Determination of 1,3-benzodioxanes in Piper mullesua by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A new, simple, precise, and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method was developed for the determination of 6 benzodioxanes in Piper mullesua extract: 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-isobutyl nonanoate), 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,12-triene-isobutyl tridecanoate), fargesin, sesamin, asarinin, 1',3'-benzodioxole-5'-(2,4,8-triene-methyl nonanoate). The ingredients were separated on a precoated Silica Gel 60 F254 plate with a solvent system of toluene-acetone (92 + 8). The 6 benzodioxanes were well separated and easily identified in this chromatographic system. The separated benzodioxanes were visualized by color development with a spray reagent consisting of 1 g vanillin dissolved in 100 mL H2SO4-ethanol (5 + 95, v/v). Quantitation was performed by scanning the spots and comparing the integrated areas of compounds in samples with those of standards. Recoveries from samples spiked with known amounts of the benzodioxanes were excellent. The results were comparable with those estimated by liquid chromatography.     

Stability and Mobility of Metal-Humic Complexes Isolated from Different Soils

The contamination of potable water aquifers by heavy metals is one of the most severe environmental threats. For the transport of heavy metals from various types of contaminated sites into the ground water and also into surface water aquifers, humic substances (HS) are recognized to be of main importance. Dissolved in natural waters humic substances are readily complexed with a variety of metal ions. Therefore, humic substances are of cardinal importance for the migration and, consequently, the pollution of ground waters with heavy metals. Our paper presents the results of a comprehensive comparison of several isolated humic acids of soils of different origin (different geochemical milieu) and their metal complexes. Two polluted sites in Germany, which differ in their geochemical milieu (pH-value) were selected. The aim of our experiments was to describe the properties of terrestrial humic substances depending on their origin and genesis as well as the effects of the transport of humic substance-bound metals into the water-unsaturated soil zone. After determination of heavy metals in the soils by photon activation analysis the activated soil was used as an inherent tracer in batch experiments with the isolated humic acid. After adsorption of the loaded humic acid on an XAD-8 resin column, the partition of metals mobilized by humic acids could be quantified. There are correlations of the formation of metal-humic complexes with the soil pedogenes, with the pH-value as well as with the humic acid concentration.     

Dynamics of protein and mixed protein/surfactant adsorption layers at the water/fluid interface

The adsorption behaviour of proteins and systems mixed with surfactants of different nature is described. In the absence of surfactants the proteins mainly adsorb in a diffusion controlled manner. Due to lack of quantitative models the experimental results are discussed partly qualitatively. There are different types of interaction between proteins and surfactant molecules. These interactions lead to protein/surfactant complexes the surface activity and conformation of which are different from those of the pure protein. Complexes formed with ionic surfactants via electrostatic interaction have usually a higher surface activity, which becomes evident from the more than additive surface pressure increase. The presence of only small amounts of ionic surfactants can significantly modify the structure of adsorbed proteins. With increasing amounts of ionic surfactants, however, an opposite effect is reached as due to hydrophobic interaction and the complexes become less surface active and can be displaced from the interface due to competitive adsorption. In the presence of non-ionic surfactants the adsorption layer is mainly formed by competitive adsorption between the compounds and the only interaction is of hydrophobic nature. Such complexes are typically less surface active than the pure protein. From a certain surfactant concentration of the interface is covered almost exclusively by the non-ionic surfactant. Mixed layers of proteins and lipids formed by penetration at the water/air or by competitive adsorption at the water/chloroform interface are formed such that at a certain pressure the components start to separate. Using Brewster angle microscopy in penetration experiments of proteins into lipid monolayers this interfacial separation can be visualised. A brief comparison of the protein adsorption at the water/air and water/n-tetradecane shows that the adsorbed amount at the water/oil interface is much stronger and the change in interfacial tension much larger than at the water/air interface. Also some experimental data on the dilational elasticity of proteins at both interfaces measured by a transient relaxation technique are discussed on the basis of the derived thermodynamic model. As a fast developing field of application the use of surface tensiometry and rheometry of mixed protein/surfactant mixed layers is demonstrated as a new tool in the diagnostics of various diseases and for monitoring the progress of therapies.     

