Concentrated reverse micelles in a random graft block copolymer system: structure and in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The structure and rheological properties of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(oxyethylene) copolymer at high concentrations in block-selective solvents were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheometry. Analysis of SAXS data indicates that quasispherical, reverse micellar aggregates (with no ordered packing) are present in concentrated solutions of the copolymer in nonpolar solvents, and that upon addition of water, the size of such aggregates increases due to the solubilization inside the micellar cores. The viscosity of concentrated polymer solutions increases exponentially as water is added, and finally, viscoelastic, gel-like behavior is found in the vicinity of the phase separation limit. It was found that small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of ≈3 nm can be synthesized inside the copolymer aggregates without the need of a reducing agent; namely, particles embedded in a viscoelastic matrix are obtained. The synthesis seems to follow first-order kinetics. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Palladium salicylaldimine complexes containing boronate esters

Reactions of salicylaldehydes with boronate ester derivatives of aniline have been examined. Addition of these Schiff base ligands to palladium acetate or Na₂PdCl₄ afforded novel boron-containing trans-bis(N-arylsalicylaldiminato) palladium complexes.Condensation of salicylaldehyde (2-HOC₆H₄C(O)H) with H₂NC₆H₄Bpin (pin=1,2-O₂C₂Me₄) afforded the boron-containing Schiff bases, 2-HOC₆H₄C(H)=NC₆H₄Bpin (1–3a). Similar reactivity with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde gave the corresponding Schiff bases (1-3b) and (1-3c), respectively. Reaction of Schiff bases (2) and (3) with palladium acetate or Na₂PdCl₄ afforded complexes of the type PdL₂ (4,5), where L=deprotonated Schiff base. The molecular structure of the nitro-salicylaldehyde 4-Bpin palladium complex (5b) was characterized by an X-ray diffraction study. All new palladium compounds have been characterized fully and tested for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus.     

Stability of AQUO-organic silver iodide sol

Summary The coagulation concentration for silver iodide sol, both in presence of pyridine and dioxane, increases for mono- and bivalent coagulating electrolyte. In presence of a mixture of pyridine and dioxane in equal volume, the coagulation concentration assumes an intermediate value, which is nearer to dioxane. However, in presence of dioxane more bivalent electrolyte is needed than in presence of pyridine. If a bivalent coagulating electrolyte is added to a sol containing a mixture of pyridine and dioxane, the amount of electrolyte required to coagulate is less than pyridine and greater than dioxane. Thus silver iodide sol is more stable toward mono- and bivalent coagulating electrolytes. The degree of stabilization increases with the decrease of the dielectric constant of the dispersing medium. The intermediate values for dioxane pyridine mixture is accountable by the fact that dioxane acts as a solvent for pyridine. The PH value of the sol increases up to the coagulation point. Beyond this, there is an abrupt decrease. When the particles settle down completely a rise in PH is again noted on the further addition of electrolytes. The increase in the electrical conductance is more significant after coagulation. These changes have been explained by adsorption of the ions and due to the release of ions from the electrical double layer.

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Zusammenfassung Die Koagulationskonzentration für Silberjodidsol in Gegenwart von Pyridin und Dioxan steigt für ein- und zweiwertige Elektrolyte an. In Gegenwart einer Mischung zu gleichen Volumen erh?lt man mittlere Werte, n?her denen zu Dioxan. Für Koagulation in Gegenwart von Dioxan ist jedoch mehr zweiwertiger Elektrolyt notwendig als in Gegenwart von Pyridin. Bei Koagulation mit zweiwertigem Elektrolyt verbraucht ein Sol mit der Mischung von Pyridin und Dioxan weniger als für Pyridin und mehr als für Dioxan. Daher ist das Silbersol gegenüber ein- und zweiwertigen Elektrolyten stabiler. Der Grad der Stabilisierung w?chst mit abnehmender Dielektrizit?tskonstante des Dispersionsmediums. Die Zwischenwerte der Dioxan-Pyridin-Mischungen lassen sich verstehen durch die Tatsache, da? Dioxan als L?sungsmittel für Pyridin wirkt. Der PH-Wert des Sols w?chst bis zum Koagulationspunkt, darüberhinaus erfolgt ein steiler Abfall. Wenn die Teilchen vollst?ndig absetzen, ist bei weiterer Zugabe von Elektrolyt ein erneuter Anstieg im PH feststellbar. Der Anstieg der elektrolytischen Leitf?higkeit wird nach der Koagulation ausgepr?gter. Diese ?nderungen lassen sich durch Ionenadsorption und Freiwerden von Ionen aus der elektrischen Doppelschicht erkl?ren.

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Our thanks are due to Prof. R. C. Mehrotra for providing all the facilities for this work and to Prof. S. Ghosh of Allahabad University for helpful discussions. Thanks are also due to the University Grants Commission, Government of India, for the award of a research scholarship to one of us (V. K. S.).     

Hydro­gen‐bonded supramolecular lattice of the 1:3:4 complex between [5,10,15,20‐meso‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxy­phenyl)­porphyrinato‐κ4N]­zinc(II), dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8 and methanol

The title compound, [5,10,15,20‐meso‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxy­phenyl)­porphyrinato‐κ⁴N]­zinc(II) tris(dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8) methanol tetrasolvate, [Zn(C₄₄H₂₈N₄O₄)]·3C₂₄H₃₂O₈·4CH₄O, was synthesized and its molecular structure precisely charac­terized by low‐temperature single‐crystal analysis. All the components are involved in hydrogen bonding with each other, thus forming an extensively hydrogen‐bonded supramolecular lattice. The functionalized porphyrin moiety coordinates both equatorially and axially to the neighboring species.     

