Multiple sprayer system for high-throughput electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A multiple sprayer electrospray ion source for high-throughput analysis is described. The ion source is comprised of multiple electrospray capillaries, each with an ion lens located near the tip. The electric potentials applied to the ion lenses are used to control the sprayers. The use of ion lenses eliminates the need for mechanical blocking devices to selectively enable or disable the sprayers, and results in a less expensive and more reliable set-up. Sprayers can be enabled or disabled within approximately 50-250 ms when the lens potentials are controlled manually. For simultaneous operation of multiple electrospray capillaries, it is advantageous to orient the capillaries so that the spray from each passes directly in front of the entrance aperture of the mass spectrometer.     

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography of polymers obtained by Friedel-Crafts reactions of poly(vinyl chloride) with aromatic compounds

Pyrolysis, in combination with gas-chromatography technique, was used in the determination of the structure and study of the thermal degradation mechanism of the condensation polymers obtained by Friedel-Crafts reactions of poly(vinyl chloride) with benzene, toluene, and naphthalene. The separation of the pyrolysis products was made using a column packed with chromosorb W (80–100 mesh) coated with 15% silicone SE-52. The identification of the pyrolysis products resulted as a consequence of the thermal decomposition of condensation polymers and their semiquantitative estimation led to the final conclusion that the initial normal chlorine substitution in the macromolecular chain of poly(vinyl chloride) is followed by an important intramolecular cyclization reaction yielding 1,3-methyleneindan units.     

Practical asymmetric enzymatic reduction through discovery of a dehydrogenase-compatible biphasic reaction media

[reaction: see text] An enzyme-compatible biphasic reaction media for the asymmetric biocatalytic reduction of ketones with in situ cofactor regeneration has been developed. In this biphasic reaction media, which is advantageous for reactions at higher substrate concentrations, both enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase and FDH from Candida boidinii) remain stable. The reductions with poorly water-soluble ketones were carried out at substrate concentrations of 10-200 mM, and the optically active (S)-alcohols were formed with moderate to good conversions and with up to >99% ee.     

A new multi analytical approach for the identification of synthetic and natural dyes mixtures. The case of orcein-mauveine mixture in a historical dress of a Sicilian noblewoman of nineteenth century

Abstract

In this paper, the application of a multi-analytical approach for the characterisation of synthetic and natural dyes in a historical textile is presented. The work is focused on a historical dress of a Sicilian noblewoman, dating from about 1865–1870. Firstly, SERS on fibre was performed, in order to individuate the classes of dyes employed. The SERS spectra suggested the presence of two main dyes: mauveine and orcein. In order to confirm these preliminary results, two different extraction protocols were applied. The extracts obtained were analysed by ESI-MS, MALDI-ToF and UHPCL-MS analyses, confirming the SERS results. In particular, the application of the ammonia mild extraction technique allowed to selectively extract the phenoxazonic dyes, separating them already in the extraction step from the synthetic ones. Thanks to this multi-analytical approach, this dress could be considered as one of the first examples of employment of synthetic dyes in association with natural ones.     

Conformational structure of N-methylpropionamide and N-methylisobutyroamede. NMR shift reagent and IR study

The structures of the stable conformers of N-methyjpropionamide and N-methyliso-butyroamide in CCl₄, solution were determined by a combination of IR spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy with lanthanide shift reagents. N-methyl-propionamide was found to exist in the form of two rotational isomers, 1 and 2, with the ethyl group twisted out of the plane of the amide bond by the angles Ψ = 140 and 20°, respectively. For these two conformers, the enthalpy difference is ΔH = 2.13 ± 0.08 kcal mole^?1 and the entropy difference ΔS = 7.81 ± 0.55 cal mole^?1 grad^?1. N-methylisobutyroamide exists in a single form, with the two C-methyl group positions very close to those found in the two isomers of N-methylpropionamide.     

Structural basis for discriminative regulation of gene expression by adenine- and guanine-sensing mRNAs

Metabolite-sensing mRNAs, or "riboswitches," specifically interact with small ligands and direct expression of the genes involved in their metabolism. Riboswitches contain sensing "aptamer" modules, capable of ligand-induced structural changes, and downstream regions, harboring expression-controlling elements. We report the crystal structures of the add A-riboswitch and xpt G-riboswitch aptamer modules that distinguish between bound adenine and guanine with exquisite specificity and modulate expression of two different sets of genes. The riboswitches form tuning fork-like architectures, in which the prongs are held in parallel through hairpin loop interactions, and the internal bubble zippers up to form the purine binding pocket. The bound purines are held by hydrogen bonding interactions involving conserved nucleotides along their entire periphery. Recognition specificity is associated with Watson-Crick pairing of the encapsulated adenine and guanine ligands with uridine and cytosine, respectively.     

The Mitsunobu Inversion Reaction of Sterically Hindered 17-Hydroxy Steroids

The Mitsunobu inversion reaction of 3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-ol is dramatically influenced by the acidic component. There appears to be a relationship between the dissociation constant of the electron-withdrawing substituent on the aryl acid and the overall effectiveness of the reaction, with more acidic species generally providing a higher yield of inverted product.     

Binding of hexacyanoferrate(II) by aliphatic amines in aqueous solution

The stability of hexacyanoferrate(II)-amine(methylamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine and tetraethylenepentamine) was determined potentiometrically. Species Fe(CN)₆(A)H _j ^(j–4) (A=amine) are formed in all the systems investigated, with j=1...n+2 (n=number of aminogroups). Some other complexes Fe(CN)₆(A)_iH_j (with i>1) were also found. The stability of these complexes is fairly high: the full protonated amine species, show for the reaction Fe(CN)₆ ^4- + H_nAⁿ⁺ = Fe(CN)₆(A)H_n ^(n-4) an equilibrium constant given by logK=0.686+2.10n. Factors affecting the stability are discussed in comparison with similar systems, together with the importance of interferences.     

The surface of ordered mesoporous benzene-silica hybrid material: an infrared and ab initio molecular modeling study

Joint IR and computational results allow a detailed characterization of the surface properties of a mesoporous benzene-silica hybrid material with crystal-like wall structure. After outgassing at 450 degrees C, hydroxyl species mainly consist of noninteracting silanols, with both O-H and Si-O stretching modes at lower frequencies than those of SiOH in silica. Interaction with several probe molecules, followed both by experiment and calculus, shows that the aryl group in the coordination sphere of Si imparts a lesser acidity with respect to the isolated silanol in silica. In contrast, adsorption isotherms indicate that the interaction with acetone is stronger with benzene-silica than with silica: this is interpreted in terms of secondary interactions taking place between the slightly acidic CH in acetone and the electronic cloud in benzene-like rings. This suggests that both the inorganic component and the organic one play a role in dictating the surface behavior.     

Chemical reaction studies in CH4/Ar and CH4/N2 gas mixtures of a dielectric barrier discharge

Chemical reactions in a dielectric barrier discharge at medium pressure of 250-300 mbar have been studied in CH(4)/Ar and CH(4)/N(2) gas mixtures by means of mass spectrometry. The main reaction scheme is production of H(2) by fragmentation of CH(4), but also production of higher order hydrocarbon molecules such as C(n)H(m) with n up to 9 including formation of different functional CN groups is observed. Formation of C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4), and C(2)H(6) molecules has been investigated in some detail. Significant differences are noted in comparison to a theoretical estimate.