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.     

Formation of disubstituted beta-lactones using bifunctional catalysis

[reaction: see text] Acid chlorides and aromatic aldehydes react in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of a tertiary amine and catalytic amounts of a cinchona alkaloid derivative and a Lewis acid to produce beta-lactones in high diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The sense of the diastereoselectivity depends on the substitution of the acid chloride, with the reactions of aliphatic acid chlorides giving predominantly the trans-isomer and those of alkoxyacetyl chlorides favoring formation of the cis-isomer.     

Minimization of water vapor interference in the analysis of non-methane volatile organic compounds by solid adsorbent sampling

Water vapor can be a significant interference in the analysis of air for non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) using solid-adsorbent sampling techniques. The adsorbent materials used in sampling cartridges have different hydrophobic characteristics, and it is therefore necessary to characterize solid-adsorbent cartridges over a wide range of humidity. Controlled humidity experiments were performed to assess the extent of water vapor interference when samples are collected onto AirToxics solid-adsorbent cartridges. It was found that elevating the temperature of the cartridge to 10 degrees C above the temperature of the air sample greatly reduced water vapor adsorption and interferences and resulted in > or = 90% recovery of NMVOCs, biogenic VOCs and chlorofluorocarbons. Similar collection efficiencies were obtained at ambient temperature by reducing the relative humidity to > or = 60% in the sample by dilution with dry, scrubbed ambient air. A procedure also was developed and optimized for dry-purging cartridges prior to analysis. However, under optimized conditions, significant losses of C3-C5 compounds still occurred under highly humid conditions. It was determined that these losses were due to reduced retention during sampling rather than loss during the dry purge procedure. The dry purge method was shown to be adequate at high humidities for sampling NMVOCs with retention indices greater than 500.     

Gravity-induced convective flow in microfluidic systems: electrochemical characterization and application to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests

A way of using gravity flow to induce a linear convection within a microfluidic system is presented. It is shown and mathematically supported that tilting a 1 cm long covered microchannel is enough to generate flow rates up to 1000 nL.min(-1), which represents a linear velocity of 2.4 mm.s(-1). This paper also presents a method to monitor the microfluidic events occurring in a covered microchannel when a difference of pressure is applied to force a solution to flow in said covered microchannel, thanks to electrodes inserted in the microfluidic device. Gravity-induced flow monitored electrochemically is applied to the performance of a parallel-microchannel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with electrochemical detection. A simple method for generating and monitoring fluid flows is described, which can, for instance, be used for controlling parallel assays in microsystems.     

Hybridization and enzymatic extension of au nanoparticle-bound oligonucleotides

We have investigated the impact of steric effects on the hybridization and enzymatic extension of oligonucleotides bound to 12-nm colloidal Au particles. In these experiments, a nanoparticle-bound 12-mer sequence is hybridized either to its solution phase 12-mer complement or to an 88-mer template sequence. The particle-bound oligonucleotide serves as a primer for enzymatic extension reactions, in which covalent incorporation of nucleotides to form the complement of the template is achieved by the action of DNA polymerase. Primers were attached via-C(6)H(12)SH, -C(12)H(24)SH, and -TTACAATC(6)H(12)SH linkers attached at the 5' end. Primer coverage on the nanoparticles was varied by dilution with (5')HSC(6)H(12)AAA AAA(3'). Hybridization efficiencies were determined as a function of linker length, primer coverage, complement length (12-mer vs 88-mer), and primer:complement concentration ratio. In all cases, hybridization for the 88-mer was less efficient than for the 12-mer. Low primer surface coverage, greater particle-primer separation, and higher primer:complement ratios led to optimal hybridization. Hybridization efficiencies as high as 98% and 75% were observed for the 12-mer and 88-mer, respectively. Enzymatic extension of particle-bound primers was observed under all conditions tested; however, the efficiency of the reaction was strongly affected by linker length and primer coverage. Extension of primers attached by the longest linker was as efficient as the solution-phase reaction.     

