Cp/mas 13c nmr and Electron Diffraction Study of Bacterial Cellulose Structure Affected by Cell Wall Polysaccharides

Acetobacter xylinum was cultured in Schramm–Hestrin medium containing pectin (pectin medium), xylan (xylan medium), or glucomannan (mannan medium). X-ray diffractometry revealed that xylan and glucomannan affected the size of the cellulose crystals and their d-spacing values. Solid-state cross polarization magic angle spinning carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that the ratio of cellulose I was reduced by the addition of polysaccharides. These effects were more remarkable on the cellulose in the mannan medium than that in the xylan medium, and were scarcely observed in the pectin medium. Electron diffraction analysis revealed that these effects on hemicelluloses along cellulose microfibrils are continuous in the mannan medium and discontinuous in the xylan medium. These findings suggest that the uronic acid in the polysaccharides prevents interactions with cellulose leading to alterations of the structure of the cellulose crystal.     

Oxysulfide Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) as a stable photocatalyst for water oxidation and reduction under visible light irradiation (lambda < or = 650 nm)

A Ti-based oxysulfide, Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5), was studied as a visible light-driven photocatalyst. Under visible light (440 nm < or = lambda < or = 650 nm) irradiation, Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) with a band gap of approximately 2 eV evolved H(2) or O(2) from aqueous solutions containing a sacrificial electron donor (Na(2)S-Na(2)SO(3) or methanol) or acceptor (Ag(+)) without any noticeable degradation. This oxysulfide is, therefore, a stable photocatalyst with strong reduction and oxidation abilities under visible-light irradiation. The electronic band structure of Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) was calculated using the plane-wave-based density functional theory (DFT) program. It was elucidated that the S3p orbitals constitute the upper part of the valence band and these orbitals make an essential contribution to the small band gap energy. The conduction and valence bands' positions of Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) were also determined by electrochemical measurements. It indicated that conduction and valence bands were found to have satisfactory potentials for the reduction of H(+) to H(2) and the oxidation of H(2)O to O(2) at pH = 8. This is consistent with the results of the photocatalytic reactions.     

Structure,stability, and electronic and NMR properties of various oxo- and nitrido-derivatives of [L(Salen)Mn(III)]+, where L = none and imidazole. A density functional study

Structure, stability, and electronic and NMR properties of [(Salen)Mn(III)](+)-derived intermediates/reactants in the epoxidation/amination of unfunctionalized olefins, namely [(Salen)Mn(V)O](+) (1-oxo), [(Salen)Mn(IV)O] (2-oxo), and [(Salen)Mn(V)N] (3), have been studied with the B3LYP density functional method. It has been shown that the (1)A, (3)A, and (5)A states of cationic 1-oxo species are virtually degenerate, while for the neutral 2-oxo species the ground (4)A state lies 6.4 kcal/mol lower than (2)A. In the nitrido species 3, the (1)A state has been shown to be the ground state in agreement with experiment. We have investigated isomerization of 1-oxo and 2-oxo species into unusual [(OSalen)Mn(III)](+) (1-N-oxo and 1-peroxo) and [(OSalen)Mn(II)] (2-N-oxo and 2-peroxo) species, respectively. For cationic species 1, the 1-N-oxo isomers are more stable (by 10-12 kcal/mol) than the 1-oxo isomer and are separated from the latter by 21-22 kcal/mol barriers. On the other hand, 1-peroxo isomers are calculated to be 14-16 kcal/mol higher than the 1-oxo isomer. For neutral species 2, however, both 2-N-oxo and 2-peroxo isomers lie significantly higher in energy than the 2-oxo isomer. It has been shown that coordination of axial imidazole ligand alters relative energies of spin states for 1- and 2-oxo species, destabilizing low-spin states. For singlet states of H(2)Salen, 1-oxo, and 3, we have calculated (1)H, (13)C, (15)N, and (17)O NMR chemical shifts using the gauge-independent-atomic orbital (GIAO) approach.     

Polydimethylsiloxane connection for quartz microchips in a high-pressure system.

