A New Sulfur‐containing Schiff‐Base Ligand and Binding to Copper(II) and Cobalt(II)

A new Schiff‐base ligand having a potentially coordinating thioether group (2‐quinoline‐N‐(2′‐methylthiophenyl)methyleneimine, qmtpm ) has been prepared. The synthesis, structure, UV‐Vis and EPR studies of one copper(II) and two cobalt(II) complexes from this ligand is reported. The X‐ray structures of the Cu^II and Co^II chlorido complexes 1 and 2 reveal the metal atoms in highly distorted square‐pyramidal environments constituted of one tridentate ligand and two anions. On the other hand, the thiocyanato Co^II compound 3 exhibits a distorted trigonal‐bipyramidal structure. These structural variations are apparently due to the different counter‐ions which leads to distinct lattice interactions. The spectroscopic data obtained by EPR and UV‐Vis investigations are in agreement with the solid‐state structures of the coordination compounds.     

Silica nanoparticles at interfaces modulated by amphiphilic polymer and surfactant

The interfacial behavior of silica nanoparticles in the presence of an amphiphilic polymer poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is studied using neutron reflectivity. While the nanoparticles do not show any attraction to hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces in pure water, presence of the amphiphilic polymer induces significant adsorption of the nanoparticles at the hydrophobic surface. This interfacial behavior is activated due to interaction of the nanoparticles with PNIPAM, the amphiphilic nature of which leads to strong adsorption at a hydrophobic surface but only weak interaction with a hydrophilic surface. The presence of SDS competes with nanoparticle-PNIPAM interaction and in turn modulates the interfacial properties of the nanoparticles. These adsorption results are discussed in relation to nanoparticle organization templated by dewetting of charged polymer solutions on a solid substrate. Our previous studies showed that nanoparticle assembly can be induced to form complex morphologies produced by dewetting of the polymer solutions, such as a polygonal network and long-chain structures. This approach, however, works on a hydrophilic substrate but not on a hydrophobic substrate. These observations can be explained in part by particle-substrate interactions revealed in the present study.     

Flow injection spectrofluorimetric determination of carvedilol mediated by micelles

We propose a novel evanescent wave scattering imaging method using an objective-type total internal reflection system to image and track single gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in solution. In this imaging system, only a millimeter-scale hole is employed to efficiently separate GNPs scattering light from the background reflected beam. The detailed experimental realization of the imaging system was discussed, and the effect of the hole size on imaging was investigated. We observed that the hole diameters from 2.5 to 4 mm are suitable to perform the scattering imaging by adjusting the incidence angle. The technology was successfully applied to track single gold nanoparticles in solution and on live cell membrane via the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody. Compared to total internal fluorescence microscopy, the resonance light scattering detection has no photobleaching or blinking inherent to fluorescent dyes and quantum dots. Compared to conventional dark-field microscopy, the evanescent wave illumination can be conveniently applied to study membrane dynamics in living cells. Additionally, the objective-based configuration provides a free space above the coverslip, and allows imaging and concomitant manipulation of live cells in culture by microinjection, patch-clamping, AFM and other techniques.     

An expeditious method for the determination of organochlorine pesticides residues in estuarine sediments using microwave assisted pre-extraction and automated headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments implicates extraction of these compounds from the matrix, which is difficult owing to strong interaction among OCPs and different constituents of the sediments, particularly organic content. The method here described is a combination of microwave assisted extraction (MAE), headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), acting in selected-ion storage mode, or GC-electron capture detector (ECD, for routine analysis). Methanol was used as extracting solvent and aliquots of the MAE extracts (after inclusion of a step for sulfur elimination when required) were used to prepare aqueous solutions for HS-SPME. A complete automation of the SPME procedure increases the sample throughput, including standard addition for calibration purpose. The procedure has the advantage of exclude additional clean-up steps and pre-concentration before SPME. Application to reference sediments of different characteristics revealed absence of significant interferences from the matrix for alpha-lindane, gamma-lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDD, 4,4'-DDE, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide and good sensitivity. Detection limits ranged from 0.005 to 0.11 ng of OCP per gram of dried sediment using GC-MS and from 0.01 to 0.26 ngg(-1) using GC-ECD. The linear response ranges embraced 5-6 orders of magnitude (up to 1000 ngg(-1)) in GC-MS, being narrower for GC-ECD. The method was successfully applied to sandy and muddy sediments from Portuguese rivers estuaries, enabling quantification of seven OCPs. The method resulted effective, relatively simple and fast, being suitable for routine monitoring of residues of OCPs from sediments of different grain size and organic matter content, which influence concentration, mobility and availability of contaminants.     

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Di‐ and Sesquiterpenoids by Catalytic C−C Activation of Cyclopentanones

To show the synthetic utility of the catalytic C?C activation of less strained substrates, described here are the collective and concise syntheses of the natural products (?)‐microthecaline A, (?)‐leubehanol, (+)‐pseudopteroxazole, (+)‐seco‐pseudopteroxazole, pseudopterosin A–F and G—J aglycones, and (+)‐heritonin. The key step in these syntheses involve a Rh‐catalyzed C?C/C?H activation cascade of 3‐arylcyclopentanones, which provides a rapid and enantioselective route to access the polysubstituted tetrahydronaphthalene cores presented in these natural products. Other important features include 1) the direct C?H amination of the tetralone substrate in the synthesis of (?)‐microthecaline A, 2) the use of phosphoric acid to enhance efficiency and regioselectivity for problematic cyclopentanone substrates in the C?C activation reactions, and 3) the direct conversion of serrulatane into amphilectane diterpenes by an allylic cyclodehydrogenation coupling.     

Progress in the application of ATR-FTIR microscopy to the study of multi-layered cross-sections from works of art

As a non-invasive or micro-invasive technique attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (ATR-FTIR) microscopy is a valuable tool for the analysis of materials in works of art. An application for which it has received growing interest is in the analysis of paint cross-sections. However, FTIR microscope configurations, objectives' geometries and low spatial resolutions, and issues of sample preparation have often hampered the characterization of individual layers or features in cross-sections. With the use of case studies, it is demonstrated here that an ATR-FTIR microscope featuring a crystal of optimized geometry and a viewing capability feature allows characterization of individual layers, or areas within layers, of 10 microm thickness or less in single measurements. Of particular value is a remote aperturing feature which allows the analysis of selected areas within the contact footprint of the ATR crystal. Since the technique is non-destructive, the same area can be analyzed by complementary microscopic techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was also used in some cases to corroborate the spectroscopic data. The analyses presented provided data which were important in informing art historical interpretation and conservation of the artworks examined.