Sebastián Bellú

Weak Interactions Modulating the Dimensionality in Supramolecular Architectures in Three New Nickel(II)-Hydrazone Complexes, Magnetostructural Correlation, and Catalytic Potential for Epoxidation of Alkenes under Phase Transfer Conditions

Three different ONO donor acetyl hydrazone Schiff bases have been synthesized from the condensation of acetic hydrazide with three different carbonyl compounds: salicylaldehyde (HL(1)), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (HL(2)), and 2, 3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (HL(3)). These tridentate ligands are reacted with Ni(OOCCF(3))(2)·xH(2)O to yield three new Ni(II) complexes having distorted octahedral geometry at each Ni center: [Ni(L(1))(OOCCF(3))(CH(3)OH)](2) (1), [Ni(L(2))(OOCCF(3))(H(2)O)](2) (2), and [Ni(L(3))(L(3)H)](OOCCF(3))(H(2)O)(1.65)(CH(3)OH)(0.35) (3). The ligands and the complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, and the structures of the complexes have been established by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. 1 and 2 are centrosymmetric dinuclear complexes and are structural isomers whereas 3 is a bis chelated cationic monomer coordinated by one neutral and one monoanionic ligand. O-H···O hydrogen bonds in 3 lead to the formation of a dimer. Slight steric and electronic modifications in the ligand backbone provoke differences in the supramolecular architectures of the complexes, leading to a variety of one, two, and three-dimensional hydrogen bonded networks in complexes 1-3 respectively. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that moderate antiferromagnetic interactions operate between phenoxo bridged Ni(II) dimers in 1 and 2 whereas very weak antiferromagnetic exchange occurs through hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interactions in 3. All complexes are proved to be efficient catalysts for the epoxidation of alkenes by NaOCl under phase transfer condition. The efficiency of alkene epoxidation is dramatically enhanced by lowering the pH, and the reactions are supposed to involve high valent Ni(III)-OCl or Ni(III)-O· intermediates. 3 is the best epoxidation catalyst among the three complexes with 99% conversion and very high turnover number (TON, 396).

Application of green seaweed biomass for MoVI sorption from contaminated waters. Kinetic, thermodynamic and continuous sorption studies

Spongomorpha pacifica biomass was evaluated as a new sorbent for Mo(VI) removal from aqueous solution. The maximum sorption capacity was found to be 1.28×10(6)±1×10(4) mg kg(-1) at 20°C and pH 2.0. Sorption kinetics and equilibrium studies followed pseudo-first order and Langmuir adsorption isotherm models, respectively. FTIR analysis revealed that carboxyl and hydroxyl groups were mainly responsible for the sorption of Mo(VI). SEM images show that morphological changes occur at the biomass surface after Mo(VI) sorption. Activation parameters and mean free energies obtained with Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model demonstrate that the mechanism of sorption process was chemical sorption. Thermodynamic parameters demonstrate that the sorption process was spontaneous, endothermic and the driven force was entropic. The isosteric heat of sorption decreases with surface loading, indicating that S. pacifica has an energetically non-homogeneous surface. Experimental breakthrough curves were simulated by Thomas and modified dose-response models. The bed depth service time (BDST) model was employed to scale-up the continuous sorption experiments. The critical bed depth, Z0 was determined to be 1.7 cm. S.pacifica biomass showed to be a good sorbent for Mo(VI) and it can be used in continuous treatment of effluent polluted with molybdate ions.

The interaction between mercury(II) and sulfathiazole

The interaction of mercury(II) with sulfathiazole has been analyzed. IR and NMR spectral studies suggest a coordination of Hg(II) with the Nthiazolic atom, unlike related Hg-sulfadrugs compounds. The complex was screened for its activity against Escherichia coli, showing an appreciable antimicrobial activity compared with the ligand.

Reduction of hypervalent chromium in acidic media by alginic acid

Selective oxidation of carboxylate groups present in alginic acid by Cr(VI) affords CO2, oxidized alginic acid, and Cr(III) as final products. The redox reaction afforded first-order kinetics in [alginic acid], [Cr(VI)], and [H(+)], at fixed ionic strength and temperature. Kinetic studies showed that the redox reaction proceeds through a mechanism which combines Cr(VI)→Cr(IV)→Cr(II) and Cr(VI)→Cr(IV)→Cr(III) pathways. The mechanism was supported by the observation of free radicals, CrO2(2+) and Cr(V) as reaction intermediates. The reduction of Cr(IV) and Cr(V) by alginic acid was independently studied and it was found to occur more than 10(3) times faster than alginic acid/Cr(VI) reaction, in acid media. At pH 1-3, oxo-chromate(V)-alginic acid species remain in solution during several hours at 15°C. The results showed that this abundant structural polysaccharide present on brown seaweeds is able to reduce Cr(VI/V/IV) or stabilize high-valent chromium depending on pH value.

