A monomeric bacteriochlorophyll triplet state (B) in reaction centres of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26, studied by absorption-detected magnetic resonance

Using absorption-detected magnetic resonance, a new triplet state was observed in reaction centres of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 at 7 K. Its zero-field splitting parameters &|;D&|; = 220.5 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹ and &;|;E&|; = 65.4 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹, its spin polarization and its microwave-induced absorption spectrum indicate that it belongs to one of the accessory monomeric bacteriochlorophyll molecules and that it is populated through the same excitation path as the primary donor triplet ³P₈₇₀, via the radical pair ³[P₈₇₀⁺H⁻].     

Transients and cooperative action of β-carotene, vitamin E and C in biological systems in vitro under irradiation

Using N^•₃ species as specific electron acceptor a defined ascorbate radical: AH^•↔A^•−+H⁺ (λ_max=360 nm, =3400 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) is observed. The attack of DMSO^•+ on vit.E results in a vit.E^• radical (k=1×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹; λ_max=425 nm, =2400 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹; 2k=4.7×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). Vit.E-acetate leads to the formation of a radical cation (vit.E-ac^•+). β-carotene reacts also with DMSO^•+ forming a radical cation, β-car^•+ (k=1.75×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹; λ_max=942 nm, =14 600 dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹), which probably leads to the formation of a dimer radical cation, (β-car)^•+₂ (k=2.5×10⁷ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹).

Using E.coli bacteria (AB1157) as a model system in vitro it was found that all three vitamins are rather efficient radiation protecting agents. They can also increase the activity of cytostatica, e.g., mitomycin C (MMC), by electron transfer process. The mixture of vit.E-ac and β-car acts contradictory, but adding vit.C to it a strong cooperative enhancement of the MMC activity is observed once again. A relationship between the pulse radiolysis and the radiation biological data is found and discussed. A possible explanation of the previously reported trials concerning the role of vit.E and β-car on the increased occurence of lung and other types of cancer in smokers and drinkers is presented.     

An unusually large zero-field splitting in the molecule xanthione

An unusually large zero-field splitting of the lowest triplet state has been observed directly in the phosphorescence spectrum of the xanthione molecule in a xanthone host crystal. There are two xanthione guest sites in the host crystal. In one of the sites the zero-field parameter D is −11 cm⁻¹ and in the other it is −20 cm⁻¹. These results have been confirmed by measurements of the Zeeman splittings. It is argued that the large D values are due to spin-orbit coupling.     

An ab initio close-coupling calculation of the lower vibrational energies of the HCl dimer

We have previously determined an analytical ab initio six-dimensional potential energy surface for the HCl dimer, and in the present paper we use this potential, with the HCl bond lengths held fixed, in a full (four-dimensional) close-coupling calculation to determine the energies of the lowest 24 vibrational states. These vibrational states involve the intermolecular stretch ν₄, the trans-bend tunneling vibration ν₅, and the torsion ν₆. The highest of the 24 levels is the (ν₄ν₅ν₆)=(111) state, for which we calculate an energy of 200 cm⁻¹ above the (000) state. As well as determining tunneling energies up to 5ν₅=183 cm⁻¹, we determine ν₄=49 cm⁻¹, 2ν₄=93 cm⁻¹, 3ν₄=134 cm⁻¹, 4ν₄=172 cm⁻¹, ν₆=137 cm⁻¹ and ν₄+ν₆=178 cm⁻¹, together with tunneling energies in all these states. Making allowance for the HCl stretching zero-point energy we determine the dissociation energy D₀ as 390 cm⁻¹ on this analytical surface. We determine that below 300 cm⁻¹ there are 72 vibrational (J=K=0) states, and below dissociation there are 162 vibrational (J=K=0) states, for this potential surface.     

The beryllium dimer potential

The convergence of ab initio calculations of the beryllium dimer potential is examined with several basis sets orders of perturbation theory. When the atomic pair natural orbital basis set calculations are extrapolated to the complete basis set and full CI limits, the calculated parameters: R_e=2.447 Å, D_e=827 cm⁻¹, ν₀₁=212.7 cm⁻¹, ν₁₂=167.2 cm⁻¹, ν₂₃=121.5 cm⁻¹ and ν₃₄=77.7 cm⁻¹ are in good agreement with the experimental parameters: R_e=2.45 Å, D_e=839±10 cm⁻¹, ν₀₁=223.2 cm⁻¹, ν₁₂=169.7 cm⁻¹, ν₂₃=122.5 cm⁻¹, and ν₃₄=79 cm⁻¹.     

