Effect of Li2O content on physical and structural properties of vanadyl doped alkali zinc borate glasses

The effect of Li₂O content in vanadyl doped 20ZnO+xLi₂O+(30−x)Na₂O+50B₂O₃ (5≤x≥25) glasses has been studied with respect to their physical and structural properties. The absence of sharp peaks in XRD spectra of these glass samples confirms the amorphous nature. The physical parameters like density, refractive index, ionic concentration and electronic polarizability vary non-linearly with x mol% depending on the diffusivities of alkali ions. EPR and optical absorption spectra reveal that the resonance signals are characteristics of VO²⁺ ions in tetragonally compressed octahedral site. Spin-Hamiltonian, crystal field, tetragonal field and bonding parameters are found to be in good agreement with the other reported glass systems. The tetragonal distortion (g_⊥-g_∥) and Dt reveals that their values vary non-linearly with Li₂O content and reaches a minimum at x=10 mol%. An anomaly of character has been observed in all the properties of vanadyl doped glass systems, which gives a clear indication of mixed alkali effect.     

The first polymorph in the family of nucleobases: a second form of cytosine

A new polymorph of cytosine, C₄H₅N₃O, is reported half a century after the report of its first known crystal structure [Barker & Marsh (1964). Acta Cryst. 17 , 1581–1587]. Cytosine thus provides the first polymorphic example in the category of parent nucleobases. The new form, denoted (Ib), was observed unexpectedly during an attempt to cocrystallize cytosine with catechol. Form (Ib) crystallizes in the orthorhombic centrosymmetric space group Pccn with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The previously known form, denoted (Ia), crystallizes in the orthorhombic noncentrosymmetric space group P2₁2₁2₁. The cytosine molecule is planar in both forms. Hydrogen‐bonding interactions are also similar for both forms. Infinite one‐dimensional ribbons composed of cytosine base‐pair dimers in R₂²(8) arrangements are observed in both (Ia) and (Ib). However, the way that the ribbons are packed differs in (Ia) and (Ib). This appears to guide the centrosymmetric versus noncentrosymmetric space‐group selection through the formation of an inversion‐related motif in polymorph (Ib) and a helical propagation in polymorph (Ia). A few selected polymorphic systems have been gathered from the Cambridge Structural Database to understand possible structural features responsible for achiral molecules adopting centro‐ and noncentrosymmetric space groups.     

Four oxoindole‐linked α‐alkoxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives

Four structures of oxoindolyl α‐hydroxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives, namely, methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐methoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₄H₂₈N₂O₆, (I), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐ethoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₅H₃₀N₂O₆, (II), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐[(4‐methoxybenzyl)oxy]‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₁H₃₄N₂O₇, (III), and methyl 2‐[(anthracen‐9‐yl)methoxy]‐2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₈H₃₆N₂O₆, (IV), have been determined. The diastereoselectivity of the chemical reaction involving α‐diazoesters and isatin imines in the presence of benzyl alcohol is confirmed through the relative configuration of the two stereogenic centres. In esters (I) and (III), the amide group adopts an anti conformation, whereas the conformation is syn in esters (II) and (IV). Nevertheless, the amide group forms intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds with the ester and ether O atoms in all four structures. The ether‐linked substituents are in the extended conformation in all four structures. Ester (II) is dominated by intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions. In contrast, the remaining three structures are sustained by C—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions.     

Metal ion-induced H-aggregation of a water-soluble anionic dye Congo red (CR) in Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) film

Present communication reports the preparation of Langmuir monolayer of water-soluble anionic dye Congo red (CR) by allowing it to adsorb from the aqueous subphase onto the preformed Langmuir monolayer of anionic stearic acid using divalent metal cations Mg²⁺ as mediator. Isotherm and compressibility studies of SA-Mg-CR hybrid monolayer gave valuable information about the molecular organisation in the Langmuir monolayer. Absorption spectroscopic studies revealed the formation of H-aggregates in the hybrid Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films fabricated at lower salt concentration in the subphase. Atomic Force Microscopic image gave visual evidence of distinct nanocrystalline domains in the LB monolayer film.     

Construction of Copper Removing Bacteria Through the Integration of Two-Component System and Cell Surface Display

Synthetic biological systems are becoming more and more feasible for commercial and medical purposes through the genetic engineering of several components. The simple assembly of a genetic circuit was shown to stimulate the removal of copper by bacteria through the engineering of a two-component system. The CusSR two-component systems is a regulator of Escherichia coli copper homeostatic system. In this system, genetic circuits of CusSR were fused to a cell surface display system for metal adsorption; this system is suitable for the display of a copper binding peptide through outer membrane protein C (OmpC). E. coli ompC codes for an outer membrane pore protein (porin) are induced at high osmolarity and temperature, which can also be used as an anchoring motif to accept the passenger proteins. The bacteria that produce the chimeric OmpC containing the copper binding peptide adsorbed maximum concentrations of 92.2 μmol of Cu(2+)/gram dry weight of bacterial cells. This synthetic bacterial system senses the specific heavy metal and activates a cell surface display system that acts to remove the metal.