Adsorption of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> N</Emphasis>-dodecyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (DDAPS), a model zwitterionic surfactant,on the Au(111) electrode surface

Electrochemical measurements including cyclic voltammetry, differential capacity, and chronocoulometry have been used to characterize the adsorption behaviors of the zwitterionic surfactant N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (DDAPS) on the Au(111) electrode surface. The thermodynamics of the ideally polarized electrode have been employed to determine the Gibbs excess and the Gibbs energy of adsorption. The results show that the adsorption of DDAPS has a multistate character. The first two states are observed at potentials close to zero charge. At low bulk DDAPS concentrations, it corresponds to the formation of a film of nearly flat adsorbed molecules. At higher concentrations it is converted into a hemimicellar state. The second state is formed at negative potentials and charge densities close to 0 C cm^–2. It corresponds to a film of tilted molecules oriented with the hydrocarbon tail towards the metal and the polar head toward the solution.Dedicated to Professor Zbigniew Galus on the occasion of his 70^th birthday and in recognition of his many contributions to electrochemistry.     

Chemotherapy control by breath profile with application of SPME‐GC/MS method

Chemotherapy used as a treatment against lung cancer has influence on metabolic processes occurring in healthy cells. The changes of biochemical pathways proceeded inside cells might be observed in expired air. In the experiment, breath analysis was carried out before and after anticancer therapy. Expired air samples were collected from 22 patients with a biopsy confirmed lung cancer. Volatile organic compounds present in breath were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. For enrichment of analytes solid‐phase microextraction technique was applied. Eight fibers covered by different sorbents were tested. Carboxen‐polydimethylsiloxane fiber revealed the highest extraction efficiency in relation to analytes in breath. The data showed that cytostatic drugs increase the concentration of acetone and isoprene in the breath collected after chemotherapy. Volatile metabolites of administrated drugs were not identified in expired air.     

A 1:1 cocrystal of baicalein with nicotinamide

Cocrystallization of baicalein with nicotinamide yields a 1:1 cocrystal [systematic name: pyridine‐3‐carboxamide–5,6,7‐trihydroxy‐2‐phenyl‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one (1/1)], C₆H₆N₂O·C₁₅H₁₀O₅. The asymmetric unit contains one baicalein and one nicotinamide molecule, both in neutral forms. Molecules in the cocrystal form column motifs stabilized by an array of intermolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructures of Natural Polymer for Release Process

In this paper the modeling of drug release process from hierarchical dispersed systems such as nano and microparticles prepared by thermal cross-linking of multiple emulsions is described. The presented model considers the diffusion of a drug through spherical eroding natural polymer matrix and diffusion-convection of the drug in the surrounding medium. Simulated release profiles were compared with experimental data of the drug release from microspheres of various structures. The differences in microspheres structure resulted from changes in mixing intensity of the external surrounding. The simulations of release profiles confirmed the importance of the internal structure of microspheres as well as an intensity of external mixing in the modeling of the controlled release process. The presented model allowed the mass of drug released to be determined with satisfactory agreement with experimental data after optimization of parameters describing internal microspheres structure. The proposed model describing release process of a drug from microspheres can be applied for simulation of release profiles with phasic behavior (primary/lag and continuous release). The model simulations were extended to drug release from nanoparticles with satisfactory results.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the first aquation stage for the [Cr(pic)3]0 and [Cr(pic)2(OH)]2 0 complexes in HClO4 solutions