Comparison of the effects of visible femtosecond laser pulses and continuous wave laser radiation of low average intensity on the clonogenicity of Escherichia coli.

To evaluate the contribution of local pulsed heating of light-absorbing microregions to biochemical activity, irradiation of Escherichia coli was carried out using femtosecond laser pulses (λ = 620 nm, τ_p=3 × 10⁻¹³ s, f_p = 0.5 Hz, E_p = 1.1 × 10⁻³J cm⁻², I_av = 5.5 × 10⁻⁴ W cm⁻², I_p = 10⁹ W cm⁻²) and continuous wave (CW) laser radiation (λ = 632.8 nm, I = 1.3 W cm⁻²). The irradiation dose required to produce a similar biological effect (a 160%–190% increase in the clonogenic activity of the irradiated cells compared with the non-irradiated controls) is a factor of about 10³ lower for pulsed radiation than for CW radiation (3.3 × 10⁻¹ and 7.8 × 10² J cm⁻² respectively). The minimum size of the microregions transiently heated on irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses is estimated to be about 10 Å, which corresponds to the size of the chromophores of hypothetical primary photoacceptors—respiratory chain components.     

Hydrogen bonds in the crystal packings of mesalazine and mesalazine hydrochloride

The crystal structures of pharmaceutical product mesalazine (marketed also under different proprietary names as Salofalk, Asacol, Asacolitin, and Claversal) and its hydrochloride are reported. In the crystal mesalazine is in zwitterion form as 5-ammoniosalicylate (1) whereas mesalazine hydrochloride crystallizes in an ionized form as 5-ammoniosalicylium chloride (2). Compound 1 (C₇H₇O₃N) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 3.769(1) Å, b = 7.353(2) Å, c = 23.475(5) Å, β = 94.38(2)°, V = 648.7(8) ų, Z = 4, D_c = 1.568 g cm⁻³ and μ(MoK) = 1.2 cm⁻¹. Compound 2 (C₇H₈O₃NCl) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P with a = 4.4839(2) Å, b = 5.7936(2) Å, c = 15.6819(5) Å, = 81.329(3)°, β = 88.026(3)°, γ = 79.317(4)°, V = 395.74(3) ų, Z = 2, D_c = 1.591 g cm⁻³ and μ(CuK) = 40.8 cm⁻¹. The crystal structures were solved by direct methods and refined to R = 0.041 for 1 and 0.028 for 2, using 607 and 1374 observed reflections, respectively. The configuration of both molecules, with the ortho hydroxyl to a carboxyl group, favours the intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Very complex systems of intermolecular hydrogen bonds were observed in both crystal packings. They are discussed in terms of graph-set notation. The mesalazine crystal structure is characterized by two-dimensional network of hydrogen bonds in the ab plane. The crystal structure pattern of mesalazine hydrochloride is a three-dimensional network significantly supported by N⁺---HCl⁻ interactions.     

Magnetism down to 0.90 K, zero-field splitting, and the ligand field in chromocene

The magnetism of chromocene, Cr(cp)₂ where CP = C₅H⁻₅, has been measured as a function of temperature between 0.90 and 303.2 K. The results are reproduced by complete ligand field theory in slightly distorted C_∞v symmetry (Dt = 1153, Ds = 4212, Dq = 28, ζ = 67, B = 553 cm⁻¹, C/B = 4 and k = 0.37). The ground state ³E₂(a₁e³₂) shows a zero-field splitting, D = 15.1 cm⁻¹, E = 0.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic, magnetic and EPR studies of di-μ-hydroxo-bis[(NN)(N-phenyl-2-pyridinamine)copper(II)]hexaflourophosphate, with NN=2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline.: X-ray crystal structure of the 2,2′-bipyridine complex

Binuclear complexes [{Cu(NN)(PhNHpy)}₂(μ-OH)₂](PF₆)₂, where NN=2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), have been synthesized and characterized by chemical analysis, conductance measurements and IR and electronic spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure of [{Cu(bipy)(PhNHpy)}₂(μ-OH)₂](PF₆)₂ shows a distorted square-planar pyramidal coordination for Cu(II), defined by two nitrogen atoms of bipy, two bridging oxygen atoms and the pyridinic nitrogen atom of the ligand. Magnetic susceptibility measurements (in the 4.8–290 K range) reveal coupling which is antiferromagnetic for the bipy complex (2J=−24.2 cm⁻¹) and slightly ferromagnetic for the phen complex (2J=3.3 cm⁻¹). The EPR spectra show the expected triplet signals.     

