Chronoamperometric study of proton transfer/electron transfer in solid state electrochemistry of organic dyes

Chronoamperometric data for proton-assisted reduction/oxidation of a series of dyes, namely, alizarin, purpurin, luteolin, morin, and indigo are compared with the predictions of the model of Lovric and Scholz for redox conductive microcrystals assuming electron and proton hopping in mutually perpendicular directions. Upon the attachment of solid dye microparticles to paraffin-impregnated graphite electrodes in contact with aqueous electrolytes in the pH range between 4 and 7, an excellent agreement between theory and experimental data was obtained. The diffusion coefficients of electrons and protons across dye microcrystals were estimated as 5×10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹ and 1×10⁻¹⁰ cm² s⁻¹, respectively.     

Excited-state proton transfer from pyranine to acetate in methanol

Excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) of pyranine (8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulphonate, HPTS) to acetate in methanol has been studied by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The rate constant of direct proton transfer from pyranine to acetate (k ₁) is calculated to be ∼1 × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. This is slower by about two orders of magnitude than that in bulk water (8 × 10¹⁰ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) at 4 M acetate.     

Electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen on the surface of glassy carbon electrodes modified with plumbagin

The preparation and electrochemical characterization of glassy carbon electrodes modified with plumbagin were investigated by employing cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and rotating disc electrode techniques. The cyclic voltammograms of the electroreduction of oxygen showed an enhanced current peak at approximately −0.289 V in air-saturated phosphate buffer pH = 7 and scan rate 10 mV s⁻¹. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the reduction of oxygen at glassy carbon have been evaluated using cyclic voltammetry. The experimental parameters were optimized and the mechanism of the catalytic process was discussed. The obtained values of E°′ (V vs. Ag/AgCl), the apparent electron transfer rate constant k_s (s⁻¹), heterogeneous rate constant for the reduction of O₂ at the surface of the modified electrode k_h (M⁻¹ s⁻¹) and α (charge transfer coefficient of oxygen) were as follows: −0.146, 23.4, 9.9 × 10³ and 0.57, respectively. In addition, plumbagin exhibited strong catalytic activity toward the reduction of H₂O₂.     

Reactions of heme proteins with carbonate radical anion

Reactions of radiolytically generated CO₃ ^•− with some ferric heme proteins, catalase, cytochrome c, and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), were studied. Carbonate radical anion oxidized amino acid residues of these proteins, but did not react directly with heme iron. HRP and catalase lost about 30% and 20% of their activity, respectively, after the reaction with 100 μM of CO₃ ^•−. The rate constants of the reactions of CO₃ ^•− with the investigated proteins measured by the pulse radiolysis method at pH 8–8.4 and 10 varied from 1.0 × 10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ (for cytochrome c) to 3.7 × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ (for catalase).     

Dependence of the magnetic properties of MnGaN epitaxial layers on external electrical field

Investigation of the magnetic properties of MnGaN epitaxial layers as a function of external electrical field was performed on the basis of field effect structure. The structure included substrate of n-type GaN, epitaxial layer of n-type Mn_xGa_1-xN, dielectric layer and metal layer acting as field effect device gate. Each Mn atom in Mn_xGa_1-xN contributes 4 net spins due to the electrons occupying energy levels ⁴F, ⁴D, ⁴P and ⁴G belonging to 3d orbital, and these levels are in the energy band gap and in the top of the valence band of Mn_xGa_1-xN. The position of the Fermi level is determined to be in the energy band gap of the layer of GaN and to be above the level 4F in the layer of Mn_xGa_1-xN. In this way application of external negative voltage on the gate causes change in the number of electrons contributing net spins and the saturation magnetization M_sat of Mn_xGa_1-xN changes as well. It was found that M_sat changes in the range 1.15 × 10⁻³–0.7 × 10⁻³ A μm⁻¹ if the external voltage changes in the interval 0–−5V. The application of this structure for the design of spintronic devices is discussed in this paper.      

Electroanalytical Method of Acid Blue 120 and its Supramolecular System with Cyclodextrins

In this paper, a simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate electroanalytical method of Acid Blue 120 (AB120) has been established by polarography. In a supporting electrolyte of 0.01 mol l⁻¹ Na₂HPO₄–KH₂PO₄ (pH 7.04) solution, a sensitive first derivative reduction peak (ip′) of AB120 was found by Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV). The peak potential is −820 mV (versus SCE). The peak current (ip′) is proportional to the concentration over the range 2.0 × 10⁻⁷–5.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹ (r=0.9961–0.9991) and the limit of detection (LOD) is 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol l⁻¹. The recovery of AB120 varied from 95.3 to 103.0% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 2.2% (n=8). The method has been expected to determination of wastewater in dye industry. In addition, the supramolecular system of AB120 with cyclodextrins has been studied. It can form 1:1 inclusion complex with six CDs. The inclusion constants were calculated and the inclusion ability of different kinds of CDs was compared. Furthermore, the inclusion mechanism was also preliminarily discussed, which provided some valuable information for further application of AB120 and CDs.     

