Rapid biomass analysis

New, rapid, and inexpensive methods that monitor the chemical composition of corn stover and corn stover-derived samples are a key element to enabling the commercialization of processes that convert stover to fuels and chemicals. These new techniques combine near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and projection to latent structures (PLS) multivariate analysis to allow the compositional analysis of hundreds of samples in 1 d at a cost of about $10 each. The new NIR/PLS rapid analysis methods can also be used to support a variety of research projects that would have been too costly to pursue by traditional methods.     

Transformation of Cinchona alkaloids into 1-N-oxide derivatives by endophytic Xylaria sp isolated from Cinchona pubescens

The microbial transformation of four Cinchona alkaloids (quinine, quinidine, cinchonidine, and cinchonine) by endophytic fungi isolated from Cinchona pubescens was investigated. The endophytic filamentous fungus Xylaria sp. was found to transform the Cinchona alkaloids into their 1-N-oxide derivatives.     

Use of solid-phase microextraction-capillary-gas chromatography (SPME-CGC) for the varietal characterization of wines by means of chemometrical methods

The extraction of wine aroma compounds was studied by direct-SPME (DI/SPME), headspace-SPME (HS/SPME) and multiple-headspace-extraction-SPME (MHE/SPME). The aromagrams obtained by HS/SPME-CGC were evaluated with chemometrical methods for the varietal classification of wines. Received: 25 July 1997 / Revised: 24 September 1997 / Accepted: 7 October 1997     

The synthesis of dicationic extended bis-benzimidazoles

The synthesis of extended dicationic bis-benzimidazoles starting from trans-1,2-bis(4-cyanophenyl)ethene and trans-1,2-bis(4-cyanophenyl)cyclopropane is reported. The target diamidines show significant in vitro activity against B. subtilis.     

Mechanically responsive films of variable hydrophobicity made of polyelectrolyte multilayers

Mechanically responsive surfaces that allow to switch reversibly from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic substrate are reported. The surfaces are constituted of polyelectrolyte multilayers deposited on modified charged silicone sheets. n bilayers of poly(allylamine)-Nafion (PAH-Naf) and m bilayers of poly(allylamine)-poly(acrylic acid) (PAH-PAA) composed the multilayers. A (PAH-Naf)(n) film possesses a water contact angle of around 105 degrees, whereas the contact angle of a (PAH-Naf)(4)-(PAH-PAA)(m) multilayer is around 50 degrees. When such a film with m < 5 and terminated by PAA is stretched out, its water contact angle increases up to around 100 degrees. Successive elongation/retraction cycles allow the water contact angle to alternate reversibly between 100 and 57 degrees indicating the reversible mechanical responsive nature of the film.     

The preparation of 2,6-diaminopyrazine, 2,6-diazidopyrazine and some of their derivatives

A much improved synthesis of the heretofore difficultly obtainable 2,6-diaminopyrazine (4) was afforded by the low-pressure catalytic hydrogenation (palladium on carbon) of 2,6-diazido-pyrazine (2) ; reaction of 2,6-dichloropyrazine (1) and sodium azide gave 2 in 84% yield. The outcome of the reduction was found to be solvent dependent: 1,2-dimethoxyethane containing aqueous ammonia gave 4 in 83% yield; 1,2-dimethoxyethane alone gave 5-aminotetrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrazine (3) in 26% yield. Additional alternative syntheses of 3 and 4 are described. A number of acyl and azo derivatives of 4 were prepared. Reactions of 2 with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and ethyl acetate (base catalyzed) leading to vic-triazole derivatives are also described.     

Thiol- and disulfide-modified oligonucleotide monolayer structures on polycrystalline and single-crystal Au(111) surfaces

We provide a comprehensive study of single- (ss) and double-strand (ds) oligonucleotides with either 25 or 10 bases or base pairs (bp) immobilized on polycrystalline and single-crystal Au(111) surfaces. The study is based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, interfacial capacitance data, and electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopy (in situ STM). The sequences used were the 25-bp sequence from the BRCA1 gene (25-mer), while the 10-bp oligonucleotides contained solely linear adenine and thymine sequences. The oligonucleotides were modified by the dimethoxytrityl group (DMT) via a disulfide group [DMT-S-S-ss25-mer and DMT-S-S-ds(AT)₁₀], a pure disulfide group (A₁₀-S-S-T₁₀), or a thiol group [HS-ss25-mer and HS-ds-(AT)₁₀], all via a hexamethylene linker. The overall pattern suggests strategies for controlled adsorption of DNA-based molecules and recognition of complementary strands or other molecules.     

