Exciton Derealization in the Light-Harvesting LH2 Complex of Photosynthetic Purple Bacteria

Abstract— Absorption and circular dichroism spectra for both long-wavelength bands of the antenna LH2 complex from photosynthetic purple bacteria have been calculated. Calculations were performed taking into account resonant interactions between all 27 bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules for different values of site inhomogeneity. The exciton derealization length within BChl800 and BChl850 rings was estimated on the basis of calculated exciton wavefunctions for different temperatures and site inhomogeneity values. The relationship between anomalously high bleaching values in pump-probe spectra and the exciton derealization length is discussed.     

Carotenoid radical cation formation in LH2 of purple bacteria: a quantum chemical study

In LH2 complexes of Rhodobacter sphaeroides the formation of a carotenoid radical cation has recently been observed upon photoexcitation of the carotenoid S2 state. To shed more light onto the yet unknown molecular mechanism leading to carotenoid radical formation in LH2, the interactions between carotenoid and bacteriochlorophyll in LH2 are investigated by means of quantum chemical calculations for three different carotenoids--neurosporene, spheroidene, and spheroidenone--using time-dependent density functional theory. Crossings of the calculated potential energy curve of the electron transfer state with the bacteriochlorophyll Qx state and the carotenoid S1 and S2 states occur along an intermolecular distance coordinate for neurosporene and spheroidene, but for spheroidenone no crossing of the electron transfer state with the carotenoid S1 state could be found. By comparison with recent experiments where no formation of a spheroidenone radical cation has been observed, a molecular mechanism for carotenoid radical cation formation is proposed in which it is formed via a vibrationally excited carotenoid S1 or S*state. Arguments are given why the formation of the carotenoid radical cation does not proceed via the Qx, S2, or higher excited electron transfer states.     

Carotenoids Do Not Protect Bacteriochlorophylls in Isolated Light-Harvesting LH2 Complexes of Photosynthetic Bacteria from Destructive Interactions with Singlet Oxygen

The effect of singlet oxygen on light-harvesting (LH) complexes has been studied for a number of sulfur (S⁺) and nonsulfur (S⁻) photosynthetic bacteria. The visible/near-IR absorption spectra of the standard LH2 complexes (B800-850) of Allochromatium (Alc.) vinosum (S⁺), Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides (S⁻), Rhodoblastus (Rbl.) acidophilus (S⁻), and Rhodopseudomonas (Rps.) palustris (S⁻), two types LH2/LH3 (B800-850 and B800-830) of Thiorhodospira (T.) sibirica (S⁺), and an unusual LH2 complex (B800-827) of Marichromatium (Mch.) purpuratum (S⁺) or the LH1 complex from Rhodospirillum (Rsp.) rubrum (S⁻) were measured in aqueous buffer suspensions in the presence of singlet oxygen generated by the illumination of the dye Rose Bengal (RB). The content of carotenoids in the samples was determined using HPLC analysis. The LH2 complex of Alc. vinosum and T. sibirica with a reduced content of carotenoids was obtained from cells grown in the presence of diphenylamine (DPA), and LH complexes were obtained from the carotenoidless mutant of Rba. sphaeroides R26.1 and Rps. rubrum G9. We found that LH2 complexes containing a complete set of carotenoids were quite resistant to the destructive action of singlet oxygen in the case of Rba. sphaeroides and Mch. purpuratum. Complexes of other bacteria were much less stable, which can be judged by a strong irreversible decrease in the bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) absorption bands (at 850 or 830 nm, respectively) for sulfur bacteria and absorption bands (at 850 and 800 nm) for nonsulfur bacteria. Simultaneously, we observe the appearance of the oxidized product 3-acetyl-chlorophyll (AcChl) absorbing near 700 nm. Moreover, a decrease in the amount of carotenoids enhanced the spectral stability to the action of singlet oxygen of the LH2 and LH3 complexes from sulfur bacteria and kept it at the same level as in the control samples for carotenoidless mutants of nonsulfur bacteria. These results are discussed in terms of the current hypothesis on the protective functions of carotenoids in bacterial photosynthesis. We suggest that the ability of carotenoids to quench singlet oxygen (well-established in vitro) is not well realized in photosynthetic bacteria. We compared the oxidation of BChl850 in LH2 complexes of sulfur bacteria under the action of singlet oxygen (in the presence of 50 μM RB) or blue light absorbed by carotenoids. These processes are very similar: {[BChl + (RB or carotenoid) + light] + O₂} → AcChl. We speculate that carotenoids are capable of generating singlet oxygen when illuminated. The mechanism of this process is not yet clear.     

