Investigation by infrared absorption of the by-products of the cyanoethylation of cotton cellulose

The soluble cyanoethyl ether of cellulose, prepared by reaction in the presence of NaOH catalyst to high degrees of substitution (DS = 2.95), can be precipitated by various organic media and contains more nitrogen than can be accounted for by simple addition of acrylonitrile at each cellulose hydroxyl group. Infrared absorption spectra of such samples and of the reacted residues show various types of vibrational absorption bands, characteristic of amino groups. At advanced stages of the reaction the characteristic broad unresolved band of cellulose extending from 1200–950 cm.^?1 largely disappears, leaving only a few weaker bands which likely overlap those due to C–N stretching. Comparison is made of the spectra of the partially cyanoethylated cellulose and the polyacrylonitrile which forms in the stock acrylonitrile, to characterize the products. It is inferred that the highly cyanoethylated cellulose, partly dissolved in the acrylonitrile, further degrades and changes under a complex mechanism to various forms of amines. The yellow to orange color of the samples is assumed to be due to these by-products. The thermogravimetric analysis reveals that these products are more heat-resistant than the cyanoethylated cellulose.     

Thiourea as a transfer agent in the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in aqueous solution at 42

Chain transfer involving thiourea in radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in acidic aqueous media has been studied by polymer endgroup analysis using the dye-partition technique. Thiourea has feeble reactivity in chain transfer, the transfer constant with respect to poly (methyl methacrylate) radicals being 1.21 × 10^?4 at 42°. This chain transfer study led to the development of a new method for studying the tautomeric equilibrium between the thione and thiol forms of thiourea. The equilibrium is pH dependent and the equilibrium constant at 42° is 232. The ratios of the equilibrium concentrations of the thiol to thione forms of thiourea at various pH's have been calculated. The thiol form is responsible for the chain transfer reactivity; it predominates in strongly acidic media and is almost absent above pH 3.5. This new method may be used for studying the thione-thiol tautomerism of other thiourea derivates.     

Estimation of iron in fruit samples by substoichiometric extraction with malonic anilide

A radiochemical solvent extraction method for the determination of iron(III) employing the chelating extractant malonic anilide (MA), synthesized in our laboratory, has been described. Effects of different parameters on the extraction of iron(III) from 2M hydrochloric acid into a mixed organic solvent (methyl isobutyl ketone (TIBK) and diethyl ether) have been studied in detail. The method was applied for the estimation of iron content in several fruits using the principle of substoiciometric isotope dilution analysis.     

Preferred conformers in n-propanol: A PCILO study

Preferred conformers around the central C-C and C-O bonds in n-propanol have been determined using the quantum-mechanical PCILO method and compared with those observed experimentally by microwave spectroscopy. The agreement between theory and experiment is excellent, thus minimizing time consuming searches for microwave transitions corresponding to the preferred conformers.     

Increasing protein stability by engineering the n → π* interaction at the β-turn

Abundant n → π* interactions between adjacent backbone carbonyl groups, identified by statistical analysis of protein structures, are predicted to play an important role in dictating the structure of proteins. However, experimentally testing the prediction in proteins has been challenging due to the weak nature of this interaction. By amplifying the strength of the n → π* interaction via amino acid substitution and thioamide incorporation at a solvent exposed β-turn within the GB1 proteins and Pin 1 WW domain, we demonstrate that an n → π* interaction increases the structural stability of proteins by restricting the ϕ torsion angle. Our results also suggest that amino acid side-chain identity and its rotameric conformation play an important and decisive role in dictating the strength of an n → π* interaction.

Amino acid residues adopt a right-handed α-helical conformation with increasing strength of the n → π* interaction. We also demonstrate a direct consequence of n → π* interactions on enhancing the structural stability of proteins.     

Theoretical analysis of the multi-rotational line TEA CO2 laser

A theoretical model for the multiline TEA CO₂ laser has been developed which takes into account the overlap of the P(20) line of (00⁰1) (10⁰0) regular band transition with the R(23) line of (01¹1) (11¹0) hot band transition. The model is used for the study of the influence of different parameters like laser gas temperature, gas mixture and pump rates on laser intensities of different rotational lines. This study explains the experimental results of the high power multiline TEA CO₂ laser very well.     

