Synthesis and dopamine receptor binding affinity of 4H-thiochromenoapomorphines

Abstract  The synthesis of 4H-thiochromene derivatives of apomorphines, a novel class of isoquinoline alkaloid-related compounds, has been achieved by different O-dealkylation methods applied on previously published heteroring-fused aporphinoids. Detailed DFT study has been presented regarding the mechanism of the L-selectride-mediated multiple O-dealkylation of a seven-ring aporphine analogue. Dopamine-binding tests confirmed the essential function of 11-hydroxy moiety of the aporphine skeleton and revealed a remarkable D₁ over D₂ specificity for the derivative having the 4H-thiochromene ring system attached to positions 2 and 3 of the aporphine backbone. Graphical Abstract  

Properties of the electronic density of states in TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles surrounded with aqueous electrolyte

Results on the density of sates of nanostructured TiO₂ as a function of particle size and temperature are reported. In TiO₂ nanoparticles with a mean diameter 10 nm, the density of states (DOS) is strongly temperature-dependent, indicating a rearrangement of the bandgap states in which the exponential energy parameter (width of the distribution) increases from 0.080 to 50 °C. For nanoparticles with mean diameters of 20 and 30 nm the DOS is much closer to an exponential distribution, and is much less sensitive to temperature variations. It is suggested that nanometer confinement has a significant influence on the density of electronic states for 10-nm particles, while band tailing is similar to that occurring in bulk semiconductors for the larger particles.

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Imploded bilirubins: synthesis and properties of 10-nor-mesobilirubin-XIIIα and analogs

Abstract  Six 10-nor-bilirubin analogs have been synthesized and investigated. Lacking the C(10) CH₂ group, these linear tetrapyrroles have a bipyrrole core rather than a dipyrrylmethane core and thus a different shape. Whereas the propionic acid groups of bilirubin are well engaged in intramolecular hydrogen bonding to the dipyrrinones, molecular modeling studies of the 10-nor-rubins predict that propionic acid chains are too short to engage the CO₂H hydrogen fully in intramolecular hydrogen bonding with the dipyrrinones. Butyric acid chains, however, can and do lead to a stabilized conformation with a bipyrrole dihedral angle of approximately 115°. Spectroscopic studies verify the predictions and vapor pressure osmometry indicates that the 10-nor-rubins with butyric acids are monomeric in CHCl₃. Graphical abstract  

Encapsulating of single quantum dots into polymer particles

Single semiconductor quantum dots were embedded into polymer particles with diameters below 0.1 μm by an emulsion polymerization procedure or via a secondary dispersion approach. The photoluminescence properties of the nanocrystals are retained upon encapsulation, as demonstrated by fluorescence confocal microscopy.

Vapor phase tin diiodide: its structure and thermodynamics,a computational study

The molecular structure and vibrational characteristics of monomeric and dimeric tin diiodide, SnI₂ and Sn₂I₄, were determined by high-level computational methods. For the dimer molecule two low-energy geometries were found, one with C _s and the other with C _2v symmetry, the former with somewhat lower energy; their relative energy is strongly dependent on the computational method. Thermodynamic functions for both species and their dimerization reaction were calculated based on the computed structures.

NEMCA effect: why are the work function changes of the gas exposed catalyst-electrode surface one-to-one related to the changes in the catalyst working electrode potential?

In the present work, an important point concerning the NEMCA effect is addressed. We analyse the reasons why the changes in the work function of the gas exposed catalyst-electrode surface are one to one related to the changes in the catalyst working electrode potential E with respect to a reference electrode. It is concluded that this is due to the unique properties of the catalyst/solid electrolyte interface: the structure of the double layer in this region is very different from that in liquid electrolytes, being the potential difference at this interface mainly determined by the specific adsorption of the mobile species in the solid electrolyte.

On the swelling behavior of linear end-grafted polystyrene in methanol/toluene mixtures

Neutron reflectivity measurements have been performed with polystyrene (PS) brushes of different graft densities ranging from =0.020 to =0.051 in contact with toluene/methanol mixtures of different composition. The brushes were prepared by a grafting-from procedure resulting in linear chains of average molecular weight _n=300,000 g mol^–1. The recorded reflectivity curves could be analyzed to a first approximation by assuming a flat scattering length density profile within the brush normal to the surface with a moderate Gaussian smearing of the interface brush/solvent. With increasing toluene content a substantial thickness increase was found with the swollen brush at 70 vol.% being 3.7 times thicker than the dry collapsed film. At low toluene contents the preferential incorporation of this good solvent for the PS brush exceeds a factor 3.5 relative to the molar ratio of the bulk solvent mixture with methanol.

