Preparation and Characterization of Nano-ZnFe2O4/TiO2 Films

The nano-ZnFe2O4/TiO2 films possess the functions of desulfurization and degradation for organic pollutants. The sols of ZnFe2O4/TiO2 were prepared by sol-gel method and coated on glass and porous ceramic by vertical coating and dipping-lift processes, respectively, and the samples were obtained after drying and sintering. The composition, appearance, absorption spectrum of the films, and the influence of the film on porous ceramic performances were analyzed using SEM, AFM, UV-Vis spectrometer, and mercury porosimeter, respectively, to determine the operation parameters of the multifunction porous ceramic elements for gas-purification.     

MENTHOR,a database system for the storage and retrieval of three-dimensional molecular structures and associated data searchable by substructural,biologic, physical,or geometric properties

Summary MENTHOR is a database system for the storage and retrieval of three-dimensional coordinate and charge information on molecules as well as of traditional biological and physical properties. Our molecular graphics system retrieves from MENTHOR structural information in individual molecules and receptor map/macromolecular binding site hypotheses. Substructural searches of MENTHOR are used to find starting coordinates for molecular modeling and traditional database searches of MENTHOR identify compounds for which modeling is needed. It also forms the data to be searched with ALLADDIN, our substructure/geometric search program. MENTHOR expedites molecular modeling by organizing previous work and facilitating transmission of information between individuals. Examples from modeling of D-2 receptor agonists are shown.     

Electrode processes in the oxidation of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives

The electrochemical oxidation of the alkaloid laudanosine (Ia) to O-methylflavinantine (II) has been studied in acetonitrile solvent. Using cyclic voltammetry, rotating disc voltammetry and preparative electrolyses on several alkaloids, simple aliphatic amines and aromatic compounds, some aspects of the mechanism of this coupling reaction are elucidated. The first anodic wave for laudanosine at platinum has E_p=0.55 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺. The electrode rapidly becomes partially passivated at potentials above 0.5 V. This is due to a film which “dissolves” below 0.5 V, at a rate independent of the potential. It is shown that the reaction (Ia)→(II) proceeds at 0.5 V by initial oxidation of the amine moiety. If acids such as sodium bicarbonate are added to the anolyte the amine is protonated causing the first wave to disappear. Oxidation at 1.1 V under these acidic conditions produces the same product, but more rapidly and in significantly higher yield because electrode filming and side reactions resulting from the amine oxidation are abrogated.     

TOSAR – A Topological Method for the Representation of Synthetic and Analytical Relations of Concepts

In mechanized systems used for searching in literature stores there is a steadily growing necessity not only to be able to formulate concepts as a search condition but also the characteristic connections under which these concepts appear in the inquiry. In this way the precision of the mechanized literature search is considerably increased. TOSAR has been developed in order to improve computerized literature searching in this respect.     

The synthesis of cypridina etioluciferamine and the proof of structure of cypridina luciferin

An unambiguous synthesis of Cypridina etioluciferamine was accomplished in order to prove the structure of this important bioluminescent natural product. Several 2-aminopyrazine 1-oxides were synthesized in order to establish a spectroscopic method for determining the placement of substituents on the pyrazine nucleus of Cypridina etioluciferamine. Titanium tetrachloride was used to improve the yields of these compounds; for example, the yield of 2-amino-3-methyl-5-phenylpyrazine 1-oxide (19) from reaction of phenylglyoxal 1-oxime and α-aminopropionitrile was raised from 3% to 51% by the use of titanium tetrachloride. The pyrazine ring proton is found at τ 1·37 (DMSO-d₆). The isomeric 2-amino-3-methyl-6-phenylpyrazine 1-oxide (22) was similarly prepared and its pyrazine ring proton is found at τ 2·18. This large difference (0·81 ppm) in chemical shift was used to determine whether a 2-aminopyrazine 1-oxide was 5- or 6- substituted. Prepared in an analogous fashion were 2-amino-5-(indol-3-yl)-3-methylpyrazine 1-oxide (23) and 2-amino-5-(indol-3-yl)-3-(3-phthalimidopropyl)pyrazine 1-oxide (16). The structures of these compounds were verified by NMR spectroscopy. By treatment with Raney nickel and hydrogen gas, then 100% hydrazine hydrate, 16 was converted to 2-amino-3-(3-aminopropyl)-5-indol-3-ylpyrazine (5), isolated as the dihydrochloride. This compound, with the indole moiety definitely placed at C-5, is identical with Cypridina etioluciferamine dihydrochloride (IR, UV, TLC). These results show that the structures of Cypridina etioluciferamine and luciferin are correct as published.     

