Crystal Structure of 2-{1-[(1-(2-Pyridinio)ethylidene)hydrazono]ethyl}pyridinium diperchlorate,the Product of Template Condensation in the Presence of Cr(III)

Abstract  In an attempt to synthesize a Cr(III) complex of 2′-[1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylidene]oxamohydrazide an azine product 2-{1-[(1-(2-pyridinio)ethylidene)hydrazono]ethyl}pyridinium diperchlorate was obtained by an electrophilic acyl substitution catalyzed by Cr(III). Its structure was determined by X-ray crystal analysis and showed significant changes in comparison to the corresponding unprotonated compound. The 2-{1-[(1-(2-pyridinio)ethylidene)hydrazono]ethyl}pyridinium diperchlorate crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n of the monoclinic crystal system with unit cell parameters a = 14.3809(3) ?, b = 24.1516(5) ?, c = 15.4471(3) ?, β = 99.930(2)°, V = 5284.74(19) ?³ and Z = 12, i.e. three molecules per asymmetric unit. Graphical Abstract  In the template condensation of the 2′-[1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylidene]oxamohydrazide in presence of the chromium(III) ion the 2-{1-[(1-(2-pyridinio)ethylidene)hydrazono]ethyl}pyridinium diperchlorate was obtained and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Determining the Impact of Nigeria's Economic Crisis on the Multinational Oil Companies: A Goal Programming Approach

Traditionally, regression analysis has frequently been used in quantitative policy-impact analysis, but this paper utilizes goal programming methodology to examine the impact of Nigeria's economic crisis on the multinational oil companies in Nigeria. The results obtained indicate that, as the multinational oil companies are paid prices far below the world oil market prices, the current economic crisis in the country imposes losses on the companies and discourages large capital investment. In particular, the huge losses call for negotiation between the government and the multinational oil companies for better policy measures, such as a relaxation of the existing pricing policy, to reduce the losses resulting from the current economic crisis.     

Palladium(II) complexes with R2edda-derived ligands

Four palladium(II) complexes with R₂edda ligands, dichlorido(O,O′-dialkylethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetate)palladium(II) monohydrates, [PdCl₂(R₂edda)]?H₂O, R = Me, Et, n-Pr, i-Bu, and the new ligand precursor i-Bu₂edda?2HCl?H₂O, O,O′-diisobutylethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetate dihydrochloride monohydrate, were synthesized and characterized by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. DFT calculations were performed for the palladium(II) complexes and a high possibility for isomer formation due to stereogenic N ligand atoms was confirmed. Moreover, DFT simulations revealed energetic profile of isomer formation. Computational outcomes are in agreement with spectroscopic instrumental findings, both strongly indicating a non-stereoselective reaction between selected esters and K₂[PdCl₄], forming isomers.     

Structural and IR Spectroscopic Analysis of Sol-Gel Processed CuFeMnO4 Spinel and CuFeMnO4/Silica Films for Solar Absorbers

Black colored CuFeMnO₄ spinel powders and films were prepared using sol-gel process from Mn-acetate and Fe- and Cu-chloride precursors. Films were deposited by dip-coating technique and heat-treated at 500°C. For CuFeMnO₄/silica films 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (3-APTES) or tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were used in molar proportion (Mn : Cu : Fe) : silica = 1 : 1. Films and powders were prepared by heating at 500°C. IR spectroscopic measurements were employed to follow the hydrolysis-condensation reactions in (Mn : Cu : Fe)/3-APTES sols hydrolysed with water, and (Mn : Cu : Fe)/TEOS sols hydrolysed with (NH₃)_aq (Stöber processing). The resulting coatings were examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with electron dif-fraction analyses, Rutherford back scattering (RBS) and proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) techniques. Results revealed that (Mn : Cu : Fe)/3-APTES films had a composite structure consisting of the upper Cu_1.4Mn_1.6O₄ spinel and the lower amorphous SiO₂ layer. RBS measurements confirmed the composite structure, showing also that the composition of the film was Mn : Cu : Fe = 1 : 0.96 : 0.29, i.e. close to the precursors ratio Mn : Cu : Fe = 3 : 3 : 1. (Mn : Cu : Fe)/TEOS films prepared from sols which were catalysed with (NH₃)_aq consisted of amorphous monodispersed spherical SiO₂ particles with a size of about 400–420 nm. Solar absorbance (a _s) and thermal emittance (e _T) values of CuFeMnO₄ (500°C) and (Mn : Cu : Fe)/TEOS films (500°C) showed that CuFeMnO₄ films could be used as potential selective coatings for solar absorbers in solar collector systems.     