Influences of Quantum Mechanically Mixed Electronic and Vibrational Pigment States in 2D Electronic Spectra of Photosynthetic Systems: Strong Electronic Coupling Cases

In 2D electronic spectroscopy studies, long‐lived quantum beats have recently been observed in photosynthetic systems, and several theoretical studies have suggested that the beats are produced by quantum mechanically mixed electronic and vibrational states. Concerning the electronic‐vibrational quantum mixtures, the impact of protein‐induced fluctuations was examined by calculating the 2D electronic spectra of a weakly coupled dimer with the Franck‐Condon active vibrational modes in the resonant condition [Fujihashi et al., J. Chem. Phys.­ 2015 , 142, 212403.]. This analysis demonstrated that quantum mixtures of the vibronic resonance are rather robust under the influence of the fluctuations at cryogenic temperatures, whereas the mixtures are eradicated by the fluctuations at physiological temperatures. However, this conclusion cannot be generalized because the magnitude of the coupling inducing the quantum mixtures is proportional to the inter‐pigment electronic coupling. In this study, we explore the impact of the fluctuations on electronic‐vibrational quantum mixtures in a strongly coupled dimer with an off‐resonant vibrational mode. Toward this end, we calculate energy transfer dynamics and 2D electronic spectra of a model dimer that corresponds to the most strongly coupled bacteriochlorophyll molecules in the Fenna‐Matthews‐Olson complex in a numerically accurate manner. The quantum mixtures are found to be robust under the exposure of protein‐induced fluctuations at cryogenic temperatures, irrespective of the resonance. At 300 K, however, the quantum mixing is disturbed more strongly by the fluctuations, and therefore, the beats in the 2D spectra become obscure even in a strongly coupled dimer with a resonant vibrational mode. Further, the overall behaviors of the energy transfer dynamics are demonstrated to be dominated by the environment and coupling between the 0 0 vibronic transitions as long as the Huang‐Rhys factor of the vibrational mode is small. The electronic‐vibrational quantum mixtures do not necessarily play a significant role in electronic energy transfer dynamics despite contributing to the enhancement of long‐lived quantum beating in the 2D spectra.     

Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) of Nucleosides in Cell Extracts with Special Reference to Deoxythymidine

Abstract

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was designed to assay the nucleoside concentrations, especially deoxythymidine, of tissue cultured cells. Concentration and purification of the acid extracted cell samples were achieved by utilizing a Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridge. After adsorption of the sample, the cartridge was washed with 0.5 ml of water followed by 2 × 0.5 ml of 2.5% methanol. The compounds of interest were subsequently eluted in 2 × 0.5 ml of methanol. The cartridge procedure was found to be fast, inexpensive and showed good recoveries for most tested nucleosides. The nucleosides uridine, deoxythymidine and adenosine could be detected in green monkey kidney cells. Ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides could be separated from each other with the HPLC system used.     

Photosynthetic Performance of the Red Alga Pyropia haitanensis During Emersion,With Special Reference to Effects of Solar UV Radiation,Dehydration and Elevated CO2 Concentration

Macroalgae distributed in intertidal zones experience a series of environmental changes, such as periodical desiccation associated with tidal cycles, increasing CO₂ concentration and solar UVB (280–315 nm) irradiance in the context of climate change. We investigated how the economic red macroalga, Pyropia haitanensis, perform its photosynthesis under elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration and in the presence of solar UV radiation (280–400 nm) during emersion. Our results showed that the elevated CO₂ (800 ppmv) significantly increased the photosynthetic carbon fixation rate of P. haitanensis by about 100% when the alga was dehydrated. Solar UV radiation had insignificant effects on the net photosynthesis without desiccation stress and under low levels of sunlight, but significantly inhibited it with increased levels of desiccation and sunlight intensity, to the highest extent at the highest levels of water loss and solar radiation. Presence of UV radiation and the elevated CO₂ acted synergistically to cause higher inhibition of the photosynthetic carbon fixation, which exacerbated at higher levels of desiccation and sunlight. While P. haitanensis can benefit from increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration during emersion under low and moderate levels of solar radiation, combined effects of elevated CO₂ and UV radiation acted synergistically to reduce its photosynthesis under high solar radiation levels during noon periods.     