Molecular orbital studies on the structure of nucleoside analogs. IV. Conformation of 3-deazapurine nucleosides

Conformational properties of 3-deazapurine nucleosides (namely, 3-deazaadenosine and 3-deazaguanosine) have been investigated by the PCILO method. Both C(2′)-endo and C(3′)-endo sugar puckers have been considered and the results indicate that the conformational preferences of these nucleoside analogs are quite different from those of their parent nucleosides adenosine and guanosine, respectively. This result has been correlated in terms of the biological inactivity of these nucleoside analogs.     

Stability,Formation and Dissociation Kinetics of the Pentacoordinate Ni2+ and CO2+ Complexes with 1,5-Diazacyclooctane-N,N′-diacetic Acid

The stability constants of the Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ complexes with 1,5-diazacyclooctane-N,N′-diacetic acid (H₂DACODA) have been determined potentiometrically in 0.5M KNO₃ at 25°. Only M(DACODA) and M(DACODA)OH^? were observed. In addition the formation and dissociation kinetics of the pentacoordinate complexes M(DACODA) has been studied in aqueous solution using a stopped-flow technique. Formation follows the rate law v_f = k_f [M²⁺] [HDACODA^?]/[H⁺], which can be interpreted as a bimolecular process either between M²⁺ and DACODA^2? (k) or between MOH⁺ and HDACODA^? (k). The second order rate constants k are much higher than those expected from water exchange and can only be explained by a strong internal conjugate base effect. In the limiting case, however, this is equivalent to the second possible explanation, which assumes MOH⁺ and HDACODA^? as reactive species. The dissociation rate is given by v_d = (k^ML + k [H⁺]) · [M(DACODA)].     

Effect of monomer functional groups on the composition of some three component random phenolic copolymers

Some three-component random phenolic copolymers were prepared from three typical phenolic monomers; for example, p-chlorophenol, p-aminophenol, and p-cresol. Several samples of the copolymer were prepared by changing the feed composition and the composition of the copolymers was established by estimating ? NH₂ and ? OH groups by electrometric titration techniques in nonaqueous media. Halogen was estimated by Volhard's method. The average degree of polymerization (DP) of the copolymers was calculated from the features of the electrometric titration curves, and the effects of monomer functional groups on the composition of the copolymers were interpreted in terms of the electron-donating and electron-attracting nature of the substituents present in the monomers.     

Limiting conditions for applying the spherical section assumption in contact angle estimation

The shape of liquid drops on solid surfaces deviates from the spherical as tension decreases and gravity effects start affecting the drop shape. This paper attempts to define this deviation and estimates the dimensionless Eotvos number limits above which the deviation becomes "significant." The use of these limiting values can facilitate estimation of contact angle in the following manner. It is well known that the equilibrium contact angle made by a liquid drop on a solid surface can be estimated from measurements of two drop parameters. These parameters can be any two chosen from the drop volume, height, and wetted radius. In case the effect of gravity on the drop shape is negligible, simple algebraic relations derived from the spherical section assumption exist, from which the contact angle can be estimated. In systems where the "spherical section" assumption is invalid, the Laplace equation for the drop shape has been solved numerically with any two of the above parameters as the constraints, to obtain the contact angle. In this paper, Eotvos numbers at which the deviation of the drop profile from the spherical is significant enough to result in contact angle deviation of 1 degrees are estimated. The limiting values of Eotvos number, expressed as a function of the original contact angle made by the spherical profile, are obtained by solving the Laplace equation for the drop shape with the drop volume and wetted radius constraints for decreasing values of Interfacial tension. These limiting values are also estimated for different drop sizes and for cases where the drop phase is heavier (sessile) and lighter (buoyant) than the surrounding fluid. The independence of the Eotvos number estimates from the sign of the density difference as well as the drop size is shown. These Eotvos number limits can be used to check if the spherical section assumption, with the resulting simple algebraic relations, can be used for contact angle estimation and other shape-related analysis for a system.