Development of Poly(ethylene glycol) Based Amphiphilic Copolymers for Controlled Release Delivery of Carbofuran

The formation of micelles in a solvent that is selective for one of the blocks is one of the most important and useful properties of block copolymers. We had synthesized copolymers of polyethylene glycol and various dimethyl esters, which self assemble into nano micellar aggregates in aqueous media. In the present work, we have utilized these nano micelles for the encapsulation of carbofuran, [2,3–dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate], a systemic insecticide-nematicide, for the development of controlled release formulation.     

Effect of the structures of microemulsions on chemical reactions

Two kinds of chemical reactions were studied in two different microemulsion systems: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/1-butanol/10 and 25% n-octane/water and sodium dodecyl sulfonate/1-butanol/20% styrene/water. One reaction is a hydrolysis reaction, in which aspirin and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene were used as the hydrolysis substrates. The second reaction is the polymerization of styrene, which was initiated by using two initiators, water-soluble K₂S₂O₈ and oil-soluble 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile), and, at the same time, the polymerization of acrylamide, which was initiated by NaHSO₃, was also studied. All the hydrolysis reaction experimental results show that the hydrolysis is greatly affected by the structures and the structural transitions of microemulsions. The hydrolysis rates are higher in water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion media and decrease with the addition of water. The rates increase in bicontinuous (BC) microemulsions and decrease in oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions. The transition points of the hydrolysis rates occurred at the two microemulsion structural transition points from W/O to BC and from BC to O/W. The polymerization relationships between the conversions of styrene, the molecular weights of polystyrene and the water contents of the microemulsion system were obtained. The effects of microemulsion structures on the sizes of the polystyrene particles and on the molecular weights of the polymers are discussed. Polystyrene particles with diameters of 10–60 nm were observed by microscopy. Our experimental polymerization results show that microemulsions are suitable as media for the production of polymers, the molecular weights and the particle sizes of which can be controlled and predicted by variations in microemulsion structures. Received: 11 July 1999/Accepted: 26 July 1999     

Simplified method for the determination of residues of carbofuran and its metabolites in crops using gas-liquid chromatography-mass fragmentography

The gas-liquid chromatographie behaviour of 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate (carbofuran), its 3-keto-, and 3-hydroxy-derivatives, their respective phenolic hydrolysis products and the heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) derivatives of the carbamates and phenols were studied by examining the column effluent using chemical ionization mass spectrometry. In contrast to the behaviour of the carbamates, their HFB derivatives consistently produced ions having intensities proportional to the quantities injected. The common base-peak ion at 228 a.m.u. was used to quantitate these materials at the 0.02–1 ppm level in field-treated carrots, celery, tomatoes and corn with minimal sample preparation.     

Comparative evaluation of the effects of pesticides in acute toxicity luminescence bioassays

Acute toxicity of pesticides in water was assessed singly and in mixtures using the responses of the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri (BioTox™), the aquatic invertebrate Daphnia magna (Daphtoxkit™), and the MitoScan™ assay. The latter utilized fragmented mitochondria to enzymatically convert β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) to its oxidized form, NAD⁺. The rate of the conversion being sensitive to type and concentration of toxicants. The pesticides tested were Carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate), Cyromazine (N-cyclopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine), Fenamiphos (ethyl 4-methylthio-m-tolyl isopropylphosphoramidate), and Formetanate (3-dimethylaminomethyleneiminophenyl methylcarbamate). The toxicity bioassays were characterized in terms of relative sensitivity, reproducibility, range of the linear response, and the ability to reveal synergistic/antagonistic interactions among toxicants. The D. magna assay was the most sensitive and best able to detect toxic interactions of mixtures. Also, unlike the other assays used, the response of the daphnid system was linear over a 10-fold change in pesticide concentration. Relative to the BioTox™, the MitoScan™ was 2- to 11-fold more sensitive for the compounds and mixtures tested. The EC₅₀ reproducibility of all tests was within ±20% coefficient of variation; however, the lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC) were only reproducible to ±35% on average. Cyromazine was the least toxic of the pesticides tested. To test the predictive value of the concept of concentration addition, toxicities of binary and quaternary mixtures of four different pesticides were analyzed. Synergistic/antagonistic responses were most frequently observed in testing with D. magna. Synergistic/antagonistic effects were seen only in 25 and 50% of the cases with the BioTox™ and the MitoScan™ assays, respectively.     

