New three-arm amphiphilic and biodegradable block copolymers composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). Synthesis, characterization and self-assembly in aqueous solution

The synthesis, characterization and the self-assembly process of a novel biodegradable block copolymer containing a poly(epsilon-caprolactone), PCL, central block and three poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), PVP, arms are reported. Three samples with different amounts of PVP were investigated. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, (1)H NMR and viscosity measurements. The composition and the molecular weights of the block copolymers were established using size exclusion chromatography SEC and (1)H NMR. Micelle formation by these copolymers was monitored by using the vibrational fine structure of pyrene monomer fluorescence and the critical aggregation concentrations, cac, of the copolymers in aqueous solution were determined using sigmoid Boltzmann-type fitting of the fluorescence data. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed a bimodal size distribution for the copolymers in solution, indicating that the micellization is an intermolecular process. Partitioning coefficients of pyrene between copolymer micelles and water were also determined and increase in magnitude with increasing epsilon-caprolactone content of the copolymer.     

Synthesis and biological activity of some new 3-and 6-substituted coumarin amino acid derivatives. Part I

The synthesis of 6-nitrocouarrain-3-CO-amino acids and their corresponding methyl esters (II-XVII) and some dipeptide methyl esters (XVIII-XXVI) are described. 6-(N-Tosyl- or N-phthalylaminoacyl)aminocoumarin-3-carboxylic acid methyl esters (XXXIV-XL) and 3-(N-phthalyl- or N-tosylaminoacytyaminocoumarins (XLV-LVI) have been prepared via the carbodiimide and acid chloride methods. Hydrazinolysis of 3- or 6-(N-phthalylaminoacyl)aminocoumarin derivatives in tetraline gave the corresponding 3- and 6-(aminoacyl)aminocoumarins and the carboxylic acid hydrazides (XLI-LVIII), respectively. 3-(N-Tosyl-L-Val-L-Leu-)aminocoumarin (LIX) was synthesized via the azide method. Twenty four of various substituted 3- and 6-aminoacylcoumarin derivatives were found to possess specific antimicrobial activities towards different microorganisms.     

Thermally induced deformations in a partially coated elastic layer

The problem of a thin film coated on an elastic layer and subject to a thermal variation is analytically investigated in the present work. The analysis is developed in order to assess the mechanical behaviour of a crystalline undulator designed for obtaining high emission radiations through channelling phenomenon. It consists in a plane silicon wafer alternately patterned with thin films in silicon nitride on both surfaces. The system adopts a periodic curvature as a result of the misfit strain due to the different thermal expansivities of the layer and the film. The problem is governed by an integral equation which can be reduced to a linear algebraic system by approximating the unknown interfacial shear stress via series expansion of Chebyshev polynomials.     

An alternative synthetic approach for the synthesis of biologically relevant 1,4-disubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines

A versatile approach for the synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines has been developed. Starting from commercially available allopurinol, TBAF mediated N1-functionalization and subsequent C4 nucleophilic substitution, under microwave assisted- or standard heating conditions, granted access to highly functionalized pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines of potential biological interest.     

Some new bipyrazole derivatives as corrosion inhibitors for C38 steel in acidic medium

Three new bipyrazole derivatives, ethyl 5,5′-dimethyl-1′H-1,3′-bipyrazole-4-carboxylate (Bip1), 1,1′,5,5′-tetramethyl-1H,1′H-3,3′-bipyrazole (Bip2), and 3-(bromomethyl)-5,5′-dimethyl-1′H-1,3′-bipyrazole (Bip3), have been synthesized and used as additives to protect C38 steel from corrosion in aerated 1 M HCl solution, using the various corrosion monitoring techniques such as weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. All the techniques used for the studies show an increase in inhibition efficiency and decrease in the corrosion rate by increasing the inhibitor concentration. Impedance measurements showed that the double layer capacitance decreased and charge transfer resistance increased with increase in the inhibitors concentration, and hence an increase in inhibition efficiency. A potentiodynamic polarization study showed that all the inhibitors act as mixed-type. The adsorption of bipyrazole derivatives is found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the thermodynamic parameters were determined and are discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel silica gel supported N-pyrazole ligand for selective elimination of Hg(II)

The polar organic molecule N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,5-dimethylpyrazole reacted with a 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane silylant agent, previously anchored on a silica surface in a heterogeneous way to yield the product SiPz. The epoxide group was opened yielding chelating pendant group bonded to the inorganic surface. The product was characterized through elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, ¹³C NMR, surface area and thermogravimetry. The binding and adsorption abilities of SiPz was investigated for Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺ and Li⁺ cations and compared to results of classical liquid-liquid extraction with the unbound N-pyrazole compound. The grafting at the surface of silica does not affect complexing properties of the ligand and the SiPz exhibits a high selectivity toward Hg²⁺ ion with no complexation being observed towards Zinc and alkali metals. The extracted and the complexing cation percentage were determined by atomic absorption measurements.     

