Sub-nanometric precision displacement sensing using low mass and rough surfaces as movable targets

A novel speckle interferometric method has been developed to measure lengths and displacements over a distance of 100 μm with a resolution less than 1 nm using rough surfaces as movable targets instead of using conventional cube corners or mirrors. The speckle method is able to use Michelson and new configurations to combine the two scattered beams or fields from rough movable and stationary reference targets. The targets can be attached and can be produced directly onto movable actuator type of mechanisms. The phase information is extracted from the randomly modulated signals by employing an apertured disc system or an alternative optical fibre arrangement. This method exploits the concept of using narrow angle scatterers for economical use of laser light, enhanced reliability and modulation criteria. A prototype low-mass interferometric displacement sensor has been constructed to provide a compact and a flexible system. Apart from the measurement of changes in displacements in force and pressure measuring devices, it can also be used for the assessment of small range scanning probes, stylus profilers and in medical field the measurement of elastic properties of ear drums, etc. The sub-nanometre resolution and displacement values are repeatable to within ±1 nm can be demonstrated over distances of up to 2 mm by employing appropriate actuators and translation devices. The performance has been confirmed by comparison work against a conventional interferometric transducer.     

3-Alkylfurans as useful synthetic equivalents for substituted δ-butenolides

Substituted δ²-butenolides may be prepared from furan equivalents by regiospecific metallation, sulfenylation and/or silylation, removal of the sulfur group and peracid oxidation.     

Single-Molecule Redox-Targeting Reactions for a pH-Neutral Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) have received considerable attention for large-scale energy storage. Quinone derivatives, such as 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid (2,7-AQDS), have been explored intensively owing to potentially low cost and swift reaction kinetics. However, the low solubility in pH-neutral electrolytes restricts their application to corrosive acidic or caustic systems. Herein, the single molecule redox-targeting reactions of 2,7-AQDS anolyte are presented to circumvent its solubility limit in pH-neutral electrolytes. Polyimide was employed as a low-cost high-capacity solid material to boost the capacity of 2,7-AQDS electrolyte to 97 Ah L⁻¹. Through in situ FTIR spectroscopy, a hydrogen-bonding mediated reaction mechanism was disclosed. In conjunction with NaI as catholyte and nickel hexacyanoferrate as the catholyte capacity booster, a single-molecule redox-targeting reaction-based full cell with energy density up to 39 Wh L⁻¹ was demonstrated.     

(S)‐Naproxen as a platform to develop chiral derivatizing reagent for reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of analytes having a carbonyl functional group

(S)‐Naproxen was used to synthesize a chiral reagent, (S)‐2‐(6‐methoxynaphthalen‐2‐yl)propanehydrazide, by itsreaction with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as coupling agent. The reagent was characterized and its chiral purity was established. It was used as a chiral derivatizing reagent for the synthesis of hydrazone diastereomers, under microwave irradiation, of certain chiral aldehydes and ketones. The respective diastereomers were separated by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography using a binary solvent combination containing trifluoroacetic acid. The diastereomers were detected at 231 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, and limit of detection (LOD). For a series of hydrazones the LOD was found to be in the range 1.62–1.65 pmol/mL. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical constituents, antioxidant and antimocrobial activity of essential oil of Pogostemon paniculatus (Willd.)

The essential oil extracted from the leaves of Pogostemon paniculatus (Willd.) Benth. (Lamiaceae), was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Nineteen compounds constituting 85.36% of the total oil were identified in the oil. Patchouli alcohol (30.65%), α-guaiene (10.67%), β-guaiene (9.09%), caryophyllene (8.64%), eicosene (5.27%) were the major constituents present. The essential oil was analysed for antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion assay and minimum inhibition concentration against six bacteria and three fungi. Results showed inhibitory activity against some of the tested microorganisms. The essential oil was also tested for the DPPH free-radical scavenging activity and had an inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) value of 18.5?μg?mL(-1).     

