Selenium in electrolytic manganese as a reference material for the quality control of aluminium melts

Electrolytic manganese is an important alloying element for aluminium and steel melts. It is mainly added to melts of aluminium in the holding furnace as tablets or minitablets (compressed compacts of manganese and aluminium powders). Selenium derivates are usually added during the production of electrolytic manganese, so some selenium is present in the alloys produced when electrolytic manganese is added to the aluminium furnace. Since the selenium contents of many alloys are of concern from health and environmental perspectives, their values should be provided. In this work, a laboratory reference material (LRM) based on electrolytic manganese was produced to assure our routine quality control method, where selenium is analysed by hydride generation followed by optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (HG–ICP–OES). Therefore, the present paper describes in detail the preparation procedure for and the results from homogeneity and stability studies performed on electrolytic manganese LRM. For this purpose, a commercial electrolytic manganese lot was selected and the main factors involved in the preparation of the material (pretreatment step, homogenization, bottling and storage) were carefully studied and established in order to guarantee the long-term stability of the LRM. The results obtained showed that the LRM developed was a fit-for-purpose material for the quality control of the routine analysis of selenium.     

Supramolecular adducts between macrocyclic Gd(iii) complexes and polyaromatic systems: a route to enhance the relaxivity through the formation of hydrophobic interactions

The set-up of reversible binding interactions between the hydrophobic region of macrocyclic GBCAs (Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents) and SO₃⁻/OH containing pyrene derivatives provides new insights for pursuing relaxivity enhancements of this class of MRI contrast agents. The strong binding affinity allows attaining relaxation enhancements up to 50% at pyrene/GBCA ratios of 3 : 1. High resolution NMR spectra of the Yb-HPDO3A/pyrene system fully support the formation of a supramolecular adduct based on the set-up of hydrophobic interactions. The relaxation enhancement may be accounted for in terms of the increase of the molecular reorientation time (τ_R) and the number of second sphere water molecules. This effect is maintained in blood serum and in vivo, as shown by the enhancement of contrast in T_1w-MR images obtained by simultaneous injection of GBCA and pyrene derivatives in mice.

The set-up of reversible binding interactions between the hydrophobic region of macrocyclic gadolinium based contrast agents and SO₃⁻/OH containing pyrene derivatives provides new insights for pursuing relaxivity enhancement of MRI contrast agents.     

A polymer membrane potentiometric sensor for silver

Four new sulfur-containing compounds based on pyridine, benzene, 1,8-naphthyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline have been synthesized. These molecules have been incorporated into a polymeric matrix as neutral carriers and evaluated as silver sensors. Two of the compounds (pyridine and benzene) show high selectivity for Ag(+). The sensor with the pyridine-based compound, in particular, shows near-Nernstian response and good sensitivity towards Ag(+) with a short response time (<10s), making it ideal for use in flow analysis.     

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation with potassium peroxomonosulfate supported on acidic silica gel

[reaction: see text] Potassium peroxomonosulfate deposited onto silica SiO2 x KHSO5 efficiently reacts with ketones in dichloromethane at room temperature to give the corresponding esters or lactones in quantitative yields. This method avoids hydrolysis of the reaction products. The Baeyer-Villiger reaction is catalyzed by potassium hydrogensulfate present in the supported reagent.     

Pentacoordinate nickel(II) complexes double bridged by phosphate ester or phosphinate ligands: spectroscopic, structural, kinetic, and magnetic studies

The bis(phosphatediester)-bridged complexes [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-O(2)P(OR)(2))](2)](PF(6))(2) [[12]aneN(3)=Me(3)[12]aneN(3), 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene; R=Me (1), Bu (2), Ph (3), Ph-4-NO(2) (4); [12]aneN(3)=Me(4)[12]aneN(3), 2,4,4,9-tetramethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene; R=Me (5), Bu (6), Ph (7), Ph-4-NO(2) (8)] were prepared by hydrolysis of the phosphate triester with the hydroxo complex [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-OH)](2)](PF(6))(2) or by acid-base reaction of the dialkyl or diaryl phosphoric acid and the above hydroxo complex. The acid-base reaction was also used to synthesise the phosphinate-bridged complexes [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-O(2)PR(2))](2)](PF(6))(2) [[12]aneN(3)=Me(3)[12]aneN(3), R=Me (9), Ph (10); [12]aneN(3)=Me(4)[12]aneN(3), R=Me (11), Ph (12)]. The molecular structures of complexes 2, 3 and 12 were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The eight-membered rings defined by the nickel atoms and the bridging ligands show distorted twist-boat, chair and boat-boat conformations in 2, 3 and 12, respectively. The experimental susceptibility data for compounds 2, 3 and 12 were fitted by least-squares methods to the analytical expression given by Ginsberg. The best fit was obtained with values of J=-0.11 cm(-1), D=-9.5 cm(-1) and g=2.20 for 2; J=-0.97 cm(-1), D=-9.3 cm(-1) and g=2.21 for 3; and J=-0.14 cm(-1), D=-11.9 cm(-1) and g=2.195 for 12. The magnetic-exchange pathways must involve the phosphate/phosphinate bridges, because these favour antiferromagnetic interactions. The observation of a higher exchange parameter for compound 3 is a consequence of a favourable disposition of the O-P-O bridges. The kinetics for the hydrolysis of TNP (tris(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate) with the dinuclear nickel(II) hydroxo complex [[Ni(Me(3)[12]aneN(3))(mu-OH)](2)](PF(6))(2) was studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. The proposed mechanism for TNP-promoted hydrolysis can be described as one-substrate/two-product, and can be fitted to a Michaelis-Menten equation.     

