Characterization and electrochemical properties of molecular icosanuclear and bidimensional hexanuclear Cu(II) azido polyoxometalates

Two new Cu(II) azido polyoxometalates compounds have been synthesized, and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound Na(14)[SiW(9)O(34)Cu(3)(N(3))(2)(OH)(H(2)O)](2) x 24H(2)O (1) is built from two [SiW(9)O(34)Cu(3)(mu(1,1,3)-N(3))(2)(mu-OH)(H(2)O)](7-) subunits where the copper centers, connected by two azido ligands and one hydroxo group, form a nearly equilateral triangle. The two subunits are related by an inversion center and connected via the two mu(1,1,3)-N(3) ligands in an end-to-end fashion, affording a hexanuclear Cu(II) cluster. Linkage of these fragments via Cu-O=W bonds leads to a bidimensional arrangement of the polyoxometalate units. The complex LiK(14)Na(9)[P(8)W(48)O(184)Cu(20)(N(3))(6)(OH)(18)] x 60H(2)O (2) consists of two {Cu(5)(OH)(4)}(6+) and two {Cu(5)(OH)(2)(mu(1,1,3,3)-N(3))}(7+) subunits connected via four mu-OH and four mu(1,1)-N(3) additional ligands, the 20 copper centers being encapsulated in the [P(8)W(48)O(184)](40-) crown polyoxotungstate ligand. 1 represents the first multidimensional compound based on azido polyoxometalate (POM) units, and 2 represents by far the largest azido POM complex isolated to date. Magnetic measurements revealed an overall antiferromagnetic behavior for both compounds. Nevertheless, the study of the variation of the magnetization with the applied field indicates that 1 possesses a triplet ground state, which can be attributed to weak ferromagnetic interaction between the S = 1/2 triangular subunits. The stability of 1 and 2 evidenced by UV-vis spectroscopy and gel filtration chromatography, in particular at pH 5, has allowed a detailed study of their redox and electrocatalytic properties. For both compounds, the stability of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) couple is remarkable compared with the observations made in other Cu(II)-substituted POMs. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements clearly demonstrate that the formation of the Cu(I) species occurs neatly without the formation of Cu(0). The accumulation of such Cu(II) centers within the complexes is a favorable condition to envision applications involving several electrons. The electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen and hydrogen peroxide was achieved efficiently and has shown that the reactivity increases with the nuclearity and/or the Cu/W ratio of the POM complex. The dioxygen reduction is an overall four-electron process with water as the final product. Finally, the reduction of the W centers triggers a strong electrocatalysis of solvent reduction.     

New extraction sorbent based on aptamers for the determination of ochratoxin A in red wine

A new solid phase extraction method based on aptamers, an oligosorbent, was developed and applied to the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) from red wine. Two solid supports were chosen to immobilize OTA aptamer by covalent binding (cyanogen bromide-activated sepharose) or noncovalent binding (streptavidin-activated agarose). The resulting oligosorbents were evaluated in terms of retention, selectivity, and capacity. To assess the selectivity of the resulting oligosorbents, control supports made only of a solid support without immobilized aptamers were simultaneously studied. After optimization of the selective extraction procedure, extraction recoveries close to 100% were obtained on both materials. No retention was observed on the control supports. A similar capacity was also found for both oligosorbents. However, the immobilization by covalent bonding appeared more robust for the determination of OTA in the wine. A conventional sorbent and an immunoaffinity column were also applied to the determination of OTA in red wine to compare the potential of the various approaches for the treatment of such complex samples.     

Selective extraction of nitroaromatic explosives by using molecularly imprinted silica sorbents

Two molecularly imprinted silicas (MISs) were synthesized and used as selective sorbents for the extraction of nitroaromatic explosives in post-blast samples. The synthesis of the MISs was carried out with phenyltrimethoxysilane as monomer, 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) as template and triethoxysilane as cross-linker by a sol–gel approach in two molar ratios: 1/4/20 and 1/4/30 (template/monomer/cross-linker). Non-imprinted silica sorbents were also prepared following the same procedures without introducing the template. An optimized procedure dedicated to the selective treatment of aqueous samples was developed for both MISs for the simultaneous extraction of the template and other nitroaromatic compounds commonly used as explosives. The capacity of the MISs was measured by the extraction of increasing amounts of 2,4-DNT in pure water and is higher than 3.2 mg/g of sorbent for each MIS. For the first time, four nitroaromatic compounds were selectively extracted and determined simultaneously with extraction recoveries higher than 79%. The potential of these sorbents was then highlighted by their use for the clean-up of post-blast samples (motor oil, post-mortem blood, calcined fragments, etc.). The results were compared to those obtained using a conventional sorbent, thus demonstrating the interest of the use of these MISs as selective sorbents.     