Removal of Chromium(VI) and Chromium(III) from Aqueous Solution by Grainless Stalk of Corn

Abstract Grainless stalk of corn (GLSC) was tested for removal of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) from aqueous solution at different pH, contact time, temperature, and chromium/adsorbent ratio. The results show that the optimum pH for removal of Cr(VI) is 0.84, while the optimum pH for removal of Cr(III) is 4.6. The adsorption processes of both Cr(VI) and Cr(III) onto GLSC were found to follow first-order kinetics. Values of k ads of 0.037 and 0.018 min−1 were obtained for Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively. The adsorption capacity of GLSC was calculated from the Langmuir isotherm as 7.1 mg g−1 at pH 0.84 for Cr(VI), and as 7.3 mg g−1 at pH 4.6 for Cr(III), at 20°C. At the optimum pH for Cr(VI) removal, Cr(VI) reduces to Cr(III). EPR spectroscopy shows the presence of Cr(V) + Cr(III)-bound-GLSC at short contact times and adsorbed Cr(III) as the final oxidation state of Cr(VI)-treated GLSC. The results indicate that, at pH ≈ 1, GLSC can completely remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution through an adsorption-coupled reduction mechanism to yield adsorbed Cr(III) and the less toxic aqueous Cr(III), which can be further removed at pH 4.6.

Application of chitosan in removal of molybdate ions from contaminated water and groundwater

Water pollution by heavy metals represents a serious problem around the world. Among various treatment techniques for water remediation, adsorption is an effective and versatile method due to the low cost, effectiveness and simplicity. Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide with an excellent adsorption capacity of heavy metal ions. Chitosan has a high molybdate adsorption capacity (265±1mgg-1) at 20°C and pH 2.7. Participation of hydroxyl groups in the adsorption of molybdate anions was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. SEM images showed that morphological surface changes happen after MoVI adsorption. Continuous adsorption data were best fitted by Modified Dose- Response model. Scale-up of continuous processes was achieved applying bed depth service time (BDST) model. Application of chitosan in molybdate removal from real groundwater samples suggest that this polysaccharide is a good option to be used for household purposes.

The interaction between sulfathiazole and cobalt(II): potentiometric studies

Potentiometric studies of sulfathiazole (HST) in the presence and absence of cobalt(II) were performed. Equilibrium constants for the formation of the detected species, [Co(ST)]+ and [Co(ST)(OH)], are reported. UV-Vis spectrophotometric measurements suggest that the coordination Co(II)-sulfathiazole might be through a N atom, which, in agreement with MO calculations, could be a thiazolic one. In spite of sulfonamides being better ligands at pH >7, [Co(ST)]+ was found at pH » 3.

Synthesis, characterization and biological studies of a cobalt(III) complex of sulfathiazole

The emergence of old and new antibiotic resistance created in the last decades revealed a substantial medical need for new classes of antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial activity of sulfa drugs is often enhanced by complexation with metal ions, which is in concordance with the well-known importance of metal ions in biological systems. Besides, sulfonamides and its derivatives constitute an important class of drugs, with several types of pharmacological agents possessing antibacterial, anti-carbonic anhydrase, diuretic, hypoglycemic, antithyroid, antiviral and anticancer activities, among others. The purpose of this work has been the obtainment, characterization and determination of biological properties (antibacterial, antifungal, mutagenicity and phytotoxicity) of a new Co(III)-sulfathiazole complex: Costz, besides of its interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA). The reaction between sodium sulfathiazole (Nastz) and cobalt(II) chloride in the presence of H2O2 leads to a brown solid, [CoIII(stz)2OH(H2O)3], (Costz). The structure of this compound has been examined by means of elemental analyses, FT-IR, 1H NMR, UV-Visible spectrometric methods and thermal studies. The Co(III) ion, which exhibits a distorted octahedral environment, could coordinate with the N thiazolic atom of sulfathiazolate. The complex quenched partially the native fluorescence of bovine serum albumin (BSA), suggesting a specific interaction with the protein. The Costz complex showed, in vitro, a moderate antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and A. flavus. As antibacterial, Costz displayed, in vitro, enhanced activity respective to the ligand against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Costz did not show mutagenic properties with the Ames test. In the Allium cepa test the complex showed cytotoxic properties but not genotoxic ones. These results may be auspicious, however, further biological studies are needed to consider the complex Costz as a possible drug in the future.

Quinic acid and hypervalent chromium: a spectroscopic and kinetic study

The redox reaction between an excess of quinic acid (QA) and CrVI involves the formation of intermediates, namely, CrIV and CrV species, which in turn react with the organic substrates. As observed with other substrates that have already been studied, CrIV does not accumulate during this reaction because of the rate of the reaction. Its rate of disappearance is several times higher than that of the reaction of CrVI or CrV with QA. Kinetic studies indicate that the redox reaction proceeds via a combined mechanism that involves the pathways CrVI → CrIV → CrII and CrVI → CrIV → CrIII, which is supported by the observation of superoxo-CrIII (CrO22+) ions, free radicals, and oxo-CrV species as intermediates and the detection of CrVI ester species. The present study reports the complete rate laws for the QA/chromium redox reaction.