Amino-Modified Silicate Xerogels Complexed with Cu(II) as Catalyst Precursors. Coordination State and Thermal Decomposition

The sol-gel process is a useful method for preparing two series of organically and co-ordinately modified xerogels of the types [CuN _n ]·N _5–n ·5xSiO_4/2 (n < 4) and [Cu(N–N)_n]·(N–N)_2–n ·2x SiO_4/2(n 2), where N = NH₂(CH₂)₃ SiO_3/2, N–N = NH₂(CH₂)₂NH·(CH₂)₃SiO_3/2 and x = [SiO_4/2]/[N] or [SiO_4/2]/[N–N]. The amino groups in the materials are coordinately active and participate partly in the coordination sphere of Cu(II) ions. The composition of the coordination sphere can be varied with the SiO_4/2 content and also as a result of the thermal decomposition of the organic residues at higher temperatures.Because the xerogel materials are considered to be catalyst precursors, this study is focused on their coordination and thermal properties. The prepared xerogels, such as silica, aminated silicates with N and N–N, as well as those entities complexed with Cu(II), were characterised by FT-IR spectroscopy. During gelation and thermal decomposition the materials were analysed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The xerogels were additionally studied by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The gaseous products of the thermal decomposition of these materials in an Ar atmosphere were investigated by the use of FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with TG and DTG thermal analysis. These data were complemented by temperature-programmed decomposition (TPDec) in a 2% O₂ + 98% Ar stream coupled with quadrupole mass spectroscopy.     

Determination of sulphur by electrolytic hydrogenation

Certain sulphur compounds such as thiosulphuric acid, polythionic acids, thiocyanic acid, thioureas, thioamides and 2-mercapto-acids are readily electrolytically hydrogenated in 1N sulphuric acid to form hydrogen sulphide which is absorbed in potassium hydroxide solution and titrated with o-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid in the presence of dithizone as indicator. The electrolytic cell consists of a lead anode in 5N sulphuric acid, a porous ceramic tube as diaphragm, and a cathode made of soft iron. The first-order rate-constants of hydrogenation and the results of determination of sulphur in some sulphur compounds are presented. The limit of determination is 0.1 ppm.     

Studies on the interaction between Se,Te, Cd,As and Zn and the distribution of Fe,Co, Rb and Hg in mice by instrumental neutron activation analysis

The incorporation of Se and Te into liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, lung and small intestine after i.p. injections of Balby mice with seleno-cystine (CySe)₂ and Na₂TeO₃ in the presence of Cd (as CdCl₂), As (as As₂O₃) and Zn (as ZnSO₄) has been studied. The change of contents of Co, Fe, Rb and Hg were determined in all investigated organs after injections with the above compounds. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied as the analytical method. It was found that a competitive interaction occurs between As and Se or Te. Similarly, this interaction has been observed between Se and Cd. The data obtained suggest that Cd has a higher competitive ability to displace Te than Zn and Se. Injection with the above compounds affects the contents of Fe, Co, Rb and Hg in all mice organs.     

X-ray structure and multinuclear NMR studies of platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes with 5,7-ditertbutyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine

Pt(II) and Pd(II) dichloride complexes with 5,7-ditertbutyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (dbtp) have been synthesized and characterized by infrared and ¹H, ¹³C NMR, ¹³C CPMAS spectroscopy. The structures of the cis-PtCl₂(dbtp)₂ · EtOH (1) and cis-PdCl₂(dbtp)(dmso) (2) has been determined by signal-crystal X-ray diffraction. In both complexes the X-ray crystal structures shows that heterocycle ligand (dbtp) binds the central atom monodentate via nitrogen atom N(3). In addition, compound (2) is interesting for its structural features, because it is the first report of mixed dichloride Pd(II) complexes with N-donor (triazolopyrimidine) and S-donor (dimethylsulfoxide) ligands. In this structure the Pd–Cl distances are: 2.302(1) and 2.281(1) Å, Pd–N 2.041(3) Å and Pd–S 2.245(1) Å. The ¹H, ¹³C NMR studies show clearly that these structures are retained in solution.     

