Effect of added ionic liquid on aqueous Triton X-100 micelles

Addition of ionic liquids to aqueous surfactant solutions can alter/modify physicochemical properties of such systems in favorable manner. Changes in the properties of aqueous solutions of a useful nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100) are assessed upon addition of 2.1 wt% of a common and popular ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (bmimPF6). It is shown that the solubility of 'hydrophobic' bmimPF6 in aqueous TX-100 increases with TX-100 concentration. This observation combined with the conductivity data strongly indicates partitioning of bmimPF6 into TX-100 micellar phase. Behavior of a variety of molecular absorbance [methyl orange, phenol blue, and N,N-diethyl-4-nitroaniline] and fluorescence [phenyl on the TX-100, pyrene, pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde, 2-(p-toluidino)naphthalene-6-sulfonate, and 1,3-bis-(1-pyrenyl)propane] probes further confirm this observation. Statistically insignificant increase in critical micelle concentration (cmc) and decrease in aggregation number (N(agg)) of TX-100 micelles are observed upon addition of 2.1 wt% bmimPF6. Based on the overall data, it is inferred that ionic liquid bmimPF6 partitions into the TX-100 micellar phase; presence of bmimPF6 both close to the core as well as in the palisade layer of TX-100 micelles is suggested. Presence of favorable interactions (e.g., H-bonding, dipole-induced dipole, among others) between bmimPF6 and TX-100 is proposed to be the reason for these observations.     

Electromagnetic form factors of nucleons in a relativistic square-root potential model of independent quarks

The nucleon electromagnetic form factorsG _E ^P (q²),G _M ^P (q²) and the axial-vector form factor G_A(q²) are studied in a relativistic model of independent quarks confined by an equally mixed scalar-vector square root potentialV _q(r)=1/2(1+γ ⁰)(ar ^1/2+ν ₀) taking into account the appropriate centre-of-mass corrections. The respective root-mean-square radii associated withG _E ^P (q²) and G _A (q²) come out as [〈r ²〉 _E ^P ]^1/2=0.86 fm and 〈r _A ² 〉^1/2=0.88 fm. Restoration of chiral symmetry in this model is discussed to derive the pion-nucleon form factorG _πNN(q²) and consequently the pion-nucleon coupling constant is obtained asg _πNN(q²)=12.81 as compared tog _πNN(q²)_exp⋍13.     

Evolution of microstructure and crack pattern in NiO thin films under 200 MeV Au ion irradiation

NiO thin films grown on Si (100) substrate by electron beam evaporation method and sintered at 700 °C were irradiated with 200 MeV Au¹⁵⁺ ions. The fcc structure of the sintered films was retained up to the highest fluence (1×10¹³ ions cm^?2) of irradiation. However the microstructure of the pristine film underwent a considerable modification with increasing ion fluence. 200 MeV Au ion irradiation led to compressive stress generation in NiO medium. The diameter of the stressed region created by 200 MeV Au ions along the ion path was estimated from the variation of stress with ion fluence and found to be ～11.6 nm. The film surface started cracking when irradiated at and above the fluence of 3×10¹² ions cm^?2. Ratio of the fractal dimension of the cracked surface obtained at 200 MeV and 120 MeV (Mallick et al., 2010a) Au ions was compared with the ratio of the radii of ion tracks calculated based on Coulomb explosion and thermal spike models. This comparison indicated applicability of thermal spike model for crack formation.     

Environmentally benign process for the synthesis of N-formyl amino acid esters

Several amino acid ester hydrochlorides were reacted with ammonium formate to give N-formyl amino acid esters in good yields.     

Synthesis of spiroheterocycles derived from benzo[f]chromanone

The syntheses of an important class of hitherto unreported spiro derivatives containing benzo[f]chromanone moiety involving very simple cyclocondensation reactions are described. Installation of pharmacologically active moieties like thiazolidine and thiazolidinone is achieved by taking simple reagents like ethylchloroacetate, 1, 2‐dibromo ethane and thioglycollic acid. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

Ionic liquid induced changes in the properties of aqueous zwitterionic surfactant solution

Modifying properties of aqueous surfactant solutions by addition of external additives is an important area of research. Unusual properties of ionic liquids (ILs) make them ideal candidates for this purpose. Changes in important physicochemical properties of aqueous zwitterionic N-dodecyl- N, N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (SB-12) surfactant solution upon addition of hydrophilic IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF 4], are reported. Dynamic light scattering results indicate a dramatic reduction in the average micellar size in the presence of [bmim][BF 4]; micellar (or micelle-like) aggregation in the presence of as high as 30 wt % [bmim][BF 4] is confirmed. Responses from fluorescence probes are used to obtain critical micelle concentration (cmc), aggregation number ( N agg), and dipolarity and microfluidity of the micellar pseudophase of aqueous SB-12 in the presence of [bmim][BF 4]. In general, increasing the amount of [bmim][BF 4] to 30 wt % results in decrease in N agg and increase in cmc. Increase in the dipolarity and the microfluidity of the probe cybotactic region within the micellar pseudophase is observed on increasing [bmim][BF 4] concentration in the solution. It is attributed to increased water penetration into the micellar pseudophase as [bmim][BF 4] is added to aqueous SB-12. It is proposed that IL [bmim][BF 4] behaves similar to an electrolyte and/or a cosurfactant when present at low concentrations and as a polar cosolvent when present at high concentrations. Electrostatic attraction between cation of IL and anion of zwitterion, and anion of IL and cation of zwitterion at low concentrations of [bmim][BF 4] is evoked to explain the observed changes. Presence of IL as cosolvent appears to reduce the efficiency of micellization process by reducing the hydrophobic effect.     

Radiolabeled novel peptide for imaging somatostatin-receptor expressing tumor: synthesis and radiobiological evaluation

The aim of this study was to synthesis, a radiolabeled (^99mTc) new somatostatin-analogue 6-hydrazinopyridine-3-carboxylic-acid (HYNIC)-Asn³-octreotate (^99mTc-HYNIC-AATE), and to evaluate as a candidate for imaging somatostatin-receptor (SSTR)-positive tumors and also compare it with ^99mTc-HYNIC-Tyr³-octreotide (^99mTc-HYNIC-TOC). Synthesis was performed by Fmoc-solid-phase strategy and ^99mTc labeled by SnCl₂. Biodistribution and imaging properties of new radiopeptide were also studied in C6 tumor bearing rat. Radiolabeling was performed at high specific activities and it showed high binding-affinity for SSTR2. In biodistribution, radiopeptides have showed high and receptor-specific uptake in the SSTR2 positive organs, tumor with rapid renal excretion from non-target tissues. These results demonstrated that ^99mTc-HYNIC-AATE is a new specific radioligand for scintigraphy of somatostatin-receptor-positive tumors.     

Pillar[n]arenes: Chemistry and Their Material Applications

Background Pillar[n]arene(PA[n])contains a symmetrical structures,where para-bridge connection between the units looks like a column-like or pillar shape and polygonal structure from side and top views,respectively.The attached groups to the PA[n]are pointing towards the opposite directions along the columnar axis.