Structural, spectroscopic, and magnetic study of bis(9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-acridineacetate)bis(imidazole)bis(methanol) nickel(II)

The mixed ligand complex [Ni(CMA)2(im)2(MeOH)2] (where CMA = 9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-acridineacetate ion, im = imidazole) was prepared, and its crystal and molecular structure were determined. The nickel ions are hexa-coordinated by four oxygen atoms of the carboxylate and hydroxyl groups and by two imidazole nitrogen atoms, to form a distorted octahedral arrangement. The structure consists of a one-dimensional network of the complex molecules connected by strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The weak intermolecular C-H...X hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions make up the 2-D structure. Very strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds significantly affect the geometry and vibrational characteristics of the carboxylate group. The UV-vis-NIR electronic spectrum was deconvoluted into Gaussian components. Electronic bands of the Ni(II) ion were assigned to suitable spin-allowed transitions in the D4h symmetry environment. The single ion zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters for the S = 1 state of Ni(II), as well as the g components, have been determined by high-field and high-frequency EPR (HF-HFEPR) spectroscopy over the frequency range of 52-432 GHz and with the magnetic fields up to 14.5 T: D = 5.77(1) cm-1, E = 1.636(2) cm-1, gx = 2.29(1), gy = 2.18(1), and gz = 2.13(1). These values allowed us to simulate the powder magnetic susceptibility and field-dependent magnetization of the complex.     

An atomistic simulation scheme for modeling crystal formation from solution

We present an atomistic simulation scheme for investigating crystal growth from solution. Molecular-dynamics simulation studies of such processes typically suffer from considerable limitations concerning both system size and simulation times. In our method this time-length scale problem is circumvented by an iterative scheme which combines a Monte Carlo-type approach for the identification of ion adsorption sites and, after each growth step, structural optimization of the ion cluster and the solvent by means of molecular-dynamics simulation runs. An important approximation of our method is based on assuming full structural relaxation of the aggregates between each of the growth steps. This concept only holds for compounds of low solubility. To illustrate our method we studied CaF2 aggregate growth from aqueous solution, which may be taken as prototypes for compounds of very low solubility. The limitations of our simulation scheme are illustrated by the example of NaCl aggregation from aqueous solution, which corresponds to a solute/solvent combination of very high salt solubility.     

Trianglamines--readily prepared, conformationally flexible inclusion-forming chiral hexamines

Trianglamines, macrocyclic heteraphanes, were readily synthesised through a [3+3] cyclocondensation of (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane with terephthalaldehyde, followed by NaBH4 reduction and N-alkylation. The macrocyclic ring shows a remarkable ability to change its conformation, as a consequence of rotation about the C-N bonds or nitrogen inversion due to protonation or N-alkylation, as revealed by circular dichroism spectra, computational modelling and X-ray diffraction analysis. The flexible natures of the trianglamine macrocycles allow ready accommodation of a variety of guest molecules to form crystalline inclusion complexes of highly diversified interpenetrating structures.     

Diffusion and viscosity in a crowded environment: from nano- to macroscale

Although water is the chief component of living cells, food, and personal care products, the supramolecular components make their viscosity larger than that of water by several orders of magnitude. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), NMR, and rheology data, we show how the viscosity changes from the value for water at the molecular scale to the large macroviscosity. We determined the viscosity experienced by nanoprobes (of sizes from 0.28 to 190 nm) in aqueous micellar solution of hexaethylene-glycol-monododecyl-ether (in a range of concentration from 0.1% w/w to 35% w/w) and identified a clear crossover at the length scale of 17 +/- 2 nm (slightly larger than persistence length of micelles) at which viscosity acquires its macroscopic value. The sharp dependence of the viscosity coefficients on the size of the probe in the nanoregime has important consequences for diffusion-limited reactions in crowded environments (e.g., living cells).     

