Facile solvothermal synthesis of graphene-MnOOH nanocomposites

In this paper, we report a facile solvothermal route capable of aligning MnOOH nanocrystals on graphene. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicate that the exfoliated graphene sheets are decorated randomly by MnOOH nanocrystals, forming well-dispersed graphene-MnOOH nanocomposites. Dissolution-crystallization and oriented attachment are speculated to be the vital mechanisms in the synthetic process. The attachment of additives, such as MnOOH nanoparticles, are found to be beneficial for the exfoliation of GO as well as preventing the restack of graphene sheets. Moreover, cyclic voltammetry (CV) analyses suggest that the electrochemical reversibility is improved by anchoring MnOOH on graphene. Notably, the as-fabricated nanocomposites reveal unusual catalytic performance for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) due to the concerted effects of graphene and MnOOH. This template-free method is easy to reproduce, and the process proceeds at a low temperature and can be readily extended to prepare other graphene-based nanocomposites.     

A novel method for the analysis of calf thymus DNA based on CdTe quantum dots-Ru(bpy) 3 2+ photoinduced electron transfer system

A method has been developed for the rapid determination of calf thymus (ct) DNA that is based on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) that occurs between CdTe quantum dots and the ruthenium(II)tris-bipyridyl complex. The latter quenches the photoluminescence (PL) of the quantum dots through PET. The Stern-Volmer quenching constant is 2,500 L?mol^?1. The intensity of the PL the system is recovered in the presence of ct DNA, and relative recovered PL intensity is linearly proportional to the concentration of ct-DNA. The dynamic range is from 17?µM to 1.5 mM of DNA, and the detection limit (at S/N?=?3) is 5.7?µM. The relative standard deviation (at 0.5 mM of ct-DNA) is 4.1% (n?=?11). A possible reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Rapid ultraviolet monitoring of multiple psychotropic drugs with a renewable microfluidic device

A rapid method for sensitive ultraviolet detection of multiple psychotropic drugs in human plasma was developed on a low-cost and expediently fabricated hybrid microfluidic device. The device was composed of one fused-silica capillary with a sampling fracture, a poly(methyl methacrylate) board with four reservoirs, and a printed circuit board. At the optimal separation and detection conditions, the baseline separation of three kinds of psychotropic drugs including barbiturates (phenobarbital and barbital), benzodiazepines (nitrazepam, clonazepam, chlordiazepoxide, alprazolam and diazepam) and tricyclic antidepressant drugs (amitriptyline) was achieved within 200 s with separation efficiency up to 3.80 × 10(5) plates m(-1). The linear ranges for ultraviolet detection were from 2.0 to 1000.0 μg mL(-1) for chlordiazepoxide and 1.0 to 1000.0 μg mL(-1) for other seven drugs. Combining with solid-phase extraction, this novel protocol could successfully be used to screen naturally existing psychotropic drugs in a known human plasma sample. The minimum detectable concentration was down to 27 ng mL(-1) for phenobarbital spiked in plasma. This work provided a promising way to initially screen different psychotropic drugs with high resolution, rapid separation and low-cost.     

Synthesis and application in polypropylene of a novel of phosphorus-containing intumescent flame retardant

A novel phosphorus-containing triazine oligomer poly(2-morpholinyl-4-penta-erythritol phosphate-1,3,5-triazine) (PMPT) was synthesized as a kind of tri-component intumescent flame retardant (IFR). The chemical structure of PMPT was characterized by FTIR, 1H-NMR and 31P-NMR, and the mechanical and flammability properties of FR-PP were measured. The FTIR results showed that the expected chemical reactions had happened at each step. The 1H-NMR and 31P-NMR spectra also agreed with the chemical structure of PMPT. The slight effect of PMPT on the mechanical properties of FR-PP suggested that PMPT and PP are compatible. The high limited oxygen index (LOI) values of FR-PP revealed that PMPT was an efficient IFR and there was the synergistic effect between PMPT and ammonium polyphosphate/ pentaerythritol (APP/PER).     