Reactions of sulphacetamide with pulse radiolytically generated reducing radicals

Pulse radiolysis technique has been used to characterise the transients formed by the reaction of sulphacetamide with e_aq ^- and subsequently study the electron transfer reactions from the transient to various electron acceptors such as thionine, safranine-T and methyl viologen. The results indicate that the semi-reduced sulphacetamide species are highly reducing in nature as they transfer electrons to various dyes with near diffusion controlled rates (k > 10⁹dm³mol⁻¹s⁻¹) in alkaline and acidic solutions. The influence of oxygen on the decay behaviour of semi-reduced species has been investigated and the results show that O₂ reaction with SA⁻ is very fast (k = 1.5 × l0⁹dm³mol⁻¹s⁻¹) and leads to the formation of a permanent-coloured product. Reactions of H.atoms resulted in the formation of two transient species whose spectral, kinetic and acid-base characteristics have also been investigated.     

Nature of the transient species formed in pulse radiolysis of n-allylthiourea in aqueous solutions

Reactions of e⁻_aq, OH radicals and H atoms were studied with n-allylthiourea (NATU) using pulse radiolysis. Hydrated electrons reacted with NATU (k = 2.8×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) giving a transient species which did not have any significant absorption above 300 nm. It was found to transfer electrons to methyl viologen. At pH 6.8, the reduction potential of NATU has been determined to be −0.527 V versus NHE. At pH 6.8, OH radicals were found to react with NATU, giving a transient species having absorption maxima at 400–410 nm and continuously increasing absorption below 290 nm. Absorption at 400–410 nm was found to increase with parent concentration, from which the equilibrium constant for dimer radical cation formation has been estimated to be 4.9×10³ dm³ mol⁻¹. H atoms were found to react with NATU with a rate constant of 5 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, giving a transient species having an absorption maximum at 310 nm, which has been assigned to H-atom addition to the double bond in the allyl group. Acetoneketyl radicals reacted with NATU at acidic pH values and the species formed underwent reaction with parent NATU molecule. Reaction of Cl^.−₂ radicals (k = 4.6 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) at pH 1 was found to give a transient species with λ_max at 400 nm. At the same pH, reaction of OH radicals also gave transient species, having a similar spectrum, but the yield was lower. This showed that OH radicals react with NATU by two mechanisms, viz., one-electron oxidation, as well as addition to the allylic double bond. From the absorbance values at 410 nm, it has been estimated that around 38% of the OH radicals abstract H atoms and the remaining 62% of the OH radicals add to the allylic double bond.     

A kinetic, spectral and theoretical investigation on the role of oxygen in the radiolytic oxidation of a sorbityl cyclic acetal

The oxidation process of the cyclic acetal sorbitylfurfural (SF) has been thoroughly examined from the kinetic, spectroscopic and theoretical point of view. Oxidation has been initiated by the radiolitically produced OH radical in the presence of variable oxygen amounts. Two competing reaction pathways are evidenced which lead to quite different products, although they do not affect the acetal ring integrity. The peroxidation of the hydroxylated furanic ring (k ₄=(6.1±0.9)×10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) maintains the ring structurevia HO₂^• elimination (k ₆=(1.9±0.4)×10⁵ s⁻¹). Unlike that, the peroxidation of the pseudo-allylic radical (k ₅=(1.9±0.9)×10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), formedvia β-cleavage, fixes the destructured intermediate, leading to a tetroxide, which slowly decomposes through a Russell mechanism (k ₈=(2.3±0.6)×10² s⁻¹). It is confirmed that the steady state concentration of the tetroxide is very low, which suggests a molar absorption coefficient for it around 1.2×10⁴ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 265 nm. The end products of the latter pathway have been characterized as carboxylic and butenald-sorbitol derivatives. The kinetic and spectral data of every step of the process have been fitted by the above outlined mechanism. The energetics of the mechanism has been detailed byab initio computations as well, carrying further substantiation to it. Semi-empirical calculations were also employed to describe the spectral properties of each intermediate.     

