New Insights on Solvent-Induced Changes in Refractivity and Specific Rotation of Poly(propylene oxide) Systems Extracted from Channeled Spectra

Investigation of chiroptical polymers in the solution phase is paramount for designing supramolecular architectures for photonic or biomedical devices. This work is devoted to the case study of poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) optical activity in several solvents: benzonitrile, carbon disulfide, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and p-dioxane. To attain information on the interactions in these systems, rheological testing was undertaken, showing distinct variations of the rheological parameters as a function of the solvent type. These aspects are also reflected in the refractive index dispersive behavior, from which linear and non-linear optical properties are extracted. To determine the circular birefringence and specific rotation of the PPO solutions, the alternative method of the channeled spectra was employed. The spectral data were correlated with the molecular modeling of the PPO structural unit in the selected solvents. Density functional theory (DFT) computational data indicated that the torsional potential energy-related to the O1-C2-C3-O4 dihedral angle from the polymer repeating unit-was hindered in solvation environments characterized by high polarity and the ability to interact via hydrogen bonding. This was in agreement with the optical characterization of the samples, which indicated a lower circular birefringence and specific rotation for the solutions of PPO in ethyl acetate and p-dioxane. Also, the shape of optical rotatory dispersion curves was slightly modified for PPO in these solvents compared with the other ones.

Dual-Pulsed Laser Ablation of Oyster Shell Producing Novel Thin Layers Deposed to Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Dual-pulsed (DPL) laser deposition using oyster shells as targets was studied in order to find out if this method can replace the use of high-power pulsed lasers. Aspects related to changes in the morphological structure of the thin layer but also to the chemical composition of the obtained thin layer were analyzed and compared with the target as well as with the thin layers obtained with a higher power pulsed laser in a single-pulsed (SPL) regime. Orthorhombic structures were noticed with Scanning Electron Microscopy for the thin film obtained in DPL mode compared to the irregular particles obtained in SPL mode. The deacetylation process during ablation was evidenced by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, resulting in chitosan-based thin films. The effect of the obtained thin films of chitosan on the cells of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was studied. Restoration of the yeast paste into initial yeast was noticed mainly when the hemp fabric was used as support for the coating with yeas which was after that coated with chitosan thin film produced by DPL method.

Review on Optical Methods Used to Characterize the Linear Birefringence of Polymer Materials for Various Applications

Optical polymers are recognized for their high transparency, raised flexibility, low cost, and good film-forming ability; hence, they introduce a multitude of benefits in a wide range of devices, such as information storage, displays, optical communications, and filters. Among the optical properties, birefringence is an essential parameter in practical cases that demand the control of the state of polarization of light. This review is focused on describing some fundamental and applicative aspects concerning the optical birefringence of the polymer materials. First, elementary notions depicting the phenomenon of light double refraction in macromolecular media are provided. Furthermore, the most relevant optical techniques to determine birefringence are reviewed by highlighting the working principle and mathematical basis for computing this parameter. Then, a series of investigations of optically birefringent polymers are described, summarizing the most utilized approaches to induce light double refraction in such materials. The selected results are analyzed in relation to the pursued applications. In the end, the future of this scientific domain is briefly presented by establishing the research paths that need further exploration. Moreover, the novel directions that could be formulated and might contribute to certain considerable advancements in the materials employed in the modern optical technologies are mentioned.

New Semisynthetic Penicillins Obtained by Coupling of the 6-Aminopenicillanic Acid with 5-Mercapto-1,2,4-triazoles-3,4-disubstituted

In a basic medium, 5-Mercapto-1,2,4-triazoles pass into the thiol form, allowing their transformation into sodium salts, which, in reaction with sodium monochloroacetate, lead to sodium 5-thioacetates of 1,2,4-triazoles-3,4-disubstituted. Sulfur derivatives converted to pivalic mixed anhydrides were used as active forms in the acylation of 6-amino penicillanic acid (6-AP) to obtain new semisynthetic penicillins. They contain in the molecule, together with the β-lactam ring, the nucleus 3-[(5-nitroindazol-1'-yl-methyl)]-4-aryl-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, both contributing to an important antibacterial effect. The structure of the new antibiotics was confirmed by the results of elemental and spectral analysis (FT-IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR). The synthetic penicillins were tested for toxicological action and antibacterial activity and the obtained results were close to those for amoxicillin, the reference drug.

Birefringence of Thin Uniaxial Polymer Films Estimated Using the Light Polarization Ellipse

A simple method for determining the linear birefringence of the thin layers based on the determination of the orientation of the polarization ellipse of totally polarized light is proposed and it is applied to PVA thin foils. Theoretical notions and the experimental procedure are described. The linear birefringence of polymer thin foils with different degrees of stretching is determined and the applicability of the method is discussed.

