Interactions between poloxamers in aqueous solutions: micellization and gelation studied by differential scanning calorimetry, small angle X-ray scattering, and rheology

Poloxamers F88 (EO97PO39EO97) and P85 (EO27PO39EO27) are triblock copolymers of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO), which have the same hydrophobic PO block. We studied aqueous solutions of these two copolymers by the conjoint use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results showed that the temperature-induced micellization of aqueous solutions of F88 and P85 was a progressive process followed by gelation for sufficiently concentrated samples. Gelation was due to the ordered packing of micelles under a hexagonal compact (HC) structure for P85 and a body-centered cubic (BCC) phase for F88. Importantly, the phase diagram of F88/P85 mixtures in water was elucidated and showed the destabilization of the HC phase upon addition of small amounts of F88.     

Soluble and polymer-supported 2- and 3-benzylated furans for the preparation of α,β-ethylenic carbonyl compounds

Soluble and polymer-supported 2- and 3-benzylated furans were subjected to a sequence involving a Diels-Alder reaction with α,β-acetylenic carbonyl compounds, a Michael addition, and a subsequent retro-Diels-Alder reaction to yield olefinic compounds. On solid support, this traceless strategy is advantageous since pure compounds were released in the thermal cycloreversion step. The fur-2-ylated resin allowed a highly diastereoselective synthesis.     

(−)-Sparteine-Mediated Asymmetric Intramolecular Carbolithiation of Alkenes: Synthesis of Enantiopure Cyclopentanes with Three Consecutive Stereogenic Centers

An asymmetric intramolecular carbolithiation reaction was developed by combining the (−)-sparteine-mediated enantiotopos-differentiating deprotonation and the anionic 5-exo-trig cyclization. Achiral 6-phenylhex-5-enyl carbamates were efficiently cyclized furnishing regio-, diastereo- (dr >99 : 1), and enantioselectively (er >98 : 2) 1,2-trans-substituted cyclopentanes. The intermediate primary benzylic lithium-carbanion pairs were – in spite of their configurative lability – diastereoselectively substituted by versatile electrophiles creating a third consecutive stereogenic center. Additionally, some 4-functionalized 6-phenylhex-5-enyl carbamates were also cyclized in high yield to provide enantiomerically pure cyclopentanes incorporating three adjacent stereogenic centers.     

Analysis of serotonin in brain microdialysates using capillary electrophoresis and native laser-induced fluorescence detection

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. In this work, a method for analyzing 5-HT in brain microdialysis samples using a commercially available capillary electrophoresis (CE) system has been developed. A pH-mediated in-capillary preconcentration of samples was performed, and after separation by capillary zone electrophoresis, native fluorescence of 5-HT was detected by a 266 nm solid-state laser. The separation conditions for the analysis of 5-HT in standard solutions and microdialysates have been optimized, and this method has been validated on both pharmacological and analytical bases. Separation of 5-HT was performed using a 80 mmol/L citrate buffer, pH 2.5, containing 20 mmol/L hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) and +30 kV voltage. The detection limit was 2.5 x 10(-10) mol/L. This method allows the in vivo brain monitoring of 5-HT using a simple, accurate CE measurement in underivatized microdialysis samples.     

Functional and site-specific macromolecular micelles as high potential drug carriers

Since several years, macromolecular micelles based on amphiphilic block copolymers have attracted much interest as drug carriers. These micelles show a long term blood circulation time resulting from their small diameter and the steric repulsion created by the poly(ethylene oxide) chains which constitute micelle corona, as well as from their high thermodynamic stability. Besides this long term blood circulation time generating a passive targeting, an active targeting, chemical or physical affinity targeting, might allow the preparation of more efficient drug carriers. In order to obtain such double targeting properties, we have prepared two kinds of macromolecular micelles. The first one is based on amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(β-benzyl -aspartate) ---PEO/PBLA--- block copolymers having hydroxy groups at the free end of PEO chains. As a result of their structure, such micelles have hydroxy groups on their outer-shell which can be further modified in order to introduce a targeting moiety (sugar, etc.). The characteristics (diameter, critical micellar concentration (cmc), drug loading capacity) have been determined. Moreover, doxorubicin loaded -hydroxy PEO/PBLA micelles have been shown to be slightly more cytotoxic than the corresponding -methoxy PEO/PBLA micelles. The second type of micelles is based on thermosensitive amphiphilic poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)/polystyrene ---PIPAAm/PSt--- block copolymers. Such micelles have a small diameter and a low cmc in addition to thermosensitivity properties which are similar to those of PIPAAm.     

A nonadiabatic lower bound calculation of H 2 + and D 2 +

Accurate nonadiabatic lower and upper bounds for groundstate energies of H ₂ ⁺ and D ₂ ⁺ are calculated with the linearized method of variance minimization. The results in a.u. are –0.59713906₃<E ₀(H ₂ ⁺ )<–0.59713899₄ –0.59878877₅<E ₀(D ₂ ⁺ )<–0.59877873₈ i.e. the values are determined with an absolute error smaller than 0.02 cm^–1 for H ₂ ⁺ and 0.01 cm^–1 for D ₂ ⁺ .     

Notiz über Li2PdO2

Note on Li₂PdO₂ For the first time we prepared ruby-red single crystals of Li₂PdO₂ by reaction with the wall 3 Na₂O + Li₂O₂ + ?Tb₄O₇”?(+ Pd) = 3 Na₂TbO₃ + Li₂PdO₂ + ?TbO₂”?, Pd-tube, 1100°C, 7 d. Single crystal data confirm the Li₂CuO₂-type of structure [a = 375.34(5), b = 298.18(4), c = 931.58(10) pm; spacegroup Immm; d_x = 4.85 g · cm^?3; 144 I₀(hkl); R = 3.54%, Rw = 3.19%; MoKα ; four-circle diffractometer Philips PW 1100] and reveal clearly different parameters compared with those deduced by powder data. The Madelung Part of Lattice Energy, MAPLE, corresponds now to the sum of the MAPLE values of the binary oxides.     

Notiz über den α-LiFeO2-Typ: NaPrO2 und NaTbO2

On the α-LiFeO₂ Type of Structure: NaPrO₂ and NaTbO₂ For the first time transparent light-green single crystals of NaPrO₂ [from PrO_1,833: KO_0,50:NaO_0,50 = 1:1.1:1.2 Ni-cylinder, 1000°C, 20 d] and colourless single crystals of hitherto unknown NaTbO₂ [from Na₂TbO₃, Ni-cylinder, 1000°C, 10 d] have been prepared and investigated by X-ray. The tetragonal α-LiFeO₂-type is confirmed. [NaPrO₂: a = 476.19(3), c = 1096.09(11) pm, c/a = 2.30; 107 I₀ (hkl); R = 4.25% R_w = 3.39%, MoKα; NaTbO₂: a = 463.11(3), c = 1037.39(12) pm, c/a = 2.24; 103 I₀ (hkl); R = 3.54%; R_w = 2,81%; MoKα; both space group I4₁/a m d; fourcircle diffractometer Philips PW 1100]. The Madelung Part of Lattice Energy, MAPLE, and the peculiarities of this type of structure are discussed.