Properties of cerium-zirconium mixed oxides partially substituted by neodymium: Comparison with Zr-Ce-Pr-O ternary oxides

CeO₂ doped with praseodymium, neodymium and/or zirconium atoms were prepared by coprecipitation and by the sol-gel method. Structural properties were investigated by in situ XRD and Raman spectroscopy while oxygen storage capacity (OSC) was measured by transient CO oxidation. All the compounds, except pure Nd₂O₃, have a fluorite-type structure as well as a Raman band at 560 cm⁻¹ characteristic of the oxygen vacancies involving non-stoichiometric oxides. The lattice parameter under hydrogen, being dependent on the temperature, revealed two reduction mechanisms: one at a low temperature at the surface and another at a high temperature in the bulk. Ce-Nd binary oxides show a strong tendency towards crystallite aggregation, which reduces accessibility to gases and OSC properties. Zirconium improves the thermal resistance to sintering of both Ce-Nd and Ce-Pr oxides. The Zr-Ce-Pr-O followed by Zr-Ce-Nd-O compounds displaying high oxygen mobility at a low temperature, appear to be very promising for practical applications such as OSC materials.     

Determination of polyethylene glycols by precipitation with iodine

Two methods for the determination of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) in aqueous solution by precipitation with iodine have been developed. For PEGs with molecular weight 4 x 10(3)-2 x 10(4) the excess of iodine is titrated with thiosulphate, and for PEGs with average m.w. > 2 x 10(4) turbidimetric measurement is used. Both methods are relatively simple and give accurate and reproducible results.     

Encapsulation of porphyrins and chlorins in biodegradable nanoparticles: the effect of dye lipophilicity on the extravasation and the photothrombic activity. A comparative study

In the present work, we performed a preclinical inter-comparison study using several photosensitizers with the goal of optimizing photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration. The tested molecules were the porphyrins meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and meso-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl)-porphyrin (TCPP), and the chlorins pheophorbide-a (Pheo-a) and chlorin e(6) (Ce(6)). Each of these molecules was entrapped in biodegradable nanoparticles (NP) based on poly(d,l-lactic acid). The influence of the degree of lipophilicity on the incorporation efficiency of the drug in the NPs, and on the dye leakage from blood vessels as well as on the photothrombic efficiency was investigated using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as in vivo model. NP characterization showed that the dye was more effectively entrapped in the polymeric matrix when its degree of lipophilicity increased. While less lipophilic compounds (TCPP, Ce(6)) extravasate rather easily, the more lipophilic dyes (TPP, Pheo-a) tend to remain inside the blood vessels. After injection of a drug dose of 1 mg/kg body weight and a drug-light application interval of 1 min, irradiation with light doses ranging from 5 to 20 J/cm(2) led to the highest photothrombic efficiency when using the NPs loaded with the most lipophilic molecule (TPP). The latter induced vascular damage, which was significantly higher than that observed with the other molecules tested. Thus, in addition to minimal leakage from blood vessels, the TPP in NP formulation exhibited photothrombic efficiency similar to Visudyne which was also tested in the CAM model.     

Utilisation de la phenyl-2 dimethyl-4,5 phosphorine comme equivalent synthetique de h=cP. Application a la synthese de la dimethyl-3,4 phosphorine

3,4-Dimethylphosphorin is prepared in five steps from 2,3-dimethylbutadiene and 2-phenyl-4,5-dimethylphosphorin; this synthetic scheme is formally equivalent to a [4+2] cycloaddition between 2,3-dimethylbutadiene and HCP.     

Conversion directe des phospholes en dihydro-6,7 phosphepines dans la sphere de coordination du tungstene

In the presence of AlCl₃, [1-β-chloroethyl-3,4-dimethylphosphole]pentacarbonyltungsten($\text{1}$) rearranges into [1-chloro-3,4-dimethyl-6,7-dihydrophosphepin]pentacarbonyltungsten ($\text{3}$).     

Reduction des oxydes de phosphines par le systeme Cp2TiCl2-Mg

Phosphine oxides with at least one aryl-P bond are reduced into the corresponding phosphines by stoechiometric amounts of Mg-Cp₂TiCl₂ in boiling THF.     

Action du methyltri(n-butyl)fluorophosphorane sur les halogenures et les sulfonates d'alkyle

Monofluorophosphoranes R₃MePF are used in exchange reactions to prepare monofluorinated organic compounds. Tri(n-butyl)methylfluorophosphorane (n-Bu₃MePF), easily available, is the most reactive. In solvents of low polarity or even in non-polar solvents, it reacts at ?70° with alkyl sulphonates and halides activated by ester, ketone, or ether functions. Thus, fluorinated epoxides can be obtained directly by exchange from their chlorinated or brominated homologues.