Al Electrode Modified by Au Atoms as a Novel Electrode for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Thiosulfate

An aluminum electrode modified with gold atoms was introduced as a novel electrode. Gold atoms were deposited both chemically and electrochemically onto the aluminum electrode to make an aluminum/gold (Al/Au) modified electrode (ME). The experimental results showed that the Al/Au modified electrode prepared by chemical deposition, exhibits much more current than the electrochemical deposition method. The electrochemical behavior of the Al/Au modified electrode was studied by cyclic voltammometry. This modified electrode showed two pairs of peaks, a₁c₁ and a₂c₂, with surface‐confined characteristics in a 0.5 M phosphate buffer. The dependence of E_pa of the second peak (a₂c₂) on pH shows a Nernestian behavior with a slope of 55 mV per unit pH. The effect of different supporting electrolytes, solution's pH and different scan rates on electrochemical behavior of Al/Au modified electrode was studied. Au deposited electrochemically on a Pt electrode (Pt/Au) was also used as another modified electrode. A comparative study of electrochemical behavior of bare Al, Pt/Au and Al/Au modified electrodes showed that both Pt/Au and Al/Au electrodes have the ability of electrocatalytic oxidation of S₂O₃^2?, but the electrocatalytic oxidation on the latter was better than the former. The kinetics of the catalytic reaction was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The average value of the rate constant for the catalytic reaction and the diffusion coefficient were evaluated by means of chronoamperometry technique.     

1,3-Migration of Trimethylsilyl Group from Carbon to Oxygen in Highly Sterically Hindered Silanol of the Type (Me 3 Si) 3 CSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )MeOH and Reaction of the Related Iodide with Iodine Monochloride and Iodine Monobromide

The silanol (Me 3 Si) 3 CSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )MeOH has been shown to isomerize to (Me 3 Si) 2 CHSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ) when it was kept at room temperature for 10 h in 0.2 M NaOMe/MeOH. Corresponding isomerizations of the above silanol (to give (Me 3 Si) 2 CHSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p ) (Me)(OSiMe 3 )) are complete after 26 h under reflux in pyridine. The reaction involve 1,3-migration from carbon to oxygen within a silanolate ion to give a carbanion, which rapidly acquires a proton from the solvent. Treatment of (Me 3 Si) 3 CSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )MeOH with MeLi in Et 2 O/THF give, by the same rearrangement, the organolithium reagent (Me 3 Si) 2 CLiSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ) which on treatment with Me 2 SiHCl gives (Me 3 Si) 2 C(SiMe 2 H)Si(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ) and (Me 3 Si) 2 CHSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ). When the experiment was repeated, but with Me 3 SiCl in place of Me 2 SiHCl, it gives exclusively (Me 3 Si) 2 CHSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ). Treatment of the organolithium reagent (Me 3 Si) 2 CLiSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ) with Mel gives exclusively (Me 3 Si) 2 CMeSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )(Me)(OSiMe 3 ). The related iodide (Me 3 Si) 3 CSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )Mel reacts with ICI and IBr to give rearranged (Me 3 Si) 2 C(SiMe 2 X)Si(C 6 H 4 Me- p )Me 2 and unrearranged products (Me 3 Si) 3 CSi(C 6 H 4 Me- p )MeX, (X = Cl, Br) respectively. The rearranged bromide (Me 3 Si) 2 C(SiMe 2 Br)Si(C 6 H 4 Me- p )Me 2 reacts with a range of silver [I] salts AgY (Y = OOCCH 3 , SO 4 2 m ) and Mercury [II] salt HgY 2 (Y = OOCCH 3 , SO 4 2 m ) in glacial CH 3 COOH to give the corresponding species (Me 3 Si) 2 C(SiMe 2 OOCCH 3 )Si(C 6 H 4 Me- p )Me 2 . The reaction of the bromide with AgBF 4 in MeOH or i -PrOH give the corresponding rearranged products (Me 3 Si) 2 C(SiMe 2 Y)Si(C 6 H 4 Me- p )Me 2 (Y = --OMe, --OPr i ).     

Synthesis of Novel Organosilicon Compounds Possessing Fully Substituted Imidazole Nucleus Sonocatalyzed by Fe-Cu/ZSM-5 Bimetallic Oxides

An efficient four-component synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles is described by one-step condensation of an aldehyde, benzil, ammonium acetate, and primary aromatic amine with nanostructure Fe-Cu/ZSM-5 bimetallic oxides in water under ultrasonic irradiation. The short reaction time, good yields, environmental friendly procedure, mild reaction conditions, and convenient operation are important advantage of this protocol. The products generated during the study have been utilized as substrates for synthesis of organosilicon-containing imidazoles. Synthesis of tris(triorganosilyl)methylimidazole derivatives were carried out using organolithium reagent (Me₃Si)₃CLi, prepared via metalation of (Me₃Si)₃CH with methyllithium in tetrahydrofuran, in excellent yields.     

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Novel Benzofuran Derivatives by Euparin as a Natural Compound with DMAD in the Presence of Trialkyl Phosphite

An efficient, simple, and diastereoselective synthesis of novel benzofuran phosphonato ester derivatives has been achieved via a one‐pot three‐component reaction of euparin as a natural product, trialkyl phosphate, and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) in diethyl ether without using any catalyst at room temperature. NMR spectroscopic data and X‐ray crystallography analysis are in agreement with the anti arrangement for the two vicinal protons in the structures, and only one diastereoisomer (2S,3R) or (2R,3S) was obtained for the products. The advantage of our research is that this is the first report for the diastereoselective synthesis of phosphonato ester derivatives from a green natural product. This one‐pot reaction occurs in high yields with easy work‐up under mild conditions. All pure products were obtained by recrystallization from ethanol, and there was no need for column chromatography.     

