Spectroscopic investigation of β-cyclodextrin -metoprolol tartrate inclusion complexes

Aqueous-solution complexes of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with metoprolol tartrate (MET) have been analysed with ¹H NMR and UV–vis spectroscopy. With ¹H NMR a [1:1] stoichiometry could be established for the β-CD-MET complex while its stability constant was determined with UV–vis spectroscopy. Powder diffraction data of a polycrystalline sample of the β-CD-MET complex show that a novel product has been formed, likely to be a β-CD-MET [1:1] inclusion complex. Also Hyperchem MM+ molecular-dynamics results suggest an inclusion complex and from ¹H NMR data it is inferred that probably the MET is docked in the CD with the formers methoxyethyl-benzene moiety in front. Mihaela Toma is Socrates/Erasmus student at UNED Madrid     

Stereochemistry of cyclobutanone resulted from cycloadditions of t-butylcyanoketene to bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives, as evidence for a π2s+π2a reaction mode

The stereochemistry of the cyclobutanones 1-7, resulted from the reaction of t-butylcyanoketene with bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene, bicyclo[2.2.1]heptadiene, 1,4 - dihydro - 1,4 - methanonaphthalene, 1,4 - dihydro - 9 - (1 - methylethylidene) - 1,4 - methanonaphthalene, 1,4 - dihydro - 1,4 - epoxynaphthalene, l,4,4a,8b - tetrahydro - 1,4 - methanobiphenylene (l,4,4a,8b) and 1,4,4a,8b - tetrahydro - 1,4 - methanobiphenylene(1,4,4aβ,8bβ) was established as having the cyclobutanone ring exo and the t-Bu group in the configuration. These findings represent a stereochemical argument in favour of a _π2_s + _π2_a reaction mode of t-butylcyanoketene to the above mentioned bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives. Observations regarding preservation of the original configurations of alkenes as well as the geometrical distorsion of the cyclobutanones are shortly discussed.     

Application of relaxation periods during electrodialysis of a casein solution: Impact on anion-exchange membrane fouling

Electrodialysis (ED) is a membrane process used on a large scale. However, one of the common problems is fouling of ion-exchange membranes stacked in the cell. The use of pulsed power, consisting in applying a constant current density during a fixed time of application (T_on) followed by a pause duration (T_off), was demonstrated recently as an effective fouling mitigation method for electrodialysis. Up until now, no work has investigated the potential of electrodialysis using pulsed electric field on protein fouling. The aim of the present work was to study the influence of pulsed electric field (PEF) with a low frequency square shaped periodic signal (T_on = 10 s–T_off = 10 s, T_on = 10 s–T_off = 40 s) in comparison with dc current during electrodialysis of a casein solution at different current densities (10, 20 and 30 mA/cm²) on membrane fouling. It appeared from these results that PEF, under certain conditions of pulse, would avoid fouling on anion-exchange membranes. For 10 s–40 s pulsed electric field conditions, no fouling was observed with any density, while for 10 s–10 s PEF conditions, fouling appeared only at current density over 10 mA/cm². dc current, whatever the current density conditions, led to a fouling on the diluate side of the AEM. Furthermore, when fouling occurred, magnitude layer thickness and dry weight increased with the applied current density. The nature of the fouling was identified as 97% protein. The protein fouling would be due to the dissociation of water molecules and/or heat increase at the anion-exchange membrane interface. The relaxation time of the pulse would limit both phenomena on the membrane.     

Gadolinium‐Decorated Silica Microspheres as Redox‐Responsive MRI Probes for Applications in Cell Therapy Follow‐Up

The redox microenvironment within a cell graft can be considered as an indicator to assess whether the graft is metabolically active or hypoxic. We present a redox‐responsive MRI probe based on porous silica microparticles whose surface has been decorated with a Gd‐chelate through a disulphide bridge. Such microparticles are designed to be interspersed with therapeutic cells within a biocompatible hydrogel. The onset of reducing conditions within the hydrogel is paralleled by an increased clearance of Gd, that can be detected by MRI.     

Micro- and nano-mechanical characterization of polyamide 11 and its composites containing cellulose nanofibers

Nanocomposites from polyamide 11 and dried cellulose nanofibers (CNs), 16–30 nm in thickness and 50–400 nm in length, were prepared via direct melt mixing and their micro- and nano-mechanical properties were studied. (PF) QNM (Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping) method was used to map nanomechanical properties at the surface of polyamide 11 and nanocomposites. This new AFM method emphasized both the increased modulus in nanocomposites as compared to the matrix and the microstructure on different levels in polyamide 11 and its nanocomposites. PF QNM showed that their crystalline structure consists of bundles of lamellar stacks, 200–350 nm in width and 20–40 nm wide lamellar stacks. Moreover, PF QNM study emphasized higher structural order in nanocomposites with 3 and 5 wt.% CNs and lower in the nanocomposite with 8 wt.% CNs as compared to the reference. These observations were verified and are consistent with both crystallinity values determined by DSC and micro-mechanical test results. The oriented bundles of lamellar stacks, observed by PF QNM, could be considered as the main blocks determining high mechanical properties for the studied nanomaterials.     

The combi-CLEA approach: enzymatic cascade synthesis of enantiomerically pure (S)-mandelic acid

Enantiomerically pure (S)-mandelic acid was synthesised from benzaldehyde by sequential hydrocyanation and hydrolysis in a bienzymatic cascade at starting concentrations up to 0.25 M. A cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) composed of the (S)-selective oxynitrilase from Manihot esculenta and the non-selective nitrilase from Pseudomonas fluorescens EBC 191 was employed as the biocatalyst. The nitrilase produces approx. equal amounts of (S)-mandelic acid and (S)-mandelic amide from (S)-mandelonitrile under standard conditions, but we surprisingly found that high (up to 0.5 M) concentrations of HCN induced a marked drift towards amide production. By including the amidase from Rhodococcus erythopolis in the CLEA we obtained (S)-mandelic acid as the sole product in 90% yield and >99% enantiomeric purity.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched secondary alcohols with a thiazolic core

Stereoselective preparative enzymatic acylation and hydrolysis/methanolysis of various C-substituted rac-thiazol-2-yl-methanols were achieved for the preparation of enantiopure or enantiomerically enriched, naturally occurring 2-hydroxymethylthiazoles. The absolute configurations of the resulting secondary alcohols were determined by a detailed ¹H NMR study of Mosher’s derivatives.     

Nonlinear maximum principles for dissipative linear nonlocal operators and applications

We obtain a family of nonlinear maximum principles for linear dissipative nonlocal operators, that are general, robust, and versatile. We use these nonlinear bounds to provide transparent proofs of global regularity for critical SQG and critical d-dimensional Burgers equations. In addition we give applications of the nonlinear maximum principle to the global regularity of a slightly dissipative anti-symmetric perturbation of 2D incompressible Euler equations and generalized fractional dissipative 2D Boussinesq equations.