Volume 9, Issue 5

The numerical simulation of the internal motions of a molecule undergoing a unimolecular reaction on an assumed potential energy surface requires the step-by-step solution of a set of simultaneous differential equations. After several thousand time steps, due to differences in the handling of rounding errors in different computing systems, the situation often arises that no two computing machines will give the same result for a given trajectory, even when running the identical algorithm. Such effects are demonstrated for a simple unimolecular isomerisation reaction. In general, it is only when reliance is placed on the integration of a single trajectory, rather than on an ensemble of similar trajectories, that conclusions may be unreliable. Moreover, under certain conditions, small molecules may show signs of chaotic internal motions; conversely, but for a different reason, large molecules may exhibit non-statistical characteristics rather than RRKM behaviour. The rounding error problem, in a slightly different guise, has come to be dubbed the “butterfly effect” in popular culture, and the original proposition is re-examined using 16- and 32-decimal precision arithmetic.

In contrast to the traditional metal hydrides, in which hydrogen storage involves the reversible hydrogen entering/exiting of the host hydride lattice, LiBH4 releases hydrogen via decomposition that produces segregated LiH and amorphous B phases. This is obviously the reason why lithium borohydride applications in fuel cells so far meet only one requirement — high hydrogen storage capacity. Nevertheless, its thermodynamics and kinetics studies are very active today and efficient ways to meet fuel cell requirements might be done through lowering the temperature for hydrogenation/dehydrogenation and suitable catalyst. Some improvements are expected to enable LiBH4 to be used in on-board hydrogen storage.

This review covers crystallographic and structural data for almost fifty polymeric FeM complexes (M = transition Cu, Ag, Au, Mo, W, Mn, Co, Ni and Pt and lanthanide elements Sm, Er and Yb) where iron is involved in polymeric chains. The complexes are for the most part yellow or black, but there are complexes of brown, orange, red, purple, blue and green colour. The complexes crystallized in the monoclinic (by far prevails), triclinic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, trigonal, hexagonal and rhombohedral crystal classes. The iron atoms are found in oxidation states 0, +2 and +3, of which +3 by far prevails. The inner coordination spheres about the Fe(0) atom are tetrahedral (FeC4) or sandwiched (FeC10), Fe(II) atoms are six-coordinated, and Fe(III) are six or even seven-coordinated. The inner coordination about M atoms range from four- through six- to eight-coordinated. The shortest Fe-Fe, Fe-M (transition) and Fe-M (lanthanide) and M-M separations are: 8.08 Å, 3.033 Å for Fe-Cu, 3.010 Å for Fe-Yb and 2.505 Å for Mo-Mo.

Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), an established ambient ionization method in mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of organic compounds, is applied here to trace detection of inorganic salts, including inorganic oxidants. In-situ surface analysis of targeted compounds, including nitrogen-, halogen- and sulfur-salts, down to sub-nanogram levels, was performed using DESI-MS. Successful experiments were carried out in both the negative and the positive ion modes; simple anions and cations as well as small cluster ions were observed. Various surfaces are examined and surface porosity effects were briefly explored. Absolute detection limits on porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) of 120 pg (surface concentration 0.07 ng mm−2) and 50 pg (surface concentration 0.03 ng mm−2), were achieved for sodium chlorate and sodium perchlorate, respectively. The compounds of interest were examined in the presence of a hydrocarbon mixture to assess matrix effects: only a two- or three-fold decrease in the target ion intensity was observed. Commercial fireworks were analyzed to determine perchlorate salts in complex mixtures. This work demonstrates the potential applicability of ambient ionization mass spectrometry to forensic investigations involving improvised explosives.

