University of Wyoming

Other

Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of

The Blue Sky Group, Inc.

University and Community College System of Nevada

Robert C Corcoran

John M Pope

Junning Ma

Dan Buttry

Shannon White

Keith T Carron

Aaron D Strickland

Debashis Dutta

Roberta A Sulk

Kaspars Krutkramelis

Rodolfo A Monterroso

This invention relates to methods and compositions for removing contaminants from fluids, for example, the removal of mercury contaminants by oxidation. The compositions and methods provided herein are robust and accomplish efficient removal of contaminants from fluid streams without the need for relatively expensive activated carbon. In addition, the methods and compositions of the present invention do not pose risks to the safety of workers through the injection of highly toxic, highly corrosive elemental bromine to directly oxidize the mercury. The compositions and methods of the present invention are versatile and apply to a wide range of contaminants including, but not limited to, mercury, lead, cadmium, thallium, and hydrogen sulfides. Further, the compositions and methods contained herein are capable of efficient contaminant removal over a wide range of temperatures and pressures.

Methods and compositions for the removal of mercury from gases

The present invention pertains to the selection of cathode materials. The cathode materials of concern are the conducting polymer or backbone and the redox active species or sulfur species. The selection of the materials is based on the characteristics of the materials relating to the other components of the batteries and to each other. The present invention also pertains to the resultant cathode materials, particularly a selected cathode material of a single component sulfur-based conducting polymer with the sulfur species covalently linked to the conducting polymer, and most particularly a thiophene based polymer with covalently linked sulfur species. The conducting polymers have been covalently-derivatized with sulfides and/or sulfide-containing groups as battery cathode materials. The present invention also pertains to a battery employing the selection method and resultant cathode materials.

Single component sulfur-based cathodes for lithium and lithium-ion batteries

Methods and compositions for controlled release of amine, alcohol and thiol drugs, e.g., narcotic analgesics, and tricyclic amine antidepressants, are provided. The drug is releasably covalently bonded to a polymer or other activity-blocking moiety. Release is by an unmasking reaction resulting in the formation of a chemical group that undergoes a second reaction releasing the drug. For example, the narcotic analgesic fentanyl covalently attached to an inert polymer by way of its nitrogen through formation of a quaternary vinylammonium salt is released by hydrolysis of an acetal exposing an alcohol that undergoes an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction involving displacement of the fentanyl nitrogen. Process rate is controlled by controlling the rate of the intramolecular substitution reaction through varying the number of atoms in the chain connecting the alcohol group and the vinylic carbon and/or by the addition of substituents on that chain, and/or by the acetal hydrolysis rate.

Methods and compositions for controlled release of drugs

Provided herein are microfluidic devices and methods useful for sensitive detection of analytes. The methods and devices described herein are also useful for detecting direct or indirect binding of enzymes or catalysts to a surface, for example a surface having analytes bound thereon. Methods disclosed herein include embodiments utilizing a pre-concentration scheme to improve signal levels of corresponding reporter moieties.

Methods and compositions for detection of biological materials using microfluidic devices

This invention provides a method and compositions for the controlled release of drugs that have been attached by means of a covalent bond to a polymer or other moiety that blocks activity of the drug until it has been released. A two-stage process is provided in which an unmasking reaction results in the formation of a chemical group that can then undergo a second reaction to release the drug. In a preferred embodiment, the narcotic analgesic fentanyl covalently attached to an inert polymer by way of its nitrogen through the formation of a quaternary vinylammonium salt, and then released by a sequence involving hydrolysis of an acetal that exposes an alcohol that may then undergo an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction involving displacement of the nitrogen of oxycodone. The rate of this process may be controlled by controlling either or both of the rates of the acetal hydrolysis or the intramolecular substitution reaction, but is preferably controlled by the latter through varying the number of atoms in the chain connecting the alcohol group and the vinylic carbon, as well as by the addition of substituents on that chain. The drug-delivery molecules of this invention are useful for release of amine, alcohol and thiol drugs, including a number of narcotic analgesics, tricyclic amine antidepressants, and many others.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for detecting, identifying and measuring the abundance of chemical nerve agents. Methods and compositions of the present invention are capable of providing selective detection of phosphorous based nerve agents, such as nerve agents that are esters of methyl phosphonic acid derivatives incorporating a moderately good leaving group at the phosphorus. Selectivity in the present invention is provided by a sensor composition having an alpha (&#x3b1;) effect nucleophile group that undergoes specific nucleophilic substitution and rearrangement reactions with phosphorus based nerve agents having a tetrahederal phosphorous bound to oxygen. The present invention includes embodiments employing a sensor composition further comprising a reporter group covalently linked to the alpha effect nucleophile group allowing rapid optical readout of nerve agent detection events, including direct visual readout and optical readout via spectroscopic analysis.

