Polymeric monolith column composited with multiwalled carbon nanotubes‐β‐cyclodextrin for the selective extraction of psoralen and isopsoralen

A polymeric column that contains multiwalled carbon nanotubes‐β‐cyclodextrin composite was developed. The composite was wrapped into the poly(butyl methacrylate‐ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith column (0.76 mm id and 10 cm in length). The column was then applied for the online solid‐phase microextraction of psoralen and isopsoralen from Fructus Psoraleae. Following microextraction, the coumarins were quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography with C₁₈ separation column and UV detection. The effects of sample flow rate, sample volume, and pH value were optimized. The method showed low limits of detection (20 pg/mL, S/N = 3) for both psoralen and isopsoralen. Finally the method was successfully applied to the determination of psoralen and isopsoralen in spiked herb extracts and rat plasma where it gave recoveries that ranged between 93.2 and 102.1%. The empty hydrophobic cavities of β‐cyclodextrin and the hydrophobicity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes provided specific extraction capability for psoralen and isopsoralen.     

Preparative enantioseparation of loxoprofen precursor by recycling countercurrent chromatography with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as a chiral selector

Recycling countercurrent chromatography was successfully applied to the resolution of 2‐(4‐bromomethylphenyl)propionic acid, a key synthetic intermediate for synthesis of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug loxoprofen, using hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as chiral selector. The two‐phase solvent system composed of n‐hexane/n‐butyl acetate/0.1 mol/L citrate buffer solution with pH 2.4 (8:2:10, v/v/v) was selected. Influence factors for the enantioseparation were optimized, including type of substituted β‐cyclodextrin, concentration of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, separation temperature, and pH of aqueous phase. Under optimized separation conditions, 50 mg of 2‐(4‐bromomethylphenyl)propionic acid was enantioseparated using preparative recycling countercurrent chromatography. Technical details for recycling elution mode were discussed. The purities of both the S and R enantiomers were over 99.0% as determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The enantiomeric excess of the S and R enantiomers reached 98.0%. The recovery of the enantiomers from eluted fractions was 40.8–65.6%, yielding 16.4 mg of the S enantiomer and 10.2 mg of the R enantiomer. At the same time, we attempted to enantioseparate the anti‐inflammatory drug loxoprofen by countercurrent chromatography and high‐performance liquid chromatography using a chiral mobile phase additive. However, no successful enantioseparation was achieved so far.     

Enantiomeric separation of 2‐arylpropionic acid nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs by HPLC with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as chiral mobile phase additive

The enantio‐separations of eight 2‐arylpropionic acid nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (2‐APA NSAIDs) were established using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) as chiral mobile phase additive for studying the stereoselective skin permeation of suprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, indoprofen, fenoprofen, furbiprofen, ibuprofen and carprofen. The effects of the mobile phase composition, concentration of HP‐β‐CD and column temperature on retention and enantioselective separation were investigated. With 2‐APA NSAIDs as acidic analytes, the retention times and resolutions of the enantiomers were strongly related to the pH of the mobile phase. In addition, both the concentration of HP‐β‐CD and temperature had a great effect on retention time, but only a slight or almost no effect on resolutions of the analytes. Enantioseparations were achieved on a Shimpack CLC‐ODS (150 × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm) column. The mobile phase was a mixture of methanol and phosphate buffer (pH 4.0–5.5, 20 mM) containing 25 mM HP‐β‐CD. This method was flexible, simple and economically advantageous over the use of chiral stationary phase, and was successfully applied to the enantioselective determination of the racemic 2‐APA NSAIDs in an enantioselective skin permeation study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grafting of polyaniline onto the surface of 4‐aminobenzoyl‐functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and its electrochemical properties

Polyaniline (PANi)‐grafted multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composite is prepared by a two‐step reaction sequence. MWNT is first functionalized with 4‐aminobenzoic acid in polyphosphoric acid/phosphorous pentoxide as a “direct” Friedel‐Crafts acylation reaction medium. The resultant 4‐aminobenzoyl‐functionalized MWNT is then treated with aniline using ammonium persulfate/aqueous hydrochloric acid to promote a chemical oxidative polymerization, leading to PANi‐grafted MWNT composite. The resultant composite is characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrical conductivity measurement. The thermooxidative stability and electrical conductivity of PANi‐grafted MWNT composite are improved compared to those of PANi. Specifically, the electrical conductivity of PANi‐grafted MWNT is improved 10–900 times depending upon the level of doping. The capacitance of the composite is also greatly enhanced. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3103–3112, 2010     

