Publications

Abstract The heat of hydrogenation of indenone was measured via two partially independent thermodynamic cycles by carrying out energetic measurements (i.e., electron affinities, proton affinities and ionization potentials) on both negative and positive ions (Delta H-H2 degrees = 17.8 +/- 5.5 and 17.5 +/- 5.7 kcal mol(-1), respectively). High level G3 computations were also carried out to provide the heats of formation of indenone (16.8 kcal mol(-1)) and cyclopentadienone (14.0 kcal mol(-1)). These 4n pi electron systems are found to be nonaromatic in contrast to previous views. A recent report on cyclopropenyl anion (J. Org. Chem. 2013, 78, 7370-7372) indicates that this ion is also nonaromatic, and suggests that NMR ring currents and nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations do not correlate with the energetic criterion for antiaromatic compounds.

Abstract Highly phototuminescent carbon dots have been prepared in a one step procedure by hydrothermal treatment of formaldehyde at 180 degrees C. They show green fluorescence under UV light exposure and emission spectra are centered at 440 nm. Fluorescence lifetimes comprise between 0.7 and 2.70 ns, when the synthesis process lasted for 1-7 days. TEM images of nanoparticles showed a homogeneous size/shape distribution. When the thermal treatment process was carried out for a long time (30 days) formation of aggregates occurred. Carbon dots were further analyzed using H-1 and C-13-NMR, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy techniques and XPS. Cell imaging of nanopartictes was carried out by using mouse MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts as a model. The nanoparticles were selectively localized in the cytoplasm without further functionalization and could be realized by cellular phagocytosis, so that the fluorescence of these can be used for live cell imaging in vitro.

Abstract The vapor pressures of crystalline and liquid phases of methyl p-hydroxybenzoate and of methyl p-methoxybenzoate were measured over the temperature ranges (338.9 to 423.7) K and (292.0 to 355.7) K respectively, using a static method based on diaphragm capacitance gauges. The vapor pressures of the crystalline phase of the former compound were also measured in the temperature range (323.1 to 345.2) K using a Knudsen mass-loss effusion technique. The results enabled the determination of the standard molar enthalpies, entropies and Gibbs free energies of sublimation and of vaporization, at T = 298.15 K, as well as phase diagram representations of the (p, T) experimental data, including the triple point. The temperatures and molar enthalpies of fusion of both compounds were determined using differential scanning calorimetry and were compared with the results indirectly derived from the vapor pressure measurements. The standard (p degrees = 10(5) Pa) molar enthalpies of formation, in the crystalline phase, at T = 298.15 K, of the compounds studied were derived from their standard massic energies of combustion measured by static-bomb combustion calorimetry. From the experimental results, the standard molar enthalpies of formation, in the gaseous phase at T = 298.15 K, were calculated and compared with the values estimated by employing quantum chemical computational calculations. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical results is observed. To analyze the thermodynamic stability of the two compounds studied, the standard Gibbs free energies of formation in crystalline and gaseous phases were undertaken. The standard molar enthalpies of formation of the title compounds were also estimated from two different computational approaches using density functional theory-based B3LYP and the multilevel G3 methodologies.

Abstract Persistent pesticide transformation products (TPs) are increasingly being detected among different environmental compartments, including groundwater and surface water. However, there is no sufficient experimental data on their toxicological potential to assess the risk associated with TPs, even if their occurrence is known. In this study, the interaction of chlorophenoxy herbicides (MCPA, mecoprop, 2,4-D and dichlorprop) and their main transformation products with calf thymus DNA by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy has been assessed. Additionally, the toxicity of the chlorophenoxy herbicides and TPs was also assessed evaluating the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. On the basis of the results found, it seems that AChE is not the main target of chlorophenoxy herbicides and their TPs. However, the results found showed that the transformation products displayed a higher inhibitory activity when compared with the parent herbicides. The results obtained in the DNA interaction studies showed, in general, a slight effect on the stability of the double helix. However, the data found for 4-chloro-2-methyl-6-nitrophenol suggest that this transformation product can interact with DNA through a noncovalent mode.

