Kinetic Effects in non Ionic Micellar Solutions

The elimination reaction between 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide and OH^- ions was studied in nonionic aqueous micellar solutions of two esters of long chain fatty acids and sorbitan polyethylene glycol, Tween 20 (monolaurate) and Tween 80 (monooleate). The equilibrium binding constants of the 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide molecules to the nonionic micellar aggregates were obtained by spectroscopic measurements. The experimental kinetic data were quantitatively rationalized by the treatment of first-order reactions based on the pseudophase model. Results from this work and from previous studies show that, whereas the presence of cationic and sulfobetaine micelles accelerates the reaction, the presence of nonionic micelles inhibits the reaction.     

Chiral recognition of dipeptides in a biomembrane model

Chiral recognition of the enantiomeric couples of ditryptophan and diphenylalanine was observed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy in micelles formed by sodium N-dodecanoyl-L-prolinate. Ditryptophan showed a selective association with the Z domains of the amidic aggregates, whereas diphenylalanine did not show any selectivity in the association. Partition coefficients between water and aggregates were evaluated by diffusion NMR experiments. Intramolecular distances of ditryptophan isomers associated with chiral aggregates were obtained by ROESY experiments and were used as constraints in molecular mechanics calculations. From these calculations, information on the conformation of the peptides in the chiral aggregates was obtained.     

Mercury(II) oxide/tetrafluoroboric acid-promoted vicinal hydroxy- and alkoxylation of alkenes

The reaction of alkenes with mercury(II) oxide/tetrafluoroboric acid and alcohols or water involves reduction to Hg(O) and vicinal diethers or diols are produced in good yields. Olefins bearing benzylic hydrogens in an α position lead to cinnamyl ethers. Mechanisms are proposed to account for the products and their stereochemistry.     

Determination of ultratrace bismuth in milk samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A sensitive procedure was developed for determination of bismuth (Bi) in milk samples by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) after microwave-assisted sample digestion with HNO3 and H2O2. The method provides a sensitivity of 1832 fluorescence units (ng/mL) with a detection limit of 0.01 ng/mL, which corresponds to 20 pg absolute limit of detection, equivalent to 0.50 ng/g in the original sample. Application of the methodology to cow milk samples from the Spanish market showed the presence of Bi at a concentration of 11.8-28.8 ng/g, which compared well with data obtained after dry ashing of samples and with data obtained by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after microwave-assisted digestion.     

5-Amino-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles. Part I. 5-Amino-3-aryl-4-methylene-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles and 4-aminomethyl-3-arylisoxazoles from 5-amino-4-aminomethyl-3-aryl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles

5-Amino-4-aminomethyl-3-aryl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles 2 were obtained by cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 1,3-diaminopropenes 1. On reaction with methyl iodide the corresponding 4-(quaternary)-ammoniomethyl iodides 3 were formed. These compounds, on reaction with bases, afforded 5-amino-3-aryl-4-methylene-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles 4. The acid-catalyzed deamination of compounds 2 afforded 4-aminomethyl-3-arylisoxa-zoles 5 and 3-arylisoxazoles as retro-Mannich products. The deamination of 2 to yield 5 was also obtained by base catalysis.     

Reaction of ketenes with N,N-disubstituted α-aminomethyleneketones. XIII. Synthesis of 2H-pyrano[3,2-d]-1-benzoxepin derivatives

Cycloaddition of dichloroketone to N,N-disubstituted (E)-4-aminomethylene-3,4-dihydro-1-benzoxepin-5(2H)-ones gave N,N-disubstituted 4-amino-3,3-dichloro-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyrano[3,2-d]-1-benzoxepin-2-ones II, which are derivatives of the new heterocyclic system 2H-pyrano[3,2-d]-1-benzoxepin. Dehydrochlorination with triethylamine of II afforded N,N-disubstituted 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrano-[3,2-d]-1-benzoxepin-2-ones III in good to moderate yields. In the triethylamine treatment of IIh (NR₂ = diphenylamino), 3-chloro-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrano[3,2-d]-1-benzoxepin-2-one was isolated in low yield near to IIIh, whereas IIc (NR² = diisopropylamino) gave in low yield 4-diisopropylamino-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrano(3,2-d)-1-benzoxepin-2-one.     

Metal-induced cyclization of thiosemicarbazones derived from beta-keto amides and beta-keto esters: open-chain and cyclized ligands in zinc(II) complexes

The reactions of Zn(OAc)(2) with acetoacetanilide, methyl acetoacetate, o-acetoacetanisidide, and ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate thiosemicarbazones (HTSC(1), HTSC(2), HTSC(3), and HTSC(4), respectively) were explored in methanol. With HTSC(1), HTSC(2), and HTSC(3), following isolation of the corresponding zinc(II) thiosemicarbazonates [Zn(TSC(x))(2)] (x = 1, 2, 3), the mother liquors afforded pyrazolonate complexes [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] (HL(1) = 2,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide) that had been formed by cyclization of the corresponding TSC(-). The reaction of HTSC(4) with zinc(II) acetate gave only the pyrazolonate complex [ZnL(2)(2)(H(2)O)] (HL(2) = 2,5-dihydro-3,4-dimethyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide). All compounds were studied by IR and NMR spectroscopy, and HTSC(3), [Zn(TSC(3))(2)] x DMSO, [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] x 2DMSO, and [ZnL(2)(2)(H(2)O)] x 2DMSO were also studied by X-ray diffractometry, giving a thorough picture of the cyclization process. In preliminary tests of the effects of HL(1) and [ZnL(1)(2)(H(2)O)] on rat paw inflammatory edema induced by carrageenan, HL(1) showed antiinflammatory activity.     