Enzymatic surface modification of Kevlar fibers

Horseradish peroxidase catalyzed grafting of acrylamide (AM) onto Kevlar fibers has been studied. The modified fiber has been characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis and the grafting yield. From the SEM micrographs, the surface of the grafted Kevlar fiber is rougher than that of the untreated fiber, and the elemental analysis indicated that the nitrogen content of the treated fibers is higher than that of the untreated fiber. All the results suggested that AM must have been grafted onto the Kevlar surface through HRP-mediated radical initiated grafting reaction. The probably mechanism of HRP catalyzed grafting of AM onto Kevlar surface is proposed.     

Determination of dipole moment in the ground and excited state by experimental and theoretical methods of N-nonyl acridine orange

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of N-nonyl acridine orange are determined at room temperature (298 K) in cyclohexane, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, chlorobenzene and dichloromethane. The ground state of dipole moment was obtained by impedance measurements using Guggenheim-Debeye's method. The experimental excited state dipole moment of N-nonyl acridine orange was determined using Bakhshiev's and Kawski-Chamma-Viallet's formulae and solvent polarity parameter proposed by Reichardt. These experimental results were completed with theoretical results using quantum chemical methods. The experimental (muexp=10.76 D) and theoretical (mucal=9.9 D) dipole moments in the ground and excited state (muexp*=14.56 D) were compared.     

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.     

Primary and secondary relaxations in bis-5-hydroxypentylphthalate revisited

The molecular structure of bis-5-hydroxypentylphthalate (BHPP) is like dihexyl phthalate but having appended to it two hydroxyl end groups, which contribute additional dipole moments and capacity for hydrogen-bond formation. In a previously published dielectric study of the primary and secondary relaxations of BHPP, it was found that all the dynamic properties are normal except for the anomalously large width of the primary relaxation loss peak. There are two secondary relaxations, the relaxation time of the slower one increases with increasing pressure, whereas that of the faster one is practically insensitive to pressure. Hence, the slower secondary relaxation is the "universal" Johari-Goldstein (JG) [J. Chem. Phys. 53, 2372 (1970); 55, 4245 (1971)] relaxation in BHPP. All is well except if the observed large width of the primary relaxation were an indication of a corresponding large coupling parameter n=0.45 in the coupling model. Then the predicted relations between the primary relaxation time tau(alpha) and the JG relaxation time tau(JG) found previously to hold in many glass formers would be violated. It was recognized that this singular behavior of BHPP is likely due to broadening of the primary loss peak by the overlapping contributions of two independent dipole moments present in BHPP, and the actual coupling parameter is smaller. However, at the time of publication of the previous work there were not enough data to support this explanation. By making broadband dielectric measurements of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) that have chemical structures closely related to BHPP but with only one dipole moment, we show that all their dynamic properties are almost the same as BHPP but the widths of their primary relaxation loss peaks are significantly narrower corresponding to a smaller coupling parameter n=0.34. The new data presented here indicate that the coupling parameter of BHPP is about the same as DBP and DOP, and the predicted relations between tau(alpha) and tau(JG) of BHPP are brought back in agreement with the experimental data.     

Aqueous Solubilities, Infinite Dilution Activity Coefficients and Octanol–Water Partition Coefficients of Tricyclic Analogs of Acyclovir

Solubilities of tricyclic analogs of acyclovir have been determined in water at 25, 35, and 45°C and in octanol, water-saturated octanol, and octanol-saturated water at 25°C. Octanol-water partition coefficients were determined at 25°C. Melting temperatures and molar enthalpies of fusion were measured. Activity coefficients in water, octanol, and in aqueous octanol solutions were determined and are discussed. The effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic substituents in the tricyclic analogs on their thermodynamic properties are discussed. The standard Gibbs energy of transfer between the saturated phases were found to correlate with known values of the melting point of the solvents and the solubilities of the solute. For a number of the compounds examined, correlations between the minimum inhibitory concentration against the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), thymidine kinase-deficient (TK^–) strains of VZV and were established. Detailed conclusions have been derived concerning the relationships between the structure and the thermodynamic parameters of the compounds examined.