Thermal behaviour of cobaltic and cobaltous oxides as influenced by doping with some alkali metal oxides

The role of Na₂O- and Li₂O-doping on the thermal decomposition of Co₃O₄ to CoO and the re-oxidation of cobaltous to cobaltic oxide has been investigated using DTA, with controlled rates of heating and cooling, IR and X-ray diffraction spectrometry techniques.

The DTA investigation revealed that both Li₂O and Na₂O increased the thermal stability of Co₃O₄. However, the effect was much more pronounced in the case of lithium oxide. Doping Co₃O₄ with 1.5 mole% Li₂O was found to prevent any thermal decomposition of cobaltic oxide even by heating at 1100°C. The maximum thermal stabilization effect induced by doping with sodium oxide (4.5 mole%) was 30%. The sodium oxide- and lithium oxide-doping enhanced the reactivity of the produced CoO towards the re-oxidation by O₂ yielding Co₃O₄.

The X-ray diffraction and IR spectrometric investigations showed that part of Li₂O and Na₂O was effectively incorporated in the Co₃O₄ lattice, affecting the thermal stabilization of the solid, and another part of the dopant oxide interacted with the produced CoO and also with Co₃O₄ giving a new sodium cobalt compound, and with Co₃O₄ producing, also, a new lithium cobalt oxide phase. However, the amount of Li₂O dissolved in the Co₃O₄ lattice was greater than that of Na₂O. The sudden cooling of doped solids, from 1000°C to room temperature, favoured the formation of the new sodium cobalt oxide compound, and exerted no effect on the production of the new lithium cobalt oxide phase. The characteristic d spacings and IR absorption bands of these new compounds have been determined.

The possible mechanisms of dissolution of Li₂O and Na₂O in cobaltic oxide lattice are discussed.     

Oxidation with permanganate in presence of fluoride potentiometric determination of manganese(II)

The effects of acidity, fluoride concentration, temperature and concentration of manganese in the reaction between KMnO(4) and Mn(II) were studied potentiometrically. The rate of reaction is increased by increasing the fluoride concentration and/or decreasing the acidity of the solution. The formal redox potentials of the MnO(-)(4)/Mn(III) and the Mn(III)/Mn(II) systems were determined at different pH values. The E degrees values obtained by extrapolation to pH = 0 were 1.58 and 1.52 V respectively. The amount of Mn(II) determined was varied from 5 to 56 mg. The net reaction can be represented as MnO(-)(4) + 10HF(-)(2) + 4Mn(2+) right harpoon over left harpoon 5MnF(-)(4) + 2H(+) + 4H(2)O.     

Synthèse du mèthyl-1 diformyl-2,3 pyrrole,de la méthyl-1 pyrrolo[2,3-d] pyridazine et de la méthyl-1 oxo-6 (6h)cycloheptatrieno[b] pyrrole

This communication describes the synthesis of l-methyl-2,3-diformylpyrrole. This new compound is used to prepare a new heterocycle, l-methylcyclohepta[b]pyrrol-6-one and thus allows a new synthesis of l-methylpyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine.     

Metallchelate mit Acetophenon-Benzoylhydrazon und Acetophenon-Salicoylhydrazon

The stoichiometry and structure of acetophenone benzoylhydrazone and acetophenone salicoylhydrazone chelates with some divalent metal ions are studied by conductometric titration and visible and infra-red absorption spectrophotometry. The results are supported by analysis of the solid complexes. The infra-red study revealed that coordination occurs through C=O and C=N groups. The shift in the C=O and C=N bands is utilised for the determination of bond lengths.     

Potentiometric Membrane Sensor for Determination of Saccharin

A potentiometric poly(vinyl chloride) membrane sensor for determination of saccharin is described. It is based on the use of Aliquat 336S-saccharinateion-pair as an electroactive material in plasticized PVC membranes with o-nitrophenyloctylether or dioctylphthalate. The sensor is conditioned for at least two days in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ sodium saccharinate before use. It exhibits fast, stable and Nernstian response for saccharinate ions over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹–5.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ and pH range of 4.5–11. The sensor is used for determination of saccharin in some dosage forms. Results with an average recovery of 101% and a mean standard deviation of 0.2% are obtained which is compared favourably with data obtained using the British pharmacopoeia method. The sensor shows reasonable selectivity towards saccharin in presence of many anions and natural sweeteners.     

Cathodic adsorptive stripping square-wave voltammetry of the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam

The adsorptive behavior of the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam was studied by cyclic, differentia-pulse and square-wave voltammetry on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The drug was accumulated at HMDE and a well-defined stripping peak current was obtained at -1.42 V vs. Ag/AgCl (saturated KCl) electrode in acetate buffer solution (pH 5.0). A voltammetric procedure was developed for the determination of meloxicam using square-wave cathodic adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SW-CASV). The optimum working conditions for the determination of the drug were established. The analysis of meloxicam in human plasma was carried out satisfactorily.     

Proposed Mechanism for the Antitrypanosomal Activity of Quercetin and Myricetin Isolated from Hypericum afrum Lam.: Phytochemistry,In Vitro Testing and Modeling Studies

The in vitro activity of L. donovani (promastigotes, axenic amastigotes and intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells) and T. brucei, from the fractions obtained from the hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial part of Hypericum afrum and the isolated compounds, has been evaluated. The chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts showed significant antitrypanosomal activity towards T. brucei, with IC₅₀ values of 12.35, 13.53 and 12.93 µg/mL and with IC₉₀ values of 14.94, 19.31 and 18.67 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical investigation of the fractions led to the isolation and identification of quercetin (1), myricitrin (2), biapigenin (3), myricetin (4), hyperoside (5), myricetin-3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside (6) and myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7). Myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7) has been isolated for the first time from this genus. The chemical structures were elucidated by using comprehensive one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopic data, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI–MS). These compounds have also been evaluated for their antiprotozoal activity. Quercetin (1) and myricetin (4) showed noteworthy activity against T. brucei, with IC₅₀ and IC₉₀ values of 7.52 and 5.71 µM, and 9.76 and 7.97 µM, respectively. The T. brucei hexokinase (TbHK1) enzyme was further explored as a potential target of quercetin and myricetin, using molecular modeling studies. This proposed mechanism assists in the exploration of new candidates for novel antitrypanosomal drugs.