The determination is based on the evaluation of experimentally obtained breakthrough curves using the erfc-function. The first method is founded on the assumption of a reversible linear sorption/desorption isotherm of radionuclides on solid phase with constant distribution and retardation coefficients, whereas the second one is based on the assumption of a reversible non-linear sorption/desorption isotherm described with the Freundlich equation, i.e., with non-constant distribution and retardation coefficients. Undisturbed cores of 5 cm in diameter and 10 cm long were embedded in the Eprosin-type cured epoxide resin column. In this study the so-called Cenomanian background groundwater was used as transport medium. The groundwater containing radionuclides was introduced at the bottom of the columns at about 4 mL h−1 constant flow-rate. The results have shown that in the investigated fucoidic sands: (i) the sorption was in principle characterized by linear isotherms and the corresponding retardation coefficients of 137Cs and 85Sr, depending on the type of sample, were approximately 13 or 44 and 5 or 15, respectively; (ii) the desorption was characterized by non-linear isotherms, and the retardation coefficients of the same radionuclides ranged between 23–50 and 5–25, respectively. The values of the hydrodynamic dispersion coefficients of these radionuclides varied between 0.43–1.2 cm2 h−1.

A new amperometric titration method was developed for quantitative determination of ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42−) in the 7.06×10−5−5.73×10−3 M concentration range. Chromium(III) hydroxide solution was used as the titrant. The diffusion current (Id) had a linear relationship with the concentration of ferrate(VI) and slopes were dependent on the concentration of NaOH. The amperometric titration could detect a lower concentration of ferrate(VI) than could potentiometric and colorimetric titrations. The method was applied successfully to determine concentrations of ferrate(VI), generated electrochemically, in strong alkaline solutions.

Liquid-liquid partition is used in sample preparation and in countercurrent and liquid-liquid chromatographic separations. Partition coefficients are widely used in toxicology, environmental, and analytical chemistry. The K hn determination procedure for the n-hexane/nitromethane system was optimized and partition coefficients for 99 ketones, esters and trimethylsilyl derivatives of phenols, aliphatic and aromatic acids were determined. For 130 compounds, K hn values were predicted using mathematical relationships between K hn and other physicochemical and structural parameters.

A fast and accurate micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) method was developed for monitoring N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) exposure. Baseline separation of NMP and its main metabolites: 5-hydroxy-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (5HNMP), N-methylsuccinimide (MSI), 2-hydroxy-N-methylsuccinimide (2HMSI), and 2-pyrrolidone (2P) was obtained within 6 min in an uncoated fused silica capillary using 5 mM phosphate buffer and 140 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (pH 7.1) as background electrolyte (BGE). On-line UV-detection was performed at 200 nm and the applied electric field was 400 V cm−1. Possible interference of BGE-induced system peaks on separation was investigated by computer simulation and no such interference was observed. The developed MEKC method combined with solid phase extraction for sample preparation was successfully applied to the analysis of urine of rats exposed to NMP. The urinary excretion was determined in 0–6 h and 6–24 h specimens collected after an intragastic administration of 308 mg NMP / kg rat body weight. The results of NMP disposition kinetics in rat urine are reported for NMP and metabolites.

During precipitation and calcination at 200°C nanocrystalline Co3O4 was obtained with average size crystallites of 13 nm and a well developed specific surface area of 44 m2 g−1. A small addition of a structural promoter, e.g. Al2O3, increases the specific surface area of the cobalt oxide (54 m2 g−1) and decreases the average size of crystallites (7 nm). Al2O3 inhibits the reduction process of Co3O4 by hydrogen. Reduction of cobalt oxide with aluminium oxide addition runs by equilibrium state at all the respective temperatures. The apparent activation energy of the recrystallization process of the nanocrystalline cobalt promoted by the aluminium oxide is 85 kJ mol−1. Aluminium oxide improves the thermostability of both cobalt oxide and the cobalt obtained as a result of oxide phase reduction.

