Electron energy loss spectroscopy; history and related matters

This paper begins with some historical remarks regarding the author’s early interest in the use of electron energy loss spectroscopy to probe dynamical phenomena on crystal surfaces. We then discuss the physical nature of the interactions responsible for vibrational and spin waves losses, with attention to their role in related phenomena. PACS 61.14.-x; 68.35.Ja; 68.49.Jk; 68.49.Uv     

Characterisation of the photocatalyst Pilkington Activ™: a reference film photocatalyst?

Pilkington Glass Activ™ represents a possible suitable successor to P25 TiO₂, especially as a benchmark photocatalyst film for comparing other photocatalyst or PSH self-cleaning films. Activ™ is a glass product with a clear, colourless, effectively invisible, photocatalytic coating of titania that also exhibits PSH. Although not as active as a film of P25 TiO₂, Activ™ vastly superior mechanical stability, very reproducible activity and widespread commercial availability makes it highly attractive as a reference photocatalytic film. The photocatalytic and photo-induced superhydrophilitic (PSH) properties of Activ™ are studied in some detail and the results reported. Thus, the kinetics of stearic acid destruction (a 10⁴ electron process) are zero order over the stearic acid range 4–129 monolayers and exhibit formal quantum efficiencies (FQE) of 0.7×10⁻⁵ and 10.2×10⁻⁵ molecules per photon when irradiated with light of 365±20 and 254 nm, respectively; the latter appears also to be the quantum yield for Activ™ at 254 nm. The kinetics of stearic acid destruction exhibit Langmuir–Hinshelwood-like saturation type kinetics as a function of oxygen partial pressure, with no destruction occurring in the absence of oxygen and the rate of destruction appearing the same in air and oxygen atmospheres. Further kinetic work revealed a Langmuir adsorption type constant for oxygen of 0.45±0.16 kPa⁻¹ and an activation energy of 19±1 kJ mol⁻¹. A study of the PSH properties of Activ™ reveals a high water contact angle (67°) before ultra-bandgap irradiation reduced to 0° after prolonged irradiation. The kinetics of PSH are similar to those reported by others for sol–gel films using a low level of UV light. The kinetics of contact angle recovery in the dark appear monophasic and different to the biphasic kinetics reported recently by others for sol–gel films [J. Phys. Chem. B 107 (2003) 1028]. Overall, Activ™ appears a very suitable reference material for semiconductor film photocatalysis.     

Triruthenium dodecacarbonyl/triphenylphosphine catalyzed dehydrogenation of primary and secondary alcohols

Dehydrogenation of alcohols into aldehydes and ketones by Ru₃(CO)₁₂/PPh₃ based homogeneous catalysis has been investigated as an alternative for the classical Oppenauer oxidation. Several catalytic systems have been screened in the Oppenauer-like oxidation of alcohols. A systematic study of various combinations of Ru₃(CO)₁₂, mono- and bidentate ligands and hydride acceptors was performed to enable dehydrogenation of primary alcohols to stop at the aldehyde stage. Among many H-acceptors screened, diphenylacetylene (tolane) proved the most suitable judged from its smooth reduction. Electron rich and deficient analogues of tolane have been synthesized and, based on competition experiments between these H-acceptors, a tentative catalytic cycle for the Ru₃(CO)₁₂/PPh₃-catalyzed dehydrogenations has been proposed.     

Parameterization of peptide 13C carbonyl chemical shielding anisotropy in molecular dynamics simulations.

NMR chemical shielding anisotropy (CSA) relaxation is an important tool in the study of dynamical processes in proteins and nucleic acids in solution. Herein, we investigate how dynamical variations in local geometry affect the chemical shielding anisotropy relaxation of the carbonyl carbon nucleus, using the following protocol: 1) Using density functional theory, the carbonyl (13)C' CSA is computed for 103 conformations of the model peptide group N-methylacetamide (NMA). 2) The variations in computed (13)C' CSA parameters are fitted against quadratic hypersurfaces containing cross terms between the variables. 3) The predictive quality of the CSA hypersurfaces is validated by comparing the predicted and de novo calculated (13)C' CSAs for 20 molecular dynamics snapshots. 4) The CSA fluctuations and their autocorrelation and cross correlation functions due to bond-length and bond-angle distortions are predicted for a chemistry Harvard molecular mechanics (CHARMM) molecular dynamics trajectory of Ca(2+)-saturated calmodulin and GB3 from the hypersurfaces, as well as for a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of an NMA trimer using a quantum mechanically correct forcefield. We find that the fluctuations can be represented by a 0.93 scaling factor of the CSA tensor for both R(1) and R(2) relaxations for residues in helix, coil, and sheet alike. This result is important, as it establishes that (13)C' relaxation is a valid tool for measurement of interesting dynamical events in proteins.