The self-organization properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-dodecylammonium α-glutamate/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-C<Subscript>5</Subscript>H<Subscript>11</Subscript>OH/water system

A biocompatible surfactant-n-dodecylammonium α-glutamate (GDA) with biodegradable and biocompatible properties was synthesized, and the phase behavior and the structural properties of GDA/n-pentanol/water system was studied by small-angle X-ray diffraction, electron spin resonance, and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). In the ternary phase diagram of GDA/n-pentanol/water system, there exist three isotropic regions—O/W, bicontinuous, and W/O structures, and two anisotropic regions—hexagonal liquid crystal (HEX), and lamellar liquid crystal (LLC) regions. UV irradiation causes the decrease in the interlayer space, d, of lamellar liquid crystal and in the radius, r, of column aggregates of hexagonal liquid crystal, but it has little effect on the structure of O/W and W/O microemulsions.     

Immobilization and direct electrochemistry of cytochrome <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">c</Emphasis> at a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified electrode

A single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-modified electrode was fabricated and characterized by SEM and ac impedance techniques. The direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c (Cyt c), which was adsorbed on the surface of the SWNT, was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The results from cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopy indicated that Cyt c remained in its original structure and did not undergo structural change after its immobilization on the SWNT. Further results demonstrated that the SWNT had promotional effects on the direct electron transfer of Cyt c and also indicated that the immobilized Cyt c retained its electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H₂O₂. This modified electrode might be used in development of new biosensors and the biofuel cells.     

Inhibition of human dihydrofolate reductase by 2,4-diaminoquinazolines bearing simple substituents on the aromatic ring

A series of thirty eight 2,4-diaminoquinazolines having diverse substitution patterns on the aromatic ring was evaluated for inhibitory activity against dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) obtained from a human lymphoblast cell line. Many of these compounds were also evaluated as inhibitors of rat liver DHFR under the same experimental conditions. In most instances the results obtained with each enzyme were comparable indicating that the rodent enzyme is a suitable model for the human DHFR as far as the determination of I₅₀ values is concerned. The results demonstrate that relatively simple 5-substituted- or 5,6-disubstituted-2,4-diaminoquinazolines can be potent DHFR inhibitors. The presence of a nonpolar substituent at position 7 or 8 was highly detrimental to inhibitory potency.     

2,3-Dihydroxypyridine Loaded Amberlite XAD-2 (AXAD-2-DHP): Preparation, Sorption–Desorption Equilibria with Metal Ions, and Applications in Quantitative Metal Ion Enrichment from Water, Milk and Vitamin Samples

2,3-Dihydroxypyridine loaded (via –N=N–linker) Amberlite XAD-2 (AXAD-2-DHP) was prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, TGA and FT-IR spectra. It (1g packed in a column of 1cm diameter; surface area 135.5m²g^–1) was found to be an effective solid phase sorbent for enriching Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Co²⁺ at pH 3.5 to 7.0 using flow rates between 1.0–5.0mLmin^–1. For desorption (recovery 97.0–99.8%) of the metal ions, 8 to 10mL of 2.0molL^–1 HCl or 1.5molL^–1 HNO₃ at a flow rate of between 2.0 and 4.0mLmin^–1 were found most suitable. The t_1/2 (time for 50% sorption) is between 2 and 10min when a 50mL solution (containing a total amount of metal of 2mg) was equilibrated with 0.5g of resin. Sorption of all metal ions except Pb²⁺ follows the Langmuir model, whereas for Pb the data fits with the Freundlich model. The sorption capacity is between 60.7 (for Cd) and 406.7 (for Cu) µmolg^–1. The resin can withstand an acid concentration of 6molL^–1 and can be reused for thirty cycles of sorption–desorption. The preconcentration factor varies between 100 and 300. For Cd, Ni and Cu the sorption capacity of 2,3-dihydroxypyridine loaded cellulose is lower than that of the present resin. The tolerance limits of electrolytes, humic acid, complexing agents, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the enrichment of all metal ions are reported. The limits of detection are 3.88, 5.37, 8.72, 13.88, 4.71, 1.24, 0.59 and 0.30µgL^–1 for Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Co²⁺, respectively. The calibration curves for flame AAS determination were linear in the ranges 0.018–1.0, 0.067–5.0, 0.2–5.0, 0.9–20, 0.028–2.0, 0.077–5.0, 0.19–10 and 0.1–3.5µgmL^–1, respectively. All the eight metal ions in river and synthetic water samples, Co in vitamin tablets and Zn in milk samples have been quantitatively enriched with Amberlite XAD-2-DHP and determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Polymers from the Polymerisation of Methacrylate-Substituted Oxotantalum Clusters with Methylmethacrylate: A Thermomechanical and Spectroscopic Study

New inorganic-organic hybrid materials were prepared by free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with methacrylate-substituted oxotantalum cluster [Ta₄O₄(OEt)₈(OMc)₄] and their properties evaluated. The cluster was prepared by the reaction of the parent alkoxide with methacrylic acid. Samples of the hybrid materials were produced with Ta-cluster to methyl methacrylate in the ratios of 1:50 and 1:100 and were characterized by thermal and spectroscopic techniques. The glass transition temperatures of the hybrid materials are shifted to higher temperatures than pure PMMA as a result of cross-linking of the polymer by the oxotantalum clusters. The increase in T_g is also observed from the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Evidence of crosslinking between the Ta-cluster and PMMA is obtained from infrared spectroscopic study. Surface studies performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provide information about the atomic concentrations of the surface and indicate tantalum bonded to oxygen.