Electrochemical oxidation of methylthiomethyleneisoquinolinium chloride (MTMIQ), the first alkylthiomethyl substituted ammonium salt, which is fully miscible with water has been investigated by voltammetric (SWV) method using glassy carbon electrode. On the electrode, MTMIQ undergoes oxidation at the potential near Ep = 0.07V (vs. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl). The influence of the pH of buffers, amplitude, frequency, step potential on the received signal was studied. The best results were obtained with a citrate buffer at a pH of 5. The oxidation peak current used for MTMIQ voltammetric determination was in the range of 2–8×10−5 mol L−1, LOD = 3.7×10−6, LOQ = 1.2×10−5. The product of the oxidation was accumulated at the working electrode and was investigated by spectroscopic method. Mechanistic pathways of the oxidation have been proposed.

Optimal descriptors calculated with simplified molecular input line entry system (SMILES) have been examined as a tool for prediction of anxiolytic activity. Descriptors calculated with SMILES (a) of keto-isomers; (b) of enol-isomers; and (c) of both keto-isomers together with enol-isomers have been studied. Three approaches have been compared: 1. classic’ training-test’ system 2. balance of correlations and 3. balance of correlations with ideal slopes. The best statistical characteristics for the external validation set took place for optimal descriptors calculated with SMILES of both keto-form and enol-form (i.e., molecular structure was represented in the format: ’sMILES of keto-form. SMILES of enol-form’) by means of balance of correlations with ideal slopes. The predictive potential of this model was checked with three random splits.

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study on a set of 66 structurally-similar 6-fluoroquinolones was performed using a large pool of theoretical molecular descriptors. Ab initio geometry optimizations were carried out to reproduce the geometrical and electronic structure parameters. The resulting molecular structures were confirmed to be minima via harmonic frequency calculations. Obtained atomic charges, HOMO and LUMO energies, orbital electron densities, dipole moment, energy and many other properties served as quantum-chemical descriptors. A multiple linear regression (MLR) technique was applied to generate a linear model for predicting the biological activity, Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), treated as negative decade logarithm, (pMIC). The heuristic method was used to optimize the model parameters and select the most significant descriptors. The model was tested internally using the CV LOO procedure on the training set and validated against the external validation set. The result (Q 2 ext = 0.7393), which was obtained on an external, previously excluded validation data set, shows the predictive performances of this model (R 2tr = 0.7416, Q 2 tr = 0.6613) in establishing (Q)SAR of 6-fluoroquinolones. This validated model could be proficiently used to design new 6-fluoroquinolones with possible higher activity.

In this study, the use of the weakly basic anion exchange resins of phenol-formaldehyde (Amberlyst A 23), polyacrylate (Amberlite IRA 67) and polystyrene (Lewatit MonoPlus MP 62) matrices for removal of the reactive dye Remazol Black B (RBB) from aqueous solution and wastewater were investigated. RBB sorption on the anion exchangers was a time dependent process. Color reduction percentiles of 75.2, 33.9 and 25.1% in wastewater treatment were found after 216 h of phase contact time with Lewatit MonoPlus MP 62, Amberlyst A 23 and Amberlite IRA 67, respectively. Inorganic salts and anionic surfactant action influenced RBB uptake by the anion exchangers. The amounts of dye retained by the anion exchangers increased with a rise in temperature. The maximum sorption capacities calculated from the Langmuir model were 66.4, 282.1 and 796.1 mg g−1 for Amberlite IRA 67, Amberlyst A 23 and Lewatit MonoPlus MP 62, respectively. Regeneration of phenol-formaldehyde and polystyrene resins were possible using 1 M NaOH, 2 M KSCN, 1M KSCN in 40–60% methanol as well as 1 M NaOH in 60% methanol.

We report an efficient and useful synthesis of new attractive spiropiperdine scaffolds 4 based on an intramolecular acyl transfer process in 1′-acyl-1-benzyl-3′,4′-dihydro-1′H-spiro[piperidine-4,2′-quinolines] 3 using simple and mild debenzylation reaction conditions (HCOONH4/Pd/C). The compounds 3 were prepared by acylating 1-benzyl-4′-methyl-3′,4′-dihydro-1′H-spiro[piperidine-4,2′-quinolines] 2 that are easily available from 1-benzyl-4-piperidone 1. The intramolecular character of this process was proven primarily through a crossover experiment technique. Through an examination of all spectroscopic information (1H, 13C NMR, VT-1H NMR, and 2D NMR) it was possible to correctly predict amide configurations and piperidine ring conformations of starting and final spiropiperidine compounds.

