Three imines comprised of 5-nitrothiophen-2-yl as electron-accepting and phenols as electron-donating groups were synthesized and used as chromogenic chemosensors to detect alkylamines. The compounds are colorless in water, but their deprotonation by the alkylamines generates the corresponding colored phenolates, which can be used to detect those analytes. The addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) causes bathochromic shift of the perichromic band of the phenolates, indicating that the compounds are transferred into the micelles. In addition, CTAB lowers the pKa of phenols and increases the stability of the phenolates, improving their performance as chemosensors. Applications were prospected with the chromogenic chemosensors adsorbed on strip papers to detect alkylamines in water and in the vapor phase. The compounds were also used in solution for the quantification of lidocaine in water. Thus, the versatility of the compounds studied allows to think about applications in industrial, environmental, and pharmaceutical areas.

Two novel compounds, 4-(pyren-1-ylimino)methylphenol and 4-[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]phenylmethylenepyren-1-amine) were synthesized. Solutions of 4-(pyren-1-ylimino)methylphenol in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are colorless, but on addition of cyanide and fluoride they become colored due to the deprotonation of the chemosensor. The system is highly selective toward cyanide with the addition of water. This compound can be solubilized in water with addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide above its critical micellar concentration. The pKa of the compound in water was determined as 10.49 ± 0.02 and this value is lowered in micellar medium to 7.49 ± 0.02, which means that only cyanide is sufficiently basic to achieve the deprotonation of the compound. Solutions of 4-[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]phenylmethylenepyren-1-amine) in DMSO are colorless, but they are colored in the presence of cyanide and fluoride and only cyanide could be detected in DMSO-water mixture. The nucleophilic attack of the anions on the silicon center of the compound releases colored 4-(pyren-1-ylimino)methylphenolate, enabling the detection of nucleophilic analytes.

<p>Three polymer-surfactant systems comprised of branched polyethylene imine (PEI) with an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylsulfate; SDS), a cationic surfactant (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide; TTAB), and a zwitterionic surfactant (<italic>N</italic>-tetradecyl-<italic>N</italic>,<italic>N</italic>-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate; SB3-14) were studied based on the properties of surface tension, pyrene fluorescence emission, dynamic light scattering, pH, and zeta potential measurements. The critical aggregation concentration (<italic>cac</italic>) and polymer saturation point (<italic>psp</italic>) were determined for all three systems. The effect of these surfactants on the physico-chemical characteristics (diameter and surface charge) of the complexes formed was determined. Polymer-surfactant interactions occurred in all of the systems studied, with the strongest interactions, electrostatic in nature, occurring in the SDS-PEI system. After the neutralization of the polymer charges with the addition of the surfactant, the hydrophobic effect started to control the interlacing of the polymer chains. For the PEI-TTAB system, a very dense film was formed at surfactant concentrations above 2.0 mmol L^-1. In this case, the bromide counter-ion interacted with both the positively-charged PEI and the head of the surfactant, which is responsible for the formation of double layer coordination complexes. For the system composed of PEI and the zwitterionic surfactant, less cooperative associations occurred in comparison with the other systems.</p>

Biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) have received considerable attention because of their possible use in the development of strategies for the topical delivery of oils and therapeutic drugs, particularly when drug penetration in dermis is desired. Zein is a prolamine and is a promising material for the design of drug delivery systems. In this study, NPs were prepared with zein and were used to encapsulate and release terpinen-4-ol, which is a therapeutic agent for the treatment of melanoma. The results show that the zein NPs are promising nanostructured systems for the prolonged delivery of T4OL with potential applications in anti-melanoma therapy.

A two-step experiment is proposed for a third year class in experimental organic chemistry. Over a period of five weeks, the students synthesized calix[4]pyrrole, a receptor that is highly selective for fluoride, and a pyridinium N-phenolate dye. Subsequently, the students used the synthesized compounds to investigate a displacement assay on the basis of the competition in acetonitrile between fluoride and the dye for calix[4]pyrrole. The experiment increased the students' skills in organic synthesis and in the characterization of organic compounds, provided a very attractive and accessible illustration of important supramolecular phenomena, and allowed the study of a chromogenic chemosensor.

O composto 4-(4-nitrobenzilidenoamino)fenol foi utilizado em duas estratégias que permitem uma detecção altamente seletiva de F- e CN-. Primeiramente, observou-se que o composto em acetonitrila age como um quimiossensor cromogênico devido ao fato de que ânions básicos levam ao seu desprotonamento (solução incolor), resultando numa solução colorida contendo fenolato. A detecção seletiva de CN- sobre F- foi obtida adicionando-se 1,4% de água ao sistema: a água solvata preferencialmente o F-, enquanto o CN- fica relativamente livre para desprotonar o composto fenólico. Outra estratégia envolveu um ensaio de competição do fenolato e do analito pelo calix[4]pirrol em acetonitrila, um receptor altamente seletivo para F-. O fenolato e o calix[4]pirrol formam um complexo por ligação de hidrogênio, com mudança na cor do meio. Dentre diversos ânions, somente o F- foi capaz de restaurar a cor original correspondendo ao fenolato, pelo fato do ânion deslocá-lo do sítio de complexação.

4-(4-Nitrobenzylideneamine)phenol was used in two strategies allowing the highly selective detection of F- and CN-. Firstly, the compound in acetonitrile acts as a chromogenic chemosensor based on the idea that more basic anions cause its deprotonation (colorless solution), generating a colored solution containing phenolate. The discrimination of CN- over F- was obtained by adding 1.4% water to acetonitrile: water preferentially solvates F-, leaving the CN- free to deprotonate the compound. Another strategy involved an assay comprised of the competition between phenolate dye and the analyte for calix[4]pyrrole in acetonitrile, a receptor highly selective for F-. Phenolate and calix[4]pyrrole form a hydrogen-bonded complex, which changes the color of the medium. On the addition of various anions, only F- was able to restore the original color corresponding to phenolate in solution due to the fact that the anion dislodges phenolate from the complexation site.

Dois pré-ligantes 2,2'-bipiridínicos 5,5'-dissubstituídos apresentando em sua estrutura dois ou três sítios de coordenação [5,5'-bis(ácido N-metil-hidroxâmico)-2,2'-bipiridina (4) e 5-metil-5'-(ácido N-metil-hidroxâmico)-2,2-bipiridina (10)] foram sintetizados. Estes ligantes foram empregados no estudo de uma estratégia de automontagem por complexação seqüencial. De acordo com este conceito, o primeiro metal adicionado organiza os substituintes-ligantes das posições 5,5' para a complexação do segundo íon metálico adicionado seqüencialmente. A adição de Fe2+ a uma solução contendo 4 levou à formação do complexo Fe2+-tris(bipiridil). A adição de Fe3+ a este complexo rendeu uma arquitetura trimetálica. O ligante 10 levou à formação de uma mistura de arquiteturas bimetálicas pela adição seqüencial de íons Fe2+ e Fe3+. No entanto, quando a ordem de adição foi alterada, somente um complexo bimetálico foi obtido. Isto se deve ao fato de que o primeiro metal adicionado (Fe3+) age como um molde, organizando os ligantes bipiridínicos e pré-formando uma cavidade adequada para o íon Fe2+.

Two multisite 5,5'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine ligands containing N-methyl hydroxamic acids as substituents [5,5'-bis(N-methylhydroxamic)-2,2'-bipyridine (4) and 5-methyl-5'-(N-methylhydroxamic)-2,2-bipyridine (10)] were synthesized. These ligands were used in order to illustrate the strategy of self-assembly through sequential complexation. According to this concept, the first metal added organizes the ligands disposed in 5,5'-positions to accomodate the second metal ion that is sequentially added. Thus, addition of Fe2+ to a solution of 4 led to a Fe2+-tris(bipyridine) complex. Addition of Fe3+ to this solution yielded a trimetallic architecture, which was characterized. Ligand 10 yielded a mixture of bimetallic architectures through complexation with Fe2+ followed by Fe3+ ions. However, if the order of metal addition is changed, only one bimetallic complex is obtained. This is due to the fact that the first metal ion added (Fe3+) acts as a template, organizing the bipyridine ligands and preforming an adequate cavity for the Fe2+ ion.

Ácidos húmicos (HA) extraídos de vermicompostos (VC) de estercos de ovelhas (SHHA), bovinos (COHA), caprinos (GOHA) e coelhos (RAHA) foram analisados com o auxílio das espectroscopias de ressonância paramagnética eletrônica e ressonância magnética nuclear de hidrogênio. Estas substâncias húmicas (HS) recentes são compostas por ácidos carboxílicos, fenóis, funções amina, amida, éster, éter, estruturas carbônicas alifáticas saturadas, alifáticas com ligações conjugadas, duplas e simples, ao lado de cadeias aromáticas. Foram caracterizados complexos de Mn2+ de esfera externa (SHHA, COHA), complexos de Fe3+ em estruturas axiais (GOHA, RAHA) e rômbicas (SHHA, COHA, GOHA e RAHA) e complexos de Cu2+ de campo fraco (COHA, GOHA, RAHA) e de campo forte (SHAHA, COHA, GOHA, RAHA).

Humic acids (HA) extracted from sheep (SHHA), cow (COHA), goat (GOHA) and rabbit (RAHA) vermicomposted manure were analyzed by electron paramagnetic resonance and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Carboxylic acids, amine, amide, ester, ether and phenol functions bonded to saturated aliphatic, unsaturated aliphatic conjugated double and single bonds, and aromatic chains constitute the backbone structure of these fresh humic substances (HS). Mn2+ outer sphere complexes (SHHA, COHA), Fe3+ axial (COHA, RAHA) or rhombic (SHAHA, COHA, GOHA, RAHA) complexes and Cu2+ as weak field (COHA, GOHA, RAHA) and strong field (SHAHA, COHA, GOHA, RAHA) complexes were characterized.

Os avanços recentes das pesquisas na área de sistemas inorgânicos automontados são resumidos neste artigo de revisão, em especial aqueles envolvendo os metalo-helicatos, os metalo-exorreceptores e as arquiteturas inorgânicas formadas a partir de componentes múltiplos. As aplicações, assim como as perspectivas vislumbradas para estes sistemas, são também discutidas.

This review summarizes the recent advances that have been performed on self-assembled inorganic systems, especially on helical systems, metallo-exoreceptors and on architectures formed from multiple components. In addition, applications as well as the perspectives for these designed systems are also discussed.