Synthesis and characterization of complexes of UO2(II) and Th(IV) of bis-schiff bases derived from furoylpyrazolone

Four new complexes of UO₂(II) and Th(IV) with bis-Schiff bases, derived from N,N'-bis[(l-phenyl-3-methyl-5-oxo-4-pyrazolinyl)-a-furylmethylidyne]-1,2-propylenediimine [1,2-BPMOPFP-H₂] and N,N'- bis[(l-phenyl-3-methyl-5-oxo-4-pyrazolinyl)-a-furylmethylidyne]-1,3-propylenediimine [1,3-BPMOPFP-H₂], were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV, ¹HNMR spectroscopy, and molar conductivity. The general formula of the complexes was confirmed to be [UO₂(BPMOPFP)], [Th(BPMOPFP)(NO₃)]NO₃. A possible structure for the complexes have been proposed.     

Selective binding of the cyano group in acrylonitrile adsorption on Si(100)-2 x 1

The covalent binding of acrylonitrile (CH(2)=CH-C triple bond N) and the formation of a C=C-C=N structure on Si(100) have been investigated using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For chemisorbed acrylonitrile, the absence of nu(C triple bond N) at 2245 cm(-1) and the appearance of nu(C=N) at 1669 cm(-1) demonstrate that the cyano group directly participates in the interaction with Si(100), which is further supported by XPS and UPS observations. Our experimental results and DFT calculations unambiguously demonstrate a [2 + 2] cycloaddition mechanism for acrylonitrile chemisorption on Si(100) through the binding of C triple bond N to Si dimers. The resulting chemisorbed monolayer with a C=C-C=N skeleton can serve as a precursor for further chemical syntheses of multilayer organic thin films in a vacuum and surface functionalization for in situ device fabrication.     

Stoichiometry-dependent formation of quantum dot-antibody bioconjugates: a complementary atomic force microscopy and agarose gel electrophoresis study

The unique advantages of quantum dot (QD) bioconjugates have motivated their application in biological assays. However, physical characterization of bioconjugated QDs after surface modification has often been overlooked. Here, biotinylated antibodies (biotin-IgG) were attached to commercial streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots (strep-QDs) at different stoichiometric ratios, and these QD bioconjugates were characterized with atomic force microscopy and discontinuous sodium dodecyl sulfate agarose gel electrophoresis (SDS-AGE). The results from these complementary analytical techniques showed that the molar ratio determined the relative sizes, molecular weights and morphologies of the QD bioconjugates. Additionally, the novel discontinuous SDS-AGE analysis confirmed specific binding between biotin-IgG and strep-QDs. Researchers who design QD bioconjugates for cell-based assays should consider stoichiometry-dependent differences in the physical properties of their QD bioconjugates.     

Rhenium oxo complexes of a chelating diyne ligand. Synthesis and study of the kinetics of protonation

A series of oxo complexes, Re(O)X(diyne) (X = I, Me, Et), have been prepared from 2,7-nonadiyne and Re(O)I(3)(PPh(3))(2). Addition of B(C(6)F(5))(3) to Re(O)I(2,7-nonadiyne) (5) results in coordination of the oxo ligand to the boron. The protonation of Re(O)(X)(2-butyne)(2) and Re(O)(X)(2,7-nonadiyne)(2) with a variety of acids has been examined. With 5 and HBF(4)/Et(2)O, the ultimate product was [Re(CH(3)CN)(3)(I)(2,7-nonadiyne)](2+) (7). The conversion of 5 to 7 changes the conformation of the diyne ligand from a "chair" to a "boat" and shifts its propargylic protons considerably downfield in the (1)H NMR. The kinetics of the protonation of Re(O)I(2,7-nonadiyne) (5) by CF(3)SO(3)H in CH(3)CN have been monitored by visible spectroscopy, in a stopped-flow apparatus, and by low temperature (1)H NMR. Two second-order rate constants, presumably successive protonations, were observed in the stopped-flow, k(1) = 11.9 M(-)(1) s(-)(1) and k(2) = 3.8 M(-)(1) s(-)(1). Low temperature (1)H NMR spectroscopy indicated that the resulting solution contained a mixture of two doubly protonated intermediates X and Y, each of which slowly formed the product 7 via an acid-independent process.     

