Potentiometric Membrane Sensor for Determination of Saccharin

A potentiometric poly(vinyl chloride) membrane sensor for determination of saccharin is described. It is based on the use of Aliquat 336S-saccharinateion-pair as an electroactive material in plasticized PVC membranes with o-nitrophenyloctylether or dioctylphthalate. The sensor is conditioned for at least two days in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ sodium saccharinate before use. It exhibits fast, stable and Nernstian response for saccharinate ions over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹–5.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ and pH range of 4.5–11. The sensor is used for determination of saccharin in some dosage forms. Results with an average recovery of 101% and a mean standard deviation of 0.2% are obtained which is compared favourably with data obtained using the British pharmacopoeia method. The sensor shows reasonable selectivity towards saccharin in presence of many anions and natural sweeteners.     

Non-covalent assemblies of negatively charged boronated porphyrins with different cationic moieties

A unique approach to non-covalent electron and energy transfer is described that is based on the formation of salt bridges between oppositely charged porphyrin units. A new class of electrostatically linked dimeric and pentameric porphyrins was synthesized by interaction of novel anionic boron containing porphyrins such as 5-(benzamidodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (N1) and meso-tetrakis-benzamidodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate)porphyrin (N2) and a variety of cationic meso-tetraarylporphyrin units. A bipyridine linked dimer (N1 · bpy · N1) was also prepared by employing N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium (bpy) as a spacer between two mono-anionic species. A quinone-porphyrin dyad was also prepared for electron or energy transfer demonstration. All the synthesized assemblies were characterized by NMR, IR, UV-Vis, and mass spectroscopy. Significant spectral changes occurred in the absorption spectra of these non-covalent porphyrin assemblies compared to those of the reference monomers, indicating the presence of electronic interaction between the adjacent porphyrin units. Resonance light scattering was also used to study the formation of these assemblies in solution.     

Enaminones in heterocyclic synthesis: Synthesis and chemical reactivity of 3‐anilino‐1‐substituted‐2‐propene‐1‐ one

The 3‐anilinoenones 3a,b were prepared from the corresponding 3‐dimemyl‐aminopropenones. The reactivity of 3a,b towards a variety of carbon and nitrogen nucleophiles as well as naphthoquinones is reported.     

A beta-glucosidase from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: biochemical characterization and use in oligosaccharide synthesis

The filamentous fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, grown on a xylose medium, was found to excrete one beta-glucosidase (beta-glu x). The enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, anion-exchange chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gel filtration chromatography. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 130 kDa by HPLC gel filtration and 60 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that beta-glu x may be a homodimer. For p-nitrophenyl beta-d-glucopyranoside hydrolysis, apparent Km and Vmax values were found to be 0.09 mM and 193 U/mg, respectively, while optimum temperature and pH were 55-60 degrees C and pH 5.0, respectively. beta-Glu x was strongly inhibited by Fe2+ and activated about 35% by Ca2+. beta-Glu x possesses strong transglucosylation activity in comparison with commercially available beta-glucosidases. The production rate of total glucooligosaccharides (GOSs) from 30% cellobiose at 50 degrees C and pH 5.0 for 6 h with 0.6 U/mL of enzyme preparation was 80 g/L. It reached 105 g/L under the same conditions when using cellobiose at 350 g/L (1.023 M). Finally, GOS structure was determined by mass spectrometry and 3C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.     

Ion exchangers as catalysts. II. Catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with resin-ethylenediamine-copper(II) complex ions

Summary The slow decomposition of H₂O₂ in the presence of Dowex-50 W resin in the form of an ethylenediaminecopper(II) complex ion in water is accompanied by an induction period. The reaction is first order with respect to [H₂O₂] and the rate constant (perg of dry resin) was deduced. Autocatalytic behaviour was found for the H₂O₂ decomposition with 2% crosslinked divinylbenzene. The induction period disappeared and the reaction rate increased when the decomposition was carried out with a resin in the form of a peroxo-copper complex, which proves that the formation of an intermediate (active species) retards the reaction rate. The precursor of the active species, formed during the induction period, was not the amine-copper(II) complex ion but a product of the latter with H₂O₂. It proved impossible to carry out the decomposition in acid or buffer solutions, in which the resin is regenerated.     