Comparison of charged cyclodextrin derivatives for the chiral separation of atropisomeric polychlorinated biphenyls by capillary electrophoresis

Charged cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives were used as chiral selectors in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) for the chiral separation of highly hydrophobic neutral racemates such as atropisomeric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). beta-CD-phosphated, beta-CD sulfated, succinylated-gamma-CD (Succ-gamma-CD) and succinylated-beta-CD (Succ-beta-CD) were used as anionic CDs. As cationic CD, 6-monodeoxy-6-monoamino-beta-CD (beta-CD-NH(2)) was tested for the first time in order to separate PCBs. From the different CD derivatives employed, the best separations were obtained with the cationic CD derivative. Thus, the use of beta-CD-NH(2 )in phosphate buffer at pH 2.0 containing urea allowed the chiral recognition of eleven PCBs (45, 84, 88, 91, 95, 131, 136, 144, 149, 176, and 197). In this case, the addition of 2 M urea to the buffer solution was crucial to achieve the chiral separation of PCBs. The addition of acetonitrile to 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) with 30 mM beta-CD-NH(2) and 2 M urea improved considerably the chiral resolution obtained for PCBs 91, 95, 136, 144, 149, and 197 although an increase in the analysis time was also observed. All the results obtained were compared with those previously obtained with the dual CD system carboxymethyl-gamma-CD/beta-CD.     

Oligo(ethylene glycol) containing polymer brushes as bioselective surfaces

The nitroxide-mediated polymerization of styrenic monomers containing oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEGn) moieties was chosen for the preparation of biocompatible polymer brushes tethered to silicon oxide surfaces due to the broad range of monomer structures available and the use of a nonmetallic initiator. These surfaces were characterized by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and water contact angle measurements. The biocompatibility of these grown polymer brushes was studied and compared with deposited assemblies of surface-bound OEGn-terminated silanes with selected chain lengths. Grown polymer brushes with short OEGn side chains suppressed protein adsorption significantly more than the deposited assemblies of short OEGn chains, and this was attributed to higher surface coverage by the brushes. Cell adhesion studies confirmed that OEGn-containing polymer brushes are particularly effective in preventing nonspecific adhesion. Studies of protein adsorption and cell localization carried out with specific ligands on surfaces patterned demonstrated the potential of these surface-tethered polymer brushes for the formation of micro- and nanoscale devices.     

Photophysical, electrochemical and electrochromic properties of copper-bis(4,4′-dimethyl-6,6′-diphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine) complexes

The synthesis, solution and solid state structural characterization, photophysical and electrochemical properties of two redox forms of an electrochromic copper-bis(4,4′-dimethyl-6,6′-diphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine) complex, [Cu(3)₂]ⁿ (n=+1, +2), are presented. Both complexes were characterized in the solid state by X-ray diffraction methods on single-crystals showing that both forms exist in a pseudo-tetrahedral coordination, and a comparison with other structures was made. Like most copper(I) complexes, the red [Cu(3)₂]⁺ complex shows a rather weak emission (Φ_em=2.7×10⁻⁴, dichloromethane). The lifetime of the emitting MLCT state is 34±1 ns, as observed with time resolved emission, and transient absorption (in deoxygenated dichloromethane). Typical emission and transient absorption spectra are presented. The transient absorption spectra indicate that the MLCT state absorbs stronger than the ground state, which is relatively uncommon for metal bipyridine complexes, i.e. no ground state bleaching is observed. The green [(3)₂Cu]²⁺ complex does not show any observable emission or transient absorption, which is a common feature for Cu(II) complexes of this type. The electronic absorption spectra of the chemically and electrochemically produced copper(I/II) complexes are identical. The repeated electrochemical conversion of the Cu(I) center into Cu(II) and vice versa does not cause any decomposition. This is consistent with a fully reversible Cu(I)/Cu(II) redox couple in the corresponding cyclic voltammogram, (E_1/2 (Cu(I)/Cu(II))=+0.68 V vs. SCE=+0.23 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺). These observations indicate that no large structural reorganization occurs upon electrochemical timescales (sub second), and that the different ways of generating the complexes does not effect their final structure, apart from the small differences observed in the X-ray structures of both forms. These characteristics make these complexes rather well suited for their incorporation into an electrochromic display configuration.