Enantiomeric analysis of baclofen analogs by capillary zone electrophoresis, using highly sulfated cyclodextrins: Inclusion ionization constant pKa determination

Using cyclodextrin-capillary zone electrophoresis (CD-CZE), baseline separation of baclofen phaclofen, saclofen, and hydroxy-saclofen, potent gamma-aminobutyric acid(B) (GABA(B)) agonist or antagonists was achieved. A method for the enantioresolution of those analogs of GABA was developed using anionic cyclodextrins (highly sulfated CD or highly S-CD) as chiral selectors and capillaries dynamically coated with polyethylene oxide (PEO). With charged CDs we observed good resolutions due to the large electrophoretic mobility of these chiral selectors opposite to the mobility of the solutes. The highly S-alpha-CD and S-beta-CD were found to be complementary and the most effective complexing agent, allowing good enantiomeric resolution in short runtimes. The complete resolution was obtained using 25 mM phosphate buffer at pH 2.5 containing 3% w/v of highly S-alpha-CD or S-beta-CD at 25 degrees C with an applied field of 0.30 kV/cm. The apparent binding constants of the inclusion complexes were evaluated and the migration order was determined. A comparison was possible to investigate the importance of the anionic group of the molecules in the separations. The pK(a) values were determined for all four compounds in order to explain relative electrophoretic migration of the solutes.     

The electrochemistry and determination of Ligustrazine hydrochloride

Ligustrazine is one of the active ingredients contained in Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Umbelliferae), which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular problems. In this work, the electrochemistry of Ligustrazine hydrochloride (LZC) and its determination are investigated. The detection limit is estimated to be 8.0×10^–8 M, with three linear ranges from 1.0×10^–6 to 1.0×10^–4 M, 1.0×10^–4 to 5.0×10^–4 M, and 6.5×10^–4 to 1.6×10^–3 M. The method has been proved to be highly sensitive, selective, and stable, and has been successfully applied to determining LZC in LZC injections.     

Rapid stereoselective separations of amphetamine derivatives with highly sulfated gamma-cyclodextrin

The highly sulfated gamma-CD (HS-gamma-CD) is a chiral selector widely used in CE for the enantioseparation of pharmaceutical compounds. This paper investigated different approaches to reduce the stereoselective analysis time of amphetamine (AT) derivatives according to the chiral selector concentration in the BGE. With high HS-gamma-CD concentration, tested analytes were separated in 3.5 min as anionic complexes with short-end injection technique in reversed polarity mode. However, this procedure presented some limitations in terms of efficiency and resolution, excessive Joule heating and poor compatibility with MS detection. With low HS-gamma-CD concentration, compounds were separated as cations. Conventional approaches to reduce CE analysis time demonstrated critical resolution between some analytes. Therefore, the use of the partial-filling technique compatible with MS detection was carried out. Under optimized conditions, the analysis time for the chiral separation of seven AT like compounds was reduced to 6 min. Moreover, sensitivity of CE-MS was sufficient for the determination of ATs in plasma following a simple liquid-liquid extraction.     

Mechanism and kinetics of the reduction of In(III) ions at a polycrystalline gold electrode from highly concentrated ZnCl2 solutions

Summary The mechanism of the cathodic reduction of In(III) at gold has been studied by rotating disc and ring-disc voltammetry in highly concentrated aqueous ZnCl₂ solutions. At concentration of the base electrolyte higher than 7 mol dm^–3, the voltammetric curves recorded at the disc electrode split into two well-separated waves which correspond to the successive charge transfer reactions: In(III) + 2e^– In(I) and In(I) + e^– In. By the use of coulometric and potentiometric techniques, the formal potentials of the In(III)/In(I), In(III)/In and In(I)/In redox couples as well as the equilibrium constants of the reproportionation reaction In(III) + 2 In 3 In(I) has been determined and discussed. The kinetic parameters of the In(III)/In(I) electrode reaction have been also evaluated and discussed.

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Mechanismus und Kinetik der Reduktion von In(III)-Ionen an der Goldelektrode in hochkonzentrierten wäßrigen ZnCl₂-Lösungen

Zusammenfassung Es wird der Mechanismus der Reduktion von In(III)-Ionen in hochkonzentrierten ZnCl₂ Lösungen mittels der Scheiben- und Ring-Scheiben-Elektrode aus Gold untersucht. Wenn die Konzentration des Grundelektrolyten 7 mol dm^–3 übersteigt, verteilen sich die erhaltenen Stromspannungskurven auf zwei gut gestaltete Stufen, die den konsekutiven Durchtrittsreaktionen In(III) + 2e^– In(I) und In(I) + e^– In entsprechen. Aufgrund der coulometrischen und potentiometrischen Messungen werden die Formal-Standardpotentiale der In(III)/In(I)-, In(III)/In-und In(I)/In-Redoxpaare, die Gleichgewichtskonstanten der Reproportionierungsreaktion In(III) + 2 In 3 In ermittelt. Die kinetischen Parameter der Durchtrittsreaktion In(III)/In(I) werden bestimmt und diskutiert.

