A new mutually destabilized reactive hydride system: LiBH4–Mg2NiH4

In this work, the hydrogen sorption properties of the LiBH4–Mg2NiH4 composite system with the molar ratio 2:2.5 were thoroughly investigated as a function of the applied temperature and hydrogen pressure. To the best of our knowledge, it has been possible to prove experimentally the mutual destabilization between LiBH4 and Mg2NiH4. A detailed account of the kinetic and thermodynamic features of the dehydrogenation process is reported here

Dental methacrylates may exert genotoxic effects via the oxidative induction of DNA double strand breaks and the inhibition of their repair

Methacrylate monomers used in dentistry have been shown to induce DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), one of the most serious DNA damage. In the present work we show that a model dental adhesive consisting of 45% 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 55% bisphenol A-diglycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) at concentrations up to 0.25 mM Bis-GMA induced oxidative DNA in cultured primary human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) as evaluated by the comet assay and probed with human 8-hydroxyguanine DNA-glycosylase 1. HEMA/Bis-GMA induced DSBs in HGFs as assessed by the neutral comet assay and phosphorylation of the H2AX histone and sodium ascorbate or melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine) both at 50 μM reduced the DSBs, they also inhibited apoptosis induced by HEMA/Bis-GMA. The adhesive slowed the kinetics of the repair of DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide in HGFs, while sodium ascorbate or melatonin improved the efficacy of H2O2-induced damage in the presence of the methacrylates. The adhesive induced a rise in the G2/M cell population, accompanied by a reduction in the S cell population and an increase in G0/G1 cell population. Sodium ascorbate or melatonin elevated the S population and reduced the G2/M population. In conclusion, HEMA/Bis-GMA induce DSBs through, at least in part, oxidative mechanisms, and these compounds may interfere with DSBs repair. Vitamin C or melatonin may reduce the detrimental effects induced by methacrylates applied in dentistry

A novel green template for the synthesis of mesoporous silica

Mesoporous pure silicas and functionalized silica with a narrow pore size distribution centered at 3.8 nm were prepared by a novel template, amphiphilic dendritic polyglycerol. The resulting silica materials were characterized by electron microscopy; nitrogen adsorption; H-1, C-13, and Si-29 solid-state cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. It was shown that the template could be completely removed from the pure and functionalized silica in an environmentally friendly way by means of a simple water extraction procedure. Furthermore, it was shown that these materials could be easily functionalized, for example, by employing aminopropyl groups. Thus, a new environmentally friendly pathway to this fascinating class of silica material has been opened

Solid-state NMR studies of aminocarboxylic salt bridges in L-lysine modified cellulose

LysCel is a cellulose-based material in which L-lysine molecules are grafted with their amino side chains to the cellulose hydroxyl groups. This modification increases considerably the mechanical strength and resistance of cellulosic structures toward water. It has been attributed to the formation of double salt bridges between lysine aminocarboxyl groups in the zwitterionic state. In order to characterize this unusual structure, we have performed high-resolution solid-state 15N and l3C CPMAS NMR experiments on LysCel samples labeled with 15N in the a-position or e-position. Furthermore, 13C-15N REDOR experiments were performed on LysCel where half of the aminocarboxyl groups were labeled in 1-position with 13C and the other half in α-position with 15N. The comparison with the 13C and 15N chemical shifts of L-leucine lyophilized at different pH shows that the aminocarboxyl groups of LysCel are indeed zwitterionic. The REDOR experiments indicate distances of about 3.5 Å between the carboxyl carbon and the nitrogen atoms of different aminocarboxyl groups, indicating that the latter are in close contact with each other. However, the data are not compatible with isolated aminocarboxyl dimers but indicate the assembly of zwitterionic aminocarboxyl dimers either in a flat ribbon or as tetramers, exhibiting similar intra-and interdimer l3C···15N distances. This interaction of several aminocarboxyl groups is responsible for the zwitterionic state, in contrast to the gas phase, where amino acid dimers exhibiting two OHN hydrogen bonds are neutral. © 2009 American Chemical Society