Optimized Synthesis of New Thiosemicarbazide Derivatives with Tuberculostatic Activity

Original results are presented in the field of research that addresses the extension of the reaction of residue of acyl-thiosemicarbazide fixation on the structure of 5-nitrobenzimidazole by a sulphonic group. The aim of the study is the increase of new thiosemicarbazide derivatives’ applicative potential in the field of biochemistry, with a wide range of medical applications. The newly obtained compounds were characterized by using elemental analysis and spectral analysis (FT-IR and ¹H NMR). A study regarding the optimization of the chemical reactions was made. The performed in vitro biological tests confirmed the tuberculostatic activity of three newly obtained compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Optimized Synthesis of New N-Mustards Based on 2-Mercaptobenzoxazole Derivatives with Antitumor Activity

New di-(β-chloroethyl)-amides of some acids derived from 2-mercaptobenzoxazole were prepared by reaction of the corresponding pivalic mixed anhydrides with di-(β-chloroethyl)-amine. A study regarding the optimization of the chemical reactions was made for the case of di-(β-chloroethyl)-amines. The quantum chemical analysis by Spartan'14 was made in order to establish the most stable configuration of the ground electronic states for the obtained chemical structures and some physico-chemical parameters of N-mustards reported in this paper. Mercaptobenzoxazoles substituted in the side chain with the cytotoxic group show antitumor activity and they inhibit Ehrlich Ascites in an appreciable proportion compared to the drug I.O.B.-82, as our studies evidenced.

Variational Method for Estimating the Dipole Moment in the Second Excited State of Fluorescein Molecule from its Electronic UV Absorption Spectra

Electro-optical parameters of fluorescein molecule in the second excited electronic state and information on the interactions with solvents were obtained from a solvatochromic study. Parameters of the solvents such as the refractive index, electrical permittivity and Kamlet-Taft parameters (hydrogen bond acidity and basicity) were related with the experimentally recorded shifts of UV absorption spectral band of fluorescein dissolved in several solvents. Through a variational method, the electric dipole moment and polarizability in excited state of fluorescein molecule were estimated. The calculus requires some parameters of the fluorescein molecule in the ground electronic state, which were determined through a quantum-mechanical study.

Dispersion of Nicotine Circular Birefringence

The dispersion of nicotine�s circular birefringence in the visible range was determined from the channeled spectrum and verified using a polarimeter standardized in yellow light of a Natrium lamp. The obtained results are in agreement with the data from literature.

Optical and Chemical Study of Quartz from Granitic Pegmatites

Of the nine quartz samples collected from the Contu - Negovanu granitic pegmatites (Southern Carpathians, Romania), three were separated under binocular lenses and turned into fine grained powders, for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) investigation techniques, whilst the other six samples were prepared in thin slides for electron microprobe analyzer (EMPA) and optical investigations, using a Babinet compensator and a Rayleigh interferometer. The results show that the quartz samples belonging to the Contu-Negovanu granitic pegmatites are chemically very pure, showing an expected high participation of silica and only some remarkable contents of Fe, derived from iron oxide micro-inclusions finely disseminated in the quartz grains. The minor and trace elements distribution suggests that different crystallization conditions influenced the quartz composition, thus resulting some rather high contents of Ba, Rb, Sr and some REE contents (Ce) in the pegmatite quartz crystallized from alkali- and alkaline-earth-rich fluids, while the metamorphic quartz appears to be highly pure, showing no such presence. The analyzed quartz samples present birefringence parameters within the limits of other quartz samples and a decrease of the linear birefringence of quartz with the light wavelength increase is emphasized by the data obtained using the channeled spectrum.

New method to determine the optical rotatory dispersion of inorganic crystals applied to some samples of Carpathian Quartz

A new method to determine the optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) in the visible range, based on a channeled spectrum obtained with a uniax inorganic crystal introduced between two crossed polarizers with its optical axis parallel to the light propagation direction is detailed in this paper. When the studied inorganic crystals are transparent, this method permits the estimation of the optical rotatory dispersion in the visible range, for which the cheap polarizers are available. The speed of the measurements is very high, because the estimations are made from the channeled spectrum obtained for a single arrangement of the optical components. By using a computer, ORD is quickly determined for the visible range. The results obtained by this method for some Carpathian Quartz samples are consistent with those from literature. The proposed method can be also applied in UV and IR spectral ranges, when the anisotropic layers are transparent and the linearly polarized radiations can be obtained.