Synthese von Trimethyl- und Triphenylsulfonium-Cyanometallaten

Two cyano complexes of the type [R ₃S]₂ [Pd(CN)₄] (R ₃S⁺=Me ₃S⁺,Ph ₃S⁺ cations) were prepared. The identity of the obtained samples was verified by chemical analysis and investigated by IR-spectroscopy. Thev _CN stretching frequencies of the complexes were compared with similar frequencies of the corresponding alkaline cyano complex. The thermal decomposition of the compounds was examined.     

An improved method for assay of vitamin C in fish feed and tissues

Summary A method was devised to assay four forms of vitamin C: L-ascorbic acid (AA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), ascorbate-2-mono- and polyphosphate (AMP, APP), as well as ascorbate-2-monosulphate (AMS), in sample series of different fish tissues and feed. Direct and indirect detection were combined. Sample extractions were carried out with 0.2 mol L⁻¹ sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.8) and extracts were deproteinized after different chemical or enzymatic reactions, with perchloric acid. The DHA was reduced to AA with dithioerythritol (DTE). Ascorbate oxidase enzyme was used for the detection of background and an acidic phosphatase enzyme for the hydrolysis of different phosphate esters. Ascorbate-2-sulphate was detected directly with help of coinjection of the compound. Chromatographic analysis was carried out with a single column isocratic reverse phase method. The mobile phase was an aqueous buffer of 0.04 M sodium-acetate, 0.05 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM tetrabutylammonium dihydrogen phosphate (TBA) adjusted to pH 3.76 with 85% H₃PO₄ and with 24 mL methanol added to 1000 mL. C-18 columns were used with 0.6 mL min⁻¹ flow rate at 23°C. The vitamin C forms were detected by UV absorption at 250 nm. The determination limit was 1.0–5.0 μg g⁻¹ in AA equivalent. The standard deviations were between 1–6% and depended on the concentrations of vitamin C forms and tissues. Recoveries were between 90–96% in samples. Presented at: Balaton Symposium on High-Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September 3–5, 1997     

Dispersed fluorescence spectroscopy of primary and secondary alkoxy radicals

Dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectra of 1-propoxy, 1-butoxy, 2-propoxy, and 2-butoxy radicals have been observed under supersonic jet cooling conditions by pumping different vibronic bands of the B-X laser induced fluorescence excitation spectrum. The DF spectra were recorded for both conformers of 1-propoxy, three conformers of the possible five of 1-butoxy, the one possible conformer of 2-propoxy, and two conformers of the possible three of 2-butoxy. Analysis of the spectra yields the energy separations of the vibrationless levels of the ground X and low-lying A electronic state as well as their vibrational frequencies. In all cases, the vibrational structure of the DF spectra is dominated by a CO stretch progression yielding the nuCO stretching frequency for the X state and in most cases for the A state. In addition to the experimental work, quantum chemical calculations were carried out to aid the assignment of the vibrational levels of the X state and for some conformers the A state as well. Geometry optimizations of the different conformers of the isomers were performed and their energy differences in the ground states were determined. The results of the calculation of the energy separations of the close-lying X and A states of the different conformations are provided for comparison with the experimental observations.     

Molecular structure of ethynylbenzene from electron diffraction and ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The molecular structure and benzene ring distortions of ethynylbenzene have been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio MO calculations at the HF/6-31G^* and 6-3G^** levels. Least-squares refinement of a model withC _2v, symmetry, with constraints from the MO calculations, yielded the following important bond distances and angles:r _g(C _i -C _o )=1.407±0.003 Å,r _g(C _o -C _m )=1.397±0.003 Å,r _g(C _m -C _p )=1.400±0.003 Å,r _g(Cr _i -CCH)=1.436 ±0.004 Å,r _g(C=C)=1.205±0.005 Å, C _o -C _i -C _o =119.8±0.4°. The deformation of the benzene ring of ethynylbenzene given by the MO calculations, including o-C_i-C_o=119.4°, is insensitive to the basis set used and agrees with that obtained by low-temperature X-ray crystallography for the phenylethynyl fragment, C₆H₅-CC-, in two different crystal environments. The partial substitution structure of ethynylbenzene from microwave spectroscopy is shown to be inaccurate in the ipso region of the benzene ring.     

Thermal stability of new zinc acetate-based complex compounds

New zinc acetate based complex compounds (of general formula Zn(CH₃COO)₂·1?2L·nH₂O) containing one or two molecules of urea, thiourea, coffeine and phenazone were prepared namely: Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2.5H₂O, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2u·0.5H₂O, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·tu·0.5H₂O, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2tu, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·cof·2.5H₂O, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2cof·3.5H₂O, Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2phen·1.5H₂O. The compounds were characterized by IR spectroscopy, chemical analysis and thermal analysis. Thermal analysis showed that no changes in crystallographic modifications of the compounds take place during (heating in nitrogen before) the thermal decompositions. The temperature interval of the stability of the prepared compounds were determined. It was found that the thermal decomposition of hydrated compounds starts by the release of water molecules. During the thermal decomposition of anhydrous compounds in nitrogen the release of organic ligands take place followed by the decomposition of the acetate anion. Zinc oxide and metallic zinc were found as final products of the thermal decomposition of the zinc acetate based complex compounds studied. Carbon dioxide and acetone were detected in the gaseous products of the decomposition of the compounds if ZnO is formed. Carbon monoxide and acetaldehyde were detected in the gaseous products of the decomposition, if metallic Zn is formed. It is supposed that ZnO and Zn resulting from Zn acetate complex compounds here studied, possess different degree of structural disorder. Annealing takes place by further heating above 600°C.     

