Simultaneous separation of alkali and alkaline-earth cations on polybutadiene-maleic acid-coated stationary phase by mineral acid eluents

The simultaneous separation of alkali and alkaline-earth cations on polybutadiene-maleic acid-coated silica columns can be achieved with mineral acid eluents. Simple ion-exchange retention mechanisms and the high selectivity of eluent hydronium ions towards the carboxylate group are the basis for the separation. Use of mineral acid eluents allows using this column in both single column and suppressor-based IC systems. Both types of ion chromatography systems provide detection limits in the low-ng/ml range with excellent linearity.     

A novel NHC-catalyzed transformation of 2H-chromene-3-carboxaldehydes to 3-methyl-2H-chromen-2-ones

An unexpected transformation of 2H-chromene-3-carboxaldehydes to coumarin derivatives, mediated by NHC, is reported.     

Curcumin-loaded biocompatible thermoresponsive polymeric nanoparticles for cancer drug delivery

This study aims at the formulation of curcumin with biodegradable thermoresponsive chitosan-g-poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) nanoparticles (TRC-NPs) for cancer drug delivery. The spherical curcumin-loaded nanoparticles of size 220 nm were characterized, and the biological properties were studied using flow cytometry and cytotoxicity by MTT assay. The in vitro drug release was higher at above LCST compared to that at below LCST. TRC-NPs in the concentration range of 100-1000 μg/mL were non-toxic to an array of cell lines. The cellular localization of the curcumin-loaded TRC-NPs was confirmed from green fluorescence inside the cells. The time-dependent curcumin uptake by the cells was quantified by UV spectrophotometer. Curcumin-loaded TRC-NPs showed specific toxicity to cancer cells at above their LCST. Flow cytometric analysis showed increased apoptosis on PC3 compared to L929 by curcumin-loaded TRC-NPs. These results indicate that novel curcumin-loaded TRC-NPs could be a promising candidate for cancer drug delivery.     

2‐[(E)‐(4‐Hydroxy‐3‐methoxybenzylidene)amino]‐N‐(2‐methylphenyl)‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1‐benzothiophene‐3‐carboxamide

The title compound, C₂₄H₂₄N₂O₃S, exhibits antifungal and antibacterial properties. The compound crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit, with one molecule exhibiting `orientational disorder' in the crystal structure with respect to the cyclohexene ring. The o‐toluidine groups in both molecules are noncoplanar with the respective cyclohexene‐fused thiophene ring. In both molecules, there is an intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond forming a pseudo‐six‐membered ring which locks the molecular conformation and eliminates conformational flexibility. The crystal structure is stabilized by O—H...O hydrogen bonds; both molecules in the asymmetric unit form independent chains, each such chain consisting of alternating `ordered' and `disordered' molecules in the crystal lattice.     

Effect of fiber length and composition on mechanical properties of carbon fiber‐reinforced polybenzoxazine

The mechanical strength and modulus of chopped carbon fiber (CF)‐reinforced polybenzoxazine composites were investigated by changing the length of CFs. Tensile, compressive, and flexural properties were investigated. The void content was found to be higher for the short fiber composites. With increase in fiber length, tensile strength increased and optimized at around 17 mm fiber length whereas compressive strength exhibited a continuous diminution. The flexural strength too increased with fiber length and optimized at around 17 mm fiber length. The increase in strength of composites with fiber length is attributed to the enhancement in effective contact area of fibers with the matrix. The experimental results showed that there was about 350% increase in flexural strength and 470% increase in tensile strength of the composites with respect to the neat polybenzoxazine, while, compressive properties were adversely affected. The composites exhibited an optimum increase of about 800% in flexural modulus and 200% in tensile modulus. Enhancing the fiber length, leads to fiber entanglement in the composites, resulted in increased plastic deformation at higher strain. Multiple branch matrix shear, debonded fibers and voids were the failures visualized in the microscopic analyses. Defibrillation has been exhibited by all composites irrespective of fiber length. Fiber debonding and breaking were associated with short fibers whereas clustering and defibrillation were the major failure modes in long fiber composites. Increasing fiber loading improved the tensile and flexural properties until 50–60 wt% of fiber whereas the compressive property consistently decreased on fiber loading. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly super capacitive electrodes made of graphene/poly(pyrrole)

We report on the development and characterization of high performance supercapacitor electrodes synthesized using electrophoretic deposition of graphene, upon which the poly(pyrrole)-layer was electropolymerised. The highly capacitive electrode had a specific capacitance of 1510 F g(-1), area capacitance of 151 mF cm(-2) and volume capacitance of 151 F cm(-3) at 10 mV s(-1).     

