Electrospun cellulose acetate fibers: effect of solvent system on morphology and fiber diameter

This paper reports an investigation of the effects of solvent system, solution concentration, and applied electrostatic field strength (EFS) on the morphological appearance and/or size of as-spun cellulose acetate (CA) products. The single-solvent systems were acetone, chloroform, N,N -dimethylformamide (DMF), dichloromethane (DCM), methanol (MeOH), formic acid, and pyridine. The mixed-solvent systems were acetone–DMAc, chloroform–MeOH, and DCM–MeOH. Chloroform, DMF, DCM, MeOH, formic acid, and pyridine were able to dissolve CA, forming clear solutions (at 5% w/v), but electrospinning of these solutions produced mainly discrete beads. In contrast, electrospinning of the solution of CA in acetone produced short and beaded fibers. At the same solution concentration of 5% (w/v) electrospinning of the CA solutions was improved by addition of MeOH to either chloroform or DCM. For all the solvent systems investigated smooth fibers were obtained from 16% (w/v) CA solutions in 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 (v/v) acetone–DMAc, 14–20% (w/v) CA solutions in 2:1 (v/v) acetone–DMAc, and 8–12% (w/v) CA solutions in 4:1 (v/v) DCM–MeOH. For the as-spun fibers from CA solutions in acetone–DMAc the average diameter ranged between 0.14 and 0.37 μm whereas for the fibers from solutions in DCM–MeOH it ranged between 0.48 and 1.58 μm. After submersion in distilled water for 24 h the as-spun CA fibers swelled appreciably (i.e. from 620 to 1110%) but the physical integrity of the fibrous structure remained intact.     

Studies on metal — protein interactions: Inter-comparison among various approaches

Binding ability of mercury, thallium, lead and bismuth with Erythrina variegata seed protein have been investigated using tracer packet technique. Due to the lack of standard methods, inter-comparisons have been made among three different approaches, like trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitation, isoelectric precipitation and dialysis of protein after incubation with the metals. Good agreement was observed for all the cases except that of lead.     

Study of the catalytic behavior of montmorillonite/iron(III) and Mn(III) cationic porphyrins

Two samples of montmorillonite (one of Brazilian origin, BNC1 clay, and the other STX-1, supplied by the Clay Mineral Society Repository (University of Missouri, USA) were allowed to react with biomimetic metalloporphyrins of Fe(III) and Mn(III) in cationic form. The compounds were characterized by several techniques, showing that the metalloporphyrins molecules were adsorbed at the surface of the clay platelet crystals. The catalytic activities of the intercalated complexes for the oxidation of alkane were dependent upon the concentration of the porphyrin immobilized in the clay and factors such as the metal ion species in the porphyrins, choice of solvent, and concentration of the iodosylbenzene oxidant. Good selectivity to cyclohexanol instead of cyclohexanone was observed for the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane by iodosylbenzene.     

Structural and mechanistic look at the orthoplatination of aryl oximes by dichlorobis(sulfoxide or sulfide)platinum(II) complexes

Structural and mechanistic aspects of orthoplatination of acetophenone and benzaldehyde oximes by the platinum(II) sulfoxide and sulfide complexes [PtCl(2)L(2)] (2, L = SOMe(2) (a), rac-SOMePh (b), R-SOMe(C(6)H(4)Me-4) (c), and SMe(2) (d)) to afford the corresponding platinacycles cis-(C,S)-[Pt(II)(C(6)H(3)-2-CR'=NOH-5-R)Cl(L)] (3, R, R' = H, Me) have been investigated. The reaction of acetophenone oxime with sulfoxide complex 2a in methanol solvent occurs noticeably faster than with sulfide complex 2d due to the fact that the sulfoxide is a much better platinum(II) leaving ligand than the sulfide. Evidence is presented that the orthoplatination is a multistep process. The formation of unreactive dichlorobis(N-oxime)platinum(II) cations accounts for the rate retardation by excess acetophenone oxime and suggests the importance of pseudocoordinatively unsaturated species for the C-H bond activation by Pt(II). A comparative X-ray structural study of dimethyl sulfoxide platinacycle 3b (R = R' = Me) and its sulfide analogue 3e (R = H, R' = Me), as well as of SOMePh complex 3c (R = H, R' = Me), indicated that they are structurally similar and a sulfur ligand is coordinated in the cis position with respect to the sigma-bound phenyl carbon. The differences concern the Pt-S bond distance, which is notably longer in the sulfide complex 3e (2.2677(11) A) as compared to that in sulfoxide complexes 3b (2.201(2)-2.215(2) A) and 3c (2.2196(12) A). Whereas the metal plane is practically a plane of symmetry in 3b due to the H-bonding between the sulfoxide oxygen and the proton at carbon ortho to the Pt-C bond, an S-bonded methyl of SOMePh and SMe(2) is basically in the platinum(II) plane in complexes 3c and 3e, respectively. There are intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bond networks in complex 3b. An interesting structural feature of complex 3c is that the two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the crystal reveal an extremely short Pt-Pt contact of 3.337 A.     

