para-Sulfonatocalix[6]arene-modified silver nanoparticles electrodeposited on glassy carbon electrode: Preparation and electrochemical sensing of methyl parathion

In this paper, a new electrochemical sensor, based on modified silver nanoparticles, was fabricated using one-step electrodeposition approach. The para-sulfonatocalix[6]arene-modified silver nanoparticles coated on glassy carbon electrode (pSC₆-Ag NPs/GCE) was characterized by attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The pSC₆ as the host are highly efficient to capture organophosphates (OPs), which dramatically facilitates the enrichment of nitroaromatic OPs onto the electrochemical sensor surface. The combination of the host-guest supramolecular structure and the excellent electrochemical catalytic activities of the pSC₆-Ag NPs/GCE provides a fast, simple, and sensitive electrochemical method for detecting nitroaromatic OPs. In this work, methyl parathion (MP) was used as a nitroaromatic OP model for testing the proposed sensor. In comparison with Ag NPs-modified electrode, the cathodic peak current of MP was amplified significantly. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for the simultaneous determination of MP. Under optimum conditions, the current increased linearly with the increasing concentration of MP in the range of 0.01-80 μM, with a detection limit of 4.0 nM (S/N = 3). The fabrication reproducibility and stability of the sensor is better than that of enzyme-based electrodes. The possible underlying mechanism is discussed.     

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplet for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in aqueous samples

In the proposed method, an extraction solvent with a lower toxicity and density than the solvents typically used in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was used to extract seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from aqueous samples. Due to the density and melting point of the extraction solvent, the extract which forms a layer on top of aqueous sample can be collected by solidifying it at low temperatures, which form a layer on top of the aqueous sample. Furthermore, the solidified phase can be easily removed from the aqueous phase. Based on preliminary studies, 1-undecanol was selected as the extraction solvent, and a series of parameters that affect the extraction efficiency were systematically investigated. Under the optimized conditions, enrichment factors for PCBs ranged between 494 and 606. Based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, the limit of detection for the method ranged between 3.3 and 5.4 ng L⁻¹. Good linearity, reproducibility and recovery were also obtained.     

Preparation of anionic phosphine ligands in situ for the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald/Hartwig amination reactions of aryl halides

2-Phenylindenyl phosphine ligand can be changed into anionic phosphine ligand in situ and utilized in the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald/Hartwig amination reactions in DME, providing good to excellent yields of amination products from aryl chlorides, bromides and iodides. ³¹P NMR studies show that the resonance for the anionic phosphine appeared between those of the (2-phenylindenyl)-dicyclohexyl phosphonium salt and (2-phenylindenyl)dicyclohexylphosphine. The calculated results were consistent with the experimental results.     

Determination of silver(I) ion in water samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after preconcentration with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction

A method was developed for the determination of silver ion (Ag) by combining dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction preconcentration with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Diethyldithiocarbamate was used as a chelating agent, and carbon tetrachloride and methanol as extraction and dispersive solvent. Factors influencing the extraction efficiency of Ag and its subsequent determination were studied and optimized. The detection limit is 12 ng L^?1 (3 s) with an enrichment factor of 132, and the relative standard deviation is 3.5% (n?=?7, at 1.0 ng mL^?1). The method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of Ag in water samples.     

Application of DLLME Based on the Solidification of Floating Organic Droplets for the Determination of Dinitrobenzenes in Aqueous Samples

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) based on the solidification of floating organic droplets (DLLME-SFO) combined with gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (GC–ECD) has been developed for extraction and analysis of three dinitrobenzenes. The extraction conditions including extraction solvent, disperser solvent, extraction time, salt effect and temperature were investigated and optimized systematically. The limits of detection were 0.019 μg L^?1 for 1,4-dinitrobenzene, 0.079 μg L^?1 for 1,3-dinitrobenzene and 0.034 μg L^?1 for 1,2-dinitrobenzene. Moreover, it offered good repeatability and high recovery. This method was successfully applied to monitor DNBs in different water samples.     

Synthesis and biological activity of novel phenyltriazolinone derivatives

Phenyltriazolinones are one of the most important classes of herbicides targeting the protoporphyrinogen oxidase enzyme. A series of triazolinone derivatives containing a strobilurin pharmacophore were designed and synthesized with the aim of discovering new phenyltriazolinone analogues with high activity. The herbicidal activity of the synthesized compounds was assayed and some of the test compounds displayed moderate herbicidal activity at 150 g ai/ha.     

Host-molecule-coated quantum dots as fluorescent sensors

“Host” molecules, containing a binding site that is highly specific for an analyte “guest,” are used as sensors to register analyte binding through a variety of mechanisms such as colorimetric, fluorescent, or electrochemical signals. There is increasing interest in the host–guest chemistry on the surface of quantum dots (QDs) and in the changes that it produces in the luminescent properties of QDs. The bulk of this study focuses on those QDs with bound host molecules (crown ether, cyclodextrin, calixarene, and porphyrin) and the selectivity they display toward metal ions and small organic molecules.     

Synthesis and X-ray Crystal Structure of a Methylene-bridged Glycoluril Dimer

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a methylene-bridged glycoluril dimer 2 was reported.The methylene-bridged glycoluril dimer 2(C38H36Br4N8O12,Mr=1116.35) crystallizes in space group P1 with a=10.5802(6),b=16.8469(9),c=24.7673(14) ,α=98.00,β=96.263(1),γ=101.606(1)o,V=4239.3(4)3,Z=4,Dc=1.749 g/cm3,μ=3.869 mm-1 and F(000)=2224.It crystallizes in an S-shaped conformation that displays two ethoxycarbonyl groups on each face of the molecule.     

Highly luminescent nanocrystal quantum dots fabricated by lattice-type mismatched epitaxy

Lattice-type mismatched heteroepitaxy is demonstrated as a novel concept for the fabrication of almost ideal, highly luminescent nanocrystal quantum dots that are coherently embedded in a single-crystalline matrix. In this approach, the formation of quantum dots is induced by transformation of a metastable epitaxial 2D quantum well into an array of isolated nanocrystals with-highly symmetric shape. This process is driven by the lattice-type mismatch between the constituent materials and the resulting miscibility gap. The investigated PbTe/CdTe heterosystem has a model character because it combines two compounds with different cubic lattice types but almost identical lattice constants. The obtained epitaxial nanocrystals exhibit outstanding properties such as a well-defined symmetric shape, the absence of strain, intermixing and a wetting layer, which is in contrast to the conventional Stranski–Krastanow quantum dots. The small-rhomboedric-cubo-octahedron PbTe/CdTe nanocrystals on GaAs substrates display intense room temperature mid-infrared luminescence as is crucial for device applications. Ab initio density functional theory is used to clarify the interface structure, indicating that the covalent and ionic bonding character of CdTe and PbTe is maintained across the interface.