Oxidation of isoniazid by quinolinium dichromate in an aqueous acid medium and kinetic determination of isoniazid in pure and pharmaceutical formulations.

The kinetics of oxidation of isoniazid in acidic medium was studied spectrophotometrically. The reaction between QDC and isoniazid in acid medium exhibits (4:1) stoichiometry (QDC:isoniazid). The reaction showed first order kinetics in quinolinium dichromate (QDC) concentration and an order of less than unity in isoniazid (INH) and acid concentrations. The oxidation reaction proceeds via a protonated QDC species, which forms a complex with isoniazid. The latter decomposes in a slow step to give a free radical derived from isoniazid and an intermediate chromium(V), which is followed, by subsequent fast steps to give the products. The reaction constants involved in the mechanism are evaluated. Isoniazid was analyzed by kinetic methods in pure and pharmaceutical formulations.     

A Pilot Survey of Vocal Health in Young Singers

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of vocal problems in young choir singers and to correlate vocal problems with demographic and behavioral information. A questionnaire addressing vocal habits and hygiene was offered to 571 young choir singers, up to 25 years of age, who sing at least weekly; 129 (22.6%) responded. More than one-half of the respondents had experienced vocal difficulty, particularly older adolescents. Detrimental behaviors and circumstances surveyed were not reflective of the incidence of vocal difficulty, except for morning hoarseness, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and female gender after puberty. Voice care professionals should be aware that self-reported voice difficulties are common among young choral singers, especially postpubescent girls, and children with symptoms consistent with reflux (morning hoarseness) and emotional stress (insomnia). Laryngologists should communicate with choral conductors and singing teachers to enhance early identification and treatment of children with voice complaints, and to develop choral educational strategies that help decrease their incidence.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline doped with organic acids

Spectroscopic [UV–visible and Fourier transform IR (FTIR)] and thermal properties of chemically synthesized polyanilines are found to be affected by varying the protonation media (acetic, citric, oxalic, and tartaric acid). The optical spectra show the presence of a greater fraction of fully oxidized insulating pernigraniline phase in polyaniline doped with acetic acid. In contrast, the selectivity in the formation of the conducting phase is higher in oxalic acid as a protonic acid media. The FTIR spectra of these polymers reveal a higher ratio of the relative intensities of the quinoid to benzenoid ring modes in acetic acid doped polyaniline. Scanning electron micrographs revealed a sponge‐like structure derived from the aggregation of the small granules in acetic acid and oxalic acid doped polyaniline. A three‐step decomposition pattern is observed in all the polymers, regardless of the protonic acid used for the doping. The second step loss related to the loss of dopant is found to be higher in the oxalic acid doped polymer. In accordance with these results the conductivity is also found to be higher in oxalic acid doped material. The temperature dependent conductivity measurements show the thermal activated behavior in all the polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2043–2049, 2004     

Structural study and electrical properties of Zr-doped Nd<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> pyrochlore compounds

Nd₂Sn₂O₇ pyrochlores with the substitution of Zr⁴⁺ were prepared by conventional ceramic double sintering technique. The single-phase formation was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction techniques. Relative intensity calculations for X-ray diffraction analysis were performed for oxygen positional parametersx = 0.331 and 0.375, while Rietveld refinements were employed for neutron diffraction data. The neutron diffraction study revealed that there are only two anion sites with 48f and 8b positions. This indicates that the 8a site, i.e. O(3) sublattice, is completely vacant and the structure is a perfect cubic pyrochlore with space group Fd3m (O _h ⁷ ). From the conductivity measurements, it is observed that the electronic conductivity dominates from room temperature up to about 525 K and forT > 525 K, the oxygen ion conduction dominates the charge transport in these compositions. Complex impedance spectroscopy indicates the existence of grain and grain boundary as two separate elements.     

Excellent diastereoselective allylation of camphor derived glyoxylic oxime ethers mediated by a Lewis acid

The nucleophilic allylation of camphor derived glyoxylic oxime ethers was carried out using allyltributyltin in the presence of Sn(OTf)₂ affording the corresponding homoallylic amines in high chemical yields (up to 94%) and excellent stereoselectivities (up to >99%).     

An efficient two-step synthesis of 3-allylindoles

A two-step synthetic sequence for an efficient synthesis of 3-allylindoles is described.     

Transport of gases in aromatic polyesters: Correlation with WAXD studies

Polymer packing density can be conveniently measured by either density-based measurements (direct or estimated free volume) or wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) spectra. Previously reported diffusivity and permeability values for various polyarylates and polyimides are examined on the basis of the packing density measured by these different techniques. It is shown that in these rigid glassy polymers, the mean intersegmental distance, the d-spacing, obtained from WAXD provides a better measure of the effect of polymer packing on diffusivity than either direct density measurements or estimated free volumes. It has been possible to correlate previously reported diffusivity and sorption data for various polyarylates and polycarbonate on the basis of the WAXD investigation, using the d-spacing and the amorphous peak width, respectively. The effect of polyarylate structure on d-spacing has been studied. A series of polyarylates have been synthesized with different substituents on the bridge carbon. In this series the d-spacing remains constant while the carbonyl group density and the glass transition temperatures are varied. However, small substituents on the aromatic ring cause significant changes in the d-spacing. These results can be used to tailor polyarylates with desired intersegmental distances and chain flexibility.     

Valence band and chemical interactions of Zn/CdSnAs2 interfaces

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) together with argon ion sputtering was used to investigate the interface of the Zn/CdSnAs₂ system at various temperatures. The formation of an intermediate compound between Zn and As is proposed. The surface enrichment of Cd and Sn at 200 and 400°C is explained in terms of bond breaking and lattice strain theories.NCL Communication No. 4352