Calorimetric and spectrophotometric investigation of PLGA nanoparticles and their complex with DNA

The calorimetric investigation of non-coated and chitosan-coated PLGA nanoparticles (NP) shows that at initial temperatures of heating particle swelling takes place what results in an internal architectural change at lower than physiological temperature. It has shown that the temperature of NP tightness perturbing depends on solvent polarity: as more polar is the solvent more stable are particles. The break of existing bonds in NP shell is accompanied with heat absorption peak which undergoes significant changes depending on heating rate. In the wide pH 2–8 interval in transition temperature no changes occurred. The obtained results show that such NP could be used in acidic area for drug transfer, which gives possibility to take medicine orally. It was shown that DNA attaches only to chitosan-coated NP. The optimal ratio for DNA loading onto the NP was found to be 7:1 (W_NP/W_DNA).     

Single reporter for targeted multimodal in vivo imaging

We have developed a multifaceted, highly specific reporter for multimodal in vivo imaging and applied it for detection of brain tumors. A metabolically biotinylated, membrane-bound form of Gaussia luciferase was synthesized, termed mbGluc-biotin. We engineered glioma cells to express this reporter and showed that brain tumor formation can be temporally imaged by bioluminescence following systemic administration of coelenterazine. Brain tumors expressing this reporter had high sensitivity for detection by magnetic resonance and fluorescence tomographic imaging upon injection of streptavidin conjugated to magnetic nanoparticles or fluorophore, respectively. Moreover, single photon emission computed tomography showed enhanced imaging of these tumors upon injection with streptavidin complexed to (111)In-DTPA-biotin. This work shows for the first time a single small reporter (～40 kDa) which can be monitored with most available molecular imaging modalities and can be extended for single cell imaging using intravital microscopy, allowing real-time tracking of any cell expressing it in vivo.     

Solvatochromic behavior on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of Rose Bengal dye in various solvents

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of Rose Bengal dye were studied in various solvents. It was found that solvent effects on the absorption wavelength are consistent with the solvatochromic model of Kamlet, Abboud and Taft. The solvent polarizability value pi* was found to have a linear relationship with the absorption wavelength of the dye in various solvents. Additionally, the normalized transition energy value (E(T)(N)) showed some scattering when plotted versus Deltanu(af). Density functional calculations were used to assign the absorption in the region 540-570 nm to a pi-pi* transition between the HOMO and LUMO of the anion. Experimental ground state and excited state dipole moments were calculated by using the solvatochromatic shifts of absorption and fluorescence spectra as a function of the dielectric constant (epsilon) and refractive index (n). The dipole moment for Rose Bengal was found to be 1.72 Debye in the ground state, whereas this value was 2.33 Debye in the excited state.     

Rhodium and iridium complexes of a new ferrocene-derived chelating bis(NHC) ligand

Rhodium and iridium complexes of a new ferrocene-derived bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligand, [M(cod){1,2-(MeNCHCHNCCH(2))(2)C(5)H(3)}Fe(C(5)H(5))]BF(4) (M = Rh, 8a; M = Ir, 8b; cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene), were synthesized from the corresponding bis(imidazolium) salt 6. The molecular structure of 8a was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 8a and 8b smoothly react with CO with displacement of the chelating cod ligand to give the corresponding dicarbonyl derivatives 9a and 9b.     

Formal syntheses of naturally occurring welwitindolinones

The formal syntheses of N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate, N-methylwelwitindolinone C isonitrile, N-methylwelwitindolinone D isonitrile, 3-hydroxy-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate, and 3-hydroxy-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isonitrile are reported. The synthesis features several novel processes, including a Lewis acid mediated coupling between a benzylic-type heteroaromatic alcohol and a highly functionalized silyl ketene acetal, an intramolecular enolate arylation, and a regioselective, Pd(0)-catalyzed π-allylic cyclization of a γ-benzoyloxy enone moiety that is revealed by unmasking a furan ring.     

Characterizing colloidal behavior of non-ionic emulsifiers in non-polar solvents using electrical impedance spectroscopy