Synthèse facile de dérivés du diphényl-2,4-aza-3-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane et du diphényl-7,8-aza-8-bicyclo[4.3.1]décane

Facile synthesis of derivatives of 2,4-diphenyl-3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and 7,9-diphenyl-8-azabicyclo[4.3.1]decane The facile synthesis of hydantoins, cyanhydrins and aminonitriles derived from 2,4-diphenyl-3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanone and 7,9-diphenyl-8-azabicyclo[4.3.1]decanone is described. Configurations at C(9) or C(10) of the new compounds wth pharmaceutical and synthetical utility is deduced from their spectral properties.     

Analytical approaches to expanding the use of capillary electrophoresis in routine food analysis

Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) is becoming an ever more powerful analytical technique for the separation, identification, and quantification of a wide variety of compounds of interest in many application fields. Particularly in food analysis this technique can offer interesting advantages over chromatographic techniques because of its greater simplicity and efficiency. Nevertheless, CE needs to advance with regard to compatibility with sample matrices, sensitivity, and robustness of the methodologies in order to gain even wider acceptance in food analysis laboratories, specially for routine work. This article presents various approaches to expanding the analytical usefulness of CE in food analysis, discussing their advantages over conventional CE. These approaches focus on sample screening, automated sample preparation with on-line CE arrangements, and the automatic integration of calibration in routine analytical work with CE.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Monomeric Aryloxo Palladium Complexes of the Type [Pd(N–N)(OAr)(C6F5)]. Crystal Structure of [Pd(tmeda)(C6F5)(OC6H4NO2‐p)]

Mononuclear palladium‐hydroxo complexes of the type [Pd(N–N)(C₆F₅)(OH)][(N–N) = 2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy), 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine (Me₂bipy), 1,10‐phenantroline (phen) or N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda) react with phenols ArOH in tetrahydrofuran giving the corresponding aryloxo complexes [Pd(N–N)(C₆F₅)(OAr)]. Elemental analyses and spectroscopic (IR, ¹H and ¹⁹F) methods have been used to characterize the new complexes. The X‐ray crystal structure of [Pd(tmeda)(C₆F₅)(OC₆H₄NO₂‐p)] has been determined. In the crystal packing the planes defined by two C₆H₄ rings show a parallel orientation. There are also intermolecular C–H···F and C‐H···O hydrogen bonds.     

Synthesis of S,N-chelating heterocyclic thionates of palladium(II). Crystal structure of cis-[Pd(pym2S)(PPh3)2] (pym2S = pyrimidine-2-thionate)

The synthesis of mononuclear palladium(II) complexes containing chelating heterocyclic thionates is described. The new compounds of general formula cis-[Pd(RS-N)(L) _x ](ClO₄) [x = 2, L = PPh₃, RS-N = pyridine-2-thionate (py2S) (1), pyrimidine-2-thionate (pym2S) (2), imidazolidine-2-thionate (imzdS) (3), 1-methylimidazoline-2 thionate (mimzS) (4), 1,3-thiazoline-2-thionate (tzdS) (5); x = 1, L = dppe, RS-N = pyridine-2-thionate (py2S) (6), pyrimidine-2-thionate (pym2S) (7), imidazolidine-2-thionate (imzdS) (8), 1-methylimidazole-2 thionate (mimzS) (9) and 1,3-thiazoline-2-thionate (tzdS) (10)] were prepared by directly reacting the hydroxo-complexes [{Pd(PPh₃)₂(-OH) }₂](ClO₄)₂ and [ {Pd(dppe)(-OH) }₂](ClO₄)₂ with the corresponding heterocyclic thiones (RS-N)H. The complexes have been characterized by partial elemental analyses, conductance measurements and spectroscopic methods (I.r., FAB, ¹H- and ³¹P-n.m.r.). No evidence for monomer-dimer equilibrium was found in solution. The crystal structure of (2) has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.