Calcium Complexes of Carboxylate-Containing Polyamide with Sterically Disposed NH···O Hydrogen Bond: Detection of the Polyamide in Calcium Carbonate by 13C Cross-Polarization/Magic Angle Spinning Spectra

Carboxylate-Terminated Double-Hydrophilic Block Copolymer as an Effective Inhibitor for Carbonate and Sulphate Scales

For the control of carbonate and sulphate scales, a new type of green scale inhibitors AQn was synthesized. The thermal stability and the molecular weight of the copolymers were investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis and gel permeation chromatography, respectively. The anti-scale property of the AQn copolymers towards CaCO3 and CaSO4 in the artificial cooling water was studied through static scale inhibition tests. The results show that both CaCO3 and CaSO4 inhibition increase with increasing the degree of polymerization of AQn from 5 to 15. The dosage of AQn plays also an important role on CaCO3 and CaSO4 inhibition. Surface morphology characterization of CaCO3 and CaSO4 was investigated with combination of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. An inhibition mechanism is proposed that the interactions between calcium and polyethylene glycol (PEG) are the fundamental impetus to restrain the formation of the scale in cooling water systems.

Calcium carbonate microparticle templates using a PHOS-b-PMAA double hydrophilic copolymer

The crystallization characteristics of calcium carbonate microparticles grown from supersaturated aqueous solutions in the presence of a double hydrophilic block copolymer poly(p-hydroxystyrene-b-methacrylic acid), PHOS-b-PMAA, have been investigated. The studies aim to highlight both the possibilities and the limitations of CaCO3/PHOS-b-PMAA microparticle formation under different relative inorganic/polymer ratio conditions, varying the initial solution supersaturation or the polymer concentration. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to provide high-resolution images of particles and thereby information on the particle morphology, while X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the polymorph type and crystallite characteristics. The presence of the polymer in the composite particles was shown by thermogravimetric, particle charge density and zeta potential analysis. The polymer-induced sensitivity of the new composites to environmental pH variations has been followed by streaming potential variation.

NMR spectroscopy of citrate in solids: cross-polarization kinetics in weakly coupled systems

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is a potentially powerful method for obtaining molecular level structural information crucial for understanding the specific relationship between calcite crystals and occluded organic molecules that are important in biomineralization and biomimetic materials. In this work, a method is developed based on cross-polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR to measure the heteronuclear distances and obtain structural information for large intracrystalline citrate defects in a synthetic calcite/citrate composite. Using compounds with well-characterized crystal structures, Mg(II) citrate and Sr(II) citrate, a correlation is established between T(IS), the CP time, and M(2) (IS), the van Vleck heteronuclear dipolar second moment, which contains distance and structural information. This correlation is supported by peak assignments obtained from calculations of the (13)C chemical shifts for crystalline Mg(II) citrate. On the basis of T(IS) (-1) versus M(2) (IS) correlation, measurement of T(IS) for carbonate ions associated with citrate defects in a calcite((13)C-enriched)/citrate coprecipitate yields an estimate for the distance between citrate and the nearest carbonate carbon that indicates close spatial proximity and provides useful constraints for future computational study. The applicability of T(IS) (-1) versus M(2) (IS) correlations to other weakly coupled spin-1/2 systems is discussed in terms of the effects of (1)H homonuclear dipolar coupling, using the CP kinetics of Zn(II) dihydroxybenzoate and kaolinite for comparison. The results suggest a limited range of correlation constants and indicate that quantitative information can be obtained from CP/MAS kinetics obtained under similar experimental conditions.

Efficiently stabilized spherical vaterite CaCO3 crystals by carbon nanotubes in biomimetic mineralization

Carbon nanotubes were used to induce the formation of spherical vaterite crystals and stabilize the metastable crystals in the biomimetic mineralization of CaCO3 for the first time. It was found that carboxyl-functionalized multiwalled/single-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-COOH/SWNT-COOH) can favor the formation of spherical vaterite crystals and stabilize the crystals. In the presence of CNT-COOH, CaCO3 vaterite crystals with diameters of ca. 1-7 microm coated and embedded with the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were obtained in 30 min by adding Na2CO3 aqueous solution to the aqueous solution of CaCl2. The spherical vaterite crystals covered by the carboxylic CNTs can exist stably in water for a week. Carboxylic-polymer-functionalized CNTs can also facilitate the formation of spherical vaterite crystals, whereas the formed crystals completely transformed into thermodynamically stable calcite crystals in water within 10 h. "Offline" TEM observations of the mineralization process of CaCO3 in the presence of CNT-COOH or pristine CNTs revealed the stability mechanism of vaterite crystals with carboxylic CNTs. The crystals nucleate at the carboxyl groups of CNT-COOH, grow around the CNTs, and finally form spherical vaterite crystals embedded and covered by the CNTs. The strong interaction between CNT-COOH and crystals together with the strong mechanical strength of CNTs stabilizes the formed vaterite crystals and makes them difficult to dissolve in water. These findings announce that nanomaterials could strongly influence the mineralization of biomineralization matters, which may help us prepare novel biomaterials and bionanomaterials.

