Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs): bridging the void between microporous and polymeric materials

Novel types of microporous material are required for chemoselective adsorptions, separations and heterogeneous catalysis. This concept article describes recent research directed towards the synthesis of polymeric materials that possess microporosity that is intrinsic to their molecular structures. These polymers (PIMs) can exhibit analogous behaviour to that of conventional microporous materials, but, in addition, may be processed into convenient forms for use as membranes. The excellent performance of these membranes for gas separation and pervaporation illustrates the unique character of PIMs and suggests immediate technological applications.     

Flow injection fluorimetric determination of chromium(VI) in electroplating baths by luminescence quenching of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)

A sensitive and selective luminescence quenching method is developed and used for manual and flow injection analysis (FIA) of chromium(VI) by reaction with [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺. The emission peak of ruthenium(II) at 595 nm is linearly decreased as a function of Cr(VI) concentration. This permits determination of chromium(VI) ion over the concentration range 0.1-20 μg ml⁻¹ with a detection limit of 33 ng ml⁻¹. The quenching process is due to an electron transfer from the luminescent [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ complex ion to Cr(VI) resulting in the formation of the non-luminescent [Ru(bpy)₃]³⁺ complex ion. Selectivity for Cr(VI) over many anions and transition, alkali and alkaline earth metal cations is demonstrated. High concentration levels of sulphate, chloride, borate, acetate, phosphate, nitrate, cyanide, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions are tolerated. The effects of solution pH and [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ reagent concentration are examined and the reaction conditions are optimized. Validation of the method according to the quality assurance standards show suitability of the proposed method for use in the quality control assessment of Cr(VI) in complex matrices without prior treatment. The method is successfully applied to determine chromium(VI) in electroplating baths using flow injection analysis. Results with a mean standard deviation of ±0.6% are obtained which compare fairly well with data obtained using atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Attenuation of substituent effects on reactivities of low-spin iron(II) complexes of Schiff base ligands

Substituent effects on reactivity are compared for base hydrolysis of tris-ligand-iron(II) complexes of Schiff base ligands derived from 2–acetylpyridine and substituted benzylamines and their aniline analogues. The methylene spacer in the former effectively isolates the iron from substituent effects in the phenyl ring, as indicated by the almost equal rate constants for base hydrolysis of the complexes derived from benzylamine and its 4–methyl, 4–fluoro, and 4– trifluoromethyl derivatives. Rate constants for base hydrolysis of the (substituted) benzylamine derivatives are also reported for some Me2CO-H2O and DMSO-H2O solvent mixtures. Reaction is faster in all these binary aqueous mixtures, mainly due to the higher chemical potentials of hydroxide ion.     

Novel potentiometric copper (II) selective membrane sensors based on cyclic tetrapeptide derivatives as neutral ionophores

Two novel membrane sensors sensitive and reasonably selective for Cu²⁺ ions are described. These are based on the use of newly synthesized cyclic tetrapeptide derivatives as neutral ionophores and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as an anionic excluder in plasticized PVC membranes. The sensors exhibit fast and stable near-Nernstian response over the concentration range 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol l⁻¹ to 1.0 × 10⁻² mol l⁻¹ Cu²⁺ with a cationic slope of 30.2-25.9 mV per decade at pH 4.5-7 with a lower detection limit of 0.05-0.13 μg ml⁻¹. Effects of plasticizers, lipophilic salts and various foreign common ions are tested. The sensors display long life-span, long term stability, high reproducibility, and short response time. Selectivity of both sensors is significantly high for Cu²⁺ over Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, alkaline earth and alkali metal ions. The sensors are used for direct measurement of copper content in different rocks and industrial wastewater samples from electroplating factories. The results agree fairly well with data obtained using atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Tandem mass spectrometry of some nitropyridylaryl sulfides

The electron impact tandem mass spectrometry of 3- and 5-nitropyridinylaryl sulfides are reported and discussed. The [M-1](+) ion is observed as the base peak for all the 5-nitropyridinylaryl sulfides, series I, whereas the 2-mercapto-3-nitrosopyridine fragment at m/z 139 represents the base peak for the 3-nitro isomers, series II, with the exception of the 3-substituted derivatives and the unsubstituted parent sulfide. The proposed fragmentation processes are substantiated by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Hammett correlation analysis of the substituent effect on the formation of fragments [RH(4)C(6)S](+), [C(6)H(4)R](+) and [M-HNO(2)](+) is discussed. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dissociation kinetics of [Fe(phen)3]2+, [Fe(bipy)3]2+ and [Fe-(4,4′-Me2bipy)3]2+ in the presence of cyanide ion in aqueous solution at pressures up to 1 kilobar

Summary Rate constants for dissociation, in aqueous solution at 25° C, of [Fe(phen)₃]²⁺, [Fe(bipy)₃]²⁺, and [Fe(4,4-Me₂bipy)₃]²⁺ in the presence of cyanide, and of the last-named complex also in the presence of hydroxide, are significantly decreased by the application of pressure (up to 1 kbar). Kinetic measurements were carried out using a high pressure cell of improved design to that used in our earlier investigations. Volumes of activation, V ^*, are scarcely sensitive to ligand or to attacking nucleophile, being in the range of 10–12 cm³ mol^–1. An explanation of these results resides in an associative mechanism, a scheme invoked for similar reactions reported previously.     

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs): robust, solution-processable, organic nanoporous materials

Microporous materials can be derived directly from soluble polymers whose randomly contorted shapes prevent an efficient packing of the macromolecules in the solid state.     

Ion-association method for the spectrophotometric determination of the antitussive drug noscapine

A simple, sensitive and fairly rapid method for the determination of noscapine is described, based on the measurement of the absorbance of the organic soluble ion-association complex formed between the noscapine monocation and a bulky counter anion. Methyl Orange, Bromothymol Blue and Bromocresol Green (BCG) were examined as counter ions. The effect of few solvents, the counter-ion concentration and pH on the extraction were also investigated. The most suitable system was based on BCG (pH 3.0) with chloroform as the extraction solvent. The use of the other counter ions, in conjunction with their respective solvents, was found to be less sensitive. The BCG system exhibits negligible or no interference when used for the determination of 38 ppm of noscapine in the presence of several drug excipients, thus lending itself as a possible procedure for the determination of this alkaloid in pharmaceutical preparations.     

A convenient synthesis of 1, 1′-dithiolatoferrocene and the preparation of [ReO{Fe(C5H4S)2}2]−

Summary LiAlH₄ reduction of 1, 1-ferrocene-bis(dimethyldithiocarbamates) gives 1, 1-dithiolatoferrocene [Fc(SH)₂] in high yield. The dithiol reacts with first-row transition metals to give polymeric products but with [ReOCl₃–(PPh₃)₂] the complex [ReO(FcS₂)₂]^–, can be isolated as a tetraphenylphosphonium salt in good yield.     

Reactions with the Arylhydrazones of α-Cyanoketones: The Structure of 2-Arylhydrazono-3-ketimino-nitriles

Analysis of the IR., UV., and polarographic data of a variety of 2-arylhydrazono-3-ketimino-nitriles indicated that these derivatives exist mainly in the intramolecularly chelated hydrazone structure 1 . Compounds 1 reacted with hydrazine hydrate to yield the corresponding 5-amino-4-arylazopyrazoles ( 3 ). Compounds 3a reacted with acetylacetone, ethyl acetoacetate, and diethyl malonate to yield the pyrazolo[1, 5-a]pyrimidine derivatives 4, 5 , and 7 respectively. Compound 3a also reacted with benzoylisothiocyanate to yield the pyrazolyl thiourea derivative 8 .