Förster energy transfer from poly(arylene–ethynylene)s to an erbium–porphyrin complex

We study the infrared emission at 1.54 μm of an organolanthanide complex, Er(III)-tetraphenylporphyrin [Er(TPP)acac], both as a result of direct optical excitation and via energy transfer from host π-conjugate polymers of type poly(arylene–ethynylene) [PAE]. In the first case, the emission of the neat complex is characterized in inert transparent materials and a value of the quantum yield at 1.54 μm φ_IR=4×10⁻⁴ is measured. Then, fluorescence resonance transfer is investigated in blends of Er(TPP)acac with PAEs by monitoring the quenching of the polymer fluorescence along with the enhancement of both the visible emission of the ligand and the near-infrared band of Er³⁺. These different procedures allow a detailed analysis of the transfer efficiency within a specific implementation of the Förster model for polymeric donors. The experimental values of the critical radius R₀, ranging from 1.3 to 2.5 nm for the different blends, are in good agreement with theory for a wide interval of the physical and spectroscopic parameters. This suggests that other mechanisms for excitation transfer do not play a significant role in these materials.     

Graft polymerization of vinyl monomers inside macroporous polyacrylamide gel,cryogel, in aqueous and aqueous‐organic media initiated by diperiodatocuprate(III) complexes

Graft polymerization initiated by diperiodatocuprate(III) complex (Cu(III)) initiator was found to be an effective and convenient method for graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto macroporous polyacrylamide gels, the so‐called cryogels (pAAm‐cryogels). The effect of time, temperature, monomer and initiator concentration during the graft polymerization in aqueous and aqueous‐organic media was studied. The graft polymerization of water‐soluble monomers as [2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]‐trimethylammonium chloride, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N‐isopropylacrylamide, and N,N‐dimethylacrylamide proceeds with higher grafting yield in aqueous medium, as compared with that in aqueous‐organic media. Graft polymerization in aqueous‐organic media such as water–DMSO solutions allows grafting of water‐insoluble monomers such as glycidyl methacrylate and N‐tert‐butylacrylamide with high grafting degrees of 100 and 410%, respectively. It was found that the deposition of initiator on the pore surface of cryogels promoted graft polymerization by facilitating the formation of the redox couple Cu(III)‐acrylamide group. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1952–1963, 2006     

Simultaneous determination of mercury and arsenic by anodic stripping voltammetry

An electrochemical method for the simultaneous determinations of Hg^II concentration and total As^III and As^V concentration has been developed. The method does not require the additional preliminary step of the chemical reduction of As^V to As^III, or oxidation of As^III to As^V before stripping analysis takes place. Also, the method for the simultaneous determination of Hg^II concentration and As^III concentration is described. Measurements were performed in 0.1 M HCl using a gold-plated graphite electrode as sensor. Detection limits for both methods are below 0.4 ppb. Relative standard deviation did not exceed 15%. The possible interference by other trace metals was investigated. Analyses of natural water and industrial solutions were made using proposed methods and AAS. The t-test demonstrates that there was no significant difference between the results obtained with these methods. Proposed methods decrease the time of analysis because concentrations of the Hg^II and arsenic ions were measured simultaneously. Also, the removal of the additional step of chemical reduction of As^V to As^III or oxidation of As^III to As^V decreases analysis time, and also reduces the chance of contamination due to the use of additional reagents.     

Crystal and molecular structure of 6-0-acetylgrayanotoxin III

The crystal and molecular structure of a grayanotoxin III derivative, 6-0-acetylgrayanotoxin III is presented. The crystal is orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁, witha=15.582(3),b=21.304(3),c=6.339(3)Å,V=2104(1) ų Z=4. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by full matrix least-squares methods to a finalR=0.047 for 1763 independent reflections withF ₀>3 (F ₀) The molecule is based on a tetracyclic structure consisting of two five-membered, one six-membered, and one seven-membered ring with various conformations.     

Synthesis, properties, and structure of dimethylgold(III) complexes [(CH3)2AuI]2 and (CH3)2AuS2CN(C2H5)2

Volatile diethyldithiocarbamate of dimethylgold(III) was prepared by the interaction of dimethylgold(III) iodide with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. The complex is examined by the elemental analysis, DTA, IR and electronic spectroscopy. The starting dimeric complex [(CH₃)₂AuI]₂ and a novel monomeric volatile gold(III) complex (CH₃)₂AuS₂CN(C₂H₅)₂ with the AuC₂S₂ coordination core were investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction for the first time.     

Energy transfer between 1,3-dimethylxanthine and europium(III) in aqueous solution

Luminescence of 1,3-dimethylxanthine in solution is impaired owing to collisional deactivation by solvent molecules and matrix interferences. Energy absorbed by 1,3-dimethylxanthine has been transferred to trivalent europium which emits narrow-band radiation in a region distant from background interferences. The enhanced luminescence of trivalent europium was utilized for the determination of 1,3-dimethylxanthine in buffered aqueous solution. An analytically useful range from 1.1 × 10^?5?5.0 × 10^?4 M and a detection limit of 1.1 × 10^?5 M were obtained. The methodology for the analytical procedure was determined.     

Studies on 1,2-Bis(O-Aminophenoxy)Ethane-N,N,N′,N′;-Tetraacetic Acid Chelates of the Tripositive Lanthanide Ions

The acid dissociation constants of 1,2-bis(cis-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′;-tetraacetic acid (H₄BAPAT or H₄Z), and the stability constants of its chelates with tripositive rare-earth metal ions have been determined by the potentiometric titration and mercury indicator electrode methods at 15°, 25′ and 35°C and an ionic strength of 0.1 (KNO₃). The existence of a monohydrogen chelate species, LnHZ, and the normal chelate, LnZ^?, is illustrated. Enthalpy and entropy changes characterizing the formation of the normal chelates and the dissociation of the last two protons of chelating acid have been calculated at 25°C. These functions have been compared with corresponding values for related chelating agents.     

Formation Thermodynamics of Binary and Ternary Lanthanide(III) Complexes with 1,10-Phenanthroline and Chloride in N,N-Dimethylformamide

Formation thermodynamics of binary and ternary lanthanide(III) (Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Dy, Tm, Lu) complexes with 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and the chloride ion have been studied by titration calorimetry and spectrophotometry in N,N-dimethyl-formamide (DMF) containing 0.2 mol-dm^–3 (C₂H₅)₄NClO₄ as a constant ionic medium at 25°C. In the binary system with 1,10-phenanthroline, the Ln(phen)³⁺ complex is formed for all the lanthanide(III) ions examined. The reaction enthalpy and entropy values for the formation of Ln(phen)³⁺ decrease in the order La > Ce > Nd, then increase in the order Nd < Eu < Gd < Dy, and again decrease in the order Dy > Tm > Lu. The variation is explained in terms of the coordination structure of Ln(phen)³⁺ that changes from eight to seven coordination with decreasing ionic radius of the metal ion. In the ternary Ln³⁺-Cl^–-phen system, the formation of LnCl(phen)²⁺, LnCl₂(phen)⁺, and LnCl₃(phen) was established for cerium(III), neodymium(III), and thulium(III), and their formation constants, enthalpies, and entropies were obtained. The enthalpy and entropy values are also discussed from the structural point of view.