FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic study of hydrated rubidium (cesium) borates and alkali double borates

FT-IR and Raman spectra of five hydrated alkali borates and five hydrated alkali double borates have been recorded at room temperature in the range 400 to 4000 cm⁻¹, and analyzed. Fundamental vibrational modes have been identified and assignments tentatively made in comparison with the work of Janda and Heller, and Li Jun. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Role of montmorillonite in flame retardancy of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer

The effects of non-treated (MMT), organophilic (OMM), and olefin/silicone polymer intercalated (IMM) montmorillonites on the thermal stability of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and on the flammability of magnesium hydroxide filled EVA were studied. The influence of various treatments on the delamination of montmorillonites in EVA was detected by rheological measurements and by Raman microscopy. The latter was a unique method for rapid detection of the dispersion also in highly filled EVA. Enhancement of thermo-oxidative stability of EVA and flame-retarded EVA could be observed by thermal analysis in the presence of variously treated montmorillonites. The flame-retardant efficiency of magnesium hydroxide was improved by simultaneous application of MMT and IMM. The increased performance of magnesium hydroxide was explained by the rheological effect of the IMM, catalytic effect of MMT and chemical interactions of montmorillonites with the metal hydroxide.     

Structure and dynamics of high-spin Ru in aqueous solution: Ab initio QM/MM molecular dynamics simulation

The structural and dynamical properties of high-spin Ru²⁺ in aqueous solution have been theoretically studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The conventional MD simulation based on pair potentials gives the overestimated average first shell coordination number of 9, whereas the value of 5.9 was observed when the three-body corrected function was included. A combined ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics simulation has been performed to take into account the many-body effects on the hydration shell structure of Ru²⁺. The most important region, the first hydration shell, was treated by ab initio quantum mechanics at UHF level using the SBKJC VDZ ECP basis set for Ru²⁺ and the 6-31G^∗ basis sets for water. An exact coordination number of 6 for the first hydration shell was obtained from the QM/MM simulation. The QM/MM simulation predicts the average Ru²⁺–O distance of 2.42 Å for the first hydration shell, whereas the values of 2.34 and 2.46 Å are resulted from the pair potentials without and with the three-body corrected simulations, respectively. Several other structural properties representing position and orientation of the solvate molecules were evaluated for describing the hydration shell structure of the Ru²⁺ ion in dilute aqueous solution. A mean residence time of 7.1 ps was obtained for water ligands residing in the second hydration shell.     

MICROWAVE ACCELERATED TETRAHYDROPYRANYLATION AND DETETRAHYDROPYRANYLATION OF ALCOHOLS,PHENOLS, AND THIOLS CATALYZED BY HYDRATED ZIRCONIA

ABSTRACT

A solvent free and expeditious method for tetrahydropyranylation and detetrahydropyranylation of alcohols, phenols and thiols is described using hydrated zirconia and 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran (DHP). A comparison of this microwave-accelerated reaction with conventional heating condition is also presented.     

ESEM-EDS: In vivo characterization of the Ni hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens

Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) permits to analyze samples in their native-hydrated state, allowing a broad spectrum of biological applications. In this study, ESEM equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) was used as a fast method to analyze tissue morphology and to investigate metal distribution in the Ni hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens, an established model to study the adaptation of plants to metalliferous soils. The low vacuum and wet mode operative conditions required the proper choice of experimental parameters both for morphological and compositional characterization of plant tissues. The calibration strategy for semi-quantitative analysis involved the use of Ni fortified agar as standard and signal normalization respect to endogenous carbon, chosen as internal standard. The obtained results are in accordance with present literature, showing a preferential Ni distribution in the epidermal cells respect to near the stomata for leaves and in the cotyledon epidermidis respect to cotyledon parenchyma area for seeds. Thanks to the absence of any time consuming sample treatment steps, ESEM-EDS technique can be proposed as valid strategy for in vivo high-throughput analysis of plant tissues and for a rapid screening and identification of other hyperaccumulator plants in a selected contaminated area.     

