Influence of transition metal ions on the textural properties of alumina and aluminasilicates

Accelerated phase transformations and chemical reactions of metastable aluminas and kaolinite, doped with Cu^{2 +}, Mn^{3 +}/Mn^{2 +} and Fe^{3 +}/Fe^{2 +} ions, are accompanied with accelerated decrease of surface area and pore volume values. The phenomena in metal ion doped samples are explained by a catalytic mechanism, in terms of the Jahn-Teller effect. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ecotoxicological characterisation of exhaust particulates from diesel-powered light-duty vehicles

Diesel exhaust is one of the major sources of fine and ultrafine particulate matter in urban air. Toxicity of diesel-powered engine emissions has been quite widely assessed, however, much less information is available on their ecotoxicity. In our study the kinetic version of the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay, based on the ISO 21338:2010 standard, was used to characterise the ecotoxicity of diesel-powered cars. The method is sensitive enough to test the ecotoxic effect of the emission of individual vehicles. In general, significant positive correlation was found between ecotoxicity (expressed as Toxic Unit /TU/values) and total carbon (TC) as well as between TU and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations.      

Mono- and dinuclear iron complexes of bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)ketone (bik): structure, magnetic properties, and catalytic oxidation studies

The newly synthesized dinuclear complex [Fe(III)(2)(μ-OH)(2)(bik)(4)](NO(3))(4) (1) (bik, bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)ketone) shows rather short Fe···Fe (3.0723(6) ?) and Fe-O distances (1.941(2)/1.949(2) ?) compared to other unsupported Fe(III)(2)(μ-OH)(2) complexes. The bridging hydroxide groups of 1 are strongly hydrogen-bonded to a nitrate anion. The (57)Fe isomer shift (δ = 0.45 mm s(-1)) and quadrupole splitting (ΔE(Q) = 0.26 mm s(-1)) obtained from Mo?ssbauer spectroscopy are consistent with the presence of two identical high-spin iron(III) sites. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies revealed antiferromagnetic exchange (J = 35.9 cm(-1) and H = JS(1)·S(2)) of the metal ions. The optimized DFT geometry of the cation of 1 in the gas phase agrees well with the crystal structure, but both the Fe···Fe and Fe-OH distances are overestimated (3.281 and 2.034 ?, respectively). The agreement in these parameters improves dramatically (3.074 and 1.966 ?) when the hydrogen-bonded nitrate groups are included, reducing the value calculated for J by 35%. Spontaneous reduction of 1 was observed in methanol, yielding a blue [Fe(II)(bik)(3)](2+) species. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of [Fe(II)(bik)(3)](OTf)(2) (2) revealed spin-crossover behavior. Thermal hysteresis was observed with 2, due to a loss of cocrystallized solvent molecules, as monitored by thermogravimetric analysis. The hysteresis disappears once the solvent is fully depleted by thermal cycling. [Fe(II)(bik)(3)](OTf)(2) (2) catalyzes the oxidation of alkanes with t-BuOOH. High selectivity for tertiary C-H bond oxidation was observed with adamantane (3°/2° value of 29.6); low alcohol/ketone ratios in cyclohexane and ethylbenzene oxidation, a strong dependence of total turnover number on the presence of O(2), and a low retention of configuration in cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane oxidation were observed. Stereoselective oxidation of olefins with dihydrogen peroxide yielding epoxides was observed under both limiting oxidant and substrate conditions.     

N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylideneiminato) and N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylaminato): synthesis, characterization, potentiometric, spectroscopic, and DFT studies of their vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) complexes