Absence of Mn-centered oxidation in the S(2) --> S(3) transition: implications for the mechanism of photosynthetic water oxidation

A key question for the understanding of photosynthetic water oxidation is whether the four oxidizing equivalents necessary to oxidize water to dioxygen are accumulated on the four Mn ions of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC), or whether some ligand-centered oxidations take place before the formation and release of dioxygen during the S(3) --> [S(4)] --> S(0) transition. Progress in instrumentation and flash sample preparation allowed us to apply Mn Kbeta X-ray emission spectroscopy (Kbeta XES) to this problem for the first time. The Kbeta XES results, in combination with Mn X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data obtained from the same set of samples, show that the S(2) --> S(3) transition, in contrast to the S(0) --> S(1) and S(1) --> S(2) transitions, does not involve a Mn-centered oxidation. On the basis of new structural data from the S(3)-state, manganese mu-oxo bridge radical formation is proposed for the S(2) --> S(3) transition, and three possible mechanisms for the O-O bond formation are presented.     

Special features of the electroreduction of alkyl-(2-pyridyl) sulfones

The electrochemical behavior of methyl- and tert-butyl-(2-pyridyl) sulfones at a mercury cathode is studied in anhydrous dimethylformamide (DMF) and water-organic (DMF, n-aliphatic alcohols) solvents by the methods of polarography and preparative electrolysis. It is found that the presence of a pyridine fragment in sulfones governs the diversity of electrode reactions including those that involve the material of cathode (mercury). The effect of the nature and composition of the organic component of a solvent on the direction of C-S bond cleavage is discussed. The aromatic heterocyclic fragment is selectively splitted out in the electrolysis of sulfone at a glassy-carbon cathode in a 60% EtOH-H₂O system containing LiCl, the supporting electrolyte salt.     

Bubble-Point Data for the Systems: Bromobenzene(1)-Nitrobenzene(2) and Bromobenzene(1)-2-Nitrotoluene(2) at 200 and at 700 mm Hg

Abstract

The bubble-point data were collected on a Swietoslawski type ebulliometer for the title systems each at 200 and 700 mm Hg. Calculated VLE data along with the activity coefficients and excess gibbs free energy values through the use of the Wilson equation are reported. The data are analysed for the nonideal behaviour of the systems. The pure-component Vapour-Pressure-temperature relationships are also presented.     

Interactions in the SrS-Cu2S-Ln2S3 (Ln = Gd or Er) Systems and Phase-Formation Laws in the SrS-Cu2S-Ln2S3 (Ln = La-Lu) Systems

Structure solution has been carried out for newly synthesized compounds SrLnCuS₃ (Ln = Pr, Sm, Dy, or Er). These sulfides have orthorhombic structures of the following types: SrPrCuS₃ crystallizes in a BaLaCuS₃-type structure, space group Pnma; SrLnCuS₃ (Ln = Sm or Dy) crystallize in an Eu₂CuS₃-type structure, space group Pnma; and SrErCuS₃, in a KZrCuS₃-type structure, space group Cmcm. In studies of the SrS-Cu₂S-Ln₂S₃ (Ln = Gd or Er) systems, the following tie-lines at 1050 K were located: SrLnCuS₃-SrLn₂S₄, SrLnCuS₃-SrS, SrLnCuS₃-CuLnS₂, Cu₂S-SrLnCuS₃, SrLnCuS₃-solid solution C₀ of the Cu₂S-Gd₂S₃ (β-Cu₃ErS₃) system, and Ln₂S₃-SrLnCuS₃. In the series of the SrS-Cu₂S-Ln₂S₃ (Ln = La-Lu) systems, two tendencies are observed: monotony (decrease in the unit cell parameters and volumes and increase in the melting temperatures of SrLnCuS₃ compounds in the ranges La-Nd and Sm-Lu) and periodicity (two types of triangulation of the SrS-Cu₂S-Ln₂S₃ system, three structure types, and different space groups of SrLnCuS₃ compounds; jump in the melting temperatures of the SrLnCuS₃ compounds in the range Nd-Sm).     

