Computational analysis of side-chain conformations in polyaspartates exhibiting reversible helical sense inversion in the solid state

Poly(β-phenylpropyl -aspartate), poly(β-phenylbutyl -aspartate), and poly(β-phenylpentyl -aspartate) exhibit a reversible transformation from a right-handed -helix (_R) to a left-handed ω-helix (ω_L) in the solid state. During this transition, the infrared (IR) dichroism of the side-chain ester group and the birefringence change drastically, showing that the side-chain conformations are different for these two helices. In the present study, for the purpose of elucidating the preferred side-chain conformation in each helix, we performed the computational analyses. The energy contours, the directions of the IR transition moments and the anisotropies in polarizability as functions of the first two dihedral angles of the side chain, χ₁ and χ₂ were calculated. Then, comparing them with the experimental IR dichroism and birefringence data, we elucidated the specific side-chain conformation preferred for each _R or ω_L skeleton. The preferred values of (χ₁, χ₂) were found to be (−75, −60°) for _R and (180, 45°) for ω_L.     

Solubility of methane in cellulose acetate — conditioning effect of carbon dioxide

The solubility of CH₄ and CO₂ in cellulose 2.4-acetate membranes was measured at temperatures between —10° and 30°C, and at pressures of up to 40 atm. Pre-exposure of the membrane samples to high-pressure CO₂ caused an increase in the solubility of CH₄, as well as of CO₂ [2]. In contrast, pre-exposure of the samples to high-pressure CH₄ did not alter the solubility of either CH₄ or CO₂. A similar “conditioning effect” by high-pressure CO₂ was also observed with other glassy polymers by Paul et al. [9-11], who reasonably attributed it to the non-equilibrium nature of the glassy state. The solubility isotherms for CH₄ and CO₂ in cellulose 2.4-acetate can be fitted to the “dual-mode” sorption model [1], but a consideration of the heats of solution suggests that a “two Langmuir sites” model [16] may offer a more satisfactory representation of the data. The cellulose acetate samples employed in this study were prepared by drying reverse osmosis membranes and are believed to have contained a large amount of free volume.     

Solute alignment in liquid crystal solvents The Saupe ordering matrix for anthracene dissolved in uniaxial liquid crystals

We have described a theory for U, the potential of mean torque of rigid solutes at infinite dilution in a uniaxial liquid crystal phase; this may be used to calculate (S_xx - S_yy) and S_zz, the principal elements of the Saupe ordering matrix. In its simplest form U(ω) contains only second-rank terms and the dependence of the biaxiality (S_xx - S_yy) is determined by ω, a parameter which describes the departure of the potential of mean torque from cylindrical symmetry, and is predicted to be temperature independent. If dispersion forces are responsible for the magnitude of the orientational order parameter then ω should be independent of the solvent and depend only on the anisotropy in the electric polarizability of the solute. Indeed, this independence should result for any pair potential which can be factorized into a product of solute and solvent properties. These predictions are tested here by determining values of S_zz and (S_xx - S_yy) for anthracene-d₁₀ as a solute in several liquid crystal solvents, from the quadrupolar splittings obtained from the deuteron N.M.R. spectra. It is found that ω has a strong dependence on the nature of the solvent, which demonstrates that the solute ordering cannot be determined primarily by dispersion forces, or by a factorizable potential. There is also a weaker temperature dependence of λ observed for each binary mixture, and we show how this might be caused by a dependence of ω on solvent ordering, or by the inclusion of a fourth-rank term in U(ω).     

Small angle X-ray scattering from lamellar phase for β-3,7-dimethyloctylglucoside/water system: comparison with β-n-alkylglucosides

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is measured for the lamellar phase in aqueous systems of 1-o-β-3,7-dimethyoctyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-Glc(Ger)), which has recently been prepared by us, 1-o-β-decyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-GlcC₁₀), and 1-o-β-octyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-GlcC₈). The repeat distance d obtained from the position of the diffraction peak does not follow the swelling law d = 2δ_hc/_hc, where δ_hc and _hc are the thickness and the volume fraction of the hydrophobic layer, respectively. This may result from the fact that δ_hc increases and, equivalently, the surface area per surfactant molecule (a_s) decreases with increasing concentration. So we calculate δ_hc and a_s from the observed d value at each concentration using the above swelling law. The half-thickness δ_hc increases in the order β-GlcC₈ < β-Glc(Ger) < β-GlcC₁₀ at a fixed concentration. On the other hand, the data on a_s for β-GlcC₁₀ and β-GlcC₈ lie on the same line and the data for β-Glc(Ger) lies above this line. These results suggest that the cross-sectional area of the geranyl chain is larger than that of the glucose headgroup. Existence of water filled defects in bilayer sheets is also discussed based on the SAXS pattern and the concentration dependence of d.     

