Dilatational rheology of beta-casein adsorbed layers at liquid-fluid interfaces

The rheological behavior of beta-casein adsorption layers formed at the air-water and tetradecane-water interfaces is studied in detail by means of pendant drop tensiometry. First, its adsorption behavior is briefly summarized at both interfaces, experimentally and also theoretically. Subsequently, the experimental dilatational results obtained for a wide range of frequencies are presented for both interfaces. An interesting dependence with the oscillation frequency is observed via the comparative analysis of the interfacial elasticity (storage part) and the interfacial viscosity (loss part) for the two interfaces. The analysis of the interfacial elasticities provides information on the conformational transitions undergone by the protein upon adsorption at both interfaces. The air-water interface shows a complex behavior in which two maxima merge into one as the frequency increases, whereas only a single maximum is found at the tetradecane interface within the range of frequencies studied. This is interpreted in terms of a decisive interaction between the oil and the protein molecules. Furthermore, the analysis of the interfacial viscosities provides information on the relaxation processes occurring at both interfaces. Similarly, substantial differences arise between the gaseous and liquid interfaces and various possible relaxation mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the experimental elasticities obtained for frequencies higher than 0.1 Hz are further analyzed on the basis of a thermodynamic model. Accordingly, the nature of the conformational transition given by the maximum at these frequencies is discussed in terms of different theoretical considerations. The formation of a protein bilayer at the interface or the limited compressibility of the protein in the adsorbed state are regarded as possible explanations of the maximum.     

Study of reaction processes by in-line near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with multivariate curve resolution: Esterification of myristic acid with isopropanol

The acid-catalysed esterification of myristic acid with isopropanol was studied by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) in combination with soft-modeling curve resolution (MCR) methodology with a view to establishing the effect of experimental variables on the reaction kinetics. The reaction was conducted at temperatures above the boiling point of the alcohol, with continuous addition of an isopropanol/water mixture to the reactor. Spectral and concentration profiles were determined by applying soft-modeling curve resolution methodology to a column-wise augmented data matrix containing the spectra for the pure components. MCR profiles were compared with reference values and found to depart from then by less than 3% as %RSE for concentrations and to exhibit correlation above 0.999 for spectra.The reaction kinetics as estimated from the concentration profiles was found to be pseudo-first-order. Also, the pseudo-first-order rate constant was found to depend on the flow-rate of the isopropanol/water mixture and its water content; although the constant decreased with increase in the proportion of water, a content of ca. 15% could be used without important retarding effects on the kinetics. The proposed NIR-MCR method allows the rate constant and the influence of the initial water content to be determined with a view to minimizing consumption of the raw materials and optimizing the experimental conditions.     

PHOTOSENSITIZATION BY FENOFIBRATE. II. In vitro PHOTOTOXICITY OF THE MAJOR METABOLITES

Fenofibric acid, the major metabolite of fenofibrate, was found to be photolabile. Its irradiation in aqueous solution gave rise to two photoproducts, whose formation involves photodecarboxylation of the dissociated acid to an aryloxy-substituted carbanion, which is directly protonated or, alternatively, undergoes a Wittig rearrangement. A comparative in vitro phototoxicity study has been carried out on the anti-hyperlipoproteinemic drug fenofibrate, its metabolites and the photoproducts of fenofibric acid. Fenofibrate, fenofibric acid and its two photoproducts were found to be active when examined by the photohemolysis test and were able to photosensitize peroxidation of linoleic acid, as evidenced by the UV monitoring of dienic hydroperoxides. In summary, the major metabolite of fenofibrate (fenofibric acid), as well as its photoproducts, are phototoxic in vitro . This behavior can be attributed to the fact that the four compounds retain the benzophenone chromophore present in fenofibrate and is indicative of free radicalmediated photosensitization. In agreement with this rationalization, the metabolites with a reduced ketone functionality exhibit no detectable in vitro phototoxicity.     

Synthesis and reactivity of N-[α-acetoxy)-4-pyridylmethyl]-3,5-dimethylbenzamide

The synthesis of N-[(α-acetoxy)-4-pyridylmethyl]-3,5-dimethylbenzamide (4) and its reactivity are described. Since the acetoxy is a good leaving group, 4 gives S_N processes easily.     

Group 6 heteroatom- and non-heteroatom-stabilized carbene complexes. beta,beta'- and alpha,beta,beta'-annulation reactions of cyclic enamines

Cyclization reactions of group 6 Fischer carbene complexes with cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone enamines are described. Enamine 3a undergoes thermal alpha,beta,beta'-annulation with alkenylcarbene complexes 1 and 2 (THF, 60 degrees C), affording semibullvalenes 5. The metalate intermediates 6, resulting from beta,beta'-annulation of the enamines 3a and 4a, were quantitatively formed by running the reaction in hexane at room temperature. Acid-promoted demetalation of 6 afforded endo-2-bicyclo[3.2.1]octen-8-ones 7 and endo/exo-2-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonen-9-ones 8 (endo/exo = 5:1). Using (S)-methoxymethylpyrrolidine-derived enamines 3b and 4b,c allowed highly enantioenriched cycloadducts endo-(+)-7 as well as endo-(-)-8 and exo-(-)-8 to be accessed. The non-heteroatom-stabilized carbene complex 10 was formed from complex 6 by Me(3)SiOTf-promoted elimination of the methoxy group, characterized by (13)C NMR, and transformed into the organic compounds 7, 7-d, and 11 as well as into bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2,8-diones 14 and cycloheptanones 15. On the basis of this sequence, enantioenriched cycloheptanones (+)-15 were efficiently prepared in one pot from carbene complexes 2 and enamine 3b (51-55% yield, 91-96% ee). Extension of this work to simple Fischer carbene complexes 16 allowed an appropriate way to generate the nonstabilized pentacarbonyl[(phenyl(alkyl)carbene]tungsten complex 17 to be designed, for which the thermal and chemical behavior leading to compounds 18-21 is described.     

