FTIR-ATR investigations of an α-helix to β-sheet conformational transition in poly(l-lysine)

A promising application of the multivariate curve resolution based on alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) method is reported for the analysis of the temperature-dependent conformational changes in poly(l-lysine) (PLL). The MCR-ALS approach has enabled detection of three structural components developed during the melting experiment. Most important is an infrared signature of the intermediate component described as a mixture of native α-helical conformation and its extended forms.     

Flow of Emulsions Stabilized by Polymers Through Packed Bed

Transport in Porous Media - In this study, we present the results of measurements of pressure drops during the flow of emulsions stabilized by carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt (NaCMC), xanthan...     

Smectic behaviour of methyl 4-alkoxybenzoates with a partially fluorinated alkyl chain

A series of 4-alkoxybenzoic acids 1[m,n] and their methyl esters 2[m,n] containing a partially fluorinated alkyl chain was prepared and their physical properties were investigated by optical, thermal and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The former exhibits an SmC phase, while the latter form an SmA phase. XRD analysis indicated liquid-like character of the linking alkyl chains, and showed a decreasing layer thermal expansion coefficient from positive to negative upon increasing the degree of fluorination. The new esters 2[m,n] expanded the series and permitted analysis of trends in thermal stability of the SmA phase. The results demonstrate that the SmA–I transition temperature increases by about +20 K per CF₂CF₂ unit, and is destabilised by –5.6 K upon extending the hydrocarbon part by each CH₂CH₂ group. Data for the expanded series 2[m,n] were used for comparative analysis of mesogenic behaviour in two other series of derivatives of 1[m,n]. Synthetic methods for 1[m,n] and 2[m,n] are reviewed.     

Characteristics of dextrin adsorption by elemental sulfur

Characteristics of dextrin adsorption by elemental sulfur were investigated by the means of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, total organic carbon (TOC) measurements, BET measurements as well as molecular dynamics simulation (MDS). Adsorption isotherms for dextrin adsorption by sulfur were compared to isotherms for dextrin adsorption by other hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces taken from the literature. The three-dimensional structure of dextrin was studied in detail and possible mechanisms of adsorption are discussed. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations provided further insight into the mechanism of dextrin adsorption by elemental sulfur.     

Molecular and electronic structures, infrared spectra, and vibrational assignment for ap and sc conformers of hexafluoro-iso-propanol

Comprehensive studies of the molecular structures, vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities of the antiperiplanar (ap) and synclinal (sc) conformers of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) have been performed by the density functional (B3LYP) method using the extended 6-311++G(df,pd) basis set. The detailed natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis has revealed the nature of the hyperconjugative interactions, which stabilize each conformer, in the gas phase. The mid-infrared spectra of HFIP in carbon tetrachloride solution were measured, and the experimental intensities of each conformer were obtained by the curve–resolution procedure. The relative abundance of the two conformers, calculated from the relative intensities, shows nearly equimolar ratio (N_sc/N_ap ≈ 1), in this solution. The DFT-predicted frequencies show very good agreement with the experimental data. The clear-cut vibrational assignment for each conformer is reported on the basis of the calculated potential energy distributions. Several controversies in an earlier assignment of HFIP have been elucidated.     

Reactions of nitroheteroarenes with carbanions: bridging aromatic, heteroaromatic, and vinylic electrophilicity

The relative rate constants for the vicarious nucleophilic substitution (VNS) of the anion of chloromethyl phenyl sulfone (1-) with a variety of nitroheteroarenes, for example, nitropyridines, nitropyrroles, nitroimidazoles, 2-nitrothiophene, and 4-nitropyrazole, have been determined by competition experiments. It was shown that nitropyridines are approximately four orders of magnitude more reactive than nitrobenzene. Among the five-membered heterocycles 2-nitrothiophene is the most active followed by nitroimidazoles and 4-nitropyrazole. Nitropyrroles are the least electrophilic nitroheteroarenes with reactivities comparable to nitrobenzene. Quantum chemically calculated methyl anion affinities (B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d)) of the nitroarenes correlated only moderately with the partial relative rate constants. The correlation of these activities with the LUMO energies of nitroarenes is even worse. By measuring the second-order rate constants of the addition of 1- to nitroarenes and to diethyl arylidenemalonates 10, it was possible to link the electrophilic reactivities of nitroheteroarenes with the comprehensive electrophilicity scale based on the linear-free-energy-relationship log k(20 degrees C)=s(N+E).     

