Behaviour of Pluronic P84 block copolymer micelles above the gelification temperature as probed by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

The new method based on positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) to determine both the mean core radius, R(core), and aggregation number, N(ag), of micelles is applied to the study of aqueous solutions of the triblock Pluronic P84 copolymer as a function of temperature (T), beyond the gelification point (334 K). Two long-lived components appear in the PALS spectra, ascribed to triplet positronium in the water bulk (o-Ps(aq)) and in the organic core of the micelles (o-Ps(org)). Of the various fitting parameters, only the lifetime of the latter species, tau4, and the micellar parameters, R(core) and N(ag), disclose the occurrence of gelification by first increasing up to 334 K, then decreasing. By contrast to what is known in case of phase transition, none of the parameters shows any abrupt change at 334 K, whereas the macroscopic viscosity of the solutions suffers a drastic increase. This is attributed to the fact that positronium is sensitive to the microviscosity of the solutions. At the transition point, the properties of the polyoxipropylene aggregates forming the organic core of the P84 micelles are not greatly affected. Furthermore, the fact that the experimental N(ag) values coincide with those calculated for spheres, from the R(core) values, indicates that the shape of the P84 cores does not change significantly after gelification. The onset of gelification results from a decrease in the hydrogen bonding interactions in the solution with an ensuing relative increase in the interactions between the polyoxipropylene (PPO) groups, initially forming the corona of the P84 micelles, in an intermicellar mode. This increased solicitation of the PPO groups outside their initial location would result in depletion in the number of surfactant molecules forming the micelles, viz. a decrease in both R(core) and N(ag) above 334 K. From the data, additional information can be gained regarding the local viscosity and surface tension in the micellar cores.     

Inaccessible hydroxyl groups on silica are accessible in supercritical CO2

The three main types of hydroxyl groups on a silica surface are classified as isolated, hydrogen bonded, and inaccessible. The isolated and hydrogen bonded groups are the most important as these readily exchange with D(2)O and thus are exposed to reactant molecules. However, it has generally been accepted that the inaccessible groups do not participate in surface reactions as only a small fraction of these groups exchange with D(2)O. It is shown that the inaccessible hydroxyl groups on nonporous fumed silica and mesoporous MCM-48 silica powders and films fully exchange with D(2)O and are reactive with octadecylydimethylchlorosilane when supercritical CO(2) is used as the solvent. Furthermore, it is found that the CO(2) penetrating the regions containing the inaccessible groups is not removed by simple evacuation but rather slowly diffuses from the silica over periods of months.     

Preserving the chromatographic integrity of high-speed supercritical fluid chromatography separations using time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The advantage of high-speed time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) detection for ultrafast qualitative supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry (SFC/MS) applications allows the superior resolving power of SFC to be exploited in high-throughput analysis. A chromatographic comparison of quadrupole MS and TOF-MS shows high-speed TOF total ion current data point sampling to be more indicative of fast SFC separations and corresponding short (1-2 s) baseline peak widths. Results shown for analysis of a six-compound mixture with two peaks eluting at 0.86 and 0.89 min exhibit >50% resolution by high-speed TOF data sampling, whereas the same peaks appear to coelute using quadrupole MS data sampling. Additionally, a marked improvement in the peak baseline widths is afforded by fast TOF data acquisition of 0.1 s/spectrum, resulting in a reduction in the baseline width, 1.6 s, of sulfanilamide in a four-compound mixture that is more than 2-fold greater than that achieved at the slower data acquisition of 0.5 s/spectrum. The resulting increase in resolution and improved peak shapes allow automatic integration routines to perform more effectively. For most classes of compounds amenable to high performance liquid chromatography, including druglike species, steroids, and polymers, the union of SFC with TOF-MS provides the maximum density of chemical information per unit time available with any high-speed chromatographic/mass spectrometric method.     

A New ent‐Kaurane Diterpene from Stems of Alibertia macrophylla K. Schum. (Rubiaceae)

Phytochemical investigations of the stems of a specimen of Alibertia macrophylla led to the isolation and characterization of the new diterpene ent‐kaurane‐2β,3α,16α‐triol ( 1 ), along with triterpenes 2 – 8 , iridoids 9 – 12 , and phenolic acids 13 – 15 . The structure of 1 was established based on spectroscopic studies (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, IR, and HR‐ESI‐MS). This is the first report of the isolation of a diterpene from the Alibertia genus in Rubiaceae.     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and thermal properties of the nickel(II), palladium(II) and copper(II) complexes of bis(aminoalkyl)-oxamides (=LH2) including the crystal structure of Cu2L(NO3)2

Summary The synthesis of the Ni^II, Pd^II and Cu^II complexes of N, N-bis(aminoalkyl)oxamides (LH₂) is described and structures are proposed on the basis of their physical and spectroscopic properties. With Ni^II and Pd^II only one complex is formed with general formula NiL or PdL, characterised by coordination through two deprotonated amide N-atoms and two terminal NH₂ groups. With Cu^II it proved possible to obtain three structurally different compounds, depending on the pH, with general formulae Cu(LH₂)X₂, Cu₂(L)X₂ and CuL in which X=Cl, Br or NO₃. The structure of [Cu₂(C₈O₂N₄H₁₆](NO₃)₂ was solved by means ofx-ray diffraction; Mr=451.33, monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a=9.503(4), b=7.614(1), c=10.407(3) Å, =98.43(3)°, V=744.3(7)ų, Z=2, Dx=1.202 g cm^–3, =1.33 cm^–1, (MoK)=0.71073 Å, F(000)=520, room temperature, R=0.043, wR=0.047 for 1080 observed [I>-3(I)] not systematically absent reflections out of 1423 measurements and 137 variables. The compound has a conformational chair/boat disorder with 82% in the more stable chair form.     

Determination of polar organic compounds by potentiometry at an anodically pretreated nickel oxide electrode

The open-circuit potential drop of an oxidatively pretreated nickel electrode in 0.1 M NaOH was used to develop a technique for the determination of alcohols, amino acids, carbohydrates, etc., in aqueous solution. The electrode pretreatment consisted of the formation of nickel hydrated oxides on the electrode surface with an oxidation state > 2. Both electrochemical and chemical pre-oxidation of the electrode surface were examined. The analytical signal was the enhancement of the potential drop corresponding to analyte concentration. The analytical signal was linearly related to the logarithm of the analyte concentration. The limits of determination ranged from 1 mM for low-molecular-weight to 0.02 mM for alkyl polyether alcohols. The flow-injection technique allows convenient pretreatment and direct observation of the analytical signal. Interferences from chloride and calcium can be readily eliminated by excluding them during electrode pretreatment. Potentiometric measurements were correlated with amperometric anodic responses at the nickel oxide electrode, allowing an unusual direct comparison of the two methods.     

Interferences by transition metals and their elimination by cyanide as a complexing agent in the determination of arsenic using continuous flow HG-ICP-AES

The interfering effects of various foreign ions on the determination of arsenic were studied by hydride generation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (HG-ICP-AES). There were serious inhibiting interferences by Cu, Pb, Co, Au, Pd and Ni. However, by using cyanide as a complexing agent these interferences could be completely eliminated over a wide range of interferent concentration. The optimum chemical parameters for continuous arsine generation were studied. A major advantage of this technique is that it only needs low acid concentrations and produces less hazardous waste. Sensivity, selectivity and accuracy of the determination of arsenic by HG-ICP-AES were investigated. The detection limit (in 1 mol/l HCl medium) for arsenic(III) was 0.82 ng/ml. The relative standard deviation for ten determinations of a solution containing 50 ng/ml arsenic was 1.3%.