H-2-solid-state NMR study of benzene-d(6) confined in mesoporous silica SBA-15

Benzene-d(6) confined in the hexagonal ordered cylindrical pores of mesoporous silica SBA-15 (pore diameter 8.0 nm) was studied by low-temperature H-2-solid-state NMR spectroscopy in the temperature range between 236 and 19 K and compared to bulk benzene-d(6). The solid-state spectra of the bulk benzene-d(6) exhibit quadrupolar Pake patterns at high and low temperatures, and in the intermediate temperature regime the typical line shape changes caused by rotational jumps around the 6-fold axis. At all temperatures the benzene molecules are characterized by a single rotational correlation time. For benzene-d6 confined in SBA-15, however, these exchange dominated line shapes are not found. At all temperatures below the freezing point the spectra of benzene in the silica show the coexistence of two states with temperature-dependent intensity ratios. This behavior is the result of a Gaussian distributions of activation energies for the rotational jumps inside the pores. For the solid I-solid 11 (fast 6-fold jump to slow 6-fold jump) transition the center of the distribution is at 40 K (6.0 kJ/mol) with a width of 19.5 K (2.9 kJ/mol). For the liquid-solid I (liquidlike to fast 6-fold jump) transition the center of the distribution is at 204 K (30.6 kJ/mol) and the width is 15 K (2.2 kJ/mol). From the pore volume and the filling factor, a thickness of four molecular layers of this surface phase is estimated

Counting of labelled tyrosine molecules in hydrophobic yoctolitre wells filled with water

Time-dependent radioactivity and solid-state C-13-NMR measurements of tyrosine entrapped in water-filled yoctolitre (10(-24) L) wells with hydrophobic walls are reported; the results indicate that such wells induce the formation of quasi solid tyrosine if they are brought in contact with 0.1 M solutions of this edge amphiphile

Efficient synthesis of alkali borohydrides from mechanochemical reduction of borates using magnesium-aluminum based waste

Lithium borohydride (LiBH4) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) were synthesized via mechanical milling of LiBO2, and NaBO2 with Mg–Al-based waste under controlled gaseous atmosphere conditions. Following this approach, the results herein presented indicate that LiBH4 and NaBH4 can be formed with a high conversion yield starting from the anhydrous borates under 70 bar H2. Interestingly, NaBH4 can also be obtained with a high conversion yield by milling NaBO2·4H2O and Mg–Al-based waste under an argon atmosphere. Under optimized molar ratios of the starting materials and milling parameters, NaBH4 and LiBH4 were obtained with conversion ratios higher than 99.5%. Based on the collected experimental results, the influence of the milling energy and the correlation with the final yields were also discussed

Zinc thiolate complexes ZnLn(SR)(+) with azamacrocyclic ligands, part II: Mechanism of the reaction with CS2

The thiolate complexes Zn(15]aneN(4))(S-CH2-C6H5)]ClO4 (1) (15aneN(4) = 1,4,8,12-tetraazacyclopentadecane) and Zn(i-14]aneN(4))(S-CH2-C6H5)ICIO4 (2) (i-14aneN(4) = 1, 4,7, 11 -tetraazacyclotetradecane) have been reacted with carbon disulfide. The trithiocarbonate complexes Zn(15]aneN(4))S-C(S)-S-CH2-C6H5]CIO4 1a, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, Z = 8, a = 13,2338(1) angstrom, b = 12.9251(2) angstrom, c = 30.1669(4) angstrom, beta = 101.463(1)degrees, V = 5057.1(1) angstrom(3) and Zn(i14]aneN(4))S-C(S)-S-CH2-C6H5]CIO4 2a, orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), Z = 8, a = 9.9936(1) angstrom, b 22.1261(4) angstrom, c = 22.3192(4) angstrom, V = 4935.2(l) angstrom(3) were obtained. The reaction of 1 with CS2 is second order with a rate constant of k = (57.6 +/- 2.4) x 10(-3) m(-1.)s(-1) at 25 degrees C. The experimentally determined Eyring activation barrier is Delta H-exp(double dagger) = 65.3 +/- 0.7 kJ(.)mol(-1) (Delta S-exp(double dagger) = -49.9 +/- 2.5 J(.)mol(-1.)K(-1)) and a free energy of activation of Delta G* = 80.2 +/- 1.5 kJ(.)mol(-1) at 25 degrees C. To discriminate between an associative and a dissociative mechanism the barriers for both processes were calculated using density functional theory at the C-PCM(B98/G3MP2Large)//B3LYP/ 6-311+G(d) level. The associative mechanism is clearly favored with a difference in free energies of activation of delta Delta G(double dagger) approximate to 80kJ(.)mol(-1). Its calculated barrier Delta G(theor)(double dagger) = 114.3 kJ(.)mol(-1) is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value. ((c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)