Trends in the cation distribution in the structures of the compounds forming in the Ln<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-GeO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-P<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> systems

The cationic networks in the structures of the initial oxides and all binary and ternary compounds forming in the Ln₂O₃-GeO₂-P₂O₅ systems have been studied. In the phase diagrams of the Nd₂O₃-GeO₂-P₂O₅ and Er2O₃-GeO₂-P₂O₅ systems, the regions of the structural influence of individual compounds with topologically identical cationic networks—anisotropic (A), combined (C), and isotropic (I)—are united into common areas. The A: C: I area ratio is 1: 1: 1 in the neodymium system and 1.7: 1: 3.4 in the erbium system.     

Variation in the strength of base sites in the system La<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>–ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in the range 25-200°C

Based on electronic diffuse reflectance spectra of indicators adsorbed on La₂O₃–ZrO₂, obtained at 25-200 °C, we have shown that the strength of its basic sites sharply increases from H_–S ≤ +17.2 to H_–S ≤ +33.0 in the range 25-140 °C. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 112-114, March-April, 2009.     

Conformation of tert‐butoxy­carbonyl­glycyl‐dehydro­alanyl‐glycine methyl ester in the crystalline state and calculated in the gas phase

tert‐Butoxy­carbonyl­glycyl‐dehydro­alanyl‐glycine methyl ester (systematic name: methyl {2‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonylamino)­acetamido]prop‐2‐enamido}acetate) (Boc⁰‐Gly¹‐ΔAla²‐Gly³‐OMe), C₁₃H₂₁N₃O₆, has been structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and by density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6–311+G** level. The peptide chain in both the solid‐state and calculated structures adopts neither β nor γ turns. All amino acid residues in the tripeptide sequence are linked trans to each other. The bond lengths and valence angles of the amino acid units in the crystal structure and gas phase are comparable. However, the conformation of the third glycyl residue (Gly³) is different in the crystalline state and in the gas phase. It is stabilized in the calculated structure by an additional intra­molecular short contact between Gly³ NH and methyl ester COMe groups.     

Mechanism of the nanocrystals formation of the spinel structure in the MgO-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O system under the hydrothermal conditions

Using the method of hydrothermal synthesis,the nanoparticles of magnesium-aluminum spinel were obtained with a crystallite size of 40–50 nm. The sequence was determined of the chemical transformations under hydrothermal conditions of the initial magnesium-aluminum hydroxides obtained by co-precipitation, leading to the formation of nanoparticles MgAl₂O₄.     

Estimating the activation energy of the displacement of Mg atoms in the channels of B<Subscript>25</Subscript>C<Subscript>4</Subscript>Mg<Subscript>1.42</Subscript> crystals

The activation energy of displacement of Mg atoms through channels of B₂₅C₄Mg_1.42 crystals is estimated using quantum chemical calculations (DFT (B3LYP potential), RHF, and UHF methods, 3-21G basis set) of the element of the structure modeling the channel and location of Mg atoms in it. The changes in the activation energy at the replacement of Mg atoms by Na and Li atoms were estimated. The greatest decreasing in the activation energy was detected for Li atoms. The obtained results can be regarded as a theoretical background for development of conducting systems based on B₂₅C₄Mg_1.42 crystals.     

Paternò-Büchi反应的区域选择性

Paternò-Büchi(P-B)反应,即羰基-烯的[2+2]光环化加成反应,利用其特殊的区域及立体选择性可以合成一些结构精巧的取代氧杂环丁烷。随着P-B反应在有机合成中越来越广泛的应用,人们对P-B反应的区域选择性的研究也越来越深入。在P-B反应发现之初,人们一直用“最稳定的双自由基规则”解释其区域选择性,这一规则对有些体系却不适用,近年来有人开始运用“自旋化学”理论来解释区域选择性。本论文结合作者的研究工作,评述了近年来P-B反应的区域选择性的研究进展,重点阐述了反应温度、反应物的取代基对P-B反应区域选择性的影响及其规律。     

Study of cationic substitution in Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>WO<Subscript>6</Subscript> and derived structures in the framework of the modular approach

The possibilities of substitution of lead, alkaline and rare earth, antimony, and tellurium cations for bismuth ions in the structure of the Bi₂WO₆ ferroelectric and compounds with more complicated derived structures have been studied. The trends in the formation of solid solutions are well described in the framework of the modular approach in which layers are treated as building units of crystal structures. The underlying existence criteria (electroneutrality, geometric and chemical compatibility of layers) formulated for simple (two-layer) structures can be easily extended to more complicated (multilayer) structures. On the basis of the results obtained, the existence of new series of layered bismuth oxohalides was predicted.     

Three‐body molecular states of the system in the Born–Oppenheimer approximation

In this work, we present a quantum mechanical treatment of the three‐body molecular system in the Born–Oppenheimer (BO) approximation, were the nuclei dynamics is evaluated over the potential energy surfaces (PES) induced by the electronic states. The PES corresponding to the two lowest electronic levels are the ones described by Martinazzo et al. (Chem. Phys. 2003, 287, 335), and are used to write the three‐body Schrdinger equation of the three atomic system. We use the generalized Sturmian functions method to expand the wave functions in each (distinguishable) pair of relative coordinates or Jacobi pairs, and analyze the convergence differences between the series. A partial‐wave decomposition of the potential is proposed to simplify the Hamiltonian matrix element calculation. Bound states are considered for the ground and first excited electronic PES, the spreading of energies after sudden electronic transitions studied, and the break‐up probability induced by the sudden change of the PES evidenced.     