Self-assembling process of zirconium oxide suspension induced by vaporization of volatile solvents

We investigated the self-assembling processes of solutions of poly(vinyl methyl ether) in mixed solvents of 2-butanone and water with and without zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) particles with average size of 75 nm during vaporization of the solvents by means of optical microscopy. The self-assembling processes can be classified into three regimes: (1) early stage (nucleation and growth regime), (2) intermediate stage (regularly arranged regime), and (3) late stage (aggregation and coalescence regime). In the intermediate stage, the water droplets, including the ZrO₂ particles, were regularly arranged with an almost constant spacing. The mechanism of the self-assembling processes is discussed on the basis of experimental results.

Luminescent Properties of Hexanuclear Molybdenum(II) Chloride Clusters Containing Thiolate Ligands

The emission spectra of a series of molybdenum(II) chloride clusters containing thiolate ligands, [Mo₆(μ₃-Cl)₈(SR)₆]²⁻ (R = Et, Bu, Ph, Bn), have been recorded. These complexes all show a broad emission at ~700 nm after excitation at 337, 400 and 410 nm. Determination of the excited state lifetimes and quantum yields of these complexes in acetonitrile reveals that (Bu₄N)₂[Mo₆(μ₃-Cl)₈(SPh)₆] displays the longest excited state lifetime of this series (26 μs at 296 K).

Characterization of electrokinetic mobility of microparticles in order to improve dielectrophoretic concentration

Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP), an efficient technique with great potential for miniaturization, has been successfully applied for the manipulation of a wide variety of bioparticles. When iDEP is applied employing direct current (DC) electric fields, other electrokinetic transport mechanisms are present: electrophoresis and electroosmotic flow. In order to concentrate particles, iDEP has to overcome electrokinetics. This study presents the characterization of electrokinetic flow under the operating conditions employed with iDEP; in order to identify the optimal conditions for particle concentration employing DC-iDEP, microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) was employed to measure the velocity of 1-μm-diameter inert polystyrene particles suspended inside a microchannel made from glass. Experiments were carried out by varying the properties of the suspending medium (conductivity from 25 to 100 μS/cm and pH from 6 to 9) and the strength of the applied electric field (50–300 V/cm); the velocities values obtained ranged from 100 to 700 μm/s. These showed that higher conductivity and lower pH values for the suspending medium produced the lowest electrokinetic flow, improving iDEP concentration of particles, which decreases voltage requirements. These ideal conditions for iDEP trapping (pH = 6 and σ _m = 100 μS/cm) were tested experimentally and with the aid of mathematical modeling. The μPIV measurements allowed obtaining values for the electrokinetic mobilities of the particles and the zeta potential of the glass surface; these values were used with a mathematical model built with COMSOL Multiphysics software in order to predict the dielectrophoretic and electrokinetic forces exerted on the particles; the modeling results confirmed the μPIV findings. Experiments with iDEP were carried out employing the same microparticles and a glass microchannel that contained an array of cylindrical insulating structures. By applying DC electric fields across the insulating structures array, it was seen that the dielectrophoretic trapping was improved when the electrokinetic force was the lowest; as predicted by μPIV measurements and the mathematical model. The results of this study provide guidelines for the selection of optimal operating conditions for improving insulator-based dielectrophoretic separations and have the potential to be extended to bioparticle applications. Figure Comparison of experimental measurements and mathematical modeling of electrokinetic and dielectrophoretic effects on microparticles

Synthesis and crystal structures of two polymorphs of sulfathiazole:pyridine (1:1) adducts

The paper summarizes recent results on crystallization and characterization of two polymorphs of the sulfathiazole:pyridine (1:1) adducts with substantially different space groups (P4₁ and P2₁/c) and packing. Intermolecular interactions in the adducts are compared. These two forms were obtained from solutions containing different ratios of n-propanol, not participating directly in crystallization but obviously controlling the polymorphism, and pyridine. The adducts are also formed by the contact of pure solid sulfathiazole (different polymorphs) with pyridine vapor. In air, the adducts decompose giving initially the metastable polymorph I of sulfathiazole, and then the stable sulfathiazole-III.