Adsorption mechanism of substituted pyridines on silica suspensions: an NMR study

Adsorption isotherms of 2,5-dimethylpyridine (2,5-DMP) on Aerosil 200 silica from water-2,5-DMP binary mixtures are known to exhibit special features indicative of surface phase transitions in the adsorbed layer. We have made similar observations on another substituted pyridine, 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (2,4,6-TMP). By using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, we investigated adsorbed layers on silica in suspension in water/substituted-pyridine mixtures and demonstrated the existence of adsorbed species specific signals. Comparison of signals with those displayed on NMR spectra of liquid binary mixtures under various pH conditions rules out adsorption via interaction of the surface silanol group and the lone electron pair of the nitrogen atom. A mechanism of adsorption through the interaction of surface siloxane oxygen and the aromatic pi-system is proposed; it is consistent with both thermodynamic measurements and stacking of substituted pyridines within the adsorbed layer.     

Fe2 and Fe4 clusters encapsulated in vacant polyoxotungstates: hydrothermal synthesis, magnetic and electrochemical properties, and DFT calculations

While the reaction of [PW(11)O(39)](7-) with first row transition-metal ions M(n+) under usual bench conditions only leads to monosubstituted {PW(11)O(39)M(H(2)O)} anions, we have shown that the use of this precursor under hydrothermal conditions allows the isolation of a family of novel polynuclear discrete magnetic polyoxometalates (POMs). The hybrid asymmetric [Fe(II)(bpy)(3)][PW(11)O(39)Fe(2) (III)(OH)(bpy)(2)]12 H(2)O (bpy=bipyridine) complex (1) contains the dinuclear {Fe(micro-O(W))(micro-OH)Fe} core in which one iron atom is coordinated to a monovacant POM, while the other is coordinated to two bipyridine ligands. Magnetic measurements indicate that the Fe(III) centers in complex 1 are weakly antiferromagnetically coupled (J=-11.2 cm(-1), H=-JS(1)S(2)) compared to other {Fe(micro-O)(micro-OH)Fe} systems. This is due to the long distances between the iron center embedded in the POM and the oxygen atom of the POM bridging the two magnetic centers, but also, as shown by DFT calculations, to the important mixing of bridging oxygen orbitals with orbitals of the POM tungsten atoms. The complexes [Hdmbpy](2)[Fe(II)(dmbpy)(3)](2)[(PW(11)O(39))(2)Fe(4) (III)O(2)(dmbpy)(4)]14 H(2)O (2) (dmbpy=5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) and H(2)[Fe(II)(dmbpy)(3)](2)[(PW(11)O(39))(2)Fe(4) (III)O(2)(dmbpy)(4)]10 H(2)O (3) represent the first butterfly-like POM complexes. In these species, a tetranuclear Fe(III) complex is sandwiched between two lacunary polyoxotungstates that are pentacoordinated to two Fe(III) cations, the remaining paramagnetic centers each being coordinated to two dmbpy ligands. The best fit of the chi(M)T=f(T) curve leads to J(wb)=-59.6 cm(-1) and J(bb)=-10.2 cm(-1) (H=-J(wb)(S(1)S(2)+S(1)S(2*)+S(1*)S(2)+S(1*)S(2*))-J(bb)(S(2)S(2*))). While the J(bb) value is within the range of related exchange parameters previously reported for non-POM butterfly systems, the J(wb) constant is significantly lower. As for complex 1, this can be justified considering Fe(w)--O distances. Finally, in the absence of a coordinating ligand, the dimeric complex [N(CH(3))(4)](10)[(PW(11)O(39)Fe(III))(2)O]12 H(2)O (4) has been isolated. In this complex, the two single oxo-bridged Fe(III) centers are very strongly antiferromagnetically coupled (J=-211.7 cm(-1), H=-JS(1)S(2)). The electrochemical behavior of compound 1 both in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and in the solid state is also presented, while the electrochemical properties of complex 2, which is insoluble in common solvents, have been studied in the solid state.     

Role of molecularly imprinted polymers for selective determination of environmental pollutants--a review

The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymers possessing specific cavities designed for a target molecule. By a mechanism of molecular recognition, the MIPs are used as selective tools for the development of various analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography, capillary electrochromatography, solid-phase extraction (SPE), binding assays and biosensors. This review describes the application of MIPs to the determination of environmental pollutants in these different analytical approaches with a special emphasis on their potential as selective SPE sorbent for the selective extraction of target analytes from complex matrices.