Organotin(IV)‐Loaded Mesoporous Silica as a Biocompatible Strategy in Cancer Treatment

The strong therapeutic potential of an organotin(IV) compound loaded in nanostructured silica (SBA‐15pSn) is demonstrated: B16 melanoma tumor growth in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice is almost completely abolished. In contrast to apoptosis as the basic mechanism of the anticancer action of numerous chemotherapeutics, the important advantage of this SBA‐15pSn mesoporous material is the induction of cell differentiation, an effect unknown for metal‐based drugs and nanomaterials alone. This non‐aggressive mode of drug action is highly efficient against cancer cells but is in the concentration range used nontoxic for normal tissue. JNK (Jun‐amino‐terminal kinase)‐independent apoptosis accompanied by the development of the melanocyte‐like nonproliferative phenotype of survived cells indicates the extraordinary potential of SBA‐15pSn to suppress tumor growth without undesirable compensatory proliferation of malignant cells in response to neighboring cell death.     

Binuclear dichlorido(η6‐p‐cymene)ruthenium(II) complexes with bis(nicotinate)‐ and bis(isonicotinate)‐polyethylene glycol ester ligands

Neutral binuclear ruthenium complexes 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 of the general formula [{RuCl₂(η⁶‐p‐cym)}₂ μ‐(N^∩N)] (N^∩N = bis(nicotinate)‐ and bis(isonicotinate)‐polyethylene glycol esters: (3‐py)COO(CH₂CH₂O)_nCO(3‐py) and (4‐py)COO(CH₂CH₂O)_nCO(4‐py), n =1–4), as well as mononuclear [RuCl₂(η⁶‐p‐cym)((3‐py)COO(CH₂CH₂OCH₃)‐κN)], complex 9 , were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis and electrospray ionization high‐resolution mass spectrometry, infrared, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. Stability of the binuclear complexes in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide was studied. Furthermore, formation of a cationic complex containing bridging pyridine‐based bidentate ligand was monitored using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Ligand precursors, polyethylene glycol esters of nicotinic ( L1 · 2HCl– L4 · 2HCl and L9 · HCl) and isonicotinic acid dihydrochlorides ( L5 · 2HCl– L8 · 2HCl), binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 and mononuclear complex 9 were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity against 518A2 (melanoma), 8505C (anaplastic thyroid cancer), A253 (head and neck tumour), MCF‐7 (breast tumour) and SW480 (colon carcinoma) cell lines. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrical and dielectric properties of MnF2–ZnF2–NaPO3 glasses

Direct electrical conductivity and dependencies of complex electrical modulus vs. temperature and frequency have been measured on glasses from the MnF₂–ZnF₂–NaPO₃ system. These glasses are sensitive to atmospheric humidity and as a consequence, the electrical conductivity increases up to temperature of 50 °C. A hydrated layer is created by the effect of water and leads to the significant increase of the electrical conductivity in the case of 0MnF₂–20ZnF₂–80NaPO₃ glass. This behavior is governed by Arrhenius relation where the values of activation energy are increasing and values of the electrical conductivity are decreasing with the amount of MnF₂. Dielectric measurements show that a heterogeneous phase is formed in the bulk of glasses. This may be seen when plotting complex electrical modulus in the complex plane. The records made by the light microscope confirmed the occurrence of the other phase in the bulk of glasses.     

