New Metal Oxamates as Precursors of Low-Dimensional Heterobimetallics

The goal of this work was to synthesize new molecular bricks which could be used as precursors of heterobimetallic low-dimensional compounds. Along this line, four compounds have been synthesized and structurally characterized, namely (NBu(4))(2)[Ni(Cl(2)opba)] (1), (NBu(4))(2)[Cu(Cl(2)opba)] (2), (NBu(4))(5)[Mn(Cl(2)opba)(DMSO)(2)](4) (3), and Cu(en)(2)[Mn(Cl(2)opba)(H(2)O)(2)](2).2DMSO (4), with Cl(2)opba = (4,5-dichloro-o-phenylene)bis(oxamato), NBu(4) = tetra-n-butylammonium, en = ethylenediamine, and DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural; they crystallize in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c, Z = 4, with a = 18.708(2) ?, b = 17.525(2) ?, c = 14.763(9) ?, and beta = 92.03(4) degrees for 1 and a = 18.928(2) ?, b = 17.634(2) ?, c = 14.704(9) ?, and beta = 92.38(3) degrees for 2. 3 crystallizes in the tetragonal system, space group P&fourmacr;2(1)c, Z = 2, with a = 26.295(10) ? and c = 12.342(7) ?. The structure shows a random occupation of the metal site by Mn(III) and Mn(II) ions in 3/4 and 1/4 ratios, respectively. 4 crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P&onemacr;, Z = 1, with a = 7.066(7) ?, b = 11.844(1) ?, c = 14.292(5) ?, alpha = 105.64(2) degrees, beta = 97.67(5) degrees, and gamma = 102.13(3) degrees. The structure consists of Mn(III)Cu(II)Mn(III) trinuclear species, with Cu-O-Mn bridges involving oxygen atoms of the oxamato groups already linked to the metal atom. The magnetic properties of compounds 1-4 have been investigated and quantitatively interpreted. For 3, this magnetic investigation has been performed on a single crystal, which allows us to determine unambiguously the sign of the axial zero-field splitting parameter for the Mn(III) ion. The potentialities of these new molecular bricks have been discussed.     

An expedient esterification of aromatic carboxylic acids using sodium bromate and sodium hydrogen sulfite

Treatment of aromatic carboxylic acids and substituted toluenes with a mixture of sodium bromate and sodium hydrogen sulfite in a two-phase system gave the corresponding esters in good yield. The intermediate α-brominated toluene was formed by the in situ generated hypobromous acid. The α-bromotoluene underwent an intermolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction with aromatic carboxylic acids present in the reaction mixture to afford the corresponding esters.     

Proposed Mechanism for the Antitrypanosomal Activity of Quercetin and Myricetin Isolated from Hypericum afrum Lam.: Phytochemistry,In Vitro Testing and Modeling Studies

The in vitro activity of L. donovani (promastigotes, axenic amastigotes and intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells) and T. brucei, from the fractions obtained from the hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial part of Hypericum afrum and the isolated compounds, has been evaluated. The chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts showed significant antitrypanosomal activity towards T. brucei, with IC₅₀ values of 12.35, 13.53 and 12.93 µg/mL and with IC₉₀ values of 14.94, 19.31 and 18.67 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical investigation of the fractions led to the isolation and identification of quercetin (1), myricitrin (2), biapigenin (3), myricetin (4), hyperoside (5), myricetin-3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside (6) and myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7). Myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7) has been isolated for the first time from this genus. The chemical structures were elucidated by using comprehensive one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopic data, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI–MS). These compounds have also been evaluated for their antiprotozoal activity. Quercetin (1) and myricetin (4) showed noteworthy activity against T. brucei, with IC₅₀ and IC₉₀ values of 7.52 and 5.71 µM, and 9.76 and 7.97 µM, respectively. The T. brucei hexokinase (TbHK1) enzyme was further explored as a potential target of quercetin and myricetin, using molecular modeling studies. This proposed mechanism assists in the exploration of new candidates for novel antitrypanosomal drugs.     

