Fully biodegradable polymeric micelles based on hydrophobic‐ and hydrophilic‐functionalized poly(lactide) block copolymers

Novel amphiphilic diblock copolymers from a combination of hydrophobic‐functional poly(lactides) (PLAs) with hydrophilic‐functional PLAs or poly(malic acid), respectively, toward fully biodegradable materials for medical applications, such as micellar drug delivery systems, are reported for the first time. The presented PLA‐based polymeric micelles are characterized by their small size below 100 nm, low critical micellar concentrations, good in vitro stabilities at room and body temperature, and efficient incorporation capability of hydrophobic compounds, particularly with regard to potential drug substances. Moreover, the advantage of being totally degradable with different rates at different pH values, as investigated in medical cancer treatment, is demonstrated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3244–3254, 2010     

Enthalpy of absorption and limit of solubility of CO2 in aqueous solutions of 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-[2-(dimethyl-amino)ethoxy] ethanol,and 3-dimethyl-amino-1-propanol at T = (313.15 and 353.15) K and pressures up to 2 MPa

In order to study the influence of amine structure on absorption of carbon dioxide, enthalpies of solution of CO₂ in 2.50 mol · L^?1 aqueous solutions of 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol (THAM), 2-[2-(dimethyl-amino)ethoxy] ethanol (DMAEOE), and 3-dimethyl-amino-1-propanol (DMAP) were measured. The enthalpies of solution are determined as function of gas loading charge (moles of CO₂/mole of amine), at temperatures (313.15 and 353.15) K, and pressures range from (0.5 to 2) MPa. Measurements were carried out using a flow calorimetric technique. CO₂ solubilities in the aqueous solutions of amine are derived from calorimetric data. Molar volumes of aqueous amine solutions required to handle calorimetric data were determined at 303.15 K using a vibrating tube densimeter. Experimental enthalpies of solution are discussed on the basis of amines alkalinity.     

Enantiospecific C?H Activation Using Ruthenium Nanocatalysts

The activation of C H bonds has revolutionized modern synthetic chemistry. However, no general strategy for enantiospecific C H activation has been developed to date. We herein report an enantiospecific C H activation reaction followed by deuterium incorporation at stereogenic centers. Mechanistic studies suggest that the selectivity for the α‐position of the directing heteroatom results from a four‐membered dimetallacycle as the key intermediate. This work paves the way to novel molecular chemistry on nanoparticles.     

Permeability Improvement of Electropolymerized Polypyrrole Films in Water Using Magnetic Hydrophilic Microbeads

The electrochemical polymerization of polypyrrole films onto magnetically immobilized hydrophilic microbeads was carried out. Poly(pyrrole‐pyrene)‐microbeads coatings display thus higher permeability in water towards the diffusion of ferrocyanide than a pure poly(pyrrole‐pyrene) film. In addition, the modulation of this permeability through an applied magnetic field that attracts the microbeads on the electrode surface or pushes back them was shown. Moreover, a glucose biosensor was prepared by adsorbing and electropolymerizing on a platinum electrode, an aqueous mixture containing glucose oxidase, amphiphilic pyrrole monomer and microbeads attracted by a magnet. The presence of microbeads inside the biocoating, markedly increases the biosensor performance.     

An Efficient Strategy to Drive Nanoparticles into Carbon Nanotubes and the Remarkable Effect of Confinement on Their Catalytic Performance

Are you in? Bimetallic PtRu nanoparticles have been selectively confined inside or deposited outside carbon nanotubes (see picture). The confined nanoparticles display significantly higher selectivity and catalytic activity in hydrogenation reactions.

     

Coupling between polysaccharide gelation and micro-phase separation of globular protein clusters

The effect of gelation of the polysaccharide phase on the phase separation was investigated for mixtures of anionic polysaccharide (kappa-carrageenan) and globular protein (beta-lactoglobulin) clusters at pH 7 well above the iso-electric point. Gelation of kappa-carrageenan was induced by cooling in the presence of KCl. In the liquid state the protein clusters phase-separate into relatively dense micro-domains. When the polysaccharide phase gelled during cooling, the turbidity of the systems decreased dramatically. Light scattering experiments showed that the density of the micro-domains decreased, while microscopy showed that the number and size was not strongly modified. It is concluded that smaller protein clusters leave the micro-domains when kappa-carrageenan gels. The effect could be reversed by reheating the samples and thus melting the gel and was observed for repeated heating and cooling cycles. The effect of gelation on phase separation decreases with increasing polysaccharide concentration and with ageing of the liquid mixture. The latter is caused by the formation of bonds between the protein clusters in the micro-domains that slowly reinforce with time.