New multifunctional heterobinuclear palladium (II) complexes based on organometallic dithiocarbazate ligands

In the research of new compounds with multifunctional applications, heterobinuclear palladium (II) complexes based on organometallic dithiocarbazates (DTCZs) have been isolated. The organometallic DTCZ ligands of the general formula [{(η⁵-C₅H₄)-CH=NNHC(S)SCH₃}]MLn [MLn = Re (CO)₃ ( 2a ); Mn (CO)₃ ( 2b ); FeCp ( 2c )] were prepared by the reaction between formyl organometallic precursors ( 1a−c ) with S-methyldithiocarbazate. Subsequently, a two-step reaction of 2a−c with: (i) K₂[PdCl₄] and (ii) PPh₃ yielded heterobinuclear complexes [Pd{MLn(η⁵-C₅H₄)-CH=NNHC(S)SCH₃}–(Cl)(PPh₃)] [MLn = Re (CO)₃ ( 3a ); Mn (CO)₃ ( 3b ); FeCp ( 3c )]. All compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic techniques (infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis). In addition, the molecular structures of 2a , 2c and 3c were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The new palladium (II) complexes ( 3a−c ) were evaluated as antiproliferative agents against non-small cell lung cancer cells (H1299 cells). Complexes 3a and 3b containing cyrhetrenyl- and cymantrenyl-DTCZ ligands, respectively, were more active than their ferrocenyl analogue 3c . The activity was associated with the electron-withdrawing properties of the (η⁵-C₅H₄)M (CO)₃ moieties and their better lipophilicity than that of the ferrocenyl analogue. In addition, we studied the capacity of metalloligands ( 2a−c ) and palladium (II) complexes ( 3a−c ) to remove methylene blue in water under UV–visible light irradiation. The results established that the complexes showed moderate efficiency and were less active than their corresponding free ligands.     

Free MVn-algebras

In this note we characterize free algebras in varieties of MV-algebras generated by a finite chain L _n as algebras of continuous functions from the spectrum of the Boolean skeleton of the free algebra into L _n . Received May 9, 2006; accepted in final form May 15, 2007.     

Investigation of anthropic effects connected with metal ions concentration, organic matter and grain size in Bormida river sediments

An investigation on the sediment composition and grain size was carried out along the Bormida river (Piedmont, Northern Italy). The samples were taken both in the riverbed and on its banks. Multivariate statistical exploratory methods permitted to identify possible sources of primary pollution. In particular, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there are probably at least three anthropogenic main causes of pollution, one connected with Cr, Ni and Sn, the second with cadmium and the last one with mercury. Some correlations were found between heavy metal ion concentrations and organic matter and/or the sediment grain size. Differences between the samples collected in the riverbed and on the banks were identified and the relationships between the principal components and the distance of the samples from the riverbed and from the hot spot represented by the ACNA industrial site were also analyzed.     

A metallic furnace atomizer in hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry: Determination of bismuth and selenium

A flow injection hydride generation system with a metal furnace atomizer (Inconel 600® alloy) was employed for Bi and Se determination. The presented methods have linear ranges up to 200 and 500 μg L^− 1 for Bi and Se, respectively, with good linearities (r² = 0.9997 and 0.9974, respectively). The limits of quantification obtained according to IUPAC recommendations were 2.3 μg L^− 1 for Bi and 6 μg L^− 1 for Se, and the relative standard deviations (N = 6) based on Bi and Se analytical responses from real samples were 2.7% and 10%, respectively. Accuracy evaluations were based on certified materials such as SRM 361, SRM 363, and SRM 364 (steel alloys) for Bi, Mess-3 (marine sediment), SRM 397 (human hair), and Bio-Rad2 — 69042 (urine) for Se. Good agreements between the results were obtained at the 95% confidence level, according to the t-test.     

On the difficulties of predicting the adsorption of volatile organic compounds at low pressures in microporous solid: the example of ethyl benzene

Adsorption isotherms of toluene and ethyl benzene, at 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C, were determined in two microporous activated carbons and one zeolite. Significant differences were found in the adsorption behavior, at low pressures, between the two vapors on the same adsorbent material. The quantities of adsorbed ethyl benzene at 25 degrees C, in the low-pressure region, were lower than what was observed at 40 degrees C in all the studied adsorbents, contrary to what was found for toluene. This fact was not related to kinetic effects at the two temperatures nor to vapor swelling of the adsorbents structure. Also, there was no molecular sieving since at high pressures the toluene and ethyl benzene occupied the same adsorption space. The differences found in the ethyl benzene adsorption at the two temperatures pose difficulties in the analysis of the adsorption data and, therefore, in the prediction of results. This is discussed in the analysis of the results with the application of the Dubinin-Astakhov equation and in the estimation of the isosteric heats of adsorption. The adsorption potentials of two possible ethyl benzene conformations were estimated for the adsorption in the pores of activated carbon from the Horvath and Kawazoe model, and the values compared with those found experimentally. The results were interpreted in terms of the ethyl benzene conformation effects when the molecule is confined in pores that are about the same size of one of the conformations.     

