Electroanalytical sensors for nonconducting media based on electrodes supported on perfluorinated ion-exchange membranes

Electroanalytical sensors, suitable for the analysis and monitoring of electroactive analytes present in gaseous phase or low-conductive liquid media, and based on electrodes in close contact with perfluorinated ion-exchange polymers are reviewed. The basic operative mechanism of these sensors, in which ion-exchange polymers act as solid polymer electrolytes (SPE's), is thoroughly discussed, while stressing the fundamental reasons why their behavior differs from that of conventional membrane electrodes. The procedures for preparing composite working electrodes by coating one side of ion-exchange membranes with stable porous films of conductive materials are described, along with the most common strategies followed to assemble this type of sensors. Useful examples of measurements in electrolyte-free media of inorganic and organic electroactive species of interest mainly for environmental analysis are given. Future prospects for the development of these sensors are also discussed.     

Synthesis and configuration determination of all enantiopure stereoisomers of the melatonin receptor ligand 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin using an expedient optical resolution of 4-phenyl-2-tetralone

An efficient and practical approach for the synthesis of all four stereoisomers of the MT(2) melatonin receptor ligand 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4-P-PDOT), each in enantiomerically pure form (ee > 99.9%), was developed. The strategy involved an optical resolution procedure of the key precursor (±)-4-phenyl-2-tetralone with the unusual resolving agent (S)-mandelamide, through the formation of four dihydronaphtalene-spiro-oxazolidin-4-one diastereomers. Interestingly, NMR experimental observations in combination with geometric calculations, provided unambiguous configuration assignments of all stereocenters of the key spiro stereoisomers. Cleavage of each single spiro diastereomer under acidic conditions gave enantiopure (R)- or (S)-4-phenyl-2-tetralone, which were then converted to each 4-P-PDOT single enantiomer by using stereoselective reactions.     

Analytical methods for determination of new fluoroquinolones in biological matrices and pharmaceutical formulations by liquid chromatography: a review

Fluoroquinolones are one of the most promising and intensively studied drugs of contemporary anti-infective chemotherapy. New fluoroquinolone antibacterials with improved pharmacokinetic properties and a broad spectrum of activity have been developed, opening new windows of opportunity for clinical use. To our knowledge, no comprehensive and critical review of the analytical methods for the determination of these agents, which correspond to the third- and fourth-generation quinolones, has yet been published. This work summarizes for the first time most of the liquid chromatographic methods reported in the literature for the separation and quantification of the new fluoroquinolones in biological matrices and pharmaceutical formulations. A systematic and detailed survey of physicochemical properties, sample preparation procedures, and chromatographic and detection conditions is presented herein. In the course of this review several liquid chromatographic methods are discussed: reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (IEX-HPLC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and other chiral chromatographic methods. Their advantages, applicability and limitations are also examined.     

Quantitative analysis of structure and bandgap changes in graphene oxide nanoribbons during thermal annealing

Graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONRs) are wide bandgap semiconductors that can be reduced to metallic graphene nanoribbons. The transformation of GONRs from their semiconductive to the metallic state by annealing has attracted significant interest due to its simplicity. However, the detailed process by which GONRs transform from wide-bandgap semiconductors to semimetals with a near zero bandgap is unclear. As a result, precise control of the bandgap between these two states is not currently achievable. Here, we quantitatively examine the removal of oxygen-containing groups and changes in the bandgap during thermal annealing of GONRs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show the progressive removal of oxygen-containing functional groups. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that initially small graphene regions in GONRs become large stacked graphitic layers during thermal annealing. These structural and chemical changes are correlated with progressive changes in the electrochemical bandgap, monitored by cyclic voltammetry. These results show that small changes in the thermal annealing temperature result in significant changes to the bandgap and chemical composition of GONRs and provide a straightforward method for tuning the bandgap in oxidized graphene structures.     

The Biochemical Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy†

The unbridled dissemination of multidrug-resistant pathogens is a major threat to global health and urgently demands novel therapeutic alternatives. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been developed as a promising approach to treat localized infections regardless of drug resistance profile or taxonomy. Even though this technique has been known for more than a century, discussions and speculations regarding the biochemical mechanisms of microbial inactivation have never reached a consensus on what is the primary cause of cell death. Since photochemically generated oxidants promote ubiquitous reactions with various biomolecules, researchers simply assumed that all cellular structures are equally damaged. In this study, biochemical, molecular, biological and advanced microscopy techniques were employed to investigate whether protein, membrane or DNA damage correlates better with dose-dependent microbial inactivation kinetics. We showed that although mild membrane permeabilization and late DNA damage occur, no correlation with inactivation kinetics was found. On the other hand, protein degradation was analyzed by three different methods and showed a dose-dependent trend that matches microbial inactivation kinetics. Our results provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of aPDT that can guide the scientific community toward the development of optimized photosensitizing drugs and also rationally propose synergistic combinations with antimicrobial chemotherapy.     

Activating Bi p-orbitals in Dispersed Clusters of Amorphous BiOx for Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction

Catalytic strategies based on main group metals are significantly less advanced than those of transition metal catalysis, leaving untapped areas of potentially fruitful research. We here demonstrate an effective approach for the modulation of Bi 6p energy levels during the construction of atomically dispersed clusters of amorphous BiO_x. Bi oxidation state is proposed to strongly affects the nitrogen fixation activity, with the half-occupied p_z orbitals of the Bi²⁺ ions being highly efficient toward electron injection into the inert N₂ molecule. With sufficient catalytic sites to adsorb and activate N₂, the bonding between N₂ and catalyst is able to be in situ identified. The catalyst shows an outstanding Faraday efficiency (≈30 %) and high yield (≈113 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹_cat) in NH₃ production, outperforming most of the existing catalysts in aqueous solution. These results lay the basis for developing the potential of p-block elements for catalysis of multi-electron reactions.     

Acid–base sensor based on sol–gel encapsulation of bromothymol blue in silica: application for milk spoilage detection

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology - In this work, silica capsules containing bromothymol blue (BTB) were synthesized by a modified Stöber sol–gel method. These silica capsules...     

Synthesis of Triply Fused Porphyrin‐Nanographene Conjugates

Two unprecedented porphyrin fused nanographene molecules, 1 and 2 , have been synthesized by the Scholl reaction from tailor‐made precursors based on benzo[m]tetraphene‐substituted porphyrins. The chemical structures were validated by a combination of high‐resolution matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (HR MALDI‐TOF MS), IR and Raman spectroscopy, and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). The UV‐vis‐near infrared absorption spectroscopy of 1 and 2 demonstrated broad and largely red‐shifted absorption spectra extending up to 1000 and 1400 nm, respectively, marking the significant extension of the π‐conjugated systems.     

4,5-Dihydroisoxazole and 4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives from cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides to alkyl N-(diphenylmethylene)-α,β-dehydroamino acids

The alkyl N-(diphenylmethylene)-α,β-dehydroamino acids 1 have been submitted to 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with nitrile oxides. The reactivity of these compounds depends on the type and on the stereochemistry of the β-substituents. With the unsubstituted terms 1a,b the reaction occurs on the C,C double bond, providing a good method for the synthesis of the 4,5-dihydroisoxazole derivatives 3a,b,c and for the gem-functionalized 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles amino carboxylic ester 5. The β-substituted compounds 1c,d,e , inert to 1,1-dimethylethylnitrile oxide, undergo the reaction to the N,C double bond, thus giving with 2a,b the 4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives 4. All the reactions occur with high site- and regioselectivity.