Electrical energy required to form large conducting pores

This study computes the contribution of the externally induced transmembrane potential to the energy of large, highly conductive pores. This work was undertaken because the pore energy formulas existing in the literature predict qualitatively different behavior of large pores: the original formula proposed by Abidor et al. in 1979 implies that the electrical force expanding the pore increases linearly with pore radius, while later extensions of this formula imply that this force decreases to zero for large pores. Starting from the Maxwell stress tensors, our study derives the formula for the mechanical work required to deform a dielectric body in an ionic solution with steady-state electric current. This formula is related to a boundary value problem (BVP) governing electric potentials and fields in a proximity of a pore. Computer simulations yield estimates of the electrical energy for pores of two different shapes: cylindrical and toroidal. In both cases, the energy increases linearly for pore radii above approximately 20 nm, implying that the electrical force expanding the pore asymptotes to a constant value for large pores. This result is different from either of the two energy formulas mentioned above. Our study traces the source of this disagreement to approximations made by previous studies, which are suitable only for small pores. Therefore, this study provides a better understanding of the energy of large pores, which is needed for designing pulsing protocols for DNA delivery.     

How natural materials remove heavy metals from water: mechanistic insights from molecular dynamics simulations

Water pollution by heavy metals is of increasing concern due to its devastating effects on the environment and on human health. For the removal of heavy metals from water sources, natural materials, such as spent-coffee-grains or orange/banana/chestnut peels, appear to offer a potential cheap alternative to more sophisticated and costly technologies currently in use. However, in order to employ them effectively, it is necessary to gain a deeper understanding – at the molecular level – of the heavy metals-bioorganic-water system and exploit the power of computer simulations. As a step in this direction, we investigate via atomistic simulations the capture of lead ions from water by hemicellulose – the latter being representative of the polysaccharides that are common components of vegetables and fruit peels − as well as the reverse process. A series of independent molecular dynamics simulations, both classical and ab initio, reveals a coherent scenario which is consistent with what one would expect of an efficient capture, i.e. that it be fast and irreversible: (i) binding of the metal ions via adsorption is found to happen spontaneously on both carboxylate and hydroxide functional groups; (ii) in contrast, metal ion desorption, leading to solvation in water, involves sizable free-energy barriers.

We investigate via atomistic simulations the capture of lead ions from water by hemicellulose – as representative of the polysaccharides that are common components of vegetables and fruit peels – and the reverse process.     

Electron impact-induced decomposition of some substituted 7-ethoxycarbonylpyridopyrrolidenequinolines

The electron impact ionization mass spectrometric behaviour of three cycloadducts of 4,6-benzo[h]naphthyridinum ethoxycarbonylmethylide with acrylonitrile, ethyl acrylate and diethyl maleate was studied with the aid of exact mass measurements and metastable transitions. The study showed that the electron impact-induced decomposition of substituted pyridopyrrolidenequinolines occurs exclusively on the aliphatic five-membered ring.     

Sterically crowded diolates of group 13 metals

The dependence of the structure of complexes of sterically crowded 2,4-dimethylpentane-2,4-diol with group 13 metals trialkyls on the kind of metal, as well as steric bulk of the substituents on the metal atoms is reported. The reaction of ^tBu₃Ga with 2,4-dimethylpentane-2,4-diol leads to the formation of an unstable dimeric product {^tBu₂Ga[(OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂OH]}₂ (1) possessing a four-membered Ga₂O₂ core and two unreacted hydroxyl groups. Compound 1 undergoes further intramolecular reaction to yield the unusual (monoalkyl)gallane O,O^′-chelate complex {^tBuGa[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂O]}₂ (2). In contrast to ^tBu₃Ga, ^tBu₃In reacts with 2,4-dimethylpentane-2,4-diol to give the stable dimeric complex ^tBu₄In₂[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂OH]₂ (4) stabilised by two intramolecular O-H?O bonds. At higher temperature compound 4 reacts with an excess of ^tBu₃In to form the trinuclear complex ^tBu₅In₃[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂O]₂ (5). The reactions of 2,4-dimethylpentane-2,4-diol with trialkylmetallane with small alkyl groups, i.e. Me₃Ga and Me₃In allow for the isolation of the trinuclear diolates {Me₅M₃[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂O]₂} [M=Ga (3), M=In (6)]. The crystal structures of 2, 3 and 4 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The reactions of tert-butylmetallane diolates with trimethyl metallanes have been studied. The interaction of the allane complex {^tBuAl[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂O]}₂ with Me₃Al results in the formation of the trialuminium mixed-ligand product {Me₃(^tBu)₂Al₃[OC(CH₃)₂CH₂C(CH₃)₂O]₂} (7). Compounds 2 and 4 undergo a total transmetallation reaction in the presence of Me₃M to yield [Me₅M₃(diol-(2H))₂] [M=Al, Ga] products.     

Relativistic corrections in the multiple-scattering method

We show how to introduce the Foldy-Wouthuysen relativistic corrections in the multiple-scattering method, for the determination of the electronic energy levels of molecules. The present derivation begins from a variational expression where the Foldy-Wouthuysen hamiltonian is inserted, instead of the Schrödinger hamiltonian. The resulting secular equation becomes identical with the standard multiple-scattering secular equation, if one neglects the relativistic correction terms.     

