Determination of sub—ppm levels of boron in ground water samples by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to the determination of sub-ppm levels of boron in ground water samples using spectroscopically pure graphite planchets as solid support. The data obtained by LIBS agreed well with those from ICP-AES. No spectral interference due to the possibly interfering elements Fe, Cr, Al and Mo was observed. The detection limit was 0.01 µg.g^?1 for boron using the B(I) 249.773 nm emission line. The method is considered to be promising for the rapid determination of boron, with an acceptable degree of accuracy and without the need for elaborate sample treatment, preconcentration and purification steps.     

Lack of correlation between catalytic efficiency and basicity of amines during the reaction of aryl methyl ketones with DMF-DMA: an unprecedented supramolecular domino catalysis

1-Methylimidazole exhibits an unusually high efficiency in promoting the reaction of aryl methyl ketones with DMF-DMA to form (2E)-1-aryl-3-dimethylamino-2-propenones which lacks correlation between the catalytic efficiency and the basicity of 1-methylimidazole in comparison to other amines. An unprecedented supramolecular domino catalysis rationalises the lack of correlation between the catalytic efficiency and basicity of the amines. The supramolecular assemblies have been characterized by mass-spectrometric ion fishing. The time-dependent increase/decrease in the concentration (ion current) of the supramolecular species consolidated the mechanism.     

Coordination induced fluorescence enhancement and construction of a Zn3 constellation through hydrolysis of ligand imine arms

The phenoxido and alkoxido bridged neutral Zn(3) complex [Zn(3)(μ-H(2)bemp)(2)(μ(3)-emp)(2)] (1), with an angular Zn(3)(μ-OPh)(2)(μ-OEt)(2) core and capping nitrogen donors, was synthesized via simultaneous chelation-cum-bridging of the parent and hydrolysed ligands. Zinc(II) coordination triggered the solution phase imine (C=N) bond hydrolysis of H(3)bemp (2,6-bis-[(2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl]-4-methylphenol) and yielded the unexpected angular trinuclear Zn(II) complex 1, having structural similarity with the Zn(3) active site of P1 nuclease. H(3)bemp also displays a zinc(II) selective chelation-enhanced fluorescence response from strong metal ion coordination. Complexation of zinc(II) with H(3)bpmp (2,6-bis-[(3-hydroxypropylimino)methyl]-4-methylphenol), a close analogue of H(3)bemp, instead provides only mononuclear [Zn(H(2)bpmpH(N))(2)](ClO(4))(2)·2H(2)O (2·2H(2)O) (H(N) is the proton attached to an imine nitrogen atom) of two zwitterionic ligands, generated through a kind of coordination driven acid-base reaction, without showing any aggregation reaction. As the sole metal-organic precursor, both the complexes under pyrolytic conditions give ZnO nano structures of two morphologies.     

Simultaneous estimation of hydroxychavicol and chlorogenic acid from Piper betel L. through RP-HPLC

A RP-HPLC method was developed (λ (max)?=?280) to quantify hydroxychavicol and chlorogenic acid in Piper betel Linn. The method was validated for linearity, limit of detection (LOD?=?3:1σ/S), limit of quantification (LOQ?=?10:1σ/S), precision, accuracy and ruggedness. The response was linear with good correlation between concentration and mean peak area through a coefficient of determinants (r (2)) of 0.9940, y?=?1.98e?+?004x?+?5.19e?+?004 and 0.9945, y?=?2.76e?+?004x?+?1.40e?+?005 with LOD 1.6?μg?mL(-1), 1.0?μg?mL(-1) and LOQ 5.0?μg?mL(-1) and 3.0?μg?mL(-1), respectively, for hydroxychavicol (28.56% w/w) and chlorogenic acid (0.40% w/w). The %RSD of precision and recovery of hydroxychavicol and chlorogenic acid were <2.0%. The proposed method was simple, accurate, specific, precise and reproducible.     

Pyridinium-Based Fluororeceptors As Practical Chemosensors for Hydrogen Pyrophosphate (HP(2)O(7)(3-)) in Semiaqueous and Aqueous Environments

The pyridinium-based fluororeceptor 1 and the sensor bead 2 recognize hydrogen pyrophosphate effectively through the 'Indicator Displacement Assay' (IDA) technique over a series of other anions in aq CH(3)CN (CH(3)CN/H(2)O = 4:1, v/v, pH = 6.5). The sensor bead 2 is also capable of sensing the same anion selectively in pure water.     