A new experimental technique for validating exchange models of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and sea-water

The mechanism of CO₂-exchange between the atmosphere and sea-water was re-examined by simultaneously measuring pH and pO₂ in artificial sea-water exposed to CO₂ and air atmospheres. The data were fitted to an exchange model by using both the differential and integral forms of the diffusion equation. It was found that the pH and pO₂ data support the assumption that the exchange for these gases is driven by the gradient of the partial pressure of the gas across the imaginary solution-gas boundary layer (the z layer) and is not affected by chemical reaction or hydration rate under the experimental conditions used, viz. 1–100 meq/l., alkalinity, pH 4.5–8.3 and z-layer thickness 2–500 μm. It is concluded that the rate of hydration of CO₂ plays an insignificant role in the exchange mechanisms between the atmosphere and the oceans.     

Magnetohydrodynamic effects in nematic liquid crystals

The behaviour of a nematic liquid crystal when it is spun about an axis orthogonal to a magnetic field is predicted to be controlled by the critical angular velocity, ω_c. For spinning speeds below ω_c theory shows that the director makes an increasing angle with the field until at ω_c this angle is 45°. Above ω_c the director should rotate with an angular velocity slightly less than that of the sample. Observation in both regimes allows ω_c to be determined; since it depends on the ratio of the diamagnetic anisotropy to the rotational viscosity coefficient of the nematic, this ratio can be measured. However, an experimental investigation by Eastman et al. [1], suggests that the theoretical relationship between ω_c and this ratio may be in error by a factor of about four. We have reanalysed their data in an attempt to check this important claim and have found that there is in fact good agreement between theory and experiment.     

Study of near resonant energy transfer from laser excited CO2 to SO2

Collisional energy transfer from CO₂ to SO₂ was studied subsequent to pumping of CO₂ (ν₃) by a Q-switched laser. The measurements were made in the temperature range 300–800 K and in the pressure range 1–30 Torr. The fluorescence from the ν₃ level of CO₂ was monitored with the help of a Ge:Au detector at 77 K with an estimated response time of ≈2 μs. The probability of the energy transfer was found to be increasing with increasing temperature. The probable kinetic models for the V---V relaxation pathways were discussed and the experimentally measured energy transfer rate is related to the cross-over transfer processes. Theoretical calculations using both a simple SSH-breathing sphere model and the Sharma-Brau theory were carried out to evaluate the probabilities of the involved cross-over energy transfer processes and the results were compared with the experimental rates.     

Vibrational disequilibrium in a low-pressure Na-Catalyzed CO---N2O Flame

A high-resolution emission spectrum of a low-pressure Ar-diluted CO + N₂O → CO₂ + N₂ flame catalyzed by Na metal vapor has been obtained and examined for vibrational disequilibrium. Emission in the 1900-2400 cm⁻¹ spectral region, which includes the fundamental and “hot” bands of CO, CO₂(ν₃), and N₂O(ν₃), was recorded with high resolution and the CO emission was analyzed in detail to determine vibrational and rotational temperatures which were found to be unequal, T_v = 2050°K and T_R = 1100°K. An examination of vib-vib and vib-trans energy transfer mechanisms results in the conclusion that an excess of 14% of the chemical energy is preferentially deposited in the resonantly-coupled N₂, CO, CO₂ (ν₃), and N₂O(ν₃) vibrational modes. It is further observed that CO vibrational levels for ν > 4 are excessively populated, presumably due to quenching of Na*(3p) by CO; the flame is accompanied by intense Na D-line chemiluminescence.     

Surface modification of γ-alumina membranes by silane coupling for CO2 separation

Top layers of γ-Al₂O₃ composite membranes have been modified by the silane coupling technique using phenyltriethoxysilane for improving the separation factor of CO₂ to N₂. The separation efficiency of the modified membranes was strongly dependent upon the hydroxylation tendency of the support materials and the amount of the special functional group (i.e. phenyl radical) which was coupled onto a top layer. The separation factor through the TiO₂ supported γ-Al₂O₃ membrane was found to be fairly enhanced by silane coupling, but in case of the -Al₂O₃ supported membrane was not. The CO₂/N₂ separation factor through the modified γ-Al₂O₃/TiO₂ composite membrane is 1.7 at 90°C and ΔP = 2 × 10⁵ Pa for the binary mixture containing 50 vol% CO₂. The separation factor is proportional to the CO₂ concentration in the gas mixture, and the modified membrane is stable up to 100°C. The main mechanism of the CO₂ transport through the modified γ-Al₂O₃ layer is known to be a surface diffusion.     

