Effect of flow on polymer-polymer miscibility

The effect of shear flow on the phase behaviour of partially miscible blends exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature behaviour has been investigated. Miscibility limits were detected, with and without the application of flow, as changes from optical clarity to turbidity using light scattering and as the appearance of double glass transition temperatures. Light scattering data were collected on a rheo-optical device that was designed to monitor phase changes in polymer blends undergoing shear flow between parallel glass plates in a temperature controlled environment. Glass transition temperatures of some quenched sheared blends were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter in order to confirm the conclusions from the light scattering data. It was found that shear induced demixing and shear induced mixing may be observed within the same blend depending on the magnitude of the applied flow. Miscibility gaps and closed miscibility loops may appear in the phase diagrams. At certain temperatures and shear rates unusual scattering patterns were observed and these were associated with a “ripple” morphology when directly viewed through the microscope.     

Determination of flavanol and procyanidin (by degree of polymerization 1-10) content of chocolate, cocoa liquors, powder(s), and cocoa flavanol extracts by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography: collaborative study

An international collaborative study was conducted on an HPLC method with fluorescent detection (FLD) for the determination of flavanols and procyanidins in materials containing chocolate and cocoa. The sum of the oligomeric fractions with degree of polymerization 1-10 was the determined content value. Sample materials included dark and milk chocolates, cocoa powder, cocoa liquors, and cocoa extracts. The content ranged from approximately 2 to 500 mg/g (defatted basis). Thirteen laboratories representing commercial, industrial, and academic institutions in six countries participated in the study. Fourteen samples were sent as blind duplicates to the collaborators. Results from 12 laboratories yielded repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) values that were below 10% for all materials analyzed, ranging from 4.17 to 9.61%. The reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD(R)) values ranged from 5.03 to 12.9% for samples containing 8.07 to 484.7 mg/g. In one sample containing a low content of flavanols and procyanidins (approximately 2 mg/g), the RSD(R) was 17.68%. Based on these results, the method is recommended for Official First Action for the determination of flavanols and procyanidins in chocolate, cocoa liquors, powder(s), and cocoa extracts.     

Luminescent heterometallic gold-copper alkynyl complexes stabilized by tridentate phosphine

The reactions between trinuclear gold complex tppmAu(3)Cl(3) (tppm = tris(diphenylphosphino)methane), arylacetylenes HC(2)C(6)H(4)X and Cu(+) under basic conditions result in formation of the heterometallic complexes [tppm(AuC(2)C(6)H(4)X)(3)Cu](+), X = H (1), COOMe (2), CN (3), OMe (4), NH(2) (5). These compounds belong to one structural motif and consist of the heterometallic {(AuC(2)C(6)H(4)X)(3)Cu} core stabilized by the tridentate phosphine. Compounds 1-5 were characterized by polynuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray analysis. Luminescence properties of these complexes have been studied and revealed a substantial red shift of the emission maxima with the increase in the electron donicity of the alkynyl ligands substituents in the 550-680 nm range. The theoretical calculations of the electronic structures showed that variations of the substituents on the alkynyl ligands display very little effect on the molecular structural parameters but show appreciable influence on the orbital energies and luminescence characteristics of the compounds under study.     

Nanomechanical properties of phospholipid microbubbles

This study uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) force-deformation (F-Δ) curves to investigate for the first time the Young's modulus of a phospholipid microbubble (MB) ultrasound contrast agent. The stiffness of the MBs was calculated from the gradient of the F-Δ curves, and the Young's modulus of the MB shell was calculated by employing two different mechanical models based on the Reissner and elastic membrane theories. We found that the relatively soft phospholipid-based MBs behave inherently differently to stiffer, polymer-based MBs [Glynos, E.; Koutsos, V.; McDicken, W. N.; Moran, C. M.; Pye, S. D.; Ross, J. A.; Sboros, V. Langmuir2009, 25 (13), 7514-7522] and that elastic membrane theory is the most appropriate of the models tested for evaluating the Young's modulus of the phospholipid shell, agreeing with values available for living cell membranes, supported lipid bilayers, and synthetic phospholipid vesicles. Furthermore, we show that AFM F-Δ curves in combination with a suitable mechanical model can assess the shell properties of phospholipid MBs. The "effective" Young's modulus of the whole bubble was also calculated by analysis using Hertz theory. This analysis yielded values which are in agreement with results from studies which used Hertz theory to analyze similar systems such as cells.     