Visualizing defects and pore connectivity within metal–organic frameworks by X-ray transmission tomography

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have the potential to change the landscape of molecular separations in chemical processes owing to their ability of selectively binding molecules. Their molecular sorting properties generally rely on the micro- and meso-pore structure, as well as on the presence of coordinatively unsaturated sites that interact with the different chemical species present in the feed. In this work, we show a first-of-its-kind tomographic imaging of the crystal morphology of a metal–organic framework by means of transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), including a detailed data reconstruction and processing approach. Corroboration with Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) images shows the potential of this strategy for further (non-destructively) assessing the inner architecture of MOF crystals. By doing this, we have unraveled the presence of large voids in the internal structure of a MIL-47(V) crystal, which are typically thought of as rather homogeneous lattices. This challenges the established opinion that hydrothermal syntheses yield relatively defect-free material and sheds further light on the internal morphology of crystals.

TXM-tomography unraveled large macropore defects within a MIL-47(V) MOF crystal. These pores do not seem to be well connected and they show a preferential orientation.     

A new selective cleavage of n,n-dicarbamoyl-protected amines using lithium bromide

A mild and new procedure for the selective cleavage of an alkoxycarbonyl group (Boc, CBz) in N,N-dicarbamoyl-protected amino compounds is described. The method is based on the use of lithium bromide in acetonitrile and is compatible with a large range of other functionalities present in the substrates. Compared with other reported methodologies, the procedure is particularly useful for the Cbz-selective cleavage in N,N-Ts,Cbz-diprotected amines. A rationalization of the selectivity supported by ab initio calculations is also presented.     

Engineering reactions in crystalline solids: predicting photochemical decarbonylation from calculated thermochemical parameters

A detailed thermochemical analysis of the alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation reactions of acetone and several ketodiesters was carried out with the B3LYP/6-31G* density functional method. The heats of formation of several ground-state ketones and radicals were calculated at 298 K to determine bond dissociation energies (BDE) and radical stabilization energies (RSE) as a function of substituents. Results show that the radical-stabilizing abilities of the ketone substituents play a very important role on the thermodynamics of the alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation steps. An excellent correlation between calculated values and previous experimental observations suggests that photochemical alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation in crystals should be predictable from knowledge of excitation energies and the RSE of the substituent.     

Proton induced P-H and Mo-H bond activation at the phosphide bridged dimolybdenum complexes [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PHR)(CO)4](R = Cy, 2,4,6-C6H2R'3; R'= H, Me, tBu)

The new hydride complexes [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PHR)(CO)4] having bulky substituents (R = 2,4,6-C(6)H2tBu3= Mes*, R = 2,4,6-C6H2Me3= Mes) have been prepared in good yield by addition of Li[PHR] to the triply bonded [Mo2Cp2(CO)4] and further protonation of the resulting anionic phosphide complex [Mo2Cp2(mu-PHR)(CO)4]-. Protonation of the Mes* compound with either [H(OEt2)2][B{3,5-C6H3(CF3)2}4] or HBF4.OEt2 gives the cationic phosphinidene complex [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PMes*)(CO)4]+ in high yield. In contrast, protonation of the analogous hydride compounds with Mes or Cy substituents on phosphorus give the corresponding unsaturated tetracarbonyls [Mo2Cp2(mu-PHR)(CO)4]+, which are unstable at room temperature and display a cis geometry. Decomposition of the latter give the electron-precise pentacarbonyls [Mo2Cp2(mu-PHR)(mu-CO)(CO)4]+, also displaying a cis arrangement of the metal fragments. In the presence of BF4- as external anion, fluoride abstraction competes with carbonylation to yield the neutral fluorophosphide hydrides [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PFR)(CO)4]. Similar results were obtained in the protonation reactions of the hydride compounds having a Ph substituent on phosphorus. In that case, using HCl as protonation reagent gave the chloro-complex [Mo2ClCp2(mu-PHPh)(CO)4] in good yield. The structures and dynamic behaviour of the new compounds are analyzed on the basis of solution IR and 1H, 31P, 19F and 13C NMR data as well as the X-ray studies carried out on [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PHMes)(CO)4](cis isomer), [Mo2Cp2(mu-H)(mu-PFMes)(CO)4](trans isomer), [Mo2Cp2(mu-PHCy)(mu-CO)(CO)4](BF4) and [Mo2ClCp2(mu-PHPh)(CO)4].