The crystal and molecular structures of isoperezone, aminoperezone, and isoaminoperezone: a comparative study of their crystal packing

The crystal structures of isoperezone (1), aminoperezone (2), and isoaminoperezone (3) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound (1) yields orange crystals, orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions a = 6.271(6), b = 30.373(7), c = 7.257(1) Å, and Z = 4; compound (2) yields purple crystals, orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions a = 6.498(3), b = 7.500(1) c = 29.200(6) Å, and Z = 4; compound (3) yields purple crystals, monoclinic space group P2₁ with unit cell dimensions a = 7.354(1), b = 7.511(1), c = 13.283(1) Å, = 102,07(1)°, and Z = 2. The side chains in (1)–(3) are oriented out of the plane of the quinone ring at an angle of 124, 144, and 97°, respectively. The molecules in the crystal are held together by hydrogen-bonding networks and van der Waals interactions.     

Simplified syntheses of complex multifunctional nanomaterials

Multifunctional probes are synthesized in a single step using peptide scaffold-based multifunctional single-attachment-point (MSAP) reagents.     

Discrete photopatternable pi-conjugated oligomers for electrochromic devices

Three discrete oligomeric systems including an all-thiophene ( T6) system, a thiophene/phenylene ( TPTTPT) system, and a thiophene/EDOT/phenylene ( TPEEPT) system have been constructed and characterized with emphasis on structural, optical, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical properties. For all three chromophores, the radical cation, the dication, and the pi-dimer have been identified and characterized. EPR spectroscopy reveals that the radical cations of TPTTPT and TPEEPT have g values of 2.008-2.012 and peak-to-peak widths in the range 4.2-5.3 G. Formation of the radical cation takes place at a lower potential for TPEEPT than for TPTTPT and T6, whereas subsequent oxidation to the dication occurs more easily for TPTTPT than for TPEEPT and T6. We ascribe this observation to more localized charges in the oxidized species of TPEEPT, which is supported by our finding that the radical cation of TPEEPT is less prone to undergo pi-dimerization than the radical cations of TPTTPT and T6. All the oxidized species are sufficiently stable to allow for optical characterization, and the relative positions of all absorption bands are found to be in agreement with the electrochemical data. For further solid-state modifications of these materials, we have effectively modified the synthetic design and grafted terminal functionalities (e.s. acrylates) onto the discrete oligomers. Of these novel materials, TPEEPT proves to be the most promising anodically coloring material for electrochromics, and it undergoes reversible switching between two different colored states (bright yellow and clear blue) and one almost transparent and color neutral state. Contrast ratios, measured as Delta% T at lambda max, are as high as 62.5%, and switching times are in the range 2-5 s for the coloration process, though significantly longer for the bleaching process. As a proof of concept, we have successfully constructed a simple photopatterned electrochromic device by exploiting the terminal acrylate functionalities of the oligomers in a UV-initiated cross-linking process. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first oligomer-based photopatterned electrochromic device reported in the literature.     

Rapid analysis of N-methylpyrrolidine in cefepime with thermal desorption ion mobility spectrometry

N-methyl-pyrrolidine (NMP) a potential impurity in the cephalosporin antibiotic cefepime is analysed using a rapid thermal desorption – ion mobility spectrometry (TD-IMS) method. The thermal desorption approach is shown to be capable of rapidly extracting NMP from the cefepime at 80 °C without causing thermal degradation of the cefepime. The ion mobility method has an analysis time of 1 min and demonstrates good linearity over a range from 0.3–3.0 μg ml^?1 of NMP, with limits of detection and quantification of 0.056 and 0.1875 μg ml^?1 respectively. The developed method was applied to the analysis of a cefepime sample and determined that NMP was present in a cefepime sample at a level of 0.0376 % with a percentage relative standard deviation (n = 6) of 3.2 %. This was compared with a LC-UV method which was in close agreement measuring NMP at 0.0384 % in the cefepime sample with a percentage RSD (n = 6) of 5.7 %. These results show that the TD-IMS method gives comparable data to the established LC methods and demonstrates the potential of TD-IMS for rapid measurement of volatile compounds in pharmaceutical matrices.     

Forces between surfaces across nanoparticle solutions: role of size, shape, and concentration

Using a surface force apparatus, we have measured the normal forces between mica surfaces across various types of nanoparticles consisting of ZnS cores coated with a monolayer of physisorbed surfactant, dispersed in organic solvents. We focused on the effects of nanoparticle size, shape, and concentration on the force-distance profiles. Forces were exponentially repulsive when the surfactant layers were strongly bound to the nanoparticles and were roughly linear when there was adhesion between the nanoparticle cores, i.e., when the surfactant layers detached from the nanoparticles. In both cases, the range and magnitude of the forces were dependent upon the particle size, shape, and solution concentration. Fine details in the otherwise smooth force-distance profiles indicate specific effects due to particle chemistry and geometry and the existence of first-order disorder-order phase transitions upon confinement. Small amounts of water in the (hydrophobic) organic solvents had dramatic effects on the measured forces. Understanding and controlling the effects of particle shape, size, and concentration and the presence of water (or other surface-active solutes) on particle-particle and particle-surface interactions are important for the processing of nanoparticles into ordered superstructured materials.     

Determination of the Pesticide Fenbutatin Oxide in Tomatoes,Cucumbers and Bananas by High Performance Liquid Chromatographic/Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization-Mass Spectrometry

A rapid method, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry, has been developed for the determination of fenbutatin oxide in tomatoes, cucumbers and bananas. Samples were homogenized with sodium carbonate and ethyl acetate, filtered through sodium sulphate, concentrated and solvent exchanged into acetonitrile prior to analysis. HPLC was performed on a Hypercarb column with 10:90 acetic acid (5% v/v glacial acetic acid in water)/acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Positive ionization selected-ion monitoring was performed on the 7 isotopic cluster ions from the tris(2-methyl-2-phenylpropyl) tin fragment. A comparison of solvent-based and extract-based standards showed that tomato and cucumber matrices had a slight enhancement effect on the signal intensity, whereas the banana matrix exerted a signal suppression effect. Calibration was linear over the range 0.25–5.0 ng/μL. The mean spike recoveries (extracts spiked at 0.5 mg/kg) were 88% for tomatoes and 80% for both cucumbers and bananas with relative standard deviations of 6%, 7% and 8% respectively. Limits of detection were commodity dependent and ranged from 0.06–0.12 ng/μL (equivalent to 0.01–0.02 mg/kg in the crop). Ionization was stable for long analytical time periods. © 1997 Crown Copyright