Electronic interactions in a new pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene dimer

The first pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) dimer in which the two exTTF units are covalently connected by 1,3-dithiole rings has been obtained in a multistep synthetic procedure involving the Ullmann cross-coupling reaction by using copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC). The electronic spectrum reveals a significant electronic interaction between the exTTF units. The electrochemical study carried out by cyclic voltammetry in solution and in thin-layer conditions, and the electrochemical simulation and spectroelectrochemical (SEC) measurements confirm the electronic communication and show that the oxidation of dimer 14 occurs as two consecutive 2 e(-) processes D(0)-D(0)-->D(2+)-D(0)-->D(2+)-D(2+). Theoretical calculations, performed at the B3P86/6-31G* level, confirm the experimental findings and predict that 14(2+) exists as a delocalized D(.+)-D(.+) species in the gas phase and as a localized D(2+)-D(0) species in solution (CH(3)CN or CH(2)Cl(2)). Oxidation of 14(2+) forms the tetracation 14(4+) which is constituted by two aromatic anthracene units bearing four aromatic, almost orthogonal 1,3-dithiolium cations.     

Simultaneous determination of the herbicides diquat and paraquat in water

A method based on solid-phase extraction (on silica cartridges) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by diode array UV detection is presented as an analytical tool for screening diquat (DQ) and paraquat (PQ) in drinking waters. The method is useful for quality control laboratories of water companies and beverage industries. Absolute recoveries of DQ and PQ from drinking water (25 mL in all cases), spiked at levels between 0.1, 1.0, and 5.0 microg/L, range from 91% to 103%. Relative standard deviation percentages are between 3% and 11%. Quantitation and detection limits are 70 and 40 ng/L for DQ and 90 and 60 ng/L for PQ, respectively; therefore, these herbicides can be detected and quantitated at levels below the limits established by the European Union.     

Separation of carbon nanotubes in aqueous medium by capillary electrophoresis

A robust and reproducible method for the dispersion of carbon nanotubes, either single-walled or multi-walled is presented. Dispersion of nanotubes was achieved as surfactant-coated species of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The addition of small amounts of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) together with the surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate, was found critical to achieve reproducible nanotubes dispersion and to obtain an homogeneous and stable solution. This solution is further analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using a background electrolyte solution containing a polymer, 0.025% (w/v) HPMC solution prepared in 5 mM ammonium acetate at pH 8.03. This electrophoretic method presents a high reproducibility between runs, being an interesting alternative to study nanotube size distribution or characterization after synthesis. In addition, the methodology developed allowed the study of the interaction of the different types of carbon nanotubes with a molecular probe such as pentachlorophenol. This procedure was showed effective to detect small differences on the chemical/physical surface properties of the nanotubes. The different interaction behavior found within the two SWNTs selected was critically discussed.     

Synthetic nanocrystalline diamond as a third-generation biosensor support

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been immobilized on the surface of functionalized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films. The structure of the modified NCD surface as well as the electrochemical behavior of the whole system was characterized by impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The proximity of HRP heme groups to the NCD surface allowed direct electron transfer between them, resulting in two separated one-electron-transfer peaks at 0.05 V and 0.29 V vs Ag/AgCl, corresponding to the cathodic and anodic process, respectively. The heterogeneous electron-transfer constant for both processes was calculated to be 0.066 s(-1), the charge-transfer coefficient alpha = 0.49, and the immobilized enzymatic layer about 2.10(-10) mol/cm2. The modified NCD electrode was used as a third-generation biosensor for hydrogen peroxide determination showing a linear response in the 0.1-45 mM H2O2 range, at +0.05 V vs Ag/AgCl.     

Functionalization of linear and cyclic siloxanes and a dendritic carbosilane with (η-C5H5)Fe(CO)2Si(CH3)2CHCH2 via hydrosilylation reaction

A series of multimetallic systems containing silicon-linked cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl iron moieties including carbosilane dendrimers and cyclic and polymeric siloxanes have been prepared using hydrosilylation reactions. For this purpose the vinyl-substituted silyliron complex (η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)₂Si(CH₃)₂ CHCH₂ (1) was prepared by salt elimination reaction between Na[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)₂] and ClSi(CH₃)₂CHCH₂ and fully characterized. Hydrosilylation reaction of 1 with the appropriate Si-H functionalized molecules in the presence of Karstedt catalyst afforded the novel silyl carbonyl iron-functionalized cyclotetrasiloxane 2, dendrimer 3 and copolymer 4, in which the organometallic units are attached to the silicon-based frameworks through a two-methylene flexible spacer. The electrochemical behaviour of compounds 1-4 has been examined in dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile solutions using cyclic voltammetry.     

