Formation of Pt-Ru nanoparticles in ethylene glycol solution: an in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy study

The chemical state and formation mechanism of Pt-Ru nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by using ethylene glycol (EG) as a reducing agent and their stability have been examined by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Pt LIII and Ru K edges. It appears that the reduction of Pt(IV) and Ru(III) precursor salts by EG is not a straightforward reaction but involves different intermediate steps. The pH control of the reaction mixture containing Pt(IV) and Ru(III) precursor salts in EG to 11 led to the reduction of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) corresponding to [PtCl4](2-) whereas Ru(III)Cl3 is changed to the [Ru(OH)6](3-) species. Refluxing the mixture containing [PtCl4](2-) and [Ru(OH)6](3-) species at 160 degrees C for 0.5 h produces Pt-Ru NPs as indicated by the presence of Pt and Ru in the first coordination shell of the respective metals. No change in XAS structural parameters is found when the reaction time is further increased, indicating that the Pt-Ru NPs formed are extremely stable and less prone to aggregation. XAS structural parameters suggest a Pt-rich core and a Ru-rich shell structure for the final Pt-Ru NPs. Due to the inherent advantages of the EG reduction method, the atomic distribution and alloying extent of Pt and Ru in the Pt-Ru NPs synthesized by the EG method are higher than those of the Pt-Ru/C NPs synthesized by a modified Watanabe method.     

Tandem oxidation processes for the preparation of functionalized cyclopropanes

[reaction: see text] A novel manganese dioxide-mediated tandem oxidation process (TOP) has been developed which allows the direct conversion of allylic alcohols into cyclopropanes, the intermediate aldehydes being trapped in situ with a stabilized sulfur-ylide. This methodology has been applied successfully to a variety of allylic alcohols and to a formal synthesis of the simple, naturally occurring lignan, (+/-)-picropodophyllone.     

Stochastic analysis of transit systems

This paper presents two mathematical models representing on surface transit systems with general failure, towing and repair time distributions. The stochastic analysis is performed with the aid of the regeneration point technique. Laplace transforms of the state probabilities are obtained. A number of general formulas are developed for the transit system steady-state availability when one of the system transition rates is described by the Erlangian probability density function. Various plots of transit system steady-state availability are shown.     

Synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of some novel sulfonamide derivatives

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of biologically active sulfonamide derivatives was achieved. All the title compounds were characterized by spectral and elemental analysis. They were further screened in vitro for their abilities towards antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities. The compound N,N'-(3,3′-dimethoxybiphenyl-4,4′-diyl)bis(4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide) (5b) and N-(3-(9H-carbazol-4-yloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl)-4-fluoro-N-isopropylbenzenesulfonamide (5e) exhibited good activity when compared to the standard bactericide, Chloramphenicol and fungicide, Ketoconazole respectively. The compounds (2S)-N-((2S,4S)-5-(4-Chloro-phenylsulfonamido)-4-hydroxy-1, 6-diphenylhexan-2-yl)-3-methyl-2-(2-oxotetrahydropyrim-idin-1(2H)-yl)butan-amide (4f) and (2S)-N-((2S,4S)-5-(4-fluorophenylsulfonamido)-4-hydroxy-1,6-diphenyl-hexan-2-yl)-3-methyl-2-(2-oxotetrahydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)bu-tana-mide (5f) exhibited good antioxidant activity when compared with standard antioxidant, Ascorbic acid.     

Non-ohmic conduction and electrical switching under pressure of the charge transfer complexo-tolidine-iodine

The current voltage characteristics ofo-tolidine-iodine, with stoichiometry 1:1 grown from benzene, have been studied under high pressures upto 6 GPa atT=300 K andT=77 K. The characteristics show a pronounced deviation from ohmicity beyond a certain current for all pressures studied. At room temperature, beyond a threshold field the system switches from a low conductingOFF state to a high conductingON state with σ_ON/σ_OFF ∼ 10³. TheOFF state can be restored by the application of an a.c. pulse of low frequency. The temperature dependence of the two states studied indicates that theOFF state is semiconducting while theON state, beyond a certain applied pressure is metallic. The characteristics atT=77 K do not show any switching.     

Electrical switching and memory phenomena ino-tolidine DDQ under pressure

Electrical switching has been observed ino-tolidine-DDQ at pressures of 7.66 GPa and fields ∼3×10⁵ V/m withσ _ON/σ _OFF≈10³ at a temperature of 300 K. The switching is found to be of the memory type and the sample can be driven back to the low conducting state by applying ac pulses of sufficient magnitude but independent of frequency.     

New high-yield,one-step synthesis of polyglycolide from haloacetic acids

In a new, one-step synthesis, polyglycolide was prepared by the reaction of bromo- or chloroacetic acid with triethylamine in a nitromethane solution. It was discolored, by iodoacetic acid possibly as a result of iodine formed by the decomposition of triethylammonium iodide. The structure of polyglycolide was characterized by hydrolysis, ¹H-NMR and IR spectra, and x-ray powder diffraction, which indicated partial crystallinity. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of polyglycolide. A lower limiting value of the number-average molecular weight of 10⁴ was determined by cryoscopy in 1,3-dinitrobenzene for polyglycolide prepared from bromoacetic acid; the measurement was inaccurate because of the low solubility of the polymer. No significant effect of solvent (acetone, ether, or chloroform) on yield or melting point was observed; a higher yield was obtained in nitromethane. The polymer obtained with tri-n-propylamine and bromoacetic acid had properties similar to that obtained with triethylamine. No polymer was obtained with N,N-dimethylaniline and bromoacetic acid or with triethylamine and bromoacetic acid in aqueous solution.     