Symmetry forbidden vibronic spectra and internal conversion in benzene

The spectra of symmetry-forbidden transitions and internal conversion were investigated in the present work. Temperature dependence was taken into account for the spectra simulation. The vibronic coupling, essential in the two processes, was calculated based on the Herzberg-Teller theory within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The approach was employed for the symmetry-forbidden absorption/fluorescence, and internal conversion between 1(1)A(1g) and 1(1)B(2u) states in benzene. Vibrational frequencies, normal coordinates, electronic transition dipole moments, and non-adiabatic coupling matrix elements were obtained by ab initio quantum chemical methods. The main peaks, along with the weak peaks, were in good agreement with the observed ones. The rate constant of the 1(1)A(1g)← 1(1)B(2u) internal conversion was estimated within the order of 10(3) s(-1). This could be regarded as the lower limit (about 4.8 × 10(3) s(-1)) of the internal conversion. It is stressed that the distortion effect was taken into account both in the symmetry-forbidden absorption/fluorescence, and the rate constants of internal conversion in the present work. The distortion effects complicate the spectra and increase the rate constants of internal conversion.     

Phenylcarbamoylated β‐CD: π‐Acidic and π‐basic chiral selectors for HPLC

Two types of chiral stationary phases for HPLC based on π‐acidic or π‐basic perphenylcarbamoylated β‐CDs were synthesized. The relative structural features of the two effective chiral selectors are discussed and compared in both normal‐phase and RP modes. In addition, the nature and concentration of alcoholic modifiers were varied for optimal separation in normal phase and the structural variation of the analytes was also examined. The results showed that hydrogen bonding, steric effect and π‐acidic–π‐basic interaction contributed greatly to enantioseparation. Upon comparison, some of the differences in the separation behavior of the two types of chiral stationary phases might be due to the π‐acidic or π‐basic phenylcarbamate groups.     

Synthesis,characterization, and drug release behaviors of a novel thermo‐sensitive poly(N‐acryloylglycinates)

In this study, a novel thermo‐sensitive poly(N‐acryloylglycinates) was prepared in order to get a potential drug release carrier. The corresponding monomers and the polymers were characterized with Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹H NMR. The thermo‐sensitivity of the poly(N‐acryloylglycinates) was evaluated by measuring their lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) in water, inorganic salt solution, and different pH solutions. The results indicated that poly(N‐acryloylglycine methyl ester) (NAGME) and poly(N‐acryloylglycine ethyl ester) (NAGEE) exhibit a reversible thermo‐sensibility in their aqueous solutions at 61.5 and 12.5°C, respectively. However, no thermo‐sensitive behavior of poly(N‐acryloylglycine propyl ester) (NAGPE) was found due to its over hydrophobicity. The swelling studies on hydrogels were carried out at different temperatures, in different pH, and inorganic salt solutions. The hydrogels showed a remarkable phase transition at about 35°C with changing temperature. The release rate of caffeine from the thermo‐sensitive hydrogel was apparently decreased as the crosslinker content increased and temperature decreased. Seventy five percent caffeine from the polymeric hydrogel with 5% NMBA (N, N‐methylenebis(acrylamide)) was released at room temperature within 240 min, whereas 95.4% caffeine diffused into the medium at 37°C. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

4,4′‐Bis(2,2,2‐trifluoroethoxymethyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine

As part of a homologous series of novel polyfluorinated bipyridyl (bpy) ligands, the title compound, C₁₆H₁₄F₆N₂O₂, contains the smallest fluorinated group, viz. CF₃. The molecule resides on a crystallographic inversion centre at the mid‐point of the pyridine C_ipso—C_ipso bond. Therefore, the bpy skeleton lies in an anti conformation to avoid repulsion between the two pyridyl N atoms. Weak intramolecular C—H...N and C—H...O interactions are observed, similar to those in related polyfluorinated bpy–metal complexes. A π–π interaction is observed between the bpy rings of adjacent molecules and this is probably a primary driving force in crystallization. Weak intermolecular C—H...N hydrogen bonding is present between one of the CF₃CH₂– methylene H atoms and a pyridyl N atom related by translation along the [010] direction, in addition to weak benzyl‐type C—H...F interactions to atoms of the terminal CF₃ group. It is of note that the O—CH₂CF₃ bond is almost perpendicular to the bpy plane.     

Poly[bis(μ‐4‐benzoyl‐1‐isonicotinoylthiosemicarbazide‐κ2N:S)dichloridocadmium(II)]

The asymmetric unit of the title complex, [CdCl₂(C₁₄H₁₂N₄O₂S)₂]_n, consists of one Cd^II ion located on the crystallographic inversion centre, one 4‐benzoyl‐1‐isonicotinoylthiosemicarbazide ligand and one chloride ligand. The central Cd^II ion adopts a distorted octahedral coordination geometry formed by two pyridyl N atoms of two ligands, two S atoms of two other ligands and two chloride ligands. The thiosemicarbazide ligands act as bridges, linking the metal ions into a two‐dimensional layered structure parallel to the bc plane. Intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions exist between adjacent layers.