Location of anti-TB drugs and microstructural changes in organized surfactant media using optical properties

Microstructure elucidation is a critical step in the understanding of organized surfactant media such as microemulsions. In this work, a systematic approach for revelation of microstructure changes of Tween 80 microemulsion has been carried out using photophysical properties. Microemulsion structural changes have been monitored using pyrene and different solvatochromic probes for the presence of oil-rich, water-rich, and bicontinuous microstructures. The hydrophobic optical probe, Nile red (NR), has been used to report from the side of the oil-surfactant interface and to complement this, a hydrophilic optical probe tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) dichloride (RC) from the side of the water-surfactant interface. The results show the partitioning of probes into different microenvironments within the system. NR occupies the interface toward the apolar side and RC toward the polar. The analysis also indicates conspicuous dependence of the emission/absorbance behavior of optical probes on the water:surfactant molar ratio (ω). Quantitative estimates have been obtained for the polarities (ET(30)) of solubilization sites of the probes in different regions of microemulsions and are well correlated with a Stokes shift. Lastly, these probes of different solubilities have been used to locate the position of anti-tuberculosis drugs, i.e., rifampicin (hydrophobic), pyrazinamide, and isoniazid (hydrophilic) of variable solubilities loaded in Tween 80 systems.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one

4-Oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-chromen-3-yl acetate is synthesized using manganese(III)acetate starting from 2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one. K₂CO₃ mediated hydrolysis of 4-oxo-3,4-dihdro-2-chromen-3-yl acetate furnished 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one in high yield.The enantioselective hydrolysis of (±)-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-chromen-3-yl acetate in various organic solvent-phosphate buffer (pH7) systems and enantioselective transesterification of (±)-3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one in organic solvents was investigated by screening a range of lipases. The lipase Amano PS, PPL, PLE and CCL-catalyzed asymmetric ester hydrolysis and transesterification afforded the enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one and 4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-chromen-3-yl acetate with high enantiomeric excess (up to 97% ee) and in good yields.     

乙酰水杨酸在微乳液中水解动力学研究

用紫外分光光度法研究了乙酰水杨酸在十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)/正丁醇/25%正辛烷/H2O微乳液体系中水解动力学, 探讨了反应机理。结果表明,微乳液结构和结构转变点对乙酰水杨酸水解有影响。水解速率在油包水(W/O)微乳液结构介质中较大, 且随水含量增加而减小。而水解反应速率转变点发生在微乳液结构由W/O到B. C. 再到O/W转变点处, 认为是水解反应机理不同和界面膜极性改变造成的。     

Structure of biodiesel based bicontinuous microemulsions for environmentally compatible decontamination: A small angle neutron scattering and freeze fracture electron microscopy study

Most toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents are hydrophobic and can only be solubilized in organic solvents. However, most reagents employed for the degradation of these toxic compounds can only be dissolved in water. Hence, microemulsions are auspicious media for the decontamination of a variety of chemical warfare agents and pesticides. They allow for the solubilization of both the lipophilic toxics and the hydrophilic reagent. Alkyl oligoglucosides and plant derived solvents like rapeseed methyl ester enable the formulation of environmentally compatible bicontinuous microemulsions. In the present article the phase behavior of such a microemulsion is studied and the bicontinuous phase is identified. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and freeze fracture electron microscopy (FFEM) measurements are used to characterize the structure of the bicontinuous phase and allow for an estimation of the total internal interface. Moreover, also the influence of the co-surfactant (1-pentanol) on the structural parameters of the bicontinuous phase is studied with SANS.     

