Experimental and theoretical studies of ammonia decomposition activity on Fe-Pt, Co-Pt, and Cu-Pt bimetallic surfaces

We investigate the decomposition of ammonia on bimetallic surfaces prepared by the deposition of a monolayer of Fe, Co, or Cu on a Pt(111) surface computationally and experimentally. We explore the correlation between predicted activities based on the nitrogen binding energies with experimental decomposition activity on these bimetallic and corresponding monometallic surfaces. Through density functional theory calculations and microkinetic modeling, it is predicted that the Fe-Pt-Pt(111) and Co-Pt-Pt(111) surfaces, with a monolayer of Fe or Co on top of Pt(111), are active toward decomposing ammonia. In contrast, the corresponding subsurface configurations, Pt-Fe-Pt(111) and Pt-Co-Pt(111) are inactive. These predictions were confirmed experimentally through temperature programmed desorption experiments. Decomposition was seen at temperatures below 350 K for the Fe-Pt-Pt(111) and Co-Pt-Pt(111) surfaces. For the Cu∕Pt(111) system, the surface, subsurface and parent metals were each predicted to be inactive, consistent with experiments, further validating the model predictions. The stability of these bimetallic surfaces in the presence of adsorbed nitrogen is also discussed.     

Facile syntheses of novel benzo-1,3-dioxolo-, benzothiazolo-, pyrido-, and quinolino-fused 5H-benzo[d]-pyrazolo[5,1-b][1,3]-oxazines and 1H-pyrazoles

A number of novel benzo-1,3-dioxolo-, benzothiazolo-, pyrido-, and quinolino-fused 5H-benzo[d]pyrazolo[5,1-b][1,3]-oxazines and 1H-pyrazoles were synthesized utilizing an easy and effective N,N-bond forming heterocyclization reaction. In so doing, the substrate scope of this heterocyclization reaction, which starts with o-nitroheterocyclic aldehydes, was expanded to provide several unique heterocyclic compounds for biological screening. This work further demonstrates the versatility of this simple, base-mediated, one-pot heterocyclization method in the construction of novel heterocycles.     

Noninvasive imaging of cell death using an Hsp90 ligand

Cell death plays a central role in normal physiology and in disease. Common to apoptotic and necrotic cell death is the eventual loss of plasma membrane integrity. We have produced a small organoarsenical compound, 4-(N-(S-glutathionylacetyl)amino)phenylarsonous acid, that rapidly accumulates in the cytosol of dying cells coincident with loss of plasma membrane integrity. The compound is retained in the cytosol predominantly by covalent reaction with the 90 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90), the most abundant molecular chaperone of the eukaryotic cytoplasm. The organoarsenical was tagged with either optical or radioisotope reporting groups to image cell death in cultured cells and in murine tumors ex vivo and in situ. Tumor cell death in mice was noninvasively imaged by SPECT/CT using an (111)In-tagged compound. This versatile compound should enable the imaging of cell death in most experimental settings.     

Unusual metal ion selectivities of the highly preorganized tetradentrate ligand 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide: a thermodynamic and fluorescence study

Some metal ion complexing properties of the ligand PDAM (1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide) in aqueous solution are reported. Using UV-visible spectroscopy to follow the intense π-π* transitions of PDAM as a function of metal ion concentration, log K(1) values in 0.1 M NaClO(4) and at 25 °C are, for Cu(II), 3.56(5); Ni(II), 3.06(5); Zn(II), 3.77(5); Co(II), 3.8(1); Mg(II), 0.1(1); Ca(II), 1.94(4); and Ba(II), 0.7(1). For more strongly bound metal ions, competition reactions between PDAM and EDTA (ethylenedinitrilo-tetraacetic acid) or tetren (1,4,7,10,13-pentaazatridecane), monitored following the UV spectrum of PDAM, gave the following log K(1) values in 0.1 M NaClO(4) and at 25 °C: Cd(II), 7.1(1); Pb(II), 5.82(5); In(III), 9.4(1); and Bi(III), 9.4(1). The very low log K(1)(PDAM) values for small metal ions such as Cu(II) or Zn(II) are unprecedented for a phen-based ligand (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), which is rationalized in terms of the low basicity of the N donors of the ligand (pK(a) = 0.6) and the fact that PDAM has a best-fit size corresponding to large metal ions of ionic radius ~1.0 ?. Large metal ions with ionic radius ≥1.0 ? show large increases in log K(1) relative to their phen complexes, which in turn produces unparalleled selectivities, such as a 3.5 log units greater log K(1)(PDAM) for Cd(II) than for Cu(II). PDAM shows strong fluorescence in aqueous solution, suggesting that its carboxamide groups do not produce a fluorescence-quenching photon-induced electron transfer (PET) effect. Only Ca(II) produces a weak CHEF (chelation enhanced fluorescence) effect with PDAM, while all other metal ions tested produce a decrease in fluorescence, a CHEQ (chelation enhanced quenching effect). The production of the CHEQ effect is rationalized in terms of the idea that coordination of metal ions to PDAM stabilizes a canonical form of the carboxamide groups that promotes a PET effect.     

The Reaction of Singlet Oxygen with 1,3-Dimethylindole in the Presence of Aldehydes. Formation of 1,2,4-Trioxanes

The dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of 1,3-dimethylindole in the presence of aldehydes initially generates a zwitterionic peroxide which condenses with the carbonyl function to give the corresponding cis-fused 1,2,4-trioxanes. Acetaldehyde gives a pair of diastereomers, one of whose structures was determined by X-ray analysis (cis,cisisomer), whereas pivaladehyde gives only the cis,cis diastereomer.     