The Schiff base N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylideneiminato) (H(2)pyr(2)en, 1) was synthesized by reaction of pyridoxal with ethylenediamine; reduction of H(2)pyr(2)en with NaBH(4) yielded the reduced Schiff base N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylaminato) (H(2)Rpyr(2)en, 2); their crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The totally protonated forms of 1 and 2 correspond to H(6)L(4+), and all protonation constants were determined by pH-potentiometric and (1)H NMR titrations. Several vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) complexes of these and other related ligands were prepared and characterized in solution and in the solid state. The X-ray crystal structure of [V(V)O(2)(HRpyr(2)en)] shows the metal in a distorted octahedral geometry, with the ligand coordinated through the N-amine and O-phenolato moieties, with one of the pyridine-N atoms protonated. Crystals of [(V(V)O(2))(2)(pyren)(2)].2 H(2)O were obtained from solutions containing H(2)pyr(2)en and oxovanadium(IV), where Hpyren is the "half" Schiff base of pyridoxal and ethylenediamine. The complexation of V(IV)O(2+) and V(V)O(2) (+) with H(2)pyr(2)en, H(2)Rpyr(2)en and pyridoxamine in aqueous solution were studied by pH-potentiometry, UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometry, as well as by EPR spectroscopy for the V(IV)O systems and (1)H and (51)V NMR spectroscopy for the V(V)O(2) systems. Very significant differences in the metal-binding abilities of the ligands were found. Both 1 and 2 act as tetradentate ligands. H(2)Rpyr(2)en is stable to hydrolysis and several isomers form in solution, namely cis-trans type complexes with V(IV)O, and alpha-cis- and beta-cis-type complexes with V(V)O(2). The pyridinium-N atoms of the pyridoxal rings do not take part in the coordination but are involved in acid-base reactions that affect the number, type, and relative amount of the isomers of the V(IV)O-H(2)Rpyr(2)en and V(V)O(2)-H(2)Rpyr(2)en complexes present in solution. DFT calculations were carried out and support the formation and identification of the isomers detected by EPR or NMR spectroscopy, and the strong equatorial and axial binding of the O-phenolato in V(IV)O and V(V)O(2) complexes. Moreover, the DFT calculations done for the [V(IV)O(H(2)Rpyr(2)en)] system indicate that for almost all complexes the presence of a sixth equatorial or axial H(2)O ligand leads to much more stable compounds.     

l- and d-Proline Thiosemicarbazone Conjugates: Coordination Behavior in Solution and the Effect of Copper(II) Coordination on Their Antiproliferative Activity

Two enantiomerically pure thiosemicarbazone-proline conjugates with enhanced aqueous solubility, namely, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-(S)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylate-5-methylbenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone [l-Pro-STSC or (S)-H(2)L] and 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-(R)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylate-5-methylbenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone [d-Pro-STSC or (R)-H(2)L] have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods (UV-vis and (1)H and (13)C NMR), and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The metal complexation behavior of l-Pro-STSC, stoichiometry, and thermodynamic stability of iron(II), iron(III), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes in 30% (w/w) dimethyl sulfoxide/H(2)O solvent mixture have been studied by pH-potentiometric, UV-vis-spectrophotometric, circular dichroism, electron paramagnetic resonance, (1)H NMR spectroscopic, and spectrofluorimetric measurements. By the reaction of CuCl(2)·2H(2)O with (S)-H(2)L and (R)-H(2)L, respectively, the complexes [Cu[(S)-H(2)L]Cl]Cl and [Cu[(R)-H(2)L]Cl]Cl have been prepared and comprehensively characterized. An X-ray diffraction study of [Cu[(R)-H(2)L]Cl]Cl showed the formation of a square-planar copper(II) complex, which builds up stacks with interplanar separation of 3.3 ?. The antiproliferative activity of two chiral ligands and their corresponding copper(II) complexes has been tested in two human cancer cell lines, namely, SW480 (colon carcinoma) and CH1 (ovarian carcinoma). The thiosemicarbazone-proline conjugates l- and d-Pro-STSC show only moderate cytotoxic potency with IC(50) values of 62 and 75 μM, respectively, in CH1 cells and >100 μM in SW480 cells. However, the corresponding copper(II) complexes are 13 and 5 times more potent in CH1 cells, based on a comparison of IC(50) values, and in SW480 cells the increase in the antiproliferative activity is even higher. In both tested cell lines, l-Pro-STSC as well as its copper(II) complex show slightly stronger antiproliferative activity than the compounds with a d-Pro moiety, yielding IC(50) values of 4.6 and 5.5 μM for [Cu(l-Pro-STSC)Cl]Cl in CH1 and SW480 cells, respectively.     