Intramolecular Hydroamination of Selenoalkynes to 2-Selenylindoles in the Absence of Catalyst

In this work, a series of 2-chalcogenylindoles was synthesized by an efficient methodology, starting from chalcogenoalkynes, including a previously unreported tellurium indole derivative. For the first time, these 2-substituted chalcogenylindoles were obtained in the absence of metal catalyst or base, under thermal conditions only. In addition, the results described herein represent a methodology with inverse regioselectivity for the chalcogen functionalization of indoles.     

The Growth‐promoting Mechanism of Unusual Spectroscopic Form of LH2 (LH4) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 in Low Light

The experimental evidence for the growth‐promoting mechanism and the efficiency of energy transfer (EET) of LH4 under low light are still not available. To elucidate the light adaption mechanism of LH4, we deleted the genes pucBAd involved in the synthesis of the α/β polypeptides of LH4 in Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009. Compared to wild strain, the growth rate of pucBAd mutant significantly decreased under low light, while there were no significant changes in the growth rate, the contents and compositions of photopigments, absorption spectra of cell lysates under high light. Moreover, the fluorescence quantum efficiency (FQE) was used to further compare the EET between LH2 and LH4. The FQE in LH4 increased up to 1.5‐fold than did in LH2. Collectively, this study showed that LH4 could provide more and high energetic state photons for promoting bacterial phototrophic growth in response to low‐light environment.     

Modeling the coordination mode of hydroxamate inhibitors in urease: preparation,X-ray crystal structure and spectroscopic characterization of the dinuclear complex [Ni2(O2CMe)(LH)2(tmen)2](O2CMe) · 0.9H2O · 0.6EtOH (LH2 = benzohydroxamic acid; tmen = N,N, N′, N′-tetramethylethylenediamine)

Transition Metal Chemistry - Reaction of [Ni2(H2O)(O2CMe)4(tmen)2], (tmen = N, N, N′, N′-tetramethylethylenediamine) with two equivalents of benzohydroxamic acid (LH2) in H2O/EtOH gives...     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and thermal properties of the nickel(II), palladium(II) and copper(II) complexes of bis(aminoalkyl)-oxamides (=LH2) including the crystal structure of Cu2L(NO3)2

Summary The synthesis of the Ni^II, Pd^II and Cu^II complexes of N, N-bis(aminoalkyl)oxamides (LH₂) is described and structures are proposed on the basis of their physical and spectroscopic properties. With Ni^II and Pd^II only one complex is formed with general formula NiL or PdL, characterised by coordination through two deprotonated amide N-atoms and two terminal NH₂ groups. With Cu^II it proved possible to obtain three structurally different compounds, depending on the pH, with general formulae Cu(LH₂)X₂, Cu₂(L)X₂ and CuL in which X=Cl, Br or NO₃. The structure of [Cu₂(C₈O₂N₄H₁₆](NO₃)₂ was solved by means ofx-ray diffraction; Mr=451.33, monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a=9.503(4), b=7.614(1), c=10.407(3) Å, =98.43(3)°, V=744.3(7)ų, Z=2, Dx=1.202 g cm^–3, =1.33 cm^–1, (MoK)=0.71073 Å, F(000)=520, room temperature, R=0.043, wR=0.047 for 1080 observed [I>-3(I)] not systematically absent reflections out of 1423 measurements and 137 variables. The compound has a conformational chair/boat disorder with 82% in the more stable chair form.     

Crystal Structure of (γ-CH_3C_5H_4N)_2Zn(S_2C_2(CN)_2)and the Second Harmonic Effect

1mrnODUCTIONMetallorganiccompoundisconsideredtobehighlyprospectiveasnonlinearoptical(NLO)materials.NLOpropertiesofmanymetallorganiccompoundshavebeenstudiedsince1986[h,clearlyshowingthepracticalmeaningofthiskindofresearch,especiallyforapplicationsinthevisiblefield.ForametallorganicNLOcrystaltobetransparentinthevisibleregion,generally,atleastthefollowingprerequisites"'mustbesatisfiedwithmolecularandcrystalstructurerespects.Firstly,theelectronconfigurationofcentricionsoftransitionmetalmustb…     