Oxidation pathways and kinetics of morphine in acidic and neutral media on the aluminum electrode covered by metallic palladium and modified by Prussian blue

This paper describes the use of an aluminum electrode covered by metallic palladium and modified by Prussian blue prepared by a simple and rapid electroless method for the electro-oxidation of morphine. Two different pathways for electro-oxidation of morphine at various pH ranges were suggested. Also, some thermodynamic and kinetic parameters such as the number of electrons involved in the rate determining step, n _α , transfer coefficient α, and the total electrons (n) involved in morphine oxidation at the time scale of the cyclic voltammetric technique, the catalytic rate constant of the electrochemical process k, and diffusion coefficient of morphine D were determined. The mean values obtained are 0.5, 0.5, 1, 26.8 M^-1 s^-1 and 3.1 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹, respectively.     

Study of the reactions of cisplatin with ranitidine and nizatidine by means of 1H NMR spectroscopy in D2O

The reactions of cisplatin with nizatidine and ranitidine were studied in D₂O at pD 7.4 and 298 K by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The second order rate constants, k ₂, for the reaction of cisplatin with nizatidine is (2.71 ± 0.11) × 10⁻⁴ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹, and for the reaction with ranitidine (6.72 ± 0.17) × 10⁻⁴ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹. The reactions of nizatidine and ranitidine were also studied with other Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes. The set of the complexes was selected because of their difference in reactivity, steric hindrance, and binding properties. Correspondence: Prof. Dr. Živadin D. Bugarčić, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.     

Nile Blue and Indigo Carmine organic dyes as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in hydrochloric acid

The inhibiting behavior of Nile Blue and Indigo Carmine organic dyes on mild steel corrosion was evaluated in 1 M HCl solution, separately, by weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Results show that the inhibition efficiency (%IE) increases with the increasing concentration of Indigo Carmine up to 9.65 × 10⁻⁰⁵ M (%IE ~ 98) and Nile Blue up to 1.08 × 10⁻⁰⁴ (%IE ~ 75–80). Good agreement was found between the results obtained from the different techniques used. Polarization curves indicate that the inhibition of the both inhibitors is of a mixed anodic–cathodic nature, and Langmuir isotherm is found to be an accurate isotherm describing the adsorption behavior. The inhibition mechanism of the inhibitors involves chemisorption interaction between the inhibitor and the mild steel. The inhibition efficiency for both inhibitors decreased by the rising temperature in the range of 25–55 °C, and these results verified the chemisorption behavior of both the inhibitors.     

Electron transfer at an encapsulated cobalt(III) centre: kinetics of oxidation of thiourea and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-2-thiourea in aqueous acidic media

Summary The stoichiometries, kinetics and mechanisms of oxidation of (NH₂)₂CS (1) and (Me₂N)₂CS (2) to the corresponding disulphides by Co^IIIM (M = W₁₂O₄₀ ^∞-) in aqueous HC1O₄ were investigated. The reaction with (1) follows the empirical rate law- d[oxidant] = k[reductant][oxidant] where k = 12.5 ± 0.3 m⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 25° C, while that with (2) follows the equation- d[oxidant] = a + b [reductant] [reductant] [oxidant] where a = 5.4 × 10⁴ M⁻¹s⁻¹ and b = 3.3 × 10⁶M⁻² s⁻¹ at 25° C. Free radicals are important in the reactions and possible reaction mechanisms are suggested and discussed.     

Formations of Active Species and By-Products in Water by Pulsed High-Voltage Discharge

Formations of active species and by-products are different from bubbling different gases in a pulsed high-voltage discharge reactor. The identification of all the products and the formation rate determination of active species are quite important as the process is applied to wastewater disposal. Serials of measurements were conducted to do the identifications and determinations in this paper. Amounts of · OH all increased but that of H₂O₂ all decreased by bubbling gas. The · OH formation rate was 3.49 × 10⁻⁷, 3.56 × 10⁻⁷, 3.21 × 10⁻⁷ and 1.94 × 10⁻⁷ mol l⁻¹ s⁻¹ with bubbling nitrogen, argon, air and oxygen respectively, but it was 1.61 × 10⁻⁷ mol s⁻¹ l⁻¹ without bubbling. Without any bubbling, the H₂O₂ formation rate was up to 6.53 × 10⁻⁶ mol l⁻¹ s⁻¹, while it was 9.97 × 10⁻⁷, 1.663 × 10⁻⁷, 1.73 × 10⁻⁶ and 3.14 × 10⁻⁶ mol l⁻¹ s⁻¹ with bubbling nitrogen, argon, air and oxygen, respectively. NO₂⁻ and NO₃⁻ was detected in discharged water with bubbling nitrogenous gas. Their formation made the pH decreased.     