Thiocyanato adducts of chromium(II) carboxylates and the molecular structure of tetraethyl-ammonium tetra-μ-propionatodiisothio-cyanatodichromate(II)

X-Ray crystallographic studies on [NEt₄]₂[Cr₂[(O₂CC₂H₅)₄(NCS)₂] show that the Cr–Cr separation (2.467Å) in the dinuclear anion is one of the longest known. The thiocyanato groups are N-bonded, and the results emphasize the known sensitivity of the quadruple Cr–Cr bond to the nature of the axial ligands. The compound crystallises in the tetragonal space group P4/mnc with two molecules per unit cell, the dimensions of which are a = b = 9.785(1), c = 21.186(2) Å. Magnetic investigations from room to liquid nitrogen temperature on the tetra-μ-propionato complex and on [NMe₄]₂ [Cr₂(O₂CCH₃)₄(NCS)₂] show that both complexes have been obtained free from paramagnetic chromium(III) impurities. Their weak paramagnetic susceptibilities (X_cr is approx. 200 x 10⁻⁶ cm³ mol⁻¹ at 295 K and 50 x 10⁻⁶cm³mol⁻¹ at 90 K) are inherent, and are ascribed to temperature independent paramagnetism at low temperature plus para-magnetism arising from slight population of the triplet state (2J 700 cm⁻¹, g = 2, N = 50 x 10⁻⁶cm³mol⁻¹) at higher temperatures.     

On the vibrational spectra and conformational stability of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions and ab initio calculations

Variable temperature (−105 to −150 °C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, (CH₃)₂NNH₂, in liquid krypton have been carried out. No convincing spectral evidence could be found for the trans conformer which is expected to be at least 600 cm⁻¹ less stable than the gauche form. The structural parameters, dipole moments, conformational stability, vibrational frequencies, and infrared and Raman intensities have been predicted from MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations. The predicted infrared and Raman spectra are compared to the experimental ones. The adjusted r₀ parameters from MP2/6-311+G(d,p) calculations are compared to those reported from an electron diffraction study. The energy differences between the gauche and trans conformers have been obtained from MP2 ab initio calculations as well as from density functional theory by the B3LYP method calculations from a variety of basis sets. All of these calculations indicate an energy difference of 650–900 cm⁻¹ with the B3LYP calculations predicted the larger values. The potential function governing the conformational interchange has been predicting from both types of calculations and comparisons have been made. The barrier to internal rotation by the independent rotor model of the inner methyl group is predicted to have a value of 1812 cm⁻¹ and that of the outer one of 1662 cm⁻¹ from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. These values agree well with the experimentally determined values of 1852±16 and 1558±12 cm⁻¹, respectively, from a fit of the torsional transitions with the coupled rotor model. For the coupled rotor model the predicted V′₃₃ (sin 3τ₀ sin 3τ₁ term) value which ranged from 190 to 232 cm⁻¹ is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value of 268±3 cm⁻¹ but the predicted V₃₃ (cos 3τ₀ cos 3τ₁ term) value of −73 to −139 cm⁻¹ is 25% smaller and of the opposite sign of the experimental value of 333±22 cm⁻¹. These theoretical and spectroscopy results are compared to similar quantities of some corresponding molecules.     

Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy of the lowest triplet state of thymine and thymidine

Vibrational spectra of the lowest energy triplet states of thymine and its 2′-deoxyribonucleoside, thymidine, are reported for the first time. Time-resolved infrared (TRIR) difference spectra were recorded over seven decades of time from 300 fs to 3 μs using femtosecond and nanosecond pump-probe techniques. The carbonyl stretch bands in the triplet state are seen at 1603 and 1700 cm⁻¹ in room-temperature acetonitrile-d₃ solution. These bands and additional ones observed between 1300 and 1450 cm⁻¹ are quenched by dissolved oxygen on a nanosecond time scale. Density-functional calculations accurately predict the difference spectrum between triplet and singlet IR absorption cross sections, confirming the peak assignments and elucidating the nature of the vibrational modes. In the triplet state, the C4O carbonyl exhibits substantial single-bond character, explaining the large (70 cm⁻¹) red shift in this vibration, relative to the singlet ground state. Femtosecond TRIR measurements unambiguously demonstrate that the triplet state is fully formed within the first 10 ps after excitation, ruling out a relaxed ¹nπ^* state as the triplet precursor.     

