Ab initio study of the mechanism of singlet-dioxygen addition to hydroxyaromatic compounds: negative evidence for the involvement of peroxa and endoperoxide intermediates

In this article we report our study of two possible mechanisms of photooxidation of hydroxyaromatic compounds, involving the intermediacy of zwitterionic peroxa intermediates or 1,4-endoperoxides. To study the pathway of the first of them, as yet unexplored by theoretical methods, a simpler system composed of 1,3-butadiene-1-ol and singlet ((1)Delta(g)) dioxygen was considered first, for which calculations were carried out at the CASSCF/MCQDPT2 ab initio level, mostly with the 6-31G* basis set. The cumulative activation barrier to this reaction was found to be 20 kcal/mol and corresponded to a proton transfer (from the hydroxy oxygen atom to the attached oxygen molecule) in the cyclic zwitterionic peroxacyclopenta-3-ene-2-ol intermediate. This intermediate and the proton-transfer transition state were found to have a closed-shell character, which enabled us to estimate the corresponding activation barrier for the phenol-dioxygen system by carrying out optimization at the RHF level and single-point calculations at the MP2, CASSCF, and MCQDPT2 levels of theory. The energy barrier to the reaction was estimated to at least about 40 kcal/mol, rendering this mechanism for the phenol-oxygen system unlikely for nonpolar solvents. Similarly, calculations of the barrier to proton transfer from the 1,4-endoperoxide of phenol to its hydroperoxide were found to exceed 60 kcal/mol, eliminating such a mechanism too, which leaves only the earlier postulated mechanisms involving an initial charge or hydrogen-atom transfer to dioxygen as probable.     

Analysis of individual platelet-derived microparticles,comparing flow cytometry and capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

Platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) formed by vesiculation during platelet activation seem to play a role in blood coagulation and in pathological disease states. Flow cytometry is currently the gold standard to characterize platelets and PMPs. Using this technique we distinguished between platelets and PMPs based on size and the presence of phosphatidyl serine (PS); PMPs were arbitrarily defined to be smaller than one micrometer and capable of forming a stable complex with fluorescently-labeled Annexin V, a protein that forms a calcium-dependent complex with PS. Further confirmation of PMP and platelet identity was done by use of fluorescently-labeled antibodies against CD41a, a glycoprotein found on the surface of both platelets and PMPs. In this report we also introduce the use of capillary electrophoresis with post-column laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) for the analysis of fluorescently labeled platelets and PMPs. While both flow cytometry and CE-LIF can measure individual fluorescent events, only CE-LIF allowed us to calculate individual electrophoretic mobilities of activated platelets and PMPs that were then represented as distributions. A comparison between distributions suggests that PMPs have less negative mobilities. The fact that activated platelet preparations include PMPs partially obscure the interpretation of the data. While PMP and platelet number ml(-1) determined by flow cytometry is lower than the same parameter determined by CE-LIF, signal-to-noise ratio was 20 fold better for flow cytometry than for CE-LIF. This is the first time that a direct comparison between these two techniques is reported.     

TRANSIENT PHENOMENA IN THE PULSE RADIOLYSIS OF RETINYL POLYENES—7. RADICAL ANIONS OF VITAMIN A AND ITS DERIVATIVES

Abstract— Upon e^--pulse irradiation in nonprotic solvents, all- trans retinol (ROH) and retinylmethyl ether (ROMe) form transient species (τ= 0.5–7μs, λ_max=575–590 nm) identifiable as radical anions. Similar species are also formed upon laser pulse photoexcitation of these retinyl derivatives in the presence of N,N-dimethylaniline in acetonitrile. In contrast, electron transfer or attachment to all- trans retinyl acetate (ROAc) and palmitate (ROPa) results in 'instantaneous' loss of carboxylate anions from electron adducts giving the retinylmethyl radical (R-, λ_max= 395 nm, τ_k > 100 μ,s); the radical anions in these cases are too short-lived to be detected by nanosecond pulse radiolysis. The lifetimes of radical anions of ROH and ROMe are very sensitive to water and alcohols (e.g. k_q = 10⁷ M ^-1 s^-1 with methanol as quencher for ROH^- in tetrahydrofuran). Based on these findings, the spectral dissimilarity of the one-electron reduction products from ROH and ROAc in alcohols and aqueous micelles becomes explainable in terms of fast formation of protonated radical anions (RH(OH), τ_1/2, > 100 μs, λ_max=370–375 nm) in the case of ROH and of retinylmethyl radical via loss of AcO^- from radical anion in the case of ROAc. In tetrahydrofuran, the complexation of ROH^- with cations such as Na⁺ and Bu₄N⁺ affects the relative importance of its major decay modes, namely, protonation and dehydroxylation, the latter process being significantly enhanced by the presence of Na⁺.     

