Kinetics of swelling of polyether-modified poly(acrylic acid) microgels with permanent and degradable cross-links

Spherical particles of 50-100 mum size composed of poly(acrylic acid) networks covalently bonded to Pluronic polyether copolymers were tested for swelling in aqueous media. The microgels were cross-linked either by permanent ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) cross-links alone or by EDGMA together with reversible disulfide or biodegradable azoaromatic cross-links. Optimum conditions for a rapid, diffusion-limited swelling of the pH- and temperature-sensitive microgels with nondegradable cross-links were found. The microgels cross-linked by disulfide groups and equilibrium-swollen in the buffer solution exhibited degradation-limited kinetics of swelling under physiological conditions, with a first-order reaction constant, k(1), linearly proportional to the concentration of reducing agents such as dithiotreitol and tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP). A severalfold faster swelling in the presence of more powerful reducing agent, TCEP, was observed, indicating the chemical specificity of the microgel swelling. The reoxidation of the thiol groups into disulfide cross-links by sodium hypochlorite led to the restoration of the microgels' diameter measured prior to the reduction-reoxidation cycle, which confirms the shape memory of the microgels. Enzymatically degradable azoaromatic cross-links enabled slow microgel swelling due to degradation of the cross-links by azoreductases from the rat intestinal cecum. The low rate of swelling of the Pluronic-containing microgels can enable sustained drug release in colon-specific drug delivery.     

Nonequilibrium molecular transport photoinduced by potential energy fluctuations

The mechanism of directed substrate-parallel motion of molecules caused by photoinduced potential energy fluctuations is investigated. Unlike simplistic models (e.g., an on-off ratchet), the approach suggested implies that the necessary asymmetry of the potential energy can arise not only from the asymmetry of the substrate potential but also from an asymmetric distribution of the fluctuating charge density in the molecule. The thus induced asymmetry of the potential energy governs the direction motion and enables, under certain conditions, its reversal at some frequencies of resonant laser pulses or temperature. These inferences are exemplified by the model charge distributions in the molecule and substrate, and the charge density fluctuations which are obtained by quantum chemical calculations for the realistic molecule of a substituted phenylpyrene compound on a model substrate.     

Anodic chlorination of aromatic compounds in acetic acid part II

The anodic chlorination of aromatic compounds in anhydrous acetic acid has been further investigated. Evidence has been found for two different methods of electrochemical chlorination, in the systems Cl₂/aromatic compounds and Cl^?/aromatic compounds. These methods were also compared with the uncatalyzed chemical chlorination reaction. The yields of monochlorinated products and the related isometric distributions were taken into account. Since the isomeric distributions are equal with chemical and electrochemical chlorination methods, the formation of the same intermediate was proposed for both.     

Determination of the micelle-solute association constants of some benzene and naphthalene derivatives by micellar high performance liquid chromatograph

Summary The interaction of some benzene and naphthalene derivatives with sodium dodecyl sulphate, hexadecyltrimethylmmonium bromide and polyoxyethylene [23] dodecanol micelles has been evaluated by high operformance liquid chromatography using micellar mobile phases. The micelle-solute association constants have been obtained for the compounds investigated. Good correlation between free energy of transfer for water-micelles and for octanol-water has been observed.     

Rapid separation of tetracycline derivatives and their main degradation products by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A mixture of five tetracycline (TC) derivatives: minocycline (MC), demeclocycline (DMCTC), doxycycline (DC), and sancycline (SC), as well as each TC derivative from its main degradation product were separated by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The influence of the pH and the concentration and nature of the background electrolyte (BGE) on the separations was investigated. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA; 1 mM) was used as additive in a 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.3) because this BGE enabled the rapid separation of the TC derivatives and of each TC derivative from its respective degradation product in less than 6 min. After optimization of the separation conditions, the analytical characteristics of the method were investigated. The parameters involved were linearity, precision (repeatability and reproducibility), and limits of detection (LODs). LODs obtained for the five TC derivatives studied were about 3 microg/mL. Finally, the CZE method developed was applied to study the stability of TC derivatives and to analyze the TC derivative content in three different pharmaceutical preparations.     

Apparent dissociation constants of polycarboxylic acids in presence of polycations

The dissociation behaviour of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic acid) has been investigated by both classical potentiometric titration and colloid titration as an alternative way. In the case of colloid titration, the monovalent counterions are assumed to be replaced by the oppositely charged polycation in the course of titration, so that the total concentration of anionic groups of the polycarboxylic acid is determined. As a consequence the apparent dissociation constants determined by polyelectrolyte complex formation do not depend on the degree of dissociation. In contrast to this finding, potentiometric titration is known to result in apparent dissociation constants which decrease with increasing degree of dissociation. The release of protons from the acid groups of the polycarboxylic acids is promoted by the complex formation with the strong cationic polyelectrolyte.     

