Nanoparticles of [Fe(NH2‐trz)3]Br2⋅3 H2O (NH2‐trz=2‐Amino‐1,2,4‐triazole) Prepared by the Reverse Micelle Technique: Influence of Particle and Coherent Domain Sizes on Spin‐Crossover Properties

By changing the surfactant/water ratio , nanoparticles of the iron(II) spin crossover material, [Fe(NH₂‐trz)₃]Br₂ ? 3 H₂O (with NH₂‐trz=4‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole), have been synthesised from 1 μm down to 30 nm (see figure). Magnetic and reflectivity experiments indicate that the critical size for observing a thermal hysteresis in this 1D polymer family is around 50 nm, and powder X‐ray diffraction shows that particles of about 30 nm are constituted by about one coherent domain.

     

Reactivity of 1,2-cyclic sulfite xylosides towards nucleophiles

1,2-Cyclic sulfite xylosides offer facile access to 1,2-oxazolines upon reaction with aromatic and alkyl nitriles under Lewis or Brönsted acid conditions. Additionally, hydrophobic ionic liquids facilitate acid-catalysed formations of such oxazolines and C- and O-linked xylosides, providing means to carry out fast reactions at room temperature, and this in yields comparable to reactions conducted in xylene at high temperature for extended reaction time.     

Design and testing of a small-scale sublimation apparatus

In many areas of scientific research and development, for example in the pharmaceutical industry, it is important to prepare and to characterize crystals of pure organic compounds which are thermodynamically stable. The formation of crystals from the gas phase is technically less straightforward than crystallisation from solution, but sublimation techniques can have several important features. In the present paper we report the design and testing of a novel apparatus for small scale sublimation and fractional deposition of crystals. The instrument has been developed with special reference to the needs in the pharmaceutical industry. A few mg of the samples are enclosed, under reduced pressure, in thin-walled glass tubes, along which a well defined temperature gradient can be formed. During an experiment the substance will sublime from the hot end of the glass tube and crystals will be deposited along the temperature gradient. The applicability of the instrument has been verified by experiments with several test compounds. Results from experiments with carbamazepine, are reported in some detail. Carbamazepine single crystals of high quality were obtained and the transition temperature between the triclinic (Form I) and the monoclinic (Form III) crystal modifications agreed with literature values.     

Poly(amidoamine) Conjugates Containing Doxorubicin Bound via an Acid‐Sensitive Linker

Poly(amidoamine)s with amino pendant groups were prepared by hydrogen‐transfer polyaddition of primary and secondary amines to bis‐acrylamines. Dansyl cadaverine (DC) doxorubicin (Dox) were bound to the polymers via a cis‐aconityl spacer to give conjugates containing 3 µg of DC per mg of polymer and 28 to 35 µg of Dox per mg of polymer. Release of DC and Dox at physiological and acidic pH varied from 0 to 35% over 48 h and was pH dependent. Although the ISA1Dox conjugate (IC₅₀ = 6 µg Dox · mL^?1) presented similar toxicity as the parent polymer without Dox, ISA23Dox showed increased toxicity (IC₅₀ = 10 µg Dox · mL^?1). These results suggest that ISA23Dox is able to release biologically active Dox in vitro and that this conjugate might be suitable for further development.

     

Biosensor immunoassay for traces of hazelnut protein in olive oil

The fraudulent addition of hazelnut oil to more expensive olive oil not only causes economical loss but may also result in problems for allergic individuals as they may inadvertently be exposed to potentially allergenic hazelnut proteins. To improve consumer safety, a rapid and sensitive direct biosensor immunoassay, based on a highly specific monoclonal antibody, was developed to detect the presence of hazelnut proteins in olive oils. The sample preparation was easy (extraction with buffer); the assay time was fast (4.5 min only) and the limit of detection was low (0.08 μg/g of hazelnut proteins in olive oil). Recoveries obtained with an olive oil mixed with different amounts of a hazelnut protein containing hazelnut oil varied between 93% and 109%. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Imidazole‐Annulated Tetrathiafulvalenes Exhibiting pH‐Tuneable Intramolecular Charge Transfer and Redox Properties

CT or not CT : Three imidazole‐annulated TTF derivatives 1 – 3 have been prepared and fully characterized. The influence of the TTF unit on the pK_a values of the acceptor units as determined by photometric titration has been discussed. The results reported here are part of an initial exploratory study to generate a range of well‐defined coordination networks.

