Organotellurides as a source of organometallics: application in the synthesis of (+/−)-frontalin

A masked lithium homoenolate, generated by tellurium/lithium exchange, was reacted with epoxides. The lithium compound was also converted into other organometallics such as Grignard, and cuprates and the reactivity of those organometallics with epoxides was evaluated. The same building block was employed in the synthesis of (+/−)-frontalin.     

Elektrolytische Bestimmungen und Trennungen

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Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear polarization applied to evaluation of porosity of phosphate conversion coatings on electrogalvanized steels

In this work, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear polarization are used in determining porosity of zinc phosphates, and of nickel and manganese modified zinc phosphates on electrogalvanized steel. The porosity of the phosphate layers ranges from 0.1% for the manganese-modified hopeite to 8% for hopeite, using the linear polarization and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The porosity values measured using the two techniques were in agreement. All impedance spectra of coated samples showed two steps, with two capacitive arcs and an inductive looping.     

A Borsuk–Ulam Theorem for Maps from a Sphere to a Generalized Manifold

H. J. Munkholm obtained a generalization for topological manifolds of the famous Borsuk–Ulam type theorem proved by Conner and Floyd. The purpose of this paper is to prove a version of Conner and Floyd's theorem for generalized manifolds.     

Fibers and 3D mesh scaffolds from biodegradable starch-based blends: production and characterization

The aim of this work is the production of fibers from biodegradable polymers to obtain 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering of hard tissues. The scaffolds required for this highly demanding application need to have, as well as the biological and mechanical characteristics, a high degree of porosity with suitable dimensions for cell seeding and proliferation. Furthermore, the open cell porosity should have adequate interconnectivity for a continuous flow of nutrients and outflow of cell metabolic residues as well as to allow cell growth into confluent layers. Blends of corn starch, a natural biodegradable polymer, with other synthetic polymers (poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), poly(epsilon-caprolactone), poly(lactic acid)) were selected for this work because of their good balance of properties, namely biocompatibility, processability and mechanical properties. Melt spinning was used to produce fibers from all the blends and 3D meshes from one of the starch-poly(lactic acid) blends. The experimental characterization included the evaluation of the tensile mechanical properties and thermal properties of the fibers and the compression stiffness, porosity and degradation behavior of the 3D meshes. Light microscopy picture of 3D meshes.     

Potentiometric studies on the complexation of copper(II) by phenolic acids as discrete ligand models of humic substances

Studies on the complexation of copper(II) by phenolic acids, as ligand models of humic substances were done by potentiometry. The acids under study were: 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid or hydrocaffeic acid (1), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (2) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid or protocatechuic acid (3). Acidity constants of the ligands and the formation constants of metal-ligand complexes were evaluated by computer programs. The carboxylic group of the phenolic acids has different pK_a1 values, being the dissociation constants intrinsically related with the distance between the function and the aromatic nucleus. The results obtained allow concluding that acidity constants of the catechol moiety of the compounds are similar with pK_a2 and pK_a3 values between 9.47-9.41 and 11.55-11.70. The complexation properties of the three ligands towards copper(II) ion are quite similar, being the species found not different either in nature or stability. Although the model ligands have some structural differences no significant differences were found in their complexation properties towards copper(II). So, it can be postulated that complexation process is intrinsically related with the presence of a catechol group.     

Automatic sequential determination of the hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and evaluation of the antioxidant potential by the 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation assay in wines by sequential injection analysis

An automatic system that performs two analytical procedures, allowing the evaluation of the relative antioxidant capacity of wine samples, was developed. Automation was carried out using a sequential injection analysis (SIA) system that allowed, thanks to its versatility, the development of two methodologies. One is based on the decolorization assay of the 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical, using a spectrophotometric detector. A second methodology allowed the evaluation of the hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity by measuring the oxidation of homovanylic acid (HVA) to its fluorescent dimer, using a fluorescent detector.The developed automatic methodologies were evaluated using trolox as standard and subsequently using other antioxidant substances as gallic acid, caffeic acid, ascorbic acid, catechin and taxifolin which are abundant in wine and whose antioxidant activities were compared to that shown by trolox. The spectrophotometric and fluorimetric assays showed linearity intervals between 0.001 and 0.01 mM, and 0.001 and 0.008 mM of trolox, respectively.The evaluation of the antioxidant power of 20 white and red wine samples, from different Portuguese wine producing regions, was carried out sequentially, in the automatic system. The results were expressed in trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and presented, for the ABTS and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity methodologies, detection limits of 8.4 × 10⁻⁷ and 1.4 × 10⁻⁴ mM and relative standard deviation (R.S.D. (%)) in the range 0.6-2.4 and 1-1.8, respectively.     

The dipole moment, polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities of HArF. A computational and comparative study

The electronic and vibrational contributions to the dipole moment, polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities of HArF are reported. These have been computed by using a series of systematically built basis sets and a hierarchy of computational methods. HArF has a very large first hyperpolarizability along the z axis. This has been rationalized by invoking the difference in the electronic structure between the ground and the first excited state. The argon fluorohydride has been recently derived and characterized. The present study provides complementary data for the understanding of the electronic structure of this interesting argon derivative.     

Adsorption of anionic dyes on chitosan beads. 1. The influence of the chemical structures of dyes and temperature on the adsorption kinetics

In this work, chitosan beads were synthesized in acidic medium and cross-linked in 1% glutaraldehyde solution. The characterization of the materials using TG/DTG, XRD, and BET surface areas showed that the beads did not modify their characteristics after the cross-linking reaction. The cross-linked beads were utilized as adsorbents for the removal of the yellow-, blue-, and red-anionic reactive dyes from aqueous solutions at pH 2.0. Adsorption of the yellow-dye increased from 25 to 50 degrees C. However, adsorption of the blue-dye decreased from 25 to 50 degrees C. Interestingly, the adsorption of the red-dye decreased from 25 to 35 degrees C and increased from 45 to 50 degrees C. The kinetic data were evaluated using an Avrami kinetic model, where the parameter n was related to the determination of changes in the adsorption mechanisms. Adsorption data of the dyes in relation to the contact time, the chemical structures of the dyes, and temperature were presented and were discussed.