Separation of 134Cs and 133Ba radionuclides by calcium alginate beads

The uptake behavior of long-lived radionuclides such as ¹³⁴Cs (2.06 years), ¹³⁷Cs (30 years) or ¹³³Ba (10.54 years) on calcium alginate (CA) beads have been investigated. The CA beads are able to remove ¹³³Ba (92%) at pH 7 after 90 min of exposure from the binary mixture of two. The separation method of short-lived daughter ¹³⁷Ba (2.55 min) from its long-lived parent ¹³⁷Cs (30 years) using this CA beads have also been developed.     

Electronic and geometrical manipulation of the excited state of bis-terdentate homo- and heteroleptic ruthenium complexes

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of two new bis-terdentate Ru(II) complexes. Compound 1 is a homoleptic complex containing two CNC N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based ligands, whereas compound 2 bears one CNC ligand and an ancillary terpyridine ligand. The redox and photophysical properties of both compounds have been investigated and their X-ray crystal structures determined. Complex 1 displays a close-to-perfect octahedral coordination geometry and is not luminescent at room temperature while complex 2 features room temperature and 77 K luminescence despite its partially distorted geometry. The presence of the NHC moieties brings a significant amount of electronic density to the metal centre therefore lowering its oxidation potential with respect to that of analogous polypyridyl complexes.     

Clouding behaviour in surfactant systems

A study on the phenomenon of clouding and the applications of cloud point technology has been thoroughly discussed. The phase behaviour of clouding and various methods adopted for the determination of cloud point of various surfactant systems have been elucidated. The systems containing anionic, cationic, nonionic surfactants as well as microemulsions have been reviewed with respect to their clouding phenomena and the effects of structural variation in the surfactant systems have been incorporated. Additives of various natures control the clouding of surfactants. Electrolytes, nonelectrolytes, organic substances as well as ionic surfactants, when present in the surfactant solutions, play a major role in the clouding phenomena. The review includes the morphological study of clouds and their applications in the extraction of trace inorganic, organic materials as well as pesticides and protein substrates from different sources.     

Naturally occurring iridoids and secoiridoids. An updated review, part 4

A compilation of new naturally occurring iridoids and secoiridoids including their glycosides, esters, aglycones, derivatives and dimers reported during mid 2008-2010 is provided with available physical and spectral data: mp, [α](D), UV, IR, circular dichroism (CD), (1)H- and (13)C-NMR as well as natural source with family and references. The important bioactivity of new and known iridoids and secoiridoids reported during this period is also highlighted.     

Magnetic exchange interactions and magneto-structural correlations in heterobridged μ-phenoxo-μ(1,1)-azide dinickel(II) compounds: a combined experimental and theoretical exploration

This investigation presents the syntheses, crystal structures, magnetic properties, and density functional theoretical modeling of magnetic behavior of two heterobridged μ-phenoxo-μ(1,1)-azido dinickel(II) compounds [Ni(II)(2)(L(1))(2)(μ(1,1)-N(3))(N(3))(H(2)O)]·CH(3)CH(2)OH (1) and [Ni(II)(2)(L(2))(2)(μ(1,1)-N(3))(CH(3)CN)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))·H(2)O·CH(3)CN (2), where HL(1) and HL(2) are the [1+1] condensation products of 3-methoxysalicylaldehyde and 1-(2-aminoethyl)-piperidine (for HL(1))/4-(2-aminoethyl)-morpholine (for HL(2)), along with density functional theoretical magneto-structural correlations of μ-phenoxo-μ(1,1)-azido dinickel(II) systems. Compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in orthorhombic (space group Pbca) and monoclinic (space group P2(1)/c) systems, respectively. The coordination environments of both metal centers are distorted octahedral. The variable-temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibilities at 0.7 T of both compounds have been measured. The interaction between the metal centers is moderately ferromagnetic; J = 16.6 cm(-1), g = 2.2, and D = -7.3 cm(-1) for 1 and J = 16.92 cm(-1), g = 2.2, and D(Ni1) = D(Ni2) = -6.41 cm(-1) for 2. Broken symmetry density functional calculations of exchange interaction have been performed on complexes 1 and 2 and provide a good numerical estimate of J values (15.8 cm(-1) for 1 and 15.35 cm(-1) for 2) compared to experiments. The role of Ni-N bond length asymmetry on the magnetic coupling has been noted by comparing the structures and J values of complexes 1 and 2 together with previously published dimers 3 (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2009, 4982), 4 (Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43, 2427), and 5 (Dalton Trans. 2008, 6539). Our extensive DFT calculations reveal an important clue to the mechanism of coupling where the orientation of the magnetic orbitals seems to differ with asymmetry in the Ni-N bond lengths. This difference in orientation leads to a large change in the overlap integral between the magnetic orbitals and thus the magnetic coupling. DFT calculations have also been extended to develop several magneto-structural correlations in this type of complexes and the correlation aim to focus on the asymmetry of the Ni-N bond lengths reveal that the asymmetry plays a proactive role in governing the magnitude of the coupling. From a completely symmetric Ni-N bond length, two behaviors have been noted: with a decrease in bond length there is an increase in the ferromagnetic coupling, while an increase in the bond lengths leads to a decrease in ferromagnetic interaction. The later correlation is supported by experiments. The magnetic properties of 1, 2, and three previously reported related compounds have been discussed in light of the structural parameters and also in light of the theoretical correlations determined here.     

Synthesis, crystal structure determination, spectroscopic and electrochemical studies of trans-[Ru(PPh3)2(bbpH2)Cl]Cl·CHCl3·H20 (bbpH2=2,6-bis(benzimidazolyl) pyridine) – an infinite double columnar supramolecule in the solid state

The synthesis, crystal structure, redox and spectroscopic properties of trans-[Ru(bbpH₂)(PPh₃)₂Cl]Cl are reported. In the crystalline solvate trans-[Ru(bbpH₂)(PPh₃)₂cCl]Cl CHCl₃ H₂O, the molecular components are connected by strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding to form an infinite double column.     

A modified method for the determination of uranium in Nb/Ta minerals by LED fluorimetry

A modified LED fluorimetry determination of uranium in Nb/Ta minerals has been developed. The mineral is brought into solution by fusion with mixed phosphate flux (NaH₂PO₄, H₂O and Na₂HPO₄). Iron quenches uranium fluorescence when it is present above the ratio of (iron to uranium) 100. Uranium is separated in ethyl acetate by solvent extraction and then stripped back into pyrophosphate buffer (pH ~ 7) prior to its LED fluorimetry determination. This modified method has been applied for the determination of uranium in synthetic mixtures and Nb/Ta minerals including Certified Reference Materials (X1807) with high degree of accuracy and precision.