Highly functionalized bridged silsesquioxanes

The objective of this work was to synthesize functionalized mesoporous silsesquioxanes with high concentrations of amine groups. During typical sol–gel syntheses, these materials are obtained by co-condensation of organic precursors with suitable linkers, such as tetraethoxysilane, necessary to prevent the mesoporous structure from collapsing. Thus, concentrations of amine groups in organosilicas usually do not exceed 2.7–3.4 mmol g⁻¹. The use of bridged bis-trimethoxysilanes, however, allowed formation of mesoporous materials with no linker. Polycondensation of bis-trimethoxysilanes containing amine groups was conducted in acidic, neutral and basic media, resulting in high yields of solid bridged silsesquioxanes. Gelation occurred quickly if no acid or base was added to the reaction mixture. The hybrid organic/inorganic nature of obtained materials was confirmed by FT-IR and MAS CP NMR spectroscopy. Elemental analysis showed that amino group concentration in the products was 3.3–4.1 mmol g⁻¹. Measurement of particle size distribution confirmed that choice of reaction media significantly affects particle sizes and agglomeration degrees, with the largest agglomerates (up to 50 μm) formed in basic media. A morphology study, using small-angle X-Ray scattering, displayed two-level fractal structures composed of aggregated 6.5–10.5 nm particles. Reactions in the presence of a surfactant resulted in formation of mesoporous structures. Furthermore, the obtained bridged silsesquioxanes were thermally stable down to 260 °C, but could reversibly absorb water and CO₂ at temperatures below 120 °C. Thus, condensation of the bridged precursor without a linker resulted in formation of a highly functionalized mesoporous material.     

Adsorption of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene on Al(111) ultrathin film: periodic DFT calculations

The adsorption of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) molecule on the Al(111) ultrathin film were investigated by the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of density functional theory (DFT). The calculations employ a supercell (4 × 4 × 2) model and three-dimensional periodic boundary conditions. The strong attractive forces between oxygen and aluminum atoms induce the N–O bond breaking of the TNT. Subsequently, the dissociated oxygen atoms and radical fragment of TNT oxidize the Al ultrathin film. The N–O bond of the o-NO₂ group is easier to rupture than that of the p-NO₂ group after the adsorption of the TNT molecule on the Al(111). Except for the breaking of the N–O bonds of the nitro group, other bonds of TNT molecule do not dissociate. The largest adsorption energy is −747.3 kJ/mol. The most of charge transfer is 3.42 e from the Al(111) to the fragment of TNT molecule. The aluminum ultrathin film is readily oxidized by the radical fragment of TNT, which is initiated by the dissociated O atoms from the nitro group.     

Influence of thermal process on microstructural and physical properties of ambient pressure dried hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths

The experimental results of thermal process on the microstructural and physical properties of ambient pressure dried hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths are reported and discussed. With sodium silicate as precursor, ethanol/hexamethyldisiloxane/hydrochloric acid as surface modification agent, the crack-free and high hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths was obtained possessing the properties as low density (0.096 g/cm³), high surface area (651 m²/g), high hydrophobicity (~147°) and low thermal conductivity (0.0217 Wm/K). Silica aerogels maintained hydrophobic behavior up to 430 °C. After a thermal process changing from room temperature to 300 °C, the hydrophobicity remained unchanged (~128°), of which the porosity was 95.69% and specific density about 0.094 g/cm³. After high temperature treatment (300–500 °C), the density of final product decreased from 0.094 to 0.089 g/cm³ and porosity increased to 96.33%. With surface area of 466 m²/g, porosity of 91.21% and density about 0.113 g/cm³, silica aerogels were at a good state at 800 °C. Thermal conductivities at desired temperatures were analyzed by the transient plane heat source method. Thermal conductivity coefficients of silica aerogel monoliths changed from 0.0217 to 0.0981 Wm/K as temperature increased to 800 °C, revealed an excellent heat insulation effect during thermal process.     

A new hederagenin glycoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nephelium lappaceum</Emphasis>

A new oleane-type triterpene oligoglycoside, hederagenin 3-O-(3-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl)-(1→3)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (2), together with four known compounds, hederagenin (1), hederagenin 3-O-(4-O-acetyl-α-L-arabinopyranosyl)-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (3), hederagenin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (4), hederagenin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranoside (5), was isolated from the hull of Nephelium lappaceum. All the isolates were obtained from the hull of rambutan for the first time.     

Identification of a new flavone glycoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Codonopsis nervosa</Emphasis>

A new flavone glycoside, luteolin 7-O-[(6″′-caffeoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), was isolated from Codonopsis nervosa, along with three other known compounds, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), luteolin 7-O-gentiobioside (3), and tangshenoside VI (4). Their structures were determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, IR, and HR-ESI-MS.     

