Self-organized ZnAl2O4 nanostructures grown on -sapphire

Self-organized ZnAl₂O₄ nanostructures with the appearance (in SEM) of high aspect ratio horizontal nanowires are grown on uncatalysed c-sapphire by vapour phase transport. The nanostructures grow as three equivalent crystallographic variants on c-sapphire. Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy confirm that the nanostructures are not ZnO and TEM shows that they are the cubic spinel, zinc aluminate, ZnAl₂O₄, formed by the reaction of Zn and O with the sapphire substrate.     

INCREASED ENERGY TRANSFER FROM PHYCOBILISOMES TO PHOTOSYSTEM II IN HIGH LIGHT ADAPTED Anabaena cylindrica

Excitation energy transfer from phycobilisomes to photosystem II in high-light adapted cells of Anabaena cylindrica was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and compared to that of low-light adapted cells. Measurements were made on membrane fragments containing phycobilisomes, photosystem I and II, isolated in 0.75 M K-phosphate. Relative efficiency of 430 to 590 nm light in the excitation of F₆₈₀ chlorophyll fluorescence was compared in low and high light adapted cells, respectively. The values indicate that light energy absorbed by phycobilisomes is transferred to photosystem II antenna chlorophylls with higher efficiency in high-light adapted cells than in low-light adapted cells. Partial dissociation and uncoupling of energy transfer caused by low ion concentration were different in the membrane fragments isolated from the two kinds of cells and indicated a higher aggregation state of pigment-protein complexes of phycobilisomes in high-light adapted A. cylindrica cells.     

Application of self-assembly for replacing chromate in corrosion protection of zinc

Due to the toxic and carcinogenic properties of hexavalent chromium ion, the corrosion protection with chromating technique needs replacement. Several environmentally friendly alternative metal pretreatments have already been proposed. One of these methods is the application of self-assembling molecules to form mono- or multilayers on the metal surfaces. These layers can prevent metal dissolution due to their dense and stable structure. The objective of our studies was to protect zinc surface against corrosion, with a thin phosphonate layer. Aqueous solutions of diphosphonic acid with different alkyl chain lengths were applied with different treatment times. The layer formation, stability, and corrosion protection of these films were monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the effect of 1,5-diphosphono-pentane (DPP) on zinc was studied by polarization curves. The wetting properties were determined by static contact angle measurement. 1,5-Diphosphono-pentane forms a thin layer, with a pronounced protective ability in neutral aqueous solutions. The application of self-assembling molecules can be a promising method to replace the chromating technique on zinc surface.     

Comparative Evaluation of CE and HPLC for Determination of Cotinine in Human Urine

Two rapid and popular methods—capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been compared for analysis of cotinine in human urine. Cotinine was analyzed in less than 7 min, with detection limits of 5 and 3.2 ng mL⁻¹ for CE and HPLC, respectively. The performance of the methods was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, and limits of detection and quantification. Calibration plots were linear in the range 50–4,000 ng mL⁻¹, at least, and mean recoveries were satisfactory for both techniques. The methods were successfully used for quantification of cotinine in urine.     

Semi-preparative liquid-chromatographic separation of all four stereoisomers of α-bisabolol on tribenzoylcellulose

Summary A semi-preparative low-pressure liquid-chromatographic procedure using tribenzoylcellulose has been developed for the separation and isolation of the four -bisabolol stereoisomers. Stereochemical assignments were made by HPLC-polarimeter coupling and by using the authentical isomers. This method can be applied to the quality control of chamomile preparations, as it allows the detection of adulterations resulting from admixtures of synthetic -bisabolol. In addition, the isolation of all four -bisabolol stereoisomers from commercially available synthetic -bisabolol has been made possible.     

