Guaiacol as a new reagent for the spectrophotometric determination of uranium

Guiacol, i.e. o-hydroxyanisole, gives a distinct color reaction with U(VI) suitable for spectrophotometric determination of the metal. The complex formed in the reaction has an absorption maximum at 352 nm. Optimum pH for the color development ranges from 6.5 to 8.5. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of the method were found to be 3.75×10³ l·mol^–1·cm^–1 and 0.063 g·cm^–2, respectively. Many anions and cations do not interfere up to 100 ppm. The method has been made very specific by selective extraction of U(VI) with TBP from a mixture of different cations and anions in the presence of 60% NH₄NO₃ as salting out agent followed by developing the color in the non-aqueous phase by adding quaiacol in methanol at pH 6.5 to 8.5 An amount as low as 30 g of uranium (VI) per 10 ml of the solution could be satisfactorily determined with an RSD of ±2.0%. The method was applied to rock samples after U(VI) had been extracted from a sample solution into 25% TBP in hexane. Results obtained by the new method compare very well with those of conventional fluorimetric and radiometric assays. The features of the method include excellent precision, rapidity, good selectivity, and ease of performance.     

Comparison of low-order multireference many-body perturbation theories

Tests have been made to benchmark and assess the relative accuracies of low-order multireference perturbation theories as compared to coupled cluster (CC) and full configuration interaction (FCI) methods. Test calculations include the ground and some excited states of the Be, H(2), BeH(2), CH(2), and SiH(2) systems. Comparisons with FCI and CC calculations show that in most cases the effective valence shell Hamiltonian (H(v)) method is more accurate than other low-order multireference perturbation theories, although none of the perturbative methods is as accurate as the CC approximations. We also briefly discuss some of the basic differences among the multireference perturbation theories considered in this work.     

Non-isothermal studies of adduct molecules of metallic halides with oxo-compounds in solid state. V

Non-isothermal studies of some adduct molecules of metallic halides with tetrahydropyran as the type MX₂(THP)_y in solid state, were carried out with a Derivatograph, where M  Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) or Cd(II), XCl^- or Br^-, THPtetrahydropyran and y0.1–1. These adduct molecules lost tetrahydropyran in single or multiple steps upon heating. Thermally stable intermediate products were isolated and characterised by elemental analysis and IR spectral measurement. The activation energy for each step of decomposition of the adduct was evaluated from the analysis of TG, DTG and DTA curves of the respective derivatogram. The enthalpy change was evaluated from the DTA peak area and the order of reaction was found to be unity, for each step of decomposition. Thermal parameters for the above adducts were compared with the adducts of other oxocompounds like dioxan, tetrahydrofuran, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether and diisopropyl ether.     

Technique for the isolation of secondary phases in processed magnesite

The study describes a new wet chemical technique, termed ANM, for the isolation of secondary phases in magnesite processed at a temperature of 1650 degrees C. The major MgO (periclase) phase in processed magnesite was preferentially extracted as ammonium nitrate magnesium double salt by ammonium nitrate in ethanol medium. The residues containing enriched secondary phases were identified by XRD.     

Steroidal Antimetabolites Protect Mice against Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent for human African trypanosomiasis, is an emerging ergosterol-dependent parasite that produces chokepoint enzymes, sterol methyltransferases (SMT), not synthesized in their animal hosts that can regulate cell viability. Here, we report the lethal effects of two recently described natural product antimetabolites that disrupt Acanthamoeba sterol methylation and growth, cholesta-5,7,22,24-tetraenol (CHT) and ergosta-5,7,22,24(28)-tetraenol (ERGT) that can equally target T. brucei. We found that CHT/ERGT inhibited cell growth in vitro, yielding EC₅₀ values in the low nanomolar range with washout experiments showing cidal activity against the bloodstream form, consistent with their predicted mode of suicide inhibition on SMT activity and ergosterol production. Antimetabolite treatment generated altered T. brucei cell morphology and death rapidly within hours. Notably, in vivo ERGT/CHT protected mice infected with T. brucei, doubling their survival time following daily treatment for 8–10 days at 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg. The current study demonstrates a new class of lead antibiotics, in the form of common fungal sterols, for antitrypanosomal drug development.     

Dioxane Dibromide–Mediated Solvent‐Free Synthesis of Vicinal Dibromides

Structurally varied vicinal dibromides have been synthesized in high yield and good purity through highly stereoselective anti‐addition of bromine across the olefinic linkages using dioxane dibromide (DD) under solvent‐free conditions.     

Study of the Release Mechanism of Terminalia chebula Extract from Nanoporous Silica Gel

Sol/gel-derived silica gel was prepared at room temperature from tetraethyl orthosilicate precursor. The extracts of Terminalia chebula (Haritoki) were entrapped into the porous silica gel. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the proper adsorption of herbal values in the nanopores of the silica gel. Porosity was estimated by transmission electron microscope studies. The release kinetics of the extract in both 0.1 N HCl, pH 1.2, and Phosphate-buffer saline (PBS), pH 7.2, were determined using UV–Vis spectroscopy. Different dissolution models were applied to release data in order to evaluate the release mechanisms and kinetics. Biphasic release patterns were found in every formulation for both the buffer systems. The kinetics followed a zero-order equation for first 4 h and a Higuchi expression in a subsequent timeline in the case of 0.1 N HCl. In the case of PBS, the formulations showed best linearity with a first-order equation followed by Higuchi’s model. The sustained release of the extract predominantly followed diffusion and super case II transport mechanism. The release value was always above the minimum inhibitory concentration.     

Convenient Strategies for the Preparation of Modified 2(3H)-Benzothiazolethiones

4-Alkyl-2-bromoanilines and 4-alkoxy-2-chloroanilines were synthesized conveniently and submitted to cyclization reaction with potassium O-ethyl dithiocarbonate to afford 6-substituted 2(3H)-benzothiazolethiones in good yields.     

Characteristics of electrochemically grown dendritic metallic zinc

A simple electrochemical process has been implemented to fabricated fractal structured leaf-like metallic zinc. The fabricated material was structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction that reveals the hexagonal unit cell structure. Also the growth of the structure is anisotropic. Field emission scanning electron microscopic images revealed clearly the leaf-like morphology of the fabricated material is fern like and ∼500 μm in length, ∼50-60 μm wide and the platelets thickness is ∼5 μm. The growth of this structure is diffusion controlled and locally accomplished with the oriented attachment. Raman shift measurement revealed the existence of surface optical phonon modes which is very significant for surface defects.