Thermal,spectral, magnetic and biologic characterization of new Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with a hexaazamacrocyclic ligand bearing ketopyridine moieties

Five types of fibrous assemblies, namely, polyester, wool, cashmere, kapok, and goose down, were tested for their heat-insulating properties in the natural state using the apparatus developed by the authors. The influences of bulk density, fiber type, fiber arrangements, and compression on the heat-insulating properties of the fibrous assemblies was examined systematically. The results show that kapok assembly with low bulk density, goose down assembly with high bulk density and the randomly arranged fibrous assembly demonstrated the best heat-insulating property; however, considering practical use and the influence of compression, kapok assembly and fibrous assemblies arranged in the form of fiber balls exhibited the most stable and optimum heat-insulating property. The Daryabeigi heat-transfer model that considers fiber contact and scattering effect was used to calculate the heat-insulating properties of the five fibrous assemblies. A similar model was developed by Fanworth, which neglected the fiber and the scattering effect. Comparison of the two models showed that the Daryabeigi model was more accurate in predicting the heat-insulating properties of fibrous assemblies.     

Synthesis and rheology of thermoreversible polyurethane hydrogels

Polyurethanes based on poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer, succinic or citric acid, and ethyl ester L-lysine diisocyanate were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR and GPC. Wetting properties were evaluated by contact angle determinations. The critical micelle concentration was determined from surface tension measurements. Their abillity to undergo self-aggregation and temperature induced gelation was investigated through dynamic oscillatory measurements. The gelation point, sol-gel transitions, and gel structure are influenced by polymer structure, composition, molecular weight, concentration, and heating rate.      

Very efficient epoxidation of 1,4‐polybutadiene with the biphasic system methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)‐CH2Cl2/H2O2

The biphasic system methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)‐H₂O₂/CH₂Cl₂ was studied in the epoxidation of polybutadiene and the results showed that this system presents a high selectivity and the extension of epoxidation (10–50%) can be modulated by the amount of oxidant added, without significant change in the molecular weight of the polymer.     

What is the best DFT functional for vibronic calculations? A comparison of the calculated vibronic structure of the S1-S0 transition of phenylacetylene with cavity ringdown band intensities

The sensitivity of vibronic calculations to electronic structure methods and basis sets is explored and compared to accurate relative intensities of the vibrational bands of phenylacetylene in the S(1)(A(1)B(2)) ← S(0)(X(1)A(1)) transition. To provide a better measure of vibrational band intensities, the spectrum was recorded by cavity ringdown absorption spectroscopy up to energies of 2000 cm(-1) above the band origin in a slit jet sample. The sample rotational temperature was estimated to be about 30 K, but the vibrational temperature was higher, permitting the assignment of many vibrational hot bands. The vibronic structure of the electronic transition was simulated using a combination of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) electronic structure codes, Franck-Condon integral calculations, and a second-order vibronic model developed previously [Johnson, P. M.; Xu, H. F.; Sears, T. J. J. Chem. Phys. 2006, 125, 164331]. The density functional theory (DFT) functionals B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, and LC-BLYP were explored. The long-range-corrected functionals, CAM-B3LYP and LC-BLYP, produced better values for the equilibrium geometry transition moment, but overemphasized the vibronic coupling for some normal modes, while B3LYP provided better-balanced vibronic coupling but a poor equilibrium transition moment. Enlarging the basis set made very little difference. The cavity ringdown measurements show that earlier intensities derived from resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra have relative intensity errors.     

Enrofloxacin inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins

Inclusion complexes using α-, β-, γ-, and hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) were produced with the antibiotic enrofloxacin, with the aim of increasing its solubility by complexation. Phase solubility diagrams were obtained, to confirm the formation of inclusion complexes, and to determine the solubility enhancement and stability constant of each complex. Enrofloxacin inclusion in β-CD showed the highest value of the complex stability constant (35.56?mmol?L^?1), but the greatest increase in solubility was obtained using HP-β-CD reaching a 1258% increase over enrofloxacin solubility in the absence of CD. The order of highest enrofloxacin solubility achieved was: HP-β-CD?>?α-CD?>?γ-CD?>?β-CD. In addition, formation of complexes was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry, applied to the complexes obtained by the kneading technique. The influence of citric acid, alone or as an adjunct of β-CD, on the solubility of enrofloxacin was also determined. A solution of 15?mmol?L^?1 citric acid dissolved 10?g?L^?1 of enrofloxacin, but a gradual increase in β-CD concentration in the presence of citric acid did not increase the degree of solubilization of enrofloxacin.     

Thermal behaviour and spectroscopic investigation of some methyl 2-pyridyl ketone complexes

Pyridine derivative complexes are widely employed as biological active materials especially as antibacterial agents. Five transition metal(II) mpk complexes (mpk = methyl 2-pyridyl ketone) were synthesized and investigated using elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques (IR and UV–Vis–NIR) and conductometric measurements. The general formulae established from experimental data were found to be [M(mpk)₂(NO₃)₂]·xH₂O (x = 0 for M = Cd(II), Zn(II), x = 2 for M = Cu(II)) and [M(mpk)₂(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂ (M = Co(II), Ni(II)). These compositions were further confirmed by thermal analysis and their thermal stability in dynamic air atmosphere investigated.     

Fluorescent PMMA/MEH‐PPV electrospun nanofibers: Investigation of morphology,solvent, and surfactant effect

Electrospinning is a powerful technique to produce nanofibers of tunable diameter and morphology for medicine and biotechnological applications. By doping electrospun nanofibers with inorganic and organic compounds, new functionalities can be provided for technological applications. Herein, we report a study on the morphology and optical properties of electrospun nanofibers based on the conjugated polymer poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV) and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA). Initially, we investigate the influence of the solvent, surfactant, and the polymer concentration on electrospinning of PMMA. After determining the best conditions, 0.1% MEH‐PPV was added to obtain fluorescent nanofibers. The optical characterizations display the successful impregnation of MEH‐PPV into the PMMA fibers without phase separation and the preservation of fluorescent property after fiber electrospinning. The obtained results show the ability of the electrospinning approach to obtain fluorescent PMMA/MEH‐PPV nanofibers with potential for optical devices applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1388–1394     

Eco-friendly synthesis of esters under ultrasound with p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalyst

The present work describes the efficient ultrasound-assisted synthesis of saturated aliphatic esters from synthetic aliphatic acids in methanol or in ethanol, using p-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. The esters were isolated in good yields after short reaction times under mild conditions. The compounds were analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), which give a fragmentations pathway common for these molecules.     

RSM analysis of the effects of the oxygen transfer coefficient and inoculum size on the xylitol production by Candida guilliermondii

Biotechnology production of xylitol is an excellent alternative to the industrial chemical process for the production of this polyalcohol. In this work the behavior of Candida guilliermondii yeast was studied when crucial process variables were modified. The K _La (between 18 and 40/h) and the initial cell mass (between 4 and 10 g) were considered as control variables. A response surface methodology was applied to the experimental design to study the resulting effect when the control variables were modified. A regression model was developed and used to determine an optimal value that was further validated experimentally. The optimal values determined for K _La and X ₀ were 32.85/h and 9.86 g, respectively, leading to maximum values for productivity (1.628 g/h) and xylitol yield (0.708 g/g).