Injectable supramolecular hybrid hydrogels formed by MWNT‐grafted‐poly(ethylene glycol) and α‐cyclodextrin

Poly(ethylene glycol)‐grafted‐multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT‐g‐PEG) was synthesized by a coupling reaction and formed inclusion complexes (ICs) after selective threading of the PEG segment of the MWNT‐g‐PEG through the cavities of α‐cyclodextrins (α‐CDs) units. The polypseudorotaxane structures of the as‐obtained hydrogels were confirmed by ¹H NMR, X‐ray diffraction and DSC analyses. The complexation of the PEG segments with α‐CDs and the hydrophobic interaction between the MWNT resulted in the formation of supramolecular hybrid hydrogels with a strong network. Thermal analysis showed that the thermal stability of the hydrogel was substantially improved by up to 100 °C higher than that of native hydrogel. The resultant hybrid hydrogels were found to be thixotropic and reversible, and could be applied as a promising injectable drug delivery system. The mechanical strength of the hybrid hydrogels was greatly improved in comparison with that of the corresponding native hydrogels. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3145–3151, 2010     

Enantiomeric separation of oxybutynin by recycling high‐speed counter‐current chromatography with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as chiral selector

Recycling high‐speed counter‐current chromatography was successfully applied to the preparative separation of oxybutynin enantiomers. The two‐phase solvent system consisted of n‐hexane, methyl tert‐butyl ether, and 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer solution (pH = 5.0) with the volume ratio of 6:4:10. Hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin was employed as the chiral selector. The influence of factors on the chiral separation process, including the concentration of chiral selector, the equilibrium temperature, the pH value of the aqueous phase were investigated. Under optimum separation conditions, 15 mg of oxybutynin racemate was separated with the purities of both the enantiomers over 96.5% determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Recovery for the target compounds reached 80–82% yielding 6.00 mg of (R)‐oxybutynin and 6.15 mg of (S)‐oxybutynin. Technical details for recycling elution mode were discussed.     

Enantioseparation of chiral aromatic acids by multiple dual mode counter‐current chromatography using hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as chiral selector

This work concentrates on extending the utilization of multiple dual mode (MDM) counter‐current chromatography in chiral separations. Two aromatic acids, 2‐(6‐methoxy‐2‐naphthyl)propionic acid (NAP) and 2‐phenylpropionic acid (2‐PPA), were enantioseparated by MDM counter‐current chromatography using hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) as chiral selector. The two‐phase solvent systems consisting of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer pH 2.67 containing 0.1 mol/L HP‐β‐CD (7.5:2.5:10 for NAP and 7:3:10 for 2‐PPA, v/v/v) were used. Conventional MDM and modified MDM were compared according to peak resolution under current separation mechanism. The influence of elution time after the first‐phase inversion and number of cycles for MDM were investigated. Peak resolution of NAP and 2‐PPA increased from 0.62 to 1.05 and 0.72 to 0.84, respectively, using optimized MDM conditions. Being an alternative elution method for counter‐current chromatography, MDM elution greatly improved peak resolution in chiral separations.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide)‐loaded hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin nanofibers

Hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) is a modified β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) derivative, which is toxicologically harmless to mammals and other animals. HP‐β‐CD is electrospun from an aqueous solution by blending with a non‐toxic, biocompatible, synthetic polymer poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Aqueous solutions containing different HP‐β‐CD/PEO blends (50:50–80:20) with variable concentrations (4 wt%–12 wt%) were used. Scanning electron microscope was used to investigate the morphology of the fibers, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of HP‐β‐CD in the fiber. Uniform nanofibers with an average diameter of 264, 244, and 236 nm were obtained from 8 wt% solution of 50:50, 60:40, and 70:30 HP‐β‐CD/PEO, respectively. The average diameter of the fiber was decreased with increasing of HP‐β‐CD/PEO ratio. However, a higher proportion of HP‐β‐CD in the spinning solution increased beads in the fibers. The polymer concentration had no significant effect on the fiber diameter. The most uniform fibers with the narrowest diameter distribution were obtained from the 8 wt% of 50:50 solution. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel in situ strategy for the preparation of a β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary column for capillary electrochromatography enantioseparations

