An experimental study of decoupling sequences for multiple-quantum and high-resolution MAS experiments in solid-state NMR

Recently, a sequence for heteronuclear dipolar decoupling in solid-state NMR, namely SWf-TPPM, was introduced by us. Under magic-angle spinning (MAS), the decoupling efficiency of the sequence was unaffected over a range of values for various experimental parameters such as the pulse length, pulse phase, and 1H resonance offset. We here demonstrate its use in multiple-quantum (MQ) and high-resolution (HR) MAS experiments. This sequence further improves the MQMAS spectra compared to the earlier reported decoupling sequences with improved immunity to any missets of the pulse length, pulse phase and decoupler offset. In contrast, for HRMAS, the simple CW scheme is as efficient as any of the decoupling schemes that were studied.     

Simultaneous RP-LC Determination of Artesunate and Amodiaquine in Pharmaceutical Preparations

A simple, fast and precise reversed phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of artesunate (AS) and amodiaquine (AD) in combined pharmaceutical dosage form. Chromatographic separation of the two drugs was performed on a BDS Hypersil C18, 100 mm × 4.6 mm, 3 μm particle size column as stationary phase with a mobile phase comprising of phosphate buffer (pH 3.0 with orthophosphoric acid) and acetonitrile in the proportion of 50:40 (v/v), at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min^?1 and UV detection at wavelength 210 nm for AS and 300 nm for AD using photo diode array detection. The proposed method was validated for specificity, accuracy, linearity, range, precision and was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of AS and AD in the combined fixed dosage form without any excipient’s interference.     

Probing Absolute Electronic Energy Levels in Hg‐Doped CdTe Semiconductor Nanocrystals by Electrochemistry and Density Functional Theory

The absolute electronic energy levels in Hg‐doped CdTe semiconductor nanocrystals (CdHgTe NCs) with varying sizes/volumes and Hg contents are determined by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) ‐based calculations. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate several distinct characteristic features in the form of oxidation and reduction peaks in the voltammograms, where the peak positions are dependent on the volume of CdHgTe NCs as well as on their composition. The estimated absolute electronic energy levels for three different volumes, namely 22, 119 and 187 nm³ with 2.7±0.3 % of Hg content, show strong volume dependence. The volume‐dependent shift in the characteristic reduction and oxidation peak potential scan can be attributed to the alteration in the energetic band positions owing to the quantum confinement effect. Moreover, the composition (Cd/Hg=98.3/1.7 and 97.0/3.0) ‐dependent alteration in the electronic energy levels of CdHgTe NCs for two different samples with similar volumes (ca. 124±5 nm³) are shown. Thus obtained electronic energy level values of CdHgTe NCs as a function of volume and composition demonstrate good congruence with the corresponding absorption and emission spectral data, as well as with DFT‐based calculations. DFT calculations reveal that incorporation of Hg into CdTe NCs mostly affects the energy levels of conduction band edge, whereas the valence band edge remains almost unaltered.     

Electron transfer prompted ejection of a tightly bound K(+) from the ethereal cavity of a hexaarylbenzene-based receptor

[structure: see text]. Synthesis of a pair of rotamers (9u/9s) of a hexaarylbenzene derivative containing six (cofacially arranged) electroactive 2,5-dimethoxytolyl groups is described. The toroidal electronic stabilization due to the circular arrangement of aryl groups in 9u/9s leads to the observation of multiple (reversible) oxidation waves and lowering of their E(ox1) by approximately 250 mV relative to model compounds. The binding of K+ to symmetrical rotamer 9s was monitored by an electrochemical method and further confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Charge injection across self-assembly monolayers in organic field-effect transistors: odd-even effects