Magnetism and superconductivity in Eu0.2Sr0.8(Fe0.86Co0.14)2As2 probed by 75As NMR

We report bulk superconductivity (SC) in Eu(0.2)Sr(0.8)(Fe(0.86)Co(0.14))(2)As(2) single crystals by means of electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements with T(c) is approximately equal to 20 K and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of Eu(2+) moments at T(N) is approximately equal to 2.0 K in zero field. (75)As NMR experiments have been performed in the two external field directions (H is parallel to ab) and (H is parallel to c). (75)As-NMR spectra are analysed in terms of first-order quadrupolar interaction. Spin-lattice relaxation rates (1/T(1)) follow a T(3) law in the temperature range 4.2-15 K. There is no signature of a Hebel-Slichter coherence peak just below the SC transition, indicating a non-s-wave or s(±) type of superconductivity. In the temperature range 160-18 K 1/T(1)T follows the C/(T+θ) law reflecting 2D AFM spin fluctuations.     

Photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopic investigation on a H(+) irradiated ZnO single crystal

Low temperature photoluminescence and room temperature positron annihilation spectroscopy have been employed to investigate the defects incorporated by 6?MeV H(+) ions in a hydrothermally grown ZnO single crystal. Prior to irradiation, the emission from donor bound excitons is at 3.378?eV (10?K). The irradiation creates an intense and narrow emission at 3.368?eV (10?K). The intensity of this peak is nearly four times that of the dominant near band edge peak of the pristine crystal. The characteristic features of the 3.368?eV emission indicate its origin as a 'hydrogen at oxygen vacancy' type defect. The positron annihilation lifetime measurement reveals a single component lifetime spectrum for both the unirradiated (164?±?1?ps) and irradiated crystal (175?±?1?ps). It reflects the fact that the positron lifetime and intensity of the new irradiation driven defect species are a little higher compared to those in the unirradiated crystal. However, the estimated defect concentration, even considering the high dynamic defect annihilation rate in ZnO, comes out to be ～4?×?10(17)?cm(-3) (using SRIM software). This is a very high defect concentration compared to the defect sensitivity of positron annihilation spectroscopy. A probable reason is the partial filling of the incorporated vacancies (positron traps), which in ZnO are zinc vacancies. The positron lifetime of ～175?ps (in irradiated ZnO) is consistent with recent theoretical calculations for partially hydrogen-filled zinc vacancies in ZnO. Passivation of oxygen vacancies by hydrogen is also reflected in the photoluminescence results. A possible reason for such vacancy filling (at both Zn and O sites) due to irradiation has also been discussed.     

XAFS investigation of the role of orientational disorder in the stabilization of the ferromagnetic metallic phase in nanoparticles of La(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO3

The inclusion of the contribution of Jahn-Teller distortion of MnO(6) units, in addition to double-exchange, has been largely successful in explaining the magneto-transport behavior of manganites. However, our recent experiments on La(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO(3) demonstrated the limitation of these factors in explaining the radical difference between the magneto-transport properties of bulk and nanocrystalline forms. While bulk La(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO(3) exhibits insulator character (4-300 K) and an anti-ferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition at 200 K, the nanocrystalline form stabilizes in a metallic ferromagnetic phase (4-300 K). This is counter-intuitive since large Jahn-Teller distortion, which promotes anti-ferromagnetism or insulator character, exists in the nanocrystals too (as indicated by x-ray diffraction results). In this work, we resolve this paradox by considering the role of structural disorder. Employing x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we establish that the disorder in inter-octahedral coupling is enhanced by 57% in the nanocrystals, as the octahedral units are randomly oriented with respect to each other. This orientational disorder promotes metallic ferromagnetism by destroying the stringent orbital ordering that is needed for anti-ferromagnetism and the co-operative nature of the orbital order.     

Enantioselective cyclopropanation of enals by oxidative N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis

Carbene catalysed redox activation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes is applied for generation of α,β-unsaturated acyl azoliums which undergo cyclopropanation upon reaction with a sulfur ylide and an alcohol to give the corresponding cyclopropanecarboxylic acid esters. With chiral carbenes good to excellent diastereo and enantioselectivities are obtained.     

Disorder driven optical processes in nanocrystalline ZnO

A systematic study on the modification of optical properties in mechanically milled ZnO powder has been reported here. The average grain size of the powder becomes ～20 nm within 4 h of milling. Fluctuations of average grain size have been noticed at the initial stage of milling (within 15 min). Changes in grain morphology with milling have also been noticed in scanning electron micrographs of the samples. Room temperature optical absorption data shows a systematic red shift of absorption band edge (～3.25 eV). The band tail parameter (extracted from the optical absorption just below the band edge) follows a simple exponential relation with the inverse of the average grain size. Significant increase of the band tail parameter has been noticed at low grain size regime. It has been analyzed that high values of band tail parameter is a representative of V_Zn–V_O type divacancy clusters. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra show decrease (except for 120 min milling) of band edge emission intensity with increase of milling time. Subsequent decrease of sub-band edge emission is, however, less prominent. The variation of PL intensity ratio (intensity at band edge peak with that at 2.3 eV) follows simple exponential decrease with the increase of band tail parameter. This indeed shows that band edge emission in ZnO is related with the overall disorder in the system, not grain size induced only.