Study of fiber optic sugar sensor

Over the last two decades, the fiber optic technology has passed through many analytical stages. Some commercially available fiber optic sensors, though in a small way, are being used for automation in mechanical and industrial environments. They are also used for instrumentation and controls. In the present work, an intensity-modulated intrinsic fiber optic sugar sensor is presented. This type of sensor, with slight modification, can be used for on-line determination of the concentration of sugar content in sugarcane juice in sugar industry. In the present set-up, a plastic fiber made of polymethylmethacrylate is used. A portion of the cladding (1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm) at the mid-point along the length of the fiber is removed. This portion is immersed in sugar solution of known concentration and refractive index. At one end of the fiber an 850 nm source is used and at the other end a power meter is connected. By varying the concentration of sugar solution, the output power is noted. These studies are made due to the change in refractive index of the fluid. The device was found to be very sensitive which is free from EMI and shock hazards, stable and repeatable and they can be remotely interfaced with a computer to give on-line measurements and thus become useful for application in sugar industries.     

Catalytic conversion of 2-propanol on La2MnZnO6

The perovskite La₂MnZnO₆ has been synthesized by a ceramic technique and its catalytic activity has been tested for 2-propanol decomposition. The catalyst is totally selective to dehydrogenation of the alcohol. A possible mechanism for the reaction is proposed.

---

La₂MnZnO₆ 2-. . .

     

Differentiation of Boc- alpha,beta- and beta,alpha-peptides and a pair of diastereomeric beta,alpha-dipeptides by positive and negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS)

Positive and negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectral study of a new series of hybrid peptides, viz, BocN-alpha,beta-peptides and BocN-beta,alpha-peptides, synthesized from C-linked carbo-beta3-amino acids [Caa (S)] and L-Ala has been carried out. The alpha,beta-peptides have been differentiated from beta,alpha-peptides by the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [M + H]+ and [M - H]- ions in positive and negative ion ESI-MS respectively. The fragment ion [M + H - C(CH3)3 + H]+ formed from [M + H]+ ions by the loss of 2-methyl-prop-2-ene in alpha,beta-peptides with L-Ala at the N-terminus is insignificant or totally absent for beta,alpha-peptides which have the Caa (S) at N-terminus. The fragment ion [M - H-C(CH3)3OH - HNCO]- formed from [M - H]- of beta,alpha-peptide acids is totally absent for alpha,beta-peptide acids. This has been attributed to the absence of the beta-methylene group in alpha,beta-peptides, and the participation of the beta-methylene group in the loss of HNCO in beta,alpha-peptide acids is confirmed by the deuteration experiments. The CID of [M + H-Boc + H]+ ions of these peptides also produce characteristic fragmentation. In the CID spectra of alpha,beta-peptides, the b(n)+ ions and the resulting y(n)+ ions occur at a mass difference of 243 and 71 Da corresponding to the successive losses of Caa and L-Ala, whereas a mass difference of 71 and 243 Da is observed for beta,alpha-peptides. In contrast to the CID of protonated peptides, the CID of [M - H]- ions of the alpha,beta- and beta,alpha-peptide acids do not give b(n)- ions and show abundant z(n) (-) ions. Further, a pair of diastereomeric dipeptide esters and acids have been distinguished by the CID of [M + H]+ ions. The loss of 2-methyl-prop-2-ene is more pronounced for Boc-NH-Caa(R)-D-Ala-OCH3 (21) and Boc-NH-Caa(R)-D-Ala-OH (23) with Caa (R) at the N-terminus, whereas it is totally absent for Boc-NH-Caa (S)-D-Ala-OCH3 (22) and Boc-NH-Caa(S)-D-Ala-OH (24) peptides, which have Caa (S) at the N-terminus. Thus, on the basis of our previous and present studies, we propose that the CID of [M + H]+ ions provides a simple and useful method for distinguishing the configuration of Caa (S or R) at the N-terminus of BocN-carbo beta,alpha- and beta,beta-dipeptides.     