Abstract Introduction: Caffeic acid (CA) is broadly distributed in several species of the plant kingdom and is widely consumed in human diet. CA and derivatives have been extensively studied in the past years, which unveiled a broad spectrum of biological activities and potential therapeutic applications. As a result, there has been an upsurge in the development of new chemical entities based on the CA scaffold. Areas covered: The scope of this review is to revisit the therapeutic potential of CA and derivatives. It provides an overview of patented processes and applications thereof between 2009 and 2013. Expert opinion: The phenylpropanoid framework is currently considered a valid structure for drug discovery programs. Actually, CA has been widely used as a template for the development of new chemical entities with potential therapeutic interest in human diseases associated with oxidative stress. Additionally, the applicability of CA derivatives expands to the realms of cosmetic industry due to its stabilizing properties. The synthesis of esters, amides and hybrids with currently marketed drugs is a trending strategy for the development of derivatives with therapeutic application. It is our opinion that the innovative artwork currently being developed involving this chemical scaffold will yield new and effective therapeutic agents in a foreseeable future.

Abstract Cationic gemini surfactants have strong potential as compaction agents of nucleic acids for efficient non-viral gene delivery. In this work, we present the aggregation behavior of three novel cationic serine-based gemini surfactants as well as their ability to compact DNA per se and mixed with a helper lipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE). All the surfactants have a 12-12-12 configuration, i.e. two main 12-carbon alkyl chains linked to the nitrogen atom of the amino acid residue and a 12 methylene spacer, but they differ in the nature of the spacer linkage: for (12Ser)(2)N12,an amine bond; for (12Ser)(2)CON12, an amide bond; and for (12Ser)(2)COO12, an ester bond. Interestingly, while the amine-based gemini aggregates into micelles, the amide and ester ones spontaneously form vesicles, which denotes a strong influence of the type of linkage on the surfactant packing parameter. The size, zeta-potential and stability of the vesicles have been characterized by light microscopy, cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The interaction of the gemini aggregates with DNA at different charge ratios and in the absence and presence of DOPE has been studied by DLS, fluorescence spectroscopy and cryo-SEM. All the compounds are found to efficiently compact DNA (complexation > 90%), but relevant differences are obtained in terms of the size, zeta-potential and stability of the lipoplexes formed. Results are rationalized in terms of headgroup differences and the type of aggregates present prior to DNA condensation.

Abstract In this paper, a coupled bioluminescent assay, relying on the coupling of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase, S-acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase and firefly luciferase, for the detection and quantitation of organophosphorus pesticides, is presented. Using malathion as a model organophosphorus pesticide, the assay was optimized through statistical experimental design methodology, namely Plackett-Burman and central composite designs. The optimized method requires only 20 mu L of sample. The linear range for the assay was 2.5-15 mu M of malathion, with limits of detection and quantitation of 1.5 and 5.0 mu M, respectively. This simple, fast and robust method allows samples to be analyzed at room temperature and without any pretreatment. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract Firefly oxyluciferin is a photoacid that presents a pH-sensitive fluorescence, which results from pH-dependent changes on the conformation of self-aggregated - stacking complexes. Luciferin is a derivative of oxyluciferin with very similar fluorescence and photoacidic properties. This similarity indicates that luciferin is also expected to be able to form - stacking complexes, but no pH-sensitive fluorescence is found for this compound. Here, a theoretical approach is used to rationalize this finding. We have found that luciferin only forms - stacking complexes in the ground state at acidic pH. At basic pH and in the excited state, luciferin is present as a dianion. This species is not able to self-aggregate, owing to repulsive electrostatic interactions. Thus, this emissive species is not subject to - stacking interactions; this explains its pH-insensitive fluorescence.

Abstract A fluorescent nanocomposite based on the inclusion of CdSe quantum dots in porous phosphate heterostructures, functionalized with amino groups (PPH-NH2@CdSe), was synthesized, characterized and used for fingerprint detection. The main scopes of this work were first to develop a friendly chemical powder for detecting latent fingerprints, especially in non-porous surfaces; their further intercalation in PPH structure enables not to spread the fluorescent nanoparticles, for that reason very good fluorescent images can be obtained. The fingerprints, obtained on different non-porous surfaces such as iron tweezers, mobile telephone screen and magnetic band of a credit card, treated with this powder emit a pale orange luminescence under ultraviolet excitation. A further image processing consists of contrast enhancement that allows obtaining positive matches according to the information supplied from a police database, and showed to be more effective than that obtained with the non-processed images. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of proposed methods.