Evolution in the supramolecular complexes between poly(phenylene ethynylene)-based polyelectrolytes and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as revealed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Poly(phenyleneethynylene)-based conjugated polyelectrolytes (PPE-SO(3)(-)) are a class of polyions with rigid backbones. This work uses fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to study how the diffusion of complexes, formed between a PPE-SO(3)(-) polyelectrolyte and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (OTAB) surfactant molecules, changes with OTAB concentration below its critical micelle concentration. The dependence of the hydrodynamic radius of the complexes on the OTAB concentration has three regimes. In the low concentration regime ( C(OTAB)/ C(monomer) < 6), the complex has a size comparable to that of the polymer in deionized water. In the intermediate concentration regime (6 < C(OTAB)/ C(monomer) < 400), the complexes have the largest size and substantial heterogeneity. In the high concentration regime (400 < C(OTAB)/ C(monomer) < 1800), the complexes have a size that is about three times larger than that in the low concentration regime. These results elucidate features of the self-assembly of a polyelectrolyte and an ionic surfactant and show that the C(OTAB)/ C(monomer) concentration ratio controls the composition of polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes.     

Efficient electrocatalytic oxidation and selective determination of isoniazid by Fe(tmphen) 3 2+ -exchanged Nafion?-modified electrode

Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance studies of Fe(tmphen) ₃ ²⁺ (where tmphen?=?3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)-immobilized Nafion?-modified glassy carbon electrode (GC/Nf/Fe(tmphen) ₃ ²⁺ ) are carried out in 0.1?M Na₂SO₄ solution. Nafion–Fe(tmphen) ₃ ²⁺ complex exhibits efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of isoniazid. The linear double reciprocal plot of current and concentration of isoniazid shows a Michaelis–Menten-type catalytic process. The catalytic oxidation currents are proportional to the concentration of isoniazid and show a wide linear calibration range for the quantitative determination of isoniazid. Detection limit and sensitivity are found to be 13?μM and 2.5?μA?mM^?1, respectively.     

N,N′-dichloro-bis[2,4,6-trichlorophenyl]urea (CC2) and suspending agents used for the preparation of decontamination formulation against chemical warfare agents

N,N′-dichloro-bis[2,4,6-trichlorophenyl]urea, known as CC2, is used as a reactive chemical decontaminant of mustard agents. The present study was undertaken to establish the compatibility of CC2 with a number of commonly used suspending agents, using thermoanalytical techniques viz., thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with the support of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results demonstrated the applicability of TG and DSC as a fast screening tool for analysing the compatibility of drug with excipients at the early stages of a preformulation process. Methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and betaine were found to be compatible with CC2.     

Synthesis and X-ray Structures of Novel Macrocycles and Macrobicycles Containing N,N-Di(pyrrolylmethyl)-N-methylamine Moiety: Preliminary Anion Binding Study

The [2 + 2] Schiff base condensation reactions between the newly synthesized dialdehyde, N,N-di(α-formylpyrrolyl-α-methyl)-N-methylamine), and ethylenediamine or p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride readily afforded the 30- and 34-membered large size macrocycles in very high yields. Subsequent reduction reactions of these macrocycles with NaBH(4) gave the corresponding saturated macrocyclic hexaamines in good yields. The analogous reaction of the new dialdehyde with a triamine molecule afforded the [3 + 2] Schiff base macrobicycle in high yield, which was then reduced by reaction with NaBH(4) to give the saturated macrobicycle. All these compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods. The anion binding properties of the saturated macrocycles having the ethylene and the phenylene linkers in CDCl(3) were studied by NMR titration methods. Although they have similar pyrrolic and amine NH groups their binding properties are different and interesting, owing to the conformational flexibility or rigidness rendered by the ethylene or phenylene groups, respectively. The macrocycle having the ethylene linkers binds anions in a 1:1 fashion, while the other receptor having the phenylene linkers prefers to bind anions in a sequential 1:2 fashion and has a multiple equilibria between a 1:1 and a 1:2 complexes, as shown by their binding constants, curve fittings by EQNMR, and Job plots. The X-ray structures of the 1:2 methanol, the aqua and the benzoate anion complexes of the macrocycles show two cavities in which the guests are bound, correlating with the high affinity found for the formation of stable 1:2 complexes in solution. The X-ray structure showed that the macrobicycle Schiff base adopts an eclipsed paddle-wheel shaped conformation and exhibits an out-out configuration at the bridgehead nitrogen atoms.     

