Differential protonation and dynamic structure of doxylamine succinate in solution using 1H and 13C NMR

A protonation and dynamic structural study of doxylamine succinate, a 1:1 salt of succinic acid with dimethyl-[2-(1-phenyl-1-pyridin-2-yl-ethoxy)ethyl]amine, in solution using one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR experiments at variable temperature and concentration is presented. The two acidic protons of the salt doxylamine succinate are in 'intermediate' exchange at room temperature, as evidenced by the appearance of a broad signal. This signal evolves into two distinct signals below about -30 degrees C. A two-dimensional 1H-1H double quantum filtered correlation experiment carried out at -55 degrees C shows protonation of one of the acidic protons to the dimethylamine nitrogen. A two-dimensional rotating frame 1H-1H NOE experiment at the same temperature reveals that the other proton remains with the succinate moiety. Comparison of the 1H and 13C chemical shifts and the 13C T1 relaxation times of the salt with those of the free base further substantiate the findings.     

Topochemical anion metathesis routes to the Zr2N2S phases and the Na2S and ACl derivatives (A = Na,K, Rb)

Anion metathesis reactions between ZrNCl and A(2)S (A = Na, K, Rb) in the solid state follow three different pathways depending on reaction temperature and reactant stoichiometry: (1) the reaction of ZrNCl with A(2)S in the 2:1 stoichiometry at 800 degrees C/72 h/in vacuo yields alpha-Zr(2)N(2)S with the expected layered structure of La(2)O(2)S. Above 850 degrees C, alpha-Zr(2)N(2)S (P3 macro m1; a = 3.605(1) A, c = 6.421(3) A) neatly transforms to beta-Zr(2)N(2)S (P6(3)/mmc: a = 3.602(1) A, c = 12.817(1) A). The structures of the alpha- and beta-forms are related by an a/2 shift of successive Zr(2)N(2) layers. (2) The same reaction at low temperatures (300-400 degrees C) yields ACl intercalated phases of the formula A(x)Zr(2)N(2)SCl(x) (0 < x < approximately 0.15), where alkali ions are inserted between the S/Cl.S/Cl van der Waals gap of a ZrNCl-type structure. The S and Cl ions are disordered and the c lattice parameters are alkali dependent (R3 macro m, a approximately 3.6 A, c approximately 28.4 (Na), 28.9 (K), and 30.5 A (Rb). A(x)Zr(2)N(2)SCl(x) phases are hygroscopic and reversibly absorb water to give monohydrates. (3) Reaction of ZrNCl with excess A(2)S at 400-1000 degrees C gives A(2)S intercalated phases of the formula A(2)(x)Zr(2)N(2)S(1+)(x) (0 < x < 0.5), where the alkali ions reside between the S.S van der Waals gap of a ZrNCl type structure (R3 macro m, a approximately 3.64 A, c approximately 29.48 A). Structural characterization of the new phases and implications of the results are described.     

Novel stereoselective control over cis vs trans opening of benzo[c]phenanthrene 3,4-diol 1,2-epoxides by the exocyclic N(2)-amino group of deoxyguanosine in the presence of hexafluoropropan-2-ol

We describe a novel and efficient synthesis (62-84% yields) of the eight possible, diastereomerically pure, cis and trans, R and S O(6)-allyl-protected N(2)-dGuo phosphoramidite building blocks derived through cis and trans opening of (+/-)-3alpha,4beta-dihydroxy-1beta,2beta-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[c]phenanthrene [BcPh DE-1 (1)] and (+/-)-3alpha,4beta-dihydroxy-1alpha,2alpha-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[c]phenanthrene [BcPh DE-2 (2)] by hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFP)-mediated addition of O(6)-allyl-3',5'-di-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (3) at C-1 of the epoxides. Simply changing the relative amount of HFP used in the reaction mixture can achieve a wide ratio of cis/trans addition products. Thus, the observed cis/trans adduct ratio for the reaction of DE-1 (1) in the presence of 5 equiv of 3 varied from 17/83 to 91/9 over the range of 5-532 equiv of HFP. The corresponding ratios for DE-2 (2) varied from 2/98 to 61/39 under the same set of conditions. When 1 or 2 was fused with a 20-fold excess of 3 at 140 degrees C in the absence of solvent HFP, almost exclusive trans addition (>95%) was observed for the both DEs. Through the use of varying amounts of HFP in the reaction mixture as described above, each of the eight possible phosphoramidite oligonucleotide building blocks (DE-1/DE-2, cis/trans, R/S) of the BcPh DE N(2)-dGuo adducts can be prepared in an efficient fashion. To rationalize the varying cis-to-trans ratio, we propose that the addition of 3 to 1 or 2 in the absence of solvent or in the presence of small amounts of HFP proceeds primarily via an S(N)2 mechanism to produce mainly trans-opened adducts. In contrast, increasing amounts of HFP promote increased participation of an S(N)1 mechanism involving a relatively stable carbocation with two possible conformations. One of these conformations reacts with 3 to give mostly trans adduct, while the other conformation reacts with 3 to give mostly cis adduct.     