Mono- and binuclear copper(II) complexes of saccharin with 2-pyridinepropanol synthesis,spectral, thermal and structural characterization

Mono- and binuclear copper(II) saccharinate (sac) complexes containing 2-pyridinepropanol (pypr) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r., u.v.–vis., magnetic measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The copper(II) ion in trans-[Cu(pypr)₂(sac)₂] has –1 site symmetry and is octahedrally coordinated by two bidentate neutral pypr (N, O) and two sac (O) ligands. The binuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu₂(-pypr)₂(sac)₂], is built up around a centre of symmetry and contains two strongly distorted square–planar coordinated copper(II) ions bridged by two alkoxo groups of the deprotonated pypr ligand, which also coordinates to the copper(II) ions through its nitrogen. In contrast to the mononuclear complex, the sac ligands in the binuclear complex is N-coordinated. The binuclear complex exhibits diamagnetic behaviour. The i.r. spectra and thermal decompositions of both complexes are described.     

Determination of kinetic parameters of crystal growth rate of borax in aqueous solution by using the rotating disc technique

Growth rate of polycrystalline disc of borax compressed at different pressure and rotated at various speed has been measured in a rotating disc crystallizer under well-defined conditions of supersaturation. It was found that the mass transfer coefficient, K, increased while overall growth rate constant, K_g, and surface reaction constant, k_r, decreased with increasing smoothness of the disc. It was also determined that kinetic parameters (k_r,r,K,g) of crystal growth rate of borax decreased with increasing rotating speed of the polycrystalline disc. The effectiveness factor was calculated from the growth rate data to evaluate the relative magnitude of the steps in series bulk diffusion through the mass transfer boundary layer and the surface integration. At low rotating speed of disc, the crystal growth rate of borax is mainly controlled by integration. However, both diffusion and integration steps affect the growth rate of borax at higher rotating speed of polycrystalline disc.     

Water monolayer and multilayer adsorption on Ni(1 1 1)

Water adsorbed on Ni(1 1 1) forms an ordered, hydrogen bonded ice structure with a (2√7 × 2√7)R19° unit cell. The 2√7 wetting structure forms as islands and persists up to saturation of the first layer. Adsorption of a fraction of a monolayer more water into a second layer destroys the 2√7 registry and creates a disordered ice film. Gas adsorption measurements indicate that the wetting layer is completely covered by a second layer of water before thicker multilayer ice forms. As the second layer is completed the film orders to form an incommensurate crystalline ice film with a hexagonal LEED pattern, oriented to the Ni close packed rows. This ordered, incommensurate structure persists as the ice multilayer grows thicker.     

X-ray crystal structure of trans-bis(monoethanolamine) bis(saccharinato)nickel(II)

The crystal structure of trans-bis(monoethanolamine)bis(saccharinato)nickel(II), [Ni(C₇H₄NO₃S)₂(C₂H₇NO)₂], has been determined from X-ray diffraction data. The metal complex is monoclinic, with a = 11.0555(5), b = 8.9103(4), c = 11.3890(5) Å, = 105.0230(10)°, Z = 2, and space group P2_1/c . The structure consists of individual molecules. Two monoethanolamine molecules and two saccharinate anions coordinate the nickel atom forming a distorted octahedron. The monoethanolamine molecules act as a bidentate ligand and form five-membered trans chelate rings, which constitute the plane of the coordination octahedron, while two saccharinate ions behave as a monodentate ligand occupying the axial positions. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds link the molecules to form a three-dimensional infinite structure.     

Intermediate absorption spectra of electrons in pulse irradiated,low water KOH hydrate,at room temperature

Pulse radiolysis in which emission of light is measured (?erenkov light self-absorption method) allowed us to obtain transient spectra and kinetics from systems of low transparency. Potassium hydroxide containing stoichiometrically less than one molecule of H₂O per one KOH shows an intermediate trapped electron spectrum at room temperature with a peak at 540 ± 5 nm, a half width of 155 nm, lasting for a few microseconds. This is the first system of such low concentration of water in which electron spectrum is still well developed.     

Medical imaging using capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays

We are investigating the use of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUT's) for use in medical imaging. We propose an ultrasound probe architecture designed to provide volumetric ultrasound imaging from within an endoscope channel. A complete automated experimental system has been implemented for testing the imaging performance of cMUT arrays. This PC-based system includes custom-designed circuit boards, a software interface, and resolution test phantoms. We have already fabricated 1D and 2D cMUT arrays, and tested the pulse-echo imaging characteristics of 1D arrays. Beamforming and image formation algorithms that aim to reduce the complexity of data acquisition hardware are tested via numerical simulations and using real data acquired from our system.     

Intermolecular complexes between sulfide radical cations from β-hydroxy sulfides and phosphate

Triplet-sensitized oxidation of 2-(methylthio)ethanol (2-MTE) and photosensitized formaldehyde formation from 2-MTE were measured in aqueous solutions. The formaldehyde quantum yields were measured in steady-state experiments; whereas the time-resolved detection of dimeric sulfur radical cations (S∴S)⁺ was followed in nanosecond laser flash photolysis. 4-Carboxybenzophenone was the triplet sensitizer in both types of experiments. It was found that the lifetimes of the (S∴S)⁺ radicals increased in the presence of phosphate buffer, sodium perchlorate, or D₂O. There were corresponding decreases in the formaldehyde yields for these same experimental factors. The phosphate case was discussed in some detail in terms of a new intermolecular complex between the sulfide radical cations and the oxyanions.