Intramolecular hydrogen bonds and hydrogen-bonded systems in di-Schiff bases of 4-methyl-isophthalaldehyde with 4-substituted anilines

Three di-Schiff bases of 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-isophthalaldehyde with 4-R-anilines (R=H, CH₃, OCH₃) and their 1:1 complexes with HClO₄ were studied by FT-IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy in acetonitrile and [²H₃]acetonitrile solutions, respectively. In di-Schiff bases intramolecular OH…N hydrogen bonds have been detected; however, they show no proton polarizability. Hydrogen-bonded systems with fast proton fluctuation and large proton polarizability have been found in the 1:1 complexes of di-Schiff bases with HClO₄.     

Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell culture on NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) films: a preliminary study for vascular graft development

Tissue engineering offers the potential of providing vessels that can be used to replace diseased and damaged native blood vessels. The endothelization of a synthetic vascular graft minimizes the failures associated with blood clotting and platelet activation. The aim of this study was to culture vascular-derived endothelial and smooth muscle cells on both untreated and NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films, a biocompatible and bio-resorbable polymer, and to evaluate the behavior of both cell types as a preliminary study for vascular graft development. PCL films were prepared by hot pressing; characterized by DSC, IR, SEM, and scanning force microscopy; and treated with NaOH to increase the surface hydrophilicity before cell culture. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells, isolated from pig cava vein, were characterized by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy studies of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and alpha-smooth muscle actin. Good adhesion, growth, viability and morphology of both the endothelial and smooth muscle cells on PCL films were obtained, but a light stimulation of mitochondrial activity was observed during short culture times. NaOH treatment improved the adhesion and enhanced the proliferation in both cell types. This verified the possible use of this modified polymer as a support in the preparation of a synthetic vascular graft. [Diagram: see text] SEM micrograph of smooth muscle cells cultured on NaOH-treated PCL film. (Original magnification: 1000x).     

Characterization of Mercury – Humic Acids Interaction by Potentiometric Titration with a Modified Carbon Paste Mercury Sensor

Stability constant for mercury binding by commercial and natural humic acids (HA) were determined using a new potentiometric mercury(II) sensor based on dithiosalicylic acid modified carbon paste electrode. The sensor present a high selective and sensitive response to mercury(II) ions, and a low detection limit of 1.8×10^?8 M. The potentiometric titrations curves of humic acids against mercury(II) ions were modeled. For 1.00×10^?7 to 3.00×10^?4 M mercury(II) ion concentration levels the results are consistent with the presence of two different binding sites in the humic acid macromolecule. The strongest binding sites (log K₁ ranging from 10.1 to 6.8) are probably due to interaction with carboxylic acid and amine groups in the molecule, whereas weakest binding sites (log K₂ ranging from 8.8 to 4.5) can be associated to phenolic groups.     

Supramolecular helical mesomorphic polymers. Chiral induction through H-bonding

The work described here concerns a challenge of general interest in supramolecular chemistry: the achievement of chiral helical organizations with controlled structures. This work provides a strategy to obtain supramolecular polymers in which a chiral helical conformation has been induced by a noncovalent association, that is, through hydrogen bonding. Polycatenar 2,4,6-triarylamino-1,3,5-triazines, which organize into columnar mesophases and are susceptible to H-bonding interactions, were chosen as a starting point to build up the chiral supramolecular structure. The stacking of these mesogens has been forced to wind in a helical way by means of H-bond association with (R)-3-methyladipic acid, within the mesophase. The optically active columnar organization has been studied in depth by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction, and circular dichroism. Formation of stable complexes between the triazine units and (R)-3-methyladipic acid has also been investigated by means of NMR diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments in chloroform.     

Determination of four nitroimidazole residues in poultry meat by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A multi-residue liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) assay method is described for the determination of four nitroimidazoles in poultry muscle. The extraction procedure is based on liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate followed by an evaporation step. A deuterated internal standard is used. The LC separation was made on a C18 bonded silica column with an aqueous formic acid (0.2%) solution-methanol-acetonitrile (81:13:6) mobile phase. Following electrospray ionization, the protonated molecular ion [M+H]+ is obtained for each compound. Monitoring several ions for each nitroimidazole provides the specificity required for confirmatory assay. Validation of the method was performed to estimate linearity, intra-day and inter-day repeatability, accuracy and detection limit. The present method is capable of identifying nitroimidazole residues in muscle at levels below 5 microg/kg.     