Formation of stable vaterite with poly(acrylic acid) by the delayed addition method

The crystallization of CaCO3 was examined by changing the addition time of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) to an aqueous solution of calcium carbonate by selectively interacting with the crystal at different stages during the crystal-forming process. The precipitation of CaCO3 was carried out by a double jet method to prevent heterogeneous nucleation on glass walls, and the sodium salt of PAA was added by a delayed addition method. In the initial presence of PAA in an aqueous solution of calcium carbonate, PAA acted as an inhibitor for the nucleation and growth of crystallization. However, it was found that stable vaterite particles were successfully obtained by delaying the addition of PAA from 1 to 60 min. The vaterite particles were stable in the aqueous solution for more than 30 days, and the CaCO3 particles were formed by a spherulitic growth mechanism. It is suggested that PAA strongly binds with the Ca2+ ion on the surface of CaCO3 particles to stabilize the unstable vaterite form effectively. Upon changing the addition time of PAA, we found that CaCO3 particles were formed through different formation mechanisms in selectively controlled crystallization at different stages during the crystallization process.

Organic coprecipitates with calcite: NMR spectroscopic evidence

Dissolved organic ligands are well known to interact strongly with the calcite surface, altering precipitation and dissolution rates, crystal morphology, and possibly the ability of calcite to sequester metal contaminants. We show, using NMR spectroscopic techniques, that some of the citrate molecules present in a solution of precipitating calcite are incorporated structurally into the calcite crystal. Calcite grown by a seeded constant-addition method contains approximately 1 wt % coprecipitated citrate and yields 13C{1H} cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectra that contain broad peaks for citrate plus a signal from carbonate. Results from 13C{1H} heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments show that citrate is located in close spatial proximity to carbonate groups. In addition, calcite/citrate coprecipitates contain about 0.4 wt % excess water, which is not present as fluid inclusions, and some of which occurs as rigid structural water. These results suggestthat water and hydrogen-bonding interactions play a role in the interface between included organic molecules and the calcite host. Additional NMR data obtained for calcite coprecipitates of aspartic and glutamic acids suggest they are also incorporated structurally but at concentrations much lower than for citrate, whereas no evidence was found for phthalate incorporation.

Switching of turn conformation in an aspartate anion peptide fragment by NH · · · O−hydrogen bonds

Aspartic acid protease model peptides Z-Phe-Asp(COOH)-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ala-NHCy (1) and AdCO-Asp(COOH)-Val-Gly-NHBzl (3), and their aspartate anions (NEt4)[Z-Phe-Asp(COO-)-Thr-Gly-Ser-Ala-NHCy] (2) and (NEt4)[AdCO-Asp(COO-)-Val-Gly-NHBzl] (4), having an invariant primary sequence of the Asp-X(Thr,Ser)-Gly fragment, were synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR, CD, and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. NMR structure analyses indicate that the Asp O(delta) atoms of the aspartate peptide 2 are intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded with Gly, Ser, Ala NH, and Ser OH, supporting the rigid beta-turn-like conformation in acetonitrile solution. The tripeptide in the aspartic acid 3 forms an inverse gamma-turn structure, which is converted to a beta-turn-like conformation because of the formation of the intramolecular NH . . . O- hydrogen bonds with the Asp O(delta) in 4. Such a conformational change is not detected between dipeptides AdCO-Asp(COOH)-Va-NHAd (5) and (NEt4)[AdCO-Asp(COO-)-Val-NHAd] (6). The pK(a) value of side-chain carboxylic acid (5.0) for 3 exhibits a lower shift (0.3 unit) from that of 5 in aqueous polyethyleneglycol lauryl ether micellar solution. NMR structure analyses for 3 in an aqueous micellar solution indicate that the preorganized turn structure, which readily forms the NH . . . O- hydrogen bonds, lowers the pK(a) value and that resulting hydrogen bonds stabilize the rigid conformation in the aspartate anion state. We found that the formation of the NH . . . O- hydrogen bonds involved in the hairpin turn is correlated with the protonation and deprotonation state of the Asp side chain in the conserved amino acid fragments.

Stabilization of calcium- and terbium-carboxylate bonds by NH...O hydrogen bonds in a mononuclear complex: a functional model of the active site of calcium-binding proteins

