Tin(IV) complexes with 2-pyridineformamide-derived thiosemicarbazones: Antimicrobial and potential antineoplasic activities

Reaction of tin tetrachloride with 2-pyridineformamide thiosemicarbazone (H2Am4DH) and its N(4)-methyl (H2Am4Me), N(4)-ethyl (H2Am4Et) and N(4)-phenyl (H2Am4Ph) derivatives gave [Sn(2Am4DH)Cl₃] (1), [Sn(2Am4Me)Cl₃] (2), [Sn(2Am4Et)Cl₃] (3) and [Sn(2Am4Ph)Cl₃] (4) as products, in which an anionic thiosemicarbazone coordinates to the metal centre along with three chloride ions. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 were determined. The thiosemicarbazones were moderately active against Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Upon coordination to tin(IV) the antimicrobial activity of the thiosemicarbazones increases. The studied compounds proved to be toxic to Artemia salina, suggesting that they could present cytotoxic activity against solid tumors.     

A novel alkylation procedure using MW irradiation for the synthesis of 1,2,3-trisubstituted 1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1,3-diazocinium salts from their corresponding 1,2-diaryldiazocines

In this work, we describe the synthesis of a series of 1,2,3-trisubstituted-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1,3-diazocinium salts (1) by alkylation of the corresponding 1,2-diaryl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1,3-diazocines (2). Compounds 2 were obtained by ethyl polyphosphate-promoted cyclocondensation of N-aroyl-N′-arylpentamethylenediamines (3). Reaction of compounds 2 with alkyl iodides led to 1,2,3-trisubstituted 1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1,3-diazocinium iodides (1), a new family of cyclic amidinium salts. The best yields for the alkylation were achieved using a mixture of DCM–DMSO (10:1) as solvent. The reaction times of both, the cyclocondensation of compounds 3 and the reaction of 2 with alkyl halides, are dramatically decreased when using microwave irradiation.     

Energetic of molecular interface at metal-organic heterojunction: the case of thiophenethiolate chemisorbed on Au(111)

To probe the cooperativity of charge transfer between organoimido and hexamolybdate, and enhance the second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) response of organoimido derivatives of hexamolybdates, electronic structures and second-order NLO properties of a series of charge-transfer covalently bonded organoimido derived hexamolybdate complexes with donor-(π conjugated bridge)-acceptor-(π conjugated bridge)-donor or acceptor-(π conjugated bridge)-donor-(π conjugated bridge)-acceptor structures were studied by density functional theory. Studies show that different combinations of the donor, acceptor, heterocycle, –C≡C– and –N=N– moieties, and orientation of heterocycle remarkably affect the second-order NLO responses. The complexes containing electronic acceptor matched with the direction of charge transfer possess remarkable large molecular second-order polarizabilities. Electronic transitions to crucial excited states show that x-polarized transition, contributed to the off-diagonal second-order polarizabiliy tensor (β_zxx), possesses lower excited energy compared with z-polarized transition which accounted for the diagonal second-order polarizabiliy tensor (β_zzz) and thus led to the large in-plane nonlinear anisotropy (u = β_zxx/β_zzz) value, as well as good two-dimensional (2-D) second-order NLO properties. These complexes can be used as excellent 2-D second-order NLO materials from the standpoint of both large β and u values.     

Solid phase extraction of Pb(II) in water samples using a new hybrid inorganic-organic mesoporous silica prior to its determination by FAAS

A mesoporous silica has been chemically modified with 5-mercapto-1-methyltetrazole. The newly synthesized material was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption, FT-IR, ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, and used to preconcentrate Pb(II) from aqueous solutions. The effect of several variables on the adsorption capacity (i.e. stirring time, pH, interfering ions, presence of other heavy metals in the medium, etc.) has been studied using batch and column techniques. The adsorption capacity of the material followed the order: Pb(II) >> Cu(II) > Cd(II) >>Mn(II) > Ni(II) > Co(II). In column experiments a pre-concentration factor of 200 was obtained for Pb(II). Spiked tap water, mineral water and river water were used for the preconcentration and determination of Pb(II) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and a 101–103% recovery was obtained. The limit of detection and quantification values of the method were found to be 2.22·10^?6 mM and 8.20·10^?6 mM, respectively. The relative standard deviation for four preconcentration experiments was found to be ≤9% in all cases.     

Fabrication of semiconductor nanowires by conjugation of quantum dots to actin filaments

We demonstrate the feasibility of fabrication of semiconducting nanowires (quantum dots) using F-actin as a template. Three different approaches of assembling quantum dots into nanowires are described. The nanowires were characterized by fluorescence microscopy.     

Electrodeposition polymers as immobilization matrices in amperometric biosensors: improved polymer synthesis and biosensor fabrication

Electrodeposition polymers can be precipitated on electrode surfaces upon electrochemical-induced modulations of the pH value in the diffusion zone in front of the electrode. The formed polymer films can be used as immobilization matrices in amperometric biosensors. In order to rationally control the thus obtained biosensor properties, it is indispensable to develop strategies for the reproducible synthesis of electrodeposition polymers as well as methods for the non-manual and reproducible sensor fabrication. Based on instrumental developments such as a specifically designed parallel synthesizer with improved stirring and temperature control, an automatic pipetting robot for the preparation of the monomer mixtures and controlled removal of polymerization inhibitors, the reproducible synthesis of libraries of electrodeposition polymers was achieved. Moreover, the polymerization process could be monitored using in-line thermocouples, and it could be shown that the chosen strategies led to reproducible polymerization reactions. By adaptation of an electrochemical robotic system integrating a Au microtiter plate and automatic electrode cleaning by means of a polishing wheel reproducible biosensor fabrication using glucose oxidase as a model enzyme could be demonstrated. These results open the route for the rational development of biosensors and control of the sensor properties by choosing specifically designed electrodeposition polymers.      

Synthesis,electrochemistry and in situ spectroelectrochemistry of water-soluble phthalocyanines

The synthesis, characterization and voltammetric and spectroelectrochemical properties of newly synthesized metal-free and metallo phthalocyanines (M = Co, Cu, Zn) containing four dialkylaminophenoxy or trialkylammoniumphenoxy substituents on peripheral positions have been presented in this work. The new compounds have been characterized by using elemental analysis, UV–Vis, FT-IR, ¹H NMR and MS spectroscopic data. Phthalocyanines with trialkylammoniumphenoxy substituents are soluble in aqueous solution over a wide pH range, and these compounds are present as aggregated species in solution as confirmed by the blue shift of Q-bands in their electronic spectra. The electrochemical behavior of the phthalocyanines was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry on a platinum-working electrode in DCM and DMSO. The voltammetric and spectroelectrochemical measurements of the complexes show that while cobalt phthalocyanine gives both ligand- and metal-based redox processes, metal-free, zinc and copper phthalocyanine complexes give only ligand-based processes in harmony with common phthalocyanine complexes.