New green fluorescent polyvinylcarbazole copolymer with 1,8‐naphthalimide side chains as chemosensor for iron cations

The synthesis and basic photophysical characteristics of a novel green fluorescent polyvinylcarbazole polymer containing 4‐N,N‐dimethylaminoethyleneamino‐1,8‐naphthalimide side chains has been described. The ability to sense metal cations has been monitored by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. It is shown that the fluorescent intensity is very sensitive to the Fe²⁺ cations and the copolymer can be used as an homogeneous and heterogeneous fluorescent sensor for Fe²⁺ cations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

5-Hydroxytryptamino-induced calcium sparks in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells

With the imaging fluorescence probe of Ca2+ (fluo-3) and a laser scanning confocal micro-scope, the spontaneous localized calcium release event was first discovered in resting rat cardiac myocytes by Cheng[1] in 1993. A mathematical simulation is developed with computer in order to reveal the effect, which is immediately suggested that these events are likely to reflect the local-ized release of Ca2+ from a small cluster of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels in sar-coplasmic reticulum …     

The Cyclohexasilanes Si6H11X and Si6Me11X with X=F,Cl, Br and I: A Quantum Chemical and Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of a Multiple Conformer Problem

The conformers of the monohalocyclohexasilanes, Si₆H₁₁X (X=F, Cl, Br or I) and the haloundecamethylcyclohexasilanes, Si₆Me₁₁X (X=F, Cl, Br or I) are investigated by DFT calculations employing the B3LYP density functional and 6‐31+G* basis sets for elements up to the third row, and SDD basis sets for heavier elements. Five minima are found for Si₆H₁₁X—the axial and equatorial chair conformers, with the substituent X either in an axial or equatorial position—and another three twisted structures. The equatorial chair conformer is the global minimum for the X=Cl, Br and I, the axial chair for X=F. The barrier for the ring inversion is ～13 kJ mol^?1 for all four compounds. Five minima closely related to those of Si₆H₁₁X are found for Si₆Me₁₁X. Again, the equatorial chair is the global minimum for X=Cl, Br and I, and the axial chair for X=F. Additionally, two symmetrical boat conformers are found as local minima on the potential energy surfaces for X=F, Cl and Br, but not for X=I. The barrier for the ring inversion is ～14–16 kJ mol^?1 for all compounds. The conformational equilibria for Si₆Me₁₁X in toluene solution are investigated using temperature dependent Raman spectroscopy. The wavenumber range of the stretching vibrations of the heavy atoms X and Si from 270–370 cm^?1 is analyzed. Using the van′t Hoff relationship, the enthalpy differences between axial and equatorial chair conformers (H_ax?H_eq.) are 1.1 kJ mol^?1 for X=F, and 1.8 to 2.8 kJ mol^?1 for X=Cl, Br and I. Due to rapid interconversion, only a single Raman band originating from the “averaged” twist and boat conformers could be observed. Generally, reasonable agreement between the calculated relative energies and the experimentally determined values is found.     

Raman spectra and structure of multicomponent oxide planar waveguides prepared by sol-gel

This work was aimed at understanding the structure of SiO₂–MO₂ (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) and SiO₂–HfO₂–MO₂ (M = Ti, Zr) materials, used as mixed oxide glass hosts for Er³⁺ ions in the fabrication of optical planar waveguides by sol-gel processing. This structural study was performed by Waveguide Raman Spectroscopy (WRS), complemented with X-ray diffraction (XRD). The admixture of TiO₂ to HfO₂, SiO₂–HfO₂ and HfO₂–ZrO₂ compositions was found to cause precipitation of nanocrystals of tetragonal HfO₂ or ZrO₂, or the formation of hafnia-titania mixed crystals, depending on the HfO₂/TiO₂ molar ratio.     

Synthesis and properties of novel polyurethanes containing 3,4‐dioxybenzylidenecyanoacetate group as a nonlinear optical chromophore

Methyl 3,4‐di‐(2′‐hydroxyethoxy)benzylidenecyanoacetate ( 3 ) was prepared by hydrolysis of methyl 3,4‐di‐(2′‐vinyloxyethoxy)benzylidenecyanoacetate ( 2 ). Diol 3 was condensed with 2,4‐toluenediisocyanate, 3,3′‐dimethoxy‐4,4′‐biphenylenediisocyanate, and 1,6‐hexamethylenediisocyanate to yield polyurethanes 4 – 6 containing the nonlinear optical chromophore 3,4‐dioxybenzylidenecyanoacetate. The resulting polyurethanes 4 – 6 were soluble in common organic solvents such as acetone and dimethylformamide. Polymers 4 – 6 indicated thermal stability up to 300 °C in thermogravimetric thermograms with glass‐transition temperature values obtained from differential scanning calorimetric thermograms in the range of 78–102 °C. The second‐harmonic generation coefficients (d₃₃) of the poled polymer films were around 6.9 × 10^?9 esu. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1742–1748, 2002     

Determination of gold in geological samples by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry after extraction with tributyl phosphate

