Optimisation of a Selective Liquid Chromatography Procedure for Hydrocortisone Acetate, Hydrocortisone Alcohol and Preservatives in a Pharmaceutical Emulsion

An accurate, reproducible and specific stability-indicating method for the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay of hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone alcohol, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate and propyl p-hydroxybenzoate in a pharmaceutical suspension is described. An investigation of several column phases was undertaken and a Zorbax SB-Phenyl column gave the best selectivity and specificity due to the π-π interactions between the analytes and stationary phase. All the components were fully resolved in less than 15 min under isocratic conditions using UV detection at 254 nm with a water-methanol mobile phase. The stability-indicating method was validated over the linearity range of 25% to 150% of the nominal concentrations of each analyte. Nominal concentrations were hydrocortisone acetate (10% w/w), hydrocortisone alcohol (0.2% w/w with respect to hydrocortisone acetate), methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (0.1% w/w) and propyl p-hydroxybenzoate (0.01% w/w) respectively.     

Secondary bonding in functionalized organotellurium compounds: preparation and structural characterization of bis(acetamido)tellurium(IV) diiodide and bis(4-methylbenzoylmethyl)tellurium(II)

Elemental tellurium inserts, under mild conditions, between C-I bond of iodoacetamide to afford bis(acetamido)tellurium(IV) diiodide (NH₂COCH₂)₂TeI₂, 1. Heating of N-bromomethylphthalimide with activated tellurium powder however, resulted in the formation of bis(phthalimido)methane, 2, instead of the expected product bis(phthalimidomethyl)tellurium(IV) dibromide. The IR spectrum of 1 is indicative of intramolecular Te?OC interaction which is also substantiated by its single-crystal structure. The compound with planar small-bite chelating organic ligands acquires butterfly shape that imparts almost perfect C_2v molecular symmetry but unlike other organotellurium(IV) iodides, the solid state structure of 1 is devoid of any intermolecular Te?I or I?I secondary interactions owing to the presence of intramolecular Te?O secondary bonds as well as intermolecular N-H?O, N-H?I and C-H?I hydrogen bonds. Bis(4-methylbenzoylmethyl)telluride (4-MeC₆H₄COCH₂)₂Te, 3b, prepared by the reduction of the corresponding dibromide, is the first structurally characterized acyclic dialkyltelluride and interestingly, does not involve intramolecular Te?OC interaction invariably present in the parent dihalides (4-YC₆H₄COCH₂)₂TeX₂ (Y = H, X = I 4a; Y = H, X = Br 5a; Y = MeO, X = Br 5c). Weak intermolecular Te?Te and C-H?O hydrogen bonds appear to be the non covalent intermolecular associative forces that dominate its crystal packing in the solid state of this Te(II) derivative. The dialkyltellurides (4-YC₆H₄COCH₂)₂Te, (Y = H, 3a, Me, 3b) undergo oxidation in presence of (SCN)₂ to give the corresponding bis(isothiocyanato)tellurium(IV) derivatives and form 2:1 adducts with Pt(II) and Pd(II) chlorides.     

Formulation of benzoporphyrin derivatives in Pluronics

This study investigates the potential of Pluronics for the formulation of tetrapyrrole-based photosensitizers, with a particular focus on B-ring benzoporphyrin derivatives. The B-ring derivatives have a high tendency to aggregate in aqueous solutions, and this poses a significant formulation problem. Pluronics are ABA-type triblock copolymers composed of a central hydrophobic polypropylene oxide section with two hydrophilic polyethylene oxide sections of equal length at either end. Out of a range of different commercially available block copolymers studied, it was found that the longer the hydrophobic block, the better the stabilization of tetrapyrrolic drugs in monomeric form in aqueous suspensions. Of these the best performance was observed in the micelle-forming Pluronic P123. Micelle size determination by laser light scattering confirmed that particle size in stable Pluronic formulations was around 20 nm. Pluronics such as L122 formed emulsions spontaneously without the need for emulsion stabilizers; emulsions were highly stable at ambient temperatures over several days and also highly effective as potential drug delivery agents.     

Alkylenedithiophosphate derivatives of arsenic(III), antimony(III) and bismuth(III)

Tris(alkylenedithiophosphates) of arsenic(III), antimony(III) and bismuth(III),

have been synthesized by the reactions of alkylenedithiophosphoric acids with metal oxides and chlorides and of their ammonium salts with metal chlorides in suitable solvents. Mixed chloride alkylenedithiophosphates of arsenic(III) and antimony(III),

have been obtained by the reactions of metal chlorides with ammonium alkylenedithiophosphates at 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 molar ratios or alternatively by the co-disproportionations reactions of metal chlorides with metal tris(alkylenedithiophosphates) at different (2 : 1 and 1 : 2) molar ratios. These new compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements and spectroscopic (IR, and ¹H and ³¹P NMR) data. Chelated structures with bidentate alkylenedithiophosphate groups have been proposed for all these derivatives.     

Unsymmetrical 1-naphthyltellurium(IV) dihalides: the interplay of Te···Br,C–H···Br and C–H···π interactions in the crystal structure of (1-naphthyl)(4-methylphenyl)tellurium(IV) dibromide

The crystal structure of (1-naphthyl)(4-methyl- phenyl)tellurium(IV) dibromide, the first unsymmetrical naphthyl containing diorganotellurium(IV) dibromide, shows the formation of one-dimensional supramolecular arrays where Te···Br secondary bonds link two parallel rows of molecules in a gear-teethed fashion. The weaker C–H···Br and C–H···π hydrogen bonds play important role in the formation of three-dimensional crystal lattice by cross linking these supramolecular motifs.     

