Evaluation of N-Alkyl-bis-o-aminobenzamide Receptors for the Determination and Separation of Metal Ions by Fluorescence, UV-Visible Spectrometry and Zeta Potential.

This paper presents the synthesis and evaluation of physicochemical behavior of a new series of N-alkyl-bis-o-aminobenzamides (BOABs) in aqueous solution. The study was targeted to the complexing capacity of five metal ions (Fe2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+) of environmental concern as the medullar principle of a liquid phase sensor for its application in the determination of these metal ions due to its versatility of use. Molecular fluorescence, UV-visible and Zeta potential were measured for five BOABs and the effect of alkyl groups with different central chain length (n = 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10) on physicochemical performance determined. The results have shown that these derivatives present higher sensibility and selectivity for Cu2+ even in the presence of the other metal ions. An additional application test was done adding a pectin (0.1 wt %) solution to the BOAB-Cu+2 complex to obtain a precipitate (flocs) as a potential selective separation process of Cu from aqueous solution. The solid was then lyophilized and analyzed by SEM-EDS, the images showed spheric forms containing Cu+2 with diameter of approximately of 8 µm and 30 wt %.

A novel and highly regioselective synthesis of new carbamoylcarboxylic acids from dianhydrides.

A regioselective synthesis has been developed for the preparation of a series of N,N'-disubstituted 4,4'-carbonylbis(carbamoylbenzoic) acids and N,N'-disubstituted bis(carbamoyl) terephthalic acids by treatment of 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (1) and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (2) with arylalkyl primary amines (A-N). The carbamoylcarboxylic acid derivatives were synthesized with good yield and high purity. The specific reaction conditions were established to obtain carbamoyl and carboxylic acid functionalities over the thermodynamically most favored imide group. Products derived from both anhydrides 1 and 2 were isolated as pure regioisomeric compounds under innovative experimental conditions. The chemo- and regioselectivity of products derived from dianhydrides were determined by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by density functional theory (DFT). All products were characterized by NMR, FTIR, and MS.