Substituent effects in eight-electron electrocyclic reactions

The main features of transition structures associated with eight-electron electrocyclic reactions have been studied with Density Functional Theory. It is found that conrotatory electrocyclization reaction of (3Z,5Z)-octa-1,3,5,7-tetraenes takes place via M?bius aromatic transition structures of helical conformation. The reaction is completely periselective. In general, transition structures having outward substituents are preferred with respect to the inward transition structures, irrespective of the pi-donor or pi-acceptor character of the substituent. In contrast with four-electron thermal conrotatory electrocyclic reactions, there is no satisfactory correlation between the difference in energy of activation between inward and outward substituents and the Taft resonance sigma(R) parameter.     

Kinetics of the dehydration of CsNd(SO4)2 4 H2O

The kinetics of the dehydration of CsNd(SO₄)₂ · 4 H₂O to CsNd(SO₄)₂ · H₂O and then to CsNd(SO₄)₂ are studied by isothermal weight change. The reactions are phase-boundary-controlled. Reaction mechanism and activation energy depend on sample weight.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrofuran Spiro‐β‐Lactams by Ru‐Catalyzed Metathesis of 7‐Oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptenes

A new method for the synthesis of spiro‐β‐lactams tethered to tetrahydrofuran rings is described. The procedure is based on Ru‐catalyzed metathesis sequences with oxanorbornene precursors easily obtained by the Staudinger [2+2] cycloaddition of related imines.     

Immobilization of protein on ferromagnetic Dacron

Ferromagnetic Dacron (polyethyleneterephthalate) is proposed as a matrix to immobilize proteins covalently. Dacron in powder was magnetized by reacting ferrous (Fe+2) and ferric (Fe+3) ions with its hydrazide form at pH 8.3. Ferromagnetic hydrazide Dacron was converted to ferromagnetic azide Dacron and amyloglucosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.3) was covalently bound through the latter group. The catalytic property of the enzyme was preserved (8% of the specific activity estimated for the soluble enzyme) and all the magnetic amyloglucosidase Dacron derivative was recovered by using a magnetic field. No activity was detected in the supernatant.     

DNA polymerase template interactions probed by degenerate isosteric nucleobase analogs

The development of novel artificial nucleobases and detailed X-ray crystal structures for primer/template/DNA polymerase complexes provide opportunities to assess DNA-protein interactions that dictate specificity. Recent results have shown that base pair shape recognition in the context of DNA polymerase must be considered a significant component. The isosteric azole carboxamide nucleobases (compounds 1-5; ) differ only in the number and placement of nitrogen atoms within a common shape and therefore present unique electronic distributions that are shown to dictate the selectivity of template-directed nucleotide incorporation by DNA polymerases. The results demonstrate how nucleoside triphosphate substrate selection by DNA polymerase is a complex phenomenon involving electrostatic interactions in addition to hydrogen bonding and shape recognition. These azole nucleobase analogs offer unique molecular tools for probing nonbonded interactions dictating substrate selection and fidelity of DNA polymerases.     

Copper corrosion in buffered and non-buffered synthetic seawater: a comparative study

The electrochemical behaviour of copper in neutral buffered and non-buffered synthetic seawater and in pure chloride solutions has been studied by cyclic voltammetry, weight loss measurements, open circuit potential and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Values of the repassivation potentials of Cu in non-buffered and buffered synthetic seawater, at 50 mV s^–1, were 0.12 and 0.46 V vs. SCE, respectively. The sharpness, heights and location of the different peaks as well as their charges were shown to be influenced by the composition of the solution, buffering conditions, deoxygenation, polarization potential and time. High chloride concentrations lead to higher oxidation charges. The anodic and the cathodic charges were shown to increase as the chloride concentration increases. The open circuit potential transients of copper in non-deoxygenated, non-buffered synthetic seawater indicate pitting from the beginning of the exposure, while in buffered solutions the pitting appeared only after a quite long exposure period, i.e. after 40 days. Corrosion rates of Cu samples after 3 months of immersion were higher in solutions of pure chloride (0.5 M) than in synthetic seawater. After six months the differences were even more noticeable. SEM images have showed a somewhat higher density of pits on copper samples immersed in the chloride solution (0.5 M), in comparison with those in synthetic seawater.     

