Self-assembly approach toward magnetic silica-type nanoparticles of different shapes from reverse block copolymer mesophases

In the present study poly(isoprene-block-ethylene oxide), PI-b-PEO, block copolymers are used to structure iron oxide and silica precursors into reverse mesophases, which upon dissolution of the organic matrix lead to well-defined nanoparticles of spheres, cylinders, and plates based on the original structure of the mesophase prepared. The hybrid mesophases with sphere, cylinder, and lamellar morphologies containing the inorganic components in the minority phases are characterized through a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). After heat treatments the respective nanoparticles on mica surfaces are characterized by scanning force microscopy (SFM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer measurements are performed to demonstrate that the heat treatment leads to the formation of a magnetic gamma-Fe2O3 crystalline phase within the amorphous aluminosilicate. The results pave the way to functional, i.e., magnetic nanoparticles where the size, shape, and iron oxide concentration can be controlled opening a range of possible applications.     

Enantioselective Preparation of 2‐Aminomethyl Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Solving the β2‐Amino Acid Problem with the Chiral Auxiliary 4‐Isopropyl‐5,5‐diphenyloxazolidin‐2‐one (DIOZ). Preliminary Communication

Multigram amounts of suitably protected β²‐amino acids with 17 of the 20 proteinogenic side chains are prepared by diastereoselective reactions of Li, B, or Ti enolates of the corresponding 3‐acyl‐4‐isopropyl‐5,5‐diphenyloxazolidin‐2‐ones (acyl‐DIOZ; 1 ) with appropriate electrophiles (amidomethylation, hydroxyalkylation, (benzyloxycarbonyl)methylation) in yields of 55–90% and with diastereoselectivities of 80 to >97% (Scheme). The primary products 2 – 8 thus obtained are converted to protected β²‐amino acids by standard procedures (Table 1). Many of the DIOZ derivatives are highly crystalline compounds (31 X‐ray crystal structures in Table 2). The chiral auxiliary DIOZ, readily prepared in either enantiomeric form, is recovered with high yield.     

Synthesis of succinimidyl-(S)-naproxen ester and its application for indirect enantioresolution of penicillamine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Synthesis of N-succinimidyl-(S)-2-(6-methoxynaphth-2-yl) propionate was carried out by the reaction of (S)-naproxen with N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of dicyclohexyl carbodiimide. It was characterized and was used as a chiral derivatizing reagent, under mild conditions, to form diastereomers of dl-penicillamine which were resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using triethyl ammonium phosphate buffer (pH 4.0, 5mM)-acetonitrile (linear gradient (30min) of acetonitrile from 30 to 70%). Excellent separation was achieved with gradient mobile phase. The detection limit was at pmol level.     

Synthesis and characterization of some α-naphthyl selenium/tellurium derivatives: X-ray crystal structure of benzyl-1-naphthyl selenide and diphenylmethyl-1-naphthyl selenide

A large number of α-naphthyl selenium and tellurium compounds (1-14) have been prepared through two different methods. The first method involves the alkylation of sodium 1-naphthylselenolate/tellurolate, generated in situ using hydrazine hydrate as reducing agent while the second method involves the reaction of in situ generated α-naphthylseleno/telluromagnesium bromide with an appropriate electrophile. The synthesized alkyl-1-naphthyl selenides/tellurides and some α,ω-bis(1-naphthylseleno)alkanes have been characterized with the help of elemental analysis and using various spectroscopic techniques viz., NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ⁷⁷Se and ¹²⁵Te), IR, UV/vis spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (only in few representative cases). Interpretation of ¹H, ¹³C NMR spectra and assignment of individual resonances for tris(1-naphthylseleno)methane have been done with the help of [¹H-¹H] and [¹H-¹³C] correlation spectroscopy (COSY). X-ray crystallographic results and molecular geometry of benzyl-1-naphthyl selenide, 2 and diphenylmethyl-1-naphthyl selenide, 3 have also been illustrated.     

Efficient synthesis of 1,4-dihydronaphthalenelignans from 5-methylene-4-substituted-2(5H)-furanones and a concise synthesis of solafuranone

A short synthetic strategy for synthesis of lignan analogues involving 5-methylene-4-substituted-2(5H)-furanones as the key intermediates has been developed. Various lignans including the natural product solafuranone and analogues of dihydrotaiwanin C and deoxydehydropodophyllotoxin were synthesized in good yields.     