Formation of bimetallic Ag-Pd nanoclusters via the reaction between Ag nanoclusters and Pd2+ ions

We have investigated systematically the mechanistic aspects of the Ag-Pd bimetallic cluster formation within sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles by using in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). A two-step sequential reduction method is employed for the synthesis of Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters. The first step involves preparation of Ag nanoclusters, by mixing the Ag+ ions containing the AOT microemulsion system with a reducing agent hydrazine (N2H4) containing the AOT microemulsion system. In the second step, the addition of Pd2+ ions to Ag nanoclusters led to the formation of Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters via the reaction between Ag nanoclusters and Pd2+ ions in AOT reverse micelles. The reduction of silver ions and the formation of corresponding Ag nanoclusters are monitored as a function of the dosage of the reducing agent, hydrazine. In-situ XAS allowed probing of the reaction between Ag nanoclusters and Pd2+ ions during the formation of Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters. Analysis of Ag and Pd K-edge XAS spectra reveals that in the final stage Ag-Pd clusters, in which "Ag" atoms prefer to be surrounded by "Pd" and "Pd" atoms prefer to be surrounded by "Pd", were formed. On the basis of XAS results presented here, we are able to propose a structural model for each step so that this work provides a detailed insight into the mechanism of nucleation and growth of Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters. We also discussed the atomic distribution of Ag and Pd atoms in Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters based on the calculated XAS structural parameters.     

Fluorescence evidence that a phase transition causes the induction time in the reduction in dynamic tension during surfactant adsorption to a clean air/water interface and a kinetic-diffusive transport model for the phase-induced induction

An aqueous soluble surfactant adsorbing from solution onto an initially clean air/water interface often exhibits an induction period in the surface tension relaxation in which, as the adsorption begins, the tension remains near the clean interface value for an extended period of time before decreasing rapidly to the equilibrium value. In this study, using a model nonionic soluble surfactant, C14E6(CH3(CH2)13-(OCH2CH2)6-OH), we present direct fluorescence evidence that this induction is due to a first-order phase transition from a gaseous (G) to a liquid expanded (LE) phase that the assembling monolayer undergoes at constant surface pressure. An open channel flow cell is initially filled with water, and onto its air/water interface is spread an insoluble amphiphilic dye that fluoresces upon irradiation in the LE phase and whose fluorescence is quenched in the G phase. An aqueous solution of C14E(6) is then allowed to flow through the channel. We observe the immediate appearance of bright islands of the LE phase growing in a dark (G) background, confirming the presence of the G/LE phase transition. These islands eventually occupy the entire surface, after which the interface remains uniformly bright. We correlate this phase transition to the induction period by simultaneously measuring the tension of the interface of the open channel, and verifying that as the islands grow the tension remains at the clean value until the bright LE phase occupies the entire surface, whereupon the tension rapidly decreases. We further develop a phase transition surfactant transport model for the induction period in which surfactant diffuses toward and kinetically adsorbs onto the surface, and then rapidly equilibrates between the G and LE phases. For our model surfactant C14E6, we independently measure the surface concentration of the nucleating LE phase, the LE phase surfactant equation of state, the kinetic rate constants for adsorption into the LE phase, and the bulk diffusion coefficient. Using these measurements, we predict induction times for adsorption onto a clean surface without convection. We also measure these induction times in tension relaxation for adsorption onto a pendant bubble using axisymmetric shape analysis, and demonstrate agreement with the simulations with no adjustable constants.     

Purification of Plasma-Derived Coagulation Factor VIII by Immobilized-Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and -Co<Superscript>2+</Superscript> Affinity Chromatography

Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) is a glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the clotting cascade. Replacement therapies with recombinant and plasma-derived concentrates of FVIII are used for treatment of hemophilia A. We have previously purified the human plasma FVIII by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) using Cu²⁺ as the metal ligand. In this work we report the purification of FVIII using Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺, two metal ions that bind proteins more weakly. Human plasma was directly applied to the anion-exchange ANX Sepharose FF column and the eluate was used as starting material for the studies in IMAC columns. Using imidazole as desorbing agent, FVIII was recovered with 65% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ column and with 74% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺ column. Purification factors were 4 and 9, respectively. Using a pH gradient, FVIII was eluted at pH 5.0 with 17% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ and 77% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺. Vitamin K-dependent proteins, a family of proteins that includes Prothrombin and coagulation factor IX, coeluted with FVIII in the ANX Sepharose FF column and were recovered with the unbound proteins on both IMAC columns. Therefore, Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ columns were as effective as the Cu²⁺ column in separating FVIII from vitamin K-dependent proteins. Finally, we have shown that FVIII remained complexed with the von Willebrand factor.