A study on the radon concentration in water in Coonoor, India

The gas collection measurement method was employed to determine radon activity concentrations in the water of Coonoor. Open well water, dam water and stream water have been investigated for their radon concentrations. It is observed that the highest radon concentration is in the open well water and the lowest in stream water. From these measurements, the corresponding annual effective ingestion dose is determined.     

Copper(II) azide complexes of aliphatic and aromatic amine based tridentate ligands: novel structure, spectroscopy, and magnetic properties

Copper(II) azide complexes of three tridentate ligands namely 2,6-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine (L), 2,6-(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine (L'), and dipropylenetriamine (dpt) yield three kinds of complexes with different azide-binding modes. The ligand L forms two end-on-end (mu-1,3) diazido-bridged binuclear complexes, [CuL(mu-N(3))](2)(ClO(4))(2) (1) and [CuL(mu-N(3))(ClO(4))](2).2CH(3)CN (2), and L' forms a perchlorato-bridged quasi-one-dimensional chain complex, [CuL'(N(3))(ClO(4))](n)() (3) with monodentate azide coordination. The ligation of dipropylenetriamine (dpt) gives a end-on (mu-1,1) diazido-bridged binuclear copper complex [Cu(dpt)(mu-N(3))](2)(ClO(4))(2) (4). The crystal and molecular structures of these complexes have been solved. Variable-temperature EPR results of 1 and 2 are identical and indicate the presence of both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions within the dimer, the former dominating at low temperatures and the latter at high temperatures. The unusual temperature-dependent magnetic moment and EPR spectra of this dimer reveal the presence of temperature-dependent population of two triplet states, one being caused by antiferromagnetic and the other by ferromagnetic interaction, the former transforming to the latter on cooling. While the interaction of ground spin doublets of the two metal centers gives rise to a ferromagnetic coupling of J(g) = 90.73 cm(-1), the other coupling of J(e) = -185.64 cm(-1) is suggested to be caused by the interaction between an electron in one metal center and an electron from the azide of the other monomer by excitation of a d-electron to the empty ligand orbital. The ferromagnetic state is energetically favored by 104.39 cm(-1). Compound 3 exhibits axial spectra at room temperature and 77 K, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data indicate that the copper centers form a weakly antiferromagnetic one-dimensional chain with J = -0.11 cm(-1). In the case of 4, the unique presence of two nonidentical dimeric units with different bond lengths and bond angles within the unit cell as inferred by crystal structure is proved by single-crystal EPR spectroscopy.     

Greener synthetic approach for the preparation of substituted flexible dimeric pyridinium salts and its importance

We have prepared substituted flexible dimeric pyridinium bromide using conventional and greener approach. Solvent-free solid phase (greener) approach is superior than the conventional owing to nontoxic, easy workup procedure, and 20 times lesser reaction time. Toxic organic solvents and column chromatography are avoided. Aldol condensation reaction is studied with various substituted aromatic aldehyde and compared with available recent literatures. Synthesized substituted flexible dimeric pyridinium salts acted as potential catalysts because of their better performance even in low concentration, recyclability, and activation of two molecules of aldehydes at the same time for aldol condensation reaction.     

Green Tea Versus Traditional Korean Teas: Antibacterial/Antifungal or Both?

The feasibility of utilizing the antimicrobial activity of naturally available teas was studied. Eleven teas including 2 green teas and 9 other traditional Korean mixed teas were tested for their antimicrobial properties. Antibacterial and antifungal properties were assessed. The results showed that green teas possessed significant antifungal and antibacterial properties, while most of the mixed teas showed some amount of antifungal activity and almost insignificant antibacterial properties. Confocal microscopic imaging revealed mycelial damage as well as attack on sporophores rather than spores/spore germination to be the reason behind the antifungal activity. EGCG was identified as the crucial catechin for antimicrobial activity. The study confirmed that green tea had a clear edge over the traditional mixed teas when it comes to antimicrobial activity.     

Gravity-free hydraulic jumps and metal femtoliter cups

Hydraulic jumps created by gravity are seen everyday in the kitchen sink. We show that at small scales a circular hydraulic jump can be created in the absence of gravity by surface tension. The theory is motivated by our experimental finding of a height discontinuity in spreading submicron molten metal droplets created by pulsed-laser ablation. By careful control of initial conditions, this leads to solid femtoliter cups of gold, silver, copper, niobium, and tin.     

Antimicrobial effects of vanillin-based pyridyl-benzylidene-5-fluoroindolins

In this study, the antimicrobial effect and DNA gyrase inhibitor potential of vanillin-based pyridyl–substituted fluoro-indolines were evaluated. These compounds are synthesized and established through green-chemistry approaches. The inhibition effect on both DNA gyrase A and B was evaluated in silico and in vitro. Agar well diffusion method–based antimicrobial activity against Gram-ve Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 424) and Escherichia coli (MTCC 443), Gram+ve Streptococcus pyogenes (MTCC 442) and Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96), and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans (Fungi) was evaluated. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was assessed over macrophages using the MTT assay. In the results, the target compounds exhibited a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against both bacterial types and fungal.     