Self-assembly in linker-modified microemulsions

Linker molecules are added to microemulsion systems to enhance the interaction between the surfactant and oil (lipophilic linkers) or water (hydrophilic linkers) phases. Previous results suggest that when lipophilic and hydrophilic linkers are combined they behave as a self-assembled surfactant at the oil/water interface. In this work we investigate this self-assembly phenomenon as a function of surfactant, linker and electrolyte concentration. We find that middle phase microemulsion appears at a specific concentration higher than the critical micelle concentration (CMC), which we denote as the critical middle phase microemulsion concentration (CmicroC). When the lipophilic linker dodecanol is added in equimolar ratio to the hydrophilic linker sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonate (SMDNS), the middle phase microemulsion did not appear until the surfactant sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (SDHS) concentration was larger than the CmicroC of the SDHS-alone system. Dodecanol is shown to segregate near the surfactant tails following a Langmuir-type adsorption process. This segregation is not affected by the electrolyte concentration but is significantly reduced when the surfactant (SDHS) concentration approaches the CmicroC. The data suggest that the self-assembly between hydrophilic and lipophilic linkers to form middle phase microemulsions is only possible if a minimum amount of surfactant is present.     

Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of RF-containing 4-quinolones, 8-aza- and 1-thiochromones with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane

Reactions of N-substituted 2-polyfluoroalkyl-4-quinolones and 8-aza-5,7-dimethyl-2-polyfluoroalkylchromones with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane proceed mainly as a 1,4-nucleophilic trifluoromethylation to give N-substituted 2,2-bis(polyfluoroalkyl)-2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones and 5,7-dimethyl-2,2-bis(polyfluoroalkyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyrano[2,3-b]pyridin-4-ones after acid hydrolysis. Similar reaction with 2-trifluoromethyl-4H-thiochromen-4-one proceeds as a 1,2-addition to give 2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4H-thiochromen-4-yl trimethylsilyl ether.     

Heterocyclizations of 1-(Benzothiazol-2-yl)-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide

1-(Benzothiazol-2-yl)-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide reacted with methyl iodide in the presence of sodium acetate in boiling ethanol to give 2,2′-dithiobis[N-(5-methylsulfanyl-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-benzenamine]. The reaction of the title compound with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in dioxane led to the formation of methyl 3-(benzothiazol-2-yl)-2-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-carboxylate.     

Release of nortriptyline hydrochloride from oil-water microemulsions

The release of nortritptyline hydrochloride from oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions (isopropyl myristate as oil, propylene glycol as cosurfactant, polysorbate 80 as surfactant and phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, as the continuous phase) containing increasing concentrations of polyethylene glycol 400, used to facilitate the diffusion of a drug from the inner oily phase of the microemulsion to the outer aqueous phase of such a dispersion system, was studied by determining the permeability constants of the drug through hydrophilic and lipophilic membranes separating the o/w microemulsions from the receiving aqueous phase (phosphate buffer pH 7.4). The permeability of nortriptyline hydrochloride from microemulsions through the lipophilic membrane increased as the concentration of polyethylene glycol 400 in the disperse system increased. The apparent permeability constant for nortriptyline hydrochloride, from the microemulsion without polyethylene glycol, was 1.36 x 10(-3) cm x h(-1), it increased up to 7.80 x 10(-3) cm x h(-1) in the presence of polyethylene glycol at a concentration of 50% (v/v) of the initial volume of the aqueous phase.     

Microemulsion polymerization of acrylamide and styrene: Effect of the structures of reaction media

Isothermal phase diagrams of the system cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/n‐butanol/n‐octane/water were constructed, and the effect of the oil (n‐octane) contents on the microemulsions was studied at 40 °C. We determined the microemulsion structures of two systems, CTAB/n‐butanol/10% n‐octane/water and sodium dodecyl sulfonate (As)/n‐butanol/20% styrene/water, by conductivity measurements to investigate the polymerization of acrylamide and styrene in the two microemulsion systems. The polymerization kinetics of the water‐soluble monomer acrylamide in CTAB micelles and the different CTAB/n‐butanol/10% n‐octane/water microemulsion media [water‐in‐oil (W/O), bicontinuous (BC), and oil‐in‐water (O/W)] were studied with water‐soluble sodium bisulfite as the initiator. The maximum polymerization rate in CTAB micelles was found at the second critical micelle concentration. A mechanism of polyacrylamide formation and growth was proposed. A connection between the structures of the microemulsions and the polymerization rates was observed; the maximum polymerization rate occurred at two transition points, from W/O to BC and from BC to O/W, and the polyacrylamide molecular weights, which depended on the structures of the microemulsions, were also found. A square‐root dependence of the polymerization rates on the initiator concentrations was obtained in CTAB micelles and O/W microemulsion media. The polymerization of the oil‐soluble monomer styrene in different As/n‐butanol/20% styrene/water microemulsion media (W/O, BC, and O/W) was also investigated with different initiators: water‐soluble potassium persulfate and oil‐soluble azobisisobutyronitrile. A similar connection between the structures of the microemulsions and the conversions of styrene in CTAB/n‐butanol/10% n‐octane/water for the polymerization of acrylamide was observed again. The structures of the microemulsions had an important role in the molecular weights and sizes of polystyrene. The polystyrene particles were 10–20 nm in diameter in BC microemulsion media and 30–60 nm in diameter in O/W microemulsion media according to transmission electron microscopy. We determined the solubilization site of styrene in O/W microemulsion drops by ¹H NMR spectra to analyze the results of the microemulsion polymerization of styrene. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3320–3334, 2001     