Surface properties of the polarizable Baranyai-Kiss water model

The water surface properties using the Baranyai-Kiss (BK) model [A. Baranyai and P. T. Kiss, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 144109 (2010)] are studied by molecular dynamics simulation, and compared to popular rigid water potentials, namely to the extended simple point charge (SPC/E) and the transferable interaction potential with 4 points (TIP4P) models. The BK potential is a polarizable model of water with three Gaussian charges. The negative charge is connected to its field-free position by a classical harmonic spring, and mechanical equilibrium is established between this spring force and the force due to the charge distribution of the system. The aim of this study is, on the one hand, to test the surface properties of the new model, and on the other hand, to identify differences between the models listed above. The obtained results reveal that the BK model reproduces very well a number of properties corresponding to liquid-vapor equilibrium, such as the coexisting liquid and vapor densities, saturated vapor pressure or surface tension. Further, this model reproduces excellently the critical point of water even in comparison with a large number of widely used polarizable and nonpolarizable models. The structural properties of the liquid surface of BK water turns out to be very similar to that of the SPC/E model, while the surface of TIP4P water is found to be somewhat less ordered. This finding is related to the fact that the critical temperature of the TIP4P model is lower than that of either SPC/E or BK.     

Thermoanalytical Study of the Composition of β-tungsten

The aim of the present work was to provide arguments to the almost ‘hystorical’ problem of what β-tungsten is. WO₃was reduced in dry H₂gas atmosphere in order to examine, whether β-tungsten formed in such a way contains oxygen as part of the lattice described as W_xO (e.g. W₂₀O) or is a pure metallic phase of tungsten. As a result of thermoanalytical measurements and of chemical analysis for oxygen, the assumption is supported that in the 600-800°C temperature range of metal formation not the W_xO (β-W)→W(α-W) transformation but the β-W→α-W structural rearrangement of materials with identical chemical composition is the most probable process. The earlier opinion that the formation of the β-W structure requires the presence of oxygen atoms was not verified by our results. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

1-D cobalt(II) spin transition compound with strong interchain interaction: [Co(pyterpy)Cl(2)].X

Cobalt(II) compounds [Co(pyterpy)Cl(2)].MeOH (1.(MeOH)) and [Co(pyterpy)Cl(2)].2H(2)O (1.(2H(2)O)) were synthesized. The compound 1.(MeOH) forms the quasi 3-D networks by making pi-pi stacking between the 1-D chains. The methanol molecules from 1.(MeOH) can be removed by heating, and substituted by absorption of water molecules. The MeOH molecules in 1.(MeOH) are removed by heating at 410 K, and they are substituted by water molecules to form 1.(2H(2)O). 1.(2H(2)O) exhibits a S = (3)/(2) (HS) left arrow over right arrow S = (1)/(2) (LS) spin transition with a thermal hysteresis. We have succeeded in constructing a guest dependent 1-D spin-crossover cobalt(II) compound.     

Isolation and Characterization of Novel Capsorubin‐Like Carotenoids from the Red Mamey (Pouteria sapota)

From the ripe fruits of red mamey (Pouteria sapota), two new carotenoids, 3′‐deoxycapsorubin and 3,3′‐dideoxycapsorubin, were isolated and identified based on their UV/VIS, CD, ¹H‐NMR, and mass spectral data.     

Colour pigments of Trichoderma harzianum. Preliminary investigations with thin-layer chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection

The colour pigments of Trichoderma harzianum fermentation broth were separated and the main fractions were tentatively identified by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RP-TLC-FT-IR), RP-HPLC-diode array detection and RP-HPLC-MS. It was established that the multistep gradient elution developed for RP-TLC separation of pigments can be successfully used as a pilot method for the rational design of gradient elution in RP-HPLC for the separation of the same pigments. FT-IR and MS measurements were unable to identify the exact chemical structures of the main pigment fractions, the presence of OH, =CH and C=O (RP-TLC-FT-IR) and OH and NH, substructures (RP-HPLC-MS) was confirmed. It was assumed that the main pigment fractions are oxidation polymers originating from monomer molecules containing polar substructures and double bonds in the alkyl chain which are liable for oxidation during the aerobic fermentation process.