     

Sensitive Flow-Injection Electrochemical Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide at a Palladium Nanoparticle-Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode

A novel flow-injection amperometric method was proposed for the sensitive and enzymeless determination of hydrogen peroxide based on its electrocatalytic reduction at a palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode in a laboratory-constructed electrochemical flow cell. Cyclic voltammograms of the unmodified and modified electrodes were recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer containing 0.10 M KCl at a scan rate of 50?mV s^?1 for the investigation of electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide at the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode. Cyclic voltammograms of the pretreated pencil graphite electrode revealed an irreversible oxidation peak and a weak reduction peak of hydrogen peroxide at +1100?mV and –450?mV vs. an Ag/AgCl/KCl saturated reference electrode. However, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide was observed at –100?mV with an increase in current in the cyclic voltammograms of the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode compared to the unmodified electrode. These results indicate that the palladium nanoparticle-modified pretreated pencil graphite electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. A linear concentration range was obtained between .01 and 10.0?mM hydrogen peroxide with a detection limit of 3.0 µM from flow injection amperometric current–time curves recorded in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer at –100?mV and a 2.0?mL min^?1 flow rate. The novelty of this work relies on its use of a laboratory-constructed flow cell constructed for the pencil graphite electrode using these inexpensive, disposable, and electrochemically reactive modified electrodes for the amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide in a flow injection analysis system.     

Study of the Electrochemical Behavior of Disperse Blue 1‐Modified Graphite Electrodes. Application to the Flow Determination of NADH

The preparation and the electrochemical study of Disperse Blue 1‐chemically modified electrodes (DB1‐CME), as well as their efficiency for the electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH is described. The proposed mediator was immobilized by physical adsorption onto graphite electrodes. The electrochemical behavior of DB1‐CME was studied with cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical redox reaction of DB1 was found to be reversible, revealing two well‐shaped pair of peaks with formal potentials 152 and ?42 mV, respectively, (vs. Ag/AgCl/3M KCl) at pH 6.5. The current I_p has a linear relationship with the scan rate up to 800 mV s^?1, which is indicative for a fast electron transfer kinetics. The dissociation constants of the immobilized DB1 redox couple were calculated pK₁=4 and pK₂=5. The electrochemical rate constants of the immobilized DB1 were calculated k₁°=18 s^?1 and k₂°=23 s^?1 (Γ=2.36 nmol cm^?2). The modified electrodes were mounted in a flow injection manifold, poised at +150 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl/3M KCl) and a catalytic current due to the oxidation of NADH was measured. The reproducibility was 1.4% RSD (n=11 for 30 μM NADH) The behavior of the sensor towards different reducing compounds was investigated. The sensor exhibited good operational and storage stability.     

Highly stretchable and self-healing hydrogels based on poly(acrylic acid) and functional POSS

Herein, we present a novel way for the production of self-healing hydrogels with stretch beyond 4200% than their initial length and relatively high tensile strength(0.1?0.25 MPa). Furthermore, the hydrogel was insensitive to notch. Even for the samples containing V-notches, a stretch of 2300% was demonstrated. The hydrogels were developed by in situ crosslinking of the self-assembled colloidal poly(acrylic acid)(PAA)/functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane(POSS) micelles. This was achieved by the addition of functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane with tertiary amines and hydroxyls(POSS-AH) into the PAA reaction solution. The POSS-AH led to micellar growth, then the dualcrosslinked network was constructed. One type of crosslink was formed by hydrogen-bonding and ionic interactions between PAA chains and POSS-AH, the other type of crosslink was formed by covalent bonds between PAA and bis(N,N'-methylenebis-acrylamide).     

Ultrafast Delamination of Graphite into High-Quality Graphene Using Alternating Currents

To bridge the gap between laboratory-scale studies and commercial applications, mass production of high quality graphene is essential. A scalable exfoliation strategy towards the production of graphene sheets is presented that has excellent yield (ca. 75 %, 1–3 layers), low defect density (a C/O ratio of 21.2), great solution-processability, and outstanding electronic properties (a hole mobility of 430 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹). By applying alternating currents, dual exfoliation at both graphite electrodes enables a high production rate exceeding 20 g h⁻¹ in laboratory tests. As a cathode material for lithium storage, graphene-wrapped LiFePO₄ particles deliver a high capacity of 167 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 C rate after 500 cycles.     

Interlayer shear strength of single crystalline graphite

Reported values(0.2 MPa-7.0 GPa) of the interlayer shear strength(ISS) of graphite are very dispersed.The main challenge to obtain a reliable value of the ISS using conventional measuring methods was the unavailability of sufficiently large single crystalline graphite.Here we present a novel experimental method to measure the ISS,and obtain the value as ～0.14 GPa.Our result can serve as an important basis for understanding mechanical behavior of graphite or graphene-based materials.