1-22. (canceled).
23. A heat-sensitive compound comprising:
a first amphiphilic and thermally reversible part corresponding to one of formulae (I) or (II):
23
wherein i is an integer ranging from 1 to 20 and j is an integer ranging from 3 to 30, and
a second part to which the fist part of the compound is chemically bonded, the second part capable of complexing a chemical entity,
wherein the compound has the property of being soluble in water below a critical temperature Tc and insoluble in water above the temperature Tc, the property being thermally reversible.
24. The compound according to claim 23, wherein the second part comprises an amino acid, a peptide, an oligopeptide, a polypeptide, an oligomer, or a polymer comprising one or more complexing groups of amine, amide, or acid.
25. The compound according to claim 24, wherein the second part comprises a single amino acid.
26. The compound according to claim 25, wherein the amino acid is lysine.
27. The compound according to claim 26, wherein the second part of the compound corresponds to formula (III):
24
wherein R1 is a hydrocarbonaceous group and R2 is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, or a nitrogenous group which may or may not be substituted.
28. The compound according to claim 27, wherein R1 is a methyl group and R2 is a hydroxyl group or a methoxy group.
29. A compound corresponding to formula (IV):
25
wherein i is equal to 12, j is equal to 4, R1 is CH3, and R2 is OCH3.
30. A compound corresponding to formula (V):
26
wherein i is equal to 12, j is equal to 5, R1 is CH3, and R2 is OCH3 or OH.
31. The compound according to claim 23, wherein the critical temperature Tc is 20 to 90 C. at a concentration by weight of 0.1 to 25% in aqueous solution.
32. The compound according to claim 29, wherein the compound has a critical temperature Tc of 55 to 75 C. at a concentration by weight of 0.5 to 25% in aqueous solution.
33. The compound according to claim 30, wherein the compound has a critical temperature Tc of 30 to 70 C. at a concentration by weight of 0.1 to 25% in aqueous solution.
34. A process for the preparation of a heat-sensitive compound having the property of being soluble in water below a critical temperature Tc and insoluble in water above the temperature Tc, the property being thermally reversible, the process comprising:
reacting a carboxylic derivative corresponding to one of formulae (VI) or (VIII):
27
wherein i is an integer ranging from 1 to 20, j is an integer ranging from 3 to 10, and R3 is Cl, OH, or an alkoxy group,
with a primary or secondary amine or polyamine comprising a group capable of complexing a chemical entity.
35. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (IV):
28
wherein i is an integer ranging from 1 to 20, j is an integer ranging from 3 to 30, R1 is a hydrocarbonaceous group, and R2 is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, or a nitrogenous group which may or may not be substituted, the process comprising:
reacting a carboxylic derivative of formula (VI):
29
wherein i and j are as defined above in formula (IV) and R3 is Cl, OH, or an alkoxy group,
with a lysine derivative of formula (VII):
30
wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above for formula (IV).
36. The process according to claim 35, wherein the hydroxyl group of the carboxylic derivative of formula (VI) is protected and the carboxyl group of the derivative is activated before reacting it with the lysine derivative of formula (VII).
37. The process according to claim 36, wherein the hydroxyl group is protected with tetrahydropyran and the carboxyl group is activated with N-hydroxysuccinimide.
38. The process according to claim 36, further comprising a step of deprotecting the hydroxyl group of the derivative of formula (VI) after reaction of the derivative of formula (VI) with the lysine derivative of formula (VII).
39. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (V):
31
wherein i is an integer ranging from 1 to 20, j is an integer ranging from 3 to 30, R1 is a hydrocarbonaceous group, and R2 is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, or a nitrogenous group which may or may not be substituted, the process comprising:
reacting a carboxylic derivative of formula (VIII):
32
wherein i and j are as defined above for formula (V) and R3 is Cl, OH, or an alkoxy group,
with a lysine derivative of formula (VII):
33
wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above for formula (V).
40. A process for the extraction of at least one chemical entity present in an aqueous solution, comprising the steps of:
a) adding a heat-sensitive compound according to claim 23 to the aqueous solution at a temperature lower than the critical temperature Tc of the compound to form a reaction medium,
b) bringing the reaction medium to a temperature greater than the critical temperature Tc of the compound in order to separate the reaction medium into two phases, the two phases being a concentrated phase enriched in the chemical entity to be extracted, the concentrated phase having a density greater than that of water and which sediments, and a supernatant dilute aqueous phase depleted in the chemical entity to be extracted, and
c) separating the phase concentrated in the chemical entity from the reaction medium.
41. A process for the extraction of at least one chemical entity present in an aqueous solution, comprising the steps of:
a) adding a heat-sensitive compound according to claim 23 and a water-immiscible organic phase to the aqueous solution at a temperature lower than the critical temperature Tc of the compound to form a reaction medium,
b) bringing the reaction medium to a temperature greater than the critical temperature Tc in order to transfer the heat-sensitive compound and the chemical entity to be extracted into the organic phase, and
c) separating the organic phase comprising the chemical entity from the reaction medium.