Aquation of [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ in aqueous HClO₄ solutions leads to formation of the common product – [Cr(pic)₂(H₂O)₂]⁺. The first, reversible stage, the ring opening via Cr—N bond breaking in [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ is followed by the second, rate-determining step – one-end bonded pic ligand liberation. In the case of the [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ complex, the first faster stage produces the singly bridged dimer, which undergoes cleavage into the parent monomers in the second, much slower step. The subsequent aquation of [Cr(pic)₂(H₂O)₂]⁺ is extremely slow and leads to [Cr(pic)(H₂O)₄]²⁺ formation, which practically does not undergo further ligand substitution under the conditions applied. Kinetics of the first aquation stage for [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and of the second step for [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ were studied spectrophotometrically in the 0.1–1.0 M HClO₄ range at I = 1.0 M. The observed pseudo-first order rate constant for [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ decreases with [H⁺] increase according to the rate law: k _obs = k ₁ + k _–1 Q ₁/[H⁺], where k ₁ and k _–1 are the rate constants of the forward and the reverse processes in the unprotonated substrate and Q ₁ is the protonation constant of the pyridine nitrogen atom. In the case of the [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ complex, the rate for the singly bridged dimer cleavage does not depend on [H⁺]. The activation parameters for the chelate-ring opening in [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and for the singly bridged dimer cleavage have been determined and discussed. Some kinetic data of the slow, second aquation stage for the [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ complex and of the fast, first aquation stage for the doubly bridged dimer have been studied; for both reactions the rate increases linearly with the increase in [H⁺].     

First row divalent transition metal complexes of aryl-appended tris((pyridyl)methyl)amine ligands: syntheses, structures, electrochemistry, and hydroxamate binding properties

Divalent manganese, cobalt, nickel, and zinc complexes of 6-Ph(2)TPA (N,N-bis((6-phenyl-2-pyridyl)methyl)-N-((2-pyridyl)methyl)amine; [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Mn(CH(3)OH)(3)](ClO(4))(2) (1), [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Co(CH(3)CN)](ClO(4))(2) (2), [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Ni(CH(3)CN)(CH(3)OH)](ClO(4))(2) (3), [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Zn(CH(3)CN)](ClO(4))(2) (4)) and 6-(Me(2)Ph)(2)TPA (N,N-bis((6-(3,5-dimethyl)phenyl-2-pyridyl)methyl)-N-((2-pyridyl)methyl)amine; [(6-(Me(2)Ph)(2)TPA)Ni(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (5) and [(6-(Me(2)Ph)(2)TPA)Zn(CH(3)CN)](ClO(4))(2) (6)) have been prepared and characterized. X-ray crystallographic characterization of 1A.CH(3)()OH and 1B.2CH(3)()OH (differing solvates of 1), 2.2CH(3)()CN, 3.CH(3)()OH, 4.2CH(3)()CN, and 6.2.5CH(3)()CN revealed mononuclear cations with one to three coordinated solvent molecules. In 1A.CH(3)()OH and 1B.2CH(3)()OH, one phenyl-substituted pyridyl arm is not coordinated and forms a secondary hydrogen-bonding interaction with a manganese bound methanol molecule. In 2.2CH(3)()CN, 3.CH(3)()OH, 4.2CH(3)()CN, and 6.2.5CH(3)()CN, all pyridyl donors of the 6-Ph(2)TPA and 6-(Me(2)Ph)(2)TPA ligands are coordinated to the divalent metal center. In the cobalt, nickel, and zinc derivatives, CH/pi interactions are found between a bound acetonitrile molecule and the aryl appendages of the 6-Ph(2)TPA and 6-(Me(2)Ph)(2)TPA ligands. (1)H NMR spectra of 4 and 6 in CD(3)NO(2) solution indicate the presence of CH/pi interactions, as an upfield-shifted methyl resonance for a bound acetonitrile molecule is present. Examination of the cyclic voltammetry of 1-3 and 5 revealed no oxidative (M(II)/M(III)) couples. Admixture of equimolar amounts of 6-Ph(2)TPA, M(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O, and Me(4)NOH.5H(2)O, followed by the addition of an equimolar amount of acetohydroxamic acid, yielded the acetohydroxamate complexes [((6-Ph(2)TPA)Mn)(2)(micro-ONHC(O)CH(3))(2)](ClO(4))(2) (8), [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Co(ONHC(O)CH(3))](ClO(4))(2) (9), [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Ni(ONHC(O)CH(3))](ClO(4))(2) (10), and [(6-Ph(2)TPA)Zn(ONHC(O)CH(3))](ClO(4))(2) (11), all of which were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The Mn(II) complex 8.0.75CH(3)()CN.0.75Et(2)()O exhibits a dinuclear structure with bridging hydroxamate ligands, whereas the Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) derivatives all exhibit mononuclear six-coordinate structures with a chelating hydroxamate ligand.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of 5-acyl and 5-formyl-1,2,4-triazines and their derivatives with heteroaromatic tin compounds