Identifying acetylated lignin units in non-wood fibers using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A series of non-wood plant fibers, namely kenaf, jute, sisal and abaca, have been analyzed upon pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) of the whole material. The pyrolysis products mainly arise from the carbohydrate and lignin moieties of the fibers. The lignin-derived phenols belonged to the p-hydroxyphenylpropanoid (H), guaiacylpropanoid (G) and syringylpropanoid (S) structures, and showed a high S/G ratio of between 2.0 and 5.4, the highest corresponding to kenaf. Among the lignin-derived phenols released, small amounts of sinapyl and coniferyl acetates (in both cis- and trans-forms) were identified for the first time upon Py-GC/MS of lignocellulosic materials. Acetylation of the sinapyl and coniferyl alcohols was at the gamma-position of the side chain. The release of these alcohols derived from intact acetylated lignin units upon pyrolysis seems to indicate that the native lignin in the fibers selected for this study is at least partially acetylated. Sinapyl (and coniferyl) acetates have recently been suggested to be authentic lignin precursors involved in the polymerization of lignin along with the normal sinapyl and coniferyl alcohols. Py-GC/MS will offer a convenient and rapid tool for analyzing naturally acetylated lignins, as well as to screen plant materials for the presence of acetylated units in lignin.     

Reduction of sulfoxides with boranes catalyzed by MoO2Cl2

The first example of an organic reduction with boranes catalyzed by a high valent oxo-complex is reported. The systems catecholborane/MoO₂Cl₂(H₂O)₂ (5 mol %) and BH₃·THF/MoO₂Cl₂ (5 mol %) proved to be very efficient for the reduction of sulfoxides to the corresponding sulfides in excellent yields.     

UV-LYSOGENIC INDUCTION OF Λ PHAGE IN lexA1 MUTANTS OF Escherichia coli: KINETICS OF THE PROCESS

Abstract— Although the lex gene has been described until recently as being required for lysogenic induction, both our work and the work of others have reported Λ prophage induction in some lexA mutants. However, the characteristics of the process were not defined. We describe UV induction of prophage in a lexA1 mutant at a slightly lower level and requiring 2 times longer than the wild type. As demonstrated in some work, in cells treated with low levels of rifampicin (RIF) no new synthesis of RecA protein is needed for the prophage induction although the onset of lysis is delayed. We suggest that the lysogenic induction in lexA cells is due to the same mechanism that induces prophage in the wild type cells treated with RIF. That is, the induction is due to the cleavage of Λ represser by the basal RecA protease in the DNA-single-strand gap, since RecA protease and monomer represser both have high affinity for this type of DNA. So, LexA protein need not be cleaved for the prophage induction.
No Weigle-reactivation (WR) was detected in the lex mutant even after a long post-irradiation incubation, suggesting that unlike prophage induction, WR requires LexA protein cleavage.     

Analytical applications of the o-dianisidine-persulfate reaction: Kinetic determination of silver and cobalt

A kinetic method for the silver determination based on the catalytic effect of Ag(I) on the oxidation of o-dianisidine by persulfate at pH = 4.5 in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline is proposed. Ag(I) can be determined by measuring the absorbance of the reaction product at 450 nm, using the fixed time method. Co(II) does not have a catalytic effect in the reaction, but in the simultaneous presence of silver and cobalt the reaction shows an induction period the length of which is related to the Ag/Co molar ratio. As a consequence, two new methods for the determination of cobalt and silver using the induction period method are proposed. The two methods for silver are applied to the determination of silver in lead.