A wavemeter for precision application

A simple, inexpensive, moving mirror wavemeter has been fabricated based on moving mirror Michelson Interferometer. This wavemeter is able to measure wavelength of a CW laser to picometer precision. The design is based on the proposal of P J Fox et al. [1] which aims at low cost and simplicity. Many laboratories around the world are using similar setups. In this proceeding the setup will be reviewed in brief and its application in our laboratory will be outlined. It is envisaged to be used for single ion spectroscopy using Ba+ and Ra+ ions in order to measure atomic properties with high precision.     

Interactions of N-acetyl-l-cysteine with metals (Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+): an experimental and theoretical study

In recent years, interactions of metal ions with amino acid derivatives have been studied extensively due to their immense importance in the life-supporting processes. Here, we report the synthesis of three metal (Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) complexes of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) using a solvent-free solid-state method. Characterization of the complexes by elemental analyses, molar conductance, SEM, infrared and electronic absorption spectra reveals that the metal ions bind to the NAC molecules in 1:2 molar ratio (metal:ligand) via the S-atoms. Theoretical calculations are carried out using the B3LYP hybrid functional in combination with 6-31++G(d,p) and LANL2DZ basis sets to investigate the effects of metal coordination on the backbone structural features of NAC and geometry about the α-carbon atom. The molecular geometries of NAC as well as its metal complexes are fully optimized in gas phase without applying any geometrical constraint, and a second derivative analysis confirms that all the optimized geometries are true minima. TD-DFT single-point calculations are performed in aqueous phase to obtain the theoretical λ _max values. The gas-phase interaction enthalpies (metal ion binding affinities), Gibbs energies, HOMO/LUMO energies as well as their energy gaps, rotational constants, dipole moments, and theoretically predicted vibrational spectra of all the reaction species are also calculated and thoroughly analyzed. Most of the experimental results are well reproduced by the B3LYP level of calculations. Metal ion coordination to NAC modifies its backbone structural features as well as the geometry about the α-carbon atom.     

Water mediated catalyst-free efficient domino synthesis of 9-(quinolin-2(1H)-one)-xanthene-1,8(5H,9H)-diones using parallel synthesizer

A facile and efficient method for the preparation of 3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-9-(1,2-dihydro-2-oxoquinolin-3-yl)-2H-xanthene-1,8(5H,9H)-diones from substituted 2-chloro-3-formylquinoline and 1,3-cyclohexanedione or dimedone in water at 90 °C using parallel synthesizer is reported. The present methodology offers a tandem-cascade methodology, high yield, and operational simplicity.     

Soluble molecular compounds with the Mg-O-Al structural motif: a model approach for the fixation of organometallics on a MgO surface

We report a facile route to the molecular compounds with the Mg-O-Al structural motif. The reaction of Mg[N(SiMe3)2]2 (1) with a stoichiometric amount of LAlOH(Me) (2) [L = CH{(CMe)(2,6-iPr2C6H3N)}2] in THF/n-hexane at 0 degrees C results in the formation of the heterobimetallic compound (Me3Si)2NMg(THF)2-O-Al(Me)L (3) in high yield. The similar reaction of 1 equiv of Mg[N(SiMe3)2]2 and 2 equiv of LAlOH(Me) results in the formation of trimetallic compound L(Me)Al-O-Mg(THF)2-O-Al(Me)L (4). Structural analyses of 3 and 4 have been carried out, revealing the presence of the Mg-O-Al motif. A tentative assignment of the Mg-O-Al vibrations has been made and was supported by calculations.     

Multi-way modeling of hydro-chemical data of an alluvial river system--a case study

A large data set pertaining to water quality of an alluvial river was analyzed using multi-way data analysis methods with a view to extract the hidden information, spatial and temporal variation trends in the river water quality. Four-way data (8 monitoring sites × 22 water quality variables × 10 monitoring years × 12 sampling months) analysis was performed using PARAFAC and Tucker3 models. A two component PARAFAC model, although explained 35.1% of the data variance, could not fit to the data set. Tucker3 model of optimum complexity (2,3,1,3) explaining 39.7% of the data variance, allowed interpretation of the data information in four modes. The model explained spatial and temporal variation trends in terms of water quality variables during the study period and revealed that sampling sites in mid-stretch of the river were dominated mainly by the variables of anthropogenic origin. The results delineated the mid stretch of the river as critical from pollution point of view and also identified summer months as having high influence on river water quality in this stretch. The information regarding spatial and temporal variations in water quality generated by the four-way modeling of data would be useful in developing long-term water resources management strategies in the river basin.     

