Indium doped zinc oxide nanopowders for transparent conducting coatings on glass substrates

Crystalline indium doped zinc oxide (IZO) nanopowders were synthesized using hydrothermal treatment processing. Increasing the doping ratio of indium in the zinc oxide significantly influences the phase structure and shape of the nanopowders resulting in nanorod to nanoparticulate morphologies. As the doping profile increases, the crystallite size decreases, the band gap energy blue shifts and the specific surface area increases (measured by BET method). Additionally Raman spectroscopy exhibited shifts of several peaks, as well as revealed new peaks, confirming the substitution of indium ions within the zinc oxide lattice sites. An IZO suspension made of IZO nanoparticles (In/Zn = 3 atm.%) with a zeta potential greater than 30 mV at pH = 6 was successfully spin-coated on glass substrates for to make transparent conductive coatings evincing sheet resistances as low as 35 kΩ_□ (ρ = 4.9 × 10^?3 Ω m,) with transmission in the visible range as high as 90 %.     

Three new seco-ursadiene triterpenoids from Salvia syriaca

Three new seco-ursadiene triterpenoids 1–3 together with 11 known compounds were isolated from Salvia syriaca of Jordanian origin. The compounds were identified by using NMR spectroscopy including extensive 2D NMR experiments and mass spectrometry. The structure of compound 3 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, and the information thus obtained was used to confirm the stereochemistry of compounds 1 and 2. This is the second report of 17,22-seco-17(28),12-ursadien-22-oic acids.     

Highly Selective and Stable Reduction of CO2 to CO by a Graphitic Carbon Nitride/Carbon Nanotube Composite Electrocatalyst

A stable and selective electrocatalyst for CO₂ reduction was fabricated by covalently attaching graphitic carbon nitride onto multiwall carbon nanotubes (g‐C₃N₄/MWCNTs). The as‐prepared composite is able to reduce CO₂ exclusively to CO with a maximum Faraday efficiency of 60 %, and no decay in the catalytic activity was observed even after 50 h of reaction. The enhanced catalytic activity towards CO₂ reduction is attributed to the formation of active carbon–nitrogen bonds, high specific surface area, and improved material conductivity of the g‐C₃N₄/MWCNT composite.     

Development and validation of a reversed‐phase HPLC method for the determination of γ‐tocotrienol in rat and human plasma

γ‐Tocotrienol (γ‐T3) is a member of the vitamin E family. Recently, γ‐T3 has attracted the attention of the scientific community due to its potent anticancer activity and other therapeutic benefits. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a simple and practical reversed‐phase HPLC method with satisfactory sensitivity for the routine quantification of γ‐T3 in rat and human plasma. The separation of γ‐T3 from the plasma components was achieved with a C₁₈ reversed‐phase column with an isocratic elution using a mixture of methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile (85:7.5:7.5, v/v/v) with a UV detection at 295 nm. γ‐T3 was extracted from rat and human plasma by liquid–liquid extraction with an average recovery of 60%. The method proved linear in the range 100–5000 ng/mL. The inter‐day precision ranged from 5.8 to 12.8% and the accuracy ranged from 92.4 to 108.5%, while the intra‐day precision ranged from 0.7 to 7.9% in both rat and human plasma. This data confirm that the developed method has a satisfactory sensitivity, accuracy and precision for the quantification of γ‐T3 in plasma. To assess its applicability the method was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis for pharmacokinetic studies of γ‐T3 in rats administered a 10 mg/kg single oral dose. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation and Evaluation of Some Terpolymers as Lube Oil Additives

In the present work, some polymeric additives were prepared to use as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants for lube oil via copolymerization of hexadecylacrylate and dodecylacrylate with styrene. Structure of the prepared compounds was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The molecular weights of the prepared copolymers were determined by using gel permeation chromatograph. The efficiency of the prepared terpolymers as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants for lube oil was investigation. It was found that all the prepared terpolymers are effective as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants. The viscosity index of the prepared terpolymers increases with increasing the concentration of the additives and increases by increasing the percentage of hexadecylacrylate until 70%. The best result for viscosity index of the prepared terpolymers is when the percentage of styrene is 10%. The pour point of the prepared compound decreases with decreasing concentration of additive used.     

Unusual octalactones from Corynespora cassiicola, an endophyte of Laguncularia racemosa

Chemical investigation of the EtOAc extract of the mangrove-derived endophyte Corynespora cassiicola, isolated from Laguncularia racemosa (Combretaceae), afforded five new secondary metabolites, named coryoctalactones A–E (1–5). The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of the side chain in 1–3 and 5 were tentatively deduced based on biogenetic consideration in comparison with xestodecalactones, previously isolated from C. cassiicola. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antitrypanosomal activities.     

NOVEL SUPRAMOLECULAR DERIVATIVES CONTAINING TWO R3Sn+ (R = Me,n-Bu,or Ph) CONNECTING UNITS: THE FORMATION OF NOVEL HOST–GUEST SYSTEMS BY THE FACILE ENCAPSULATION OF GUEST THIOPHENE COMPOUNDS

New supramolecular complexes [(Me ₃ Sn)(Ph ₃ Sn) ₂ Fe(CN) ₆ ] (I) and [(n-Bu ₃ Sn)(Ph ₃ Sn) ₂ Fe(CN) ₆ ] (II) are readily accessible by straightforward self-assembly of [Fe(CN) ₆ ] ^3? and hydrated R ₃ Sn⁺/R′ ₃ Sn ⁺ ions (R = Ph, and R′ = Me or n-Bu). The structural characterization of (I) and (II) is compared with well-documented supramolecular complex containing only Ph ₃ Sn ⁺ unit, [(Ph ₃ Sn) ₃ Fe(CN) ₆ ]. These novel compounds have wide internal cavities capable of encapsulating voluminous organic compounds, and they behave as host acceptors forming charge transfer complexes (CTC). Thiophene compounds acting as guest donor species are encapsulated within the cavities of the three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular hosts. The structure and physical properties of these hosts and host–guest systems were studied by X-ray powder diffraction, IR, UV/Vis., and magnetic measurements.