Crown Inclusion Compounds with 3,4-Diamino-1,2,5-Oxadiazole. X-Ray Structures of Its 1:1 Inclusion Complexes with 15-Crown-5 and Benzo-15-crown-5

The X-ray crystal structures of two closely related molecular complexes of 15-crown-5 and benzo-15-crown-5 with 3,4-diamino-1,2,5-oxadiazole are reported (I and II). Both complexes are of 1:1 stoichiometry with the host–guest alternation in the infinitechains formed due to the unsymmetrical H-bonding patterns between the components. Crystals of I are monoclinic, P2_1/c, a = 7.856(3), b = 12.994(1), c = 16.033(1) , = 94.79(2)°, Z = 4, final R-factor is 0.0488. Crystals of II are orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 8.260(4), b = 15.692(5),c = 13.955(7) , Z = 4, final R-factor is 0.0522.     

Structure of the 18-Crown-6 Complex with Ammonium Hexafluorosilicate and Water

The crystalline host–guest type complex [(18-crown-6NH₄)₂][SiF₆]4H₂Ohas been obtained as the result of the interaction of SiF₄2NH₃ with 18-crown-6 (18C6) in an aqueous medium. Crystal data: monoclinic, space groupC 2 c, a=26.541(2), b=8.363(2), c=20.469(2) Å, = 122.43(1)°and Z=4. The final R-value is 0.070 for 3253 reflections with I 2(I).The crystals consist of the complex [NH₄18C6]⁺ cations, [SiF₆]^2-anions and water molecules. The ammonium cation is hydrogen bonded by three of its H-atoms to the crown ether oxygen atoms with N(1) O separations2.923(5)–2.940(5) Å and by the fourth H-atom to the fluorine atom of thehexafluorosilicate anion, the N(1)F(4) distance being 2.797(6) Å.The conformation of the macrocycle and the hydrogen-bond geometry in thecomplex cation closely resemble those in related adducts between 18-crown-6and ammonium salts. All crystal components are connected via a system of hydrogen bonds into a ribbon along the b axis in the unit cell.     

Optimization of the separation of a group of antifungals by capillary zone electrophoresis

Two simple, rapid, and efficient methods for the analysis of seven antifungal compounds have been developed by capillary zone electrophoresis. Resolutions higher than 1.5 were obtained using 0.025 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.30) (analysis time close to 9 min) or 0.2 M formic acid (pH 2.15) (analysis time close to 6 min), with an applied voltage of 20 kV and a temperature of 30 degrees C. The highest sensitivity and selectivity can be obtained using phosphate buffer but the shortest analysis times are achieved in the formic system. The analytical characteristics of the optimized methods were investigated. The reproducibility obtained for migration times (RSD(n = 10) < or = 1.0%) and peak areas (RSD(n = 10) < or = 4.3%) was acceptable, but better reproducibilities were obtained when verapamil was used as internal standard (RSD(n = 10) < 0.4% for relative migration times and RSD(n = 10) < or = 2.2% for peak area ratios). The lowest limit of detection was obtained for clotrimazole (0.12 microg/ml) and the highest for fluconazole and voriconazole (0.90 microg/ml). The lowest and the highest limits of quantitation were, respectively, 0.40 microg/ml for clotrimazole and 3.00 microg/ml for fluconazole and voriconazole.     

New insights into water‐soluble and water‐coordinated copper 15‐metallacrown‐5 gadolinium complexes designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging applications

The development of contrast agents specifically designed for high‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required because the relaxation efficiency of classic Gd(III) contrast agents significantly decreases with increasing magnetic field strengths. With an idea of exploring the unique structure of lanthanide (Ln) 15‐MC‐5 metallacrowns, we developed a series of water‐soluble Gd(III) aqua‐complexes, bearing aminohydroxamate (glycine, α‐alanine, α‐phenylalanine and α‐tyrosine) ligands, with increasing number of water molecules directly coordinated to the Gd(III) ion: Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Glyha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 1 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₄[15‐MC_Cu(II)Alaha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 2 (Gd)), Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_{Cu(II)Phalaha}‐5](Cl)₃ ( 3 (Gd)) and Gd(H₂O)₃[15‐MC_Cu(II)Tyrha‐5](Cl)₃ ( 4 (Gd)). In these systems, the Ln(III) central ion is coordinated by five oxygen donor atoms of the ligands and three or four inner‐sphere water molecules. The X‐ray crystal structure of metallacrown Ln(H₂O)_3,4[15‐MC_Cu(II)Rha‐5]³⁺ agrees with density functional theory predictions. The calculations demonstrate that the exchange of coordinated water molecules can proceed easily, resulting in increased relaxivity parameters. The longitudinal relaxivities (r₁) of 1 (Gd)– 4 (Gd) in water at ultrahigh magnetic field of 9.4 T were determined to be 11.5, 14.8, 13.9 and 12.2 mM^?1 s^?1, respectively. The ability to increase the number of Ln(III) inner‐sphere water molecules up to four, the planar metallacrown structure and the rich hydration shell due to strong hydrogen bonds between the [15‐MC‐5] moiety and bulk water molecules provide new opportunities for potential MRI applications.