Organic and bioorganic reactions in microemulsions

During the last two decades reactions in microemulsions have developed into an emerging technology. In most instances oil-continuous microemulsions (w/o systems) have been used and the water droplets have proven useful as “minireactors” for various types of syntheses. This review discusses recent advances in the fields of organic and bioorganic reactions in microemulsions. In preparative organic synthesis microemulsions are of interest to overcome incompatibility problems between nonpolar organic compounds and inorganic salts. For this purpose, microemulsions can be regarded as an alternative to two-phase systems with added phase transfer reagents. Properly formulated microemulsions may also accelerate organic reactions, various mechanisms of such rate enhancements are discussed. Transition from a homogeneous solvent system to a microemulsion may also affect the regioselectivity of organic reactions due to orientation of reactants at the oil-water interface. In bioorganic synthesis, microemulsions are of interest as a reaction medium for several reasons: (i) nonpolar substrates can be dissolved in high concentrations, (ii) thermodynamic equilibria of condensation/hydrolysis reactions can be shifted by adjusting water content, (iii) enzymes are sometimes found to be more stable and more active than in aqueous buffer. Lipases are the most widely used enzymes and reactions have been performed in different types of microemulsion systems. This review presents general aspects of enzymatic catalysis in microemulsions followed by a discussion of recent advances in preparative work focusing on lipase catalyzed processes.     

Recovery of nanoparticles produced in phosphatidylcholine-based template phases

This paper focuses on the characterization and use of polymer-modified phosphatidylcholine (PC)/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-based inverse microemulsions as a template phase for BaSO4 nanoparticle formation. The area of the optically clear inverse microemulsion phase in the isooctane/hexanol/water/PC/SDS system is not significantly changed by adding polyelectrolytes, i.e., poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), or amphoteric copolymers of diallyldimethylammonium chloride and maleamid acid to the SDS-modified inverse microemulsion. Shear experiments show non-Newtonian flow behavior and oscillation experiments show a frequency-dependent viscosity increase (dilatant behavior) of the microemulsions. Small amounts of bulk water were identified by means of differential scanning calorimetry. One can conclude that the macromolecules are incorporated into the individual droplets, and polymer-filled microemulsions are formed. The polymer-filled microemulsions were used as a template phase for the synthesis of BaSO4 nanoparticles. After solvent evaporation the nanoparticles were redispersed in water and isooctane, respectively. The polymers incorporated into the microemulsion are involved in the redispersion process and influence the size and shape of the redispersed BaSO4 particles in a specific way. The crystallization process mainly depends on the type of solvent and the polymer component added. In the presence of the cationic polyelectrolyte PDADMAC the crystallization to larger cubic crystals is inhibited, and layers consisting of polymer-stabilized spherical nanoparticles of BaSO4 (6 nm in size) will be observed.     

