The preparation of conducting polyaniline–silver and poly(p-phenylenediamine)–silver nanocomposites in liquid and frozen reaction mixtures

The oxidation of aniline with silver nitrate in 1 mol L⁻¹ acetic acid at 20 °C yielded a composite of two conducting components, polyaniline and silver; the acceleration with 1 mol% of p-phenylenediamine is needed for efficient synthesis. The yield and molecular weight increased when aniline was copolymerized with 10 mol% p-phenylenediamine. Such product displayed metallic conductivity below 180 K and semiconductor type above this temperature. As the result, the conductivity was the same at 100 and 300 K. The oxidation of p-phenylenediamine alone with silver nitrate also produced a conducting composite having the conductivity of 1,750 S cm⁻¹ despite the assumed nonconductivity of poly(p-phenylenediamine). The present study demonstrates that all oxidations proceeded also in frozen reaction mixtures at −24 °C, i.e., in the solid state. In most cases, molecular weights of polymer component increased, the conductivity of composites with silver improved, to 2,990 S cm⁻¹ for poly(p-phenylenediamine)–silver, and remained high after deprotonation with 1 mol L⁻¹ ammonium hydroxide.

     

Cyclization of 4,5‐Diamino Pyrazole Derivatives and Their Antibacterial Activities

A convenient synthesis of intermediate 4,5‐diamino‐3‐aryl‐1‐phenylpyrazoles 4a – 4c was reported. The different cyclization reactions were carried out with chalcone, 2‐mercaptoacetic acid and p‐anisialdehyde, ethyl chloroformate, glyoxal and thiourea to afford different N and S containing heterocycles. The reaction conditions were compared by conventional heating and microwave irradiation. The structures of the cyclization products were determined by analytical and spectroscopic data. All the synthesized compounds were screened for antibacterial activities in vitro.     

Preparation and Reactions of 2‐Methyl‐7‐(3‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazolin‐4‐yl)‐5‐arylthiazolo[3,2‐a]‐pyrimido[4,5‐d]oxazin‐4(5H)‐one

Ethyl 7‐amino‐3‐(3‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazolin‐4‐yl)‐5‐aryl‐5H‐thiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylate was hydrolyzed with an ethanolic sodium hydroxide and the sodium salt thus formed underwent cyclization with acetic anhydride to afford 2‐methyl‐7‐(3‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazolin‐4‐yl)‐5‐arylthiazolo[3,2‐a]pyrimido[4,5‐d]oxazin‐4(5H)‐one. This compound was transformed to related heterocyclic systems via its reaction with various reagents. The biological activity of the prepared compounds was tested against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria as well as yeast‐like and filamentous fungi. They revealed in some cases excellent biocidal properties.     

Effects of AC‐Electrolysis on the Enzymatic Activity of Glucose Oxidase

The change in the activity of glucose oxidase subjected to an asymmetrical alternating current (AC) electric field is investigated via horseradish peroxidase (HRP)‐coupled bioassay. The effect of the amplitude, frequency and enzyme concentration have been shown to affect the enzyme activity towards glucose oxidation. The decrease in the enzyme activity is directly related to the change in pH and temperature of the GOx solution during AC electrolysis. The enzyme activity reduces with increasing amplitude, enzyme concentration and decreasing frequency. Results from UV‐vis, FT‐IR and UV CD spectroscopy showed that the AC treated GOx samples undergo structural modifications.     

Comparison between 2-hydroxypropyl-��-cyclodextrin and 2-hydroxypropyl-��-cyclodextrin for inclusion complex formation with danazol

Complexation in solution between danazol and two different cyclodextrins [2-hydroxypropyl-??-cyclodextrin (HP-??-CD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-??-cyclodextrin (HP-??-CD)] was studied using phase solubility analysis, and one- and two-dimensional ¹H-NMR. The increase of danazol solubility in the aqueous cyclodextrin solutions showed a linear relationship (A_L profile). The apparent stability constant, K _1:1, of each complex was calculated and found to be 51.7 × 10³ and 7.3 × 10³ M^?1 for danazol?CHP-??-CD and danazol?CHP-??-CD, respectively. ¹H-NMR spectroscopic analysis of varying ratios of danazol and the different cyclodextrins in a mixture of EtOD?CD₂O confirmed the 1:1 stoichiometry. Cross-peaks, from 2D ROESY ¹H-NMR spectra, between protons of danazol and H3?? and H5??of cyclodextrins, which stay inside the cyclodextrin cavity, proved the formation of an inclusion complex between danazol and the cyclodextrins. For HP-??-CD, the inclusion complex is formed by entrance of the isooxazole and the A rings of danazol in the cyclodextrin cavity. For HP-??-CD, two different inclusion structures may exist simultaneously in solution: one with the isooxazole and A ring in the cavity and the other with the C and D ring inside the cavity. DLS showed that self-aggregation of the CD??s was absent in the danazol HP-??-CD system up to a CD concentration of 10% and in the danazol HP-??-CD system up to a CD concentration of 5%.     