A quartz crystal microbalance study of β-cyclodextrin self assembly on gold and complexation of immobilized β-cyclodextrin with adamantane derivatives

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to study the self-assembly of per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin (t₇-βCD) on gold surfaces, and the subsequent inclusion interactions of immobilized βCD with adamantane-poly(ethylene glycol) (5,000 MW, AD-PEG), 1-adamantanecarboxylic acid (AD-C) and 1-adamantylamine (AD-A). From a 50 μM solution of t₇-βCD in 60:40 DMSO:H₂O, a t₇-βCD layer was formed on gold with surface density of 71.7 ± 2.7 pmol/cm², corresponding to 80 ± 3% of close-packed monolayer coverage. Gold sensors with immobilized t₇-βCD were then exposed alternately to six different concentrations of AD-PEG, 500 μM AD-C or 500 μM AD-A aqueous solutions for association, and water for dissociation. Association of AD-PEG conformed to a Langmuir isotherm, with a best fit equilibrium constant K = 125,000 ± 18,000 M⁻¹. For AD-C and AD-A, association (k _a ) and dissociation (k _d ) rate constants were extracted from kinetic profiles by fitting to the Langmuir model, and equilibrium constants were calculated. The parameters for AD-C were found to be: k _a = 100 ± 5 M⁻¹ s⁻¹, k _d = 110 (±18) × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, and K = 9,400 ± 1,700 M⁻¹. For AD-A, k _a = 58 ± 6 M⁻¹ s⁻¹, k _d = 154 (±7) × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, and K = 3,800 ± 400 M⁻¹. The results demonstrate the utility of QCM as a tool for studying small molecule surface adsorption and guest–host interactions on surfaces. More specifically, the kinetic and thermodynamic data of AD-C, AD-A, and AD-PEG inclusion with immobilized t₇-βCD form a basis for further surface association studies of AD-X conjugates to advance surface sensory and coupling applications.     

Measurement of hydrolysis kinetics of galactose-substituted fluorescein by β-galactosidase at the toluene–water interface by spinning microtube fluorometry

A new analytical technique, spinning microtube fluorometry (SMF), was developed and applied to the study of interfacial hydrolysis of 5-dodecanoylaminofluorescein di-β-D-galactopyranoside (C₁₂FDG) by β-galactosidase (β-gal) in the toluene–water system. The nonfluorescent lactone form of C₁₂FDG in the toluene phase was converted at the interface to 5-dodecanoylaminofluorescein (C₁₂F), which was fluorescent in the aqueous phase as a dianion at pH 7.3, though some part of C₁₂F was extracted into the toluene phase as its nonfluorescent lactone form. The distribution ratios of C₁₂FDG and C₁₂F at pH 7.3 were determined as 1.4×10² and 1.97, respectively. The interfacial adsorption constants from the toluene phase to the interface at pH 7.3 were 4.8×10⁻⁴ and 1.7×10⁻² dm for C₁₂FDG and C₁₂F, respectively. The kinetic experiments with the SMF method concluded that the rate-determining step of the enzymatic hydrolysis at the interface and in the aqueous phase was the 1:1 reaction of C₁₂FDG and β-gal and that the hydrolysis reaction rate constant at the interface at pH 7.3 was 1.84×10³ M⁻¹s⁻¹, almost equal to that in the aqueous solution, 1.76×10³ M⁻¹s⁻¹. Finally, the SMF method revealed that the contribution of the interfacial reaction to the overall hydrolysis reaction rate of the toluene–water system was as high as 97%.     

Scavenging of reactive oxygen radicals by resveratrol: antioxidant effect

Pulse radiolysis of resveratrol was carried out in aqueous solutions at pH ranging from 6.5 to 10.5. The one-electron oxidized species formed by the N^•₃ radicals at pH 6.5 and 10.5 were essentially the same with λ_max at 420 nm and rate constant varying marginally (k = (5−6.5) × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). The nature of the transients formed by NO^•₂, NO^• radical reaction at pH 10.5 was the same as that with N^•₃, due to the similarity in decay rates and the absorption maximum. Reaction of ^•OH radical with resveratrol at pH 7 gives an absorption maximum at 380 nm, attributed to the formation of carbon centered radical. The repair rates for the thymidine and guanosine radicals by resveratrol were approx. 1 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, while the repair rate for tryptophan was lower by nearly an order of magnitude (k = 2 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). The superoxide radical anion was scavenged by resveratrol, as well as by the Cu–resveratrol complex with k = 2 × 10⁷ and 1.5 × 10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. Its reduction potential was also measured by cyclic voltammetry.     

