Synthesis and characterization of isotopically enriched methylmercury (CH3201Hg+)

A simple procedure for the synthesis of an important standard, isotopically enriched methylmercury, which is not commercially available, has been established successfully. The isotopically enriched standard synthesized is utilized in conventional isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS), as well as in speciated IDMS (SIDMS), for determination of the true concentration of methylmercury in environmental samples. The CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺ standard has been synthesized from commercially available ²⁰¹HgO and tetramethyltin. The synthesis time required is 1 h at 60°C. The product is highly pure, yielding more than 90% as ²⁰¹Hg in CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺. Hazardous dimethylmercury does not occur during this synthesis procedure. The product synthesized was analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and ICP‐MS alone in order to determine its concentration, isotopic composition and purity. The stability of the product was also evaluated for over 6 months and found to be stable at 4°C in the dark. The isotopically enriched methylmercury synthesized can be used in SIDMS and IDMS analyses as a standard. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel route to synthesis of allyl starch and biodegradable hydrogel by copolymerizing allyl‐modified starch with methacrylic acid and acrylamide

Maize starch was modified by allyl chloride adopting an interfacial reaction technique with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as a phase‐transfer catalyst and pyridine as an acid acceptor. The degree of substitution was determined from an increasing carbon content of the modified starch. The percentage of carbon and hydrogen of the allyl‐modified starch was estimated by elemental analysis (C, H, and N), and the product characterization was done through ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR analyses. The allyl‐modified starch was then copolymerized with methacrylic acid and a combination of methacrylic acid and acrylamide at 50 and 70 °C with potassium persulfate as an initiator. The copolymer thus formed swelled in distilled water after neutralization with sodium carbonate. The percentage of absorption capacity of the hydrogels was determined with distilled water and 0.9% NaCl solution. The highest percentage of absorption, 6500%, was achieved for the developed hydrogel containing allyl starch and acrylic monomer in a 1.7:1 w/w ratio and acrylic monomer, namely, methacrylic acid and acrylamide in a 3.2:1 w/w ratio. The study on biodegradability of the developed hydrogel showed that the hydrogel is degradable in the presence of diastase (amylase). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1650–1658, 2003     

A simple convenient synthesis of trans-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,10b-octahydrophenanthridines

trans-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,10b-Octahydrophenanthridine, the 9-methoxy analog, and 5-methyl derivatives ( 6a,6b ) of each have been synthesized from trans-phenylcyclohexylamines ( 2a,2b ) and ethyl chloroformate followed by cyclization and reduction or by cyclization, N-methylation and reduction. The oximes ( la,1b ) of 2-phenylcyclohexanone and the m-methoxy relative, a mixture of the syn and anti isomers, were reduced to 2a and 2b with sodium and ethanol. Hydrogenation (platinum oxide-acetic acid) of 1a gave in addition to 2a , a small yield of 2-cyclohexylcyclohexyl-amine. Similar hydrogenation of 1b gave only this fully reduced compound.     

Preparation,and infrared and thermal properties of six adducts of tetrakis-(8-hydroxyquinolinato)thorium(IV)

Six adducts of the tctrakis(8-hydroxyquinolinato) complex of thorium(IV) with 8-hydroxyquinoline, pyridine, urea, dimethylsulphoxide, dimethylformamide and 1,10-phenanthroline were prepared and characterized, the infrared bands for the room-temperature forms are given and their particular thermal properties are reported. The thermal analyses were performed mostly in the presence of air, but in some cases an argon atmosphere was used for comparison. The adducts were lost from the principal complex at temperatures varying between 110 and 290°. Intermediate oxygenated complexes were formed in each case at about 400°. The thermal data suggest the standardization of a procedure for the formation of Th(C₉H₆NO)₄.

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Zusammenfassung Sechs Addukte des Tetrakis(8-hydroxyquinolinato)-Komplexes von Thorium(IV) mit 8-Hydroxyquinolin, Pyridin, Harnstoff, Dimethylsulphoxid, Dimethylformamid und 1,10-Phenanthrolin wurden dargestellt und charakterisiert. Infrarotbanden und spezielle thermische Eigenschaften der Raumtemperatur-Formen sind angegeben. Die thermischen Analysen wurden meist in Luft ausgeführt, in einigen Fällen zu Vergleichszwecken aber auch in Argonatmosphäre. Die Addukte wurden vom Komplex bei Temperaturen zwischen 110 und 290 °C abgegeben. Intermediäre oxydierte Komplexe wurden in jedem Fall bei etwa 400 °C gebildet. Die thermischen Daten ermöglichen die Standardisierung eines Verfahrens zur Darstellung von Th(C₉H₆NO)₄.

