Electrochemical detection and removal of pharmaceuticals in waste waters

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Fourfold [2]rotaxanes based on calix[4]arenes

Tetraurea calix[4]arenes with four loops form exclusively heterodimers with open-chain urea calix[4]arenes when they are dissolved in aprotic solvents. These assemblies can be considered as pseudorotaxanes. If open-chain tetraureas ending with maleic imide functions are used, their Diels-Alder reaction with 1,4,5,8-tetrapentoxyanthracene leads to tetra[2]rotaxanes which cannot be split into the single calixarene parts by hydrogen bond breaking solvents.     

Thermal decomposition kinetics of some aromatic azomonoethers

The non-isothermal kinetic parameters corresponding to the decomposition of 4-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-4’-nitro-azobenzene were evaluated. The kinetic analysis was performed by means of different multi-heating rates methods: isoconversional (‘model-free’) methods (Flynn–Wall–Ozawa) and invariant kinetic parameters method (IKP) associated with the criterion of the independence of activation parameters on the heating rate. The values of the obtained non-isothermal kinetic parameters are in satisfactory agreement.     

Thermal behaviour of CuS (covellite) obtained from copper–thiosulfate system

Thermal behaviour of CuS (covellite) obtained from the Cu(CH₃COO)₂·H₂O and Na₂S₂O₃·5H₂O system, working at different molar ratio (1:6 and 1:4) in presence/absence of NH₄VO₃, was studied. It was established that the presence of vanadium in the system induces a densification of CuS nodules, but do not change the hexagonal CuS structure. It has an important influence in thermal behaviour of copper sulfide CuS obtained also. The morphological characteristics of CuS play an important role in the thermal stability and the stoichiometry of the thermal decompositions. Also, the possibility to obtain copper sulfides with greater cooper content was investigated.     

Interference-free biosensor based on screen-printing technology and sol-gel immobilization for determination of acetaldehyde in wine

A monoenzymatic amperometric biosensor was developed for the detection of acetaldehyde. The sensor is based on the association of screen-printed carbon electrodes and aldehyde dehydrogenase immobilized by a sol-gel entrapment method. Modification of screen-printed carbon electrodes with Reinecke salt of Meldola's Blue (MBRS) resulted in highly sensitive and interference-free nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NADH) detectors. Based on MBRS-mediated oxidation of NADH at -150 mV versus pseudo Ag/AgCl, acetaldehyde was determined in the range 10-260 microM, compatible with wine quality monitoring. The method of immobilization based on sol-gel entrapment was optimized to obtain the best compromise between sensitivity and operational stability. The sensor response was stable for 40 consecutive assays with methyltrimethoxysilane used as alkoxide precursor, thus allowing a possible calibration of the sensor before each measurement. The biosensors were used to analyze French wines. The method was validated with a commercially available enzymatic kit based on a standard spectrophotometric method.     

Fluorimetric and molecular mechanics study of the inclusion complex of 2-quinoxalinyl-phenoxathiin with β-cyclodextrin

The complex formed by the inclusion of the polarity-sensitive fluorescent probe 2-[2′-quinoxalinyl]-phenoxathiin (QP) into β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was investigated by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy in order to confirm the previously stated intramolecular charge transfer nature of the first excited singlet state of QP. A decrease in the emission intensity in the presence of β-CD was observed and explained on this basis. The 1:1 stoichiometry of the inclusion complex and its association constant of 2,223 M⁻¹ were computed. The QP–β-CD complex was further studied by molecular mechanics (MM+ force field), in order to determine its structure and the type of interactions between QP and β-CD. All possible ways QP could penetrate the β-CD cavity were considered and several structures were generated and optimized. The interaction, binding (van der Waals and electrostatic contributions) and perturbation energies were also calculated. The results have showed that the β-CD cavity incorporates the central part of QP and that complexation is mainly due to van der Waals host–guest interactions.     

Hypercoordinated diorganoantimony(III) compounds of types [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2SbL and [PhCH2N(CH2C6H4)2]SbL (L = Cl,ONO2, OSO2CF3). Synthesis,structure and catalytic behaviour in the Henry reaction

The compounds [2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄]₂SbL (L = ONO₂ ( 2 ), OSO₂CF₃ ( 3 )) and [PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄)₂]SbL (L = ONO₂ ( 5 ), OSO₂CF₃ ( 6 )) were prepared by reacting [2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄]₂SbCl ( 1 ) and [PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄)₂]SbCl ( 4 ), respectively, with the appropriate silver(I) salt in a 1:1 molar ratio. The new species 2 – 6 were structurally characterized in solution using multinuclear NMR and in the solid state using infrared spectroscopy. The solid-state structures for compounds 2 , 4 and 6, as well as for the hydrolysis ionic product [{2-(Me₂N⁺HCH₂)C₆H₄}{2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄}SbOH][CF₃SO₃]⁻ ( 3h ) were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Medium to strong intramolecular N→ Sb interactions were observed in all these four compounds, thus resulting in hypercoordinated organoantimony(III) species 14-Sb-6 in 2 and 10-Sb-4 in the cation of 3h and in 4 and 6 . Compounds 1 – 6 and the starting amines PhCH₂NMe₂ and PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄Br-2)₂ were investigated as catalysts in the Henry (nitroaldol) addition of nitromethane to benzaldehyde. The activity of compounds 1 – 6 resulted as an effect of the cooperation of the positively charged antimony with the negatively charged nitrogen.     

The Anti-Leukemic Activity of Natural Compounds

The use of biologically active compounds has become a realistic option for the treatment of malignant tumors due to their cost-effectiveness and safety. In this review, we aimed to highlight the main natural biocompounds that target leukemic cells, assessed by in vitro and in vivo experiments or clinical studies, in order to explore their therapeutic potential in the treatment of leukemia: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It provides a basis for researchers and hematologists in improving basic and clinical research on the development of new alternative therapies in the fight against leukemia, a harmful hematological cancer and the leading cause of death among patients.     

A simple gamma-backbone modification preorganizes peptide nucleic acid into a helical structure

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a synthetic analogue of DNA and RNA, developed more than a decade ago in which the naturally occurring sugar phosphate backbone has been replaced by the N-(2-aminoethyl) glycine units. Unlike DNA or RNA in the unhybridized state (single strand) which can adopt a helical structure through base-stacking, although highly flexible, PNA does not have a well-defined conformational folding in solution. Herein, we show that a simple backbone modification at the gamma-position of the N-(2-aminoethyl) glycine unit can transform a randomly folded PNA into a helical structure. Spectroscopic studies showed that helical induction occurs in the C- to N-terminal direction and is sterically driven. This finding has important implication not only on the future design of nucleic acid mimics but also on the design of novel materials, where molecular organization and efficient electronic coupling are desired.