PLS and first derivative of ratio spectra methods for determination of hydrochlorothiazide and propranolol hydrochloride in tablets

Two new analytical methods have been developed as convenient and useful alternatives for simultaneous determination of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and propranolol hydrochloride (PRO) in pharmaceutical formulations. The methods are based on the first derivative of ratio spectra (DRS) and on partial least squares (PLS) analysis of the ultraviolet absorption spectra of the samples in the 250–350-nm region. The methods were calibrated between 8.7 and 16.0 mg L⁻¹ for HCT and between 14.0 and 51.5 mg L⁻¹ for PRO. An asymmetric full-factorial design and wavelength selection (277–294 nm for HCT and 297–319 for PRO) were used for the PLS method and signal intensities at 276 and 322 nm were used in the DRS method for HCT and PRO, respectively. Performance characteristics of the analytical methods were evaluated by use of validation samples and both methods showed to be accurate and precise, furnishing near quantitative analyte recoveries (100.4 and 99.3% for HCT and PRO by use of PLS) and relative standard deviations below 2%. For PLS the lower limits of quantification were 0.37 and 0.66 mg L⁻¹ for HCT and PRO, respectively, whereas for DRS they were 1.15 and 3.05 mg L⁻¹ for HCT and PRO, respectively. The methods were used for quantification of HCT and PRO in synthetic mixtures and in two commercial tablet preparations containing different proportions of the analytes. The results of the drug content assay and the tablet dissolution test were in statistical agreement (p < 0.05) with those furnished by the official procedures of the USP 29. Preparation of dissolution profiles of the combined tablet formulations was also performed with the aid of the proposed methods. The methods are easy to apply, use relatively simple equipment, require minimum sample pre-treatment, enable high sample throughput, and generate less solvent waste than other procedures. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

The crystal and molecular structure of mercury(II) bis(isopropyl)dithiophosphate, Hg[S2P(OPri)2]2, revisited: new comments about its supramolecular self-organization

The crystal structure of the title compound, Hg[S₂P(OPrⁱ)₂]₂, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric P2₁/c space group with a = 11.800(1), b = 8.925(2), c = 22.167(2) Å, = 94.988(7)°, and Z = 4. The same compound has been previously reported but the structure is described there in the space group C2/c. In both cases, one phosphorodithioate moiety acts as a chelating group and the other as a bridging group between neighboring mercury atoms (related to one another by the twofold screw axis), giving rise to an infinite polymer along the direction of the b axis. It turns out that in spite of the difference in space group symmetry, the structures are remarkable similar in that they are formed from infinite polymers of similar geometry. The coordination around the Hg ion shows, however, significant differences, mainly for the bridging Hg—S(4) bond length, which is 0.16 Å smaller than that previously reported.     

The crystal and molecular structure of 2-S-methylthiouracil

2-S-Methylthiouracil crystallizes in the triclinic space group P with unit cell dimensions a = 5.508(4), b = 7.175(3), c = 8.522(2) Å, = 80.83(2), = 80.43(3), = 76.86(3)°, and Z = 2. The molecule exists in the crystal in the lactam form and is essentially planar. The molecular packing consists of molecules linked in centrosymmetric hydrogen-bonded pairs. The effects of methylation and subsequent metallation on the 2-thiouracil structure are discussed.     

Directed assembly of chiral organometallic squares that exhibit dual luminescence

Chiral molecular squares based on the Pt-alkynyl linkage were synthesized via stepwise directed assembly, and exhibit interesting dual luminescence at room temperature which is potentially exploitable for chiral sensory applications.     

Complex formation equilibria of some beta-amino-alcohols with lead(II) and cadmium(II) in aqueous solution

A study of complex formation equilibria of some beta-amino-alcohols with lead(II) and cadmium(II) ions at 25 degrees C and in 0.5 M KNO(3) is reported. The amino-alcohols considered are 2-amino-1-propanol, 2-amino-1-butanol, 2-amino-1-pentanol and 2-amino-1,3-propanediol. sec-Buthylamine and 2-amino-1-methoxy-propane have been also considered for comparison. The results are discussed in terms of ligand structure, paying attention to the number of hydroxyl groups and to the length of the alkyl residual. A weak contribution of the alcoholic oxygen in the coordination of cadmium(II) and the presence of a mixed hydroxyl species in lead(II) containing systems are hypothesized.     

