Table of contents

Modern concepts of mechanisms of thermal and photochemical rearrangements responsible for the photochromic properties of spiropyrans, spirooxazines, spiroperimidines and metal bis(chelate) complexes have been considered. The most important applications of spiropyrans and spirooxazines as light-controlled molecular switches of physical and biological properties of hybrid molecular and supramolecular structures and macroscopic materials have been discussed. The bibliography includes 185 references.

Studies of materials consisting of carbon nanotubes or containing them have been analyzed and generalized. Classification of these materials is proposed, their general features and main types are considered, and individual examples are presented. The bibliography includes 372 references.

The methods for isolation and identification of nanoparticles and for quantitative determination of nanoparticles in complex multicomponent mixed-phase systems are considered. These systems include most environmental objects, in particular, animal and plant organisms, agricultural raw materials, foodstuffs and various sorts of consumer goods. The published data and the results of authors' research concerning determination of various types of nanoparticles in biological samples by electron microscopy, chromatography and radioactive tracer method are generalized. The bibliography includes 161 references.

Main methods for the synthesis of fused imidazole derivatives with a bridgehead nitrogen atom are systematically considered and summarized. The reaction mechanisms that underlie the methods for the synthesis of pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles and related compounds are described. Biological properties and mechanisms of the biological activity of fused azaheterocycles are discussed. The bibliography includes 152 references.