Synthesis, characterization and interaction of a new chiral trinuclear complex [bis(aquodiaminotryptophanato) CuII–Sn2IV]chloride with calfthymus DNA

The new chiral trinuclear complex, [bis(aquodiaminotryptophanato)Cu^II–Sn₂^IV] chloride (1) was synthesized by employing a well-designed three-step pathway under anhydrous conditions. Interaction of the complex (1) with calf-thymus DNA was studied by spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry and viscosity measurements. The kinetic studies of calf-thymus DNA binding were carried out at 260 nm (λ_max of calf-thymus DNA) under pseudo-first order conditions. The rate constants, k_obs, were evaluated by the linear least squares regression method. The absorption spectra of the complex with calf-thymus DNA shows ‘hyperchromism’ which is attributed to the electrostatic interaction with calf-thymus DNA. The electrochemical behavior of complex (1) was studied in DMSO/H₂O (5:5) solution and showed a quasireversible Cu^II/Cu^I redox couple. The voltammetric studies of the complex in the absence and in the presence of DNA exhibit a shift in the formal potential E ⁰ and ratio of cathodic to anodic peak currents i_pa/i_pc indicating strong binding of the complex to calf-thymus DNA. The viscosity of DNA decreases with increasing concentration of the complex, suggesting that complex (1)binds to calf-thymus DNA by electrostatic association.     

Separation of charged colloids by a combination of pulsating lateral electric fields and poiseuille flow in a 2D channel

Separation of colloidal particles of different sizes is becoming increasingly important due to rapid developments in the area of proteomics, genetic engineering, drug discovery, etc. In particular, there is a need to accomplish these separations on a microscale in 'lab-on-a-chip' devices. In this paper, we propose a new method for accomplishing separation of charged colloids of different sizes in a microchannel. This method involves a combination of pulses of lateral electric fields and Poiseuille flow in the axial direction. We develop a model for this separation technique and obtain closed form solutions for the mean velocity and the dispersion coefficient for a pulse of molecules introduced into the channel. These expressions are then utilized to determine the channel length and the separation time. For reasonable value of design constants, the proposed technique can separate molecules of different sizes that have diffusivities of 10(-10) and 0.5 x 10(-10) m2/s in 15.7 s in a 3.7 mm long channel. The length and the time increase to 5.45 cm and 231 s if the ratio of the diffusivities is reduced from 2 to 1.2, i.e., the latter diffusivity is increased to 0.835 x 10(-10) m2/s, while keeping all the other parameters the same. If the diffusivities are about 10(-9) m(2)/s, the length and the time for separation are 1 cm and 17.5 s for D1/D2=2, and 16 cm and 269 s for D1/D2=1.2.     

Physico-chemical studies on samarium soaps in solid state

Summary The physico-chemical characteristics of samarium soaps (caproate and caprate) in solid state were investigated by IR, X-ray diffraction and TGA measurements. The IR results revealed that the fatty acids exist in dimeric state through hydrogen bonding and samarium soaps possess partial ionic character. The X-ray diffraction measurements were used to calculate the long spacings and the results confirmed the double layer structure of samarium soaps. The decomposition reaction was found kinetically of zero order and the values of energy of activation for the decomposition process for caproate and caprate were found to be 8.0 and 7.8 kcal mol^–1, respectively.

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Physikochemische Untersuchungen an Samariumseifen in festem Zustand

Zusammenfassung Die physikochemischen Charakteristika von Samariumseifen (Caproat und Caprat) wurden im festen Zustand mittels IR, Röntgendiffraktion und TGA-Messungen untersucht. Die IR-Ergebnisse zeigten, daß die Fettsäuren durch Wasserstoffbrücken dimer vorliegen und daß die Samariumseifen partiell ionischen Charakter besitzen. Die Röntgenuntersuchungen bestätigen die Doppelschichtstruktur der Seifen. Die Zersetzungsreaktion verlief nach nullter Ordnung, und die Aktivierungsenergien für den Zersetzungsprozeß für Caproat und Caprat waren 8.0 und 7.8 kcal mol^–1.

     

Photooxidation of vulcanized EPDM/montmorillonite nanocomposites

The photooxidation of a vulcanized ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM)/montmorillonite nanocomposite as well as EPDM/nanocomposite with stabilizers was studied under accelerated UV-light irradiation (λ ≥ 300 nm, 60 °C) for different times. The development of functional groups during oxidation was monitored by infrared spectroscopy. Photodegradation of the neat polymer and composites took place and the increases of absorbance in hydroxyl and carbonyl groups with irradiation times and also the decreases of the EPDM unsaturations were measured. The data indicated that the photooxidation products were not changed in the presence of the nanofiller. However, the presence of MMt was observed to dramatically enhance the rate of photooxidation of EPDM with a shortening of the oxidation induction time, leading to a decrease of the durability of the nanocomposites. On the other hand, it was observed that addition of stabilizers, either Tinuvin P or 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, was efficient in inhibiting the degradative effect of MMt.     

E.s.r., magnetic, optical and biological (SOD and antimicrobial) studies of imidazolate bridged Cu(II)-Zn(II) and Cu(II)-Ni(II) complexes with tris(2-amino ethyl)amine as capping ligand: a plausible model for superoxide dismutase

X-band e.s.r. and optical absorption spectra of the imidazolate bridged heterobimetallic complexes [(tren)Cu-E-Im-Zn-(tren)](ClO(4))(3) and [(tren)Cu-E-Im-Ni-(tren)](ClO(4))(3), where trentris(2-aminoethyl)amine, E-Im=2-ethylimidazolate ion and the related mononuclear complexes [Cu(tren)](ClO(4))(2) and [(tren)Cu-E-ImH)](ClO(4))(2) have been described. Biological activities (superoxide dismutase and antimicrobial) have also been measured and compared with reported complexes.