Chronocoulometric study of the electrochemistry of Prussian blue

During the electrochemical oxidation of Prussian blue (PB) to Prussian yellow (PY), an electrocatalytic oxygen production proceeds at the electrode when aqueous electrolyte solutions are used. The formed oxygen is scavenged by the PY, probably by absorption, and it is consumed during the electrochemical reduction of PY to PB by a heterogeneous chemical reaction of PB with oxygen to PY and hydrogen peroxide. Because of this catalytic regeneration of PY, it is impossible to determine the amount of low-spin iron by chronocoulometry using a potential program in which PB is first oxidized to PY and then the charge is measured to reduce PY to PB. The latter charge is biased by the electrocatalytic PY regeneration.     

Optimisation of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Systems for Complexation of Naproxen : Beta-Cyclodextrin

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂)offers several attractive scenarios for thepharmaceutical processing as an alternativeto aqueous and organic solvents. In thiswork naproxen, a widely used non steroidalanti-inflammatory drug with analgesic andanti-inflammatory properties, was chosenas a model drug. Its complexation with cyclodextrinsimproves the rate and extent of dissolutionof the drug, increase its rate of absorption and mayreduce the unpleasant side-effects of the drug.The interest in using this supercritical technologyled us to develop an experimental unit for the useof supercritical CO₂ as a processing medium forthe complexation of naproxen with beta cyclodextrin (CD).     

Identification of Earth Pigments by Applying Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to Solid State Voltammetry. Application to Severely Damaged Frescoes

Multivariate chemometric methods are applied for identifying earth pigments from square‐wave voltammetric measurements performed at pigment‐modified paraffin‐impregnated graphite electrodes allowing for a separation between hematite‐based earths, French ochres, Spanish ochres, siennas, umbers and green earths. This methodology is applied to the identification of the pigments in samples from the ceiling frescoes of Antonio Palomino (dated 1707) in the vaulted nave of the Sant Joan del Mercat church in Valencia (Spain). These frescoes suffered considerable damage by fire during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, resulting in severe chemical and chromatic alterations. Electrochemical data, supported by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy, indicate that thermal stress induced the transformation of goethite‐based yellow ochres into hematite and magnetite.     

The reaction of carbanions from 3-methyl-5-phenylisoxazole with electrophilic compounds

The reactivity of 3-methyl-5-phenylisoxazole against electrophilic compounds in the presence of different bases is studied. With n-BuLi, alkylated products at C-4 position and C-3 methyl group, and, in a few cases, dialkylated isoxazoles are obtained. When the reactions are carried out with LICA, the nature of the alkylated products depends on the alkyl halide used. By using LICA-TMEDA, as deprotonating system, regio-selective reaction at the C-3 methyl group is found.     

13-Hydroxyacenaphato[1,2-b]quinolizinium bromide as a new flouorescence indicator

13-Hydroxyacenaphtho[1,2-b]quinolizinium bromide (13-HQBr)was selected as a fluorescence indicator to determine basic compounds in non-aqueous media. This compound possesses an acidic phenolic hydroxyl group. It presents varying absorption (ROH, 408, 430 nm; RO(-) 456, 478 nm) and excitation spectra (ROH, 425 nm; RO, 471 nm) depending on the pH of the media, but the same emission fluorescence spectrum (ROH = RO(-), 526 nm) at different pH in buffered aqueous solutions. However, in acidic non-aqueous media (acetic, formic and trifluoroacetic acids), it can be observed that the fluorescence emission spectra differ for the ionized (lambda(em) = 530 nm) and non-ionized (lambda(em) = 440, 470 nm) forms. The fluorescence intensity at the characteristic peaks depends on the acid-base equilibria in the ground and excited states. Therefore, this property could be used to evaluate the concentration of basic compounds, showing a good linearity range between fluorescence intensity and basic sample concentration.