Interaction of phenol and dopamine with commercial MWCNTs

We report the adsorption of phenol and dopamine probe molecules, from aqueous solution with NaCl, on commercial multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and on their carboxylated derivative. The nanotubes were fully characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), potentiometric titration, electrophoretic mobility, and nitrogen adsorption (77K) measurements. The experimental pollutant isotherms, evaluated using the Langmuir model, showed that only 8-12% and 21-32% of the BET surface area was available for phenol and dopamine, respectively, which is far below the performance of activated carbons. Influence of the pH was more pronounced for the oxidized MWCNT, particularly with dopamine. The strongest interaction and the highest adsorption capacity occurred at pH 3 with both model pollutants on both types of nanotubes. Although the surface area available for adsorption is far lower in MWCNTs than in activated carbons, it is nonetheless substantial. In particular, delayed release of toxic molecules that are either adsorbed on the surface or trapped in the inner bore of such systems could constitute an environmental hazard. The need for further adsorption studies with regard to their environmental aspects is therefore pressing, particularly for MWCNTs in their functionalized state.     

Analysis of the essential oil of Amsonia illustris

The root and leaf essential oils, present in trace amounts in Amsonia illustris Woods. (Apocynaceae), were isolated by steam distillation and their chemical constituents identified by GC-FID and GC-MS. More than 80% of the thirty volatile compounds in the leaf oil were identified, the major constituents being mainly sesquiterpenes like a-humulene (14.5%), beta-caryophyllene (12.4%) and guaiol (11.6%). The volatile ingredients of the root oil were pinocampheol, methyl salicylate, (2E,4E)- decadienal, eugenol and trans-isoeugenol.     

Molecular‐Sieve Honeycomb for Air Separation from Picea abies

The cellular structure of Norway spruce (Picea abies) was transformed via a simple, single‐step carbonization process into a carbon monolith with molecular‐sieve properties. The monolith exhibited a genuine honeycomb structure derived from the original intrinsic H₂O channels of the wood. The micropores formed during carbonization from the walls of the channels were shown to have a high adsorption capacity. The honeycomb monolith was tested for air separation. Micropore diffusion of N₂ and O₂ was found by the frequency‐response (FR) technique to be the rate‐controlling process of mass transport.     

Infrared reflectivity of MTPA (TCNQ)2 single crystals

Polarized infrared reflectivity of single crystal MTPA (TCNQ)₂ was measured in the 40–4000 cm^?1 region and evaluated to obtain the dielectric function and conductivity. For E ⊥ b polarization, a very strong coupling between TCNQ intramolecular vibrations and electronic motion is observed. The bare electronic absorption is modelled by a sum of two classical oscillators.     

Functional MRI of the cervical spinal cord during noxious and innocuous thermal stimulation in the alpha-chloralose- and halothane-anesthetized rat

Patterns of neuronal activity in the spinal cord using functional magnetic resonance imaging during noxious (48 degrees C) and innocuous (40 degrees C) thermal stimulation of the rat forepaw were examined. The patterns of functional activity elicited by thermal stimuli were compared in alpha-chloralose- and halothane-anesthetized rats. Although the locations of active pixels were similar during both types of stimulation, the mean percentage signal change was higher during noxious stimulation in both anesthetic groups. Ipsilateral dorsal horn activity was evident during both noxious and innocuous stimulation in all animals. The greatest consistency of ipsilateral dorsal horn activity occurred at the C3 to C5 spinal cord segments in all groups. Consistent contralateral dorsal horn activity appeared in segments C6 to C8 in all groups. C-fos immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of neural activity in the spinal cords of all animals.     

A new P‐heterocyclic family: A variety of six‐membered and bridged P‐heterocycles with 1‐benzyl substituent

The ring enlargement of 1‐benzyl‐2,5‐dihydro‐1H‐phosphole oxide ( 1 ) via the corresponding 2‐phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 2‐oxide ( 2 ) afforded, depending on the conditions, the double bond isomers ( A and B ) of 1,2‐dihydrophosphinine oxide 4 or that of 3‐substituted 1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophosphinine oxides 5 and 6 . Dihydrophosphinine oxides ( 4 ) were suitable starting materials for 1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydrophosphinine oxide 7 and 1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophosphinine oxide 8 obtained by reductive approaches and for the double bond isomers ( A and B ) of 2‐phosphabicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene 2‐oxide 9 and phosphabicyclooctene oxide 10 prepared in Diels–Alder cycloaddition. Precursor 9 was utilized in the fragmentation‐related phosphorylation of alcohols. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 19:28–34, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20363     

Monte Carlo structure simulations for aqueous 1,4-dioxane solutions

Monte Carlo simulations in the NpT ensembles have been performed for the structure exploration of aqueous 1,4-dioxane solutions. Three different systems with all-atom dioxane:TIP4P water molar compositions of 2:500 (code:D2), 8:465 (D8), and 17:425 (D17) modeled solutions of 0.22, 0.88, and 1.86 mol/dm3 concentrations, respectively, at T = 298 K and p = 1 atm. The calculated solution densities increase from 0.992 to 1.002 g/cm3 with increasing dioxane concentration and approach the experimentally determined densities within 1%. This close agreement was achieved by utilizing RESP charges fitted to the in-solution IEF-PCM/B3LYP/6-31G* electrostatic potential of dioxane taken in its chair conformation and recently developed C, H steric parameters for ethers for calculations with a 12-6-1 all-atom potential. Solution structure analyses pointed out that the dioxane molecules arrange in the solutions with favorable distances of 4-8 angstroms for the ring symmetry centers. Within this range not only pairs of rings but triangular triads and tetrads have also been observed with center-center distances <8 angstroms. For the D8 system, about 25% of the sampled configurations included such a triad. In the case of the D17 model, two simulations starting from different solution configuration predicted different degrees for the dioxane aggregation in aqueous solution. In the more aggregated structure 3-21 triads are consistently maintained and 1-2 tetrads are formed in 58% of the configurations. Each dioxane oxygen forms about one hydrogen bond, on average, to a water molecule in the 0.22-1.86 molar range. The most likely O(dioxane)...H(water) hydrogen bond distance is 1.75-1.80 angstroms compared to the optimal distance of 1.72 angstroms in the isolated dimer. The optimal dioxane-water interaction energy of -5.65 kcal/mol indicates a remarkable hydrogen-bond acceptor character for dioxane.     

Fully On-Line Hyphenation of an Experimental OPLC Separation Unit with Diode-Array Detection and Mass-Spectrometry (OPLC-DAD-MS) for Analysis of Xanthine Compounds

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - The newly developed experimental OPLC separation unit 100 (OSU 100) has been used for fully on-line multiple hyphenation using the...