Hydrogenation on palladium-containing granulated catalysts 3. Synthesis of aminobenzimidazoles by catalytic hydrogenation of dinitroanilines

Efficient hydrogenation of o-aminonitrobenzenes on palladium-containing granulated carbon catalysts in carboxylic acid solutions was accompanied by cyclization into aminobenzimidazoles. A simple hydrogenation reactor with a fixed gauze holding a reusable granulated catalyst was designed. Acylated and sulfonylated 4(7)-aminobenzimidazoles were obtained. In terms of electronic and geometrical parameters, they are close analogs of biologically active imidazo[1,5,4-e,f ][1,5]benzodiazepines. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1171–1181, June, 2007.     

Infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy coupled with Brewster angle microscopy for studying interactions of amphiphilic triblock copolymers with phospholipid monolayers

Novel water-soluble amphiphilic triblock copolymers poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) (PGMA-b-PPO-b-PGMA) were synthesized because of their expected enhanced ability to interact with biological membranes compared to the well-known poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-b-PPO-b-PEO) block copolymers. Their bulkier hydrophilic PGMA blocks might induce a disturbance in the packing of liquid-crystalline lipid bilayers in addition to the effect caused by the hydrophobic PPO block alone. To gain a better insight into the polymer-membrane interactions at the molecular level, the adsorption kinetics and concomitant interactions of (PGMA14)(2-)PPO(34) with model membranes of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) were monitored using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) coupled with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and surface pressure (pi) measurements. The maximum penetration surface pressure of ca. 39 mN/m suggests that (PGMA14)(2-)PPO(34) is able to insert into lipid monolayers even above the so-called monolayer-bilayer equivalent pressure of 30-35 mN/m. Copolymer adsorption to a liquid-expanded DPPC-d62 monolayer proceeds in a two-step mechanism: (i) initially only the more hydrophobic PPO middle block penetrates the lipid monolayer; (ii) following the liquid-expanded-liquid-condensed (LE-LC) phase transition, the bulky PGMA hydrophilic blocks are dragged into the headgroup region as the PPO block inserts further into the fatty acid region. The adsorption kinetics is considerably faster for DMPC-d54 monolayers due to their higher fluidity. Copolymer adsorption to an LC-DPPC-d62 monolayer leads to a change in the monolayer packing by forcing the lipid alkyl chains into a more vertical orientation, their tilt angle with respect to the surface normal being reduced from initially 30 degrees +/- 3 degrees to 18 degrees +/- 3 degrees. BAM images rule out macroscopic phase separation and show that coalescence of DPPC-d62 LC domains takes place at relatively low surface pressures of pi > or = 23 mN/m, suggesting that (PGMA14)(2-)PPO (34) partitions into both LE as well as LC domains.     

Single-walled carbon nanotubes displaying multivalent ligands for capturing pathogens

A single-walled carbon nanotube was exploited for its semi-flexible pseudo-one-dimensional nanostructure as a unique scaffold to display multivalent carbohydrate ligands, with a specific demonstration showing that galactosylated carbon nanotubes were effective in the capturing of pathogenic Escherichia coli in solution.     

Kinetik der Sorption von Fermenten in der Oberfl?chenschicht von Carboxylionenaustauschern

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Two-dimensional diffraction calculations for a fast-flow CO laser

Conclusion We have developed, a two-dimensional diffractive model of a free-flow CO:N₂ laser, using a detailed kinetic model of the active medium.We have shown that the constant-gain model and the diffractive model yield practically the same calculated energy characteristics of a free-flow CO laser. Calculation of the spectral characteristics has shown that the diffractive model yield the same numbers and intensities of the rotational-vibrational transitions on the cavity axis as the model with constant gain. We have determined the errors incurred in calculations by the constant-gain model.At an active-medium density 0.25 Amagat the angular divergence of the radiation is determined by the large-scale inhomogeneity of the subsonic gas flow while the radiation directivity in the far zone is manifested by a noticeable angular shift and is split.Translated from Preprint IAE-5724/11, Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, Moscow, 1990.     

Electrochemical behavior of new electrode material: Compact of boron-doped synthetic diamond

Electrochemical properties of new electrode material—compact of boron-doped synthetic diamond—is studied for the first time. Cylindrical samples 3.5–4 mm in diameter and 2.5 mm in height were obtained by thermobaric processing of graphite–boron carbide mixtures in the diamond thermodynamic stability region (at the pressure of 8–9 GPa and temperature of ~2500 K). Their electrode behavior is studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The cyclic voltammograms of the compact samples showed that their electrode characteristics are similar to those of traditional thin-film diamond electrodes obtained by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. In particular, they demonstrate rather wide potential window, low background current in indifferent electrolytes, and good reproducibility. It can be concluded that the diamond compacts practically are not inferior to the thin-film CVD-diamond electrodes and can serve as indicator electrodes, e.g., in electroanalysis. At the same time their compact form may be a convenience in the designing of electrolyzers and other electrochemical devices.     

Geometric Theory of Reduction of Nonlinear Control Systems

The foundations of a differential geometric theory of nonlinear control systems are described on the basis of categorical concepts (isomorphism, factorization, restrictions) by analogy with classical mathematical theories (of linear spaces, groups, etc.).     

Pentacyclic Triterpene Profile and Its Biosynthetic Pathway in Cecropia telenitida as a Prospective Dietary Supplement

Promising research over the past decades has shown that some types of pentacyclic triterpenes (PTs) are associated with the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D), especially those found in foods. The most abundant edible sources of PTs are those belonging to the ursane and oleanane scaffold. The principal finding is that Cecropia telenitida contains abundant oleanane and ursane PT types with similar oxygenation patterns to those found in food matrices. We studied the compositional profile of a rich PT fraction (DE16-R) and carried out a viability test over different cell lines. The biosynthetic pathway connected to the isolated PTs in C. telenitida offers a specific medicinal benefit related to the modulation of T2D. This current study suggests that this plant can assemble isobaric, positional isomers or epimeric PT. Ursane or oleanane scaffolds with the same oxygenation pattern are always shared by the PTs in C. telenitida, as demonstrated by its biosynthetic pathway. Local communities have long used this plant in traditional medicine, and humans have consumed ursane and oleanane PTs in fruits since ancient times, two key points we believe useful in considering the medicinal benefits of C. telenitida and explaining how a group of molecules sharing a closely related scaffold can express effectiveness.     

Ultra-thin polymer foils for laser-ion acceleration

We report on the development of new materials for laser-ion acceleration applicable for the advanced mechanism of radiation-pressure-acceleration. These targets are ultra-thin with thicknesses of just a few nm. For several years, diamond-like carbon foils in this thickness range can be produced. An alternative material containing more than one ion-species has the potential to further improve the acceleration mechanism. The fabrication and characterization of self-supporting polymer-based targets will be described in this paper. Furthermore, we show the significant influence on a radiation-pressure induced acceleration process by experimental data.