13C direct detected COCO-TOCSY: a tool for sequence specific assignment and structure determination in protonless NMR experiments

A novel experiment is proposed to provide inter-residue sequential correlations among carbonyl spins in (13)C detected, protonless NMR experiments. The COCO-TOCSY experiment connects, in proteins, two carbonyls separated from each other by three, four or even five bonds. The quantitative analysis provides structural information on backbone dihedral angles phi as well as on the side chain dihedral angles of Asx and Glx residues. This is the first dihedral angle constraint that can be obtained via a protonless approach. About 75% of backbone carbonyls in Calbindin D(9K), a 75 amino acid dicalcium protein, could be sequentially connected via a COCO-TOCSY spectrum. 49 [Formula: see text] values were measured and related to backbone phi angles. Structural information can be extended to the side chain orientation of aminoacids containing carbonyl groups. Additionally, long range homonuclear coupling constants, (4)J(CC) and (5)J(CC), could be measured. This constitutes an unprecedented case for proteins of medium and small size.     

Electrocyclic [1,5] hydrogen shift in the thermal elimination kinetics of phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate in the gas phase: a density functional theory study

The kinetics and mechanisms of thermal decomposition of phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate in the gas phase were studied by means of electronic structure calculations using density functional theory methods: B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p), B3PW91/6-31G(d,p), B3PW91/6-31++G(d,p), MPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p), MPW1PW91/6-31++G(d,p), PBE/6-31G(d,p) and PBE/6-31++G(d,p). Two possible mechanisms have been considered: mechanism A is a stepwise process involving electrocyclic [1,5] hydrogen shift to eliminate ketene through concerted six-membered cyclic transition-state structure, followed by tautomerisation of cyclohexadienone or by 4-methyl cyclohexadienone intermediate to give the corresponding phenol. Mechanism B is a one-step concerted [1,3] hydrogen shift through a four-membered cyclic transition-state geometry, to produce ketene and phenol or p-cresol. Theoretical calculations showed reasonable agreement with experimental activation parameters when using the Perdew, Burke and Ernserhof (PBE)functional, through the stepwise [1,5] hydrogen-shift mechanism. For mechanism B, large deviation for the entropy of activation was observed. No experimental data were available for p-tolyl acetate; however, theoretical calculations showed similar results to phenyl acetate, thus supporting the stepwise mechanism for both phenyl acetate and p-tolyl acetate.     

Temperature rising elution fractionation, infra red and rheology study on gamma irradiated HMSPP

It is well known that polypropylene undergoes simultaneous crosslinking and degradation under irradiation. However, there are speculations regarding the formation of branching under special conditions. It is also well known that the melt-strength property of a polymer increases with molecular weight and with long-chain branching due to the increase in the entanglement level. This study was a contribution to the understanding of the following points: the role of molecular weight, the role of structural modifications on nucleation properties; the structural changes on polypropylene.

The results showed that degradation was the major reaction in the initial step of irradiation, however, the largely modified molecules concentrated in the high molecular weight fraction. The results also confirm that the branching formation is likely to occur.     

Functionalization of Reduced Graphite Oxide Sheets with a Zwitterionic Surfactant

Films of a few layers in thickness of reduced graphite oxide (RGO) sheets functionalized by the zwitterionic surfactant N‐dodecyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐3‐ammonio‐1‐propanesulfonate (DDPS) are obtained by using the Langmuir–Blodgett method. The quality of the RGO sheets is checked by analyzing the degrees of reduction and defect repair by means of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro‐Raman spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements. A modified Hummers method is used to obtain highly oxidized graphite oxide (GO) together with a centrifugation‐based method to improve the quality of GO. The GO samples are reduced by hydrazine or vitamin C. Functionalization of RGO with the zwitterionic surfactant improves the degrees of reduction and defect repair of the two reducing agents and significantly increases the electrical conductivity of paperlike films compared with those prepared from unfunctionalized RGO.