Novel benzoic acid ligands with bulky amide groups at the ortho position, 2,6-(MeCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)CO(2)H (1) and 2,6-(t-BuCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)CO(2)H (2), and their tris- and tetrakis(carboxylate) complexes with Ca(II) and Tb(III) ions, (NEt(4))(2)[Ca(II)[O(2)C-2,6-(t-BuCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)](4)] (4), [Tb[O(2)C-2,6-(t-BuNHCO)(2)C(6)H(3)](3)(H(2)O)(3)]] (5), and (NMe)(4)[Tb[O(2)C-2,6-(t-BuNHCO)(2)C(6)H(3)](4)(thf)] (6), were synthesized. The formation of the NH...O hydrogen bonds between the amide NH and carboxylate for 2, (NEt(4))[2,6-(t-BuCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)CO(2)] (3), and 4 was determined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy in solution and in the solid state (CRAMPS, IR). The ligand exchange reactions were attempted between 4 and a large excess of 2,4,6- Me(3)C(6)H(3)CO(2)H in chloroform-d solution; however, exchange reaction did not take place, indicating that the Ca(II) ions bound strongly to the carboxylate in 4. The Ca(II) ion binding properties with the benzoate derivatives were also examined using Tb(III) ion as a fluorescence probe. These results indicate that the NH...O hydrogen bonding between the amide NH and the oxygen atom of the carboxylate contributes to strong Ca(II) binding and prevents the dissociation of the calcium-carboxylate bond. The X-ray structural analyses of these complexes revealed that the NH.O hydrogen-bonded carboxylate ligands prefer the chelate-type coordination and create a mononuclear [Ca(O(2)CR)(4)](2)(-) or [Tb(O(2)CR)(4)](-) core with anionic charge, which is known only in the active site of calcium-binding proteins.

Water-soluble terpolymer-mediated calcium carbonate crystal modification

The structure of the polymeric substrate plays an important role in the nucleation of calcium carbonate crystals. In this study a synthetic water-soluble poly(acrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sodium sufonate-co-n-vinyl pyrrolidone) was found to be a substrate favoring the nucleation of polymorphs of calcium carbonate crystals under specific experimental conditions. Morphological characterization of the polymorphs was done using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, FTIR analysis, and X-ray diffraction. If calcium carbonate is precipitated in the presence of terpolymer, a remarkable increase in nucleation density (number of crystals per unit area) was observed. Stacked crystals of rhombohedral morphology that formed may be due to the presence of sodium sulfonate groups on the terpolymer. However, in the presence of poly-L-aspartic acid, almost all crystals are hollow and have needlelike or plate like morphology was formed. This change in calcium carbonate morphology can be explained by the variation of the polymer conformation, if poly- L-aspartic acid is present.

Highly oriented aragonite nanocrystal–biopolymer composites in an aragonite brick of the nacreous layer of Pinctada fucata

13C CP/MAS NMR and FE/TEM measurements of the aragonite brick of the nacreous layer of Pinctada fucata indicate that it assembles with highly oriented aragonite nanocrystals, which are regulated by biopolymers.

Mononuclear Ca(II)-bulky aryl-phosphate monoanion and dianion complexes with ortho-amide groups

Two new mononuclear Ca(II) complexes with aryl dihydrogen phosphate ligands having two strategically oriented bulky amide groups, 2,6-(Ph3CCONH)2C6H3OPO3H2 (1), including one with a phosphate monoanion, (NMe4)[CaII[O2P(OH)OC6H3-2,6-(NHCOCPh3)2]3(NCMe)3] (3), and one with a phosphate dianion, [CaII[O3POC6H3-2,6-(NHCOCPh3)2](H2O)3(MeOH)2] (4). Both are analogues for the NH...O hydrogen bonds in the active site of Ca(II)-containing phosphotransferase. Crystallographic studies of these Ca(II) complexes revealed that the amide NHs are directed to uncoordinated O atoms of the phosphates, and the IR and 1H NMR spectra indicate that strong NH...O hydrogen bonds are formed only in the phosphate dianion state. The ligand exchange reaction of 3 with a non-hydrogen-bonded phosphate ligand shows that the NH...O hydrogen bonds prevent the Ca-O bond from dissociation. A scatter plot analysis comparing the distance of a Ca-O bond with the Ca-O-P angle, the Fourier density analysis, and DFT calculations reveal that a partial degree of covalency in the Ca-O(phosphate) bonds is present.

Dinuclear calcium complex with weakly NH...O hydrogen-bonded sulfonate ligands

The novel intramolecularly NH...O hydrogen-bonded Ca(II)-aryl sulfonate complex, [Ca2(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4)2(H2O)4]n(2-t-BuCONHC6H4SO3)2n (1), sulfonate anion, (HNEt3)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2a), (PPh4)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2b), (n-Bu4N)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2c), and sulfonic acid, 2-t-BuCONHC6H4SO3H (3), were synthesized. The structures of 1, 2a, and 2b depict the presence of the formation of NH...O hydrogen bonds between the amide NH and S-O oxygen for a series of compounds as determined by IR and 1H NMR analyses both in the solid state and in the solution state. Thus, the NH...O hydrogen bonds with neutral amide groups are available for investigation of the electronic state of the O- anion. The combined data from the IR and 1H NMR spectra indicate that the sulfonic acid, sulfonate anion, and Ca(II) complex have a substantially weak intramolecular NH...O hydrogen bond between the SO3 oxygen and amide NH. In the detailed comparison with the intense NH...O hydrogen bonds for the carboxylate, weak NH...O hydrogen bonds for sulfonate is due to the strong conjugation of the SO3- group with the lower nucleophilicity.