New simple, rapid and accurate spectrophotometric techniques for osmium assays in fixatives and stained tissues have been elaborated using acid (Tropaeolin O, Tropaeolin OOO-I, Tropaeolin OOO-II, Orange G), o,o′-dihydroxo substituted azo dyes (Eriochrome Blue Black R, Acid Chrome Dark-Blue, Eriochrome Black T) and flavonoids (morin, quercetin, luteolin). Methods are based on sensitive osmium(IV) reactions with reagents and the formation of stable coloured compounds. Tolerance ratios of main matrix components of histological specimens during Os(IV) spectrophotometric determination with reagents has been established. Results of osmium determination in fixatives and fixed tissues, obtained by means of different reagents, appeared to be sufficiently similar, although effects of matrix components differ. The accuracy of spectrophotometric osmium assay in fixatives with azo dyes has been confirmed with voltammetric investigations. Results obtained from osmium uptake by rat gum tissues are valuable for clinical testing of dental drugs, indicating the influence of drug treatment on the gums.

A microchip-based capillary electrophoresis (µCE) system was interfaced with a microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) to provide copper species separation capabilities. This system uses an extremely low flow demountable direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (D-DIHEN) sited directly at the liquid exit of the chip. A supplementary flow of buffer solution at the channel exit was used to improve nebulization efficiency. A small evaporation chamber has been incorporated into the interface in order to prevent the losses associated with traditional spray chambers, allowing the entire aerosol sample to enter the plasma. Syringe pumps were used to manipulate the flow rate and flow direction of the sample, buffer, and supplementary buffer solution. Sample volumes of 25 nL can be analyzed. With application of an electric field up to 500 V cm−1, species such as Cu(II) and Cu(EDTA)2− were separated in acidic solution within 90 s using a 26 mm long separation channel etched in a glass base. Resolution of the Cu(II) and Cu(EDTA)2− peaks was 1.1 using the chip-based µCE-MIP-OES system.

(Z/E)-1-(2-Methoxyaryl)-1-phenylpropenes have been prepared in good yields by heating a mixture of a phenolic substrate, cinnamyl chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride and K2CO3 in polyethyleneglycol at 180°C. The one-pot synthesis proceeds through four discrete reaction steps: alkylation of the phenol with cinnamyl chloride, Claisen rearrangement, O-methylation and double-bond migration. The configuration of one crystalline product was determined using a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermodynamic and structural features of the products were evaluated using computational chemistry techniques.

Available quantitative data of the reactivity of organosilicon compounds were subjected to correlation analysis. As an alternative to the carbon chemistry values, the scale of steric constants E S (Si) can be used for organosilicon compounds and the inductive effect is best expressed by two terms, involving the parameter of electronegativity of substituents. Alkyl substituents contribute to the reactivity exclusively through their steric effects, steric and polar effects in silicon compounds are additive and the resonance effect is insignificant. The correlation analysis can be employed in investigations of organosilicon reactions along with other methods.

The concentrations of seven macro- and microelements (K, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn) in 59 herbs (herbs, leaves, flowers, fruits, roots), which are commercially available and frequently used in Poland for medical purposes as well as in their water extracts (infusions and decoctions), were determined after microwave mineralization. The data obtained show that all herbal raw materials analysed contain macroelements in the range of mg g−1 on d.w. whereas microelements in the range of mg kg−1 on d.w. and that elemental concentrations varied widely. On the basis of a comparison of concentrations of elements in herbal raw materials examined and water extracts prepared from them, the extraction efficiency was expressed as a percent of the total content of each element present in the infusion or decoction. The percentages of macro- and micro- elements leaching from different morphological parts of plants into water extracts varied across a wide range of values, from 1% in the case of Na to 56% in the case of K. Real daily intake of the macro- and microelements elements through one cup of infusions or decoctions were shown that water extracts from herbal raw materials are not an important source of bioelements in human diet.