Kinetic study of gas-phase Lu(D3/2) with O2, N2O and CO2

The second-order rate constants of gas-phase Lu(²D_3/2) with O₂, N₂O and CO₂ from 348 to 573 K are reported. In all cases, the reactions are relatively fast with small barriers. The disappearance rates are independent of total pressure indicating bimolecular abstraction processes. The bimolecular rate constants (in molecule⁻¹ cm³ s⁻¹) are described in Arrhenius form by k(O₂)=(2.3±0.4)×10⁻¹⁰exp(−3.1±0.7 kJmol⁻¹/RT), k(N₂O)=(2.2±0.4)×10⁻¹⁰exp(−7.1±0.8 kJmol⁻¹/RT), k(CO₂)=(2.0±0.6)×10⁻¹⁰exp(−7.6±1.3 kJmol⁻¹/RT), where the uncertainties are ±2σ.     

Promotion of hydrocarbon selectivity in CO2 hydrogenation by Ru component

We investigated catalytic behavior of iron in CO₂ hydrogenation with and without a ruthenium component. Calcined iron-based catalysts were reduced by H₂ and characterized by XRD, BET surface area and CO₂, CO and C₂H₄ temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and tested for CO₂ hydrogenation. When Fe-K/γ-Al₂O₃ was used as a catalyst, CO₂ conversion was 36%, but when Fe-Ru-K/γ-Al₂O₃ was used, CO₂ conversion was 41%. The product selectivities for catalysts with and without the ruthenium component were also compared. Fe-K/γ-Al₂O₃ exhibited higher methane (16 mol%) and C₂–C₄ selectivity (39.6 mol%) than Fe-Ru-K/γ-Al₂O₃. The main products obtained with Fe-Ru-K/γ-Al₂O₃ were higher hydrocarbons such as C₅⁺ hydrocarbons. For Fe-Ru-K/γ-Al₂O_3, the product distribution followed the Anderson–Schultz–Flory (ASF) distribution. However, in the case of Fe-Ru-K/γ-Al₂O₃, the hydrocarbon distribution deviates from the ideal ASF distribution. It is concluded that the readsorption rates of the primary hydrocarbon product increase exponentially with chain length in the ruthenium promoted catalytic system. The behavior of catalysts with and without the ruthenium will be explained by the CO₂-, CO- and C₂H₄– profiles. In this study, it was confirmed that ruthenium component promoted the readsorption ability of -olefin, and then the chain length of hydrocarbon is higher. In addition, the microcrystalline wax produced in CO₂ hydrogenation was a high-crystalline and olefin-rich hydrocarbon.     

The enthalpy of formation of IrO2 and thermodynamic functions

The Gibbs energy of formation of IrO₂(s) has been measured by means of oxygen dissociation pressure measurements, and by EMF measurements using ZrO₂ (+ CaO) as the solid electrolyte. In addition, high-temperature enthalpy increments of IrO₂ have ben measured from 416 to 940 K using a drop calorimeter. A “third law” evaluation of the experimental results and data from literature has been made. For the enthalpy of formation of IrO₂(s) the value ΔH°_f (298.15 K) - −(59.60 ± 0.03) kcal mole⁻¹ has been selected. The thermodynamic functions of IrO₂(s) have been calculated in the temperature range 298–1200 K.     

The use of thermotropic liquid crystals in organometallic chemistry. Synthesis of new mercury, silver and gold complexes with 4,4′-disubstituted azob

