Thermodynamics of Adsorption in a Cellulose–Water System

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - The sorption properties of native cellulose and the state of water adsorbed by its fibers are studied by measuring 1H NMR relaxation. A scheme of the...     

Conformational Heterogeneity of a Tripeptide in the Solid State and in Solution: Characterization of a γ-Turn Containing Incipient Hairpin in Solution

A terminally blocked tripeptide Boc--Ala-Aib--Ala-OMe 1 with noncoded amino acids forms a novel type of hairpin structure containing a -turn instead of a conventional -turn in the central loop region in solution. This new type structural motif was characterized by NMR and restraint molecular dynamics simulation study. In the solid state peptide 1 adopts an extended backbone conformation and self-assembles to form supramolecular -sheet.     

Synthesis and Properties of Solid Solutions in The FeVMoO7–CrVMoO7 System

X-ray phase analysis (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and IR spectroscopy have shown that continuous substitution solid solutionsin are formed in the FeVMoO₇–CrVMoO₇ system. With increasing the degree of Cr³⁺ ion incorporation into the FeVMoO₇ structure, a crystal lattice contraction of the Fe_1–xCrxVMoO₇ solid solution arise. Elevation of temperature of its incongruent melting and gradual shifting of the corresponding IR absorption bands towards higher wavenumbers have been noticed, as well. The solid product of incongruent melting for x≤0.5 is the Fe_4–yCr_yV₂ Mo₃ O₂₀ solid solutions phase, whereas for x>0.5 Fe_2–zCr_z(MoO₄)₃ and Fe_2–u Cr_u O₃ solid solutions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Acetophenone and Methyl-4-isobutylacetophenone in a Two-phase Water–Organic System Containing β-Cyclodextrin

The possibility of the formation of inclusion complexes based on methyl-4-isobutylphenyl ketone, -cyclodextrin (-CD), and o-hydroxy propylated -cyclodextrin in an aqueous phosphate buffer is demonstrated by methods of NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Preparative electroreduction of acetophenone and methyl-4-isobutylphenyl ketone is performed on a lead electrode in aqueous phosphate and acetate buffers in the absence and presence of -CD and the composition of products of electrochemical reactions is ascertained. It is shown that the products of reduction of ketones are corresponding alcohols and pinacones. The possibility of asymmetric electrochemical hydrogenation of ketones in the presence of -CD, which yields relevant chiral alcohols, is shown.     

Negative Photochromism of Solutions of Functionalized Spiropyrans in a Water—Acetonitrile Mixture

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - A spectral-kinetic study of photochromic functionalized nitro-substituted indoline spiropyrans in water-acetonitrile mixtures has allowed to observe for the...     

Probing a Hydrogen-π Interaction Involving a Trapped Water Molecule in the Solid State

The detection and characterization of trapped water molecules in chemical entities and biomacromolecules remains a challenging task for solid materials. We herein present proton-detected solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments at 100 kHz magic-angle spinning and at high static magnetic-field strengths (28.2 T) enabling the detection of a single water molecule fixed in the calix[4]arene cavity of a lanthanide complex by a combination of three types of non-covalent interactions. The water proton resonances are detected at a chemical-shift value close to zero ppm, which we further confirm by quantum-chemical calculations. Density Functional Theory calculations pinpoint to the sensitivity of the proton chemical-shift value for hydrogen-π interactions. Our study highlights how proton-detected solid-state NMR is turning into the method-of-choice in probing weak non-covalent interactions driving a whole branch of molecular-recognition events in chemistry and biology.     

Efficient Tosylation of Dihydroxybenzenes in a Two-Phase Water–Dichloromethane System

Theoretical and Experimental Chemistry - The effect of the structure of the catalyst and the type of base on the reaction rate and product yield of the tosylation of dihydroxybenzenes in a...     