Kinetic, spectral and redox properties of the transients formed on one-electron reduction of 3, 3, 6, 6-tetramethyl-3, 4, 6, 7, 9-pentahydro-10-phenyl (1, 8) (2H, 5H) acridinedione in aqueous-organic mixed solvent system: A pulse radiolysis study

The phenyl substituted acridine-1,8-dione (AD) dye reacts with (CH₃)₂*COH radicals with a bimolecular rate constant of 0.6 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ in acidic aqueous-organic mixed solvent system. The transient optical absorption band (λ_max = 465 nm, ɛ = 6.8 × 10² dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) is assigned to ADH* formed on protonation of the radical anion. In basic solutions, (CH₃)₂*COH radicals react with a bimolecular rate constant of 4.6 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and the transient optical absorption band (λ_max = 490 nm, ɛ = 10.4 × 10³ dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) is assigned to radical anion, AD*⁻, which has a pK_a value of 8.0. The reduction potential value of the AD/AD*⁻ couple is estimated to be between −0.99 and −1.15 V vs NHE by pulse radiolysis studies. The cyclic voltammetric studies showed the peak potential close to −1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl.     

Kinetic study of reaction of [ReN(H2O)(CN)4]2− with quinoline-2-carboxylate and pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylate anions

The kinetics of the reaction between [ReN(H₂O)-(CN)₄]²⁻ with different κ² N,O-donor ligands (quin⁻ and 2,3-dipic⁻, respectively) have been studied in the pH 4–12 range in aqueous solution. Two consecutive reaction steps with the formation of the [ReN(η¹-quin)(CN)₄]³⁻ and [ReN(μ²-quin) (CN)₃]²⁻ complexes, respectively, were spectrophotometrically observed and kinetically investigated. The same reaction mechanism is proposed for these two ligands. The first fast reaction (for quin⁻) is attributed to the aqua substitution of [ReN(H₂O)(CN)₄]²⁻ with forward and reverse rate constants of 1.96(5) × 10⁻¹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 5.6(3) × 10⁻² s⁻¹, while a rate of 2.64(3) M⁻¹ s⁻¹ was observed for the reaction between the conjugate base [ReN(OH)(CN)₄]³⁻ and quin⁻ at 40.2 °C. Due to small absorbance changes, it was difficult to obtain any good quality data for the fast reactions for 2,3-dipic⁻. The second, slower reaction is attributed to cyano substitution with rate constants (k ₃ K ₁) of 4.17(4) × 10⁻³ for quin⁻ and 4.68(7) × 10⁻³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for 2,3-dipic⁻, at 80.02 °C, respectively. The acid dissociation constant for the aqua complex was spectrophotometrically determined as 11.58(3) and 11.54(2) and kinetically as 11.51(8) and 11.41(1), at 80.4 °C, respectively. Negative values of −83.5(2) and −144.1(2) J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ as well as the of 71.4(3) and 47.3(3) kJ mol⁻¹, for the slow quin⁻ and 2,3-dipic⁻ reactions, respectively, point to an ordered transition state where bond formation is responsible for the major driving force of the reaction. The and for the fast forward reaction of quin⁻ is indicative of expected associative activation in the transition state. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A rotating disc voltammetry study of the 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone mediated reduction of colloidal indigo

Colloidal indigo is reduced to an aqueous solution of leuco-indigo in a mediated two-electron process converting the water-insoluble dye into the water-soluble leuco form. The colloidal dye does not interact directly with the electrode surface, and to employ an electrochemical process for this reduction, the redox mediator 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1,8-DHAQ) is used to transfer electrons from the electrode to the dye. The mediated reduction process is investigated at a (500-kHz ultrasound-assisted) rotating disc electrode, and the quantitative analysis of voltammetric data is attempted employing the Digisim numerical simulation software package. At the most effective temperature, 353 K, the diffusion coefficient for 1,8-DHAQ is (0.84±0.08)×10⁻⁹ m² s⁻¹, and it is shown that an apparently kinetically controlled reaction between the reduced form of the mediator and the colloidal indigo occurs within the diffusion layer at the electrode surface. The apparent bimolecular rate constant k _app=3 mol m⁻³ s⁻¹ for the rate law \fracd[ \textleuco - \textindigo ] dt = k_\textapp ×[ \textmediator ] ×[ \textindigo ]\frac{{d{\left[ {{\text{leuco}} - {\text{indigo}}} \right]}}} {{dt}} = k_{{{\text{app}}}} \times {\left[ {{\text{mediator}}} \right]} \times {\left[ {{\text{indigo}}} \right]} is determined and attributed to a mediator diffusion controlled dissolution of the colloid particles. The average particle size and the number of molecules per particles are estimated from the apparent bimolecular rate constant and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy.