Concentrated reverse micelles in a random graft block copolymer system: structure and in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The structure and rheological properties of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(oxyethylene) copolymer at high concentrations in block-selective solvents were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheometry. Analysis of SAXS data indicates that quasispherical, reverse micellar aggregates (with no ordered packing) are present in concentrated solutions of the copolymer in nonpolar solvents, and that upon addition of water, the size of such aggregates increases due to the solubilization inside the micellar cores. The viscosity of concentrated polymer solutions increases exponentially as water is added, and finally, viscoelastic, gel-like behavior is found in the vicinity of the phase separation limit. It was found that small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of ≈3 nm can be synthesized inside the copolymer aggregates without the need of a reducing agent; namely, particles embedded in a viscoelastic matrix are obtained. The synthesis seems to follow first-order kinetics. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Synthesis and Antibacterial Studies of Some Novel 2-(Coumarin-3-yl)-5-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazoles Containing 2,4,6-Trisubstituted s-Triazine Derivatives

A new series of 2-(coumarin-3-yl)-5-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazoles based on various aryl thiourea/ureas incorporating a 1,3,5-s-triazine moiety is reported. The components of this series have been obtained by the reaction of cyanuric chloride (1) with 2-(coumarin-3-yl)-5-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazole (2). The prepared 2-{(coumarin-3-yl-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl)-5-thio}-4,6-dichloro-s-triazine (3) was subsequently treated with morpholine (4) to form 2-{(coumarin-3-yl-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl)-5-thio}-4-(morpholino)-6-chloro-s-triazine (5). This was further treated with various substituted aryl urea/thioureas (6a–k/7a–k) to afford the title compounds 8a–k and 9a–k, which were and tested for their antibacterial activity (MIC) against different microorganisms. The structures of the novel synthesized compound have been established on the basis of ¹H NMR and FT-IR data together with elemental analysis.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Erratum to: Solution behavior of aqueous mixtures of low and high molecular weight hydrophobic amphiphiles

Mixtures of a hydrophobic triblock copolymer (L121, PEO₅PPO₆₈PEO₅) and a hydrophobic anionic surfactant (AOT, Sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate), each alone forming turbid vesicular solutions in water, aggregate to produce a thermodynamically stable, transparent and isotropic solution. Mixed AOT/L121 aggregates could be confirmed by fluorescence, surface tension, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). In an isotropic region, where mixed aggregates are formed, there is a synergistic interaction between monomers of AOT and L121 in the mixture. In addition, Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) experiments provided evidence that mixed aggregates have the shape of either spheres (with a certain polydispersity) or very short ellipsoids (axial ratio below 2), confirming a transition from giant multilamellar vesicles to small aggregates upon mixing the two hydrophobic amphiphiles. Upon dilution, the morphology changes to disk-like. From an examination of the results of all the methods the peculiar behavior of the mixed AOT/L121 system is explained.     

Rheological behavior of concentrated suspensions as affected by the dynamics of the mixing process

The rheological characterizations of concentrated suspensions are generally carried out assuming “well-mixed” suspensions. However, the variation of the concentration distributions of the ingredients of the formulation, i.e., the “goodness of mixing”, the size and shape distributions of the particle clusters and the rheological behavior of the suspension all depend on the thermo-mechanical history that the suspension is exposed to during the mixing process. Here, various experimental tools are used for the characterization of the degree of mixedness (concentration distributions) of various ingredients along with the characterization of rheological material functions, wall slip behavior and the maximum packing fraction of a graphite/elastomer suspension. The degree of mixedness values of the ingredients of the suspensions processed using batch and continuous processes and under differing operating conditions were characterized quantitatively using wide-angle X-ray diffraction and thermo gravimetric analysis and were elucidated under the light of the electrical properties of the suspension as affected by the mixing process. Upon achieving better homogeneity of the graphite particles and the binder and decreases in the size and breadth of the size distributions of particle clusters (as inferred from electrical measurements and maximum packing fraction values), the elasticity (storage modulus) and the shear viscosity (magnitude of the complex viscosity from small-amplitude oscillatory shear and shear viscosity from steady torsional and capillary rheometry) of the suspension decreased significantly and the wall slip velocity values increased. These findings demonstrate the intimate relationships that exist between the rheological behavior of concentrated suspensions and the thermo-mechanical history that they are exposed to during the processing stage and suggest that the preparation conditions for suspensions should be carefully selected and well documented to achieve reproducible characterization of rheological material functions.     

Determination of penciclovir in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry: application to a clinical pharmacokinetic study

A rapid, specific and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of penciclovir in human plasma. The method involved simple, one‐step SPE procedure coupled with a C₁₈, 75 × 4.mm, 3µm column with a flow‐rate of 0.5 mL/min, and acyclovir was used as the internal standard. The Quattro Micro mass spectrometry was operated under the multiple reaction‐monitoring mode using the electrospray ionization technique. Using 250 µL plasma, the methods were validated over the concentration range 52.555–6626.181 ng/mL, with a lower limit of quantification of 52.55 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy values were found to be within the assay variability limits as per the FDA guidelines. The developed assay method was applied to a clinical pharmacokinetic study in human volunteers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural investigation of viscoelastic micellar water/CTAB/NaNO<Subscript>3</Subscript> solutions

A highly viscoelastic worm-like micellar solution is formed in hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in the presence of sodium nitrate (NaNO₃). A gradual increase in micellar length with increasing NaNO₃ was assumed from the rheological measurements where the zero-shear viscosity (η ₀) versus NaNO₃ concentration curve exhibits a maximum. However, upon increase in temperature, the viscosity decreases. Changes in the structural parameters of the micelles with addition of NaNO₃ were inferred from small angle neutron scattering measurements (SANS). The intensity of scattered neutrons in the low q region was found to increase with increasing NaNO₃ concentration. This suggests an increase in the size of the micelles and/or decrease of intermicellar interaction with increasing salt concentration. Analysis of the SANS data using prolate ellipsoidal structure and Yukawa form of interaction potential between micelles indicate that addition of NaNO₃ leads to a decrease in the surface charge of the ellipsoidal micelles which induces micellar growth. Cryo-TEM measurements support the presence of thread-like micelles in CTAB and NaNO₃.      

Propyl–SO3H functionalized SBA-15: Microwave-mediated green synthesis of biologically active multi-substituted imidazole scaffolds

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Propylsulfonic acid functionalized Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15–Pr–SO3H) catalyst has been synthesized using a surface modification of...     

Pseudolycorine N-oxide,a new N-oxide from Narcissus tazetta

Abstract

A new N-oxide, Pseudolycorine N-oxide (1) was characterised along with eleven known alkaloids homolycorine (2), O-methylmaritidine (3), 8-O-demethylhomolycorine (4), homolycorine N-oxide (5), lycorine (6), narciclasine (7), pseudolycorine (8), ungeremine (9), 8-O-demethylmaritidine (10), zefbetaine (11) and lycorine N-oxide (12), from Narcissus tazetta. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. The extract, fractions and isolated compounds were screened for in vitro cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, human cervical cancer (SiHa) and human epidermoid carcinoma (KB) cells. The study demonstrated the cytotoxic potential of extract and its chloroform and n-butanol fractions. Further, the results revealed the bioactive potential of narciclasine, pseudolycorine and homolycorine alkaloids. However, new N-oxide (1) was not active against these cell lines.     

Effect of hydrotropes on the solution behavior of PEO/PPO/PEO block copolymer L62 in aqueous solutions

Effect of hydrotropes viz. sodium benzene sulfonate (NaBS), sodium toluene sulfonate (NaTS) and sodium xylene sulfonate (NaXS) on the micellization, phase behavior and structure of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer L62 in aqueous solution was studied by surface tension, dye spectral, cloud point and small angle neutron scattering measurements. The addition of hydrotropes increased the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of L62 which appears to be logistic as the added hydrotrope enhances the solubility of PPO moiety (and PEO) making it behave like a more hydrophilic block copolymer that would micellize at high copolymer concentration. Partial phase diagram of L62 in water shows two cloud point (CP) in the concentration range (0-10 wt.%). Addition of hydrotropes shifts the L62 concentration range showing double cloud points at lower side of concentration; sodium xylene sulfonate (NaXS) being more effective. SANS data for L62 in the presence of 0.4 and 0.8 M NaXS at temperatures <30 °C showed unimers which are fully dissolved Gaussian chains. The unimer-to-micelle transition takes place when temperature is increased. It is found that SANS data for L62 in the presence of 0.4 M NaXS (40 and 50 °C) and 0.8 M NaXS (45 and 50 °C) correspond to ellipsoidal structure of micelles.     

Solubilization of triglycerides in liquid crystals of nonionic surfactant

The solubilization of triglycerides [1,2,3-tributanoylglycerol (TBG) and 1,2,3-trihexanoylglycerol (THG)] in water/octa(oxyethylene) dodecyl ether (C(12)EO(8)) systems has been investigated. Oil-induced changes in the structure of liquid crystals in water/C(12)EO(8) system have been studied by optical observation and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements. In the water/C(12)EO(8)/oil systems, solubilization of THG and TBG induces a transition between H(1) (hexagonal) and L(alpha) (lamellar) liquid crystals at high C(12)EO(8) concentrations, whereas at low surfactant concentrations a H(1)-I(1) (discontinuous micellar cubic phase) transition occurs. This anomalous behavior is attributed to the partitioning of solubilized oil in the micelles. At low surfactant concentrations THG is mainly solubilized into the hydrophobic cores of the surfactant micelles, indicating high swelling or low penetration tendency, resulting in a steep increase in the radius of the aggregates (r(H)), thereby inducing a rod-sphere transition. At high surfactant concentrations, THG is not mainly solubilized into the core but distributed between the palisade layer and the core of the aggregates. The TBG is considerably solubilized into the surfactant palisade layer, indicating a high penetration tendency, resulting in an increase in the effective cross-sectional area per surfactant molecule, a(s). The thermal stability of the I(1) phase increases with the solubilization of THG into the aggregate cores. The percentage deviation of the experimental interlayer spacings (P(d)) from complete swelling was also evaluated for different triglycerides in the H(1) and L(alpha) phases or different surfactant concentrations. It is found that the penetration tendency of triglycerides could be used as a tuning parameter for I(1) phase formation depending on the surfactant concentration and the molecular weight of the oil.