Liquid crystalline 4-XC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄X-4′ [X = C₄H₉ (1a), C_1OH₂₁ (1b), OC₄H₉ (1c), OC₈H₁₇(1d)] can be easily prepared in high yields from the corresponding anilines. In order to study the influence of metals on the thermal properties of these materials, we have obtained adducts [AuCl ₃(4-C₄H₉OC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄OC₄H₉-4′)] (2) and [Ag(OC1O₃)L₂] [L = 4-XC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄X-4′; X = OC₄H, (3a), OC₈H₁₇ (3b)]. The silver adducts show themotropic behaviour. Mercuriation of dialkylazobenzenes 1a-b takes place with [Hg(OAc)₂] and LiCl to give [Hg(R)Cl] [R = C₆H₃(N=NC₆H₄X-4′)-2, X-5; X = C₄H₉ (bpap) (4a), C₁₀H₂₁ (dpap) (4b)] while dialkoxyazobenzenes 1c–d require [Hg (OOCCF₃)₂] to obtain [Hg(R)Cl] [R = C₆H₃(N---NC₆H₄X-4′)-2, X-5; X = OC₄H₉ (bxpap) (4c), OC ₈H₁₇ (4d)]. 4a-c react with NaI to give [HgR₂] [R= bpap (5a), dpap (5b), bxpap (5c), oxpap (5d)l. Both chloroaryl-, 4a and 4c, and diaryl-mercurials, 5a and 5c, act readily as transmetailating agents towards [Me₄N] [AuCl₄] in the presence of [Me₄N]Cl to give [Au(η²-R)Cl₂] [R = bpap (6a), bxpap (6b)]. After reaction of [AuCl ₃(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with [Me₄N]Cl and 4b (1:2:1), [Me₄N][Au(dpap)Cl₃] (7) can be isolated. C---H activati bxpap (8b)]. None of the complexes 4–8 shows mesomorphic behaviour.     

The lively chemistry of the di-μ-methylene-bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl-rhodium) complexes, analogues of surface reactions in heterogeneous catalysis

The chemistry of the di-μ-methylene-bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl-rhodium) complexes is reviewed. The complex [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)RhCl₂}₂] (1a) reacted with MeLi to give, after oxidative work-up, blood-red cis-[{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(Me)₂], 2. This has the two rhodiums in the +4 oxidation state (d⁵), and linked by a metal-metal bond (2.620 Å). Trans-2 was formed on isomerisation of cis-2 in the presence of Lewis acids, or by direct reaction of 1a with Al₂Me₆, followed by dehydrogenation with acetone. The Rh-methyls in [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(Me)₂] were readily replaced under acidic conditions (HX) to give [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(X)₂] (X = Cl, Br or I); these latter complexes reacted with a variety of RMgX to give [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(R)₂] (R = alkyl, Ph, vinyl, etc.). Trans-2 also reacted with HBF₄ in the presence of L to give first [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(Me)(L)]⁺ and then [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(L)₂]²⁺ (L = MeCN, CO, etc.). The {(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂ core is rather kinetically inert and also forms a variety of complexes with oxy-ligands, both cis-, e.g. [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(μ-OAc)]⁺ and trans-, such as [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(H₂O)₂]²⁺. The complexes [{(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(R)L]⁺ (R = Me or aryl) in the presence of CO, or [{(η⁵-C₄Me₅)Rh(μ-CH₂)}₂(R)₂] (R = Me, Ph or CO₂Me) in the presence of mild oxidants, readily yield the C---C---C coupled products RCH=CH₂. The mechanisms of these couplings have been elucidated by detailed labelling studies: they are more complex than expected, but allow direct analogies to be drawn to C---C couplints that occur during Fischer-Tropsch reactions on rhodium surfaces.     

Determination of the enthalpy change for anabolism by four methods

The enthalpy change for anabolism is needed to model the growth/respiration relation in plants. If all CO₂ production is assigned to catabolism, the anabolic reaction becomes C_substrate→C_products+xO₂ with an enthalpy change, ΔH_b. Four methods are proposed for determining ΔH_b: (a) From the difference in the heats of combustion of substrate and anabolic products (i.e. newly grown tissue). (b) From the composition of newly grown tissue and application of Thornton’s rule. (c) From independently measured values of the specific growth rate, R_SG, and of the product (R_SG ΔH_b). The product (R_SG ΔH_b) equals (−ΔH_CO2R_CO2−R_q) where R_CO2 is the specific rate of CO₂ production by respiration, ΔH_CO2 is the heat of combustion of respiratory substrate per mole of CO₂ and R_q is the specific metabolic heat rate. ΔH_b is then calculated as the ratio (R_SG ΔH_b)/R_SG. (d) From (ΔH_b=−(R_q/R_CO2+ΔH_CO2) [(1−)/] where is the substrate carbon conversion efficiency obtained from a total carbon balance. The first three methods have been tested and compared on oat seedlings and the last on corn seedlings. ΔH_b values from all four methods are in reasonable agreement despite the different assumptions involved.     