Compositions and methods for detecting nerve agents

The invention relates to the separation of at least one target from a sample composition using a naturally reversible reaction comprising the formation of at least one covalent bond. One embodiment of the invention is a chromatographic method in which the affinity of a stationary phase for at least one target is based on the equilibrium constant of such a naturally reversible reaction between the stationary phase and the target.

Purification of substances by reaction affinity chromatography

Single component sulfur-based cathodes for lithium-ion batteries

A colloidal system for detection of a variety of analytes involves techniques which permit reconstitution of a desiccated substance such as for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic analysis and multiple sensors at once, each having different spectra through the use of markers or the like. Competitive assay techniques and a variety of substances are explained to permit a practical an versatile system which can also be used for immunological assays and can include antibodies tagged to provide spectroscopic indicia.

Practical method and apparatus for analyte detection with colloidal particles

Techniques and devices for detecting and analyzing controlled substances and the like are discussed including highly reactive sensor molecules which are coated on a spectroscopic sample surface ( ) and which may chemically react with a given analyte to form a covalently bonded adduct with spectral characteristics unique to the new adduct. The techniques provide the basis of a detection system with high sensitivity and high specificity in which the surface can even be washed to remove interfering or nonreactive compounds. The sensor molecules which comprise the coating ( ) may have three major components: a central molecular scaffold (&ldquo;CMS&rdquo;), a &ldquo;tether&rdquo; terminated by a surface attachment group &ldquo;SAG,&rdquo; and a reactive functional group &ldquo;RFG&rdquo; which may be highly reactive towards certain classes of molecules. One or more modifiers or modifier groups &ldquo;Z&rdquo; which may serve to increase or decrease the reactivity of the RFG towards target analytes, or to modify the spectral characteristics of the adduct may also be included. Some sensor molecules include diazonium compounds, activated acyls, and nitrosos.

Method and apparatus for detection of a controlled substance

The specification describes a methylation resin comprising methyl(dialkyl)anilinium salts or methyl(diaryl)anilinium salts covalently bonded to the resin. The methylation resin is used in the solid-phase synthesis of codeine from morphine. Accordingly, the specification describes a process for methylating morphine to form codeine by loading morphine onto a methylation resin comprising methyl(dialkyl)anilinium salts or methyl(diaryl)anilinium salts covalently bonded to the resin; contacting the loaded resin with sufficient hydrocarbon or ether solvent to cover the loaded resin; and heating the loaded resin in the hydrocarbon or ether solvent under sufficient conditions to form codeine. The methylating resin may be used to methylate phenolic moieties on other compounds and to esterify compounds containing carboxylic acid moieties.

Solid-phase synthesis of codeine from morphine

A process for extracting morphine from opium is described. In the process, opium is extracted with a basic alcoholic solution. The basic alcoholic solution is filtered and the alcohol removed from the filtrate to leave a residue. The residue is then extracted with a basic aqueous solution having a pH of at least 11. The basic aqueous solution may be filtered to remove any solid matter remaining after the aqueous extraction step, and then be stirred with a sufficient amount of a salt to avoid emulsion formation. The basic aqueous solution or filtrate is then extracted with benzene or toluene. Next, adjusting the pH of the basic aqueous filtrate to pH 8.5 to 9.5 allows the morphine to precipitate and be recovered.

Growing community of inventors

Laramie, WY, United States of America

Robert C Corcoran