Synthesis and characterization of three Cd(II) Schiff-base macrocyclic N3O2 complexes

Three polyamine ligands of N1-(2-nitrobenzyl)-N1-(2-aminoethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (L₁), N1-(2-nitrobenzyl)-N1-(2-aminoethyl)propane-1,3-diamine (L₂) and N1-(2-nitrobenzyl)-N1-(3-aminopropyl)propane-1,3-diamine (L₃) were synthesized and their cyclocondensation with 2-[2-(2-formyl phenoxy)ethoxy]benzaldehyde (L₄) in the presence of various metal(II) ions was examined. These reactions only in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of cadmium(II) nitrate gave the related cadmium(II) macrocyclic Schiff-base complexes. In all the other cases no cyclic complexes have been obtained and metal(II) polyamines were the only products. The complexes have been studied with IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, DEPT, COSY, HMQC and microanalysis. The crystal structures of [Cd(NO₃)(L₅)(μ-NO₃)Cd(NO₃)(L₅)]0.5Cd(NO₃)₄ (1) and [CdL₅(NO₃)(CH₃OH)]ClO₄ (2) have been also determined.     

Synthesis of two new tripodal ligands and their cyclocondensation with 2-[2-(2-formylphenoxy)ethoxy]benzaldehyde in the presence of manganese(II) and cadmium(II) metal ions

Two new asymmetric tripodal tetraamine ligands, 2-((bis(2-aminoethyl)amino)methyl)benzenamine (L²) and 2-(((2-aminoethyl)(3-aminopropyl)amino)methyl)benzenamine (L³) were synthesized and characterized. [1+1] Macrocyclic Schiff-base complexes containing 1,2-diphenoxyethane head units and a 2-aminobenzyl pendant arm, were synthesized as [MnL⁴(MeOH)](ClO₄)₂ (1), [MnL⁵(MeOH)](ClO₄)₂ (2), [CdL⁴(H₂O)](NO₃)₂ (3) and [CdL⁵(H₂O)](NO₃)₂ (4) from the metal ion templated cyclocondensation reactions of 2-[2-(2-formylphenoxy)ethoxy]benzaldehyde with the (L²) or (L³) tripodal tetraamine ligands. The crystal structure determination of (1) and (4) showed that the complex cations that had formed consisted of pentagonal bipyramidally coordinated Mn(II) and Cd(II) ions, centrally located in a N₃O₂ macrocycle, with one 2-aminobenzyl pendant arm. Supporting ab initio HF-MO calculations have been undertaken using the standard 3-21G^∗ and 6-31G^∗ basis sets.     

HPMA copolymer-doxorubicin-gadolinium conjugates: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation

This study describes the synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-gadolinium (Gd)-doxorubicin (Dox) conjugates. Copolymers of HPMA were derivatized to incorporate side chains for Gd chelation and Dox conjugation. The conjugates were characterized by their side chain contents, T(1) relaxivity (r(1)), stability, and in vitro cytotoxicity. High stability and relaxivity of these conjugates coupled with low toxicity show their potential for monitoring the in vivo fate of HPMA-based drug delivery systems by magnetic resonance imaging techniques.     

Coupling Microplate-Based Antibacterial Assay with Liquid Chromatography for High-Resolution Growth Inhibition Profiling of Crude Extracts: Validation and Proof-of-Concept Study with Staphylococcus aureus

With the identification of novel antibiotics from nature being pivotal in the fight against human pathogenic bacteria, there is an urgent need for effective methodologies for expedited screening of crude extracts. Here we report the development and validation of a simple and dye-free antimicrobial assay in 96-well microplate format, for both determination of IC₅₀ values and high-resolution inhibition profiling to allow pin-pointing of bioactive constituents directly from crude extracts. While commonly used antimicrobial assays visualize cell viability using dyes, the developed and validated assay conveniently uses OD₆₀₀ measurements directly on the fermentation broth. The assay was validated with an investigation of the inhibitory activity of DMSO against Staphylococcus aureus, temperature robustness, interference by coloured crude extracts as well as inter-day reproducibility. The potential for high-resolution S. aureus growth inhibition profiling was evaluated on a crude extract of an inactive Alternaria sp., spiked with ciprofloxacin.     

