High‐Resolution Separation of Oligo(acrylic acid) by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

Summary: Oligo(acrylic acid)s, produced by RAFT polymerization, have been separated and analyzed for the first time by capillary zone electrophoresis. The resolution obtained by capillary electrophoresis in borate buffers is far higher than that currently achieved using size exclusion chromatography. This work demonstrates that capillary electrophoresis is the technique of choice for the characterization of oligomers of acrylic acid and of other water‐soluble monomers involved in emulsion polymerization processes.

Electropherograms of different acrylic acid (AA) oligomers obtained by CZE.     

Aqueous behaviour of cationic surfactants containing a cleavable group

The aggregation behaviour of two novel cationic RAFT agents (transfer surfactants); N,N-dimethyl-N-(4-(((phenylcarbonothioyl)thio)methyl)benzyl)ethanammonium bromide (PCDBAB) and N-(4-((((dodecylthio)-carbonothioyl)thio)methyl)benzyl)-N,N-dimethylethanammonium bromide (DCTBAB) in diluted solutions have been investigated by surface tension, conductimetry and microcalorimetry measurements. The thermodynamic parameters i.e. the critical micelle concentration (cmc), the degree of micelle ionization (alpha), the head group surface area (a 0), Delta H mic, Delta G mic and T Delta S mic are reported at 303 K. The thermodynamic parameters have been compared to those of the conventional surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in order to specify structural relationships. The obtained results have been discussed considering the hydrophobic behaviour of the S-C=S- linkage and the specific interactions that arise from the introduction of the benzene ring into the hydrophobic part.     

Synthesis of novel poly(ethylene glycol) supported benzazepines: the crucial role of PEG on the selectivity of an intramolecular Heck reaction

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 3400) was used as a soluble polymeric support for the synthesis of a series of novel benzazepines. The key step for the preparation of these heterocycles was a phosphine-free palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction. Palladium nanoparticles formed during the course of the reaction were characterized. The presence of PEG 3400 influenced the outcome of the reaction in terms of selectivity.     

Thermodynamic evaluation and optimization of the (Na2SO4 + K2SO4 + Na2S2O7 + K2S2O7) system

A complete, critical evaluation of all phase diagram and thermodynamic data was performed for all phases of the (Na₂SO₄ + K₂SO₄ + Na₂S₂O₇ + K₂S₂O₇) system and optimized model parameters were obtained. The Modified Quasichemical Model in the Quadruplet Approximation was used for modelling the liquid phase. The model evaluates first- and second-nearest-neighbour short-range ordering, where the cations (Na⁺ and K⁺) are assumed to mix on a cationic sublattice, while anions were assumed to mix on an anionic sublattice. The Compound Energy Formalism was used for modelling the solid solutions of (Na,K)₂SO₄ and (Na,K)₂S₂O₇. The models can be used to predict the thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria in multicomponent heterogeneous systems. The experimental data from the literature were reproduced within experimental error limits.     

Enhancement of mass spectrometric detection of LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4 by derivatization

Several acylating reagents are synthesized and used to introduce quatemary phosphonium or ammonium or ternary sulfonium functions into a simple model of a peptido leukotriene (PLT). One of these reagents was selected for further study with LTE₄, LTD₄, and LTC₄. We demonstrate that acylation of the free amine function of PLTs to produce the 5-triphenylphosphoniumvaleryl-amide (TPPV) derivatives enhances chemical stabilities and significantly increases responses in fast-atom bombardment and continuous-flow liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (CF-LSIMS) relative to the native PLTs. With high-performance liquid chromatography inlet to CF-LSIMS, we demonstrate the facile detection in selected ion monitoring of the TPPV derivative of 3 pg of LTD₄.     

The effect of media composition on EDTA degradation byAgrobacterium sp.

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - EDTA degradation by anAgrobacterium sp. has been examined by quantifying14C-labeled CO2 produced from iron-[2-14C] EDTA and by measured loss of nonlabeled...     

Modulating the photophysical properties of azamacrocyclic europium complexes with charge-transfer antenna chromophores

Two europium complexes with bis(bipyridine) azamacrocyclic ligands featuring pendant arms with or without π-conjugated donor groups are synthesized and fully characterized by theoretical calculations and NMR spectroscopy. Their photophysical properties, including two-photon absorption, are investigated in water and in various organic solvents. The nonfunctionalized ligand gives highly water-stable europium complexes featuring bright luminescence properties but poor two-photon absorption cross sections. On the other hand, the europium complex with an extended conjugated antenna ligand presents a two-photon absorption cross section of 45 GM at 720 nm but is poorly luminescent in water. A detailed solvent-dependent photophysical study indicates that this luminescence quenching is not due to the direct coordination of O-H vibrators to the metal center but to the increase of nonradiative processes in a protic solvent induced by an internal isomerization equilibrium.     

Thermodynamic evaluation and optimization of the (NaCl + KCl + MgCl2 + CaCl2 + ZnCl2) system

A complete critical evaluation of all available phase diagram and thermodynamic data has been performed for all condensed phases and relevant gaseous species of the (NaCl + KCl + MgCl₂ + CaCl₂ + ZnCl₂) system, and optimized model parameters have been found. The (NaCl + KCl + MgCl₂ + CaCl₂) subsystem has been critically evaluated in a previous article. The model parameters obtained for the binary and ternary subsystems can be used to predict thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria for the multicomponent system. The Modified Quasichemical Model for short-range ordering was used for the molten salt phase.