Cell Disruption Optimization and Covalent Immobilization of β-D-Galactosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kluyveromyces marxianus</Emphasis> YW-1 for Lactose Hydrolysis in Milk

β-D-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) from Kluyveromyces marxianus YW-1, an isolate from whey, has been studied in terms of cell disruption to liberate the useful enzyme. The enzyme produced in a bioreactor on a wheat bran medium has been successfully immobilized with a view to developing a commercially usable technology for lactose hydrolysis in the food industry. Three chemical and three physical methods of cell disruption were tested and a method of grinding with river sand was found to give highest enzyme activity (720 U). The enzyme was covalently immobilized on gelatin. Immobilized enzyme had optimum pH and temperature of 7.0 and 40 °C, respectively and was found to give 49% hydrolysis of lactose in milk after 4 h of incubation. The immobilized enzyme was used for eight hydrolysis batches without appreciable loss in activity. The retention of high catalytic activity compared with the losses experienced with several previously reported immobilized versions of the enzyme is significant. The method of immobilization is simple, effective, and can be used for the immobilization of other enzymes.     

Analysis of interfacial and micellar behavior of sodium dioctyl sulphosuccinate salt (AOT) with zwitterionic surfactants in aqueous media

The interfacial and bulk properties of mixtures of the anionic surfactant (dioctyl sulphosuccinate sodium salt, AOT) with zwitterionic surfactants 3-(N,N-dimethyldodecylammonio) propane sulfonate (DPS), 3-(N,N-dimethyltetradecylammonio) propane sulfonate (TPS), 3-(N,N-dimethylhexadecylammonio) propane sulfonate (HPS) have been studied employing surface tension, fluorescence, and viscometric techniques in aqueous media at 25 °C. It is observed that these mixtures exhibit synergism and these synergistic interactions increase with the enhancement of the hydrocarbon chain of the zwitterionic surfactant. The various physicochemical properties such as critical micelle concentration (cmc), surface excess concentration (Г(max)), minimum area per molecule (A(min)), aggregation number (N(agg)), interaction parameters (β(σ), β(m)), and thermodynamic parameters such as standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG(ads)(o)), excess free energy of micellization (ΔG(ex)), and standard Gibbs free energy of micellization (ΔG(m)(o)) have been evaluated. The negative values of ΔG(m)(o) and ΔG(ads)(o) show that the micelle formation and adsorption of surfactant at the air/solution interface is energetically favorable, while a negative value of ΔG(ex) ensures stability of the mixed micelles formed. The Regular Solution Approximation, Motomura and Rosen's approaches have been used to explain and compare the results. The packing parameter (p) ensures the formation of vesicles or bilayers for AOT+DPS/TPS mixtures, which can potentially be used as delivery agents for industrial applications.     

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some 5-hydroxy-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-thiocarboxamides, 3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-1-thiocarboxamides and 4-aryl-2-(5(3)-trifluoromethyl-1-pyrazolyl)thiazoles

5-Hydroxy-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-thiocarboxamides 3 and 3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-1-thiocarboxamides 4, regioselectively obtained by the condensation of trifluoromethyl-β-diketones with thiosemicarbazide under neutral and acidic conditions, on further reaction with phenacyl bromides 5 afforded 4-aryl-(5-trifluoromethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)thiazoles 6 and 4-aryl-(3-trifluoromethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)thiazoles 7, respectively. Five 4,5-dihydropyrazoles (3a–e) and two pyrazolylthiazoles (6a and 6c) were tested against one Gram-positive and one Gram-negative bacteria to assess their in vitro antibacterial activity. Compounds 3a, 3b and 3e showed moderate antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus pumilus.     

Extraction of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) with dihexylbutyramide and dihexylisobutyramide from nitric acid medium

The extraction of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) was carried out with two isomeric monoamides, dihexylbutyramide (DHBA) and dihexylisobutyramide (DHIBA) from nitric acid medium, usingn-dodecane as diluent. The possibility of separation of the two metal ions from each other without valency adjustment was attempted. U(VI) was extracted as its disolvate, while Pu(IV) was extracted as its trisolvate. From the variation of distribution ratio with temperature, it was shown that the extraction reaction was enthalpy controlled in all the cases.     

SERS at structured palladium and platinum surfaces

Palladium and platinum are important catalytic metals, and it would be highly advantageous to be able to use surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to study reactive species and intermediates on their surfaces. In this paper we describe the use of templated electrodeposition through colloidal templates to produce thin (<1 microm) films of palladium and platinum containing close packed hexagonal arrays of uniform sphere segment voids. We show that, even though these films are not rough, when the appropriate film thickness and sphere diameter are employed these surfaces give stable, reproducible surface enhancements for Raman scattering from molecules adsorbed at the metal surface. We report SERS spectra for benzenethiol adsorbed on the structured palladium and platinum surfaces of different thicknesses and void diameters and show that, for 633 nm radiation, enhancements of 1800 and 550 can be obtained for palladium and platinum, respectively.