The effect of 1′,3,5,5′-tetramethyl-1′<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-1,3′-bipyrazole on the corrosion of steel in 1.0 <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">M</Emphasis> hydrochloric acid

The effect of some prepared compounds, namely 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole (P1), 3(5)-amino-5(3)-methylpyrazole (P2), and 1′,3,5,5′-tetramethyl-1′H-1,3′-bipyrazole (P3), on the corrosion behaviour of steel in 1.0 M hydrochloric acid solution as corrosive medium has been investigated at 308 K using weight-loss measurement, potentiodynamic polarisation, linear polarisation, and impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Generally, inhibition efficiency of the investigated compounds was found to depend on the concentration and nature of the inhibitor. P3 was a better inhibitor than P1 and P2, and its inhibition efficiency increased with increasing concentration of inhibitor, attaining 94% above 10⁻³  M. Potentiodynamic polarisation studies clearly reveal that P3 acts essentially as a cathodic inhibitor. E (%) values obtained from different methods are in reasonably good agreement. EIS measurements show an increase of transfer resistance with inhibitor concentration. Partial π-charge on atoms was calculated. Correlation between the highest occupied molecular orbital energy E _HOMO and inhibition efficiencies was sought. The temperature effect on the corrosion behaviour of steel in 1.0 M HCl without and with different concentrations of inhibitor P3 was studied in the temperature range 308 to 343 K. Thermodynamic data, for example heat of adsorption ( \Updelta H_\textads^° \Updelta H_{\text{ads}}^{^\circ } ), entropy of adsorption ( \Updelta S_\textads^° \Updelta S_{\text{ads}}^{^\circ } ) and free energy of adsorption ( \Updelta G_\textads^° \Updelta G_{\text{ads}}^{^\circ } ) were calculated by use of thermodynamic equations. Kinetic activation data, for example E _a, ΔH*, ΔS* and pre-exponential factor, were calculated, and are discussed. The inhibiting action of P3 on the corrosion of steel in 1–10 M hydrochloric acid was also studied by weight-loss measurement. The rate constant and reaction constant were calculated for the corrosion reactions. Adsorption of P3 on the steel surface in 1.0 M HCl follows the Langmuir isotherm model.     

Novel Protocol for Covalent Immobilization of Horseradish Peroxidase on Gold Electrode Surface

A novel protocol for immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) onto diazonium functionalized screen‐printed gold electrode (SPGE) has been successfully developed. This protocol involved 1) electrochemical reduction of p‐nitrophenyl diazonium salts synthesized in situ in acidic aqueous solution to graft a layer of p‐nitrophenyl on SPGE, 2) electrochemical reduction of the nitro groups to convert to amines, 3) chemical reaction with nitrous acid to transform the amine to diazonium derivative and 4) chemical coupling of the enzyme with the diazonium group to form a covalent diazo bond. The fabricated biosensor showed the direct electrochemistry of HRP and displayed electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) without any mediator. The biosensor exhibited fast amperometric response to H₂O₂. The catalytic current increased with increasing H₂O₂ concentration from 5 μM to 30 μM and the detection limit of the biosensor was 2 μM. The biosensor exhibited acceptable sensitivity, good reproducibility and long‐term stability.     

Assay of dipyridamole in human serum using cathodic adsorptive square-wave stripping voltammetry

A rapid and sensitive square-wave voltammetric procedure was optimized for the determination of dipyridamole after its adsorption preconcentration onto a hanging mercury drop electrode. The peak current of the first of the two peaks developed for this drug in Britton-Robinson buffer at pH 8.0 has been considered for the present analytical study. An accumulation potential of -1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl/KCl(s), pulse amplitude a =100 mV, scan increment Delta E =10 mV, and frequency f =120 Hz were the optimal experimental parameters. Dipyridamole can be determined in the concentration range of 9.0 x 10(-9) to 5.0 x 10(-6) M using accumulation times of 30-300 s. A detection limit of 4.0 x 10(-11) M was achieved after a 300 s accumulation time. Applicability to serum samples was illustrated. The average recoveries for dipyridamole spiked to serum at 0.25-4.50 micro g ml(-1) were 96.0-102.0%, and the higher standard deviation was 2.9%. A detection limit of 0.06 micro g mL(-1) of serum was obtained.