We investigate the role of self-assembly monolayers in modulating the response of organic field-effect transistors. Alkanethiol monolayers of chain length n are self-assembled on the source and drain electrodes of pentacene field-effect transistors. The charge carrier mobility mu exhibits large fluctuations correlated with odd-even n. For n < 8, mu increases by 1 order of magnitude owing to the decrease of the hole injection barrier and the improved molecular order at the organic-metallic interface. For n > or = 8, mu decays exponentially with an inverse decay length beta = 0.6 A(-1). Our results show that (i) charge injection across the interface occurs by through-bond tunneling of holes mediated by the alkanethiol layer; (ii) in the long-chain regime, the charge injection across the alkanethiol monolayer completely governs the transistor response; (iii) the transistor is a sensitive gauge for probing charge transport across single monolayers. The odd-even effect is ascribed to the anisotropic coupling between the alkanethiol terminal sigma bond and the HOMO level of ordered pentacene molecules.     

Hydride generation activity of arsenosugars and thioarsenicals

The major arsenosugar compounds have been reported to be hydride-generation-active, however to a lesser extent in comparison with the inorganic arsenicals. We report here for the first time the identity and quantity of the volatile arsenicals generated by As-sugar-SO₃, As-sugar-SO₄, dimethylarsinoyl acetic acid and dimethylarsinoyl ethanol. Only one major volatile compound was identified for all four compounds studied: dimethylarsine. This means that the As–C bond to the longer carbon chain was cleaved during the hydride-generation process. Theoretical calculations at the RHF/6-31G(d,p) ab initio level confirm that this As–C bond is much weaker than the As–CH₃ bonds. Furthermore, it was revealed that the sulphur analogue of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAS ) is hydride-generation-active at pH 7 in contrast to dimethylarsinic acid, despite the fact that arsenic is also pentavalent. This has been substantiated by the calculation of the change in susceptibility of the arsenic towards nucleophilic attack when oxygen is replaced by sulphur. Hence, DMAS can easily be mistaken for a trivalent arsenic species.     

Fullerene-C60-modified electrode as a sensitive voltammetric sensor for detection of nandrolone--an anabolic steroid used in doping

The electrochemical behaviour of nandrolone is investigated by cyclic, differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry in phosphate buffer system at fullerene-C₆₀-modified electrode. The modified electrode shows an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of nandrolone resulting in a marked lowering in the peak potential and considerable improvement of the peak current as compared to the electrochemical activity at the bare glassy carbon electrode. The oxidation process is shown to be irreversible and diffusion-controlled. A linear range of 50 μM to 0.1 nM is obtained along with a detection limit and sensitivity of 0.42 nM and 0.358 nA nM⁻¹, respectively, in square-wave voltammetric technique. A diffusion coefficient of 4.13 × 10⁻⁸ cm² s⁻¹ was found for nandrolone using chronoamperometry. The effect of interferents, stability and reproducibility of the proposed method were also studied. The described method was successfully employed for the determination of nandrolone in human serum and urine samples. A cross-validation of observed results by GC-MS indicates that the results are in good agreement with each other.     

Quasi‐symmetric designs with fixed difference of block intersection numbers

The following results for proper quasi‐symmetric designs with non‐zero intersection numbers x,y and λ > 1 are proved.

• (1) Let D be a quasi‐symmetric design with z = y ? x and v ≥ 2k. If x ≥ 1 + z + z³ then λ < x + 1 + z + z³.
• (2) Let D be a quasi‐symmetric design with intersection numbers x, y and y ? x = 1. Then D is a design with parameters v = (1 + m) (2 + m)/2, b = (2 + m) (3 + m)/2, r = m + 3, k = m + 1, λ = 2, x = 1, y = 2 and m = 2,3,… or complement of one of these design or D is a design with parameters v = 5, b = 10, r = 6, k = 3, λ = 3, and x = 1, y = 2.
• (3) Let D be a triangle free quasi‐symmetric design with z = y ? x and v ≥ 2k, then x ≤ z + z².
• (4) For fixed z ≥ 1 there exist finitely many triangle free quasi‐symmetric designs non‐zero intersection numbers x, y = x + z.
• (5) There do not exist triangle free quasi‐symmetric designs with non‐zero intersection numbers x, y = x + 2.

© 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 15: 49–60, 2007