Understanding the factors controlling the photo-oxidation of natural DNA by enantiomerically pure intercalating ruthenium polypyridyl complexes through TA/TRIR studies with polydeoxynucleotides and mixed sequence oligodeoxynucleotides

Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes which can sensitise the photo-oxidation of nucleic acids and other biological molecules show potential for photo-therapeutic applications. In this article a combination of transient visible absorption (TrA) and time-resolved infra-red (TRIR) spectroscopy are used to compare the photo-oxidation of guanine by the enantiomers of [Ru(TAP)₂(dppz)]²⁺ in both polymeric {poly(dG-dC), poly(dA-dT) and natural DNA} and small mixed-sequence duplex-forming oligodeoxynucleotides. The products of electron transfer are readily monitored by the appearance of a characteristic TRIR band centred at ca. 1700 cm⁻¹ for the guanine radical cation and a band centered at ca. 515 nm in the TrA for the reduced ruthenium complex. It is found that efficient electron transfer requires that the complex be intercalated at a G-C base-pair containing site. Significantly, changes in the nucleobase vibrations of the TRIR spectra induced by the bound excited state before electron transfer takes place are used to identify preferred intercalation sites in mixed-sequence oligodeoxynucleotides and natural DNA. Interestingly, with natural DNA, while it is found that quenching is inefficient in the picosecond range, a slower electron transfer process occurs, which is not found with the mixed-sequence duplex-forming oligodeoxynucleotides studied.

Efficient electron transfer requires the complex to be intercalated at a G-C base-pair. Identification of preferred intercalation sites is achieved by TRIR monitoring of the nucleobase vibrations before electron transfer.     

Validation of a simple, sensitive method for the determination of beta-estradiol in bovine urine using gas-chromatography negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A new method is presented for the analysis of 17[small beta]-estradiol in bovine urine. After deconjugation, the sample is cleaned up using an OASIS[trade mark sign] HLB disposable cartridge and extracted into 1-chlorobutane. The hormone is derivatized using pentafluorobenzoyl chloride. The derivatized estradiol is quantitated using gas-chromatography negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Calibrations, obtained using spiked blank urine, are linear in the range of 100-1000 pg mL(-1) with CC[small alpha] approximately 170 pg mL(-1) and CC[small beta] of 287 pg mL(-1). Recoveries are in the range of 80 to 130%. The method is rugged, rapid and sensitive when compared to other hormone methods.     

The effect of octyl glucoside on the lamellar phase of diluted C12E4 and alcohol systems

A systematic study on phase behavior of the mixture of nonionic surfactants with alcohols at 30.0+/-0.1 degrees C was carried out. The total surfactant concentration was kept to 0.1 M varying the mole ratio of n-octyl beta-d-glucopyranoside (OG) and tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether. Two uniphasic regions were found, the lamellar phase at low OG mole fraction and micelles at high OG mole fraction. The presence of OG favors the lamellae-micelle transition. Alkanols and benzyl alcohol were used as cosurfactants. The more hydrophobic alcohols (octanol and decanol) increase the OG content in the mixed bilayers. On the contrary, benzyl alcohol is not as favorable to the OG incorporation in the lamellar phase as in the mixed micelles. The L(3) phase has only been found as a uniphasic region with hexanol.     

Multifunctional behavior by a Bis-(phosphinimino)methanide ligand: eta 2- vs eta 3-coordination vs Bronsted basicity

The reaction of [(Cymene)RuCl2]2 with the chelate LiHC(PPh2NPh)2 occurs to remove both chloride ligands, to furnish a cationic Ru(II) complex with the monoanionic ligand bound eta3, through two N and an sp3 carbon. This cation is also produced from the conjugate acid of the ligand H2C(PPh2NPh)2 because this molecule can serve as a Br?nsted base, to deprotonate the acidic carbon of another molecule of H2C(PPh2NPh)2. DFT calculations show an energy surface where (Cymene)RuHC(PPh2NPh)2L is more stable with a Ru-CH(PPh2NPh)2 bond and with L = Cl- or MeCN not coordinated to Ru, than to an eta2-HC(PPh2NPh)2 structure with coordinated L; this is tested experimentally. The greater tendency for this ligand to be coordinated eta3 vs analogous diketiminates is discussed. The nucleophilicity of Cgamma in structure 1, vs that of donors L = Cl- or MeCN, is evaluated to understand the preference of the bis(phosphinimino)methanide to be bidentate or tridentate.     

Squeezing the [Cu-OH...H2O-Cu]3+ bridge by cryptate encapsulation

Treatment of cryptand L(1) with Cu(II) generates a H3O2(-)-bridged dicopper(II) cryptate, 2, where the guest anion has responded to steric constraint by a significant shortening of the O-O distance to 2.325(9) A; computational optimization at the B3LYP/6-31(d) level suggests that the bridging O-H...O H-bond is bent (approximately 157 degrees) but that the barrier to interchange of the bridging H atom is low (<4 kJ mol(-1)). This cryptate, rather than the [Cu2L(1)muCN]3+ species recently claimed to derive from cleavage of the C-C bond of the solvent, is the product of acetonitrile recrystallization of the initially formed reaction product, 1.