Theoretical insights into the ferromagnetic coupling in oxalato-bridged chromium(III)-cobalt(II) and chromium(III)-manganese(II) dinuclear complexes with aromatic diimine ligands

Two novel heterobimetallic complexes of formula [Cr(bpy)(ox)(2)Co(Me(2)phen)(H(2)O)(2)][Cr(bpy)(ox)(2)]·4H(2)O (1) and [Cr(phen)(ox)(2)Mn(phen)(H(2)O)(2)][Cr(phen)(ox)(2)]·H(2)O (2) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, and Me(2)phen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) have been obtained through the "complex-as-ligand/complex-as-metal" strategy by using Ph(4)P[CrL(ox)(2)]·H(2)O (L = bpy and phen) and [ML'(H(2)O)(4)](NO(3))(2) (M = Co and Mn; L' = phen and Me(2)phen) as precursors. The X-ray crystal structures of 1 and 2 consist of bis(oxalato)chromate(III) mononuclear anions, [Cr(III)L(ox)(2)](-), and oxalato-bridged chromium(III)-cobalt(II) and chromium(III)-manganese(II) dinuclear cations, [Cr(III)L(ox)(μ-ox)M(II)L'(H(2)O)(2)](+)[M = Co, L = bpy, and L' = Me(2)phen (1); M = Mn and L = L' = phen (2)]. These oxalato-bridged Cr(III)M(II) dinuclear cationic entities of 1 and 2 result from the coordination of a [Cr(III)L(ox)(2)](-) unit through one of its two oxalato groups toward a [M(II)L'(H(2)O)(2)](2+) moiety with either a trans- (M = Co) or a cis-diaqua (M = Mn) configuration. The two distinct Cr(III) ions in 1 and 2 adopt a similar trigonally compressed octahedral geometry, while the high-spin M(II) ions exhibit an axially (M = Co) or trigonally compressed (M = Mn) octahedral geometry in 1 and 2, respectively. Variable temperature (2.0-300 K) magnetic susceptibility and variable-field (0-5.0 T) magnetization measurements for 1 and 2 reveal the presence of weak intramolecular ferromagnetic interactions between the Cr(III) (S(Cr) = 3/2) ion and the high-spin Co(II) (S(Co) = 3/2) or Mn(II) (S(Mn) = 5/2) ions across the oxalato bridge within the Cr(III)M(II) dinuclear cationic entities (M = Co and Mn) [J = +2.2 (1) and +1.2 cm(-1) (2); H = -JS(Cr)·S(M)]. Density functional electronic structure calculations for 1 and 2 support the occurrence of S = 3 Cr(III)Co(II) and S = 4 Cr(III)Mn(II) ground spin states, respectively. A simple molecular orbital analysis of the electron exchange mechanism suggests a subtle competition between individual ferro- and antiferromagnetic contributions through the σ- and/or π-type pathways of the oxalato bridge, mainly involving the d(yz)(Cr)/d(xy)(M), d(xz)(Cr)/d(xy)(M), d(x(2)-y(2))(Cr)/d(xy)(M), d(yz)(Cr)/d(xz)(M), and d(xz)(Cr)/d(yz)(M) pairs of orthogonal magnetic orbitals and the d(x(2)-y(2))(Cr)/d(x(2)-y(2))(M), d(xz)(Cr)/d(xz)(M), and d(yz)(Cr)/d(yz)(M) pairs of nonorthogonal magnetic orbitals, which would be ultimately responsible for the relative magnitude of the overall ferromagnetic coupling in 1 and 2.     

Well‐Defined Molecular Magnesium Hydride Clusters: Relationship between Size and Hydrogen‐Elimination Temperature

A new tetranuclear magnesium hydride cluster, [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂], which was based on a N? N‐coupled bis‐β‐diketiminate ligand ( NN ^2?), was obtained from the reaction of [{ NN ‐(MgnBu)₂}₂] with PhSiH₃. Its crystal structure reveals an almost‐tetrahedral arrangement of Mg atoms and two different sets of hydride ions, which give rise to a coupling in the NMR spectrum (J=8.5 Hz). To shed light on the relationship between the cluster size and H₂ release, the thermal decomposition of [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂] and two closely related systems that were based on similar ligands, that is, an octanuclear magnesium hydride cluster and a dimeric magnesium hydride species, have been investigated in detail. A lowering of the H₂‐desorption temperature with decreasing cluster size is observed, in line with previously reported theoretical predictions on (MgH₂)_n model systems. Deuterium‐labeling studies further demonstrate that the released H₂ solely originates from the oxidative coupling of two hydride ligands and not from other hydrogen sources, such as the β‐diketiminate ligands. Analysis of the DFT‐computed electron density in [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂] reveals a counterintuitive interaction between two formally closed‐shell H^? ligands that are separated by 3.106 Å. This weak interaction could play an important role in H₂ desorption. Although the molecular product after H₂ release could not be characterized experimentally, DFT calculations on the proposed decomposition product, that is, the low‐valence tetranuclear Mg(I) cluster [( NN ‐Mg₂)₂], predict a structure with two almost‐parallel, localized Mg? Mg bonds. As in a previously reported β‐diketiminate Mg^I dimer, the Mg? Mg bond is not characterized by a bond critical point, but instead displays a local maximum of electron density midway between the atoms, that is, a non‐nuclear attractor (NNA). Interestingly, both of the NNAs in [( NN ‐Mg₂)₂] are connected through a bond path that suggests that there is bonding between all four Mg^I atoms.     

