A Review on Coordination Properties of Al(III) and Fe(III) toward Natural Antioxidant Molecules: Experimental and Theoretical Insights

This review focuses on the ability of some natural antioxidant molecules (i.e., hydroxycinnamic acids, coumarin-3-carboxylic acid, quercetin, luteolin and curcumin) to form Al(III)- and Fe(III)-complexes with the aim of evaluating the coordination properties from a combined experimental and theoretical point of view. Despite the contributions of previous studies on the chemical properties and biological activity of these metal complexes involving such natural antioxidants, further detailed relationships between the structure and properties are still required. In this context, the investigation on the coordination properties of Al(III) and Fe(III) toward these natural antioxidant molecules might deserve high interest to design water soluble molecule-based metal carriers that can improve the metal’s intake and/or its removal in living organisms.     

Studies on thermal,spectral, magnetic and biological properties of new Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with a bismacrocyclic ligand bearing an aromatic linker

Novel complexes of M₂LCl₄·nH₂O type (M:Ni, n = 4; M:Cu, n = 3 and M:Zn, n = 0; L: ligand resulted from 1,4-phenylenediamine, 3,6-diazaoctane-1,8-diamine and formaldehyde one-pot condensation) were synthesized and characterised by microanalytical, ESI–MS, IR, UV–Vis, ¹H NMR and EPR spectra, magnetic data at room temperature and molar conductivities as well. The electrochemical behaviour of complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Simultaneous TG/DTA measurements were performed in order to evidence the thermal behaviour of the obtained complexes. Processes such as water elimination, fragmentation and oxidative degradation of the organic ligand as well as chloride elimination occurred during thermal decomposition. The antimicrobial assays demonstrate that the compounds exhibited good antibacterial activity, especially against S. aureus and E. coli strains, the most active being the copper(II) complex, which also exhibited the most prominent anti-biofilm effect, suggesting its potential use for the development of new antimicrobial agents. The biological activity was correlated with log P _ow values. All complexes disrupt the membrane integrity of HCT 8 tumour cells.     

Synthesis and characterization of graphene‐containing thermoresponsive nanocomposite hydrogels of poly(N‐vinylcaprolactam) prepared by frontal polymerization

Thermoresponsive poly(N‐vinylcaprolactam) nanocomposite hydrogels containing graphene were successfully prepared by frontal polymerization. High concentration of graphene (5.0 mg/mL) was obtained by direct graphite sonication in the self‐same liquid monomer, thus avoiding any chemical manipulation and obtaining “real” graphene as nanofiller instead of one of its more or less oxidized derivative, which is what generally reported in published reports. Furthermore, the corresponding nanocomposites were obtained without using any solvent to be eventually removed. The materials were fully characterized by RAMAN, SEM, and TEM, and their swelling behavior and rheological properties were investigated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

First evaluation of the thermodynamic properties for spheres to elongated micelles transition of some propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide) surfactants in aqueous solution

The apparent and partial molar enthalpies, apparent molar volumes, and adiabatic compressibilities at 298 K of the aqueous solutions of the cationic gemini surfactants propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(octyldimethylammonium bromide) (8-3-8) and propanediyl-alpha,omega-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromide) (12-3-12) have been measured as a function of concentration. The trends of the partial molar enthalpies versus concentration are the first well documented thermodynamic evidence of sphere to rod transition in the micellar phase, involving a detectable quantity of heat, and allow the determination of the change in enthalpy associated with this transition. The changes in enthalpies upon micellization and for the sphere to elongated micelles transition, DeltaH(s)(-->)(r), have been obtained from the experimental data by using a pseudo-phase transition approach: -1.5 kJ mol(-1) for 8-3-8 and -3.9 kJ mol(-1) for 12-3-12. No evidence of the above transition is found in the trends of volumetric properties versus m. The apparent adiabatic molar compressibilities for the compounds under investigation are also reported here for the first time: a negative group contribution for the methylene group is evaluated, when the surfactants are present in solution as a single molecule, reflecting its solvation structure. In the micellar phase, the -CH(2)- group contribution becomes positive. A value of 1.17 x 10(-3) cm(3) bar(-1) mol(-1) for the change in adiabatic molar compressibility upon micellization is obtained. The lower values of the methylene group contributions to the volumetric properties for the monomers support the hypothesis of partial association of the chains before the cmc.     

Narrow structure in the coherent population trapping resonance in rubidium

An investigation is reported of coherent resonance in the degenerate two-level system of the (Fg = 2 --> Fe = 1) transition of the 87Rb D1 line by means of a Hanle effect configuration. In a coherent population trapping experiment, a very narrow (approximately 1-kHz) resonance superimposed upon a broader resonance (approximately 100 kHz) was observed. The dependence of the width and the amplitude of the coherent resonance on the laser power density, on additional constant magnetic fields, on the laser frequency position along the fluorescence profile, and on Rb cells with different dimensions was investigated.     