A Review of Ionic Liquids in Chromatographic and Electromigration Techniques

Although there have been numerous studies on the use of ionic liquids (IL) as solvents for synthesis and catalysis, there are many potential new fields for their application. The number of studies dealing with the use of ILs as additives to the mobile phase in LC and CZE and as a stationary phases in GC is constantly increasing. The main goal of the present paper is to gather together studies concerning the use of ILs in chromatographic techniques. The application of these substances as stationary phases, mobile phase additives and electroosmotic flow modifiers is discussed. Conversely, the application of separation methods in the analysis of ILs is also the subject of this review.     

The influence of mobile phase demixion on thin-layer chromatographic enantioseparation of ibuprofen and naproxen

In our earlier article we presented the results of tracing the enantioseparation of the two test analytes (ibuprofen and naproxen) by means of video densitometry and scanning densitometry. In that way we demonstrated an excellent performance of this combined approach to the thin-layer chromatographic detection in the area of enantioseparation. In this paper we study an impact of the four different mobile phases on the enantioseparation of the scalemic mixtures of ibuprofen and naproxen on the silica gel layers impregnated with L-arginine as chiral selector. The main component of all the investigated mobile phases is 2-propanol. Mobile phase 1 consists of pure 2-propanol, while mobile phases 2-4 contain, respectively, ca. 0.66, 1.32, and 1.98 g/L of glacial acetic acid in 2-propanol. Acetic acid is used to protonate L-arginine, as the involved retention mechanism consists of the ion pair formation between L-arginine in the cationic form and the chiral 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs), ibuprofen and naproxen, in the anionic form. It is shown that in the absence of glacial acetic acid no enantioseparation can be obtained. Then with adding of 0.66 g/L glacial acetic acid partial enantioseparation of the naproxen and ibuprofen antimers is obtained, with a simultaneous effect of the mobile phase demixion. With the amount of acetic acid increasing, the effect of demixion becomes increasingly perceptible. In that case the displacement effect is observed (and mathematically modeled), which results in compressing of the antimer pairs by the second front of mobile phase. The obtained results allow a deeper insight into the mechanism of enantioseparation with the two test 2-APAs. A combined impact of the crystalline chirality of silica gel and the molecular chirality of L-arginine on the vertical and the horizontal enantioseparation of ibuprofen and naproxen is also discussed.     

Heterogeneous Photocatalysis of Metronidazole in Aquatic Samples

Metronidazole (MET) is a commonly detected contaminant in the environment. The compound is classified as poorly biodegradable and highly soluble in water. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is the most promoted water purification method due to the possibility of using sunlight and small amounts of a catalyst needed for the process. The aim of this study was to select conditions for photocatalytic removal of metronidazole from aquatic samples. The effect of catalyst type, mass, and irradiance intensity on the efficiency of metronidazole removal was determined. For this purpose, TiO₂, ZnO, ZrO₂, WO₃, PbS, and their mixtures in a mass ratio of 1:1 were used. In this study, the transformation products formed were identified, and the mineralization degree of compound was determined. The efficiency of metronidazole removal depending on the type of catalyst was in the range of 50–95%. The highest MET conversion (95%) combined with a high degree of mineralization (70.3%) was obtained by using a mixture of 12.5 g TiO₂–P25 + PbS (1:1; v/v) and running the process for 60 min at an irradiance of 1000 W m⁻². Four MET degradation products were identified by untargeted analysis, formed by the rearrangement of the metronidazole and the C-C bond breaking.