Solvothermal synthesis and characterisation of La1−xAxMnO3 nanoparticles

The synthesis of La_1−xA_xMnO₃ (A=Ca, Sr, Ba) nanoparticles in nonaqueous solvents has been studied. For this solvothermal procedure benzyl alcohol and acetophenone were chosen as reaction media. After this treatment in mild conditions a precipitate was obtained, which, however, can be annealed to the crystalline perovskite structure. Our results show that acetophenone is more suited to obtain the clean pervoskite phase than benzyl alcohol.     

A double-bonded niobium(III) compound with a formamidinate core: Nb2(μ-SMe)2(μ-DTolF)2 (η2-DTolF)2.2 toluene,DToIF= di-p-tolylformamidinate

The reaction of NaEt₃BH with Nb₂(-SMe₂)₃Cl₆ results in the transfer of a hydride ion to dimethylthioether with concomitant production of methane. Further reaction with potassium di-p-tolylformamidinate, KDTolF, yields Nb₂(-SMe)₂(-DTolF)₂²-DTolF:)₂.2 toluene, 1. In the latter, two thiomethoxide ions and two DTolF groups bridge the trivalent niobium atoms. Each of the other two DTolF groups chelate a metal atom to give the molecule an edge-sharing bioctahedral structure, The niobium-niobium distance of 2.655(2) A is consistent with the presence of a double bond between the metal atoms.     

Dynamical structure of linearizedGL(4) gravities

The physical content of the three more natural models ofGL(4) gravity is analyzed, for the case of weak fields. The first model we deal with is the linearized version of Yang's onetensor-field gravity. It is shown that this is a scalar-tensor theory, with its scalar part contained in the symmetric tensorh , instead of appearing explicitly, externally to the symmetric tensorh , as happens in Brans-Dicke type of scalar-tensor theories. The second and the third linearized models, which can both be derived from the fourth-order action postulated by Yang, turn out to be two-tensor decoupled systems. In both cases one of the tensors is the symmetric weak metric gravity tensor field. The second tensor appearing in these two models, representing theGL(4)-gauge field, is either a linearized symmetric affinity (in the second model) or a linearized but nonsymmetric affinity (for the third model). It is shown that in these last two cases the affinity contains a helicity-3 propagating field. The connection is also given between the fourth-order system which determines the dynamical structure (for the last two models) of the metric tensor and the third-order Yang model of gravity. Owing to the presence of helicity-3 fields we show that it is better to regard Yang's action as an action for a two-tensor system instead of trying to recover from it a pure gravity (one-tensor-field) action. Finally, it is shown what is the dynamical structure of the second and third linearized two-tensor models which can be derived from Yang's action.On leave of absence from the Universidad Simón Bolívar.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted 5-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-5,6-dehydropiperidin-2-ones: chirality transfer in the enantioselective synthesis of ethyl (+)-(3S,4aS,7aS)-1-oxo-octahydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]pyridine-3-carboxylate

The base-mediated reaction of enantiomerically pure -sulfinylketimine (+)-1 with (E)-,β-disubstituted propenoate esters afforded 3,4-disubstituted-5-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-5,6-dehydropiperidin-2-ones 9-13 and 14 with high or complete diastereoselectivity. A sole diastereomer of the four possible ones, with regard to the nature of ester, was isolated, which revealed the stereocontrol of the chiral sulfinyl group in the Michael reaction and transenolization steps. In addition, the enantioselective synthesis of ethyl (+)-(3S,4aS,7aS)-1-oxo-octahydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]pyridine-3-carboxylates (+)-17 is described (five steps; 47% yield; ee 97%). The absolute configuration of stereocentres introduced in (+)-17 was assigned on the basis of ¹H NMR data.     

Synthesis, crystal structure, spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of the dinuclear complex {tetra-μ-[(±)-2-(p-methoxyphenoxy)-propionato-O,O′]bis(aqua)dicopper(II)}

Structural, electrochemical and spectroscopic data of a new dinuclear copper(II) complex with (±)-2-(p-methoxyphenoxy)propionic acid are reported. The complex {tetra-μ-[(±)-2-(p-methoxyphenoxy)propionato-O,O′]-bis(aqua)dicopper(II)} crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/n with a = 14.149(1) ?, b = 7.495(1) ?, c = 19.827(1) ?, β = 90.62(1) and Z = 4. X-ray diffraction data show that the two copper(II) ions are held together through four carboxylate bridges, coordinated as equatorial ligands in square pyramidal geometry. The coordination sphere around each copper ion is completed by two water molecules as axial ligands. Thermogravimetric data are consistent with such results. The ligand has an “L” type shape due to the angle formed by the β-carbon of the propionic chain and the linked p-methoxyphenoxy group. This conformation contributes to the occurrence of a peculiar structure of the complex. The complex retains its dinuclear nature when dissolved in acetonitrile, but it decomposes into the corresponding mononuclear species if dissolved in ethanol, according to the EPR measurements. Further, cyclic voltammograms of the complex in acetonitrile show that the dinuclear species maintains the same structure, in agreement with the EPR data in this solvent. The voltammogram shows two irreversible reduction waves at E _pc = −0.73 and −1.04 V vs. Ag/AgCl assigned to the Cu(II)/Cu(I) and Cu(I)/Cu° redox couples, respectively, and two successive oxidation waves at E _pa =− 0.01 and +1.41 V vs. Ag/AgCl, assigned to the Cu°/Cu(I) and Cu(I)/Cu(II) redox couples, respectively, in addition to the oxidation waves of the carboxylate ligand.     