Triplet excited-state characterization and determination of the photoionization mechanism of the antitumoral drug pazelliptine

The triplet properties of the excited triplet state of pazelliptine (PZE), an antitumoral drug derived from ellipticine, were investigated in dioxane, ethanol and buffer aqueous solutions using the laser flash photolysis technique. The triplet absorption spectra and the kinetic parameters associated with the excited state decay were quite similar in the different solvents. ³PZE reacted with unexcited PZE in deaerated solutions (k = 6 × 10¹⁰ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) and was quenched by oxygen (k ≈ 2 × 10⁷ s⁻¹). The extinction coefficients of the triplet transition were estimated and used to calculate the singlet-triplet intersystem crossing quantum yields of about 5%.

A biphotonic ionization of PZE in buffer aqueous solution has been demonstrated in a previous work. This process was also observed in ethanol but not in dioxane. Mixed yttrium aluminum garnet laser harmonics (355 nm + 532 nm) and delayed-pulse experiments were carried out in order to determine the intermediate excited state involved in this photoionization process. The results indicate that pazelliptine radical cation and e⁻_s are formed via a consecutive two-photon absoprtion in which the first excited singlet state is the only intermediate.     

Far infrared spectra, conformational equilibria, vibrational assignments, ab initio calculations and structural parameters for 2-bromoethanol

The far infrared spectrum from 370 to 50 cm⁻¹ of gaseous 2-bromoethanol, BrCH₂CH₂OH, was recorded at a resolution of 0.10 cm⁻¹. The fundamental O–H torsion of the more stable gauche (Gg′) conformer, where the capital G refers to internal rotation around the C–C bond and the lower case g to the internal rotation around the C–O bond, was observed as a series of Q-branch transitions beginning at 340 cm⁻¹. The corresponding O–H torsional modes were observed for two of the other high energy conformers, Tg (285 cm⁻¹) and Tt (234 cm⁻¹). The heavy atom asymmetric torsion (rotation around C–C bond) for the Gg′ conformer has been observed at 140 cm⁻¹. Variable temperature (−63 to −100°C) studies of the infrared spectra (4000–400 cm⁻¹) of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon have been recorded. From these data the enthalpy differences have been determined to be 411±40 cm⁻¹ (4.92±0.48 kJ/mol) for the Gg′/Tt and 315±40 cm⁻¹ (3.76±0.48 kJ/mol) for the Gg′/Tg, with the Gg′ conformer the most stable form. Additionally, the infrared spectrum of the gas, and Raman spectrum of the liquid phase are reported. The structural parameters, conformational stabilities, barriers to internal rotation and fundamental frequencies have been obtained from ab initio calculations utilizing different basis sets at the restricted Hartree–Fock or with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order. The theoretical results are compared to the experimental results when appropriate. Combining the ab initio calculations with the microwave rotational constants, r₀ adjusted parameters have been obtained for the three 2-haloethanols (F, Cl and Br) for the Gg′ conformers.     

The rovibrational analysis of the high-resolution IR spectrum of CD2HF below 1200 cm: an interacting tetrad of vibrational levels

The spectrum of CD₂HF was measured by high-resolution interferometric Fourier-transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy (apodised instrumental band with:0.004 cm⁻¹ fwhm) between 800 and 1200 cm⁻¹ covering the four lowest fundamentals. A complete rotational analysis using a semi-automatic assignment procedure yields accurate band centres (ν₉: 912.2028 cm⁻¹, ν₆:964.4994 cm⁻¹, ν₅: 1050.5104 cm⁻¹, ν₄: 1093.8632 cm⁻¹) and a complete set of first-order Coriolis coupling constants. The most important couplings occur between ν₉ and ν₆ (ξ_a= 1.069 cm⁻¹, ξ_c= −0.3535 cm⁻¹) and between ν₅ and ν₄ (ξ_b= −0.80606 cm⁻¹). The analysis was guided by and compared with results from our ab initio calculations for Coriolis constants and transition moments using CADPAC at TZP/MP2 level.     