Characterization and catalytic performances of three-dimensional mesoporous FeSBA-1 catalysts

Iron substituted cubic cage type mesoporous molecular sieves (FeSBA-1) were synthesized for the first time in a highly acidic media using cetyltriethylammonium bromide as a template. The amount of Fe incorporation in SBA-1 can easily be controlled by the simple adjustment of the molar hydrochloric acid-to-silicon ratio. All the materials were unambiguously characterized by AAS, XRD, N2 adsorption, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, and ESR spectroscopy. The results from AAS, XRD, and N2 adsorption reveal that the iron atom can be incorporated in the framework of SBA-1 matrix without altering the structural order and the textural parameters. The nature and the coordination of iron atoms were extensively studied by XPS spectroscopy, and the results revealed that most of the iron atoms in FeSBA-1 are in +3 coordination state. UV-Vis DRS and ESR studies confirmed that the majority of the Fe atoms in FeSBA-1 exist in a tetrahedral coordination environment (most probably occupying framework positions). tert-Butylation of phenol employing tert-butanol as the alkylation agent was carried out over FeSBA-1 catalysts with different iron content and the results are compared with one-dimensional mesoporous catalysts. The influence of various reaction parameters such as reaction temperature, reactant feed ratio, weight hourly space velocity, and time-on-stream affecting the activity and selectivity of FeSBA-1 were also studied. Under the optimized reaction conditions, the FeSBA-1(36) catalyst showed superior catalytic performance for the tert-butylation of phenol as compared to the uni-dimensional mesoporous catalysts.     

Noncontinuum effects in nanoparticle dynamics in polymers

We propose a continuum model for the dynamics of particles in polymer matrices which encompasses arbitrary size ratios of the polymer and particle. We present analytical and computer simulation results for the mobility of the particles and the viscosity of the suspension for the case of unentangled polymer melts. Our results indicate strong dependencies of the particle mobility upon the polymer-particle size ratios and much reduced intrinsic viscosities for the suspensions. These predictions rationalize some recent experimental observations on the dynamics of nanoparticles in polymer melts.     

Probing the Effects of Antimicrobial-Lysozyme Derivatization on Enzymatic Degradation of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Film and Fiber

Surface derivatization is essential for incorporating unique functionalities into biodegradable polymers. Nonetheless, its precise effects on enzymatic biodegradation still lack comprehensive understanding. In this study, a facile solution-based method is employed to surface derivatize poly(ε-caprolactone) films and electrospun fibers with lysozyme, aiming to impart antimicrobial properties and examine the impact on enzymatic degradation. The derivatized films and fibers have shown high antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Through gravimetric analysis, it is observed that the degradation rate experiences a slight decrease upon lysozyme derivatization. However, this reduction is effectively countered by the inclusion of Tween-20, as affirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry. Comparing films and fibers, the latter undergoes degradation at a more accelerated pace, coupled with a rapid decline in molecular weight. This study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the degradation of surface-derivatized biopolymers through electrospinning, offering a simple strategy to mitigate biomaterial-associated infections.     

Nafion-multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Supported Tris(bipyridyl)iron(II) for Nicotine Detection

This work reports an electrochemical sensing framework for nicotine determination based on glassy carbon electrode (GC) immobilized with Fe(bpy)₃²⁺ (where bpy is 2,2’-bipyridyl) supported by Nafion and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Nf-MWCNTs). Fe(bpy)₃²⁺ immobilized Nf-MWCNTs modified GC (GC/Nf-MWCNTs/Fe(bpy)₃²⁺) manifests stable redox peaks, characteristics of Fe(bpy)₃²⁺. The GC/Nf-MWCNTs/Fe(bpy)₃²⁺ exhibits effective electrochemical oxidation of nicotine, diminishing the overpotential relative to GC/Nf-MWCNTs. The limit of detection is 0.1 μM (experimentally observed) with two different linear calibration ranges between 0.1 to 600 μM and 600 to 3000 μM. Electrocatalytic responses observed at GC/Nf-MWCNTs/Fe(bpy)₃²⁺ indicate superior performance for nicotine determination with acceptable selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. Additionally, the nicotine present in real samples such as beedi and tobacco are also analyzed with satisfactory recovery percentages.     

Dense energetic compounds of carbon,hydrogen, nitrogen,and oxygen atoms. V. 1,2,7,8-bisfuroxano-3,4,9,10-tetranitro-5, 11-dehydro-5H, 11H-benzotriazolo[2, 1-a]benzotriazole (BTBB)

A reaction between 2, 8-dichloro-4, 10-dinitro-5, 11-dehydro-5H, 11H-benzotriazolo[2, 1-a]-benzotriazole 8 and sodium azide in dimethyl sulfoxide produced 3, 9-diazido-4, 10-dinitro-5, 11-dehydro-5H, 11H-benzotriazolo [2, 1-a]benzotriazole 10 rather than the 2.8-diazido isomer 9 expected by direct displacement. Thermolytic elimination of nitrogen (2 moles) converted the dinitro diazide 10 to 3,4,9,10-bisfuroxano-5, 11-dehydro-5H, 11H-benzotriazolo[2, 1-a]benzotriazole 11 that was subsequently nitrated to give the 2,8-dinitro derivative 12 . Similar nitration converted the dinitro diazide 9 to the trinitro 15 and tetranitro 14 derivatives: thermolysis of the latter gave 1,2,7,8-bisfuroxano-4, 10-dinitro-5, 11-dehydro-5H, 11H-benzotriazolo[2, 1-a]-benzotriazole 16 . Nitration (100% HNO₃, CF₃SO₃H) converted compound 16 to the 3,4,10-trinitro derivative 17 , whereas a similar nitration (100% HNO₃, FSO₃H) gave the title compound BTBB, an insensitive high-energy, high-density (d 2.03 g/cc) molecule. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.