The synthesis of novel mono- and di(substituted)-1,2,4-triazine derivatives containing thiophene and furan rings are described. Heteroaromatic rings were provided using palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between 3-alkylsulfanyl-5-acyl-1,2,4-triazines or 5-cyano-3-alkylsulfanyl-1,2,4-triazines and heteroaromatic tin compounds. New compounds bearing masked acyl groups were also obtained. These reactions were optimized to determine the scope and limitations of this methodology and were used for preparation of oligothiophenes bearing terminal heterocyclic ring.     

Spherical silica particles decorated with graphene oxide nanosheets as a new sorbent in inorganic trace analysis

Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel material with excellent adsorptive properties. However, the very small particles of GO can cause serious problems is solid-phase extraction (SPE) such as the high pressure in SPE system and the adsorbent loss through pores of frit. These problems can be overcome by covalently binding GO nanosheets to a support. In this paper, GO was covalently bonded to spherical silica by coupling the amino groups of spherical aminosilica and the carboxyl groups of GO (GO@SiO₂). The successful immobilization of GO nanosheets on the aminosilica was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The spherical particle covered by GO with crumpled silk wave-like carbon sheets are an ideal sorbent for SPE of metal ions. The wrinkled structure of the coating results in large surface area and a high extractive capacity. The adsorption bath experiment shows that Cu(II) and Pb(II) can be quantitatively adsorbed at pH 5.5 with maximum adsorption capacity of 6.0 and 13.6 mg g⁻¹, respectively. Such features of GO nanosheets as softness and flexibility allow achieving excellent contact with analyzed solution in flow-rate conditions. In consequence, the metal ions can be quantitatively preconcentrated from high volume of aqueous samples with excellent flow-rate. SPE column is very stable and several adsorption–elution cycles can be performed without any loss of adsorptive properties. The GO@SiO₂ was used for analysis of various water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with excellent enrichment factors (200–250) and detection limits (0.084 and 0.27 ng mL⁻¹ for Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively).     

The use of moisture sorption isotherms and glass transition temperature to assess the stability of powdered baby formulas

The influence of adverse conditions of environment in the case of baby formulas, which are multiple mixtures, should be minimised. Water activity (a _w) and moisture content, correlated through sorption isotherms, and glass transition temperature have been considered relevant parameters to describe food stability. The aim of the study was to analyse water activity and glass transition temperature as the function of water content for samples of baby formulas. Three types of baby formulas (mixture, agglomerate, coated agglomerate) were determined by sorption isotherms, DSC and MDSC. DSC curves of mixture, agglomerate and coated agglomerate did not show differences in shape and course. The glass transition temperature of powders stored at different water activities was measured and it decreased with the increase in moisture content, confirming the strong plasticising effect of water on this property. Critical water activities varied from 0.14 to 0.68 and critical moisture contents varied from 0.032 to 0.062 g g^?1 powder.     

Transformable H-bonds and conformation in compressed glucose

In response to external stimuli the α-d-glucose molecule extensively transforms its H-bonding pattern and conformation. High-pressure reverses the linear compressibility and changes the hierarchy of intermolecular interactions in crystalline α-d-glucose. At 5.40(2) GPa it undergoes an isostructural phase transition rearranging the OH···O hydrogen bonds, promoting the role of CH···O contacts and eliminating voids in the structure. Such monotonic and abrupt transformations may be characteristic of sugars and polysaccharides.