Rhodium(I) carbonyl complexes with α-diimine ligands containing amino or hydroxy substituents

-Diimines, RN:C(R)C(R):NR(LL) derived from glyoxal, GLL (R=H) abbreviated as GAA (R= R=4-dimethylaminophenyl) or GHA (R= R=4-hydroxyphenyl), and derived from biacetyl, BLL (R=Me) abbreviated as BDH (R=R= NH₂), BOH (R=NH₂, R=OH) react with carbonylrhodium(I) compounds to give different products depending on the imino substituents in the ligand and/or the solvent employed. The reaction of -diimines bearing amino groups, such as GAA or BDH with [RhCl(CO)₂]₂ in acetone yields binuclear [RhCl(CO)₂]₂(-LL) while in CH₂Cl₂ ionic [Rh- (CO)₂(LL)]⁺[RhCl₂(CO)₂]^– species are obtained. In acetone [RhCl(CO)₂]₂(-GAA) exists as an equilibrium mixture between two different neutral binuclear species; [Rh(CO)₂(BDH)]⁺ exists as a mixture of two species containing chelate or monodentate bonded diimine respectively. GAA or BDH react in situ with [RhCl(CO)(C₂H₄)]₂ in benzene to yield tetracoordinated monocarbonylated [RhCl(CO)(LL)] compounds. -Diimines (LL) bearing hydroxy groups, such as GHA or BOH react with [RhCl(CO)₂]₂ or [RhCl(CO)(C₂H₄)]₂ to give pentacoordinated dicarbonylated [RhCl(CO)₂(LL)] compounds.     

On nonhomogeneous singular elliptic equations with cylindrical weights

In this paper, we establish the existence of multiple solutions for nonhomogeneous singular elliptic equations with cylindrical weights, by using Ekeland??s variational principle and mountain pass theorem without Palais?CSmale condition.     

Oxidation of phenol and chlorophenols on platinized titanium anodes in an acidic medium

A comparative study of oxidation of phenol, 3-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, and 2,4-dichlorophenol on Pt/Ti and Ce,Pt/Ti electrocatalysts is performed via cyclic voltammetry. It is shown that the surface morphology and roughness of the anode do not change after modification with cerium. The formal kinetic orders of electrooxidation of all compounds are found to be less than one. It is shown that the β temperature coefficients of the rate of oxidation of chlorophenols grow by 10 to 50% when the Ce,Pt/Ti anode is used at a substrate concentration of 1 mM. A tenfold increase in concentration reduces the effect of cerium additive, except for 3-chlorophenol: the latter exhibits a 250% increase in the β value, compared to the Pt/Ti anode.     

Recent advances in graphite powder-based electrodes

Graphite powder-based electrodes have the electrochemical performance of quasi-noble metal electrodes with intrinsic advantages related to the possibility of modification to enhance selectivity and their easily renewable surface, with no need for hazardous acids or bases for their cleaning. In contrast with commercial electrodes, for example screen-printed or sputtered-chip electrodes, graphite powder-based electrodes can also be fabricated in any laboratory with the form and characteristics desired. They are also readily modified with advanced materials, with relatively high reproducibility. All these characteristics make them a very interesting option for obtaining a large variety of electrodes to resolve different kinds of analytical problems. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art, advantages, and disadvantages of graphite powder-based electrodes in electrochemical analysis in the 21st century. It includes recent trends in carbon paste electrodes, devoting special attention to the use of emergent materials as new binders and to the development of other composite electrodes. The most recent advances in the use of graphite powder-modified sol–gel electrodes are also described. The development of sonogel–carbon electrodes and their use in electrochemical sensors and biosensors is included. These materials extend the possibilities of applications, especially for industrial technology-transfer purposes, and their development could affect not only electroanalytical green chemistry but other interesting areas also, for example catalysis and energy conversion and storage.