Activated carbons containing different surface functionalities have been investigated as catalysts in conversion reactions of ethanol and methanol. These carbon materials were prepared from Polish brown coal by chemical activation with potassium hydroxide and modified by the oxidation or reaction with ammonia or chlorine. The main process upon ethanol decomposition was its dehydrogenation, while in the process of methanol decomposition only a few samples were catalytically active, and the only product was dimethyl ether (a product of dehydration).

In the present work the adsorption of some transition metal ions from aqueous solutions on a silica-based nanostructured hybrid material modified by aluminium was investigated. The novel organic-inorganic material was synthesized via a sol-gel method through hydrolysis and co-condensation reactions. Its structure was characterized by means of SEM, XRD and FTIR. Based on the data obtained the most probable cross-linking mechanism for the derived xerogel was proposed. The characterization of its texture parameters was carried out by low-temperature adsorption of nitrogen. The adsorption properties of this material with respect to Cu(II), Cr(III) and Pb(II) ions from single-component aqueous solutions and multi-component aqueous solutions containing also Cd(II) and Fe(III) were evaluated. The effect of contact time, acidity of initial solutions and metal ion concentrations was investigated using the batch method. Pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models were used to analyze kinetic data. In all cases the adsorption was significantly affected by the pH value. Equilibrium modelling data were fitted to linear Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. Best fit was observed for Langmuir model, which showed determination coefficients greater than 0.992 for all ions studied. The maximum adsorption capacities for single- and multi-component adsorption were calculated.

An efficient ion chromatographic (IC) method was developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+, Cs+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Ba2+ and Be2+ in energy drinks, pharmaceutical and drinking water samples by non-suppressed conductometric detection. The separation of ten cations including ammonium was achieved using a cation-exchange column and low conductivity mobile phase. The mobile phase consisted of tartaric acid, dipicolinic acid and boric acid. The separation of the cations was completed in less than 18 min, with a flow rate of 1.2 mL min−1. The separation was not affected by the existence of cations Co2+, Cr3+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Bi3+, Ag+, Fe3+ and Zn2+ in concentrations up to 20 mg L−1. Using an injection volume of 20 μL the obtained detection limits were 0.003 mg L−1, 0.02 mg L−1, 0.01 mg L−1, 0.01 mg L−1, 0.10 mg L−1, 0.01 mg L−1, 0.02 mg L−1, 0.02 mg L−1, 0.003 mg L−1 and 0.1 mg L−1, for Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+, Cs+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Be2+ and Ba2+ respectively. The intra-day repeatability (RSD%, n=5) ranged from 1.1% to 4.8%, and the inter-day (n=5) between 1.8% and 5.4% respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of various bottled and tap water, pharmaceutical preparations and energy drinks commercially available.

Metal-carbon composites have shown considerable hydrogen storage potential at room temperature. In the present work the behaviour of two different Pd amalgam doped carbon substrates, namely a carbogenic foam and a mildly oxidised ordered mesoporous carbon, are compared on the basis of their hydrogen sorption properties at 77 and 298 K and low pressures, aiming to investigate the effect of surface on the storage capacity. In both cases, the introduction of alloy nanoparticles leads to an improvement of the hydrogen uptake with respect to pure carbons. This effect is significant for the carbogenic foam however small for the ordered carbon.

We investigated the substitution effects of Al3+ for Cr3+ on the structure and magnetic, properties of delafossite oxide CuCrO2, which possesses a quasi-2D Heisenberg triangular antiferromagnetic (AFM) lattice. The lattice parameters was found to vary according to the Vegard’s rule. We also found that the large local lattice distortion, caused by the nonmagnetic dopant with different radii between magnetic and nonmagnetic ions, affects the samples significantly. Magnetization and specific heat measurements indicated that AFM ordering is diluted by the substitution of nonmagnetic Al3+ for Cr3+ (S = 3/2).