Simple, expedient methods for the determination of water and electrolyte contents of cellulose solvent systems

The concentrations of water, W, and electrolytes present in solutions of LiCl in N,N-dimethylacetamide, LiCl/DMAc, and of tetrabutylammonium fluoride. x-hydrate in DMSO, TBAF.xW/DMSO can be accurately and expediently determined by three independent methods, UV–vis, FTIR and EMF measurement. The first relies on the use of solvatochromic probes whose spectra are sensitive to solution composition. It is applicable to W/LiCl/DMAc solutions but not to TBAF.xW/DMSO, because the charge-transfer complex bands of the probes are suppressed by strong interactions with the latter electrolyte. Integration of ν_OH band of water may be employed in order to determine [W], hence [electrolyte] by weight difference. EMF measurement uses ion-selective electrodes in order to determine [electrolyte], hence [W] by weight difference. Results of the latter method were in excellent agreement with those of FTIR. The reason for the failure of Karl Fischer titration is addressed, and the relevance of the results obtained to functionalization of cellulose under homogenous solution conditions is briefly commented on.     

New method for calculating the potential energy of deformed nuclei within the liquid-drop model

The method that we previously developed for going over from double volume integrals to double surface integrals in calculating the Coulomb energy of nuclei that have a sharp surface is generalized to the case of nuclei where the range of nuclear forces is finite and where the nuclear surface is diffuse. New formulas for calculating the Coulomb and the nuclear energy of deformed nuclei are obtained within this approach. For a spherically symmetric nucleus, in which case there is an analytic solution to the problem in question, the results are compared with those that are quoted in the literature, and it is shown that the respective results coincide identically. A differential formulation of the method developed previously by Krappe, Nix, and Sierk for going over from double volume integrals to double surface integrals is proposed here on the basis of the present approach.     

An effect of application of chiral aluminium alkoxides and amides as adducts to zirconium catalyzed carbo- and cycloalumination of olefins

This paper is dedicated to a study of properties of the following novel optically active organoaluminium compounds (OACs): (1S,2S)-l,7,7-trimethyl-2-[(dialkylalumina)oxy]-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes and (1S)-N-(dialkylalumina)-6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl-1,2,3,4- tetrahydroisoquinolines. The synthesis of the chiral OACs was carried out in the reaction of either natural camphor or salsolidine with both AlEt₃ and i-Bu₂AlH. The main goal of the research was to investigate the stereodifferentiating activity of the chiral OACs in the olefin carbo- and cycloalumination reactions, catalyzed by Cp₂ZrCl₂.     

Thermodynamic study of a series lithium β-diketonates

Thermal behaviour of a series of lithium β-diketonates: Li(dpm) (dpm=dipivaloylmethanate (2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5- dionate)), Li(pta) (pta=pivaloyltrifluoracetonate (2,2-dimethyl-6,6,6-trifluoro-3,5-hexanedionate)), Li(tfa) (tfa=trifluoracetylacetonate (1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentandionate)), Li(hfa) (hfa=hexafluoracetylacetonate (1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentandionate)) has been investigated. Gas phase composition of these complexes has been established. Temperature dependences of vapor pressure of lithium compounds were obtained by static and dynamic methods, and thermodynamic parameters were calculated. Dependence of compound volatility on ligand structure is shown. For Li(dpm) detailed investigation has been done by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).     

Coherent effects in energy transport in model dendritic structures investigated by ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy spectroscopy

Measurements of ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy decay in model branched dendritic molecules of different symmetry are reported. These molecules contain the fundamental branching center units of larger dendrimer macromolecules with either three (C(3))- or four (T(d), tetrahedral)-fold symmetry. The anisotropy for a tetrahedral system is found to decay on a subpicosecond time scale (880 fs). This decay can be qualitatively explained by F?rster-type incoherent energy migration between chromophores. Alternatively, for a nitrogen-centered trimer system, the fluorescence anisotropy decay time (35 fs) is found to be much shorter than that of the tetramers, and the decay cannot be attributed to an incoherent hopping mechanism. In this case, a coherent interchromophore energy transport mechanism should be considered. The mechanism of the ultrafast energy migration process in the branched systems is interpreted by use of a phenomenological quantum mechanical model, which examines the two extreme cases of incoherent and coherent interactions.     

Mixed nitrosyl/phosphinidene and nitrene/phosphinidene clusters of ruthenium

Reaction of the aminophosphinidene complex [Ru5(CO)15(mu 4-PNPri2)] 1 with [PPN][NO2] (PPN = Ph3P=N=PPh3) led to the mixed nitrosyl/phosphinidene cluster complex [PPN][Ru5(CO)13(mu-NO)(mu 4-PNPri2)] 2 which is transformed into the novel nitrene/phosphinidene cluster [Ru5(CO)10(mu-CO)2(mu 3-CO)(mu 4-NH)(mu 3-PNPri2)] 3 via treatment with triflic acid.     

