OCS formation in the reaction of OH with CS2

A steady-state system involving photolysis of HONO as a source of OH was used to investigate the reaction of OH with CS₂ at 1 atm and 295 K. In the presence of O₂ ( > 40 Torr) a rapid reaction of OH with CS₂ occurs giving OCS. At lower O₂ concentrations, OCS formation ceases. In air the overall rate constant for OH + CS₂ → OCS was (1.7 ± 0.9) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1.     

Hydrogen abstraction and dimerisation reactions of some organo-transition metal free radicals

The 17-electron species [M(CO)_5χL_χ] (M  Mn, Re, χ  0; M  Mn, Re; L  Ph₃P, χ  1, 2; M  Mn, Re; L  (o-MeC₆H₄O)₃P, χ  2; M  Mn; L  (p-ClC₆H₄O)₃P, (PhO)₃P, χ  2; M  Mn; L  P(OMe)₃, χ  3) have been generated by one electron oxidation of the corresponding anions and show typical radical reactivity, undergoing dimerisation or hydride abstraction in reactions controlled by steric effects. Evidence is presented for the source of the hydrogen atom. The 19-electron species [M(CO)₃(η⁷-C₇H₇)]^? (M  Cr, Mo) and [Fe(CO)₃(η⁵-C₆H₇)]^?, generated by reduction of the corresponding cations, undergo dimerisation at the organic ligand. Similar treatment of [Fe(CO)₂-L(η-cp)]⁺ (L  CO, PPh₃, P(OPh)₃, Me₂CO) yields [Fe₂(CO)₄(η-cp)₂] and these reduction reactions are rationalised in terms of the nature of the HOMO in the intermediate radical. Similar reduction of [Rh(diphos)₂]⁺ yield the 17-electron intermediate [Rh(diphos)₂] and this also undergoes hydrogen abstraction.     

1,2-Shift of a Carboxyl Group in a Wagner-Meerwein Rearrangement

On treatment with HSO₃F in SO₂C1F at 0°, 3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-3-phenyl-propionic acid ( 1a ) is transformed into 2-phenyl-3-methyl-2-butenoic acid ( 2a ) (isolated yield: 40–44%). Using monolabelled [3-¹³C]- 1a ( 1a *) and doubly labelled [1,3-¹³C₂]- 1a ( 1a **), the migration of HOOC (or a mechanistically equivalent group) was proved; a cross experiment established the intramolecular character of the rearrangement. By following the reaction at low temperature in an NMR. spectrometer, the formation of intermediates and side products was demonstrated.     

A selective electrolytic sensor for nitrite based on a modified platinum electrode

The electrolytic sensor described is based on the oxidation of nitrite at a platinum electrode modified with chemisorbed iodine and coated with a thin layer of quaternized poly(4-vinylpyridine), qPVP. The sealed sensor uses an anion-exchange membrane to separate Donnan transport of nitrite across the membrane and controlled potential electrolysis at the Pt/qPVP indicator electrode. The sensor has a linear response to nitrate concentration in aqueous samples over the range 4 × 10^?6?2 × 10^?3 M nitrite. The detection limit is 2 × 10^?6 M nitrite. The sensor is free of interference by nitrate, dissolved oxygen, cations, and many neutral species. Anions that are electroactive at 0.7 V vs. Ag/ AgCl would interfere, but they are uncommon in most samples. Initial tests with lake water samples suggest that this sensor is unaffected by this matrix. The system was also evaluated for monitoring nitrite levels in spiked meat extracts.     