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-(8- ) (IV) 8- , , , - , 1,10-. - , . , , . 110–290°. 400° . Th(C₉H₆NO)₄.

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We are grateful to the Bangladesh University Grants Commission for a Fellowship Grant to AR.     

The preparation and some reactions of 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachlorophenylmagnesium chloride

The reaction of pentachlorobenzene with metallic magnesium in THF at 10–15°C gives after hydrolysis 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachlorobenzene (76%) and pentachlorobenzene (8%); after trimethylsilylation, 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachloro-3-(trimethylsilyl)benzene (74%), pentachloro(trimethylsilyl)benzene (8%) and 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachlorobenzene (6%); after iodination, 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachloroiodobenzene (44%), pentachloroiodobenzene (12%) and 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrachlorobenzene (9%); and finally after carbonation, 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachlorobenzoic acid (58%). These products indicate that in the Grignard reaction a mixture of largely 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachlorophenylmagnesium chloride and some pentachlorophenylmagnesium chloride is formed. The formation pentachlorophenylmagnesium chloride is explained on the basis of metal—hydrogen exchange reaction between 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachlorophenylmagnesium chloride and the unreacted pentachlorobenzene.     

Spectrophotometric determination of trimethoprim by oxidation in drug formulations

A spectrophotometric determination of trimethoprim is described based on the reaction of its amine group with persulfate which acts as a strong oxidizing agent in alkaline media. The reaction produces a stable yellow colored compound after heating in a boiling water bath for 30 min. At λ_max 355 nm, Beer’s law is obeyed in the concentration range 10–60 μg ml^–1 with a molar absorptivity of 2.7 × 10³ l mol^–1cm^–1. The method is applied to formulations with sulfamethoxazole. Received: 30 July 1996 / Revised: 16 October 1996 / Accepted: 22 October 1996     

Amphitropic liquid crystals. Two lamellar phases in a surfactant containing thermotropic and lyotropic mesogenic groups

Abstract

We have studied the lyotropic liquid-crystalline behaviour of cationic surfactants containing a potentially thermotropic moiety, a terminal cyanobiphenyloxy group. Both mono-alkyl and mid-chain substituted dialkyl surfactants have been examined using optical microscopy and NMR spectroscopy. Incorporation of the cyanobiphenyloxy group destabilizes the hexagonal and bicontinuous cubic phases, with only an extensive lamellar region being observed. For the dialkyl surfactant there is a range of compositions where two lamellar phases co-exist, one water-rich and the second surfactant-rich.     

Non‐vacuum field desorption ion source implemented under super‐atmospheric pressure

Standard field desorption (FD) ionization is implemented under high vacuum condition. In this paper, non‐vacuum FD is performed under a super‐atmospheric pressure environment using untreated tungsten wires as FD emitter, and the ion source was coupled to a commercial linear ion trap mass spectrometer. The operating pressure of the ion source was 6 bars which was high enough to provide sufficient dielectric strength to the working gas so that the high voltage that was required for FD could be applied to the emitter without occurrence of electrical discharge. Non‐volatile sample deposited on the bare tungsten wire FD emitter was heated by flowing direct current through the emitter. Similar to vacuum FD, the formation of conical protrusion of the liquefied sample layer under the strong electric field was also observed. Using the present ion source, high pressure field‐desorption of polar neutral compounds, organic salts and ionic liquids is demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid state photoelectrochemical cells utilising graphite thin films counter electrode

This paper reports the use of graphite thin films as a counter electrode of a solid state photoelectrochemical cells of ITO/TiO₂/PVC-LiClO₄/graphite. The photoelectrochemical cells material was a screen-printed layer of titanium dioxide onto an ITO-covered glass substrate which was used as a working electrode of the device. The solid electrolyte used was PVC-LiClO₄ that was prepared by solution casting technique. The graphite films which serve as a counter electrode were prepared onto glass substrate by electron beam evaporation technique at substrate temperatures variation of 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 °C. The dependence of sheet resistance and surface morphology of the graphite films on substrate temperature were studied. The films deposited at 25 °C shows the smoothest surface morphology and the smallest grain size. Bigger grain size, rougher surface morphology of graphite film counter electrode. The current-voltage characteristics of four devices utilising the graphite counter electrode with different substrate temperature in dark as well as under illumination of 100 mWcm⁻² light from a tungsten halogen lamp were recorded at room temperature and at 50 °C, respectively. It was found that the photovoltaic parameters of the device such as short-circuit current density, J_sc and open-circuit voltage, V_oc increases with the decreasing average grain size of the graphite counter electrode. The device whose graphite film counter electrode was deposited onto the glass substrate at 25 °C gave the highest J_sc of 0.32 μA/cm² and V_oc of 117 mV, respectively.