Photometric determination of aqueous cobalt (II), nickel (II), copper (II) and iron (III) with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt in gelatin films

Photometric determination of aqueous Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Fe(III) was performed using indicator films prepared by immobilization of 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt (NRS) into hardened photographic film. Immobilization was based on electrostatic interaction of reagent and metal complexes with the gelatin. The isoelectric point pH of hardened gelatin (4.46±0.04) was evaluated by viscometry. Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) form 1:3 complexes with NRS in gelatin at pH 2 and Cu(II) forms 1:2 complexes. Their log β′ values were: Co-6.7, Fe-8.6, Cu-8.0, and Ni-6.4. The absorption maxima were: 370nm for NRS, and 430nm, 470nm, 495nm and 720nm for complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Fe(III). An algorithm for their simultaneous determination using the indicator films was developed. The detection limits were: c_lim(Co²⁺) = 0.45×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Fe³⁺) = 0.50×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Cu²⁺) = 0.67×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Ni²⁺) = 0.75×10⁻⁵ M,; and their sum c_lim(ΣMn⁺) = 0.82×10⁻⁵ M.      

The effect of partial methylation of the glycine amino group on crystal structure in N,N‐dimethylglycine and its hemihydrate

N,N‐Dimethylglycine, C₄H₉NO₂, and its hemihydrate, C₄H₉NO₂·0.5H₂O, are discussed in order to follow the effect of the methylation of the glycine amino group (and thus its ability to form several hydrogen bonds) on crystal structure, in particular on the possibility of the formation of hydrogen‐bonded `head‐to‐tail' chains, which are typical for the crystal structures of amino acids and essential for considering amino acid crystals as mimics of peptide chains. Both compounds crystallize in centrosymmetric space groups (Pbca and C2/c, respectively) and have two N,N‐dimethylglycine zwitterions in the asymmetric unit. In the anhydrous compound, there are no head‐to‐tail chains but the zwitterions form R₄⁴(20) ring motifs, which are not bonded to each other by any hydrogen bonds. In contrast, in the crystal structure of N,N‐dimethylglycinium hemihydrate, the zwitterions are linked to each other by N—H...O hydrogen bonds into infinite C₂²(10) head‐to‐tail chains, while the water molecules outside the chains provide additional hydrogen bonds to the carboxylate groups.     

Nanostructured diamine-fullerene derivatives: computational density functional theory study and experimental evidence for their formation via gas-phase functionalization

Nanostructure derivatives of fullerene C(60) are used in emerging applications of composite matrices, including protective and decorative coating, superadsorbent material, thin films, and lightweight high-strength fiber-reinforced materials, etc. In this study, quantum chemical calculations and experimental studies were performed to analyze the derivatives of diamine-fullerene prepared by the gas-phase solvent-free functionalization technique. In particular, the aliphatic 1,8-diamino-octane and the aromatic 1,5-diaminonaphthalene, which are diamines volatile in vacuum, were studied. We addressed two alternative mechanisms of the amination reaction via polyaddition and cross-linking of C(60) with diamines, using the pure GGA BLYP, PW91, and PBE functionals; further validation calculations were performed using the semiempirical dispersion GGA B97-D functional which contains parameters that have been specially adjusted by a more realistic view on dispersion contributions. In addition, we looked for experimental evidence for the covalent functionalization by using laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, and atomic force microscopy.     

Laboratory studies of CHF2CF2CH2OH and CF3CF2CH2OH: UV and IR absorption cross sections and OH rate coefficients between 263 and 358 K

Fluorinated alcohols, such as 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol (TFPO, CHF(2)CF(2)CH(2)OH) and 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropanol (PFPO, CF(3)CF(2)CH(2)OH), can be potential replacements of hydrofluorocarbons with large global warming potentials, GWPs. IR absorption cross sections for TFPO and PFPO were determined between 4000 and 500 cm(-1) at 298 K. Integrated absorption cross sections (S(int), base e) in the 4000-600 cm(-1) range are (1.92 ± 0.34) × 10(-16) cm(2) molecule(-1) cm(-1) and (2.05 ± 0.50) × 10(-16) cm(2) molecule(-1) cm(-1) for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. Uncertainties are at a 95% confidence level. Ultraviolet absorption spectra were also recorded between 195 and 360 nm at 298 K. In the actinic region (λ > 290 nm), an upper limit of 10(-23) cm(2) molecule(-1) for the absorption cross sections (σ(λ)) was reported. Photolysis in the troposphere is therefore expected to be a negligible loss for these fluoropropanols. In addition, absolute rate coefficients for the reaction of OH radicals with CHF(2)CF(2)CH(2)OH (k(1)) and CF(3)CF(2)CH(2)OH (k(2)) were determined as a function of temperature (T = 263-358 K) by the pulsed laser photolysis/laser induced fluorescence (PLP-LIF) technique. At room temperature, the average values obtained were k(1) = (1.85 ± 0.07) × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and k(2) = (1.19 ± 0.03) × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The observed temperature dependence of k(1)(T) and k(2)(T) is described by the following expressions: (1.35 ± 0.23) × 10(-12) exp{-(605 ± 54)/T} and (1.36 ± 0.19) × 10(-12) exp{-(730 ± 43)/T} cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively. Since photolysis of TFPO and PFPO in the actinic region is negligible, the tropospheric lifetime (τ) of these species can be approximated by the lifetime due to the homogeneous reaction with OH radicals. Global values of τ(OH) were estimated to be of 3 and 4 months for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. GWPs relative to CO(2) at a time horizon of 500 years were calculated to be 8 and 12 for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. Despite the higher GWP relative to CO(2), these species are not expected to significantly contribute to the greenhouse effect in the next decades since they are short-lived species and will not accumulate in the troposphere even as their emissions grow up.     