Photodriven electron and energy transfer from a light-harvesting metallodendrimer

Intermolecular electron and energy transfer from a light-harvesting metallodendrimer [Ru[bpy(C-450)(4)](3)](2+), where bpy(C-450)(4) is a 2,2'-bipyridine derivative containing 4 coumarin-450 units connected together through aryl ether linkages, is observed in acetonitrile solutions at room temperature. The model complex [Ru(dmb)(3)](2+), where dmb is 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, is included for quantitative comparison. The excited states of both compounds are metal-to-ligand charge transfer in nature and participate in excited-state electron and triplet energy transfer processes. Quenching constants were determined from luminescence and time-resolved absorption experiments at constant ionic strength. [Ru[bpy(C-450)(4)](3)](2+) displays significantly slower quenching rates to molecular oxygen and methyl viologen relative to the other processes investigated. Triplet energy transfer from [Ru[bpy(C-450)(4)](3)](2+) to 9-methylanthracene is quantitatively indistinguishable from [Ru(dmb)(3)](2+) while reductive electron transfer from phenothiazine was slightly faster in the former. With the exception of dioxygen quenching, our results indicate that the current dendritic structure is ineffective in shielding the core from bimolecular electron and triplet energy transfer reactions. Electrochemical measurements of [Ru[bpy(C-450)(4)](3)](2+) reveal irreversible oxidative processes at potentials slightly negative to the Ru(III/II) potential that are assigned to oxidations in the dendritic structure. Excited-state oxidative electron-transfer reactions facilitate this process resulting in the reduction of ground-state Ru(III) to Ru(II) and the trapping of the methyl viologen radical cation (MV(*+)) when methyl viologen serves as the quencher. This process generates a minimum of 9 MV(*+)'s for every [Ru[bpy(C-450)(4)](3)](2+) molecule and disassembles the metallodendrimer, resulting in the production of a [Ru(dmb)(3)](2+)-like species and "free" C-450-like dyes.     

Synthesis of melampolides and cis,cis-germacranolides as natural herbicide models

The comparative study between the theoretical molecular properties of the starting materials and the yields in the transformation of melampolides to cis,cis-germacranolides using SeO₂/t-BuOOH (TBHP) as oxidant allows to establish a feasible relationship with their values of dipolar moment. Conditions for this transformation are optimized and some mechanistic considerations are made based in this finding. Cluster analysis of the phytotoxic activity of the melampolides and cis,cis-germacranolides obtained shows that the activity is greatly influenced by the spatial shape of the backbone, prevailing upon other factors such as the presence of reactive functional groups.     

Crystal structure,electrochemical and photochemical studies of the trans-[Fe(cyclam)(NO)Cl]Cl2 complex (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)

The trans-[Fe(cyclam)(NO)Cl]Cl₂ complex was synthesized by the reaction of cis-[Fe(cyclam)Cl₂]Cl with NO gas. The X-ray structure of the complex showed that the [Fe–NO] moiety is linear, consistent with the NO⁺ character of the nitric oxide ligand. This suggestion was reinforced by the IR data, which showed the νNO at 1888 cm⁻¹. The cyclic voltammogram of the trans-[Fe(cyclam)(NO)Cl]²⁺ complex presented three electrochemical processes at −0.70, 0.08 and 0.40 V versus Ag/AgCl. The first and last redox processes are centered at the NO ligand, whereas the second is characteristic of the generated aqua species, trans-[Fe(cyclam)Cl(H₂O)]²⁺. Upon irradiation at 330 nm, pH 3.4, the title complex releases the NO moiety with the concomitant generation of the trans-[Fe(cyclam)(H₂O)Cl]⁺ complex as suggested by electronic and IR spectroscopy as well as by cyclic voltammetry technique.     

The infrared and Raman spectra of potassium azidopentacyanocobaltate(III) dihydrate: K3[Co(CN)5N3]·2H2O

Infrared spectra of potassium azidopentacyanocobaltate(III) dihydrate (PACDH) were obtained from the polycrystalline substance, both normal and deuterated, and from the monocrystal using in this case a polarization analyzer. Raman spectra of the normal powder were also obtained. The observed bands were assigned either to the internal vibrational modes of the azidopentacyanocobaltate(III) ion (AC) or to the internal and librational modes of the hydration water.     

An Anisotropy Probe for Protein Hydrodynamics

Fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements have been widely used to study the rotational dynamics of proteins, membrane-bound proteins and other macromolecules.