In this report, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4C1im]Cl) is demonstrated to enhance the kinetics of acid-catalysed hydrolysis of 1,4-β-glucans in binary solvent mixtures. [C4C1im]Cl plays other roles in the reaction beyond acting as a solvent for cellulose, as currently accepted. In fact, the presence of the IL increases the Hammett acidity of the catalyst dissolved in the reaction med...

Three sulphated polysaccharides labelled at the reducing end with three different chemical treatments [2-aminopyridine (2-AP), 8-amino-1,3,6-trisulphonic acid (ANTS) and 6-(biotinyl)-aminocaproylhydrazide (BACH)] were compared. Molecular weight, chemical composition, nuclear magnetic resonance features and anticoagulant activity expressed as activated partial thromboplastin time were studied to...

A general and practical procedure for the catalytic reduction of esters has been developed using classical Schwartz's reagent (Cp 2 Zr(H)Cl) as a catalyst.

Actin is the monomeric subunit of actin filaments which form one of the three major cytoskeletal networks in eukaryotic cells. Actin dynamics, be it the polymerisation of actin monomers into filaments or the reverse process, plays a key role in many cellular activities such as cell motility and phagocytosis. There is a growing number of experimental, theoretical and mathematical studies on the ...