Formation of single-walled aluminosilicate nanotubes from molecular precursors and curved nanoscale intermediates

We report the identification and elucidation of the mechanistic role of molecular precursors and nanoscale (1-3 nm) intermediates with intrinsic curvature in the formation of single-walled aluminosilicate nanotubes. We characterize the structural and compositional evolution of molecular and nanoscale species over a length scale of 0.1-100 nm by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((27)Al liquid-state, (27)Al and (29)Si solid-state MAS), and dynamic light scattering. Together with structural optimization of key experimentally identified species by solvated density functional theory calculations, this study reveals the existence of intermediates with bonding environments, as well as intrinsic curvature, similar to the structure of the final nanotube product. We show that "proto-nanotube-like" intermediates with inherent curvature form in aqueous synthesis solutions immediately after initial hydrolysis of reactants, disappear from the solution upon heating to 95 °C due to condensation accompanied by an abrupt pH decrease, and finally form ordered single-walled aluminosilicate nanotubes. Detailed quantitative analysis of NMR and ESI-MS spectra from the relevant aluminosilicate, aluminate, and silicate solutions reveals the presence of a variety of monomeric and polymeric aluminate and aluminosilicate species (Al(1)Si(x)-Al(13)Si(x)), such as Keggin ions [AlO(4)Al(12)(OH)(24)(H(2)O)(12)](7+) and polynuclear species with a six-membered Al oxide ring unit. Our study also directly reveals the complexation of aluminate and aluminosilicate species with perchlorate species that most likely inhibit the formation of larger condensates or nontubular structures. Integration of all of our results leads to the construction of the first molecular-level mechanism of single-walled metal oxide nanotube formation, incorporating the role of monomeric and polymeric aluminosilicate species as well as larger nanoparticles.     

Energy‐induced polymorphic changes in poly(vinylidene fluoride): How ultrasonication results in polymer with predominantly γ phase

Self‐polarized poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films were prepared via solution crystallization technique wherein the polymorphism of the films was controlled from α phase (>85%) to γ phase (>90%) by varying the time of ultrasonication. On increasing ultrasonication time up to 60 min, γ phase crystallites were found to be self‐aligned in the matrix while an equal proportion of α and γ phases coexist in the PVDF films ultrasonicated for 120 min. The phase conversion as well as inversion was evident from Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. Microscopic images of films ultrasonicated for 60 min showed a scrolled lamellar morphology while those sonicated for 120 min showed mixture of scrolled lamellar and spherulitic morphology. With the help of computational studies, it is explained that a large amount of energy is required for transforming trans‐gauche‐trans‐gauche into trans‐trans‐trans‐gauche conformation which is provided by ultrasonication. The mechanism of γ phase formation is proposed based on the experimental and theoretical approaches. Our studies show that just by tuning the time of ultrasonication, PVDF films with various morphologies can be processed; either one with predominantly electroactive γ phase with superior electrical properties or one with equal proportion of α and γ phases with superior mechanical properties. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 40–50     

Phosphomolybdic acid promoted Kabachnik–Fields reaction: an efficient one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates from 2-cyclopropylpyrimidine-4-carbaldehyde

2-Cyclopropylpyrimidin-4-yl-aryl/benzothiazole derived α-aminophosphonates were synthesized in a simple and efficient method from a three-component condensation reaction of 2-cyclopropylpyrimidin-4-carbaldehyde, various anilines/benzothiazole amines, and different phosphites by using 0.5 mol % of phosphomolybdic acid (PMA, H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀) in dichloromethane at room temperature in good to excellent yields with short reaction times.     

Relative axial ligand orientation in bis(imidazole)iron(II) porphyrinates: are "picket fence" derivatives different?

The synthesis of three new bis(imidazole)-ligated iron(II) picket fence porphyrin derivatives, [Fe(TpivPP)(1-RIm) 2] 1-RIm = 1-methyl-, 1-ethyl-, or 1-vinylimidazole) are reported. X-ray structure determinations reveal that the steric requirements of the four alpha,alpha,alpha,alpha-o-pivalamidophenyl groups lead to very restricted rotation of the imidazole ligand on the picket side of the porphyrin plane; the crowding leads to an imidazole plane orientation eclipsing an iron-porphyrin nitrogen bond. An unusual feature for these diamagnetic iron(II) species is that all three derivatives have the two axial ligands with a relative perpendicular orientation; the dihedral angles between the two imidazole planes are 77.2 degrees , 62.4 degrees , and 78.5 degrees . All three derivatives have nearly planar porphyrin cores. M?ssbauer spectroscopic characterization shows that all three derivatives have quadrupole splitting constants around 1.00 mm/s at 100K.