Bimanes (1,5-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octadienediones): Laser activity in syn-bimanes

The conversion of 3-methyl-4-benzyl-4-chloro-2-pyrazolin-5-one 10b was catalyzed by a mixture of potassium fluoride and alumina to give syn-(methyl, benzyl)bimane 6 (62%) without detectable formation of the anti isomer, A6 [a 1 : 1 mixture (87%) of the isomers 6 and A6 was obtained when the catalyst was potassium carbonate]. In a similar reaction syn-(methyl,carboethoxymethyl)bimane 7 (15%) with the anti isomer A7 (36%) was obtained from 3-methyl-4-carboethoxymethyl-4-chloro-2-pyrazolin-5-one 10c . syn-(Methyl, β-acetoxyethyl)bimane 8 (70%) was obtained from 3-methyl-4-β-acetoxyethyl-4-chloro-2-pyrazolin-5-one 10d (potassium carbonate catalysis) and was converted by hydrolysis to syn-(methyl, β-hydroxyethyl)bimane 9 (40%). Acetyl nitrate (nitric acid in acetic anhydride) converted anti-(amino,hydrogen)bimane 11 to anti-(amino,nitro)bimane 15 (91%), anti-(methyl,hydrogen)bimane 13 to anti-(methyl,nitro)(methyl,hydrogen)bimane 16 (57%), and degraded syn-(methyl,hydrogen)bimane 12 to an intractable mixture. Treatment with trimethyl phosphite converted syn-(bromomethyl,methyl)bimane 17 to syn-(dimethoxyphosphinylmethyl,methyl)bimane 18 (78%) that was further converted to syn-(styryl,methyl)bimane 19 (29%) in a condensation reaction with benzaldehyde. Treatment with acryloyl chloride converted syn-(hydroxymethyl,methyl)bimane 20 to its acrylate ester 21 (22%). Stoichiometric bromination of syn-(methyl,methyl)bimane 1 gave a monobromo derivative that was converted in situ by treatment with potassium acetate to syn-(acetoxymethyl,methyl)(methyl,methyl)bimane 47 . N-Amino-μ-amino-syn-(methylene,methyl)bimane 24 (68%) was obtained from a reaction between the dibromide 17 and hydrazine. Derivatives of the hydrazine 24 included a perchlorate salt and a hydrazone 25 derived from acetone. Dehydrogenation of syn-(tetramethylene)bimane 26 by treatment with dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) gave syn-(benzo,tetramethylene)bimane 27 (58%) and syn-(benzo)bimane 28 (29%). Bromination of the bimane 26 gave a dibromide 29 (92%) that was also converted by treatment with DDQ to syn-(benzo)bimane 28 . Treatment with palladium (10%) on charcoal dehydrogenated 5, 6, 10, 11-tetrahydro-7H,9H-benz [6, 7] indazol [1, 2a]benz[g]indazol-7,9-dione 35 to syn-(α-naphtho)bimane 36 (71%). The bimane 35 was prepared from 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-oxo-2-naphthoate 37 by stepwise treatment with hydrazine to give 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-3H-benz[g]indazol-3-one 38 , followed by chlorine to give 3a-chloro-2,3a,4,5-tetrahydro-3H-benz[g]indazol-3-one 39 , and base. Dehydrogenation over palladium converted the indazolone 34 to 1H-benz[g] indazol-3-ol 36 . Helicity for the hexacyclic syn-(α-naphtho)bimane 36 was confirmed by an analysis based on molecular modeling. The relative efficiencies (RE) for laser activity in the spectral region 500–530 nm were obtained for 37 syn-bimanes by reference to coumarin 30 (RE 100): RE > 80 for syn-bimanes 3, 5, 18 , and μ-(dicarbomethoxy)methylene-syn-(methylene,methyl)bimane 22 : RE 20–80: for syn-bimanes 1,2,4,20,24,26 , and μ-thia-syn-(methylene,methyl)bimane 50 : and RE 0-20 for 26 syn-bimanes. The bimane dyes tended to be more photostable and more water-soluble than coumarin 30. The diphosphonate 18 in dioxane showed laser activity at 438 nm and in water at 514 nm. Presumably helicity, that was demonstrated by molecular modeling, brought about a low fluorescence intensity for syn-(α-naphtho)bimane 36 , Φ0.1, considerably lower than obtained for syn-(benzo)bimane 28 , Φ0.9.     

Electrodeposition and characterization Zn-Co alloy

The present work details optimization of a stable acid chloride bath for electroplating of bright Zn-Co alloy on mild steel using gelatin and glycine as additives. It was found that the addition of gelatin along with glycine changed the deposition pattern markedly. A suitable bath has been formulated using conventional Hull cell experiments. The bath under plating conditions were found to exhibit anomalous codeposition with preferential deposition of less noble (zinc) over more noble (cobalt) as characterized by Zn-Fe group metal alloys. Investigation revealed that the current density (c.d.), temperature, and pH of the bath have strong effect on the composition of the deposit. Influence of bath constituents and operating parameters on appearance and composition of deposits were studied as measure of their performance against corrosion. A variety of deposits were obtained and their corrosion resistances were measured by Tafel method with/without chrome passivation. Experimental results demonstrated the fact that the corrosion resistances of Zn-Co alloys increased with percent of Co in the deposit except at very high c.d. This is due to the fact at very high c.d. the deposit becomes very porous and thick as evidenced by SEM image. The formation of Zn-Co alloy is confirmed by EDAX analysis. A stable chloride bath for Zn-Co alloy deposition has been proposed and discussed. The formation of passive film on chromatization is indicated by almost same E _corr value of all Zn-Co electroplates irrespective of the current densities at which they have been deposited. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2009, Vol. 45, No. 7, pp. 811–816. The text is published in the original.     

Single crystal EPR studies of an organic NLO material: methyl-p-hydroxy benzoate

Single crystals of an organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material methyl-p-hydroxy benzoate (MHB) were grown by solvent evaporation technique. EPR spectra were recorded for Er3+: MHB and gamma-irradiated MHB at room temperature at X-band frequencies. The angular variation studies of the spectra were observed and the principal values of g were determined. The grown crystals were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.