The synthesis and characterisation of ferromagnetic CaMn2O4 nanowires.

The synthesis of marokite CaMn(2)O(4) nanowires using a hydrothermal method is reported. Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction measurements show that the nanowires are polycrystalline in nature with diameters between 10 and 20 nm and lengths ranging from approximately 100 to 500 nm. Most interestingly, in contrast with the bulk material, magnetization measurements show that these nanowires exhibit ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature (T(C)) of approximately 40 K.     

Initiation of polymerization of alkyl 2-cyanoacrylates in aqueous solutions of glycine and its derivatives

The polymerization of methyl 2-cyanoacrylate and heptyl 2-cyanoacrylate was carried out with the use of aqueous solutions of ¹⁴C-tagged glycine, methyl glycine, and acetyl glycine as initiators. When glycine and methyl glycine were used, radioactive polymers were formed. When acetyl glycine was used, the polymer formed was not radioactive. The data seem to indicate that free NH₂ groups appear to be necessary for the incorporation of the glycine initiator in the polymer. A possible mechanism for the polymerization is presented.     

An unusual electron-transfer behavior of ferrocene in aqueous microemulsion systems

The electrochemical behavior of ferrocene in an aqueous microemulsion (pentan-1-ol/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/aq. H₂SO₄) has been studied using an ultramicroelectrode. Contrary to the generally expected reversible peak, the experiments show the presence of a second oxidation peak during the reverse scan at low scan rates where the peak corresponding to ferricinium ion reduction is nearly absent along with the unanticipated appearance of a current dip. These observations are rationalized using a novel type of coupling between heterogeneous (electrochemical) and homogeneous (chemical) electron transfer processes. The composition of the medium, especially the acid concentration, affects the electron transfer of the solubilized probe and there exists a threshold acid concentration for achieving maximum anodic peak current.     

Molecular electrostatic potentials as input for the alignment of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors in 3D QSAR

Comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA), a three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D QSAR) paradigm, was used to examine the correlations between the calculated physicochemical properties and the in vitro activities (3'-processing and 3'-strand transfer inhibition) of a series of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase inhibitors. The training set consisted of 34 molecules from five structurally diverse classes: salicylpyrazolinones, dioxepinones, coumarins, quinones, and benzoic hydrazides. The data set was aligned using extrema of molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs). The predictive ability of the resultant model was evaluated using a test set comprised of 7 molecules belonging to a different structural class of thiazepinediones. A CoMSIA model using an MEP-based alignment showed considerable internal as well external predictive ability (r2(cv) = 0.821, r2(pred) = 0.608 for 3'-processing; and r2(cv) = 0.759, r2(pred.) = 0.660 for 3'-strand transfer).     

Isometric graphing and multidimensional scaling for reaction-diffusion modeling on regular and fractal surfaces with spatiotemporal pattern recognition

Heterogeneous surface reactions exhibiting complex spatiotemporal dynamics and patterns can be studied as processes involving reaction-diffusion mechanisms. In many realistic situations, the surface has fractal characteristics. This situation is studied by isometric graphing and multidimensional scaling (IGMDS) of fractal surfaces for extracting geodesic distances (i.e., shortest scaled distances that obtain edges of neighboring surface nodes and their interconnections) and the results obtained used to model effects of surface diffusion with nonlinear reactions. Further analysis of evolved spatiotemporal patterns may be carried out by IGMDS because high-dimensional snapshot data can be efficiently projected to a transformed subspace with reduced dimensions. Validation of the IGMDS methodology is carried out by comparing results with reduction capabilities of conventional principal component analysis for simple situations of reaction and diffusion on surfaces. The usefulness of the IGMDS methodology is shown for analysis of complex patterns formed on both regular and fractal surfaces, and using generic nonlinear reaction-diffusion systems following FitzHugh Nagumo and cubic reaction kinetics. The studies of these systems with nonlinear kinetics and noise show that effects of surface disorder due to fractality can become very relevant. The relevance is shown by studying properties of dynamical invariants in IGMDS component space, viz., the Lyapunov exponents and the KS entropy for interesting situations of spiral formation and turbulent patterns.     

Creation of acid sites by La-ions in L zeolite

The creation of strong acid sites in alkaline K-L-zeolites on ion-exchanging with La-ions is reported. Acidity measurements have been carried out by temperature programmed desorption of adsorbed ammonia. Reaction data which confirm the creation of acid sites are also reported.

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- K-L La. - . , .

     

X-ray and thermal studies on uranyl acetates of zinc,magnesium and nickel

Thermal decomposition of metal uranyl acetates is one of the best ways of preparation of uranates in crystalline form at low temperatures. Acetates of the type M(UO₂)₂(OAc)₆·7H₂O (M=Zn(II), Mg(II) and Ni(II) were prepared and characterised. Their X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that they all belong to the orthorhombic crystal class.The thermal decomposition of acetates in air goes through the reduction of uranium(VI) to uranium(IV) during acetate decomposition followed by reoxidation by oxygen. Zinc uranylacetate gave on thermal decomposition ZnU₃O₁₀, the nickel salt gave NiU₃O₁₀ and the magnesium salt gave a mixture of MgUO₄ and MgU₃O₁₀. The thermal decomposition of acetates in helium led to reduction of uranium(VI) to uranium(IV) with the formation of UO₂. No lower valent uranates could be identified.

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Zusammenfassung Thermische Zersetzung von Metalluranylazetaten ist eine der geeignetsten Methoden zur Darstellung kristalliner Uranate bei niedrigen Temperaturen. Azetate des Types M(UO₂)₂(OAc)₆·7H₂O mitM=Zn(II), Mg(II) und Ni(II) wurden hergestellt und beschrieben. Eine Pulverdiffraktionsanalyse zeigte, daß alle der orthorhombischen Kristallklasse angehören. Der thermische Zerfall der Azetate in Luft vollzieht sich während des Azetatzerfalls über die Reduktion von Uran(VI) zu Uran(IV) bis zu einer anschließenden Reoxydation durch Sauerstoff. Bei der thermischen Zersetzung liefert Zinkuranylazetat ZnU₃O₁₀, das Nickelsalz liefert NiU₃O₁₀ und das Magnesiumsalz ein Gemisch aus MgUO₄ und MgU₃O₁₀. Der thermische Zerfall der Azetate in Helium führt zur Reduktion von Uran(VI) zu Uran(IV) unter Bildung von UO₃. Uranate mit niedrigerer Wertigkeit konnten nicht identifiziert werden.

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. M(UO₂)₂(OAc)₆ · 7H₂O, M = , . , . , . ZnU₃O₁₀, — NiU₃O₁₀, MgUO₄ MgU₃O₁₀. . .

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The authors thank Dr. D. D. Sood, Head, Fuel Chemistry Division, for his encouragement during the course of this work.     

Comparative studies of chemically synthesized polyaniline and poly(o-toluidine) doped with p-toluene sulphonic acid

Polyaniline and poly(o-toluidine) doped with p-toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA) were synthesized by in situ chemical polymerization method using ammonium per sulphate as an oxidizing agent. This is a novel polymerization process for the direct synthesis of emeraldine salt phase of the polymer. The polymers were characterized by using UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM, elemental analyzer, TGA/DSC and conductivity measurements. Thermal analysis shows that poly(o-toluidine) is less thermally stable compared to polyaniline. The less conductivity in poly(o-toluidine) is due to the cumulative steric as well as electronic effect of the bulky methyl substituent present on the benzene ring. High temperature conductivity measurements show ‘thermal activated behavior’.