Colloidal behavior of a widely used non-ionic emulsifier, sorbitan monooleate (Span80), was investigated in non-polar solvents (cyclohexane and xylene) using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrical characteristics of the colloidal mixtures were measured with frequency scans ranging from 1 Hz to 200 kHz. The conductances at low frequencies were found to increase with an increase in Span80 concentration. The source of conductivity for non-polar solvents using non-ionic emulsifiers is usually attributed to ionic impurities either in the Span80 or in the non-polar solvents. The measured electrical characteristics for pure Span80 and pure non-polar solvents revealed that the source of ionic conduction is impurities in Span80. It was confirmed that the ionic impurities in the non-polar solvents are in form of aggregate of ions, ion-pairs, and triple ions which is unaffected with the emulsifier concentration. Analyses using equivalent electrical circuits confirmed that the critical Maxwell-Wagner frequency is 0.6–1.8 Hz for the mixtures. The conductance-concentration profiles for the mixtures at 1 Hz showed transitions from a square root to a linear concentration dependence at the CMC. This indicated that the dissociation model holds below the CMC, while the fluctuation model applies above the CMC. The conductance profiles enabled estimates of the relative hydrophilic core radius and the fraction of charged micelles in both non-polar solvents. Figure

CMC determination of non-ionic emulsifier in non-polar solvents     

Chiral HPLC Method for the Novel Triazole Antitubercular Compound MSDRT 12

Cyclohex-3-enyl(5-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methanol (MSDRT 12) is a novel triazole-based antitubercular compound with two chiral centres. Evaluation of the enantio-specific antitubercular activity has established that the stereoisomer 3 of MSDRT12 (Isomer 3) was the most potent isomer with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.78 μg/mL. The other stereoisomers show negligible or no activity. A sensitive, simple, specific, precise and accurate chiral chromatographic method for the direct analysis of the four stereoisomers of MSDRT 12 and the active Isomer 3 has been developed and validated. The method has also been validated for analysing the stereoisomeric impurities Isomer 1, Isomer 2 and Isomer 4 in the active Isomer 3. The separation of the four stereoisomers of MSDRT 12 was achieved using an immobilized polysaccharide-based column, Chiralpak ID with amylose tris(3-chlorophenylcarbamate) as the chiral selector. The separation was performed using a mixture of n-hexane, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol and diethylamine (60:35:5:0.1 v/v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The method offers excellent separation of the four stereoisomers with resolution more than 1.5 and tailing factor <1.5. The standard curves were linear over the concentration range 5–500 μg/mL and 0.40–505 μg/mL for MSDRT 12 and Isomer 3, respectively. Excellent linearity in the range 0.4–5 μg/mL was obtained for Isomer 1, Isomer 2 and Isomer 4 and these stereoisomeric impurities could be accurately and precisely quantified at a level of 0.1 % of the active isomer.     

Studies toward welwitindolinones: formal syntheses of N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate and related natural products

The formal syntheses of N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate (4) and several other welwitindolinones 5–8 were achieved by the independent synthesis of 79. The synthesis featured a Lewis acid-mediated coupling between a heteroaryl carbinol and bis-TMS enol ether, an intramolecular enolate arylation, and an unprecedented intramolecular allylic alkylation of a γ-acyloxyenone.     

Liquid Microjunction Surface Sampling Probe Fluid Dynamics: Characterization and Application of an Analyte Plug Formation Operational Mode

The recently discovered sample plug formation and injection operational mode of a continuous flow, coaxial tube geometry, liquid microjunction surface sampling probe (LMJ-SSP) was further characterized and applied for concentration and mixing of analyte extracted from multiple areas on a surface and for nanoliter-scale chemical reactions of sampled material. A transparent LMJ-SSP was constructed and colored analytes were used so that the surface sampling process, plug formation, and the chemical reactions could be visually monitored at the sampling end of the probe before being analyzed by mass spectrometry of the injected sample plug. Injection plug peak widths were consistent for plug hold times as long as the 8 min maximum attempted (RSD below 1.5%). Furthermore, integrated injection peak signals were not significantly different for the range of hold times investigated. The ability to extract and completely mix individual samples within a fixed volume at the sampling end of the probe was demonstrated and a linear mass spectral response to the number of equivalent analyte spots sampled was observed. Using the color and mass changing chemical reduction of the redox dye 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol with ascorbic acid, the ability to sample, concentrate, and efficiently run reactions within the same plug volume within the probe was demonstrated.     

Abraham Model Correlations for Transfer of Neutral Molecules to Tetrahydrofuran and to 1,4-Dioxane,and for Transfer of Ions to Tetrahydrofuran

Data have been compiled from the published literature for the partition coefficients of solutes and vapors into anhydrous tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-dioxane. The logarithms of the water-to-ether partition coefficients, log₁₀ P, and gas-to-ether partition coefficients, log₁₀ K, were correlated with the Abraham solvation parameter model. The derived correlations described the observed log₁₀ P and log₁₀ K values for both ether solvents to within average standard deviations of 0.16 log₁₀ units or less. The log₁₀ P correlation for tetrahydrofuran was extended to include the partition of ions by inclusion of a cation-solvent and an anion-solvent term.