The 3-Methyl-1,3-butadienyl Phenyl Sulfoxide I. Preparation and Some Properties

The title sulfoxide 5 is worthy of interest because of its isoprenoid structure and its synthetic potentialities¹     

Reactions of 1,2-Epoxy-2-Methyl-3-butene with Lithio Derivatives of Allylic Sulfoxides. Syntheses of 2,6-Dimethylocta-3,7-dien-2,6-diol and of 5,8-Dehydro-4-0xo-nerolidol

Our preceding studies have shown that lithio carbanions of protected cyanohydrins can undergo Michael additions to an isoprenic sulfoxide to yield lithio derivatives of allylic sulfoxides¹. These results have led us to investigate the utilization of these lithio sulfoxides for new simple syntheses of aliphatic terpenes by head-to-tail linking of functionalized isoprenoid units. For this purpose, 1,2-epoxy-2-methyl-3-butene 2 was one especially appropriate electro-phile, but at the outset of our work, there had been very few investigations of the reactivity of lithio carbanions of allylic sulfoxides with epoxides²     

A stereotypic,transplantable liver tissue-culture system

A method of coculturing adult rat hepatic parenchymal cells (PC) and stromal cells in a three-dimensional framework of nylon filtration screens or biodegradable polymer meshes was developed in our laboratory. Rat liver stroma, which includes vascular and bile duct endothelial cells, fat-storing cells, fibroblasts, and Kupffer cells, were isolated by gradient centrifugation afterin situ liver perfusion and expanded in monolayer culture prior to seeding onto nylon screens or bioresorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) polymers oriented into a felt-like construct. A second inoculum of freshly isolated PC was applied after the stromal cells became established. Histological analyses revealed that PC proliferation occurred until all available space for expansion within the template was exhausted. These cells retained their rounded morphology, and after 4–5 wk 7–9 “layers” of PC filled the 140-μm deep template. Dioxin-inducible cytochrome P450 activity was detected for up to 58 d in culture, and albumin, fibrinogen, transferrin, and soluble fibronectin were detected in the medium by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for 48 d in vitro. Immunohistochemical analysis of sections through the cultures confirmed the presence of these proteins as well as cytokeratin at the cellular level; the extracellular matrix stained for both collagen type III and laminin. Long-term PC proliferation and function were enhanced by the presence of stromal cells as well as by a meshwork template whose geometry allows the interaction of PC with stroma and matrix on several different planes. To permit transplantation, co-cultures of hepatic PC and stromal cells were established on PGA felt constructs instead of nylon screens. After 24 d in vitro, these constructs were grafted into sites in the mesentery, omentum, and sub-cutaneous tissues of adult Long-Evans rats. The growth of hepatocytes after 30 din situ was evident by histological analysis; grafts of co-cultures regenerated a liver-like architecture consisting of sinusoids and putative biliary structures. In addition, PC at these extrahepatic graft sites were positive for albumin, transferrin, and fibrinogen synthesis by immunohistochemistry. Graft survival was enhanced when recipients were subjected to 40% hepatectomy. Hepatic PC:stromal cell cocultures may prove useful in the restoration of liver function either by direct transplantation using PGA or similar templates, or as extracorporeal devices, using nylon screens.     

Unzipping Nucleoside Channels by Means of Alcohol Disassembly

Gold nanoparticles capped with simple adenosine derivatives can form colloidal aggregates in nonpolar solvents. Theoretical calculations indicate the formation of organic channels by the supramolecular assembly of the nanoparticles by means of hydrogen bonds between the adenine moieties. The aggregates were only negligibly sensitive to nPrOH, iPrOH, and tBuOH, whereas some showed a similar response to MeOH and EtOH, and others showed high selectivity toward MeOH. DNA nucleoside derivatives (1‐(2‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐ribofuranosyl)‐5‐methyluracil and 2′,3′‐O‐isopropylideneadenosine) as well as thymine and other aromatic compounds such as pyrene derivatives (pyrene, 1‐chloropyrene, 1‐hydroxypyrene, (1‐pyrenyl)methanol, and 2‐hydroxynapthalene) did not induce disassembly of the nanoparticle aggregates. Data suggest that the nucleoside channels allow access to alcohols according to their size, and an efficient interaction between the alcohol and the adenine units destabilizes the hydrogen bonds, which eventually leads to nanoparticle disassembly.