Shift to Pseudomonic acid B production in P. fluorescens NCIMB10586 by mutation of mupirocin tailoring genes mupO, mupU, mupV, and macpE

Mupirocin, a polyketide-derived antibiotic from Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB10586, is a mixture of pseudomonic acids (PA) that target isoleucyl-tRNA synthase. The mup gene cluster encodes both type I polyketide synthases and monofunctional enzymes that should play a role during the conversion of the product of the polyketide synthase into the active antibiotic (tailoring). By in-frame deletion analysis of selected tailoring open-reading frames we show that mupQ, mupS, mupT, and mupW are essential for mupirocin production, whereas mupO, mupU, mupV, and macpE are essential for production of PA-A but not PA-B. Therefore, PA-B is not simply produced by hydroxylation of PA-A but is either a precursor of PA-A or a shunt product. In the mupW mutant, a new metabolite lacking the tetrahydropyran ring is produced, implicating mupW in oxidation of the 16-methyl group.     

Effect of humidity on the adsorption kinetics of lung surfactant at air-water interfaces

The in vitro adsorption kinetics of lung surfactant at air-water interfaces is affected by both the composition of the surfactant preparations and the conditions under which the assessment is conducted. Relevant experimental conditions are surfactant concentration, temperature, subphase pH, electrolyte concentration, humidity, and gas composition of the atmosphere exposed to the interface. The effect of humidity on the adsorption kinetics of a therapeutic lung surfactant preparation, bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES), was studied by measuring the dynamic surface tension (DST). Axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) was used in conjunction with three different experimental methodologies, i.e., captive bubble (CB), pendant drop (PD), and constrained sessile drop (CSD), to measure the DST. The experimental results obtained from these three methodologies show that for 100% relative humidity (RH) at 37 degrees C the rate of adsorption of BLES at an air-water interface is substantially slower than for low humidity. It is also found that there is a difference in the rate of surface tension decrease measured from the PD and CB/CSD methods. These experimental results agree well with an adsorption model that considers the combined effects of entropic force, electrostatic interaction, and gravity. These findings have implications for the development and evaluation of new formulations for surfactant replacement therapy.     

Recent microwave studies of internal rotation and molecular structure

The microwave spectra of several molecules with a sixfold barrier are described. These barriers are expected to be low but the practical method of spectroscopic analysis depends on the reduced barrier height. Molecules with a light internal top such as CH₃NO₂ and CH₃BF₂ are treated in the free-rotor limit. On this basis the spectrum of CH₃BCl₂, a new microwave molecule, has been analysed; the structure and ³⁵Cl quadrupole coupling constants are reported.Molecules possessing a heavy internal symmetric top such as SiF₃BF₂, CF₃NO₂, (CH₃)₃CNO₂ and (CH₃)₃CBF₂ exhibit microwave spectra of intermediate barrier type. Recent barrier and structural results are discussed.     

Oxygen diffusion in poly(dimethyl siloxane) using fluorescence quenching. I. Measurement technique and analysis

The transport properties of oxygen in poly(dimethyl siloxane) have been measured using the method of quenching of fluorescence. This paper discusses the uniqueness of this method and its use in measuring the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in unfilled PDMS. The results show (1) a large value for the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in pure PDMS at 25°C, D = 3.55 × 10^?5 cm²/s, (2) a low value of the acitivation energy, E_D = 4.77 kcal/mole, which was not temperature dependent in the ranges evaluated, and (3) a large value of the preexponential term, D₀ = 0.115 cm²/s. The diffusion coefficient was found to be independent of both the oxygen concentration and fluorophor concentration in the pressure and temperature ranges used in these experiments. The import of these experiments lies in their application to a unique biomedical oxygen sensor which is fast, sensitive, and does not consume oxygen.     

Acidity functions of aqueous fluorinated acid solutions by differential pulse polarography

The acidity functions of aqueous trifluoroacetic and trifluoromethanesulphonic acid mixtures, and aqueous hexafluoropropane-2, 2-diol solutions, have been determined by differential pulse polarography. The apparent shift of the half-wave potential for the ferrocene—ferricinium couple, as the solvent composition is changed, is used to indicate the change in potential of a glass electrode; acidity is measured as the H_GF acidity function. The densities of two of these solvent systems as a function of composition are also reported. Trifluoromethanesulphonic acid—water mixtures represent the strongest aqueous acid solvent system so far studied.