Raman study of pressure-induced phase transitions in imidazolium manganese- hypophosphite hybrid perovskite

By using Raman spectroscopy, we demonstrate that [IM]Mn(H₂POO)₃ is a highly compressible material that undergoes three pressure-induced phase transitions. Using a diamond anvil cell we performed high-pressure experiments up to 7.1 GPa, using paraffin oil as the compression medium. The first phase transition, which occurs near 2.9 GPa, leads to very pronounced changes in the Raman spectra. This behavior indicates that this transition is associated with very large reconstruction of the inorganic framework and collapse of the perovskite cages. The second phase transition, which occurs near 4.9 GPa, is associated with subtle structural changes. The last transition takes place near 5.9 GPa and it leads to further significant distortion of the anionic framework. In contrast to the anionic framework, the phase transitions have weak impact on the imidazolium cation. Pressure dependence of Raman modes proves that compressibility of the high-pressure phases is significantly lower compared to the ambient pressure phase. It also indicates that the contraction of the MnO₆ octahedra prevails over that of the imidazolium cations and hypophosphite linkers. However, compressibility of MnO₆ strongly decreases in the highest pressure phase. Pressure-induced phase transitions are reversible.

Synthesis of new water-soluble ionic liquids and their antibacterial profile against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

A series of imidazolium bromide salts (NIM-Br 1a, 1b and 1c) bearing different lengths of alkyl chains were synthesized and theirin vitro antibacterial activities were determined by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. In addition, these imidazolium derivatives were also evaluated against biofilm produced by these bacterial strains. All compounds were found to be effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and also more effective on the S. aureus biofilm production than the others.

Ionic-liquid-based microextraction method for the determination of silver nanoparticles in consumer products

A simple method to determine hazardous silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) based on ionic liquid (IL) dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and back-extraction is described. This approach involves AgNP stabilization using a cationic surfactant followed by extraction from the sample matrix by means of an IL as an extraction phase. Certain ILs have high affinity for metals, and preliminary experiments showed that those ILs consisting of imidazolium cation efficiently extracted AgNPs in the presence of a cationic surfactant and a chelating agent. Afterward, histamine was used as a dispersing agent to promote phase transfer of differently coated AgNPs from the IL in aqueous solution to be subsequently analyzed by UV-visible spectrometry. The analytical procedure allows AgNPs to be recovered from the sample matrix in an aqueous medium, the enrichment factor being up to 4, preserving both AgNP size and AgNP shape as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy images and the localized surface plasmon resonance band characteristic of each AgNP. The present method exhibited a linear response for AgNPs in the range from 3 to 20 μg/mL, the limit of detection being 0.15 μg/mL. Method efficiency was assessed in spiked orange juice and face cream, yielding recoveries ranging from 75.7% to 96.6%. The method was evaluated in the presence of other nanointerferents (namely, gold nanoparticles). On the basis of diverse electrophoretic mobilities and surface plasmon resonance bands for metal nanoparticles, capillary electrophoresis was used to prove the lack of interaction of the target AgNPs with gold nanoparticles during the whole protocol; thus, interferents do not affect AgNP determination. As a consequence, the analytical approach described has great potential for the analysis of engineered nanosilver in consumer products. Graphical abstract Simple protocol for the determination of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) based on dispersive liquid-liquid extraction with a specific short alkyl side chain ionic liquid and their quantitative detection with a UV-visible spectrometer. HMIM•PF₆ 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, NP nanoparticle, SPR surface plasmon resonance.

Anti-tumor activity of lipophilic imidazolium salts on select NSCLC cell lines

The anti-tumor activity of imidazolium salts is highly dependent upon the substituents on the nitrogen atoms of the imidazolium cation. We have synthesized and characterized a series of naphthalene-substituted imidazolium salts and tested them against a variety of non-smallcell lung cancer cell lines. Several of these complexes displayed anticancer activity comparable to cisplatin. These compounds induced apoptosis in the NCI-H460 cell line as determined by Annexin V staining, caspase-3, and PARP cleavage. These results strongly suggest that this class of compounds can serve as potent chemotherapeutic agents.