Macroscopic hydrogels by self-assembly of oligolactate-grafted dextran microspheres.

A novel approach is presented to create self-assembling hydrogels. Microspheres based on cross-linked dextran were chemically modified with L- or D-oligolactate chains. Successful grafting of the particles was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Rheological analysis of aqueous dispersions of oligolactate-grafted microspheres demonstrated that hydrophobic interactions between oligolactate chains on the surface of various microspheres resulted in the formation of an almost fully elastic gel. A mixture of microspheres substituted with L- or D-oligolactates of opposite chirality resulted in gels with highest strength, likely due to stereocomplexation between the enantiomers. The network properties could be modulated by varying the solid content of the gel, the DS (i.e., number of lactate grafts per 100 glucopyranose units) and the DP (i.e., degree of polymerization) of the oligolactate grafts. Protein loading of the hydrogels could be achieved by simply mixing the microspheres with protein solution. Release experiments showed a continuous release of the entrapped lysozyme, with 50% released after 5 days and full preservation of its enzymatic activity. The biocompatible nature of the material, the protein-friendly self-assembly of the hydrogel and the possibility to tailor the gel properties, makes this hydrogel system an attractive candidate for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy of Mn/Co/TiO2 Fischer-Tropsch catalysts: relationships between preparation method, molecular structure, and catalyst performance.

The effects of the addition of manganese to a series of TiO(2)-supported cobalt Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalysts prepared by different methods were studied by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy at the Co and Mn K-edges. After calcination, the catalysts were generally composed of large Co(3)O(4) clusters in the range 15-35 nm and a MnO(2)-type phase, which existed either dispersed on the TiO(2) surface or covering the Co(3)O(4) particles. Manganese was also found to coexist with the Co(3)O(4) in the form of Co(3-x)Mn(x)O(4) solutions, as revealed by XRD and XAFS. Characterization of the catalysts after H(2) reduction at 350 degrees C by XAFS and TEM showed mostly the formation of very small Co(0) particles (around 2-6 nm), indicating that the cobalt phase tends to redisperse during the reduction process from Co(3)O(4) to Co(0). The presence of manganese was found to hamper the cobalt reducibility, with this effect being more severe when Co(3-x)Mn(x)O(4) solutions were initially present in the catalyst precursors. Moreover, the presence of manganese generally led to the formation of larger cobalt agglomerates ( approximately 8-15 nm) upon reduction, probably as a consequence of the decrease in cobalt reducibility. The XAFS results revealed that all reduced catalysts contained manganese entirely in a Mn(2+) state, and two well-distinguished compounds could be identified: (1) a highly dispersed Ti(2)MnO(4)-type phase located at the TiO(2) surface and (2) a less dispersed MnO phase being in the proximity of the cobalt particles. Furthermore, the MnO was also found to exist partially mixed with a CoO phase in the form of rock-salt Mn(1-x)Co(x)O-type solid solutions. The existence of the later solutions was further confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) for a Mn-rich sample. Finally, the cobalt active site composition in the catalysts after reduction at 300 and 350 degrees C was linked to the catalytic performances obtained under reaction conditions of 220 degrees C, 1 bar, and H(2)/CO = 2. The catalysts with larger Co(0) particles ( approximately >5 nm) and lower Co reduction extents displayed a higher intrinsic hydrogenation activity and a longer catalyst lifetime. Interestingly, the MnO and Mn(1-x)Co(x)O species effectively promoted these larger Co(0) particles by increasing the C(5+) selectivity and decreasing the CH(4) production, while they did not significantly influence the selectivity of the catalysts containing very small Co(0) particles.

1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoroalkyl-functionalization of Ni(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) mono- and diphosphine complexes: minimizing the electronic consequences for the metal center.

A series of fluorous derivatives of group 10 complexes MCl(2)(dppe) and [M(dppe)(2)](BF(4))(2) (M = Ni, Pd or Pt; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) and cis-PtCl(2)(PPh(3))(2) was synthesized. The influence of para-(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoroalkyl)dimethylsilyl-functionalization of the phosphine phenyl groups of these complexes, as studied by NMR spectroscopy, cyclovoltammetry (CV), XPS analyses, as well as DFT calculations, points to a weak steric and no significant inductive electronic effect. The steric effect is most pronounced for M = Ni and leads in the case of NiCl(2)(1c) (3c) and [Ni(1c)(2)](BF(4))(2) (7c) (1c = [CH(2)P[C(6)H(4)(SiMe(2)CH(2)CH(2)C(6)F(13))-4](2)](2)) to a tetrahedral distortion from the expected square planar geometry. The solubility behavior of NiCl(2)[CH(2)P[C(6)H(4)(SiMe(3-b)(CH(2)CH(2)C(x)F(2x+1)b)-4](2)](2) (3: b = 1-3; x = 6, 8) in THF, toluene, and c-C(6)F(11)CF(3) was found to follow the same trends as those observed for the free fluorous ligands 1. A similar correlation between the partition coefficient (P) of complexes 3 and free 1 was observed in fluorous biphasic solvent systems, with a maximum value obtained for 3f (b = 3, x = 6, P = 23 in favor of the fluorous phase).