New routes to beta-cycloalkylalanine derivatives using serine-derived organozinc reagents

Two distinct routes to beta-cycloalkylalanine derivatives have been developed. The first route employs the reaction of the iodoalanine-derived zinc-copper reagent 2 with cycloalk-1-en-3-yl phosphates, and the second uses the palladium-catalysed coupling of the iodoalanine-derived zinc reagent 1 with cycloalkenyl triflates; in each case, catalytic hydrogenation of the unsaturated product leads to the protected beta-cycloalkylalanine. The latter route allows access to a range of cycloalkyl derivatives, with ring sizes of 5-8. beta-(1-Methyl-1-cyclohexyl)alanine may be prepared using reaction of the zinc-copper reagent 2 with 3-methyl-2-cyclohexenyl chloride, followed by hydrogenation. The corresponding cyclopentyl derivative may be prepared by reaction of the same zinc-copper reagent 2 with diethyl geranylphosphate, followed by ring-closing metathesis and hydrogenation.     

Thermal Analysis of Cobalt(II) Salts with some Carboxylic Acids

The thermal analysis of CoC₂O₄·2H₂O, Co(HCOO)₂·2H₂O and Co(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O was carried out with simultaneous TG-DTG-DTA measurements under non-isothermal conditions in air and argon atmospheres. The intermediates and the end products of decomposition were characterised by X-ray diffraction and IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The decomposition of the studied compounds occur in several stages. The first stage of dissociation of each compound is dehydration both in air and argon. The next stages differ in air and argon. The final product of the decomposition of each compound in air is Co₃O₄. In argon it is a mixture of Co and CoO for cobalt(II) oxalate and cobalt(II) formate but CoO for cobalt(II) acetate. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

DSC investigation of the thermal behaviour of (NH4)2SO4, NH4HSO4 and NH4NH2SO3

Gaseous products evolved from (NH₄)₂SO₄, NH₄HSO₄ and NH₄NH₂SO₃ during successive heating and cooling cycles were flushed with inert gas into analyzer Dräger tubes hooked tightly to the terminal port of the DSC cell base. This simple procedure allowed the starting temperature of the decomposition to be determined and the amount of the individual gases in the mixture to be identified and even estimated. NH₄NH₂SO₃ at 523 K in humid air produced HNH₂SO₃ initially and, on further cycling, (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NH₄HSO₄ also appeared. The ΔH_f values for NH₄HSO₄ were (kJ mole^?1): in an airtight sample holder 12.67, in a dry argon atmosphere 11.93, and in a static air atmosphere 10.92. Endothermic peaks for (NH₄)₂SO₄ and 498 and 411 K represented the incongruent melting point and the polymorphic transition of (NH₄)₂SO₄·NH₄HSO₄. After the first heating in air to 530 K, (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NH₄HSO₄ exhibited closely similar cyclic DSC curves. The endothermic peaks at about 393–420 K may be assigned to different combinations of (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NH₄HSO₄.     

Strong Attraction of Caffeine to the Mercurous Dumbbell in the Salt [Hg2(Caf)2](ClO4)2(H2O)2

Colourless single crystals of the caffeine adduct of mercurous perchlorate dihydrate, [Hg₂(Caf)₂](ClO₄)₂(H₂O)₂, were grown from aqueous solutions of mercurous perchlorate and caffeine by isothermal evaporation at ambient temperature. The crystal structure (monoclinic, P2₁/n, Z = 4, a = 1628.0(2), b = 780.4(1), c = 2229.6(3) pm, β = 99.84(1)°, R₁(all data) = 0.0894) contains [trans‐Caf‐Hg‐Hg‐Caf]²⁺ cations with a Hg‐Hg distance of 250.88(6) pm, Hg‐N (bond) distances of 214.4(6) and 215.1(6) pm and Hg‐Hg‐N angles of 176.9(2) and 165.1(2)°, respectively. These cations are attached via weak Hg‐O contacts to dimers which are further arranged to leave large channels into which one crystal water molecule is included. The second water molecule and the two perchlorate anions are weakly attracted to one Hg atom.