3,7-Dioxaazelaamides as Ionophores for Lithium Ion Selective Liquid Membrane Electrodes

Lipophilic neutral carriers were synthesized which show Li⁺/Na⁺ selectivities of up to ca. 80 in highly lipophilic liquid membranes. The sensor membranes exhibit improved response times and increased lifetimes as compared to systems described earlier. They allow reliable measurements of Li⁺ in blood serum within the clinical concentration range. A 1:1 Li⁺/ionophore complex of one representative (N,N,N′,N′-tetracyclohexyl-5,5-dimethyl-3,7-dioxaazelaamide) has been prepared, and its structure was elucidated by X-ray analysis.     

Synthèse d'hétérocycles en catalyse par transfert de phase

A general study of the chemical behavior of heterocyclic anions, dianions and dianionic reagents under phase transfer catalysis conditions allowed us to synthesize various heterocyclic compounds such as imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole and derivatives; imidazo[2,1-b]thiazine and imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazepine. Reaction conditions e.g., catalyst, solvent, temperature, etc., are indicated.     

Alkylation d'anions ambidents en catalyse par transfert de phase. Cas des hydroxypyridines

Alkylation of ambident-anions derived from 2- and 4-pyridones yield by phase transfer catalysis, 80% of N-substitution and 20% of O-substitution. Change of salts, solvents, temperature and alkyl halide do not interfere very much with the N- and O-alkylation percentage of substitution. Overall yields range from 40 to 80% with primary or secondary alkyl halides.     

Ordered micro/mesoporous composite prepared as thin films

A new synthesis method for preparation of thin films and powders consisting of zeolite beta nanocrystals embedded in ordered mesoporous silica matrix is described. The final structures possessing bimodal porosity, i.e., high degree of mesophase order and spatially defined microporous zeolite nanocrystals are obtained via simultaneous solvent evaporation of preformed silica/surfactant/ethanol/nanosized zeolite beta assemblies. The films were characterized with grazing-incident diffraction (GID), nitrogen sorption based on gravimetric measurements with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) devices, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is shown that the incorporation of beta nanocrystals in the mesoporous silica matrix and the mesophase order itself can be controlled through the variation of the fractional amounts of the zeolite nanoparticles and silica/surfactant solutions. The HR-TEM measurements showed that the nanosized Beta microporous crystals are separated and at the same time connected through an ordered mesostructured matrix.     

Les reactions de transposition photochimique en serie heterocyclique—IV: Photo-isomerisation des phenyl-methyl thiazoles et isothiazoles isomeres

The photochemical behaviour of twelve phenylmethylthiazole isomers is identical to that of non-methylated products. Thus, in order of decreasing reactivity we have: 2-phenylthiazole or 5-phenylisothiazole > 5-phenylthiazole or 3-phenylisothiazole > 4-phenylthiazole or 4-phenylisothiazole. The two latter undergo photoisomerization only to a slight extent.Most of the rearranged compounds (95%) are formed either by a valence bond isomerization mechanism via bicyclic intermediates where the phenyl group is conjugated to the cycle, or by the Kellogg mechanism, through a 180° rotation around the bonds adjacent to the sulphur atom.These results have furthermore allowed us to confirm the selective action of iodine in these isomerization reactions.     

Glass and polymeric membrane electrodes for the measurement of pH in milk and cheese

While there is a considerable interest in the food industry in determining various analytes using ion-selective electrodes (ISEs), only few reports describe their use for direct measurements in food. In this study, the suitability of glass electrodes and ionophore-based solvent polymeric ISEs for the determination of pH in Process cheese, Cheddar cheese and milk was investigated. The liquid junction potential between a 3 M KCl bridge electrolyte and diluted as well as undiluted Process cheese was found to be negligible. Reference electrodes with ceramic plug and sleeve-type junctions performed well, although precautions needed to be taken to prevent plugging at the junctions. While the protein rennet casein posed no problems in pH measurements, the extraction of neutral lipophilic compounds or hydrophobic peptides into solvent polymeric membranes was evident, resulting in some loss of selectivity for monovalent cations upon exposure to cheese. However, it was found that ISEs based on tridodecylamine (R₃N) as ionophore and o-nitrophenyl octyl ether (oNPOE) as plasticizer can be used to accurately measure the pH of milk and, after desensitization of the electrodes in a cheese emulsion, of diluted Process cheese. Since pH measurements with a glass electrode showed that emulsions of cheese moderately diluted to a cheese content of 70% have the same pH as undiluted cheeses, it is possible to determine the pH in cheese with ionophore-based ISEs. R₃N membranes also performed well in undiluted milk.