Differential pulse polarographic study of the degradation of cephalexin: Determination of Hydrogen Sulphide and other Degradation Products

Differential pulse polarography (d.p.p.) is used to study the degradation of cephalexin. Hydrogen sulphide, evolved during the degradation of cephalexin solutions, was removed continuously in a stream of nitrogen and determined periodically. Other electroactive degradation products were observed by d.p.p. of the degraded sample solutions. The degradation mechanism is highly dependent on pH, the initial concentration of cephalexin, temperature, the particular buffer used, and the presence of dissolved oxygen. The formation and degradation of the diketopiperazine derivative formed by intramolecular aminolysis, particularly at neutral pH, can be followed by means of its polarographic peak at -0.9 V (pH 7.4). Approximately half the total sulphur originally present in cephalexin is liberated as hydrogen sulphide at pH 7.4 at 37°C. Increasing the degradation temperature to 80°C and sweeping out the hydrogen sulphide with nitrogen increases the yield of a major product which gives a peak at -1.26 V. At pH 8.5 (80°C. 100 μg cephalexin ml^-1) the percentage of the sulphur evolved as hydrogen sulphide increases with time, and a peak appears at -0.96 V (probably 2-hydroxy-3-phenyl-6-methylpyrazine) which increases as the peak at -1.26 V becomes smaller. Other products formed under different conditions (concentration, pH, temperature) are reported. At pH 3 (80°C) only 8% conversion via intramolecular aminolysis and 5% evolution of total sulphur is indicated after four hours.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of a ternary complex involving nitrilotriacetatocobaltate(II) and malonic acid by N-bromosuccinimide

The kinetics of oxidation of [Co^IINM(H₂O)]^3– (N = nitrilotriacetate, M = malonate) by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous solution have been found to obey the equation: d[Co^III]/dt = k ₁ K ₂[NBS][Co^II]_T/{1 + K₂[NBS] + (H⁺/K₁)} where k ₁ is the rate constant for the electron transfer process, K ₁ the equilibrium constant for dissociation of [Co^IINM(H₂O)]^3– to [Co^IINM(OH)]^4– + H⁺, and K ₂ the pre-equilibrium formation constant. Values of k ₁ = 1.07 × 10^–3 s^–1, K ₁ = 4.74 × 10^–8 mol dm^–3 and K ₂ = 472 dm³ mol^–1 have been obtained at 30 °C and I = 0.2 mol dm^–3. The thermodynamic activation parameters have been calculated. The experimental rate law is consistent with a mechanism in which the deprotonated [Co^IINM(OH)]^4– is considered to be the most reactive species compared to its conjugate acid. It is assumed that electron transfer takes place via an inner-sphere mechanism.     

Thermal and spectral studies of 5-(phenylazo)-2-thiohydantoin and 5-(2- hydroxyphenylazo)-2-thiohydantoin complexes of cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II)

Complexes of 5-(phenylazo)-2-thiohydantoin (L¹) and 5-(2-hydroxyphenylazo)-2-thiohydantoin (HL²) with Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) salts have been synthesised and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, UV-Vis, IR, ESR and TG studies. The magnetic and spectral data suggested octahedral geometry for [L¹M(OAc)₂(H₂O)₂]·xH₂O {M=Ni^ll and Cu^ll} and [L¹CuCl₂(H₂O)]·H₂O (dimeric form for the latter), trigonal bipyramidal geometry for [L²Co(OAc)(H₂O)]·2H₂O, square pyramidal geometry for [L²Ni(OAc)(H₂O)]·H₂O and square planar geometry for [L²CuCl]·2H₂O. TG studies confirmed the chemical formulations of these complexes and showed that their thermal degradation takes place in three to five steps, depending on the type of the ligand and the geometry of the complex. The kinetic parameters (n, E^#, A, ΔH^#, ΔS^# and ΔG^#) of the thermal decomposition stages were computed using the Coats-Redfern and other standard equations and are discussed.     

N-2-[3-methylpyridyl]-N′-phenylthiourea transition metal complexes

New complexes of N-2-[3-methylpyridyl]-N-phenylthiourea (HMPyPT) have been prepared from Ni^II, Cu^II, Zn^II, Pd^II, Pt^IV and Au^III chlorides. Three types, containing 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 metal–ligand ratios, were isolated and characterized. In every case the ligand behaves in a monodentate manner coordinating via the pyridyl nitrogen. Attempts to isolate complexes containing the deprotonated ligand by raising the pH of the reaction mixture from 1.6–5.5 to 8.5 were unsuccessful. The bonding modes and the stereochemistry of the metal complexes have been determined from spectral (i.r., u.v.–vis., ¹H-n.m.r.) and magnetic measurements. The results suggest a square-planar structure for the Pd^II and Au^III complexes, but octahedral geometry for the other metal complexes. Thermal analysis (d.t.a., t.g.a.) measurements on the solid complexes have also been conducted.     