Use of combined mass spectrometry methods for the characterization of a new variant of human hemoglobin: The double mutant hemoglobin villeparisis β77(EF1) His → Tyr, β 80 (EF4) Asn → Ser

Hemoglobin Villeparisis was found during a systematic measurement of glycated hemoglobin. Electrospray mass spectra of the globin indicate an apparently unchanged molecular weight within the error range (0.01%). The tryptic digest of the β chain shows a chromatographically abnormal βT-9 peptide. The mass-to-charge ratio value of its [M+H]⁺ ion, as measured by liquid secondary ionization mass spectrometry, is one mass unit lower than that of the normal βT-9. However, the electrospray mass spectrum of this peptide exhibits mainly a doubly charged ion, whereas the normal βT-9 gives a triply charged ion. None of the allowed single amino acid substitutions for a 1-u shift down (Glu → Gln, Asp → Asn, or Asn → Ile) can explain the suppression of one protonation site. This can be due only to the replacement of the internal histidine by a nonbasic residue. Thus at least two amino acid exchanges occur within the same peptide: one involves the internal histidine, and the sum of the mass shifts is ?1 u. Consideration of the βT-9 sequence and taking account for the genetic code rules, the only possibility was ¹¹His → Tyr (+26 mass shift) associated with ¹⁴Asn → Ser (?27 mass shift). This conclusion was consistent with the tandem mass spectrum of the [M+H]⁺ ion and was further confirmed by chemical microsequencing.     

Intrinsic viscosities of four homopolymers and one copolymer in nonpolar solvents. I. Effect of correlations of molecular orientations

Intrinsic viscosities [η] of four homopolymers, polyisobutylene (PIB), polypentene-1 (PP-1), polypentenamer (PPmer), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and of an ethylene-propylene copolymer containing 81% ethylene (81% E) have been measured at 25°C in seven linear alkanes ranging from n-C₆ to n-C₁₆ and three highly branched alkanes, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane, and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane. Correlation of molecular orientations (CMO) in the polymers was investigated. The difference Δ[η] = [η](lin) ? [η](br) is used as a test of CMO with the supporting assumption that CMO lowers the free energy and the destruction of CMO raises it. The positive value of Δ[η], which varies from 20% to 40% for PPmer and 81% E, is indicative of orientational order in these two polymers. The negative value of Δ[η] for PDMS results from the disordering of linear alkanes by the nonordered PDMS. δ[η] is near zero for PP-1 and small for PIB implying that these two polymers are indifferent to solvent molecular shape. The variation of [η] with alkane chain length of the linear alkanes gives additional information about size and solvent quality. The dependence is small for ordered polymers due to the short range of CMO. [η] diminishes rapidly with n for PDMS probably because of the increased difference of cohesive energy between polymer and solvent. The dependence is small for PIB but very large for PP-1. The much better quality of small-molecule solvents for PP-1 may be an indication of a helicoidal conformation of this polymer in solution.     

The facile synthesis of a large ring lactone by acid-catalysed cyclisation of an (z)-ene-diyne hydroxy acid precursor.

A Large ring lactone is obtained in good yield by acid catalysed cyclisation of the w-hydroxy acid precursor.     

Studies on thermionic ionisation detection in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

This study explores the application of specific thermionic ionisation detection in comprehensive 2-D GC (GC x GC) and represents the first report of GC x GC with nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC x GC-NPD). Of particular interest is the performance of the NPD with respect to peak parameters of asymmetry and sensitivity. Since GC x GC produces much narrower peaks than obtained with fast GC (e.g. 100 ms vs. <1 s) the effect of detector response time and any lack of symmetry arising from the detection step is important if peak separation (resolution) is to be maintained. It was observed that detector gas flows had a significant impact on peak asymmetry and peak magnitude, and that optimisation of the detector was critical, particularly for complex sample analysis by GC x GC-NPD. Peak asymmetries ranging from As = 1.8 to 8.0 were observed under different conditions of detector gas flows. Comparison of GC x GC-NPD with GC x GC-flame ionisation detection (FID) showed the former to be approximately 20 times more sensitive for the detection of nitrogen-containing methoxypyrazines analytes, and GC x GC-NPD had a larger linear detection range compared to GC x GC-FID. Furthermore, comparison of GC x GC-NPD and GC x GC-TOFMS chromatograms for the analysis of coffee head-space demonstrated the benefits of selective detection, ultimately realised in a comparatively simplified contour plot.     

A recommended and verified procedure for in situ tryptic digestion of formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissues for analysis by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) is a molecular imaging technology uniquely capable of untargeted measurement of proteins, lipids, and metabolites while retaining spatial information about their location in situ. This powerful combination of capabilities has the potential to bring a wealth of knowledge to the field of molecular histology. Translation of this innovative research tool into clinical laboratories requires the development of reliable sample preparation protocols for the analysis of proteins from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tissues, the standard preservation process in clinical pathology. Although ideal for stained tissue analysis by microscopy, the FFPE process cross‐links, disrupts, or can remove proteins from the tissue, making analysis of the protein content challenging. To date, reported approaches differ widely in process and efficacy. This tutorial presents a strategy derived from systematic testing and optimization of key parameters, for reproducible in situ tryptic digestion of proteins in FFPE tissue and subsequent MALDI IMS analysis. The approach describes a generalized method for FFPE tissues originating from virtually any source.