Analysis of the Carbamate Insecticides Aldicarb and Carbaryl in Formulations Utilizing a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic System with an On-Line Infrared Detector

Abstract

An aldicarb (2-methyl-2-(methylthio)propanal, o-[(methylamino)-carbonyl]oxime) granular formulation with and without added carbofuran (2, 3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate) as an internal standard and a carbaryl (1-naphthalenyl methylcarbamate) wettable powder and liquid suspension formulations both with and without added methiocarb (3,5-dimethyl-4-(methylthio)phenyl methylcarbamate) as an internal standard were analyzed by utilizing a high-performance liquid chromatographic system operating in the normal phase with a Partisil column and mixtures of acetonitrile:dichloromethane:heptane as the mobile phase. An on-line infrared detector equipped with a flowcell was used. Analyses were conducted at ambient temperature. The commonly used calibration and quantitation techniques were also compared.     

Synthesis of Dialkyl 4-Ethoxy-2,5-dihydro-1-(9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxoanthracen-1-yl)-5-oxo-1H-pyrrole2,3-dicarboxylates

Abstract

The reaction of ethyl 9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxoanthracen-1-yl-carbamoyl-formate with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in the presence of triphenylphosphine leads to dialkyl 4-ethoxy-2,5-dihydro-1-(9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxoanthracen-1-yl)-5-oxo-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylates in fairly good yields. A dynamic NMR effect is observed as a result of restricted rotation around the single bond linking the anthraquinone moiety and the heterocyclic ring system, which is attributed to the interaction between the pyrrole residue and the peri C═O group.     

Effect of ionic surfactants on the phase behavior and structure of sucrose ester/water/oil systems

The phase behavior and structure of sucrose ester/water/oil systems in the presence of long-chain cosurfactant (monolaurin) and small amounts of ionic surfactants was investigated by phase study and small angle X-ray scattering. In a water/sucrose ester/monolaurin/decane system at 27 degrees C, instead of a three-phase microemulsion, lamellar liquid crystals are formed in the dilute region. Unlike other systems in the presence of alcohol as cosurfactant, the HLB composition does not change with dilution, since monolaurin adsorbs almost completely in the interface. The addition of small amounts of ionic surfactant, regardless of the counterion, increases the solubilization of water in W/O microemulsions. The solubilization on oil in O/W microemulsions is not much affected, but structuring is induced and a viscous isotropic phase is formed. At high ionic surfactant concentrations, the single-phase microemulsion disappears and liquid crystals are favored.     

Improved solubilization of Celecoxib in U-type nonionic microemulsions and their structural transitions with progressive aqueous dilution

Celecoxib (clxb) is an important drug for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis by specifically inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Clxb is a type 2 drug characterized by low water solubility (<5 mug/ml) and fast transmembrane transport. The present formulations require high dosage since the transmembrane transport fluctuates and is very difficult to control. Dissolving the drug within an oil phase was not practical since its dissolution was very small and its dispersion in water was impossible. In our recent studies, we learned to construct U-type phase diagrams and to formulate reverse microemulsions (oil-based concentrates) that are progressively and fully dilutable with aqueous phase. In the present study, we solubilized clxb in nanostructures of reverse micelles of U-type nonionic microemulsions that consisted of R(+)-limonene, alcohol, propylene glycol (PG), and hydrophilic surfactant (Tween 60). The solubilization capacity of the drug in these systems is many times higher than in either the oil or the aqueous phase. The clxb solubilized microemulsions are fully diluted with aqueous phase without phase separation. The solubilization capacity decreases as the water content increases. Electrical conductivity, viscosity, and self-diffusion (SD) coefficients of the microemulsion components were measured along a suitable water dilution line. The three major microemulsion regions were detected and the transitions between the W/O to bicontinuous phase and from this phase to the O/W droplets were identified (at 30 and 70 wt% aqueous phase, respectively). From the SD coefficients, it was found that the drug is initially solubilized at the interface of the W/O droplets and there are no significant structural changes. The transition to a bicontinuous phase occurs at the same water content as in the empty (i.e., without drug) system. From the viscosity profiles, we concluded that the drug affects the structure of the bicontinuous phase as reflected in the water content at which the oil-continuous network is destroyed and full inversion occurs (50 vs 55 wt% in the drug-loaded system). Upon further dilution the drug remains solubilized at the interface and is oriented with its hydrophilic part facing the water, and is strongly affects the inversion to O/W droplets. From Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) measurements we learned that the drug effects the structure of microemulsion droplets and forms "ill-defined structures," probably less spherical. Yet, the overall droplet sizes at the high dilutions did not change very much.