Conjugated C3 symmetric aryl tripyrroles and aryl bipyrroles: synthesis,optical and electronic properties

Conjugated C₃ symmetric molecules have been pursued for their fluorescent and electrochemical properties. The synthesis of conjugated C₃ symmetric aryl tripyrroles has been performed by a route featuring three steps from trimethyl 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylate 6: copper-catalyzed cascade addition of vinylmagnesium bromide to convert the carboxylates into γ,δ-unsaturated ketones, Tsuji–Wacker olefin oxidations to form tris(1,4-dione) 9, and Paal–Knorr condensation with ammonia and different amines to furnish the final tripyrroles (30–60% yields). In addition, incomplete reaction of vinylmagnesium bromide to 6 provided benzoate 8 possessing two γ,δ-unsaturated ketones, which were similarly converted to 3,5-dipyrrolylbenzoates 11. The absolute fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_fl) and electrochemical properties of 5a–c and 11a–c were investigated. The Φ_fl are the first reported for such compounds and they ranged between 2 and 40%, contingent on structure and solvent polarity. Cyclic voltammetry revealed that the compounds could be both oxidized and reduced, albeit irreversibly. The oxidation potentials (E_ox) varied between 0.73 V and 1.2 V and the reduction potentials (E_red) varied from −0.83 V to −1.36 V. The lowest redox processes were measured for the NH–pyrrole 5a. Moreover, tripyrrole 5a was air stable and on oxidative doping with ferric chloride exhibited a 50 nm bathochromic shift in its absorbance spectrum.     

Core-shell structured electrode materials for lithium ion batteries

Recent progress in studies of several types of core-shell structured electrode materials, including TiO₂/C, Si/C, Si/SiO _x , LiCoO₂/C, and LiFePO₄/C nanocomposites, including details of their preparation and their electrochemical performance is briefly reviewed. Results clearly show that the coating shell can effectively prevent the aggregation of the nanosized cores, which are the electrochemically active materials. In addition, the diffusion coefficients of lithium ions can be increased, and the reversibility of lithium intercalation and deintercalation is improved. As a result, the cycling behavior is greatly improved. The reviewed results suggest that core-shell nanocomposites are a good starting point for further development of new promising electrode materials.

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Sol–gel transitions of sodium montmorillonite dispersions by cationic end-capped poly(ethylene oxides) (surface modification of bentonites, IV)

Poly(ethylene oxides), PEO, end-capped with hexadecyl dimethylammonium, HDDMA⁺, and trimethylammonium hexyldimethylammonium, THA²⁺, changed distinctly the sol–gel transition of sodium montmorillonite dispersions. In the presence of HDDMA⁺-PEO 1,500 and 4,000, domains of sol with increased salt tolerance (c _k=550–1,000 mmol NaCl/l) were found at high polymer and low montmorillonite contents. The corresponding PEO of higher molar mass (20,000 and 35,000) led to extended fields of flocs. THA²⁺-PEO 1,500 formed attractive gels at polymer concentrations >2–5 g/l and montmorillonite contents >0.5%. These gels showed very high yield values. THA²⁺-PEO of higher molar mass acted as stabilizing agents. The salt tolerance was highest (300–750 mmol/l) in the presence of THA²⁺-PEO 20,000. The observed sol–gel diagrams reveal the interplay between polymer end-group fixation on the clay mineral particles, polymer conformation, and colloidal stabilization and destabilization mechanisms.

Food anaphylaxis

    Figure Avoidance is the primary measure in food allergy confirmed

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Liquid-chromatographische Trennung von aliphatischen Polysulfiden

Aliphatische Di- und Polysulfide lassen sich im reverse-phase-Verfahren an einer chemisch gebundenen Octadecylphase (Micro-Pak-CH) mit MeOH-H₂O als Eluens sauber trennen. Die qualitative Zuordnung der Peaks wird durch folgende Effekte vereinfacht: