Synthesis, linear, and quadratic-nonlinear optical properties of octupolar D3 and D2d bipyridyl metal complexes

A series of D3 (Fe(II), Ru(II), Zn(II), Hg(II)) and D2d (Cu(I), Ag(I), Zn(II)) octupolar metal complexes featuring different functionalized bipyridyl ligands has been synthesized, and their thermal, linear (absorption and emission), and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties were determined. Their quadratic NLO susceptibilities were determined by harmonic light scattering at 1.91 microm, and the molecular hyperpolarizability (beta0) values are in the range of 200-657 x 10(-30) esu for octahedral complexes and 70-157 x 10(-30) esu for tetrahedral complexes. The octahedral zinc(II) complex 1 e, which contains a 4,4'-oligophenylenevinylene-functionalized 2,2'-bipyridine, exhibits the highest quadratic hyperpolarizability ever reported for an octupolar derivative (lambdamax=482 nm, beta1.91(1 e)=870 x 10(-30) esu, beta0(1 e)=657 x 10(-30) esu). Herein, we demonstrate that the optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are strongly influenced by the symmetry of the complexes, the nature of the ligands (donor endgroups and pi linkers), and the nature of the metallic centers. For example, the length of the pi-conjugated backbone, the Lewis acidity of the metal ion, and the increase of ligand-to-metal ratio result in a substantial enhancement of beta. The contribution of the metal-to-ligand (MLCT) transition to the molecular hyperpolarizability is also discussed with respect to octahedral d6 complexes (M=Fe, Ru).     

Complex Formation of Ferric Protoporphyrin IX From the Reaction of Hemin with Ammonia and Small Aliphatic Amines

Complexes of Fe^III protoporphyrin IX (Fe^IIIPPIX) with the amido anion were obtained from the reaction of Fe^IIIPPIX chloride (hemin) with ammonia and small aliphatic amines under solvent free conditions. The reaction of hemin with gaseous ammonia leads to a pentacoordinated complex at the iron site, PPIX–Fe–NH₂, plus NH₄Cl, while at the peripheral propionic acidic groups ammonium carboxylate is formed. The corresponding stoichiometry (1:4 molar ratio of hemin to ammonia) was confirmed by the adsorption isotherm. Analogous reactions and complex formation were observed with EtNH₂ and Et₂NH. These reactions were monitored using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and i.r. and Mössbauer spectroscopies. The isomer shift and quadrupole splitting values of the resulting complexes are in correspondence with the strong -donor character of the amido anion linked to the iron atom. For comparison, the Mössbauer parameters for hemin complexes with arginine and 2-aminoguanidine, which also have pure interaction with the porphyrin iron, were included and discussed.     

Study of the effect of different fiber coatings and extraction conditions on dry cured ham volatile compounds extracted by solid-phase microextraction (SPME)

Extraction of dry cured ham volatile compounds by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was optimized. Different fiber coatings (carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS), divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB)), times of extraction (15, 30, 60 min) and sample preparation (ground samples and homogenates with NaCl saturated solution) were assayed. CAR/PDMS and DVB/CAR/PDMS fiber coatings extracted more than 100 volatile compounds and showed the highest area counts for most volatile compounds. CAR/PDMS coating extracted better those compounds whose Kovats index (KI) was lower than 980 (on average) and DVB/CAR/PDMS those with higher KI. Fifteen minutes of extraction provided a volatile compound profile with lower area counts for most compounds and qualitatively different to that obtained with 30 and 60 min of extraction. Homogenates gave a different profile compared to ground samples, with lower total counts for most compounds but higher proportion of aldehydes, and presence of several compounds not found in ground samples.     

Copper-assisted oxidation of catechols into quinone derivatives

Catechols are ubiquitous substances often acting as antioxidants, thus of importance in a variety of biological processes. The Fenton and Haber–Weiss processes are thought to transform these molecules into aggressive reactive oxygen species (ROS), a source of oxidative stress and possibly inducing degenerative diseases. Here, using model conditions (ultrahigh vacuum and single crystals), we unveil another process capable of converting catechols into ROSs, namely an intramolecular redox reaction catalysed by a Cu surface. We focus on a tri-catechol, the hexahydroxytriphenylene molecule, and show that this antioxidant is thereby transformed into a semiquinone, as an intermediate product, and then into an even stronger oxidant, a quinone, as final product. We argue that the transformations occur via two intramolecular redox reactions: since the Cu surface cannot oxidise the molecules, the starting catechol and the semiquinone forms each are, at the same time, self-oxidised and self-reduced. Thanks to these reactions, the quinone and semiquinone are able to interact with the substrate by readily accepting electrons donated by the substrate. Our combined experimental surface science and ab initio analysis highlights the key role played by metal nanoparticles in the development of degenerative diseases.

An antioxidant catechol transforms following intramolecular redox reactions into highly reactive oxygen species, a semiquinone and a quinone, on copper.     

Pyrazolate thiocarbonylrhodium complexes. X-ray structure of [Rh(μ-3,5-Me2Pz)(CS)(PPh3)]2

The preparation and properties of complexes of general formulae [Rh(CS)-(HL)(PR₃)₂]ClO₄ (HL = pyrazole (HPz), 3-methylpyrazole (H3-MePz), 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (H3,5-Me₂Pz), PR₃ = triphenylphosphine, tricyclohexylphosphine) and [(PR₃)₂(CS)Rh(μ-Pz)AuPPh₃]ClO₄ are reported. Complexes of the first set react with potassium hydroxide to give [Rh(μ-L)(CS)(PPh₃)₂ or RhPz(CS)(PR₃)₂ complexes. The structure of the complex [Rh(3,5-Me₂Pz)(CS)(PPh₃)]₂ has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, with Z = 4 in a unit cell of dimensions a = 12.700(11), b = 17.217(16), c = 23.041(18) Å, β = 116.55(8)°. The structure has been solved by Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares to R = 0.059 for 1978 independent reflections. The structure consists of dimeric complexes, in which each rhodium atom is in a square-planar environment being bonded to a carbon atom of a thiocarbonyl ligand, a phosphorus atom of a triphenylphosphine molecule and to two nitrogen atoms of pyrazolate ligands bridging the metal atoms. The dihedral angle of 71.1° between such two square planes leads to a bent configuration with an intramolecular rhodium-rhodium distance of 3.220 Å. The thiocarbonyl and triphenylphosphine ligands are in a trans disposition.     

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the source-sample-detector geometry for an annular type radioisotope excited XRF spectrometer

In this study, the dependence of the characteristic X-ray intensities on the counting geometry has been investigated for a radioisotope excited XRF spectrometer. The collimation factor for the source-sample-detector geometry, which was prepared for an annular type¹⁰⁹Cd radioisotope source, has been determined both theoretically and experimentally. The discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results is discussed in terms of possible sources of errors.     

Terbium-sensitized luminescence determination of levofloxacin in tablets and human urine and serum

A selective and sensitive luminescence method for the determination of levofloxacin is described. The method is based in the luminescence signal from a terbium(III)-levofloxacin complex, in a micellar solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), using a chemical deoxygenation agent (Na2SO3). The method allows the determination of 8-600 ng mL-1 of levofloxacin in 10 mM SDS solution containing 0.04 M acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer (pH 6) and 7.5 mM Na2SO3 with lambda exc = 292 nm and lambda em = 546 nm. The luminescence method was applied to the determination of the levofloxacin in a Spanish commercialized pharmaceutical formulation Tavanic (Hoechst Marion Roussel). Good concordance was found between the nominal and experimental values (500 and 488 mg, respectively), with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.6%. The proposed method was shown to be 100-fold more sensitive than the spectrophotometric method, and nearly 2-fold more sensitive than the fluorescence method. The method was also applied to levofloxacin determination in human serum (by external calibration method) and urine (by standard additions method), spiked at levels found after drug administration at normal clinical doses. Average recoveries found were 90.1 (RSD 1%) and 102 (RSD 1.9%), respectively.     

Unexpected ferromagnetic interaction in a new tetranuclear copper(II) complex: synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic properties, and theoretical studies

The new tetranuclear carbonate complex [Cu2L)2(CO3)] x 8H2O (1 x 8H2O) (H3L = (2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabut-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine) has been obtained by two different synthetic routes and fully characterized. Recrystallization of 1 x 8H2O in methanol yields single crystals of {[(Cu2L)2(CO3)]}2 x 12H2O (1 x 6H2O), suitable for X-ray diffraction studies. The crystal structure of 1 x 6H2O shows two crystallographically different tetranuclear molecules in the asymmetric unit, 1a and 1b. Both molecules can be understood as self-assembled from two dinuclear [Cu2L]+ cations, joined by a mu4-eta(2):eta(1):eta(1) carbonate ligand. The copper atoms of each crystallographically different [(Cu2L)2(CO3)] molecule present miscellaneous coordination polyhedra: in both 1a and 1b, two metal centers are in square pyramidal environments, one displays a square planar chromophore and the other one has a geometry that can be considered as an intermediate between square pyramid and trigonal bipyramid. Magnetic studies reveal net intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling between the metal atoms. Density functional calculations allow the assignment of the different magnetic coupling constants and explain the unexpected ferromagnetic behavior, because of the presence of an unusual NCN bridging moiety and countercomplementarity of the phenoxo (or carbonate) and NCN bridges.     

Biocompatible hydrogels based on chitosan,cellulose/starch,PVA and PEDOT:PSS with high flexibility and high mechanical strength

Fabricating mechanically strong hydrogels that can withstand the conditions in internal tissues is a challenging task. We have designed hydrogels based on multicomponent systems by combining chitosan, starch/cellulose, PVA, and PEDOT:PSS via one-pot synthesis. The starch-based hydrogels were homogeneous, while the cellulose-based hydrogels showed the presence of cellulose micro- and nanofibers. The cellulose-based hydrogels demonstrated a swelling ratio between 121 and 156%, while the starch-based hydrogels showed higher values, from 234 to 280%. Tensile tests indicated that the presence of starch in the hydrogels provided high flexibility (strain at break?>?300%), while combination with cellulose led to the formation of stiffer hydrogels (elastic moduli 3.9–6.6 MPa). The ultimate tensile strength for both types of hydrogels was similar (2.8–3.9 MPa). The adhesion and growth of human osteoblast-like SAOS-2 cells was higher on hydrogels with cellulose than on hydrogels with starch, and was higher on hydrogels with PEDOT:PSS than on hydrogels without this polymer. The metabolic activity of cells cultivated for 3 days in the hydrogel infusions indicated that no acutely toxic compounds were released. This is promising for further possible applications of these hydrogels in tissue engineering or in wound dressings.

Graphical abstract