Crystal structures of the novel hydrated borates Ba2B5O9(OH), Sr2B5O9(OH) and Li2Sr8B22O41(OH)2

Three novel hydrated borates Ba₂B₅O₉(OH) (1), Sr₂B₅O₉(OH) (2) and Li₂Sr₈B₂₂O₄₁(OH)₂ (3) have been synthesized hydrothermally and their structures determined. Compounds (1) and (2) are isostructural, crystallizing in space group P2₁/c and having lattice parameters of a=6.6330(13) Å, b=8.6250(17) Å, c=14.680(3) Å, β=93.46(3)° and a=6.4970(13) Å, b=8.4180(17) Å, c=14.177(3) Å, β=94.35(3)°, respectively. Compound (3) crystallizes in P-1 with lattice parameters of a=6.4684(13) Å, b=8.4513(17) Å, c=14.881(3) Å, α=101.21(3)°, β=93.96(3)°, γ=90.67(3)°. While similar in their axis lengths, (3) differs greatly in structure and formulation from (1) and (2). The structure of (1) and (2) is contrasted to that of the well-known mineral hilgardite (Ca₂B₅O₉Cl·H₂O).     

Theoretical study of cisplatin adsorption on silica

The adsorption of cisplatin and its complexes, cis-[PtCl(NH₃)₂]⁺ and cis-[Pt(NH₃)₂]²⁺, on a SiO₂(1 1 1) hydrated surface has been studied by the Atom Superposition and Electron Delocalization method. The adiabatic energy curves for the adsorption of the drug and its products on the delivery system were considered. The electronic structure and bonding analysis were also performed. The molecule-surface interactions are formed at expenses of the OH surface bonds. The more important interactions are the Cl-H bond for cis-[PtCl₂(NH₃)₂] and cis-[PtCl(NH₃)₂]⁺ adsorptions, and the Pt-O interaction for cis-[Pt(NH₃)₂]²⁺ adsorption. The Cl p orbitals and Pt s, p y d orbitals of the molecule and its complexes, and the s H orbital and, the s and p orbitals of the O atoms of the hydrated surface are the main contribution to the surface bonds.     

Glass transition of hydrated wheat gliadin powders

Modulated-temperature differential scanning calorimetric and dynamic mechanical analyses and dielectric spectroscopy were used to investigate the glass transition of hydrated wheat gliadin powders with moisture absorption ranged from 2.30 db%to 18.21 db%.Glass transition temperature(I_g)of dry wheat gliadin was estimated according to the Gordon Taylor equation.Structural heterogeneity at high degrees of hydration was revealed in dielectric temperature and frequency spectra.The activation energies(E_a)of the two relaxations were calculated from Arrhenius equation.     

内嵌富勒烯[M@C_(70)](M=Li,Na,K,Be,Mg,Ca)与[Mg(H_2O)_6]~(2+)相互作用的密度泛函理论研究

使用密度泛函理论方法,对内嵌多种碱金属及碱土金属原子(M=Li,Na,K,Be,Mg,Ca)的富勒烯C70与水合Mg(II)离子之间的相互作用进行了理论研究.首先对各原子(M=Li,Na,K,Be,Mg,Ca)嵌入C70后的形成能进行了讨论,之后计算了[M@C70]各体系与[Mg(H_2O)6]2~+的相互作用能,并采用自然键轨道理论(NBO)研究了电荷转移的情况,最后进行了电子密度拓扑分析.结果表明,内嵌原子半径越大,[M@C70]各体系的热力学稳定性就越高,转移至[Mg(H_2O)6]2~+的电荷也随之增加,二者之间的相互作用属于闭壳层相互作用及共价作用.     

Mass spectrometry analysis of gliadins in celiac disease

In recent years, scientific research on wheat gluten proteins has followed three main directions aimed at (1) finding relationships between individual genetic alleles coding for gliadins, high or low molecular weight glutenin subunits, and the viscoelastic dough properties of flour-derived products such as pasta and bread; (2) identifying prolamins and derived peptides involved in celiac disease, a pathological condition in which the small intestine of genetically predisposed individuals is reversibly damaged; and (3) developing and validating sensitive and specific methods for detecting trace amounts of gluten proteins in gluten-free foods for celiac disease patients. In this review, the main aspects of current and perspective applications of mass spectrometry and proteomic technologies to the structural characterization of gliadins are presented, with focus on issues related to detection, identification, and quantification of intact gliadins, as well as gliadin-derived peptides relevant to the biochemical, immunological, and toxicological aspects of celiac disease.