Solvent-free synthesis of benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide adducts at the N(2)-position of deoxyguanosine

[reaction: see text] The first solid-state (or solvent-free) synthesis of protected deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxides at room temperature is reported. Whereas dG adducts derived from cis- and trans-opening of (+/-)-7beta,8alpha-dihydroxy-9beta,10beta-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (DE-1 1) are formed as a 1:1 mixture, the direct opening of the diastereomeric (+/-)-7beta,8alpha-dihydroxy-9alpha,10alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (DE-2, 2) produced a 15:85 ratio favoring the trans-opened dG adduct 7.     

Graphene and graphene oxide as effective adsorbents toward anionic and cationic dyes

In the present study, exfoliated graphene oxide (EGO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been used for the adsorption of various charged dyes such as methylene blue, methyl violet, rhodamine B, and orange G from aqueous solutions. EGO consists of single layer of graphite decorated with oxygen containing functional groups such as carboxyl, epoxy, ketone, and hydroxyl groups in its basal and edge planes. Consequently, the large negative charge density available in aqueous solutions helps in the effective adsorption of cationic dyes on EGO while the adsorption is negligible for anionic dyes. On the other hand, rGO that has high surface area does not possess as high a negative charge and is found to be very good adsorbent for anionic dyes. The adsorption process is followed using UV-Visible spectroscopy, while the material before and after adsorption has been characterized using physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques. Various isotherms have been used to fit the data, and kinetic parameters were evaluated. Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic data yield information on the interactions of dyes with the adsorbent.     

V2O5-anchored carbon nanotubes for enhanced electrochemical energy storage

Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are coated with a 4-5 nm thin layer of V(2)O(5) by controlled hydrolysis of vanadium alkoxide. The resulting V(2)O(5)/CNT composite has been investigated for electrochemical activity with lithium ion, and the capacity value shows both faradaic and capacitive (nonfaradaic) contributions. At high rate (1 C), the capacitive behavior dominates the intercalation as 2/3 of the overall capacity value out of 2700 C/g is capacitive, while the remaining is due to Li-ion intercalation. These numbers are in agreement with the Trasatti plots and are corroborated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies on the V(2)O(5)/CNTs electrode, which show 85% of vanadium in the +4 oxidation state after the discharge at 1 C rate. The cumulative high-capacity value is attributed to the unique property of the nano V(2)O(5)/CNTs composite, which provides a short diffusion path for Li(+)-ions and an easy access to vanadium redox centers besides the high conductivity of CNTs. The composite architecture exhibits both high power density and high energy density, stressing the benefits of using carbon substrates to design high performance supercapacitor electrodes.     

The impact of the natural sciences on archaeology

This article reviews some of the applications of physics to the solution of archaeological problems. The use of magnetic, resistivity and electromagnetic surveying techniques for the location of buried features is described. Various methods of age determination are outlined while the problems associated with radiocarbon dating of organic material and thermoluminescent dating of pottery are discussed in detail. The techniques, including petrological examination, chemical analysis and isotopic analysis, employed in the physical examination of archaeological artefacts are described. Examples of the application of these techniques in establishing the source of the raw materials used in pottery, metal and stone implements and in elucidating the techniques of manufacture of pottery and metal objects are also given.     

Visible light assisted photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes on TiO2–CNT nanocomposites

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology - Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) uniformly decorated with nano-anatase TiO2 particles corresponding to different TiO2–CNT weight ratios (up to 90&nbsp;%...     

Phenolic compounds,essential oil composition,and antioxidant activity of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill

In this study, methanol extracts (MEs) and essential oil (EO) of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill obtained from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and seed) were evaluated in terms of antioxidant activity, total phenolics, compositions of phenolic compound, and essential oil with the methods of 2,2-azino-bis(3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•⁺), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH•) radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), the Folin–Ciocalteu, liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC−MS), respectively. The root extract of A. purpurascens exhibited the highest ABTS•⁺, DPPH•, and FRAP activities (IC₅₀: 0.05 ± 0.0001 mg/mL, IC₅₀: 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/mL, 821.04 ± 15.96 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), respectively). Moreover, EO of A. purpurascens root displayed DPPH• scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 2.95 ± 0.084 mg/mL). The root extract had the highest total phenolic content (438.75 ± 16.39 GAE (gallic acid equivalent), µg/mL)). Twenty compounds were identified by LC−MS/MS. The most abundant phenolics were ferulic acid (244.39 ± 15.64 μg/g extract), benzoic acid (138.18 ± 8.84 μg/g extract), oleuropein (78.04 ± 4.99 μg/g extract), and rutin (31.21 ± 2.00 μg/g extract) in seed, stem, root, and leaf extracts, respectively. According to the GC−MS analysis, the major components were determined as α-bisabolol (22.93%), cubebol (14.39%), α-pinene (11.63%), and α-limonene (9.41%) among 29 compounds. Consequently, the MEs and EO of A. purpurascens can be used as a natural antioxidant source.