Inspired by the chiral recognition ability of β‐cyclodextrin and the natural adhesive properties of polydopamine under alkaline conditions, in this study, a rapid and in situ modification strategy was developed to fabricate β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine composite material coated‐capillary columns for open tubular capillary electrochromatography. The results of scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, streaming potential, and electro‐osmotic flow studies indicated that β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine was successfully fixed on the inner wall of the capillary column. This coating can be achieved within 1 h affording a greatly reduced capillary preparation time. The performance of the β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary was validated by the analysis of seven pairs of chiral analytes, namely epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoprenaline, terbutaline, verapamil, tryptophane, carvedilol. Good enantioseparation efficiencies were achieved for all. For three consecutive runs, the relative standard deviations for the migration times of the analytes for intraday, interday, and column‐to‐column repeatability were in the range of 0.41–1.74, 1.03–4.18, and 1.66–8.24%, respectively. Moreover, the separation efficiency of the β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary column did not decrease obviously over 90 runs. The strategy should also be feasible to introduce and immobilize other chiral selectors on the inner walls surface of capillary columns.     

Veronicafolin－β-环糊精的物化表征及Veronicafolin－羟丙基-β-环糊精包合物溶解性的增强

用氢谱、红外光谱、X-射线粉末衍射、热分析、元素分析等测试方法研究了Veronicafolin (3,5,4′-三羟基-6,7,3′-三甲氧基黄酮) 和β-环糊精 (β-CD) 的固体包合物的谱学特征。元素分析结果显示形成Veronicafolin-β-CD·20H2O包合物，其中C：39.58%, H: 5.75%，表明包合物中主客体比为1∶1。该包合类型属于A_L-型。通过紫外-可见分光光度法研究了在羟丙基-β-环糊精（HP-β-CD）的存在下Veronicafolin的相溶解度曲线，测得校正曲线为y = 24148x + 0.0075 (r=0.9999)，相溶解曲线为y=0.4738x-2.0×10^-7 (r=0.9490)，包结平衡常数Ks为4.5×10⁶mol-1。HP-β-CD提高了黄酮醇Veronicafolin的溶解度。     

Inverse cationic ITP for separation of methadone enantiomers with sulfated β‐cyclodextrin as chiral selector

Chiral ITP of the weak base methadone using inverse cationic configurations with H⁺ as leading component and multiple isomer sulfated β‐CD (S‐β‐CD) as leading electrolyte (LE) additive, has been studied utilizing dynamic computer simulation, a calculation model based on steady‐state values of the ITP zones, and capillary ITP. By varying the amount of acidic S‐β‐CD in the LE composed of 3‐morpholino‐2‐hydroxypropanesulfonic acid and the chiral selector, and employing glycylglycine as terminating electrolyte (TE), inverse cationic ITP provides systems in which either both enantiomers, only the enantiomer with weaker complexation, or none of the two enantiomers form cationic ITP zones. For the configuration studied, the data reveal that only S‐methadone migrates isotachophoretically when the S‐β‐CD concentration in the LE is between about 0.484 and 1.113 mM. Under these conditions, R‐methadone migrates zone electrophoretically in the TE. An S‐β‐CD concentration between about 0.070 and 0.484 mM results in both S‐ and R‐methadone forming ITP zones. With >1.113 mM and < about 0.050 mM of S‐β‐CD in the LE both enantiomers are migrating within the TE and LE, respectively. Chiral inverse cationic ITP with acidic S‐β‐CD in the LE is demonstrated to permit selective ITP trapping and concentration of the less interacting enantiomer of a weak base.     

Stereoselective separation of (1S, 4S)‐sertraline from medicinal reaction mixtures by countercurrent chromatography with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as stereoselective selector

Four stereoisomeric components were produced during the synthesis of the antidepressant drug (1S, 4S)‐sertraline hydrochloride due to the two chiral carbon centers in its chemical structure, including (1S, 4S), (1R, 4R), (1S, 4R), and (1R, 4S)‐isomer. Stereoselective separation of the target isomer (1S, 4S)‐sertraline from the medicinal reaction mixtures by countercurrent chromatography using hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as the stereoselective selector was investigated. A biphasic solvent system composed of n‐hexane/0.20 mol/L phosphate buffer solution with pH 7.6 containing 0.10 mol/L of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (1:1, v/v) was selected for separation of cis‐sertraline and trans‐sertraline using reverse phase elution mode and (1S, 4S)‐sertraline was separated with (1R, 4R)‐sertraline using recycling elution mode. A fabricated in‐house analytical countercurrent chromatographic apparatus was used for optimization of the separation conditions. Stationary phase retention and peak resolution were investigated for separation of cis‐sertraline and trans‐sertraline by the analytical apparatus.     