Quantification of arecoline (areca nut alkaloid) in neonatal biological matrices by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray quadrupole mass spectrometry

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with mass spectrometric detection is described for determination of arecoline in newborn meconium, urine and cord serum, using pilocarpine as internal standard. The analytes were extracted from neonatal biological matrices with chloroform/isopropanol (95:5, v/v) at alkaline pH. Extracts were analyzed by HPLC coupled to an electrospray (ESI) interface and a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Chromatography was performed on a C(8) reversed-phase column using 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.3)/acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring mode. The method was validated over the concentration range 0.005-1.00 micro g/g meconium, 0.004-1.00 micro g/mL cord serum and 0.001-1.00 micro /mL urine. Mean recoveries ranged between 86.5 and 90.7% for arecoline in the different biological matrices, with precision always better than 10%. The quantification limits of arecoline were 0.005 micro g/g meconium, 0.004 micro g/mL cord serum, and 0.001 micro g/mL urine. The method was applied to the analysis of neonatal biological matrices to assess eventual fetal exposition to arecoline. Two newborns from Asian mothers who declared areca nut consumption presented arecoline in meconium with concentrations in the range 0.006-0.008 micro g/g; also the urine from one neonate tested positive for the drug.     

Ethylene glycol‐based ionic liquids via azide/alkyne click chemistry

A facile synthetic route for the preparation of dicationic ethylene glycol based‐ionic liquids (ILs) via the azide/alkyne “click” reaction is presented. The copper(I) catalyzed, microwave‐assisted azide/alkyne “click” reaction between diazido‐ethylene glycols and the corresponding alkyne containing IL‐head group enables a simple preparation of different sets of poly(ethylene glycol)‐based ILs. Beside tetra‐ and hexa(ethylene glycol)‐based ILs, also oligomeric (M_n = 400 g/mol) and polymeric ILs (M_n up to 1550 g/mol) could be prepared in good yield and with full conversion of the ionic head group. The prepared ILs were extensively characterized via NMR spectroscopy and ESI‐time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectroscopy, revealing the formation of multiply charged ions in the negative mode. Thermal stability proved to be exceptionally high (up to 300 °C) together with low glass‐transition temperatures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Flow injection-chemical vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry hyphenated system for organic mercury determination: A step forward

Monomethylmercury and ethylmercury were determined on line using flow injection-chemical vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry without neither requiring a pre-treatment with chemical oxidants, nor UV/MW additional post column interface, nor organic solvents, nor complexing agents, such as cysteine. Inorganic mercury, monomethylmercury and ethylmercury were detected by atomic fluorescence spectrometry in an Ar/H₂ miniaturized flame after sodium borohydride reduction to Hg⁰, monomethylmercury hydride and ethylmercury hydride, respectively. The effect of mercury complexing agent such as cysteine, ethylendiaminotetracetic acid and HCl with respect to water and Ar/H₂ microflame was investigated.The behavior of inorganic mercury, monomethylmercury and ethylmercury and their cysteine-complexes was also studied by continuous flow-chemical vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry in order to characterize the reduction reaction with tetrahydroborate. When complexed with cysteine, inorganic mercury, monomethylmercury and ethylmercury cannot be separately quantified varying tetrahydroborate concentration due to a lack of selectivity, and their speciation requires a pre-separation stage (e.g. a chromatographic separation). If not complexed with cysteine, monomethylmercury and ethylmercury cannot be separated, as well, but their sum can be quantified separately with respect to inorganic mercury choosing a suitable concentration of tetrahydroborate (e.g. 10^? 5 mol L^? 1), thus allowing the organic/inorganic mercury speciation.The detection limits of the flow injection-chemical vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry method were about 45 nmol L^? 1 (as mercury) for all the species considered, a relative standard deviation ranging between 1.8 and 2.9% and a linear dynamic range between 0.1 and 5 μmol L^? 1 were obtained. Recoveries of monomethylmercury and ethylmercury with respect to inorganic mercury were never less than 91%. Flow injection-chemical vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry method was validated by analyzing the TORT-1 certificate reference material, which contains only monomethylmercury, and obtaining 83 ± 5% of monomethylmercury recovered, respectively. This method was also applied to the determination of monomethylmercury in saliva samples.     

Bis(tetraethylammonium) tetrabromocobaltate(II) and bis(tetrabutylammonium) tetrabromomanganate(II): structure and magnetic properties

The crystal structures of tetrabromocobaltate(II) and tetrabromomanganate(II) salts of general formula [(C₂H₅)₄N]₂[CoBr₄] (1) and [(C₄H₉)₄N]₂[MnBr₄] (2) were determined. The manganese and cobalt cations are four-coordinated by bromide anions and they adopt a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination. In the structure of both compounds there are neither hydrogen bonds nor any unusual short-range intermolecular interactions. Magnetic measurements of the powdered samples gave negative values of the Weiss constants equal to −4.9 and −1.1 K for (1) and (2), respectively, which suggest antiferromagnetic interactions to be transferred within the crystal lattice.