Optimisation of extraction procedures for metallothionein-isoforms and superoxide dismutase from liver samples using spiking experiments

The speciation of trace element species in solid matrices like liver samples is still problematic due to two reasons. On the one hand direct methods with sufficient selectivity and sensitivity are currently not available. Therefore extraction procedures have to be applied which are often problematic in respect to species stability. On the other hand there are no reference materials with known amounts of metal proteins like metallothionein-isoforms (MT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) for quality control. So the aim of this study was to develop and optimise procedures for the species-preserving extraction of the model compounds MT and SOD from liver samples. Spiking experiments were performed to overcome the lack of appropriate reference materials. In a first step the stability of the model species without liver matrix was investigated by the variation of several extraction parameters. The extractant and exposure to ultrasonic energy especially had a great influence on the recovery of the species while temperature, buffer concentration and atmospheric conditions were less critical. In a second step spiked liver samples were extracted with a selection of procedures taken from the literature. Most of these methods provided recoveries between 70% and 100%. Additionally the buffer concentration and the extractant-to-liver ratio were varied for optimisation. The metal balance of an extraction showed recoveries of 81% for Cd, 94% for Cu and 87% for Zn.     

Analysis of functional groups on the surface of plasma-treated carbon nanofibers

Plasma chemically modified carbon nanofibers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with regard to the content of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen and the contribution of carboxylic groups or ester, carbonyl and hydroxylic groups or ether on the surface. Unfortunately, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy only provides an average value of the first 10 to 15 molecular layers. For comparison, depth profiles were measured and wet chemical methods were applied to estimate the thickness of the functionalized layer and the distribution of oxygen-containing functional groups within the near-surface layers. The results indicate that the fiber surface is covered by a monomolecular oxygen-containing layer and that plasma treatment allows a complete oxygen functionalization of the uppermost surface layer. The best conditions for plasma treatment found within the set of parameters applied to generate complete functionalization are: plasma gas O(2)/Ar ratio 1:1, gas pressure 1-1.5 hPa, plasma power 80 W, treatment time >or= 5 min. Additionally, three quick and easy methods are presented to estimate the efficiency of plasma treatment with regard to surface functionalization: pyrolysis, contact angle measurements, and light permeability measurements of aqueous carbon nanofiber suspensions.     

Structural Investigation of New Lithium Amidinates and Guanidinates

A series of potentially useful lithium amidinates and guanidinates were prepared and fully characterized. Treatment of N,N′‐diisopropylcarbodiimide with phenyllithium in diethyl ether afforded the lithium amidinate [PhC(NiPr)₂Li(OEt₂)]₂ ( 1 ). Similar treatment of N,N′‐diorganocarbodiimides R′–N=C=N–R′ [R′ = iPr, cyclohexyl (Cy)] with secondary lithium amides LiNR₂ [R₂ = Et₂, iPr₂, (CH₂)₄] followed by crystallization from THF or 1,4‐dioxane gave the lithium guanidinates [R₂NC(NR′)₂Li(S)]₂ [ 2 : R = Et, R′ = iPr, S = THF; 3 : R₂ = (CH₂)₄, R′ = iPr, S = THF; 4 : R = R′ = iPr, S = ½ 1,4‐dioxane; 5 : R₂ = (CH₂)₄, R′ = Cy, S = 1,4‐dioxane] as crystalline solids. Reaction of N‐lithioaziridine with the corresponding carbodiimides afforded solvent‐deficient [{C₂H₄NC(NiPr₂)₂}₂Li₂(THF)]₂ ( 6 ), and [C₂H₄NC(NEt)(NtBu)Li(THF)]₂ ( 7 ). Crystal structure determination revealed the presence of common ladder‐type dimeric structures for 1 – 5 . Compound 6 exists as a dimer of two ladder‐type dimers in the crystal, and 7 exhibits an unusual dimeric structure comprising an eight‐membered C₂N₄Li₂ ring.     

Synthesis of intrinsically flame‐retardant copolyamides and their employment in PA6‐fibers

Flame‐retarded polyamide 6.6 (FR‐PA6.6) was prepared by the cocondensation of hexamethylene diammonium adipate (AH‐salt) with the corresponding salts of hexamethylene diamine and two different organophosphorus compounds, namely, 3‐hydroxyphenylphosphinylpropanoic acid (3‐HPP, 1) and 9,10‐dihydro‐10‐[2,3‐di (hydroxycarbonylpropyl]‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide (DDP, 2). The incorporation of the phosphorus comonomers and the thermal and physical properties of the resulting copolyamides have been studied. The phosphorus‐modified FR‐PA6.6 possesses high relative viscosities of 2.0 to 2.4, good thermal stability, and was used for the production of polyamide blends by merging FR‐PA6.6 with commercial PA6. This offered access to flame‐retarded PA6 multifilaments, which possess tensile strengths up to 0.7 GPa and elastic moduli up to 6.2 GPa. Knitted fabrics of FR‐PA6 exhibit high limiting oxygen index (LOI) values between 36 and 38 and executed burning tests demonstrate that the incorporation of phosphorus‐based comonomers improve flame retardancy significantly. The approach presented here offers a straightforward access to effective flame retardancy in nylon 6.     