钾镁氯化物(硫酸盐)与脲、水体系的溶度研究

报导了KCl-MgCl2-CO(NH2)2-H2O和K2SO4-MgSO4-CO（NH2）2-H2O两个四元体系在25℃时的溶度及其饱和溶液的折光率、密度，相应的溶度图和组成-折光率、组成-密度图．前一体系中形成3个三元化合物：MgCl2·4CO（NH2）2·2H2O、MgCl2·CO（NH2）2·4H2O和KCl·MgCl2·6H2O溶度盐份图由9支共饱线、4个四元无变点组成．四元体系的水量图、性质-组成图有类似的变化．后一体系中有2个异成份溶解化合物MgSO4·CO（NH2）2·2H2O和K2SO4·MgSO4·6H2O形成，溶度等温图由7支双饱溶度线、3个四元无变点组成．对两个体系相图的相似性和差异点进行了讨论．     

Estimation of N-ethyl O-isopropyl Thionocarbamate (Dow: 2-200) in Mine Wastes by GLC

Abstract

Dow 2200 is a selective ore flotation agent, consisting mainly of Nethyl, 0-isopropyl thionocarbamate (IF'ETC). This paper describes a GLC method for the estimation of IPETC, and compares it with the conventional U.V. spectrophotometric procedure.

An aliquot of a cyclohexane extract of IPETC (prepared for spectrophotometric analysis) is chromatographed on a column of SE-30 or OV-17/QF-1 at 125°C and the IPETC peak is estimated in a ³H electron capture detector (ECD). The ECD is superior in sensitivity and linearity of response to the flame photometric detector operated in the S-mode. The ECD-GLC procedure is comparable in sensitivity to the conventional U.V. absorbance method, and offers an independent and complementary procedure useful for confirmation of low levels of IPETC.     

Structure-Directing Agents for the Synthesis of TiO(2) -Based Drug-Delivery Systems

A series of titanium oxides was prepared by using a surfactant-template method (STM) and used as a carrier for the sustained release of ibuprofen, which was chosen as a model drug. This STM provides an efficient route to TiO(2) matrices with both high surface area (when compared with those that were obtained by using traditional synthetic approaches) and well-defined mesoporous textures. Some parameters of the synthetic procedure were varied: pH value, surfactant, and thermal treatment. The physicochemical nature of the surface carriers were investigated by means of N(2) -physisorption measurements and FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of the amount of drug on the release kinetics was also investigated. The drug delivery was evaluated in vitro in four different physiological solutions (that simulated the gastrointestinal tract) to analyze the behavior of the TiO(2) -based systems if they were to be formulated as oral DDSs. Our optimized approach is a good alternative to the classical methods that are used to prepare efficient TiO(2) -based drug-delivery systems.     

Synthesis and characterization of some bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) complexes with internally functionalized oximes(LH): sol–gel transformations of Cp2TiCl2, Cp2TiClL and Cp2TiL2 to nano‐sized anatase titania

Some bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) complexes of the type [Cp₂TiCl_2?n{L}_n] {where, n = 1 or 2; L = ONC(R)Ar; R = H or CH₃ and Ar = C₅H₄N‐2, C₄H₃O‐2 or C₄H₃S‐2} have been synthesized by the metathetical reactions of Cp₂TiCl₂ with the sodium salt of internally functionalized oximes in 1:1 and 1:2 stoichiometry in anhydrous THF. All these red to brown colored solid derivatives have been characterized by elemental analyses, FT‐IR and NMR (¹H and ¹³C{¹H}) spectral studies. The FAB mass spectra of some representative derivatives indicate their monomeric nature. Oximato ligands in all the complexes appear to bind the titanium via N and O in a dihapto ( ‐N, O) manner in the solid state. Thermogravimetric curves of [Cp₂TiCl{ONC(CH₃)C₅H₄N‐2}] and [Cp₂Ti{ONC(CH₃)C₅H₄N‐2}₂] suggest the formation of hybrid materials CpTiO(Cl) and Cp₂TiO, respectively, as the final products at 900 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. Sol–gel transformations of Cp₂TiCl₂, [Cp₂TiCl{ONC(CH₃)C₅H₄N‐2}] and [Cp₂Ti{ONC(CH₃)C₅H₄N‐2}₂] yielded titania a–c, respectively, at low sintering temperature (600 °C). The powder XRD patterns, IR as well as Raman spectra of all these oxides indicate the formation of nano‐sized anatase phase. The SEM images of titania a–c indicate agglomers like surface morphologies. The absorption spectra of a–c exhibit an energy band gap in the range of 3.47–3.71 eV. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.