A versatile and practical synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes/bis(indolyl)glycoconjugates catalyzed by trichloro-1,3,5-triazine

A practical and efficient electrophilic substitution reaction of indoles with a variety of aldehydes was carried out using catalytic trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (10 mol %) in acetonitrile to furnish the corresponding bis(indolyl)methanes in excellent yields. Similarly, sugar derived aldehydes gave hitherto unknown bis(indolyl)glycoconjugates in very good yields.     

Polyaniline film formation in hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide admicelles on hydrous zirconia surface

Formation of a thin polyaniline film on hydrous zirconia (ZrO2) surface was carried out using adsorbed surfactant bilayers on ZrO2 as reaction sites. Aniline was adsolubilized in hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTAB) admicelles formed on the surface of ZrO2 by adsorption. Subsequent polymerization of the adsolubilized aniline monomer showed effective conversion of aniline to polyaniline. The formation of the polyaniline coated ZrO2 has been confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and conductivity measurements. Various parameters involved during the adsorption process were studied. Selection of pH 9.0 as the pH of all experimental feed solutions was governed by the knowledge of point of zero charge (PZC) of ZrO2. Effect of aniline concentration on HDTAB adsorption was studied and it was observed that increase in aniline concentration decreased the amount of HDTAB adsorbed on ZrO2. Addition of salt (0.05 M NaCl) in the feed solution increased HDTAB adsorption and drastically reduced the effect of aniline concentration on HDTAB adsorption.     

Benzyne cyclisation with carbanion activated aromatic rings1

Attempts to cyclise o-chlorophenyl benzyl ether, sulphide, sulphoxide and sulphone by treatment with KNH₂/NH₃ were unsuccessful. Similar reaction of 1-(o-chlorophenyl)-2,2-diphenylethane led to amination whereas α-(o-chlorobenzyl)phenylacetic acid gave a dihydrocoumarin. Reaction of 4- and 2-(o-chlorophenethyl)-pyridines, however, afforded products comprising benzisoquinolines and 1-pyridylbenzocyclobutenes.     

OB-fold: growing bigger with functional consistency

It was predicted that the folding space for various protein sequences is restricted and a maximum of 1000 protein folds could be expected. Although, there were about 648 folds identified, general functional features of individual folds is not thoroughly studied. We selected OB-fold, which is supposed to be an oligonucleotide and oligosaccharide binding fold to study the general functional features. OB-fold is a small beta-barrel fold formed from 5 strands connected by modulating loops. We observed consistently 2 or 3 loops on the same face of barrel acting as clamps to bind to their ligands. Depending on the ligand, which could be a single or double stranded DNA/RNA or an oligosaccharide, and their conformational properties the loops change in length and sequence to accommodate various ligands. Different classes of OB-folded proteins were analyzed and found that the functional features are retained in spite of negligible sequence homology among various proteins studied.     

On the mechanism of nanopore filling of SAPO-5 molecular sieve by nitrogen molecules

SAPO-5 molecular sieve was synthesized according to patent literature and characterized with X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and solid state magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. The material of particles in the micrometer region was found to consist of ca. 20 nm microcrystallites packed in mostly parallel orientation to ca. 200 nm sized agglomerates. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm was measured at 77.6 K over ca. 7 decades of pressure up to pore saturation. The course of the isotherm is interpreted to consist of filling of the nanopores (diameter, 0.73 nm) up to 2N(2)/unit cell, subsequent multilayer adsorption on the outer surface of the agglomerates, and, finally, pore condensation in the interparticle adsorption space. The nanopore adsorption can be quantitatively reproduced with the statistical mechanical model of a quasi one-dimensional lattice gas taking intermolecular interactions into account. The evaluated energy parameters are of physically reasonable magnitude and agree with literature data. The multilayer part of the adsorption isotherm can be well represented by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller model yielding a specific outer space area (63 m(2) g(-)(1)) which is consistent with estimated geometrical and pore size analysis data.