Some polishing experiments on copper in a hyperbolic cell

Some polishing experiments have been carried out on copper anodes in a hyperbolic cell designed by Gilmont and Walton, using orthophosphoric acid as the electrolyte. The results obtained have been compared to those obtained in similar experiments in a Hull cell. It has been found that very similar bands of different reflectivity and polishes are found to form in both the cells. These bands shift with time and a study of such displacements has been made. The results are briefly discussed.     

Self-Assembly of an Amino Acid Derivative into an Antimicrobial Hydrogel Biomaterial

N-(4-Nitrobenzoyl)-Phe self-assembled into a transparent supramolecular hydrogel, which displayed high fibroblast and keratinocyte cell viability. The compound showed a mild antimicrobial activity against E. coli both as a hydrogel and in solution. Single-crystal XRD data revealed packing details, including protonation of the C-terminus due to an apparent pK_a shift, as confirmed by pH titrations. MicroRaman analysis revealed almost identical features between the gel and crystal states, although more disorder in the former. The hydrogel is thermoreversible and disassembles within a range of temperatures that can be fine-tuned by experimental conditions, such as gelator concentration. At the minimum gelling concentration of 0.63 wt %, the hydrogel disassembles in a physiological temperature range of 39–42 °C, thus opening the way to its potential use as a biomaterial.     

Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Palladium(II) Quinolinylaminophosphonate Complexes

The mass spectrometric behavior of palladium(II) halide complexes of three types of quinolinylaminophosphonates, diethyl and dibutyl esters of [α-anilino-(quinolin-2-yl)methyl]phosphonic (L1, L2), [α-anilino-(quinolin-3-yl)methyl]phosphonic (L3, L4), and [α-(quinolin-3-ylamino)-N-benzyl]phosphonic acid (L5, L6), was investigated under positive ion electrospray ionization conditions. Each type of ligand forms complexes with different metal–ligand interactions. Mononuclear dihalide adducts cis-[Pd(L1/L2)X₂] (1–4) and trans-[Pd(L3/L4)₂X₂] (5–8) as well as dinuclear tetrahalide complexes [Pd₂(L5/L6)₃X₄] (9–12) (X = Cl, Br) are formed by metal bonding either through the quinoline or both the quinoline and amino nitrogen atoms. The sodiated molecule [M + Na]⁺ is observed in the mass spectra of all the complexes, and its abundance as well as the fragmentation pathway depend on the type of the complex. In the cis complexes (1–4) the initial decomposition goes under two fragmentation routes: those in which the sodium molecular adduct sequentially loses halides HX/NaX and those in which this loss is in the competition with the loss of dialkyl phosphite. The predominant pathways for decomposition of trans dihalide (5–8) and tetrahalide (9–12) complexes include three competitive reactions; the loss of halides, dialkyl phosphites and the intact phosphonate ligand molecule and its fragments formed by ester dissociation or complete loss of the phosphonate ester moiety. A series of acetonitrile adducts and cluster ions derived from dimolecular clusters [2M + Na]⁺ were also detected. The most important fragmentation patterns are rationalized and supported by the MS ⁿ studies.     

Size effect study in magnetoelectric BiFeO3 system

In this paper, we report for the first time finite size effects on Néel temperature (T _N) of magnetoelectric BiFeO₃ system. Novel wet chemical route has been developed to produce fine particles of BiFeO₃ with controlled size and size distribution. Unlike other oxide systems, lattice volume contraction has been observed with decrease in particle size. The decrease in T _N is co-related to unit cell volume contraction occurring with reduction in particle size.     

Trace metals in mussel shells and corresponding soft tissue samples: a validation experiment for the use of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna perna</Emphasis> shells in pollution monitoring

The uptake of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in soft tissue of Perna perna mussels and their shells has been studied in aquarium experiments in which mussels were exposed for 30 or 60 days to seawater spiked with different concentrations of these contaminants (125 and 500 μg L⁻¹). Tissue samples were analyzed after acid digestion by conventional solution nebulization ICP–MS. Laser ablation ICP–MS was used for the quantitative determination of trace elements in different areas of the corresponding shells. With the exception of Mn and Zn, all other elements studied showed a significant concentration enhancements in soft tissue, with the magnitude of this enhancement following the order: Cr > Ni > Cd > Cu > Pb. A corresponding increase in most contaminants, although less pronounced, was also observed in the newly formed growth rings of mussel shells, contributing to the validation of Perna perna mussel shell as a bioindicator of toxic elements.     

Improvements in calibration procedures for the quantitative determination of trace elements in carbonate material (mussel shells) by laser ablation ICP-MS

A better repeatability and accuracy in the quantitative determination of trace elements in mussel shells or carbonate-based materials by LA-ICP-MS was achieved by using a series of multielement calibration standards prepared by co-precipitation of twelve elements into a CaCO₃ matrix in order to improve the homogeneity of the resulting powder samples. Pressed powder discs of good mechanical stability could be obtained at a pressure of 50 MPa, without the addition of a binder. An UV laser (modified Nd:YAG, 266 nm) was used in the Q-switched mode at a repetition rate of 10 Hz and an energy level of 3.5 mJ. Correlation coefficients (R) for the linear calibration graphs (concentration range: 1.5–400 μg/g) for Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sn, Ba, and Pb are generally better than 0.997. The detection limits for all elements investigated are in the sub-μg/g range. Incorporation of elements into the matrix by co-precipitation has shown as a superior method for producing calibration standards than the simple mixture of the analytes (in carbonate or oxide form) with the matrix (CaCO₃) or addition of standard solutions to a carbonate powder base. Two examples of the quantitative determination of toxic elements in mussel shells will be presented. Received: 10 January 2000 / Revised: 16 March 2000 / Accepted: 26 March 2000     

N–H···O=P hydrogen-bonded dimers as the main structural motif of aminophosphonate diesters

Abstract  

Crystal and molecular structures of three aminophosphonate diesters, diethyl and dibutyl [α-(quinolin-3-ylamino)-N-benzyl]phosphonates (1 and 2) and dibutyl [α-anilino-(quinolin-3-yl)methyl]phosphonate (3) were reported and comparatively discussed. Characteristic structural features for these compounds are strong N–H···O=P hydrogen bonds that connect two organophosphorus molecules in cyclic centrosymmetric dimer. Phosphoryl oxygen forms additional interaction with a C–H donor from the nearby aromatic group. Dimer formation in solution was also confirmed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Mass spectra of six structurally similar aminophosphonate derivatives, 1–3 along with diethyl [α-anilino-(quinolin-3-yl)methyl]phosphonate (4), diethyl and dibutyl [α-anilino-(quinolin-2-yl)methyl]phosphonates (5 and 6) were studied and dimolecular ions [2M + Na]⁺ and [2M + H]⁺ were observed.     

Attraction or Repulsion? London Dispersion Forces Control Azobenzene Switches

Large substituents are commonly seen as entirely repulsive through steric hindrance. Such groups have additional attractive effects arising from weak London dispersion forces between the neutral atoms. Steric interactions are recognized to have a strong influence on isomerization processes, such as in azobenzene‐based molecular switches. Textbooks indicate that steric hindrance destabilizes the Z isomers. Herein, we demonstrate that increasing the bulkiness of electronically equal substituents in the meta‐position decreases the thermal reaction rates from the Z to the E isomers. DFT computations revealed that attractive dispersion forces essentially lower the energy of the Z isomers.