Étude structurale et vibrationnelle de solides moléculaires paramètres cristallins''et spectre d''absorption infrarouge en lumiére polarisée de

X-ray studies indicate that indanone-1 crystals belong to a monoclinic system, space group P2₁/c (C⁵_2h), with the following parameters: a = 7.90±0.01 Å; b = 12.38±0.01 Å; c = 7.39±0.01 Å; β = 99°±30' and Z = 4. A vibrational assignment of fundamental bands observed in the polarized infrared spectrum between 4000 cm⁻¹ and 250 cm⁻¹ is proposed. The band fine structure analysis at 77 °K shows a doublet structure, which agrees with X-ray data.     

Semi-quantitative trace analysis of nuclear fast red by surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering

The dye nuclear fast red has been detected and determined semi-quantitatively by means of surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), using laser exciting wavelengths of 514.5 and 632.8 nm, respectively, by employing a citrate-reduced silver colloid. A good linear correlation is observed for the dependence of the intensities of the SERRS bands at 989 cm⁻¹ (R=0.9897) and 1278 cm⁻¹ (R=0.9872) on dye concentration over the range 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁷ M, when using an exciting wavelength of 514.5 nm. At dye concentrations above 10⁻⁷ M, the concentration dependence of the SERRS signals is non-linear. This is almost certainly due to the coverage of the colloidal silver particles being in excess of a full monolayer of the dye. A linear correlation is also observed for the dependence of the intensities of the SERS bands at 989 cm⁻¹ (R=0.9739) and 1278 cm⁻¹ (R=0.9838) on the dye concentration over the range 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ M when using an exciting wavelength of 632.8 nm. Strong fluorescence prevented collection of resonance Raman scattering (RRS) spectra from powdered samples or aqueous solutions of the dye using an exciting wavelength of 514.5 nm, but weak bands were observed in the spectra obtained from both powdered and aqueous samples of the dye using an exciting wavelength of 632.8 nm. A study of the pH dependence of SERRS/SERS and UV–VIS absorption spectra revealed the presence of different ionisation states of the dye. The limits of detection for nuclear fast red by SERRS (514.5 nm), SERS (632.8 nm) and visible spectroscopy (535 nm) are 9, 89 and 1000 ng ml⁻¹, respectively.     

Quantitative aqueous attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy : Part II. Integrated molar absorptivities of alkyl carboxylates

A quantitative attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopic method is developed for the analysis of total carboxylate concentration, [COO⁻], in aqueous solution. The short (12–13 μm) and highly reproducible pathlength of the ATR cell permits quantitative subtraction of the water peak at 1640 cm⁻¹. Carboxylate quantitation is based on the area of the asymmetric stretching peak, which is nearly independent of compound structure. The molar absorptivity of alkyl carboxylates in water is 438 ± 58 l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, and the integrated molar absorptivity is 2.95 ± 0.08 × 10⁴ l mol⁻¹ cm⁻² (n = 15 compounds, 0.1 M ≤ [COO⁻] ≤ 1.5 M). The [COO⁻] in solutions of mixed carboxylates is measured with a root mean square error of 2.4% and a small (+1.5) positive bias. The accuracy of the method is limited by the assumption that integrated absorbance is constant for all COO⁻ groups.     

An investigation of the structure of butadiene by high resolution infra-red and raman spectroscopy

The rotational Raman spectra of butadiene and butadiene-d₆ are found to consist of discrete lines having small ≈0·4 cm⁻¹) yet almost constant spacings, as would be expected for symmetric or nearly symmetric top molecules. An infra-red absorption band (Type C) of butadiene at 908 cm⁻¹ is observed to have a spacing of about 2·5 cm⁻¹. Both the Raman and infra-red spectra provide evidence for the trans structure of the butadiene molecule. From the rotational constants A″ and ″ the following structural parameters were obtained: C=C---C) = 122·9 ± 0·5° rC---C) = 1·47₆ ± 0·010 Å dy]somewhat shorter than recently determined from electron-diffraction experiments).     

A study of the Raman spectra of alkanes in the Fermi-resonance region

The experimental and theoretically predicted Raman spectra for the first few alkanes in the homologous series: methane, ethane, propane and butane are presented for the region 2700–3100 cm⁻¹. The structure of the spectra is rather complex. Analysis of the results obtained shows that Fermi resonance occurs between the CH stretching vibrations in the 3000 cm⁻¹ region and the 2ν overtones of deformation vibrations in the low frequency (1450–1500 cm⁻¹) region.