Carbon‐based Nanosensors for Salicylate Determination in Pharmaceutical Preparations

Thiourea derivative‐based carbon paste electrode (TUD1‐CPE) was constructed as a potentiometric sensor for the determination of salicylate anion in pharmaceutical formulations, Aspocid® and Aspirin®. The optimized CPE contained 45.5 % graphite, 0.5 % reduced graphene oxide (rGO), 46.0 % nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) plasticizer, 5.0 % TUD1 ionophore, and 3.0 % tridodecylmethyl ammonium chloride as additive. The incorporation of NPOE of high dielectric constant, and rGO in electrode caused better performance of the sensor; Nernstian response of 59.0 mV decade^?1 in the concentration range of 10^?1–10^?5 mole L^?1, a detection limit of 1×10^?5 mole L^?1 in a very short response time of 6 seconds. The prepared sensor showed high selectivity against similar anions (i. e. , benzoate, I^?, SCN^?). Selectivity was confirmed by calculating the formation constant (K_β) using sandwich membrane method, where K_β for TUD1‐salicylate is 10^0.43. Theoretical calculations at DFT‐B3LY/6‐31G** level of theory were performed to find interaction mechanism, Energies of HOMO and LUMO orbitals, non‐linear optical (NLO) properties (the electronic dipole moment (μ), first‐order hyperpolarizability (β), the hyper‐Rayleigh scattering (β_HRS) and the depolarization ratio (DR)), and other global properties; these calculations showed lower values of β and DR, higher value of β_HRS, and the shortest lengths of the four N?H bonds between TUD1 and salicylate which confirm their strong complexation and salicylate‐selectivity. Also, all the studied anion‐TUD1 exhibited relatively high NLO properties, and these results were considered as a preliminary study for investigating new types of NLO bearing materials. The sensors were applied successfully for the determination of salicylate anion in Aspocid® and Aspirin®.     

Influence of diluent on the synergic extraction of divalent cobalt by the thenoyltrifluoroacetone-tribenzylamine perchlorate system

The effect of ten pure diluents and different mixtures of nitrobenzene and toluene on the synergic extraction of Co²⁺ by the thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA)-tribenzylamine (TBA) mixture is studied. The logarithm of the extraction constant of Co(TTA)₂ increases with increasing dielectric constant of the diluent, whereas the logarithm of the formation constant of the extracted adduct Co(TTA)₂TBA decreases with increasing dielectric constant of the diluent. This behaviour is explained by changes in the hydrophobic character of the extracted species. The theory of regular solutions is successfully applied to the extracted adduct. Consideration of the self-association of the amine salt is necessary in the treatment of the equilibria involved.     

Fluorescence monitoring of ultrasound degradation processes

Ultrasound-based water treatment is often applied for degradation of stable organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated compounds. Monitoring the degradation process, during the application of ultrasound radiation, is of considerable economical interest. In this work, the possibility of performing on-line spectral analysis during sonication was examined and it was found that direct absorption or fluorescence readings are misleading. Optical monitoring is strongly affected by the absorption and scattering of light by cavitation micro-bubbles and ultrasound induced particulates. A model was developed to account for these effects and to allow for on-line fluorescence analysis. The model takes into account the absorption and scattering coefficients of the micro-bubbles and particulates, as well as their time dependent concentration. The model parameters are found from independent measurements where the pollutants are added to already sonicated pure water. Then, the model is tested for predicting the actual fluorescence behavior during the sonication process. It has been shown that the model allows for recovery of the true degradation data, as obtained by off-line HPLC measurements.     

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies on ligand substitution reactions and base-on/base-off equilibria of cyanoimidazolylcobamide, a vitamin B12 analog with an imidazole axial nucleoside

Ligand substitution reactions of the vitamin B12 analog cyanoimidazolylcobamide, CN(Im)Cbl, with cyanide were studied. Cyanide substitutes imidazole (Im) in the alpha-position more slowly than it substitutes dimethylbenzimidazole in cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12). The kinetics of the displacement of Im by CN- showed saturation behaviour at high cyanide concentration; the limiting rate constant was found to be 0.0264 s(-1) at 25 degrees C and is characterized by the activation parameters: DeltaH(not =) = 111 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1), DeltaS(not =) = +97 +/- 6 J K(-1) mol(-1), and DeltaV(not =) = +9.3 +/- 0.3 cm3 mol(-1). These parameters are interpreted in terms of an I(d) mechanism. The equilibrium constant for the reaction of CN(Im)Cbl with CN- was found to be 861 +/- 75 M(-1), which is significantly less than that obtained for the reaction of cyanocobalamin with CN- (viz. 10(4) M(-1)). pKbase-off for the base-on/base-off equilibrium was determined spectrophotometrically and found to be 0.99 +/- 0.05, which is about 0.9 pH units higher than that obtained previously in the case of cyanocobalamin. In addition, the kinetics of the base-on/base-off reaction was studied using a pH-jump technique and the data obtained revealed evidence for an acid catalyzed reaction path. The results obtained in this study are discussed in reference to those reported previously for cyanocobalamin.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of 4-oxoacids by N-bromosuccinimide in aqueous acetic acid medium

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of substituted and unsubstituted 4-oxoacids (S) by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous acetic acid medium have been studied potentiometrically. The reaction follows first-order kinetics, each in 4-oxoacids, NBS and H⁺. The effect of changes in the electronic nature of the substrate reveals that there is a development of positive charge in the transition state. Based on the kinetic results and the product analysis, a suitable mechanism has been proposed for the reaction of NBS with 4-oxoacids.