GeO2 natrolite-type infinite four and eight R-containing layers in a 2D pure-Ge framework: Ge3O5(OH)4[C2N2H10

A new two-dimensional framework germanate, Ge3O5(OH)4[C2N2H10] (denoted ICMM-8), with a 3:9 Ge:O ratio has been synthesized, using a mixture of pyridine, water, and ethanol as the solvent and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and ethylenediamine as the structure-directing agents, under solvothermal conditions. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In this new compound, the GeO2 natrolite-type infinite four and eight R-containing layers appears for the first time in a pure GeO2 framework. The total 2D structure is built up from SBU-6, four tetrahedra, and two octahedra. The hydroxyl groups occupy four positions of each octahedral germanium atom. The compound is characterized by IR spectra and TGA-DTA. Crystal data: Ge3O5(OH)4[C2N2H10], monoclinic space group P2(1)/c; a = 11.3570(9) Angstroms, b = 8.8819(7) Angstroms, c = 9.9200(8) Angstroms, beta = 90.710(1), V = 1000.6(1) Angstroms(3), Z = 4, R(1) = 0.044 (I > 2(I)), and wR(2) = 0.1051 (all data).     

A theoretical study on the low-lying excited states of 2,2':5',2'-terthiophene and 2,2':5',2':5',2'-quaterthiophene.

The nature and properties of the low-lying singlet and triplet valence excited states of 2,2':5',2'-terthiophene (terthiophene) and 2,2':5',2':5',2'-quaterthiophene (tetrathiophene) are discussed on the basis of high-level ab initio computations. The spectroscopic features determined experimentally for short alpha-oligothiophenes are rationalised on theoretical grounds. Special attention is devoted to the nonradiative decay process through intersystem crossing (ISC) from the singlet to the triplet manifold, which is known to be relatively less efficient in tetrathiophene. Along the geometry relaxation of the S1 state of terthiophene, the S1 and T2 states become degenerate, which leads to a favourable situation for the occurrence of ISC. The parallel process is expected to be less favoured in tetrathiophene because of the less efficient spin-orbit coupling and the increase of the S1-T2 energy gap.     

Determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in sewage sludge by direct hollow fiber supported liquid membrane extraction and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

In this study, a three-phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME) method combined with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was developed for direct determination of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen) in sewage sludge. The drugs were extracted from non-spiked and spiked slurry samples with different amounts of sludge into an organic phase and then back-extracted into an aqueous phase held in the lumen of the hollow fiber. High enrichment factors ranging from 2761 to 3254 in pure water were achieved. In sludge samples, repeatability and inter-day precision were tested with relative standard deviation values between 10–18% and 7–15%, respectively. Average concentrations of 29 ± 9, 138 ± 2, 39 ± 5 and 122 ± 7 ng/g were determined in dried sludge from Källby sewage treatment plant (Sweden) for ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen, respectively.     

A Water Sensitive Hydrate: The Bis‐Catena Complex Salt [Mn(H2O)6][BiI4]2·2H2O

Bright red crystals of [Mn(H₂O)₆][BiI₄]₂ · 2H₂O are obtained from a solution of MnI₂, BiI₃, and I₂ in absolute ethanol, which is exposed to humid air. Reversible dehydratization sets in at about 50 °C. Added water decomposes the hydrate by irreversible precipitation of BiOI. The optical bandgap is about 1.9(1) eV. X‐ray diffraction on a single‐crystal revealed a monoclinic lattice (space group P2₁/c) with a = 760.39(4) pm, b = 1315.6(1) pm, c = 1398.37(7) pm, and β = 97.438(4)°. In the crystal structure zigzag chains of edge‐sharing [BiI_2/1I_4/2]^– octahedra and linear strings of H₂O‐bridged [Mn(H₂O)₆]²⁺ octahedra run parallel [100].