(+)-(S)-α-diethoxyphosphorylvinyl p-tolyl sulfoxide: A new chiral Michael acceptor and dienophile

The tittle reagent, (+)-(S)-1, was prepared from (+)-(S)_s-α-diethoxy-phosphorylethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide 2 by phenylselenylation-deselenylation procedure. Its reactivity was demonstrated by diastereoselective Michael addition of ethanethiol giving rise to 3, tandem Michael addition/intramolecular Horner--Wittig reaction with 2-formyl pyrrole leading to the corresponding pyrrolizine sulfoxide 5 and cycloaddition with cyclopentadiene affording the diastereomeric adducts 6. The steric course of the Diels-Alder reaction is briefly discussed.     

Spectral and thermal studies of Y(III) and heavy lanthanide 4-chlorophthalates

Summary Complexes of heavy lanthanide(III) (Gd-Lu) and Y(III) with 4-chlorophthalic acid were prepared and their IR spectra, solubility in water at 295 K and thermal decomposition were investigated. When heated the complexes with general formula Ln₂[ClC₆H₃(CO₂)₂]₃·nH₂O where n=6 for Tb, Dy(III), n=4 for Gd, Ho and Er(III), n=2 for Tm-Lu(III) and n=3 for Y(III) decompose to the oxides Ln₂O₃, Tb₄O₇ with intermediate formation of oxochlorides LnOCl.     

Aminophosphine oxides in a pyridine series. Studies on the cleavage of pyridine-2- and pyridine-4-yl-(N-benzylamino)-methyldiphenylphosphine oxides in acidic solutions

The synthesis and reactions of 1-(N-benzylamino)-1-(2-pyridyl)- and 1-(N-benzylamino)-1-(4-pyridyl)-methyldiphenylphosphine oxides are described. It was found that these compounds were exceptionally easy to cleave in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions to form diphenylphosphinic acid and the corresponding N-(pyridylmethyl)-benzylamines. The structure of a single diastereoisomer, that is, the (R)-(+)-1-[N-(α-methylbenzylamino)]-1-(4-pyridyl)-(S)-methyldiphenylphosphine oxide was determined by X-ray crystallography. The acidic alcoholysis of the selected model chiral pyridine aminophosphine oxides was investigated by means of ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The cleavage kinetics were also studied. On the basis of the obtained results, a mechanism of the cleavage was formulated.     

Behavior of peptides and computer-assisted optimization of peptides separations in a normal-phase thin-layer chromatography system with and without the addition of ionic liquid in the eluent

The addition of an ionic liquid into the mobile phase appeared to be useful in optimization of chromatographic separation of peptides. Different behavior of peptides in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was observed after addition of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetra fluoroborate to the eluent in comparison to the system without the ionic liquid. Nonlinear dependence of the retention coefficient, R(M), of peptides on the volume percentage of acetonitrile in the eluent was found in normal-phase TLC with and without immidazolium tetra fluoroborate in the mobile phase. In general, R(M) increased with increasing concentration of acetonitrile. In TLC systems without the ionic liquid, R(M) can be described well with a quadratic function. On the other hand, in a TLC system with an ionic liquid as the additive to the mobile phase, the retention behavior is better described with a third-degree polynomial function. The potential usefulness of ionic liquids for optimization of separation of peptides was demonstrated. Optimization of the separation conditions was supported by a commercially available computer program.     

Complexes of heavy lanthanides witho-aminobenzoic acid

Anthranilates of Tb-Lu prepared in the reaction of the rare earth hydroxides withortho-aminobenzoic acid (anthranilic acid) have the general formulaLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃·2H₂O whereLn=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu. The water molecules in the hydrated compounds are in the outer coordination sphere. On heating in air at 493K dehydration occurs and the anhydrous anthranilatesLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃ are formed. On the basis of the IR spectra it was found that the metal in dihydrated anthranilates was simultaneously coordinated through amino and carboxyl groups whereas in anhydrous anthranilates only through the bidentate carboxyl group. From X-ray analysis it was stated that the anthranilatesLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃·2H₂O are isostructural, whereas the anhydrous compoundsLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃ are isostructural in the two groups Tb-Er and Tm-Lu.

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Die Komplexe der schweren Selteneerdmetalle mit Orthoaminobenzoesäure

Zusammenfassung Zur Darstellung der Verbindungen des TypsLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃·2H₂O (mitLn=Tb bis Lu) wurde die berechnete Menge vonLn(OH)₃ und C₆H₄NH₂COOH-Lösung gemischt und bei 363K schnell zur Kristallisation gebracht. Die Produkte werden schnell abfiltriert, mit Wasser gewaschen und bis zur Gewichtskonstanz getrocknet. Die VerbindungenLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃·2H₂O sind isostrukturell mit der Dichte ungefähr 1.6g·cm^–1 und geringer Löslichkeit in Wasser bei Raumtemperatur. Beim Erhitzen folgt zunächst Entwässerung bei 493 K, später Zersetzung zu Tb₄O₇ undLn ₂O₃. Die wasserfreien VerbindungenLn(C₆H₄NH₂COO)₃ sind isostrukturell in 2 Strukturtypen: Tb-Er and Tm-Lu. Die Infrarotspektren von wasserfreien Verbindungen und Doppelhydraten wurden registriert. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die Koordinierung der Seltenerdmetalle mit Liganden in den Dihydraten sowohl durch die Amino- als auch durch Carboxylgruppen erfolgt. In den wasserfreien Komplexen tritt die Koordinierung nur durch Carboxylgruppen auf.