Bioavailability, bioaccumulation and tolerance of chromium: consequences in the food chain of freshwater ecosystems

Many abiotic and biotic factors can influence the partitioning equilibrium of heavy metals, thus influencing metal impact on aquatic environments. Unicellular algal species release soluble organic substances able to complex metals. In our laboratory a Cr-tolerant strain was selected and isolated from a wild type strain of Scenedesmus acutus. The exudates released by the two strains counteracted the growth inhibition caused by Cr(VI) and the exudates of the Cr-tolerant strain were more effective. On the contrary, the exudates did not reduce chromium toxicity to the cladoceran Daphnia magna. The reduction of chromium effect on algae seems the consequence of an algae-specific interaction among Cr(VI), exudates and algal cells. Chromium uptake resulted to be energy-dependent since bioaccumulation rate in subdued light condition was lower than at high light intensity. The effect of Cr(VI) on algae changed depending on metabolism of the cells and in particular it seemed to be related to the bioaccumulation rate. Tolerance in the selected strain could not be ascribed to a lower uptake of chromium. The difference in sensitivity to chromium between the two strains was exploited to evaluate if tolerance acquired by algae could have consequences for Daphnia. After treatment with Cr(VI), the two strains of S. acutus were used as food source for D. magna. The results indicate that chromium is accumulated by algae in a form not available for daphnids and that Cr tolerance acquired by the algae can be of some advantage to the consumer organism.     

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.     

Some chemical transformations of the neo-clerodane diterpene teubotrin

Starting from the natural neo-clerodane diterpenoid teubotrin (1) several neo-clerodane derivatives (3-7,9-11) have been obtained. The naturally occurring diterpenoid teuscordinon (12) has also been synthesized from teubotrin (1), showing thereby how some of these transformations can be useful for the synthesis of other natural neo-clerodane diterpenes. The latter are of interest due to their activity as insect antifeedants and other important biological properties.     

Shear and NMR experiments of materials with flow behaviour depending on the deformation history

Oxide ceramic masses react to simple shearing with hardening (peptisation: increase in the shear stress with the shear deformation). In the present study the correlation between the increase in the shear stress and the porosity, agglomeration processes and the type of flow are analysed. For this purpose oxide ceramic masses are tested in a shear device especially developed for pastes and analysed by rheometric experiments, NMR methods and particle size analysis. The results support the hypothesis that structural changes (hardening, increase in the mean porosity) of the material during the peptisation mainly depend on the magnitude and not on the kind of the energy input and thus of the type of flow. The fraction of bound (more generally, the immobilised) water increases with the shear displacement. Also crushing of primary particles could be observed. Both the crushing of solid particles causing an increased solid surface and the formation of a three-dimensional gel structure are microscopic effects capable of resulting in the binding or retaining water. On a macroscopic scale these phenomena cause hardening. Magnetic resonance imaging visualises flow-induced agglomerates, which form owing to the shear flow and increase the porosity averaged over the whole sample. After the shear experiment rolls of paste can be seen which indicate that the general assumption of a plane shear flow in the shear device is not warrantable. Received: 19 July 2001 Accepted: 25 October 2001     

Determination of fluoride in complex liquid matrices by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with in-furnace oxygen-assisted ashing

A new chemical method is reported for the determination of total fluoride in complex liquids and suspensions, such as fruit juices, urine, serum and blood. It is based on the formation of the A1F radical in a graphite furnace afterin situ oxygen-assisted ashing of the untreated sample. The absorbance of this radical is measured at 227.45 nm. The method is relatively easy to use and provides a low detection limit (14 ng/ml) and reasonable reproducibility (5–10%).     

Thienopyrrolizines: New condensed triheterocyclic systems

Cyclization of 3-(1-pyrrolyl)thiophene-2-carboxamide derivatives of methyl 3-(1-pyrrolyl)-2-thiophenecarboxylate afforded imminium salts and resulted in the formation of thieno[2,3-b]pyrrolizine derivatives.