Mechanism and Kinetics of Thermal Dissociation of Inclusion Complex of Benzaldehyde with β-Cyclodextrin

The inclusion complex of benzaldehyde (BA) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was prepared and was studied by thermal analysis and X-ray diffractometry. The composition of the complex was identified by TG and elemental analysis as β-CD·BA·9H₂O. TG and DSC studies showed that the thermal dissociation of β-CD·BA·9H₂O took place in three stages: dehydration in the range 70-120°C; dissociation of β-CD·BA in the range 235-270°C; and decomposition of β-CD above 280°C. The kinetics of dissociation of β-CD·BA in flowing dry nitrogen was studied by means of TG both at constant temperature and at linearly increasing temperature. The results showed that the dissociation of β-CD·BA was dominated by a one-dimensional random nucleation and subsequent growth process (A₂). The activation energy E was 124. 8 kJ mol^-1, and the pre-exponential factor A 5.04·10¹¹ min^-1. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Trace elemental determination in alcohol automotive fuel by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Suitable analytical methodologies were developed allowing direct determination of As, Cu, Fe, Pb, Sb and Sn in alcohol fuel samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Different chemical modification approaches were tested and compared in terms of analytical performance and in practical terms. Experimental conditions were optimized allowing little sample dilution and use of calibration curves prepared with aqueous inorganic analyte standards. Methodologies were tested with analyte spiked alcohol samples. Good analyte recoveries from spiked alcohol samples, precision better than 10% and limits of detection in the sub μg l⁻¹ range were achieved.     

Renewable amperometric immunosensor for complement 3 assay based on the sol-gel technique

A renewable amperometric immunosensor based on the sol-gel technique has been constructed by dispersing graphite, complement 3 (C3) antiserum, and sol-gel at low temperature. The prepared immunosensor is rigid, porous, and has a renewable external surface. A competitive binding assay has been used to determine C3 in human serum with the aid of C3 labeled with horseradish peroxidase. The enzyme-labeled antigen can readily diffuse toward the encapsulated antibody, which retains its binding properties. The experimental conditions for the assay with the biocomposite, including the loading of C3 antiserum in the biocomposite, the amount of labeled C3 in incubation solution, incubation time, and temperature, have been optimized. Using C3 labeled with horseradish peroxidase, and o-AP as the substrate, amperometric detection at -150 mV (relative to the SCE) results in a linear detection range of 1.17-35.1 microg mL(-1), with a detection limit of 0.56 microg mL(-1). Serum samples have been assayed and the results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed immunosensor for clinical analysis. The surface of the immunosensor can be renewed simply by polishing to obtain a fresh immunocomposite ready to use in a new competitive assay.     

A study of simultaneous photolysis and photoaddition reactions of riboflavin in aqueous solution

The photodegradation reactions of riboflavin (RF) in the presence of 0.05-2.00 M phosphate (pH 7.0) have been studied using a specific multicomponent spectrophotometric method. The reactions involve simultaneous photolysis (intramolecular photoreduction) and photoaddition (intramolecular photoaddition) leading to lumichrome (LC) and cyclodehydroriboflavin (CDRF), respectively, as major products. The contribution of each reaction in the overall photodegradation depends upon the phosphate concentration, i.e., higher the phosphate concentration higher the extent of photoaddition. The apparent first-order rate constants for the photodegradation of RF and for the formation of LC and CDRF at 0.25-2.00 M phosphate concentration range from 0.65 to 3.03 x 10(-2), and from 0.41 to 0.99 x 10(-2) and 0.12 to 1.63 x 10(-2) min(-1), respectively. The second-order rate constants for the phosphate catalysed photodegradation of RF and for the formation of LC and CDRF are 2.12 x 10(-4) and 0.61 x 10(-4) and 1.41 x 10(-4) M(-1)s (-1), respectively. Since the formation of CDRF by photoaddition is catalysed by HPO(4)(2-) ions, it is suggested that H(2)PO(4)(-) ions may be involved in the formation of LC by photolysis. Thus, both H(2)PO(4)(-) and HPO(4)(2-) ions may catalyse the two major reaction pathways of riboflavin photodegradation, respectively.     

Ab initio and variational transition state approach to beta-C3N4 formation: kinetics for the reaction of CH3NH2 with H

The CH3NH2 molecule has been considered as either an important intermediate in methane and ammonia mixtures or a precursor in methylamine and hydrogen mixtures in the synthesis of carbon nitride thin films. The fast Hydrogen (H) abstraction from CH3NH2 is an important process involved in the formation of HCN or CNH in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon nitride thin films. The energetic and kinetic characteristics of the H abstraction reaction from CH3NH2 by atomic H used in CVD of beta-C3N4 were studied using ab initio direct dynamics methods for the first time. Two primary processes were identified for this reaction: H abstraction from the CH3 group and H abstraction from the NH2 group. On the basis of ab initio data, the rate constants of each channel have been deduced by canonical variational transition state theory with small-curvature tunneling correction over a wide temperature range of 200 to approximately 3000 K. The theoretical results were compared with available experimental data.     

High pressure Raman studies of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and CuTCNQ

The high-pressure Raman studies of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) single crystals and polycrystalline CuTCNQ are presented in this paper. TCNQ shows a phase transition at 22 kbar, a pressure higher than reported earlier. CuTCNQ undergoes a first order phase transition at 30 kbar, which is characterized by the abrupt disappearance of all the Raman bands.