, upon screening, antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Cross-linked, heterogeneous colloidosomes exhibit pH-induced morphogenesis

Inspired by morphogenesis in biology, we present a strategy for developing functional 3D materials with the capacity to morph based on environmental cues. We utilized local mechanical stresses to cause global shape changes in colloidosomes. Colloidosomes were assembled from pH-sensitive calcium alginate particles (CAPs) with high and low swelling ratios. Colloidosomes were subsequently cross-linked via diamine compounds with varying carbon chain lengths. New colloidosome isoforms were generated from heterogeneous mixtures of CAPs, which resulted in nonuniform stresses. Our study demonstrated that coordinated networks of heterogeneous subunits may be used to design programmable materials.     

Isoelectric focusing in a drop

A novel approach to molecular separations is investigated using a technique termed droplet-based isoelectric focusing. Drops are manipulated discretely on a superhydrophobic surface, subjected to low voltages for isoelectric focusing, and split-resulting in a preparative separation. A universal indicator dye demonstrates the generation of stable, reversible pH gradients (3-10) in ampholyte buffers, and these gradients lead to protein focusing within the drop length. Focusing was visually characterized, spectroscopically verified, and assessed quantitatively by noninvasive light scattering measurements. It was found to correlate with a quantitative model based on 1D steady-state theory. This work illustrates that molecular separations can be deployed within a single open drop, and the differential fractions can be separated into new discrete liquid elements.     

Multiplicative linear search for a brownian target motion

This paper investigates a search problem for a brownian target motion on one of n-intersected real lines in which any information of the target position is not available to the searchers all the time. We have n-searchers start searching for the target from the origin that is the intersection point of these lines. Each of the searchers moves continuously along his line in both directions of the starting point. The purpose of this paper is to formulate a search model and find the condition under which the expected value of the first meeting time between one of the searchers and the target is finite. Also, we show the existence of the optimal search plan which minimizes the expected value of the first meeting time and find it.