Thermal Analysis of Sulfide Ge—Ga Glasses Doped by Praseodymium

The present study shows the dependence of the temperature of glass transition — T _g upon the presence and quantity of doping Pr atoms. Substantial effect of the form — chemical nature of compound from which the doping atoms are incorporated into the glass has been displayed as well. With the increase of the content of sulfidic form T _g values approach the level of undoped glasses. Thus, if the studied glasses are doped by sulfidic form, bonded areas atoms of Pr so atoms of S. Glasses doped by halogenous source of Pr behave differently; the shift of the T _g value does not change with the amount of the dopand, displaying the anion deficiency of glass stoichiometry in studied interval of halogenous dopands. Generally, a very slight non-stability of the glass against the oxidation in temperature region of glass transition is observed.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis,characterization, biological studies and in vitro cytotoxicity on human cancer cell lines of titanium(IV) and tin(IV) derivatives with the α,α′‐dimercapto‐o‐xylene ligand

The reaction of α,α′‐dimercapto‐o‐xylene (H₂dmox) with different precursors such as SnMe₂Cl₂, [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₅)₂Cl₂] and [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)₂Cl₂] (1:1) in the presence of two equivalents of NEt₃ yielded the complexes [SnMe₂(dmox)] (1), [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₅)₂(dmox)] (2) and [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)₂(dmox)] (3), respectively. 1–3 have been characterized by spectroscopic methods; in addition, complex 3 has been determined by X‐ray diffraction studies. Furthermore, structural studies based on density functional theory calculations of 1 and 2 have been carried out. The cytotoxic activity of 1–3 was tested against the tumour cell lines human adenocarcinoma HeLa, human myelogenous leukaemia K562 and human malignant melanoma Fem‐x. The results of this study show a higher cytotoxicity of the tin(IV) complex (1) in comparison to their titanium(IV) counterparts (2 and 3) as well as an improvement in the cytotoxic activity of compounds 2 and 3 compared to their titanocene(IV) dichloride analogues [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₅)₂Cl₂] and [Ti(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)₂Cl₂]. In view of the relatively high cytotoxicity of compound 1, a detailed study on the effects of the in vitro treatment of cancer cell lines using this compound was carried out. Thus cell cycle experiments on all the studied cell lines treated with 1 show that this complex seems to cause disturbances in the G1 phase of HeLa, and in the G1 and G2/M phases of Fem‐x cell line, while almost no disturbances were observed in the cycle of K562 cells treated with 1. Finally, DNA laddering method showed that treatment of the HeLa and Fem‐x cell lines with IC₉₀ doses of 1 resulted in the induction of apoptosis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field-based cavity ring-down spectrometry of δ13C in soil-respired CO2

Measurement of soil-respired CO₂ at high temporal resolution and sample density is necessary to accurately identify sources and quantify effluxes of soil-respired CO₂. A portable sampling device for the analysis of δ¹³C values in the field is described herein.

CO₂ accumulated in a soil chamber was batch sampled sequentially in four gas bags and analysed by Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring-down Spectrometry (WS-CRDS). A Keeling plot (1/[CO₂] versus δ¹³C) was used to derive δ¹³C values of soil-respired CO₂. Calibration to the δ¹³C Vienna Peedee Belemnite scale was by analysis of cylinder CO₂ and CO₂ derived from dissolved carbonate standards. The performance of gas-bag analysis was compared to continuous analysis where the WS-CRDS analyser was connected directly to the soil chamber.

Although there are inherent difficulties in obtaining absolute accuracy data for δ¹³C values in soil-respired CO₂, the similarity of δ¹³C values obtained for the same test soil with different analytical configurations indicated that an acceptable accuracy of the δ¹³C data were obtained by the WS-CRDS techniques presented here. Field testing of a variety of tropical soil/vegetation types, using the batch sampling technique yielded δ¹³C values for soil-respired CO₂ related to the dominance of either C₃ (tree, δ¹³C=?27.8 to?31.9 ‰) or C₄ (tropical grass, δ¹³C=?9.8 to?13.6 ‰) photosynthetic pathways in vegetation at the sampling sites. Standard errors of the Keeling plot intercept δ¹³C values of soil-respired CO₂ were typically<0.4 ‰ for analysis of soils with high CO₂ efflux (>7–9 μmol m^?2 s^?1).