Pyrolytic decomposition of some even chain length copper (II) carboxylates

The products of the pyrolytic decomposition of some even chain-length copper (II) carboxylates from decanoate to octadecanoate inclusive have been identified, using a flow system, to be copper, carbon dioxide, a carboxylic acid and an odd chain-mength alkene. These products are similar to those reported for the decomposition of mercury (II) carboxylates. The unexpectedly low (less than unity) CO₂/soap ratio was attributed to the reduction of the CO₂ to carbon monoxide. The carboxylic acid was characterised by wet chemical tests, determining the melting points of the acid and its amide derivative and matching its IR spectrum with that of the authentic acid. Elemental analysis and wet chemical tests were employed for the identification of the alkene.The products of decomposition and mechanism proposed to account for the degradative route of the systems show that good quality thin solid copper oxide films may only be obtained from the decomposition of copper (II) carboxylates if the carrier gas is non-inert (e.g. oxygen).

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Zusammenfassung Als Produkte der pyrolytischen, in einem Gasstrom vorgenommenen Zersetzung einiger Kupfer (II) -Karboxylate mit geradzahliger Kohlenstoffatomzahl der Kette (Dekanoat bis einschließlich Octadekanoat) wurden Kupfer, Kohlendioxid, eine Karbonsäure und ein Alken mit ungerader Kohlenstoffatomzahl identifiziert. Diese Produkte sind ähnlich denen, die bei der Zersetzung von Quecksilber (II) -Karbcxylaten auftreten. Das unerwartet niedrige CO₂/Seife-Verhältnis (kleiner als 1) wurde der Reduktion von CO₂ zu Kohlenmonoxid zugeschrieben. Die Karbonsäure wurde durch naße chemische Tests, durch Bestimmung des Schmelzpunktes der Säure und dem des Amidderivats und durch Vergleich des IR-Spektrums mit dem der authentischen Säure identifiziert. Elementaranalyse und naße chemische Tests wurden zur Identifizierung der Alkene herangezogen. Die Zersetzungsprodukte und der zur Erklärung des Abbaus des Systems vorgeschlagene Mechanismus zeigen, daß dünne feste Kupferoxidschichten in guter Qualität nur bei der Zersetzung von Kupfer (II) -Karboxylaten in nichtinertem Trägergas (z. B. in Sauerstoff) erhalten werden.

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Specific spectrofluorimetric determination of chloroquine in blood plasma

Chloroquine (? 150 ng ml^?1 is separated from its dealkylated metabolites by reacting the latter with ethylchloroformate followed by extraction of unchanged chloroquine into dilute acid. The aqueous extract is made alkaline and its fluorescence intensity (λ(ex) = 335 nm, λ(em) = 390 nm) is measured.     

Trace element analysis of some shaving powders commonly marketed in Nigeria using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique has been employed viak ₀ approximation method to determine elemental composition of five shaving powders commonly marketed in Nigeria. Fe displayed the highest concentrations in the range 1000–2000 g·g^–1. Na and Zn concentrations were established in the range 200–400 g·g^–1. Heavy elements like Ga, La, Cr, Co, Ag, Ce and Nd concentrations were noted in the lower range of 1–10 g·g^–1 Br, As, Sb, Sm, Eu, W, Cs, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, Th and U concentrations were established in even lower traces in the <1 g·g^–1 range. Results obtained for a certified reference material, CANMET BL-1 and CERT (in house) Kaolin standard compared favourably with the literature values thus establishing the results presented for the shaving powders.     