     

A monoclinic pseudopolymorph of manganese squarate dihydrate,Mn(μ‐C4O4)(H2O)2, built from cubic units

The structure of poly[[[hexaaquatrimanganese(II)]‐tri‐μ‐squarato] monohydrate], {[Mn₃(C₄O₄)₃(H₂O)₆]·H₂O}_n, synthesized hydrothermally, consists of a new three‐dimensional framework described by secondary building units (SBUs) containing two MnO₆ octahedra and three squarate groups in a cube‐shaped arrangement. In the asymmetric unit, one squarate group is located around an inversion centre (4a; 0, 0, 0), two Mn atoms [4d (, , 0) and 4c (, , 0)] are located on inversion centres and the third Mn atom is on a twofold axis (4e; 0, y, ). This report illustrates the concept of the SBU and the flexibility of the squarate spacer in the design of new porous topologies.     

Effect of the addition of a fused donor-acceptor ligand on a Ru(II) complex: synthesis, characterization, and photoinduced electron transfer reactions of [Ru(TTF-dppz)2(Aqphen)]2+

The synthesis and the photophysical properties of the complex [Ru(TTF-dppz)(2)(Aqphen)](2+) (TTF = tetrathiafulvalene, dppz = dipyrido-[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine, Aqphen = anthraquinone fused to phenanthroline via a pyrazine bridge) are described. In this molecular triad excitation into the metal-ligand charge transfer bands results in the creation of a long-lived charge separated state with TTF acting as electron donor and anthraquinone as terminal acceptor. The lifetime of the charge-separated state is 400 ns in dichloromethane at room temperature. A mechanism for the charge separation involving an intermediate charge-separated state is proposed based on transient absorption spectroscopy.     

VOPO4·H2O: a stacking faults structure studied by X-ray powder diffraction and DFT-D calculations

The dehydration process of VOPO(4)·2H(2)O occurs in two steps corresponding to successive elimination of the two crystallographically distinct water molecules. The intermediate phase VOPO(4)·H(2)O has been stabilized for X-ray powder diffraction studies. The resulting data suggest a tetragonal cell (a = 6.2203(2) ? and c = 6.18867(7) ?), but an important anisotropy in the line broadening points out the necessity of considering a not perfectly organized structure. Because of the layered structure of this compound, density functional theory calculations including dispersion corrections have been carried out to evaluate the possible presence of stacking faults. The results of these calculations give information about the nature of the translations and their probabilities using a Boltzmann distribution. DIFFaX+ simulations of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern have been carried out using the results of the theoretical calculations and confirm the presence and nature of stacking faults.     

Scalable Technology for the Extraction of Pharmaceutics (STEP): the transition from academic knowhow to industrial reality

This paper addresses the technological readiness of counter-current chromatography (CCC) instruments to become platform technology for the pharmaceutical industry. It charts the development of the prototype technology since its inception in 1966, through conceptual improvements in the 1980s that led to higher speed separations in hours as opposed to days. It then describes the engineering improvements that have led to the development of high performance counter-current chromatography with the potential for scale-up to process scale for manufacturing products in industry with separation times in minutes rather than hours. A new UK Technology Strategy Board high value manufacturing ￡1.5 m research programme to take CCC through to technology readiness level 8 (i.e. as platform technology for continuous 24 × 7 operation by industry) is introduced. Four case studies are given as examples of successes from its expanding applications portfolio, which is mainly confidential. Finally, the hurdles for the uptake of new technology by industry are highlighted and the following potential solutions given: rapid method development, automation, continuous processing and instrument reliability and robustness. The future challenge for the CCC community will be to address these development needs urgently if CCC is to become the platform technology it deserves to be.