Flash photolysis/temperature jump study of the vibrational relaxation of N2O(010) by O(P) and NO

This survey begins with the photochemistry at 254 nm and 298 K in the system H₂O₂COO₂RH, the primary objective of which is to determine the rate constants for the reaction OH + RH → H₂O + R relative to the well-known rate constant for the reaction OH + CO → CO₂ + H. Inherent in the scheme is that the reaction HO₂+CO→OH+CO₂ is negligible compared with the OH reaction, and a literature consensus gives k_HO2 < 10⁻¹⁹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, or some 10⁶ less than k_OH at 298 K. Theoretical calculations establish that the first stage in the HO₂ reaction is the formation of a free radical intermediate HO₂ + CO → HOOCO (perhydroxooxomethyl) which decomposes to yield the products, and that the rate of formation of the intermediate is equal to the rate of formation of the products. The structure of the intermediate and a reaction profile are shown.

High temperature rate data reported subsequent to the data in the consensus and theoretical calculations lead here to a recommendation that, in the range 250–800 K, k_HO2 = 3.45 × 10⁻¹²T^1/2 exp(1.15 × 10⁴/T) cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, the hard-sphere-collision Arrhenius modification. This yields k_HO2(298) = 1.0 × 10⁻²⁷ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ or some 10¹⁴ slower than k_OH(298).     

Many-body perturbation theory and polarization propagator studies of the structure, energetics and excitation spectrum of CO3

Geometry optimization has been performed on CO₃ in the SCF approximation and in the second-, third-, and fourth-order MBPT approximations limited to single and double substitutions using a double-zeta plus polarization basis set. The energetics of the formation and decomposition of CO₃ from the reactions CO₂ + O(¹D) → CO₃ and CO₃ + CO → 2CO₂, respectively, have been calculated in several approximations including full fourth-order MBPT. In addition first-order polarization propagator calculations have been performed to identify the low-lying excited states.     

Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)–poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer membranes for selective separation of CO2

A series of copolymers containing ether oxygen groups and amino groups were prepared based on N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMEMA) and polyethylene glycol methyl ether methyl acrylate (PEGMEMA). The effect of PEGMEMA content in the copolymer on density, free volume, mechanical performance, and H₂, CO₂, N₂ and CH₄ gas transport properties of the copolymer was determined. Free volume was characterized using the polymer density and group contribution theory. The permeability of the copolymer to CO₂ is high, and both the CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/H₂ selectivities are high. For example, the permeability coefficient of PDMAEMA–PEGMEMA-90 (“90” represents the weight percent of PEGMEMA) to CO₂ is 112 Barrer and the CO₂/N₂ and CO₂/H₂ selectivity coefficients are 31 and 7, respectively. The effect of the temperature on gas transport properties was also determined. Finally, the potential application of the copolymer membranes for CO₂/light gases separation was explored.     

Preparation of a palladium dimer with a cobalt-containing bulky phosphine ligand: Its application in palladium catalyzed Suzuki reactions

A palladium dimer with a cobalt-containing phosphine ligand, {(μ-PPh₂CH₂PPh₂)Co₂(CO)₄(μ,η-(tBu)₂PCCC₆H₄-κC¹)Pd(μ-Cl)}₂ (3), was prepared from the reaction of its monomer precursor, (μ-PPh₂CH₂PPh₂)Co₂(CO)₄(μ,η-(tBu)₂PCCC₆H₄-κC¹)Pd(μ-OAc) (2), with LiCl. The crystal structure of 3, determined by X-ray diffraction methods, revealed a doubly chloride-bridged palladium dimeric conformation. Suzuki coupling reactions of bromobenzene with phenylboronic acid were carried out catalytically using these two novel palladium complexes 2 and 3 as catalyst precursors. Factors such as the molar ratio of substrate/catalyst, reaction temperature, base and solvent that might affect the catalytic efficiencies were investigated. As a general rule, the performance is much better by employing 3 than 2 as the catalyst precursor.     

Carbon dioxide-water phase equilibria results from the Wong-Sandler combining rules

A model based upon the Peng-Robinson equation of state with the Wong-Sandler mixture combining rule (W-S MCR) can correlate phase equilibria in CO₂ + H₂O. The W-S MCR requires two energy parameters for liquid behavior and one interaction parameter for gas behavior, k_ij. In this paper, we present expressions for the energy parameters which cover a wide temperature range, and we use a new procedure to obtain k_ij by relating it to experimental cross second virial coefficients, B_ij. The three-phase pressures calculated for this system using our proposed model agree with the experimental data within a fraction of 1 bar. The correlated phase behavior of CO₂ + H₂O appears to be accurate over the ranges 1 – 1000 bar and 298.15–623.15 K. The proposed model also confirms the advantage of using the W-S MCR for phase equilibrium calculations.