The behaviour of gold and elements impeding its x-ray fluorescence spectrometric (XRF) determination, namely zinc, lead and arsenic, was studied during their extraction from hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and aqua regia solutions using tributyl phosphate as a solid extractant [SE(TBP)]. Extraction of gold from pulps after aqua regia leaching was found to be the most favourable approach for the quantitative and selective recovery of gold. The gold distribution ratio, D_Au, is ca. 10⁴ ml g^?1. For extraction from hydrochloric acid solutions the D_Au value also exceeds 10⁴ in the whole range of gold concentrations studied (10^?8?10^?4 M), but it decreases substantially with increasing extraction temperature, from 5 × 10⁵ ml g^?1 at 20°C to 9 × 10³ ml g^?1 at 70°C. An anomalously high distribution ratio of lead, D_Pb ≈ 10³ ml g^?1, was observed during extraction from hydrochloric solutions in the presence of chlorine. This could be explained by the formation of the chloro complexes of lead(IV). An XRF method for the determination of gold in natural samples was developed, which includes back-extraction of gold from SE(TBP) using a hot 0.025 M thiourea solution, providing a thin sample layer for secondary XRF. For 25 g of sample material the limit of determination is 10 ng g^?1 (10^?6%). The accuracy of the technique was checked using different reference materials. The results agreed within 10%.     

Near-infrared fluorimetric determination of nucleic acids by shifting the ion-association equilibrium between heptamethylene cyanine and Alcian blue 8GX

A new method based on near-infrared (near-IR) fluorescence recovery, employing a two-reagent system which is composed of an anionic heptamethylene cyanine (HMC) and a polycationic phthalocyanine dye, Alcian blue 8GX, is presented for the determination of nucleic acids. With a maximum excitation wavelength at 766 nm and a maximum emission wavelength at 796 nm, the fluorescence recovery is linear with the concentration of nucleic acids added. Factors including the acidity of the medium, the reaction time, the optimal ratio of the two reagents, as well as the influence of foreign substance were all investigated. Meanwhile, the mechanism of fluorescence recovery was also studied. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges of the calibration curves were 10-250 ng ml⁻¹ for calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) and 10-200 ng ml⁻¹ for yeast RNA. The detection limits were 6.8 ng ml⁻¹ for CT DNA and 6.3 ng ml⁻¹ for yeast RNA, respectively. The method has been applied to the analysis of practical samples and the recovery results were satisfactory.     

Spin-adducts of radicals ·P(O)(OPri)2 and ·CMe3 with pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes studied by ESR spectroscopy

The addition of the ^·Bu^t (R¹) and ^·P(O)(OPrⁱ)₂ (R²) radicals to pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes C₆₀CH₂NMeCHX (X = C₆H₄N(CH₂CH₂Cl)₂, 2,6-(Bu^t)₂C₆H₂OH, PhC₆H₄, and indol-3-yl) was studied by ESR spectroscopy. The rate constants of R¹ radical addition to these compounds and dimerization of spin-adducts of the R¹ radicals with pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes were determined. Pyrrolidino[60]fullerenes manifest considerably higher reactivity toward the R¹ radicals than fullerene C₆₀ and methanofullerenes C₆₀CX¹X² (X¹ = X² = CO₂Et; X¹ = CO₂Me, X² = OP(OMe)₂, X¹ = X² = OP(OEt)₂).     

Understanding the conformational dependence of spin-spin coupling constants: through-bond and through-space J(31P,31P) coupling in tetraphosphane-1,4-diides [M(L)x]2[P4R4

The characteristic dependence of J(31P,31P) spin-spin coupling constants of alkali metal tetraphosphane-1,4-diides on structure and composition has been analyzed by density functional methods. The computations confirm that the structure of the contact ion pairs is conserved in solution. Calculations on model systems M2P4H4, on naked P4H4(2-) anions, and on models including point charges, show that the role of the cations is mainly structural and to a smaller extent electrostatic. Three of the four J(P,P) coupling constants depend characteristically on the conformation of the anion, which in turn is determined by the substituents R and by cation-anion interactions. Several couplings exhibit a large through-space component and are thus strongly dependent on the relative orientation of nonbonding electron pairs on the phosphorus atoms involved. This is shown by visualization of coupling pathways using the recently introduced coupling energy density (CED), in combination with the electron localization function (ELF).     

Improved Fluorometric DNA Determination Based on the Interaction of the DNA/Polycation Complex with Hoechst 33258

When DNA is mixed with the cationic polyelectrolyte poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA), the DNA/PDDA complex is formed instantaneously at room temperature. This complex is much more efficient in enhancing the fluorescence of Hoechst 33258 (H 33258) than DNA alone. Based on the interaction of H 33258 with the DNA/PDDA complex, a new fluorescence assay for DNA is described. At pH 7.3 in Tris-HCl buffered solution, the DNA/PDDA complex causes a sharp enhancement in fluorescence intensity of H 33258. Simultanously, the emission maximum wavelength of H 33258 blueshifts from 490nm to 450nm, while the excitation redshifts from 345 to 350nm. The calibration graphs for calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and herring sperm DNA (hsDNA) are both linear up to 5.0µgmL^–1 when the concentration of H 33258 and PDDA are fixed at 1.5×10^–6 and 1.6×10^–5molL^–1, respectively. The method is specific for native DNA. The 3 detection limits for ctDNA and hsDNA are 1.8 and 5.6ngmL^–1, respectively, i.e. much lower than in the presence of H 33258 alone. Four synthetic samples were determined satisfactorily. This method can also be developed to investigate the formation and the nature of the complexes between DNA and polycations, which have recently been widely applied in some fields such as genetic engineering and gene therapy.