Kohlenwasserstoffverbrückte Metallkomplexe. L Dicarbonyl‐cyclopentadienyl‐pyridoyl‐eisen‐Komplexe als Liganden

Hydrocarbon‐bridged Metal Complexes. L Dicarbonyl Cyclopentadienyl Pyridoyl Iron Complexes as Ligands Dicarbonyl‐cyclopentadienyl‐2‐ and 3‐pyridoyl‐iron (L¹, L²) and 2,6‐dicarbonyl‐pyridine‐bis(dicarbonyl‐cyclopentadienyl‐iron) (L³) function as ligands in metal complexes and the N,O‐chelates [(OC)₄M(L¹)] (M = Mo, W, 8 a, b ) and [(Ph₃P)₂Cu(L¹)]⁺BF₄^– ( 9 ) were prepared. Monodentate coordination of L¹ and L² through the pyridine N‐atom occurs in the palladium(II) complexes [Cl₂Pd(PnBu₃)(L¹)] ( 10 ), [Cl₂Pd(PnBu₃)(L²)] ( 11 ) and [Cl₂Pd(L²)₂] ( 12 ). Ligand L³ forms the O,N,O‐bis(chelate) [Cl₂Zn(L³)] ( 13 ). The crystal and molecular structures of L¹, 8 b (M = W), 9–11 and 13 were determined by X‐ray diffraction.     

Formation of superlattices via blending of block copolymers

Block copolymers are well‐known for their large number of microphase morphologies on mesoscopic length scales. After a short review of the different morphologies observed in binary block copolymers and ternary triblock copolymers, the self‐assembling in blends of different block copolymers into common superlattices is discussed in detail. Besides similar morphologies known for pure triblock and diblock copolymers, the blends can also show new morphologies. Examples of such new morphologies are periodic non‐centrosymmetric lamellae and multiple gyroid interface structures. The discussion of the superlattices is primarily based on investigations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which are supplemented in a few cases by small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) or results from computer simulations.     

Liquid crystalline polyfluorenes for blue polarized electroluminescence

A series of 9,9‐dialkyl‐poly(fluorene‐2,7‐diyl)s containing linear and branched alkyl substituents with a M_n of up to 200000 g/mol has been synthesized. Moreover, some of the polymers were end capped with a suitable hole transport functionality, such as a triphenylamine derivative, to improve their charge transport properties and to control the molecular weight. The thermal alignment of these novel polymers on a rubbed polyimide layer led to highly anisotropic film formation with dichroic ratios (absorption parallel and perpendicular to the rubbing direction) of up to 26 in absorption and 21 in emission.     

Theory of the Lamellar Superstructure of an ABC 3‐Miktoarm Star‐Terpolymer

Summary: The theory of lamellar superstructures of an ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer in the conditions corresponding to the strong segregation limit for linear ABC triblock terpolymer has been developed. According to the particular molecular topology (namely, the common junction point for all three blocks), the system cannot avoid volume interactions between monomers of different blocks even in this limit. Hence, in the lamellar superstructure, there exists the so‐called “mixed” domain containing monomers of all three blocks but formed mainly of the block with the lowest degree of incompatibility. It is shown that unfavorable volume interactions in this domain are minimized by the increase of the interfacial area per ABC molecule which makes the mixed domain narrow. This leads to an unusual behavior of the period of the superstructure which decreases with an increase in the length of the block with the lowest incompatibility. However, in the case of a “synchronous” increase in the size of the branches of the ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer, the period of the superstructure increases similarly to that for a linear ABC triblock terpolymer.

ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer.     

2,5,8,11-Tetraboronic ester perylenediimides: a next generation building block for dye-stuff synthesis

Via an unprecedentedly reported ruthenium catalyzed reaction, an efficient and straightforward method was developed for the synthesis of 2,5,8,11-tetraboronate perylenediimide derivatives. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed. The synthesis of 2,5,8,11-tetra-iodo and tetra-amino perylenediimides derivatives is also reported.     

New Cu-based catalysts supported on TiO2 films for Ullmann S(N)Ar-type C-O coupling reactions

New routes for the preparation of highly active TiO(2)-supported Cu and CuZn catalysts have been developed for C-O coupling reactions. Slurries of a titania precursor were dip-coated onto glass beads to obtain either structured mesoporous or non-porous titania thin films. The Cu and CuZn nanoparticles, synthesized using a reduction by solvent method, were deposited onto calcined films to obtain a Cu loading of 2 wt%. The catalysts were characterized by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, temperature-programmed oxidation/reduction (TPO/TPR) techniques, (63)Cu nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM-EDX) and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). The activity and stability of the catalysts obtained have been studied in the C-O Ullmann coupling of 4-chloropyridine and potassium phenolate. The titania-supported nanoparticles retained catalyst activity for up to 12 h. However, catalyst deactivation was observed for longer operation times due to oxidation of the Cu nanoparticles. The oxidation rate could be significantly reduced over the CuZn/TiO(2) catalytic films due to the presence of Zn. The 4-phenoxypyridine yield was 64% on the Cu/nonporous TiO(2) at 120 °C. The highest product yield of 84% was obtained on the Cu/mesoporous TiO(2) at 140 °C, corresponding to an initial reaction rate of 104 mmol g(cat) (-1) s(-1). The activation energy on the Cu/mesoporous TiO(2) catalyst was found to be (144±5) kJ mol(-1), which is close to the value obtained for the reaction over unsupported CuZn nanoparticles (123±3 kJ mol(-1)) and almost twice the value observed over the catalysts deposited onto the non-porous TiO(2) support (75±2 kJ mol(-1)).