Thermal decomposition of some silver(I) carboxylates under nitrogen atmosphere

The thermal decomposition reactions of CH₃CH₂C(CH₃)₂COOAg (1), (CH₃)₃SiCH₂COOAg (2), CF₃COOAg (3), (CH₃)₃CCOOAg (4), C₂H₅COOAg (5), C₃F₇COOAg (6), C₆F₁₃COOAg (7) and (CF₂)₃(COOAg)₂ (8) were studied in N₂ atmosphere using thermogravimetry (TG), derivative thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. Characterized compounds decomposed in one- or multi-step processes with metallic silver formation in the range 215–465 °C. TG-IR studies of gases evolved during thermolysis revealed products of decomposition, such as carboxylic acids, CO₂ and recombination reactions.     

UHPLC: The Greening Face of Liquid Chromatography

Pharmaceutical analysis based on chromatographic separation is an important part of studies aimed at developing routine quality analysis of drugs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one of the main analytical techniques recommended for drug analysis. Although it meets many criteria vital for analysis, it is time-consuming and uses a relatively high amount of organic solvents compared to other analytical techniques. Recently, Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) has been frequently proposed as an alternative to HPLC, which means introducing an environment-friendly approach to drug analysis achieved by reducing the consumption of solvents. It also offers greater chromatographic resolution and higher sensitivity as well as requiring less time due to faster analysis. This review focuses on the basics of UHPLC, compares that technique with HPLC and discusses the possibilities of applying UHPLC for the analysis of different pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.     

One-Step Formation of N-Alkenyl-malonamides and N-Alkenyl-thiomalonamides from Carbamoyl Meldrum's Acids

A one-pot synthesis for the preparation of N-alkenyl-malonamides and N-alkenyl-thiomalonamides was developed. 5-[Hydroxy/mercapto(aryl/alkylamino)methylene]-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione act as a source of ketenes that react with the tautomeric form of alkyl-(2-phenyl-propylidene)-amines. A possible [2 + 2] or [4 + 2] cycloaddition product of ketene to imines was not observed.     

An Improved Method for Oxidation of Sulfides to Sulfoxides with Hydrogen Peroxide in Methanol

A variety of oxidative methods have been used for the preparation of sulfoxides from the corresponding sulfides². However, only few of them permit the oxidation in a selective manner. These methods involve for example sodium metaperiodate³, dichloroiodobenzene⁴ and t-butyl hypochlorite⁵ as oxidising agent. It should be noted that it is necessary to use them in equivalent amounts in respect to sulfide in order to avoid the over-oxidation or α-halogenation reaction.     

A Convenient Synthesis of Monocationic 1-[(Cyclic Amidino)methyl]thymines

1-[(Cyclic amidino)methyl]thymines have been conveniently synthesized from thymine in a three-step procedure via 1-cyanomethyl- and 1-[(thiocarbamoyl) methyl]thymines. The above synthetic intermediates were obtained in good yields by improved methods.     

Major and Trace Elements in Spruce Needles from Urban Areas: Some Aspects of Analysis in Environmental Studies

Main and trace elements in samples of spruce needles from urban areas in Poland and Norway were analysed using the ICP-AES method. Concentrations of Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Sr, Ti, V and Zn were measured in needles from conifer trees growing in different locations. Two different procedures of laboratory sample preparation were compared and discussed. Different washing procedures were examined and compared. For quality control of analytical measurements, Standard Reference Material BCR CRM 101 (spruce needles from Europe) was used. Synergistic and antagonistic relationships between elements in spruce needles were investigated. Applicability of spruce needles in biomonitoring of environmental metal pollution was discussed.     

An approach for disaccharide chiron synthesis using a Ferrier-type rearrangement

We report a new approach for the synthesis of new chiral synthons in which two unsaturated sugars are linked via a glycosidic bond. The di-unsaturated disaccharide can be further functionalized using effective, highly selective methods and used in convergent syntheses of relatively complex glycoconjugates. Our approach utilizes in situ generation of active glycosyl donors via Ferrier-type rearrangement under phase-transfer conditions and subsequent reaction with a nucleophile.     

Biosorption of toxic metals using freely suspended Microcystis aeruginosa biomass

This paper describes the potential application of a freely suspended cyanobacterial biomass of Microcystis aeruginosa as a sorption material for toxic metals, cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from aqueous solutions. In order to identify the most suitable conditions for removal of these elements (concentration range: 1–20 mg L^?1), the laboratory experiments were carried out during different incubation times (1–48 h) and under various temperatures (10–40°C), pH (5–9) and with or without light irradiance. Competitive biosorption of Cd and Pb was also investigated. We found that M. aeruginosa demonstrates high efficiency in removing both of the studied metals from aqueous solutions. Sorption of Pb occurred, however, more rapidly and effectively, and was less disturbed by changes in physico-chemical conditions. Under pH=7, 25°C and light, the removal rates after 3 h and 6 h of incubation, were 90–100% for Pb and 79.5–100% for Cd, respectively. The co-occurrence of the metals decreased the rate of metal biosorption. Pb was sequestered preferentially over Cd. From the results we conclude that freely suspended M. aeruginosa can constitute a promising low-cost, easy-producible biosorbent material for toxic metals in contaminated wastewater.      

Effect of the morphology on the mechanisms of the magnetization reversal of multilayered thin Co/Pd films

A comparative study of the magnetization curves of continuous and porous multilayered Pd_10nm/[Co_0.3nm]/Pd_0.55nm]15/Pd_2nm films deposited on an anodized TiO₂ template was performed by magnetometry. Based on the comparison of the dependences of coercive field H_C on angle θ between the easy-magnetization axis and the direction of external magnetic field H with theoretical dependences H_C(θ) for the magnetization reversal by domain walls motion (according to the Kondorski model) and the rotation of magnetic moments (by the Stoner–Wohlfarth model), the differences in the mechanisms of magnetization reversal for two mentioned types of the films were revealed. The correlation between the difference in the morphologies of the continuous and porous films and revealed change in the mechanisms of the magnetization reversal, as well as the changes in values of H_C and calculated constants of the magnetic anisotropy, is discussed.     

One-parameter scaling at the dirac point in graphene

We numerically calculate the conductivity sigma of an undoped graphene sheet (size L) in the limit of a vanishingly small lattice constant. We demonstrate one-parameter scaling for random impurity scattering and determine the scaling function beta(sigma)=dlnsigma/dlnL. Contrary to a recent prediction, the scaling flow has no fixed point (beta>0) for conductivities up to and beyond the symplectic metal-insulator transition. Instead, the data support an alternative scaling flow for which the conductivity at the Dirac point increases logarithmically with sample size in the absence of intervalley scattering--without reaching a scale-invariant limit.