42. The process according to claim 40, wherein the amount of heat-sensitive compound added in step a) is such that the concentration by weight of heat-sensitive compound in the aqueous solution is from 0.1 to 25%.
43. The process according to claim 40, wherein the chemical entity to be extracted is uranium present in the form of uranyl ion in the aqueous solution.
44. The process according to claim 43, wherein the heat-sensitive compound corresponds to formula (IV):
34
wherein i is equal to 12, j is equal to 4, R1 is CH3, and R2 is OCH3.
45. The process according to claim 41, wherein the amount of heat-sensitive compound added in step a) is such that the concentration by weight of heat-sensitive compound in the aqueous solution is from 0.1 to 25%.
46. The process according to claim 41, wherein the chemical entity to be extracted is uranium present in the form of uranyl ion in the aqueous solution.
47. The process according to claim 46, wherein the heat-sensitive compound corresponds to formula (IV):
35
wherein i is equal to 12, j is equal to 4, R1 is CH3, and R2 is OCH3.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-21. (canceled)
22. A method comprising:
receiving from a sender, at a computing device, a request to deliver a first message to a recipient, the request identifying at least one delivery condition set by the sender, said at least one delivery condition comprising a quantified status;
retrieving, by the computing device, data associated with a real-world entity (RWE) and an information object (IO) associated with the real-world entity;
determining, via the computing device, a status of the RWE, said determination comprises monitoring the data associated with the RWE and the IO;
comparing, via the computing device, the status of the RWE with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the status of the RWE corresponds with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the quantified status identifies a threshold, said threshold indicating a minimum state-related metric.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
monitoring the data associated with the RWE to identify information indicating the status of the RWE, said information comprising a metric indicating activity associated with the RWE.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
comparing the RWE’s metric with the threshold; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the metric of the RWE at least satisfies the threshold.
26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
monitoring the data associated with the IO to identify information indicating the status of the RWE, said information comprising a metric indicating activity associated with the IO.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
comparing the IO’s metric with the threshold; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the metric of the IO at least satisfies the threshold.
28. The method of claim 22, wherein the RWE is one of a person, device, or location.
29. The method of claim 22, wherein the IO is a passive object associated with the RWE.
30. The method of claim 22, wherein the quantified status of the delivery condition is associated with a location.
31. The method of claim 22, wherein the quantified status of the delivery condition is a temporal condition.
32. The method of claim 22, wherein the request comprises a delivery condition template comprising the at least one delivery condition, wherein the quantified status is predetermined.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the delivery condition template further comprises predetermined message content.
34. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with a computing device and storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor of the computing device, perform a method comprising:
receiving from a sender a request to deliver a first message to a recipient, the request identifying at least one delivery condition set by the sender, said at least one delivery condition comprising a quantified status;
retrieving data associated with a real-world entity (RWE) and an information object (IO) associated with the real-world entity;
determining a status of the RWE, said determination comprises monitoring the data associated with the RWE and the IO;
comparing the status of the RWE with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition; and
delivering the first message when the status of the RWE corresponds with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition.
35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the quantified status identifies a threshold, said threshold indicating a minimum state-related metric.
36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising:
monitoring the data associated with the RWE to identify information indicating the status of the RWE, said information comprising a metric indicating activity associated with the RWE;
comparing the RWE’s metric with the threshold; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the metric of the RWE at least satisfies the threshold.
37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising:
monitoring the data associated with the IO to identify information indicating the status of the RWE, said information comprising a metric indicating activity associated with the IO;
comparing the IO’s metric with the threshold; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the metric of the IO at least satisfies the threshold.
38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the request comprises a delivery condition template comprising the at least one delivery condition, wherein the quantified status is predetermined.
39. A system comprising:
at least one computing device comprising:
memory storing computer-executable instructions; and
one or more processors for executing said computer-executable instructions, comprising:
receiving from a sender a request to deliver a first message to a recipient, the request identifying at least one delivery condition set by the sender, said at least one delivery condition comprising a quantified status;
retrieving data associated with a real-world entity (RWE) and an information object (IO) associated with the real-world entity;
determining a status of the RWE, said determination comprises monitoring the data associated with the RWE and the IO;
comparing the status of the RWE with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition; and
delivering the first message when the status of the RWE corresponds with the quantified status of the at least one delivery condition.
40. The system of claim 39, wherein the quantified status identifies a threshold, said threshold indicating a minimum state-related metric.
41. The system of claim 40, further comprising:
monitoring the data associated with the RWE and IO to identify information indicating the status of the RWE, said information comprising a metric indicating activity associated with the RWE;
comparing the metric of the RWE and IO with the threshold; and
delivering, over a network, the first message when the metric of the RWE and IO at least satisfies the threshold.