Role of the spacer in the singlet-singlet energy transfer mechanism (Förster vs Dexter) in cofacial bisporphyrins

The cofacial bisporphyrins H4DPS (DPS = 4,6-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]dibenzothiophene), H4DPO (DPO = 4,6-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]dibenzofuran), H4DPX (DPX = 4,5-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]-9,9-dimethylxanthene), H4DPA (DPA = 1,8-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]anthracene), and H4DPB (DPB = 1,8-bis[5-(2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrinyl)]biphenylene) have been monometalated by Zn(OAc)2.2H2O and by GaCl3 to explore the singlet-singlet energy transfer from the photoexcited metal porphyrin center to the linked free base porphyrin. The spectroscopic (UV-vis and fluorescence) and photophysical properties (fluorescence lifetimes, tauF, and quantum yields, phiF) have been investigated at 298 and 77 K in degassed 2-MeTHF for the donor-acceptor systems, (Zn)H2DPS, (Zn)H2DPO, (Zn)H2DPA, (Zn)H2DPX, and (Zn)H2DPB, as well as for the bis-zinc complexes, (Zn)2DPS, (Zn)2DPO, (Zn)2DPX, and (Zn)2DPB, respectively, and the monoporphyrin derivatives, H2P, (Zn)P, and (Ga-OMe)P (P2- = 5-phenyl-2,8,13,17-tetraethyl-3,7,12,18-tetramethylporphyrin-dianion). The singlet-singlet energy transfer rate constants (KET) were obtained using KET = (1/tauF -1/tauFo), where tauFo is the fluorescence lifetime of the corresponding bis-zinc(II) systems (or (Zn)P and (Ga-OMe)P) where no energy transfer occurs. The tauF value for three bis-zinc(II) compounds varies from 1.69 to 2.01 ns and is 1.84 (at 298 K) and 3.20 ns (at 77 K) for (Ga-OMe)P. In the donor-acceptor bismacrocycles, depending on the spacer and the temperature, the fluorescence lifetimes decrease down to 50-240 ps. The KET values range from approximately 4 to approximately 21 (ns(-1)) and have been analyzed considering both the F?rster and the Dexter mechanisms. Using the C(meso)-C(meso) distance parameters in the calculations, the F?rster and Dexter mechanisms operate for DPS and DPO, and for DPA, DPX, and DPB spacer systems, respectively. The limit distance where one mechanism dominates over the other is estimated to be around 5-6 A.     

Adsorption of Molybdenum on Titania from Aqueous Solutions

The adsorption of Mo from dilute aqueous solutions (10(-3) to 3x10(-2) M) is effected on three samples of titania, two are anatase and the third is P25, which is composed of rutile and anatase. The adsorption isotherms at 298, 318, and 338 K are analyzed using a Langmuir linear equation. The isotherms on P25 showed a distinct inflection point that is reproduced by two linear portions, indicating different adsorption regimes. This adsorption behavior is explained as follows: with low amount adsorbed the adsorption is initiated by protonation of the basic hydroxyls on which the negatively charged MoO(4)(2-')s are adsorbed, and this is accompanied by an increase in the pH of the impregnating solution. At higher adsorption the coordinatively unsaturated Ti(4+) sites participate in the process, leading to a decline in the initial increase in pH. In the case of the two anatase samples the low surface area resulted in poor distribution of adsorption sites; consequently, the distinction between the two modes of adsorption was not entirely clear. The higher adsorption site density in the case of anatase is accompanied by a lower surface coverage, θ, than that for P25. The heat of adsorption, Q, on the three titania samples showed a linear increase with θ, which is represented by the regression equation: -Q=95.77θ-4.25 (R(2)=0.993). Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Synthesis and H-NMR complexation studies of alkalimetal bithioxanthylidene crown ether complexes

Two synthetic routes to a novel class of sterically overcrowded alkenes, bithioxanthylidene crown ethers 1, are described. The ¹H spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) of the crown ethers as well as those of the corresponding complexes with Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ in CDCl₃ were measured and the results were interpreted in terms of complexation affinities.