Limiting behavior of the ratio of 〈r〉 and 〈r〉 in the helium sequence

The limiting of the 〈r〈/〈r〈 ratio in the He sequence is critically examined at different levels of approximations leading to some interesting results.     

Kinetic Isotope Effect in the Photoreduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-Benzoquinones in the Presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N</Emphasis>-Dimethylaniline

The kinetics of photoinduced reduction of a series of 3,5- and 3,6-di-tert-butylbenzoquinones-1,2 was studied in the presence of N,N-dimethylaniline, its deuterated analog, and a series of para-substituted N, N-dimethylanilines. On passing from the endothermic to the exothermic range of the free energy of electron transfer ΔG _e , the effective rate constants k _H and k _D and the quantum yields ϕ_H and ϕ_D of the reaction varied nonmonotonically with a maximum at ΔG _e of approximately +0.1 eV. For the reactant pairs relevant to the ascending (left-hand) branch of the plot k _H = f(ΔG _e ), the H/D isotope effect takes place, varying from two to five in magnitude. For the reactant pairs at the maximum and in the descending (right-hand) branch of the plot k _H = f(ΔG _e ), there is no isotope effect or its value is insignificant.__________Translated from Khimiya Vysokikh Energii, Vol. 39, No. 5, 2005, pp. 348–352.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Abakumov, Shurygina, Chesnokov, Druzhkov, Lopatin, Chechet, Cherkasov.     

“蒸馏酒”还是“发酵酒”——对《科学史导论》中“spirits” 和“distillation”的再思考

科学史奠基者乔治·萨顿在《科学史导论》第二卷的第一部分对我国宋代酿酒著作《北山酒经》予以了简要描述,出现了“spirits”“distillation”等字样;而《北山酒经》被众多学者认为其描述对象是发酵酒(黄酒)。本文从东西方蒸馏技术和相关著作的文本分析对《科学史导论》中提及的蒸馏技术和蒸馏酒存在的可能性提出了质疑。     

Role of the linker region in the expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizopus oryzae</Emphasis> glucoamylase

Background  

Rhizopus oryzaeglucoamylase (RoGA) consists of three domains: an amino (N)-terminal raw starch-binding domain (SBD), a glycosylated linker domain, and a carboxy (C)-terminal catalytic domain. The 36-amino-acid linker region (residues 132–167) connects the two functional domains, but its structural and functional roles are unclear.     

Cyclopropanol intermediates in the synthesis of the C<Superscript>5</Superscript>–C<Superscript>14</Superscript> fragment of laulimalides

Two novel schemes have been developed for the synthesis of the C⁵–C¹⁴ fragment of the macrocyclic antitumor drug laulimalide and its analogs via transformations of cyclopropanol intermediates.     

On the state of CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> molecule in the octahedral void of C<Subscript>60</Subscript> fullerite

Methane-intercalated fullerite (CH₄)_0.56C₆₀ was obtained by low-temperature precipitation from solution. Methane transition from the gas phase to the octahedral void of fullerite is accompanied by a bathochromic shift of normal vibrational frequencies (by 19 and 8 cm⁻¹ for ν₃ and ν₄, respectively). The methane ¹³C signal in the proton decoupling ¹³C NMR spectrum is observed as a singlet at δ−0.42. According to quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory, location of methane in the octahedral void of fullerite (C₆₀)₆ leads to a decrease in the total energy of fullerite by 4 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Oxidative Alkoxylation of Red Phosphorus in the Presence of the FeCl<Subscript>3</Subscript>-I<Subscript>2</Subscript> Catalytic System

A new effective catalytic system FeCl₃-I₂ was found, that allows the direct oxidative alkoxylation of red phosphorus to trialkyl phosphates to be performed with high rate and selectivity at 60–80°C. Kinetics of the process were studied, and a separate redox mechanism of the process and a scheme of formation of phosphorus esters were offered. Kinetic and activation parameters of the reaction are calculated.     

Fate of the Oxygen Atoms in the Diol‐Dehydratase‐Catalyzed Dehydration of meso‐Butane‐2,3‐diol

¹⁸O‐Substituted propane‐1,2‐diols and meso‐butane‐1,2‐diols were synthesized and fed to growing cells of Lactobacillus brevis. Propan‐1‐ol and butan‐2‐ol, prepared from such diols through diol‐dehydratase‐catalyzed dehydration followed by intracellular reduction, were analyzed for their ¹⁸O‐content. For each propane‐1,2‐diol enantiomer, partial retention or complete loss of the isotope appeared to be related to the mode of substrate binding. Specific retention of the O‐atom linked to the (R)‐configured C‐atom of meso‐butane‐1,2‐diol indicates that the diol dehydratase handles this substrate like (R)‐propane‐1,2‐diol.