Determination of phosphorus using derivative neutron activation

For the determination of phosphorus in different matrices, the derivative neutron activation analysis is especially applicable to aqueous samples, since the conventional neutron activation analysis is not useful for the determination of phosphorus. Phosphorus when reacted with ammonium molybdate 4 hydrate and ammonium metavanadate forms molybdo vanado phosphoric acid. This complex is preconcentrated by extracting into methyl isobutyl ketone. The organic phase containing the molybdo vanado phosphoric acid is neutron activated and the phosphorus is determined through the activation product of ⁵²V. Preparation of this complex, its stoichiometry, application to trace level determination of phosphorus and improved detection limit are discussed. This method was applied for the analysis of industrial effluent samples.     

Activity coefficient measurements of the system HCl−ZnCl2−H2O at 25 and 35°C

Electromotive force measurements were carried out on the HCl–ZnCl₂–H₂O system at constant total ionic strengths of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mol-kg^–1 at 25 and 35°C using a cell consisting of Pt, H₂(g, 1 atm)|HCl(m_A), ZnCl₂(m_B)|AgCl/Ag. The data were interpreted by the mixed electrolyte equations of Pitzer and Kim in order to evaluate mixing ion-interaction parameters. The activity coefficients of ZnCl₂ and the Gibbs excess free energies of mixing are calculated and presented at I=2.0 mol-kg^–1 and compared with similar systems containing transition metal chlorides.     

Ruthenium(II) complexes of aroylhydrazones: structural,electrochemical and electrostatic interactions with DNA

Four Ru(II) complexes with tridentate ligands viz. (4-hydroxy-N′-(pyridin-2-yl-ethylene) benzohydrazide [Ru(L¹)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (1), N′-(pyridin-2-yl-methylene) nicotinohydrazide [Ru(L²)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (2), N′-(1H-imidazol-2-yl-methylene)-4-hydroxybenzohydrazide [Ru(L³)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (3), and N′-(1H-imidazol-2-yl-methylene) nicotinohydrazide [Ru(L⁴)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (4) have been synthesized and characterized. The methoxy-derivative of L³H (abbreviated as L³H*) exists in E configuration with torsional angle of 179.4° around C₇-N₈-N₉-C₁₀ linkage. Single crystal structures of acetonitrile coordinated ruthenium complexes of 1 and 3 having compositins as [Ru(L¹)(PPh₃)₂(CH₃CN)]Cl (1a) and [Ru(L³)(PPh₃)₂(CH₃CN)]Cl (3a) revealed coordination of tridentate ligands with significantly distorted octahedral geometry constructed by imine nitrogen, heterocyclic nitrogen, and enolate amide oxygen, forming a cis-planar ring with trans-placement of two PPh₃ groups and a coordinated acetonitrile. Ligands (L¹H-L⁴H) and their ruthenium complexes (1–4) are characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR, and IR spectral analysis. Ru(II) complexes have reversible to quasi-reversible redox behavior having Ru(II)/Ru(III) oxidation potentials in the range of 0.40–0.71 V. The DNA binding constants determined by absorption spectral titrations with Herring Sperm DNA (HS-DNA) reveal that L⁴H and 1 interact more strongly than other ligands and Ru(II) complexes. Complexes 1–3 exhibit DNA cleaving activity possibly due to strong electrostatic interactions while 4 displays intercalation.     

Effect of nitro groups on the photo physical properties of benzimidazolone: a solvatochromic study

Electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra of mono, di, and tri-nitro benzimidazolones are measured at room temperature (298 K) in nine solvents with different polarities and the observed shifts are compared with benzimidazolone. Ground and excited state electric dipole moments are determined using the solvatochromic method based on the bulk solvent properties, F(1)(ε, n) and F(2)(ε, n). A reasonable agreement is observed between the experimental and ab initio dipole moments. Change in dipole moment is also determined using the solvatochromic method based on the microscopic solvent polarity parameter, (E(T)(N)), which considers the polarization changes due to hydrogen bonding in different solvents. It has been observed that the correlation of the solvatochromic Stokes shifts with the parameter (E(T)(N)), is superior to that derived using bulk solvent polarity functions for all the benzimidazolones reported in the present study. Calculated difference between excited state and ground state dipole moments seems to be a good measure of the effect of nitro group when correlated with (E(T)(N)).