Experimental investigation for stability and surface properties of TiO2 and Al2O3 water-based nanofluids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Nanofluids have gained recent attention because of their potential applications in diverse engineering fields like enhancing thermal transport,...     

Water-soluble silica-overcoated CdS:Mn/ZnS semiconductor quantum dots

Highly luminescent and photostable CdS:Mn/ZnS core/shell quantum dots are not water soluble because of their hydrophobicity. To create water-soluble quantum dots by an appropriate surface functionalization, CdS:Mn/ZnS quantum dots synthesized in a water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion system (reverse micelles) were consecutively overcoated with a very thin silica layer ( approximately 2.5 nm thick) within the same reverse micellar system. The water droplet serves as a nanosized reactor for the controlled hydrolysis and condensation of a silica precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), using an ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) catalyst. Structural characterizations with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that the silica-quantum dot nanocomposites consist of a layered structure. Owing to the amorphous, porous nature of a silica layer, the optical and photophysical properties of silica-overcoated CdS:Mn/ZnS quantum dots are found to remain close to those of uncoated counterparts.     

Nonfactorization and the decaysD s +→φπ +,φρ + andφl + ν l

Using the experimentally measured values ofx=A ₂(0)/A ₁(0) andy=V(0)/A ₁(0) and the measured ratiosR _st=Γ(D _s ⁺ →φl ⁺ ν _l)/Γ(D _ins ⁺ →φπ ⁺) andR _h=Γ(D _s ⁺ →φρ ⁺)/Γ(D _s ⁺ →φπ ⁺), we present evidence for significant nonfactorization contribution in the decay amplitude forD _s ⁺ →φπ ⁺. We analyze the role of nonfactorization inD _s ⁺ →φρ ⁺ and conclude that present data onR _h are consistent with factorization inD _s ⁺ →φρ ⁺. A measurement of polarization inD _s ⁺ →φρ ⁺ would greatly assist our analysis.     

The first, discrete Zn4 tetrahedron with a selenium atom in the center: x-ray structure and solution study of [Zn4(mu4-Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6

The first discrete, selenium-centered tetranuclear zinc cluster [Zn4(mu4-Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6] was isolated and characterized. The cluster consists of six edge-bridged dsep ligands with four zinc atoms in a slightly distorted tetrahedron and a mu4-Se atom in the center. In addition, 12 mu2-bridging selenium atoms form a Se12 icosahedron. From variable-temperature 31P NMR studies, it was observed that the cluster [Zn4(Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6] is partly decomposed to [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2] and the monomeric species [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2] is further in equilibrium with its dimer [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2]2.     

Ionic liquid–modified cellulosic hydrogels for loading and sustained release of selenourea: an ensuing inhibition of tyrosinase activity

Cellulose-based hydrogel materials were prepared and modified with tannic acid and l-methionine using ionic liquid as the solvent. The gels were prepared to develop a sustained release medium for selenourea (SeU). The drug delivery characteristics of selenourea-loaded cellulose (CSeU), selenourea-loaded tannic acid-modified cellulose (CTSeU), and selenourea-loaded L-methionine-modified cellulose (CMSeU) were investigated in aqueous media and simulated gastric fluid (SGF) media. This modified gel beads have been characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis and swelling properties and compared with those of the unmodified ones. We also investigated the inhibitory effects of SeU released from these gels on the activity of mushroom tyrosinase. Out of all the gel materials, CTSeU showed maximum SeU release both in water and SGF media. However, tyrosinase inhibitory action in PBS medium was comparable for all the three gel materials.     

Paramagnetic ruthenium(III) cyclometallated complex. Synthesis, spectroscopic studies and electron-transfer properties

The reaction of Ru^II(PPh₃)₃X₂ (X = Cl, Br) with o-(OH)C₆H₄C(H)=N-CH₂C₆H₅ (HL) under aerobic conditions affords Ru^II(L)₂(PPh₃)₂, 1, in which both the ligands (L) are bound to the metal center at the phenolic oxygen (deprotonated) and azomethine nitrogen and Ru^III(L¹)(L²)(PPh₃), 2, in which one L is in bidentate N,O form like in complex 1 and the other ligand is in tridentate C,N,O mode where cyclometallation takes place from the ortho carbon atom (deprotonated) of the benzyl amine fragment. The complex 1 is unstable in solution, and undergoes spontaneous oxidative internal transformation to complex 2. In solid state upon heating, 1 initially converts to 2 quantitatively and further heating causes the rearrangement of complex 2 to the stable RuL₃ complex. The presence of symmetry in the diamagnetic, electrically neutral complex 1 is confirmed by ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. It exhibits an Ru^II → L, MLCT transition at 460 nm and a ligand based transition at 340 nm. The complex 1 undergoes quasi-reversible ruthenium(II)—ruthenium(III) oxidation at 1.27V vs. SCE. The one-electron paramagnetic cyclometallated ruthenium(III) complex 2 displays an L → Ru^III, LMCT transition at 658 nm. The ligand based transition is observed to take place at 343 nm. The complex 2 shows reversible ruthenium(III)—ruthenium(IV) oxidation at 0.875V and irreversible ruthenium(III)—ruthenium(II) reduction at −0.68V vs. SCE. It exhibits a rhombic EPR spectrum, that has been analysed to furnish values of axial (6560 cm⁻¹) and rhombic (5630 cm⁻¹) distortion parameters as well as the energies of the two expected ligand field transitions (3877 cm⁻¹ and 9540 cm⁻¹) within the t₂ shell. One of the transitions has been experimentally observed in the predicted region (9090 cm⁻¹). The first order rate constants at different temperatures and the activation parameter ΔH^#/ΔS^# values of the conversion process of 1 → 2 have been determined spectrophotometrically in chloroform solution.     

Use of allylzinc halide as a source of halide: Differential addition of nucleophiles to Ts-aziridines and aldehydes under similar reaction conditions

We have observed that the allylic zinc halide under identical reaction conditions acts in different modes for different electrophiles. For Ts-aziridines the halide part of the allylic halide has been introduced as a nucleophile and for the carbonyl compounds the simple allylation reaction occurs. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report where the allylic zinc halide is the source of halide acting as nucleophile. The main advantages of the present procedure are easy to handle, no need of inert atmosphere, mild reaction conditions, and applicability to a wide variety of substrates for aziridines and carbonyl compounds.     

Ru(II)‐based antineoplastic: A “wingtip” N‐heterocyclic carbene facilitates access to a new class of organometallics that are cytotoxic to common cancer cell lines

The syntheses, structures, and chemotherapeutic activities of Ag(I)‐, Au(I)‐, and Ru(II)‐complexes ligated to a novel N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand, 2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridin‐2‐ylidene ( 1 ), are described. The corresponding complexes, [Ag( 1 )₂][PF₆], [Au( 1 )₂][PF₆] ( 3 ), and [Ru( 1 )(p‐cymene)Cl][PF₆] ( 4 ), were prepared using convenient transmetallation chemistry and characterized using a range of spectroscopic and analytical techniques. X‐ray crystallography revealed that complexes 2 and 3 adopted linear structures whereas 4 exhibited a prototypical “piano‐stool”‐like geometry; the structural assignments were further supported by DFT calculations. A series of in vitro studies revealed that while the aforementioned Ag(I), Au(I) and Ru(II) complexes exhibited significant cytotoxicities against the human colon adenocarcinoma (HCT 116), lung cancer (A549), and breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines, the Ru derivative was most prominent.