Hysteretic vortex pinning in superconductor-ferromagnet nanocomposites

This Letter reports the observation of hysteresis in the vortex pinning in a superconductor-ferromagnetic epitaxial nanocomposite consisting of fcc Gd particles incorporated in a Nb matrix. We show that this hysteretic pinning is associated with magnetic reversal losses in the Gd particles and is fundamentally different in origin to pinning interactions previously observed for ferromagnetic particles or other microstructural features.     

Preparation of aryl azides of aryl boronic acids and one-pot synthesis of 1,4-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles by a magnetic cysteine functionalized GO–CuI/II nanocomposite

A mixed Cu^I/Cu^IIcatalyst based on magnetic cysteine functionalized graphene oxide (Cu^I/II@Cys-MGO) was prepared and used for the azidonation reaction of aryl boronic acids and one-pot synthesis of 1,4-diaryl −1,2,3-triazoles. Aryl azides were obtained in good yields and short reaction times via cross-coupling of aryl boronic acids with sodium azide in the presence of Cu^II catalytic species in this catalytic system. The azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction was catalyzed by CuI catalytic species in Cu^I/^II@Cys-MGO nanocomposite.     

Fabrication of poly(ϵ-caprolactone)/paclitaxel (core)/chitosan/zein/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/doxorubicin (shell) nanofibers against MCF-7 breast cancer

In the present study, paclitaxel (PTX), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and doxorubicin (DOX) have been simultaneously doped into the poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL)/chitosan/zein core-shell nanofibers to increase its cytotoxicity for MCF-7 breast cancers killing. The physico-chemical properties of synthesized nanofibers were determined by scanning electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile strength, and degradation rate determinations. The in vitro release studies demonstrated the sustained release of drugs from core-shell nanofibrous scaffold. The cytotoxicity and compatibility of core-shell nanofibers were investigated by their treating with MCF-7 breast cancer cells and L929 normal cells, respectively. PCL/PTX/chitosan/zein/MWCNTs/DOX core-shell nanofibers containing 1 wt% MWCNTs, 100 μg ml⁻¹ DOX and 100 μg ml⁻¹ PTX had a high biocompatibility with a 84% MCF-7 cancer cells killing. The in vivo studies revealed the synergic effects of MWCNTs and anticancer drugs on the tumor inhibition. This method could be considered as a new way for developing of MWCNTs loaded-nanofibers for cancer treatment in future.     

Accelerating the electron transfer of choline oxidase using ionic-liquid/NH2-MWCNTs nano-composite

A nano-composite consisting of amine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a room temperature ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) was prepared and used for modification of glassy carbon electrode. By immobilizing choline oxidase (ChOx) on the modified electrode, the enzyme direct electron transfer has been achieved. The modified electrode exhibited a pair of well-defined cyclic voltammetric peaks at a formal potential of ?0.395?V versus Ag/AgCl in 0.2?M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0. This peak was characteristic of ChOx-FAD/FADH₂ redox couple. The electrochemical parameters such as charge transfer coefficient (??) and apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k _s) were estimated to be 0.36 and 2.74?s^?1, respectively. When the enzyme electrode was examined for the detection of choline, a relatively high sensitivity (2.59???A?mM^?1) was obtained. Under the optimized experimental conditions, choline was detected in the concentration range from 6.9?×?10^?3 to 6.7?×?10^?1?mM with a detection limit of 2.7???M. The peak currents of ChOx were reasonably stable and retained 90% of its initial current after a period of 2?months.     

In vitro selection and characterization of deoxyribonucleic acid aptamers for digoxin

The low therapeutic index of digoxin necessitates careful monitoring of its serum levels. Most of digoxin immunoassays suffer from interferences with digoxin-like immunoreactive substances. Since aptamers have been shown to be highly specific for their targets, the aim of this study was to develop DNA aptamers for this widely used cardiac glycoside. Digoxin was coated onto the surface of streptavidin magnetic beads. DNA aptamers against digoxin were designed using Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment method (SELEX) by 11 iterative rounds of incubation of digoxin-coated streptavidin magnetic beads with synthetic DNA library, DNA elution, electrophoresis and PCR amplification. The PCR product was cloned and sequenced. Binding affinity was determined using digoxin–BSA conjugate, coated onto ELISA plate. Inhibitory effect of anti-digoxin aptamer was conducted using isolated guinea-pig atrium. Three aptamers (D1, D2 and D3) were identified. Binding studies of fluorescein-labeled truncated (without primer binding region) D1 and D2 and full length D1 anti-digoxin aptamers were performed and their corresponding dissociation constants values were 8.2 × 10⁻⁹, 44.0 × 10⁻⁹ and 17.8 × 10⁻⁹ M, respectively. This is comparable to what other workers have obtained for interaction of monoclonal antibodies raised against digoxin. There was little difference in binding affinity between full length and truncated anti-digoxin D1 aptamer. D1 anti-digoxin aptamer also inhibited the effects of digoxin on the isolated guinea-pig atrium. D1 anti-digoxin aptamer distinguished between digoxin and ouabain in both tissue study and binding experiments. Our finding indicated that D1 anti-digoxin aptamer can selectively bind to digoxin. Further studies might show its suitability for use in digoxin assays and as a therapeutic agent in life-threatening digoxin toxicity.