Exceedingly Facile PhX Activation (X=Cl,Br, I) with Ruthenium(II): Arresting Kinetics,Autocatalysis, and Mechanisms

[(Ph₃P)₃Ru(L)(H)₂] (where L=H₂ ( 1 ) in the presence of styrene, Ph₃P ( 3 ), and N₂ ( 4 )) cleave the Ph? X bond (X=Cl, Br, I) at RT to give [(Ph₃P)₃RuH(X)] ( 2 ) and PhH. A combined experimental and DFT study points to [(Ph₃P)₃Ru(H)₂] as the reactive species generated upon spontaneous loss of L from 3 and 4 . The reaction of 3 with excess PhI displays striking kinetics which initially appears zeroth order in Ru. However mechanistic studies reveal that this is due to autocatalysis comprising two factors: 1) complex 2 , originating from the initial PhI activation with 3 , is roughly as reactive toward PhI as 3 itself; and 2) the Ph? I bond cleavage with the just‐produced 2 gives rise to [(Ph₃P)₂RuI₂], which quickly comproportionates with the still‐present 3 to recover 2 . Both the initial and onward activation reactions involve PPh₃ dissociation, PhI coordination to Ru through I, rearrangement to a η²‐PhI intermediate, and Ph? I oxidative addition.     

A New Algorithm for Estimating Three-Phase Relative Permeability from Unsteady-State Core Experiments

We present a new history matching method based on a Genetic Algorithm to estimate three-phase k _r (relative permeability) from unsteady-state coreflood experiments. In this method, relative permeabilities (k _r) are represented by quadratic B-Spline functions. Adjustable coefficients in k _r functions are changed in an iterative process to minimize an objective function. The objective function is defined as the difference between the measures and simulated values of the pressure drop across the core and fluids recovery during the experiment. One of the main features of this approach is that water and gas relative permeabilities (k _rw and k _rg) are assumed to be functions of two independent saturations as opposed to most of the existing empirical k _r models in which k _rw and k _rg are assumed to be only dependent of their own saturations. Another important aspect of this algorithm is that it considers inequality constrains to ensure that physically acceptable k _r curves are maintained throughout the iterative optimization process. A three-phase coreflood simulator has been developed based on this methodology that generates best k _r values by matching experimental data. The integrity of the developed software was first successfully verified by using two sets of experimental three-phase k _r data published in the literature. Then, the results of some three-phase coreflood experiments carried out in our laboratory were used to obtain three-phase k _r curves by this approach.     

Multiple hydrogen bondings in a platinum complex

An unprecedented example of a platinum(II) complex with simultaneous formation of intermolecular NH···I-Pt and CH···I-Pt H-bondings (with neighboring platinum center) and an intramolecular CH···Pt hydrogen bonding in solid state is described. There are indications showing that the complex in solution probably forms a different kind of H-bonding type interaction.     

Free-edge stress analysis of general composite laminates under extension, torsion and bending

In this study, based on the reduced form of elasticity displacement field for a long laminate, an analytical method is established to exactly obtain the interlaminar stresses near the free edges of generally laminated composite plates subjects to extension, torsion, and bending. The constant parameters being in the displacement field, which describe the global deformation of a laminate, are appropriately calculated by using the improved first-order shear deformation theory. Reddy’s layerwise theory is subsequently employed for analytical and numerical examinations of the boundary layer stresses within arbitrary laminated composite plates. Various numerical results are developed for the interlaminar normal and shear stresses along the interfaces and through the thickness of laminates near the free edges. Finally the effects of end conditions of laminates and geometric parameters on the boundary-layer stress are studied.