Biophysical characterization of complexation of DNA with block copolymers of poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate, poly(ethylene oxide), and poly(propylene oxide)

The interactions of DNA (salmon testes) with two new cationic block copolymers made of poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate and poly(ethylene oxide), PEO-pDMAEMA, or poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide), L92-pDMAEMA, were studied with the aim to understand their different in vitro transfection efficiencies when used as nonviral delivery vectors. PEO-pDMAEMA does not show surface activity while L92-pDMAEMA is as surface active as its parent Pluronic L92. Surface tension, titration microcalorimetry, ethidium bromide displacement, and zeta-potential measurements were carried out in phosphate buffers at pH 5 and 7. The association of L92-pDMAEMA with DNA was strongly exothermic at both pHs; the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) corresponded to a N/P ratio of 0.3, the maximum energy evolved was reached for N/P ratios of 0.82 and 1.27 at pH 5 and pH 7, respectively, and the saturation occurred for N/P ratios close to 2. The presence of L92 in the structure of this new block copolymer apparently did not modify the thermodynamic parameters of the interaction with DNA. In contrast, the interaction with PEO-pDMAEMA was significantly less exothermic, and CAC and saturation occurred for N/Ps equal to 0.43 and 1.37, respectively. The strong affinity of L92-pDMAEMA for DNA was reflected in its capacity to displace ethidium bromide and in the jump in the values of the zeta potential when N/P is near 1. Above the N/P ratio at which electroneutral polyplexes are formed, only at pH 5 an excess of L92-pDMAEMA is incorporated in the complexes, resulting in positively charged complexes. The profile of the zeta-potential values obtained for mixtures of L92-pDMAEMA with Pluronic P123 showed a shift to a lower N/P ratio, owing to an easier interaction of L92-pDMAEMA molecules with DNA in the presence of P123. Additionally, a visual inspection of the systems indicates that P123 contributes to stabilize/solubilize the DNA/cationic polymer aggregates, by avoiding the typical phase separation near the charge neutralization point. The information obtained can be particularly useful to optimize the conditions to form efficient polyplexes for gene delivery systems.     

A Watersoluble Sulfonatomethylated Calix[4]resorcinarene as Artificial Receptor of Metal Complexes

The binding of different sized and shaped metal complexes [Co(His)₂]ClO₄(1), [Co(en)₂C₂O₄]Cl (2) and [K18-crown-6]SCN (3)(en-ethylendiamine, His-L-histidynate-anion) with a new tetrasulfonatomethylcalix[4]resorcinarene([H₈X]Na4) was investigated in neutral and alkaline aqueous media by NMR and pH-metrictitration methods and compared with those of recently studied NMe₄Br (4). The resultsobtained indicate that the outer-sphere coordination of complexes 1–3 by[H₈X]^4- proceeds via the interaction of hydrophobic fragments of the guestswith both the negatively charged rim and the hydrophobic cavity as a -base. Thenature of binding does not change for cations 1, 2 and 4 on going from[H₈X]^4- in neutral to [H₄X]^8- in alkaline media, while the inclusionof 3 decreases on going from [H₈X]^4- to [H₄X]^8-.     

Metal-templated diyne cyclodimerization and cyclotrimerization

Reaction of [Pt(CH3)2(COD)] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with Ph2PCCCCPPh2 led to a mixture of [{Pt(CH3)2}2(mu-Ph2PC4PPh2)2] (1) and [{Pt(CH3)2}3(mu-Ph2PC4PPh2)3] (2). Reaction of [PtCl2(COD)] with Ph2PCCCCPPh2 led to a mixture of the thermally unstable compounds [{PtCl2}2(mu-Ph2PC4PPh2)2] (3) and [{PtCl2}3(mu-Ph2PC4PPh2)3] (4) which transform into [{PtMe2}2{mu-C8(PPh2)4}] (5) and [{PtMe2}3{mu3-C12(PPh2)6}] (6) containing 8-membered diene-diyne and 12-membered triene-triyne rings, respectively. Compound 2 can be converted to [{PtMe2}3{C12(PPh2)6}] (7) by heating with CuCl at 80 degrees C, while 1 can be heated without significant cycloaddition.     

Micellization and catalytic activity of the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-Brij 97-water mixed micellar system

Surface tension measurements and the kinetic study of the basic hydrolysis of ethyl p-nitrophenyl chloromethyl phosphonate were used to examine the structural behavior and catalytic activity of the cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-polyoxyethylene (10) oleyl ether, C(18)H(35)(OCH(2)CH(2))(10)OH (Brij 97)-water mixed micellar system. Application of the regular solution model to the experimental data yields the value of the interaction parameter beta as -4.6, which indicates an attractive interaction of the surfactants in the mixed micelle and reflects synergistic solution behavior of the mixture. The mixed micellar composition is found to be enriched in the surfactant with the lower critical micelle concentration (cmc). In the kinetic study a nonmonotonic change in the pseudo-first-order rate constant of basic hydrolysis of the substrate is observed with increasing mole fraction of nonionic surfactant. The pseudophase micellar model reveals that the concentration factor mainly contributes to the catalytic effect, while the microenvironmental factor plays a negative role.