Synthesis, characterization and interaction of a new chiral trinuclear complex [bis(aquodiaminotryptophanato) CuII–Sn2IV]chloride with calfthymus DNA

The new chiral trinuclear complex, [bis(aquodiaminotryptophanato)Cu^II–Sn₂^IV] chloride (1) was synthesized by employing a well-designed three-step pathway under anhydrous conditions. Interaction of the complex (1) with calf-thymus DNA was studied by spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry and viscosity measurements. The kinetic studies of calf-thymus DNA binding were carried out at 260 nm (λ_max of calf-thymus DNA) under pseudo-first order conditions. The rate constants, k_obs, were evaluated by the linear least squares regression method. The absorption spectra of the complex with calf-thymus DNA shows ‘hyperchromism’ which is attributed to the electrostatic interaction with calf-thymus DNA. The electrochemical behavior of complex (1) was studied in DMSO/H₂O (5:5) solution and showed a quasireversible Cu^II/Cu^I redox couple. The voltammetric studies of the complex in the absence and in the presence of DNA exhibit a shift in the formal potential E ⁰ and ratio of cathodic to anodic peak currents i_pa/i_pc indicating strong binding of the complex to calf-thymus DNA. The viscosity of DNA decreases with increasing concentration of the complex, suggesting that complex (1)binds to calf-thymus DNA by electrostatic association.     

Relaxation dynamics and structural characterization of organic nanoparticles with enhanced emission

With a reprecipitation method, we prepared fluorescent organic nanoparticles of 1,4-di[(E)-2-phenyl-1-propenyl]benzene (PPB) that feature weak emission in solution but exhibit blue-shifted absorption and strong emission as aggregates. Picosecond fluorescent transients of these PPB nanoparticles showed biexponential decay, described with a consecutive kinetic model involving two emissive states. X-ray diffraction patterns of PPB nanocrystals indicate long-range packing structures of two types, one the same as in a single crystal and the other not yet determined. PPB molecules in a crystal show an arrangement of a herringbone type with three benzene rings in a PPB unit being nearly planar and two methyl groups of the unit pointing along the same direction, in contrast to the twisted structure of an isolated PPB molecule. Fluorescence transients of PPB on a femtosecond scale indicate an efficient channel for isomerization that is activated for free PPB in solution but inhibited in PPB forming nanoparticles, demonstrating the significance of molecular geometry and twisting motions that affect the relaxation dynamics in the excited state. The versatile techniques combined in this work provide strong evidence to improve our understanding of optical properties in organic nanoparticles dependent on size.     

Optimisation of a Selective Liquid Chromatography Procedure for Hydrocortisone Acetate, Hydrocortisone Alcohol and Preservatives in a Pharmaceutical Emulsion

An accurate, reproducible and specific stability-indicating method for the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay of hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone alcohol, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate and propyl p-hydroxybenzoate in a pharmaceutical suspension is described. An investigation of several column phases was undertaken and a Zorbax SB-Phenyl column gave the best selectivity and specificity due to the π-π interactions between the analytes and stationary phase. All the components were fully resolved in less than 15 min under isocratic conditions using UV detection at 254 nm with a water-methanol mobile phase. The stability-indicating method was validated over the linearity range of 25% to 150% of the nominal concentrations of each analyte. Nominal concentrations were hydrocortisone acetate (10% w/w), hydrocortisone alcohol (0.2% w/w with respect to hydrocortisone acetate), methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (0.1% w/w) and propyl p-hydroxybenzoate (0.01% w/w) respectively.     

Physico-chemical studies on samarium soaps in solid state

Summary The physico-chemical characteristics of samarium soaps (caproate and caprate) in solid state were investigated by IR, X-ray diffraction and TGA measurements. The IR results revealed that the fatty acids exist in dimeric state through hydrogen bonding and samarium soaps possess partial ionic character. The X-ray diffraction measurements were used to calculate the long spacings and the results confirmed the double layer structure of samarium soaps. The decomposition reaction was found kinetically of zero order and the values of energy of activation for the decomposition process for caproate and caprate were found to be 8.0 and 7.8 kcal mol^–1, respectively.

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Physikochemische Untersuchungen an Samariumseifen in festem Zustand

Zusammenfassung Die physikochemischen Charakteristika von Samariumseifen (Caproat und Caprat) wurden im festen Zustand mittels IR, Röntgendiffraktion und TGA-Messungen untersucht. Die IR-Ergebnisse zeigten, daß die Fettsäuren durch Wasserstoffbrücken dimer vorliegen und daß die Samariumseifen partiell ionischen Charakter besitzen. Die Röntgenuntersuchungen bestätigen die Doppelschichtstruktur der Seifen. Die Zersetzungsreaktion verlief nach nullter Ordnung, und die Aktivierungsenergien für den Zersetzungsprozeß für Caproat und Caprat waren 8.0 und 7.8 kcal mol^–1.

     

Separation of charged colloids by a combination of pulsating lateral electric fields and poiseuille flow in a 2D channel

Separation of colloidal particles of different sizes is becoming increasingly important due to rapid developments in the area of proteomics, genetic engineering, drug discovery, etc. In particular, there is a need to accomplish these separations on a microscale in 'lab-on-a-chip' devices. In this paper, we propose a new method for accomplishing separation of charged colloids of different sizes in a microchannel. This method involves a combination of pulses of lateral electric fields and Poiseuille flow in the axial direction. We develop a model for this separation technique and obtain closed form solutions for the mean velocity and the dispersion coefficient for a pulse of molecules introduced into the channel. These expressions are then utilized to determine the channel length and the separation time. For reasonable value of design constants, the proposed technique can separate molecules of different sizes that have diffusivities of 10(-10) and 0.5 x 10(-10) m2/s in 15.7 s in a 3.7 mm long channel. The length and the time increase to 5.45 cm and 231 s if the ratio of the diffusivities is reduced from 2 to 1.2, i.e., the latter diffusivity is increased to 0.835 x 10(-10) m2/s, while keeping all the other parameters the same. If the diffusivities are about 10(-9) m(2)/s, the length and the time for separation are 1 cm and 17.5 s for D1/D2=2, and 16 cm and 269 s for D1/D2=1.2.     

E.s.r., magnetic, optical and biological (SOD and antimicrobial) studies of imidazolate bridged Cu(II)-Zn(II) and Cu(II)-Ni(II) complexes with tris(2-amino ethyl)amine as capping ligand: a plausible model for superoxide dismutase

X-band e.s.r. and optical absorption spectra of the imidazolate bridged heterobimetallic complexes [(tren)Cu-E-Im-Zn-(tren)](ClO(4))(3) and [(tren)Cu-E-Im-Ni-(tren)](ClO(4))(3), where trentris(2-aminoethyl)amine, E-Im=2-ethylimidazolate ion and the related mononuclear complexes [Cu(tren)](ClO(4))(2) and [(tren)Cu-E-ImH)](ClO(4))(2) have been described. Biological activities (superoxide dismutase and antimicrobial) have also been measured and compared with reported complexes.