Modification of the electrokinetic properties of reversible electrophoresis gels for the separation and preparation of DNA

The effect of adding linear polymers to a novel reversible electrophoretic was measured. Reversible gels are formed using the polyanionic carbohydrate polymer, gellan gum. Gellan gum forms strong stable gels in the presence of divalent cations or diamines. The gels are reversible (return to solution) by changing the ionic environment or pH. Gellan gum is an anionic polymer, and the electrophoresis gels have considerable electroosmotic flow (EOF) toward the negative electrode. We measured the EOF in gellan gum electrophoresis gels as a function of gel concentration, buffer composition, and linear polymer additive. The linear polymers used in this study were polyethylene oxide and hydroxyethyl cellulose. Both polymers reduced EOF in the gels, in a manner dependent on molecular weight. Polymers with high molecular weight were more effective at reducing EOF. The addition of polymers increased the resolution of low molecular weight DNA. Native gellan gum resolved DNA from approx 50,000 to 1000 bp. Addition of the polymers resolved DNA down to approx 50 bp, in some instances. The influence of the polymers on circular plasmid DNA was also investigated. Addition of high molecular weight polyethylene oxide reduced the electrophoretic mobility of the nicked circular form compared to the supercoiled form.     

First seco-C oleananes from nature

[structure: see text] The triterpenes 8,14-seco-oleana-8(26),13-dien-3beta-ol (1) and its acetyl derivative 2 were isolated from Stevia viscida and Stevia eupatoria, respectively. Their structures were elucidated by 2D NMR, including carbon-carbon connectivity experiments, and confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis of ketone 3. The absolute configuration was determined by NMR analysis of the Mosher esters of 1. The biogenetic implications of the new substances are discussed.     

Bis(1,10‐phenanthroline)(thio­sulfato)­manganese(II) methanol solvate and catena‐poly­[[di­aqua(2,9‐di­methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline)­manganese(II)]‐μ‐thio­sulfato]

The structure of bis(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ²N,N′)(thio­sulfato‐κ²O:S)­manganese(II) methanol solvate, [Mn(S₂O₃)(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂]·CH₃OH, is made up of Mn²⁺ centers coordinated to two bidentate phenanthroline (phen) groups and an S,O‐chelating thio­sulfate anion, forming monomeric entities. The structure of catena‐poly­[[di­aqua(2,9‐di­methyl‐1,10‐phen­anthro­line‐κ²N,N′)­manganese(II)]‐μ‐thio­sulfato‐κ²O:S], [Mn(S₂O₃)(C₁₄H₁₂N₂)(H₂O)₂]_n, is polymeric, consisting of Mn(dmph)(H₂O)₂ units (dmph is 2,9‐di­methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline) linked by thio­sulfate anions acting in an S,O‐chelating manner.     

New physically adsorbed polymer coating for reproducible separations of basic and acidic proteins by capillary electrophoresis

In this work, a new physically adsorbed coating for capillary electrophoresis (CE) is presented. The coating is based on a N,N-dimethylacrylamide-ethylpyrrolidine methacrylate (DMA-EPyM) copolymer synthesized in our laboratory. The capillary coating is simple and easy to obtain as only requires flushing the capillary with a polymer aqueous solution for 2 min. It is shown that by using these coated capillaries the electrostatic adsorption of a group of basic proteins onto the capillary wall is significantly reduced allowing their analysis by CE. Moreover, the DMA-EPyM coating provides reproducible separations of the basic proteins with RSD values for migration times lower than 0.75% for the same day (n = 5) and lower than 3.90% for three different days (n = 15). Interestingly, the electrical charge of the coated capillary wall can be modulated by varying the pH of the running buffer which makes possible the analysis of basic and acidic proteins in the same capillary. The usefulness of this coating is further demonstrated via the reproducible separation of whey (i.e. acidic) proteins from raw milk. The coating protocol should be compatible with both CE in microchips and CE-MS of different types of proteins.     

Two nickel complexes stabilized by nitrate counter‐ions

Two new nickel nitrates, di­aqua­bis(3,4,7,8‐tetra­methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ²N,N′)­nickel(II) dinitrate methanol solvate, [Ni(C₁₆H₁₆N₂)₂(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂·CH₄O, (I), and tri­aqua­[2,4,6‐tris(2‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine‐κ³N¹,N²,N⁶]nickel(II) di­ni­trate trihydrate, [Ni(C₁₈H₁₂N₆)(H₂O)₃](NO₃)₂·3H₂O, (II), are reported. In both structures, the cation is octahedrally coordinated, to two bidentate 3,4,7,8‐tetra­methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline (tmp) and two water mol­ecules in (I), and to one tridentate 2,4,6‐tris(2‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (tpt) and three water mol­ecules in (II). Both structures are stabilized by extensive hydrogen‐bonding interactions.