Spectroscopic properties and photodynamic effects of new lipophilic porphyrin derivatives: efficacy, localisation and cell death pathways

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodynamic diagnostics (PDD) of cancer are based on the use of non-toxic dyes (photosensitisers) in combination with harmless visible light. This paper reports physicochemical properties, cell uptake, localisation as well as photodynamic efficiency of two novel lipophilic porphyrin derivatives, suitable for use as PDT sensitisers. Both compounds are characterised by high quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation which was measured by time-resolved phosphorescence. Photodynamic in vitro studies were conducted on three cancer cell lines. Results of cell survival tests showed negligible dark cytotoxicity but high phototoxicity. The results also indicate that cell death is dependent on energy dose and time following light exposure. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy both compounds were found to localise in the cytoplasm around the nucleus of the tumour cells. The mode of cell death was evaluated based on the morphological changes after differential staining. In summary, good photostability, high quantum yield of singlet oxygen and biological effectiveness indicate that the examined lipophilic porphyrin derivatives offer quite interesting prospects of photodynamic therapy application.     

Luminescense properties of new complexes of Eu(III) and Tb(III) with heterotopic ligands

As a result of coordination between ligands L and L' and europium(III) and terbium(III) ions, the new architectures were formed. The formulae of the complexes have been assigned on the basis of the spectroscopic data in solution and microanalyses. The europium complexes show excellent luminescence properties with high quantum yield (1b-Eu(3)L(2)) and effective intramolecular energy transfer from the ligand to the Eu(III) ions.     

Isotope effects on miscibility of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate with butanols

The liquid-liquid miscibility temperatures as a function of composition and deuterium substitution have been experimentally determined for the binary mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluroborate with 1-butanol, isobutyl alcohol, 2-butanol, and tert-butyl alcohol and their deuterated forms (OH/OD substitution). All systems exhibit upper critical solution temperatures (UCSTs) with a visible effect of branching in alcohols. Deuteration of alcohols in the hydroxyl group results in a decrease of the UCST of the given system and the largest shift is observed for tert-butyl alcohol. These solvent isotope effects nicely correlate with the polarity expressed by dielectric constants or E(T)(30) parameters of alcohols. The effect of the isotope substitution on the miscibility of ILs with butanols can be rationalized by using the statistical-mechanical theory of the isotope effects coupled with a phenomenological g(E) model. Following this procedure one finds that the isotope shift of UCST is associated mainly with the zero-point energy contribution.     

Semiquantitative determination of residues of amphetamine in sewage sludge samples

A procedure based on HPLC and mass spectrometric detection has been developed for screening of residues of the illicit drug amphetamine in sewage sludge. Sample pretreatment consisted in extraction by 50 mM formic acid and methanol (80:20 v/v), followed by adjustment of the pH to 10 and preconcentration by SPE at poly(di-vinylbenzene)-N-vinylpyrrolidone. HPLC separation of the extract was done on a C18 RP with a mixture of 50 mM formic acid and methanol (80:20 v/v) as mobile phase. The mass spectrometer was operated in the MS2 and MS3 mode using the transition from m/z 136 to 119 and from m/z 119 to 91. Due to the complex matrix, ionization suppression effects as well as shifts in the sensitivity of the detector within a series of runs could not be fully excluded. Therefore, quantitation was done by standard addition together with external standards, so that semiquantitative results could be obtained down to concentrations of 2 microg/kg sewage sludge. Samples taken from various municipal sewage treatment plants indicate that amphetamine residues are ubiquitous in urban areas.     

Densitometric HPTLC Method for Analysis of Triterpenoids in the Leaves of Jovibarba sobolifera (Sims.) Opiz (Hen and Chickens Houseleek)

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - High performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) combined with densitometry has been used for analysis of the triterpenoid...     

Studies on mesoporous niobosilicates synthesized using F127 triblock copolymer

A detailed characterization of cage-like mesoporous SBA-16 niobosilicate with tailored features of the structure is reported. The materials were synthesized in a EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆(F127)-water system under acidic conditions and the pore diameters were tuned by varying the hydrothermal treatment temperature and time. The effects of the synthesis parameters on the structural/textural properties of the cubic Im3m niobosilicates have been investigated systematically. We show that the total pore volume, pore diameter, and micro-/mesopores ratio can be controlled very efficiently by changing the synthesis parameters.