Copper complex of an iminodioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane pendant ligand: the first example of iminodioxocin bridgehead nitrogen coordination

The pentadentate N4O amine-imine-naphthol ligand (HL(D)) containing rigid 8,16-imino-8H,16H-dinaphtho[2,1-b:2,1-f][1,5]dioxocin is formed preferentially, under visible light irradiation conditions, instead of the product H3L, expected from imidazolidine ring formation. A strained chelate bite enforces the first bridgehead nitrogen coordination to a copper(II) ion from the bicyclic iminodioxocin part of the ligand as shown by X-ray crystallography.     

Ultrafast fluorescence resonance energy transfer in a reverse micelle: excitation wavelength dependence

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from coumarin 480 (C480) to fluorescein 548 (F548) in a sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelle is studied by picosecond and femtosecond emission spectroscopy. In bulk water, at the low concentration of the donor (C480) and the acceptor (F548), no FRET is observed. However, when the donor (C480) and the acceptor (F548) are confined in a AOT reverse micelle very fast FRET is observed. The time constants of FRET were obtained from the rise time of the emission of the acceptor (F548). In a AOT microemulsion, FRET is found to occur in multiple time scales--3, 200, and 2700 ps. The 3 ps component is assigned to FRET in the water pool of the reverse micelle with a donor-acceptor distance, 16 A. The 200 ps component corresponds to a donor-acceptor distance of 30 A and is ascribed to the negatively charged acceptor inside the water pool and the neutral donor inside the alkyl chains of AOT. The very long 2700 ps component may arise due to FRET from a donor outside the micelle to an acceptor inside the water pool and also from diffusion of the donor from bulk heptane to the reverse micelle. With increase in the excitation wavelength from 375 to 405 nm the relative contribution of the FRET due to C480 in the AOT reverse micelle (the 3 and 200 ps components) increases.     

Investigation of laser induced photocurrent generation experiments

Current signals produced by the laser-illumination of bare and non-chromophore containing peptide modified gold electrodes were investigated, and we suggest that these current signals which are due to the interfacial potential drop induced by laser heating, may have been mistakenly assigned to molecular-based photocurrents in several recent publications.     

Synthetic studies on amphidinolide B1

[structure: see text]. The syntheses of three fragments, 2, 3, and 4, of amphidinolide B1 have been accomplished. The 1,3-isomerization of allylic alcohol 10 was accomplished via rhenium oxo catalysis and has been applied successfully in the synthesis. (-)-MIB-catalyzed asymmetric vinylzinc addition to aldehyde 31 and the regio- and stereoselective epoxidation of unsymmetrical divinyl methanol 32 were key steps.     

Mass spectrometry study of hemoglobin-oxaliplatin complexes in colorectal cancer patients and potential association with chemotherapeutic responses

Oxaliplatin is the most active platinum (Pt)-containing anticancer drug for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. We report here the study of potential association of the levels of oxaliplatin-protein complexes in 19 cancer patients with treatment efficacy using size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICPMS) and nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) techniques. Blood samples from 19 colorectal cancer patients were collected at 1 and 48 h after the first infusion of oxaliplatin. HPLC/ICPMS quantification of the oxaliplatin-protein complexes showed that the levels of Pt-protein complexes in plasma samples at 48 h were reduced by approximately 50% compared to those at 1 h, whereas those in hemolysates did not change significantly. The concentrations of hemoglobin (Hb)-oxaliplatin complexes determined by HPLC/ICPMS ranged from 3.1 to 8.7 microM. NanoESI-MS analysis of the patient hemolysates showed three distinct mass spectral profiles of the Hb-oxaliplatin complexes: (1) 1:1, (2) 1:1 with 1:2, and (3) multiple complexes of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4, corresponding to the Hb-oxaliplatin complex concentrations determined by HPLC/ICPMS. Potential association of variables including Hb-oxaliplatin complex concentrations with time to progress as the treatment efficacy indicator was analyzed using the Cox model. Multivariate analysis of the potential predictors showed that the statistically significant variables were Hb-oxaliplatin complex concentration (p = 0.02), performance status (p = 0.02), baseline neutrophil count (p = 0.05), and the site of the primary cancer (colon vs. rectal, p = 0.01). The hazard ratio for the concentration of the Hb-oxaliplatin complexes was 2.4, suggesting that the risk of cancer progression significantly increased with increasing of Hb-oxaliplatin complexes in patients. These results demonstrate that the level of the Hb-oxaliplatin complexes in erythrocytes is a potential biomarker for indicating inter-patient variations in oxaliplatin treatment efficacy.