Determination aminopyrine in pharmaceutical formulations based on APTS-Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode

In this work, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (ATPS-Fe₃O₄) were used to modify glassy carbon electrode for aminopyrine determination. ATPS-Fe₃O₄ showed obviously catalytic activity and adsorptivity towards aminopyrine oxidation proven by the increased oxidation peak current and the decreased oxidation peak potential. The best analytical response was obtained by immobilizing 8 μL 3 mg/mL APTS-Fe₃O₄ dispersion with an accumulation time of 200 s at −0.2 V in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 9.0). The oxidation peak current of aminopyrine showed linear relationship with its concentration in the range from 0.5 to 100 and 100 to 1600 μM. The detection limit was 0.1 μM (S/N = 3). The proposed method showed satisfactory repeatability and anti-interference ability. The fabricated electrode was successfully applied to determine aminopyrine in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Electrochemical oxidation behavior of 2,4-dinitrophenol at hydroxylapatite film-modified glassy carbon electrode and its determination in water samples

Hydroxylapatite (HAP)-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated and used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation behavior of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and chronocoulometry. The oxidation peak current of 2,4-DNP at the modified electrode was obviously increased compared with the bare GCE, indicating that HAP exhibits a remarkable enhancement effect on the electrochemical oxidation of 2,4-DNP. Based on this, a sensitive and simple electrochemical method was proposed for the determination of 2,4-DNP. The effects of HAP concentration, accumulation time, accumulation potential, pH, and scan rate were examined. Under optimal conditions, the oxidation peak current of 2,4-DNP was proportional to its concentration in the range from 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 6.0 × 10⁻⁴ M with a correlation coefficient of 0.9987. The detection limit was 7.5 × 10⁻⁷ M (S/N = 3). The proposed method was further applied to determine 2,4-DNP in water samples with recoveries from 96.75% to 106.50%.     

Dissolution Thermodynamics of 1,2,3-Triazole Nitrate in Water

The enthalpies of dissolution of 1,2,3-triazole nitrate in water were measured using a RD496-2000 Calvet microcalorimeter at four different temperatures under atmospheric pressure. Differential enthalpies (Δ_dif H) and molar enthalpies (Δ_diss H) of dissolution were determined. The corresponding kinetic equations that describe the dissolution rate at the four experimental temperatures are \fracdadt / s ^{- 1} = 10 ^{- 3.75}( 1 - a)^0.96\frac{d\alpha}{dt} / \mathrm{s}^{ - 1} =10^{ - 3.75}( 1 - \alpha)^{0.96} (T=298.15 K), \fracdadt /s ^{- 1} = 10 ^{- 3.73}( 1 - a)^1.00\frac{d\alpha}{dt} /\mathrm{s}^{ - 1} = 10^{ - 3.73}( 1 - \alpha)^{1.00} (T=303.15 K), \fracdadt / s ^{- 1} = 10 ^{- 3.72}( 1 - a)^0.98\frac{d\alpha}{dt} / \mathrm{s}^{ - 1} = 10^{ - 3.72}( 1 - \alpha)^{0.98} (T=308.15 K) and \fracdadt / s ^{- 1} = 10 ^{- 3.71}( 1 -a)^0.97\frac{d\alpha}{dt} / \mathrm{s}^{ - 1} = 10^{ - 3.71}( 1 -\alpha)^{0.97} (T=313.15 K). The determined values of the activation energy E and pre-exponential factor A for the dissolution process are 5.01 kJ⋅mol⁻¹ and 10^−2.87 s⁻¹, respectively.     

SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL OPTICALLY ACTIVE CYCLIC PHOSPHOLIPID CONJUGATES OF TEGAFUR AND URIDINE STARTING FROM L-SERINE

Abstract

Starting from L-serine, cyclic thiophosphoramidate conjugates (2 and 3) of Tegafur and uridine were synthesized via a multiple-step procedure of esterification, cyclic phosphorylation, and sulfurization, etc. L-serinoate was N-alkylated, then cyclized with phosphorus oxychloride, and further reacted with N³-(2-hydroxyethyl) Tegafur to afford cyclic phospholipid conjugate 4. The resultants (2, 3, and 4) were successfully separated in the form of pure diastereomer by column chromatography on silica gel. Their configurations were discussed and assigned according to their NMR spectra. The asymmetric induction effects of the carbon-based chiral centre on the diastereomer preference were also observed in these two synthetic phosphorylation cyclizations. The bioassay on their antitumor activities is under investigation.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Copolymer Acrylic Acid-co-p-Chloromethylstyrene

The free radical copolymerization of acrylic acid (M₁) with p-chloromethylstyrene (M₂) in dioxane and in the presence of α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) at 65°C is reported. Copolymer compositions of six copolymer samples obtained from feed ratios of M₁:M₂ = 95.2:4.8 to 21.4:78.6 were determined by ¹H-NMR. The reactivity ratios of AA/p-CMS copolymerization system calculated by the F-R method were r ₁ = 0.50 ± 0.06 and r ₂ = 1.52 ± 0.15, almost the same as r ₁ = 0.43 ± 0.21 and r ₂ = 1.31 ± 0.14 by the extended K-T method. On the basis of the reactivity ratios of two monomers, the sequence length distribution in the AA/p-CMS copolymers was obtained. For f₂ = 4.77%, the monomer unit of p-CMS is individually separated in the chain of AA; for f₂ = 35.53%, the alternating tendency prevails and a large number of mono-sequences are formed. The number-average ( _n) and weight-average ( _w) molecular weights were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The effect on molecular weights of feed composition is also discussed. In the presence of constant initiator concentration, the gradual increase in the ratio of M₂:M₁ (from14.7:85.3 to 78.6:21.4) was accompanied by a decrease in molecular weights ( _n from 11907 to 3961).