Characterization of β‐cyclodextrin modified SiO2

Silica particles containing a layer of β‐cyclodextrins were synthesized using a modified method of Armstrong (1985). The modified silica particles were extensively characterized to both the presence and amount of β‐cyclodextrin introduced onto the surface. Raman confirmed that β‐cyclodextrin was introduced onto the particle. The combination of thermogravmetric analysis (TGA) and direct pyrolysis mass spectroscopy were used to determine the amount and the chemical composition of organic material present on the silica, respectively. The two methods confirmed that β‐cyclodextrin was successfully introduced in amounts comparable to earlier literature values. The values obtained by TGA were compared to amounts found by elemental analysis and XPS. The elemental analysis and TGA found the same amount of β‐cyclodextrin, while the XPS values were in the region of 1.5 times higher. This suggests a heterogeneous distribution of the β‐cyclodextrin on the silica particles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chiral separation of cathinone derivatives using β‐cyclodextrin‐assisted capillary electrophoresis–Comparison of four different β‐cyclodextrin derivatives used as chiral selectors

In the past decade, more than 100 different cathinone derivatives slopped over entire Europe due to their enormous popularity. Generally, these novel psychoactive substances are easily available via the internet. This fact leads to various social problems, since cathinones are substances with consciousness‐changing effects and are mainly misused for recreational matters by their consumers. Cathinones possess a chiral center including two enantiomeric forms with potentially different pharmacological behavior. This fact makes analytical method development regarding their chiral separation indispensable. In this study, a chiral capillary zone electrophoresis method for the enantioseparation of 61 cathinone and pyrovalerone derivatives was developed by means of four different β‐cyclodextrin derivatives. As chiral selectors, native β‐cyclodextrin as well as three of its derivatives namely acetyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, and carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin were used. The cathinone and pyrovalerone derivatives were either purchased in internet stores or seized by police. As a result, overall 58 of 61 studied substances were partially or baseline separated by at least one of the four chiral selectors using 10 mM of β‐cyclodextrin derivative in a 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.5). Furthermore, the method was found to be suitable for simultaneous enantioseparations, for enantiomeric purity checks and to differentiate between positional isomers. Moreover, an intra‐ and an interday validation was performed successfully for each chiral selector to prove the robustness of the method.     

Nylon 610/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube composite prepared from in‐situ interfacial polymerization

Pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (P‐MWNTs) were functionalized with 4‐chlorobenzoic acid via “direct” Friedel‐Crafts acylation in polyphosphoric acid (PPA)/phosphorous pentoxide (P₂O₅) medium. The resultant 4‐chlorobenzoyl‐functionalized MWNTs (F‐MWNTs) were soluble in chlorinated solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride. A large scale of nylon 610/F‐MWNT composite could be conveniently prepared by in situ interfacial polymerization of 1, 6‐hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) in an aqueous phase, and sebacoyl chloride with F‐MWNTs in an organic phase. Similarly, nylon 610/P‐MWNT composite was also prepared for comparison. The state of F‐MWNTs dispersion in nylon 610 matrix was distinctively better than that of P‐MWNTs, which could be clearly discerned by both naked eye and scanning electron microcopy (SEM). As a result, the tensile strength of nylon 610/F‐MWNT composite was 4.9‐fold higher than that of nylon 610/P‐MWNT composite. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6041–6050, 2008     

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwalled carbon nanotube microspheres fabricated via in‐situ dispersion polymerization

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (PMMA/MWCNT) microspheres were successfully prepared by in situ dispersion polymerization in an alcohol phase in which the acid‐treated MWCNTs were dispersed before polymerization. The PMMA and PMMA/MWCNT microspheres were monodisperse. The diameters of the microspheres decreased from about 11.6–6.0 μm as the MWCNT content was increased from 0 to 0.03 wt %. The morphology of the PMMA/MWCNT microspheres was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, and the experimental results showed that the MWCNTs were present both in the interior and on the surface of the microspheres. The synthesized PMMA/MWCNT microspheres were also characterized by electrical resistance measurements to analyze their electrical conductivity. They showed electrorheological (ER) fluid characteristics when they were dispersed in silicone oil. Their ER properties were confirmed by using optical microscopy to examine a suspension of the PMMA/MWCNT microspheres dispersed in insulating silicone oil to which an electric field of 2.5 kV/cm was applied. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 182–189, 2008     