Bestimmung von Calcium-Ionen durch flammenphotometrische Titration

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine maßanalytische Methode zur Bestimmung von Calcium-Ionen beschrieben, bei der die zu bestimmende Lösung mit einer Phosphorsäure-maßlösung titriert wird. Man photometriert von Zeit zu Zeit die Flamme der zu bestimmenden Lösung in dem Zeiss-Flammenphotometer. Die Herstellung der Aerosole erfolgt durch einen modifizierten Zerstäuber. Mit Hilfe der einzelnen Versuchsdaten zeichnet man eine Titrationskurve, aus deren Knickpunkt der Äquivalenzpunkt ermittelt wird. Die Ergebnisse sind reproduzierbar. Die Emissionserniedrigung von Calcium in Anwesenheit von Phosphaten wird durch die Bildung von Ca₃ (PO₄)₂ erklärt.     

Conformational dependence of the intrinsic acidity of the aspartic acid residue sidechain in N-acetyl- -aspartic acid-N′-methylamide

The sidechain conformational potential energy hypersurfaces (PEHS) for the γ_L, β_L, α_L, and α_D backbone conformations of N-acetyl- -aspartate-N′-methylamide were generated. Of the 81 possible conformers initially expected for the aspartate residue, only seven were found after geometric optimizations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. No stable conformers could be located in the δ_L, _L, γ_D, δ_D, and _D backbone conformations. The ‘adiabatic’ deprotonation energies for the endo and exo forms of N-acetyl- -aspartic acid-N′-methylamide were calculated by comparing their optimized relative energies against those found for the seven stable conformers of N-acetyl- -aspartate-N′-methylamide. Sidechain conformational PEHSs were also generated for the estimation of ‘vertical’ deprotonation energies for both endo and exo forms of N-acetyl- -aspartic acid-N′-methylamide. All backbone–sidechain (N–H⁻O–C) and backbone–backbone (N–HO=C) hydrogen bond interactions were analyzed. A total of two backbone–backbone and four backbone–sidechain interactions were found for N-acetyl- -aspartate-N′-methylamide. The deprotonated sidechain of N-acetyl- -aspartate-N′-methylamide may allow the aspartyl residue to form strong hydrogen bond interactions (since it is negatively charged) which may be significant in such processes as protein–ligand recognition and ligand binding. As a primary example, the molecular geometry of the aspartyl residue may be important in peptide folding, such as that in the RGD tripeptide.     

“Comment” on the Reply to the Paper “On the Elber–Karplus Reaction Path-Following Method and Related Procedures”

The flaws in the Reply [1] to our paper [2] have been pointed out. Elber and Karplus (EK) have not disproved our irrefutable global statement that the energy average cannot be minimized which rebuts the theoretical background of EK-type calculations. Another statement of ours has shown that even a curve for which the average energy is locally minimal for all directional perturbations in the sense of classical variational calculus cannot be identical with the reaction path (RP) defined as a steepest descent path (SDP). EK found an error in the early preprint of our theoretical paper [3] and because of this error they qualified our correct variational statement as false for all the SDPs consisting of a straight line each. Mixing global and variational arguments, EK refuted our criticism in a logically incorrect manner. In this Comment we prove that both of our earlier statements invariably remain in force and the criticism included in those has been as well-established and solid as was before.     

Phosphorus-based SAHA analogues as histone deacetylase inhibitors

[structure: see text] Three analogues of suberoyl anilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) with phosphorus metal-chelating functionalities were synthesized as inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs). The compounds showed weak activity for HeLa nuclear extracts (IC(50) = 0.57-6.1 mM), HDAC8 (IC(50) = 0.28-0.41 mM), and histone-deacetylase-like protein (HDLP, IC(50) = 0.33-1.9 mM), suggesting that the transition state of HDAC is not analogous to zinc proteases. Antiproliferative activity against A2780 cancer cells (IC(50) = 0.11-0.12 mM), comparable to SAHA (0.15 mM), was observed.     

Intrinsically flame retardant epoxy resin - Fire performance and background - Part I

The flame retardant effect of newly synthesized phosphorus-containing reactive amine, which can be used both as crosslinking agent in epoxy resins and as a flame retardant, was investigated. The effect of montmorillonite and sepiolite additives on the fire induced degradation was compared to pristine epoxy resin. The effect of combining the organophosphorous amine with clay minerals was also studied. It could be concluded that the synthesized phosphorus-containing amine, TEDAP can substitute the traditional epoxy resin curing agents providing additionally excellent flame retardancy: the epoxy resins flame retarded this way reach 960 °C GWFI value, 33 LOI value and V-0 UL-94 rating - compared to the 550 °C GWFI value, 21 LOI value and “no rate” UL-94 classification of the reference epoxy resin. The peak of heat release was reduced to 1/10 compared to non-flame retarded resin, furthermore a shift in time was observed, which increases the time to escape in case of fire. The flame retardant performance can be further improved by incorporating clay additives: the LOI and the HRR results showed that the optimum of flame retardant effect of clay additives is around 1 mass% filler level in AH-16-TEDAP system. Applying a complex method for mechanical and structural characterization of the intumescent char it was determined that the flame retarded system forms significantly more and stronger char of better uniformity with smaller average bubble size. Incorporation of clay additives (owing to their bubble nucleating activity) results in further decrease in average bubble diameter.