Metal chelates of salicyl-4-aminoantipyrine

The formation constants of salicyl-4-amino-2,3-dimethyl-1-phenyl-3-pyrazoline-5-one (SAAP) complexes with 3d transition metal ions [Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II)] have been determined in 60% ethanol-water medium ofμ = 0.1M (NaCl) at 25°C. It is observed that the formation constants for chelates with 3d transition metals follow the order Mn(II) < Co(II) < Ni(II) < Zn(II) < Cu(II). The effects of metal ions, ionic radii, electronegativities and ionization potentials on chelate formation constants are discussed. Complexes of UO₂(II) and Pd(II) have been synthesized and characterised by elemental analysis, electrolytic conductance, IR spectra and magnetic measurements. The ligand forms the complexes PdLCl and UO₂L₂,2H₂O, where L is a uninegatively charged tridentate ligand (ONO donor sets).     

The Role of Order in the Amplification of Light‐Energy Conversion in a Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Coupled to a Photonic Crystal

We investigate the cause of amplification of light‐energy conversion when coupling a nc‐TiO₂ film to a TiO₂ inverse opal by comparing it to an inverse TiO₂ glass (i‐TiO₂‐g) fabricated with the exact monodisperse air–hole size as an inverse opal with a stop band at 600 nm (600‐i‐TiO₂‐o). A significant twofold average gain in the photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency is measured to the red of the stop band at the 600‐i‐TiO₂‐o/nc‐TiO₂ bilayer under front‐wall and back‐wall illumination, greater than the gain within the stop band. A smaller amplification is measured under front‐wall illumination—and no gain is measured under back‐wall illumination—for i‐TiO₂‐g/nc‐TiO₂ at these energies. The photonic crystal therefore causes trapping of light through the bilayer, not only within the gap but also to the red, at frequencies within its dielectric band. This light‐trapping effect is found to be dependent on structural order, as a highly disordered inverse glass film with the same air–hole size and thickness does not yield the same gain. A drop in the transmission of light is measured within the same frequencies to the red of the stop band upon adding nc‐TiO₂ to 600‐i‐TiO₂‐o, consistent with light trapping in the bilayer.     

Fused pyridines by a tandem aza‐wittig / heterocyclization strategy: Synthesis of 1,2,4‐triazolo[1,5‐a]pyridines and pyrido[1,2‐b][1,2,4]triazines

The iminophosphorane 1‐amino‐6‐(triphenylphosphoranylideneamino)‐2‐oxo‐4‐phenyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐pyridine‐3,5‐dicarbonitrile 2 prepared from 1,6‐diaminopyridine 1 reacts with heterocumulenes such as carbon disulfide and phenylisocyanate, and with acid chlorides, acid anhydrides and haloketones to give directly the title compounds in an one‐pot aza‐Wittig / heterocyclic‐ring closure process with good yields.     

Gamma-induced radiation polymerization of kaolin composite for sorption of lanthanum,europium and uranium ions from low-grade monazite leachate

Gamma radiation polymerization method was used for the modification of kaolin to produce (poly acrylamide-acrylic acid)-Kaolin (PAM-AA-K). Monazite ore is one of the main resources of uranium and lanthanide elements, therefore, this work focused on sorption of uranium, lanthanum and europium ions from low grade monazite leachate. The removal percent for Eu³⁺, La³⁺ and UO₂ ²⁺ are 94.6, 91.6 and 73.4%, respectively. Monolayer capacity of Eu³⁺, La³⁺ and UO₂ ²⁺ were found to be 54.64, 45.87 and 37.59 mg/g, respectively. The sorption mechanism of lanthanum and europium ions on PAM-AA-K composite mainly takes place as Ln(OH)²⁺, and for uranium as uranyl ion, UO₂ ²⁺.     

Cooperative Formation of Long‐Range Ordering in Water Ad‐layers on Fe3O4(111) Surfaces

The initial stages of water adsorption on magnetite Fe₃O₄(111) surface and the atomic structure of the water/oxide interface remain controversial. Herein, we provide experimental results obtained by infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and temperature‐programmed desorption (TPD), corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations showing that water readily dissociates on Fe_tet sites to form two hydroxo species. These act as an anchor for water molecules to form a dimer complex which self‐assembles into an ordered (2×2) structure. Water ad‐layer ordering is rationalized in terms of a cooperative effect induced by a hydrogen‐bonding network.     

Determination of amitriptyline,imipramine and orphenadrine in antidepressant drugs by potentiometry,spectrophotometry and atomic absorption spectrometry

Methods are described for the determination of amitriptyline, imipramine and orphenadrine in some antidepressant drugs. They are based on a prior reaction with ammonium reineckate to form 11 water-insoluble drugreineckate ion-pair complexes. These complexes are (i) used as ion-exchangers in liquid-membrane electrodes responsive to the drug cations, (ii) extracted with nitrobenzene or dissolved in acetonitrile and spectrophotometrically measured at 525 nm and (iii) dissolved in 90% acetone followed by nebulization in an air-acetylene flame for atomic absorption spectrometric measurements of Cr at 358.6 nm. The reaction and monitoring conditions are optimized to permit determination of as little as 10 g/ml of the drugs. Determination of the drugs in some pharmaceutical preparations shows an average recovery of 98.8% of the nominal and a mean standard deviation of 0.8%. The results compare favorably with data obtained by the United States and British Pharmacopoeia methods.