518—π-acid effect on electrode behaviour of ternary complexes in solution: Complex formation between copper(II)-1,10-phenanthroline complex and ligands containing oxygen and/or nitrogen donor atoms as secondary ligands. part II

The study of mixed-ligand complexes [Cu_x(phen)_yL_z] (where phen stands for 1,10-phenanthroline and L for aliphatic acids, aromatic acids, amino acids and phenols in the ratio of 1 : 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 : 1) has been made at three different temperatures, namely 30, 35 and 40°C. It is observed that all the complexes follow a partictiar reaction mechanism with temperature, and the half-wave potential shifts towards the more positive side with rise of temperature, indicating easier reduction. Besides the formal rate constant, the activation energy of diffusion, E_D, has been calculated for each system. The effect of activation energy and the energy of rearrangement of electronic configuration of the depolarizer has been discussed against availability of the redox orbital for the electroreduction process.     

Time-dependent mixing and demixing processes in binary lipid monolayers studied by mixed and separate spreading using film pressure and film potential measurements

Using both spreading techniques — mixed spreading and separate spreading- and, simultaneously, film pressure and film potential measurements, the mixing behavior of the following five binary systems was investigated and compared: 1) system 1,2-dilauroyl-phosphatidylethanolamine/cholesterol; 2) system 1,2-dimyristoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine/cholesterol; 3) system 1,2-dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine/cholesterol; 4) system Na-eicosyl sulphate/hexadecanol; 5) system phosphatidic acid/1,2-dimyristoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine.Analyzing the time and concentration dependence of the /a isotherms and v/a isotherms (^s = film pressure, v ^s potential,a=average area per molecule in mixed films in the monolayers) of the binary monolayers it can be concluded that the components of the binary systems 1–4 are complete miscible in the monolayers. On the other hand the components of the system 5 are probably partially miscible only.     

Kinetics of the manganese(III)-oxalate reaction in acidic sulphate media

The kinetics of the reaction of manganese(III) with oxalic acid (OA) has been studied in H₂SO₄ solutions. Under the experimental conditions of 6 × 10^–3 <>₀ < 0.4=" mol=">^–3 and [H₂SO₄]₀ 0.2 mol dm^–3 the observed pseudo-first order rate constant k _obs follows the expression

Photosensitization of TiO2 colloids by Erythrosin B in acetonitrile

Photosensitization by Erythrosin B of a TiO₂ colloidal dispersion in acetonitrile has been studied by fast kinetic spectroscopy. The dye molecules adsorbed on the TiO₂ surface had a significantly shorter lifetime (2&#x0303; 250 ps) compared to those in homogeneous solution (≈ 1.6 ns) in acetonitrile. The photosensitization of TiO₂ occurred more efficiently from the singlet than from the triplet state of the dye.     

Thermodynamic and lfer studies for the oxidation of anilines by the periodate ion

The various thermodynamic parameters for the periodate oxidation of six anilines, viz. aniline, p-chloroaniline, p-ethoxyaniline, o- and p-methoxyanilines and p-methylaniline have been reported and discussed. The validity of the isokinetic relationship and various linear free energy relationships (LFERs) have been tested and discussed. An attempt has been made to correlate these findings with the mechanism operative in these reactions.     

Novel Redox-Active Cyclophanes Based on 3,3'-Biindolizines: Synthesis and Chirality

The first compounds of a new series of redox-active cyclophanes were prepared by dehydrocyclization of bridged indolizines of type 1. The bridged dipyridino-compounds 2a and 2b obtained by reaction of 2 mol of lithiated alpha-picolines with dihalides were used as starting materials. Subsequent treatment of 2a,b with 2 mol of alpha-bromo ketones gave quaternary pyridinium halides. Ring closure in an alkaline medium (Chichibabin reaction) yielded the starting material for the synthesis of the macrocycles. Oxidative C-C coupling gave the diastereomeric cyclophanes of type 3. In all cases one pair of the enantiomers was obtained in excess. CV-investigations have shown that the main products are reversible redox systems. To clarify their conformations, compounds 3c, 3d/1, and3d/2 were subjected to X-ray analysis.