DSC study of cold and heat denaturation processes of β-lactoglobulin A with guanidine hydrochloride

The cold and heat denaturations of bovine P-lactoglobulin A ((β-lg A) has been studied in solutions of guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCI) by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experimental results are presented and discussed. It is shown that the number of protons bound by the monomeric molecules of β-lg A was unchanged before and after its heat denaturation below pH 3, and that the activation energy of the heat denaturation was depressed owing to the presence of GuHCI. In the solutions with 2.50 and 3.06 mol/L of GuHCI, both the cold and heat denaturations of P-lg A were observed. In comparison with the heat denaturation, the activation energy of cold denaturation was far lower and the number of GuHCl molecules bound by the unfolded polypeptide chains after culd denaturation increased a lot. The absolute value of the enthalpy of cold denaturation was larger than that of heat denaturation. It was found by the analysis that the contribution to the total denaturational enthalpy of conformational change itself of the monomeric molecules of β-lg A was the lowest among the globulins, according to the average of the number of heavy atoms. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and by the fund for excellent items under Director of the Institute of Chemistry.     

Chemical Liquid Phase Deposition of Thin Aluminum Oxide Films

Introduction Inorganic oxide films have attracted a lot of interest in the last several decades. Among them, silicon dioxide films are widely used in modern microelectronics, optics and mechanics. This material has been grown by various methods including thermal oxidation, chemical vapor phase deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor phase deposition, and so on.1,2 Recently, Nagayama et al.3 have reported that SiO2 thin films could be produced by a new chemical method of liquid phase depos…     

Differential scanning calorimetry as an analytical tool in the study of drug-cyclodextrin interactions

The interactions of trimethoprim, sulphadiazine and sulphamethoxazole with natural (a- b-, g- ) and amorphous (RAMEB) or crystalline (DIMEB) methylated b-cyclodextrins were investigated both in aqueous solution (using phase-solubility analysis) and in the solid state (using DSC supported by X-ray analysis). In particular, DSC studies enabled determination of the relative degree of crystallinity of each drug in its physical and ground mixtures with the different cyclodextrins on the basis of the variation of its heat of fusion in comparison with that of the pure drug. In all cases, the host cavity size was a prevalent factor for the inclusion complexation in liquid state. On the contrary, it had a negligible effect on solid-state interactions in terms of drug amorphization. DIMEB and RAMEB exhibited similar performances in aqueous solution, showing that the presence of methyl-groups improved the complexing and solubilizing properties of b-cyclodextrin. However, DSC studies revealed that RAMEB was clearly more active in performing solid-state interactions, i.e. drug amorphization, and as stabilizing agent for the amorphous state brought forth. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Selection of terms for a CI wavefunction to preserve potential surface features

A cumulative selection procedure for choosing configuration functions for inclusion in CI calculations is described. The objective of the method is to obtain equal energy loss, relative to unselected calculations, for different states and different regions of the potential surface. Results obtained from calculations on the BH molecule indicate an overall advantage in comparison to the threshold selection procedure, particularly with regard to molecular geometry changes.     

Interesting interferences in a direct serum creatinine reaction

A spectrophotometric study on a direct picric acid reaction for creatinine in severely jaundiced serums is described. A problem appears to be caused by the oxidation of bilirubin which minimizes rising absorbance when using continuous measurement. Simple examples of interferences with the kinetic mode are shown along with the hitherto unreported interference of the drug, Cephalothin, which also undergoes a picric acid reaction. A procedure in which a delta absorbance is obtained after decolorization of the Jaffé complex by acidification is shown as one available means for obviating the bilirubin effect. However, the theory that Jaffé-reactive interferences do not decolorize with the same acid treatment is not totally applicable when the drug, Cephalothin, is present.