Large‐compound vesicle‐encapsulated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A unique route to nanotube composites

A simple and unique strategy for preparation of large‐compound vesicle (LCV)‐encapsulated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been developed, and this involves dispersion of MWCNTs in H‐shaped copolymers solution in DMF and encapsulation of MWCNTs with LCVs formed from hydrolysis and polycondensation of ? Si(OCH₃)₃ groups in the amphiphilic H‐shaped copolymers, (PTMSPMA)₂PEG(PTMSPMA)₂. This unique noncovalent approach is nondestructive, and the original structure of MWCNTs remains in the resultant MWCNTs/LCVs nanocomposites. The morphologies of nanocomposites LCVs/MWCNTs are controlled by the chain length ratio (N_PTMSPMA/N_PEG) of PTMSPMA to PEG. For the H‐shaped copolymers with N_PMSPMA/N_PEG ≤ 1.7, they self‐assembled to form LCVs with dense cavities in the presence of MWCNTs in a mixture of DMF/H₂O. When this ratio was more than 2.0, the large‐compound micelle‐wrapped MWCNTs were produced. This approach is potentially useful for preparation of MWCNTs encapsulated with various morphologies of polymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3669–3679, 2009     

Synthesis and Silica‐Based Immobilization of Monofunctionalized Heptakis(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl‐3‐O‐pentyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin for Enantioselective Capillary‐HPLC

Heptakis(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl‐3‐O‐pentyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin was monofunctionalized by the regioselective introduction of exactly one ω‐epoxyoctyl group at the primary site of the cyclodextrin. The site‐specifically substituted cyclodextrin was immobilized to commercially available aminopropyl silica by nucleophilic opening of the epoxy function of the spacer substituent resulting in a lipophilic chiral stationary phase with broad applicability for enantiomer separations in capillary‐HPLC under reversed‐phase conditions.     

Nanocomposite prepared from in situ grafting of polypyrrole to aminobenzoyl‐functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and its electrochemical properties

We reported the functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) with 4‐aminobenzoic acid by a “direct” Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction in a mild polyphosphoric acid (PPA)/phosphorous pentoxide (P₂O₅) medium. The resulting 4‐aminobenzoyl‐functionalized MWCNT (AF‐MWCNT) was used as a platform for the grafting of polypyrrole (PPy) in ammonium persulfate (APS)/aqueous hydrochloric acid solution to produce PPy‐grafted MWCNT (PPy‐g‐MWCNT) composite. After dedoping with alkaline treatment, PPy‐g‐MWCNT displayed 20 times higher electrical conductivity than that of PPy. The current density and cycle stability of PPy‐g‐MWCNT composite were also remarkably improved compared with those of PPy homopolymer, suggesting that an efficient electron transfer between PPy and MWCNT was possible through covalent links. In addition, PPy‐g‐MWCNT displayed high electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Chiral separation of brompheniramine enantiomers by recycling high‐speed countercurrent chromatography using carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as a chiral selector

A recycling high‐speed countercurrent chromatography protocol was proposed for the enantioseparation of brompheniramine by employing β‐cyclodextrin derivatives as a chiral selector. The two‐phase solvent system of n‐hexane/isobutyl acetate/0.10 mol/L phosphate buffer solution with a volume ratio of 2:4:6 was selected by a series of extraction experiments. Factors that affected the distribution of the enantiomers over the two‐phase system (e.g., the type and concentration of β‐cyclodextrin derivatives = pH value of the aqueous solution, and the separation temperature) were also investigated. In addition, the theory of thermodynamics is applied to verify the feasibility of the enantioseparation process and the corresponding results demonstrate that this separation process is feasible. The optimized conditions include carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin concentration of 0.010 mol/L, pH of 7.5, and temperature of 5°C. Under the optimal conditions, the purities of both monomer molecules were over 99%, and the recovery yields were 88% for (+)‐brompheniramine and 85% for (–)‐brompheniramine, respectively.