Intercomparison of techniques for estimation of sedimentation rate in the Sabah and Sarawak coastal waters

A total of eight sediment cores with 50 cm length were taken in the Sabah and Sarawak coastal waters using a gravity corer in 2004 to estimate sedimentation rates using four mathematical models of CIC, Shukla-CIC, CRS and ADE. The average of sedimentation rate ranged from 0.24 to 0.48 cm year^?1, which is calculated based on the vertical profile of ²¹⁰Pb_ex in sediment core. The finding also showed that the sedimentation rates derived from four models were generally shown in good agreement with similar or comparable value at some stations. However, based on statistical analysis of paired sample t-test indicated that CIC model was the most accurate, reliable and suitable technique to determine the sedimentation rate in the coastal area.     

Atmospheric plasma treatment of pre‐electrospinning polymer solution: A feasible method to improve electrospinnability

The electrospinnability of polyethylene oxide (PEO) was manipulated by atmospheric plasma treatment of pre‐electrospinning solutions. Conductivity, viscosity, and surface tension of PEO solutions increased after plasma treatment, and the plasma effect remained longer when the solution concentrate increased. Both untreated and treated solutions were then electrospun, and the morphology of the resultant nanofibers was observed by SEM. Atmospheric plasma treatment improved the electrospinnability of PEO solutions and led to less beads and finer diameter distribution in the resultant nanofibers. Additionally, plasma treatment of the pre‐electrospinning solutions affected the crystal structure of resultant nanofibers. These results suggest that atmospheric plasma treatment is a feasible approach to improve the electrospinnability of polymer solutions and can used to control the structure of electrospun nanofibers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Solid‐state NMR as a tool to describe and quantify the morphology of photoactive layers used in plastic solar cells

The optimization and control of the nanomorphology of thin films used as active layer in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) plastic solar cells is of key importance for a better understanding of the photovoltaic mechanisms and for increasing the device performances. Hereto, solid‐state NMR relaxation experiments have been evaluated to describe the film morphology of one of the “work‐horse” systems poly(2‐methoxy‐5‐(3′,7′‐dimethyloctyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylene‐vinylene)/[6, 6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁butyric acid methyl ester (MDMO‐PPV/PCBM) in a quantitative way. Attention is focused on the influence of the processing solvent (toluene vs. chlorobenzene), the blend composition, and the casting technique, that is, spin coating versus doctor blading. It is demonstrated that independently of the solvent and casting technique, part of the PCBM becomes phase separated from the mixed phase. Whereas casting from toluene results in the development of well‐defined PCBM crystallites, casting from chlorobenzene leads to the formation of PCBM‐rich domains that contain substructures of weakly organized PCBM nanoclusters. The amount and physico‐chemical state of the phase separated PCBM is quantified by solid‐state NMR relaxation times experiments. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Noninvasive imaging of cell death using an Hsp90 ligand

Cell death plays a central role in normal physiology and in disease. Common to apoptotic and necrotic cell death is the eventual loss of plasma membrane integrity. We have produced a small organoarsenical compound, 4-(N-(S-glutathionylacetyl)amino)phenylarsonous acid, that rapidly accumulates in the cytosol of dying cells coincident with loss of plasma membrane integrity. The compound is retained in the cytosol predominantly by covalent reaction with the 90 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90), the most abundant molecular chaperone of the eukaryotic cytoplasm. The organoarsenical was tagged with either optical or radioisotope reporting groups to image cell death in cultured cells and in murine tumors ex vivo and in situ. Tumor cell death in mice was noninvasively imaged by SPECT/CT using an (111)In-tagged compound. This versatile compound should enable the imaging of cell death in most experimental settings.     

On the Reactivity of (−)‐(R)‐Carvone and (−)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐Nepetalactone: Synthesis of New Heterocycles

The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of 4‐chlorobenzonitrile oxide to the unsaturated system of (?)‐(R)‐carvone occurred exclusively at C(8) to give a new isoxazoline derivative. This derivative reacts with NH₂OH to yield a new heterocycle, observed for the first time. On the other hand, the addition of 4‐chlorobenzonitrile oxide to the unsaturated lactone (?)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐nepetalactone gave, in a good yield, also a new heterocycle, again obtained for the first time. The terpenoid (?)‐(R)‐carvone and iridoid (?)‐4aα,7α,7aβ‐nepetalactone were isolated from Moroccan species Mentha viridis (L.) and Nepeta tuberosa (L.), respectively. The new heterocycles obtained were identified by combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods.