Crystallization of binary carboxylic acids characterized with streaming potential measurement

The streaming potential of supersaturated solution of binary carboxylic acids, which have even carbon atoms, was determined to characterize crystallization under different temperatures. The value of the streaming potential was related to the type and solubility of the acids and the starting temperature of crystallization, and was easily influenced by the pressure difference of the liquid or the rate of temperature decline. When the temperature was declined to the point where a crystal nucleus appeared, the streaming potential reached the minimum. Thereafter, as the temperature was sequentially lowered, some minicrystals grew, and the streaming potential presented an ascendant tendency. The higher the starting temperature of the acids saturated solution, the higher is the temperature corresponding to the streaming potential minimum. The less the carbon atoms in the acids and the greater the solubility of the acids are, the higher is the temperature of the streaming potential minimum. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

A new chemiluminescence reagent for the determination of ruthenium

A new reagent proflavine-N, N, N', N'-tetraacetic acid (PTA) synthesized in our laboratory has been found useful as a chemiluminescence reagent for the determination of ruthenium (Ru) in pH 2.5 sulfuric acid solution containing acetone, it can be oxidized catalytically by hydrogen peroxide. With Ru(III) as catalyst, it emits light selectively. The linear range is between 2.0 x 10(-8) and 2.0 x 10(-5) g/ml. The detection limit and the recovery rate of the method are 1.0 x 10(-9)g/ml and 96.0-102%, respectively. The method has been satisfactorily applied to determine trace Ru(III) in synthesized sample.     

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.     

Direct separation of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds by reversed-phase chiral HPLC

Summary Direct separations of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds have been achieved by reversed-phase HPLC on the Chiralcel OD-R, a polysaccharide-derived chiral stationary phase; the mobile phase was usually perchlorate solution supplemented with acetonitrile. Resolution of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds was good. The effect of the acetonitrile content of the mobile phase was investigated, and the effect of the structure of the chiral compounds on their behavior on the Chiralcel OD-R column is discussed.     

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.