Centimeter and millimeter wave attenuation by atmospheric gases and rainfall at a tropical station

The radiowave attenuation due to oxygen and water vapour has been computed over the frequency range 3–350 GHz making use of the mean surface air pressure, temperature and water vapour at Ile-Ife (geog. lat 7.5°N, long 4.5°E) in Southern Nigeria. It is observed that the attenuation at this tropical location is generally higher than at temperate climates. A similar analysis was performed for rainfall attenuation using rainfall intensity measurements. The results obtained with three different expressions for the rain height showed that a rain height of 3 km is a reasonable assumption for estimating earth-space rainfall attenuation at this location. It is found that for frequencies above 200 GHz, the polarization dependence of the specific attenuation due to rainfal becomes negligible. The computed attenuation is lower that that predicted using the corresponding CCIR rain climate data. The results show that whilst the contribution of oxygen and water vapour to the total atmospheric attenuation could be neglected when compared with rainfall attenuation up to about 150 GHz, the contribution becomes significant for frequencies above 190 GHz.     

Tautomeric modification of GlcNAc-thiazoline

The potent O-GlcNAcase (OGA) inhibitor GlcNAc-thiazoline has been modified by buffer- or acylation-induced imine-to-enamine conversion and then electrophile or radical addition (Xn = D3, F, N3, OH, SMe, COCF3, CF3). Several functionalized GlcNAc-thiazolines show highly selective inhibition of OGA vs human hexosaminidase and thus have promise as tools for targeted investigations of OGA, an enzyme linked to diabetes and neurodegeneration. A new radical addition/fragmentation reaction of the N-(trifluoroacetyl)enamine has been discovered.     

Magnetic recyclable eggshell-based mesoporous catalyst for biodiesel production from crude neem oil: Process optimization by central composite design and artificial neural network

A magnetically recyclable eggshell-based catalyst (MKEC) was synthesized to circumvent saponification during the conversion of neem, Jatropha, and waste cooking oils (free fatty acid, 2.3–6.6%) to biodiesel. The characterization results indicated that MKEC had a mesoporous structure with the pore width of 3.24 nm, a specific surface area of 128 m²/g, and a pore volume of 0.045 cm³/g. The results confirmed that the MKEC is more tolerant to fatty acid poisoning than calcined eggshell. The effects of process parameters for maximum fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content were evaluated by central composite design (CCD) and artificial neural network (ANN). The experimental FAME content of 94.5% was achieved for neem oil with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.68, which was in reasonable agreement with predicted values (CCD, 96.9%; ANN, 95.9%; SD, 0.73). The reusability studies showed that the mesoporous catalyst can be reused efficiently for five cycles without much deterioration in its activity.     

The anomeric Pudovik rearrangement

The O,O-dibenzyl-S-glycosyl phosphothioite derived from 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-α-d-glucopyranose rearranges under the influence of triethylborane and air to provide the corresponding 1-C-pyranosyl-O,O-dibenzylphosphonothioate, a new type of carbohydrate derivative. The isomeric beta phosphothioite is compared, and evidence of a radical chain mechanism for the Pudovik rearrangement is presented.     

Ameliorative Potential of Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Parquetina nigrescens on d-Galactose-Induced Testicular Injury

Background: There is an increasing need for botanicals to be used as an alternative and complementary medicine in the management of male infertility. Male infertility has been a major health/social challenge to people all over the world. This study, therefore, investigated the ameliorative potential of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Parquetina nigrescens (HELEPN) against d-galactose-induced testicular injury. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly allotted into six groups (n = 5). Group I (Normal control), Group II (300 mg/kg b.w. d-galactose), Group III and IV (250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. HELEPN, respectively), Group V and VI (both received 300 mg/kg b.w. of d-galactose with 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w of HELEPN, respectively). d-galactose administration started two weeks prior to HELEPN treatment which lasted for six weeks. All assays were carried out using established protocols. Results: Administration of HELEPN at 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg concomitantly with d-galactose improved paired and relative testicular weights, levels of gonadotropins (LH and FSH) and testosterone, and poor sperm quality. HELEPN treatment reduced the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, 8-OHDG, and AGEs) and inflammatory response (TNF-alpha and NO) to normal, as well as restoring the reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase). In addition, HELEPN treatment mitigated testicular DNA fragmentation and down-regulated caspase 3-activities. HELEPN at 500 mg/kg was observed to have the greatest ameliorative effect. Conclusion: HELEPN protects against d-galactose-induced testicular injury through antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic mechanisms.