Microfluorescence analysis of nanostructuring inhomogeneity in optical fibers with embedded gallium oxide nanocrystals

A spectroscopic protocol is proposed to implement confocal microfluorescence imaging to the analysis of microinhomogeneity in the nanocrystallization of the core of fibers belonging to a new kind of broadband fiber amplifier based on glass with embedded nanocrystals. Nanocrystallization, crucial for achieving an adequate light emission efficiency of transition metal ions in these materials, has to be as homogeneous as possible in the fiber to assure optical amplification. This requirement calls for a sensitive method for monitoring nanostructuring in oxide glasses. Here we show that mapping microfluorescence excited at 633 nm by a He-Ne laser may give a useful tool in this regard, thanks to quasi-resonant excitation of coordination defects typical of germanosilicate materials, such as nonbridging oxygens and charged Ge-O-Ge sites, whose fluorescence are shown to undergo spectral modifications when nanocrystals form into the glass. The method has been positively checked on prototypes of optical fibers--preventively characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy--fabricated from preforms of Ni-doped Li?O-Na?O-Sb?O?-Ga?O?-GeO?-SiO? glass in silica cladding and subjected to heat treatment to activate gallium oxide nanocrystal growth. The method indeed enables not only the mapping of the crystallization degree but also the identification of drawing-induced defects in the fiber cladding.     

Structure‐Directing Agents for the Synthesis of TiO2‐Based Drug‐Delivery Systems

A series of titanium oxides was prepared by using a surfactant‐template method (STM) and used as a carrier for the sustained release of ibuprofen, which was chosen as a model drug. This STM provides an efficient route to TiO₂ matrices with both high surface area (when compared with those that were obtained by using traditional synthetic approaches) and well‐defined mesoporous textures. Some parameters of the synthetic procedure were varied: pH value, surfactant, and thermal treatment. The physicochemical nature of the surface carriers were investigated by means of N₂‐physisorption measurements and FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of the amount of drug on the release kinetics was also investigated. The drug delivery was evaluated in vitro in four different physiological solutions (that simulated the gastrointestinal tract) to analyze the behavior of the TiO₂‐based systems if they were to be formulated as oral DDSs. Our optimized approach is a good alternative to the classical methods that are used to prepare efficient TiO₂‐based drug‐delivery systems.     

Rational design and synthesis of water-compatible molecularly imprinted polymers for selective solid phase extraction of amiodarone

Novel water-compatible molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) selective for amiodarone (AD) were designed via a new methodology which relies on screening library of non-imprinted polymers (NIPs). The NIP library consisted of eighteen cross-linked co-polymers synthesized from monomers commonly used in molecular imprinting. The binding capacity of each polymer in the library was analyzed in two different solvents. Binding in water was used to assess non-specific (hydrophobic) interactions and binding in an appropriate organic solvent was used to assess specific interactions. A good correlation was found between the screening tests and modeling of monomer–template interactions performed using computational approach. Additionally, analysis of template–monomer interactions was performed using UV–vis spectroscopy. As the result, 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) was selected as the best monomer for developing MIP for AD. The 4-VP-based polymers demonstrated imprinting factor equal 3.9. The polymers performance in SPE was evaluated using AD and its structural analogues. The recovery of AD was as high as 96% when extracted from spiked phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) solution and 82.1% from spiked serum samples. The developed MIP shown as a material with specific binding to AD, comparing to its structural analogues, 1-(2-diethylaminoethoxy)-2,6-diiodo-4-nitrobenzene and lidocaine, which shown 9.9% and 25.4% of recovery from the buffer solution, correspondingly. We believe that the screening of NIP library could be proposed as an alternative to commonly used computational and combinatorial approaches.     

The role of cyclobutenes in gold(I)-catalysed skeletal rearrangement of 1,6-enynes

1,6-Enynes with electron-donating substituents at the alkyne undergo gold(I)-catalysed single cleavage skeletal rearrangement, whereas substrates with electron-withdrawing substituents evolve selectively to double cleavage rearrangement. Theoretical calculations provide a qualitative rationale for these effects, and suggest that bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-5-enes are involved as intermediates. We provide the first X-ray structural evidence for the formation of a product of this class in a cycloisomerisation of a 1,6-enyne.