An interconnecting technique, the "PDMS connection method", for quartz microchips in a high-pressure system is presented. The connection between quartz microchips is an essential technology for modular microfluidic devices, such as microchip-HPLC. PDMS was applied to the seal material, being spread on the seal side of the chips, and set into the metal housing. The characteristics of the PDMS connection method concerning pressure resistance and the extension of the peak were examined. The experimental results showed a good seal at 5 MPa, which seem to be sufficient for realizing microchip-HPLC utilizing a monolithic silica capillary column as a separation medium. The influence of the extra column effect on chromatographic separation was almost the same as in the case using a commercial union fitting. In addition, the PDMS connection enabled the detachability of chip-based modules with user-friendliness. Our experimental findings suggest that the novel PDMS connection method can possibly be applied as a generic technology in high-pressure microTAS.     

New odorless method for the Corey-Kim and Swern oxidations utilizing dodecyl methyl sulfide (Dod-S-Me)

Development of the odorless dodecyl methyl sulfide (Dod-S-Me, 1) as an alternative for dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and new odorless methods for the Corey-Kim and Swern oxidations are described. These reactions have been developed with a view toward green chemistry, utilizing Dod-S-Me (1) and common solvents instead of dichloromethane.     

Preparation of substituted benzoyltrimethylsilanes by the palladium-catalyzed silylation of substituted benzoyl chlorides with hexamethyldisilane

A direct preparative route to benzoyltrimethylsilane has been found by the reaction of benzoyl chloride with hexamethyldisilane in the presence of a specified palladium(II) complex as catalyst.     

Semiclassical study of collision-induced predissociation: Comparison of the Landau-Zener model with the method of analytic continuation

Semiclassical calculations are carried out by two methods for the problem of collision-induced predissociation of electronically excited I₂. The first method is that of surface-hopping with the Landau-Zener model. The second method is similar to surface-hopping, except that analytic continuation of the adiabatic potential energy surfaces replaces the Landau-Zener model. Results of the calculations by the two methods compare favorably with each other and with experiment. The possible advantages of the second method are discussed.Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow.     

Thermodynamic study of niobium oxides with ONb ratios from 2.47 to 2.50 using a high-temperature galvanic cell

The partial molar free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of oxygen in niobium oxides with $\text{O}\text{Nb}$ ratios from 2.47 to 2.50 were measured with a galvanic cell in the temperature range from 1084 to 1325 K. The partial molar enthalpies of oxygen of the Nb₂O_5?x and V phases were observed to be nearly independent of composition, indicating the presence of only weak interactions between defects. The value of the slope for the plots of log x in Nb₂O_5?x against log P_O2 was observed to be $\text{?1}\text{5.2}$ which is interpreted in terms of a defect structure involving both singly ionized and doubly ionized oxygen vacancies. The previously proposed phase diagram in the vicinity of Nb₂O_5?x was confirmed by the present emf measurements.     

A comparative study of various computational approaches in calculating the structure of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent beta-lyase protein. The importance of protein environment

Various computational approaches, using molecular mechanics (Amber), semiempirical (AM1), density functional (B3LYP), and various ONIOM methods, have been comparatively investigated for the structure of Escherichia coli NifS CsdB protein. The structure of the entire monomer containing 407 amino acid residues and 579 surrounding water molecules has been optimized. The full geometry optimization in the "active site-only" approach (including only active site atoms) has been found to give the largest root-mean-square (RMS) deviation from the X-ray structure; a much better agreement has been achieved by keeping the atoms leading to the backbones of some amino acids frozen in their positions in the X-ray structure. The best agreement has been attained by including the surrounding protein in the calculations using the two-layer ONIOM (B3LYP:Amber) approach. The results presented in this study conclusively demonstrate the importance of the protein/active-site interaction on the active-site structure of the enzyme. The present theoretical study represents the largest system studied at the ONIOM level to date, containing 7992 atoms, including 84 atoms in the QM region and rest in the MM region.