Effect of Pressure on Clathrate Formation in a Water–Ethanol System

The water–ethanol (E) system was studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) at atmospheric pressure and pressures up to 10 kbar. At atmospheric pressure, the system was shown to contain an incongruently melting hydrate of E · 2H₂O composition (t_decomp = -65.0°C). In addition, the system involves two metastable hydrates: E · 3H₂O (t_decomp = -69.0°C) and E · 4.75H₂O t_decomp = -74.5°C)}. The hydrate compositions were determined by Tamman's method for the corresponding temperature invariants. Studies at pressures below 10 kbar showed that E · 4.75H₂O metastable hydrate becomes stable at pressures above 0.25 kbar. At pressures from 1.0 to 7.3 kbar, this hydrate melts congruently, which allowed its composition to be determined more accurately. Presumably, this hydrate is of a semiclathrate nature (i.e., the ethanol molecule is involved in constructing the water framework) and has cubic structure I. In experiments at high pressures, E · 3H₂O was not found. Concerning E · 2H₂O hydrate, its peritectic melting was observed up to 5.0 kbar. Further extrapolation extends the incongruent melting curve to 7.5 kbar.     

Structural Inhomogeneity in Electrolyte Solutions: The Calcium Perchlorate–Water System

A new approach has been proposed to study the structure of aqueous electrolyte solutions. NIR, Raman and attenuated total reflectance, Fourier transform infra-red (ATR FTIR) spectra have been measured for aqueous calcium perchlorate solutions in the 0.22–4.3 mol·L^?1 (0.22–7.46 mol·kg^?1) concentration range at 25 °C. By the methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution—alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) the number, spectra and concentration profiles have been determined for spectroscopically distinguishable forms of water and ClO ₄ ^? ion in solutions. The results have been analyzed using a phenomenological model, establishing thereby: concentration ranges for structural rearrangements of the solution, the nature of structural microirregularities and different states of the ClO ₄ ^? ion in the areas of domination of the natural water structure, and of cybotactic groups of calcium perchlorate hexa and tetra hydrates.     

Solubility of Adenine and Kinetin in Water–Ethanol Solutions

We have measured the solubility of adenine and kinetin in water–ethanol solutions. Various models of cosolvency have been taken into account in the analysis of the experimental data. The results are interpreted in terms of hydrophobic interactions.     

Is “Water in Salt” Electrolytes the Ultimate Solution? Achieving High Stability of Organic Anodes in Diluted Electrolyte Solutions Via a Wise Anions Selection

The introduction of the water-in-salt (WIS) electrolytes concept to prevent water splitting and widen the electrochemical stability window, has spurred extensive research efforts toward development of improved aqueous batteries. The successful implementation of these electrolyte solutions in many electrochemical systems shifts the focus from diluted to WIS electrolyte solutions. Considering the high costs and the tendency of these nearly saturated solutions to crystallize, this trend can be carefully re-evaluated. Herein we show that the stability of organic electrodes comprising the active material perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA), is strongly influenced by the solvation character of the anions rather than the concentration of the electrolyte solution. Even though the charging process of PTCDA involves solely insertion of cations (i.e., principal counter-ions), surprisingly, the dominant factor influencing its electrochemical performance, including long-term electrode stability, is the type of the co-ions (i.e., electrolytic anions). Using systematic electrochemical analysis combined with theoretical simulations, we show that the selection of kosmotropic anions results in fast fading of the PTCDA anodes, while a selection of chaotropic anions leads to excellent stability, even at electrolytes concentrations as low as 0.2 M. These findings provide a new conceptual approach for designing advanced electrolyte solutions for aqueous batteries.     

Effect of Thallium Adatoms on Electrode Processes in the System Gold–Cyanide Solutions

The possibility of determining kinetic parameters of the gold electrodeposition in the presence of thallium adatoms is considered. The coverage of the electrode surface by thallium adatoms is monitored. The steady-state values of potential used correspond to current densities i that are directly proportional to the concentration of thallium ions in solution. The procedure is based on the assumption that the rate of incorporation of adatoms is proportional to the product i. With increasing to 0.25, the exchange current and transfer coefficient increase from 5 × 10^–5 A cm^–2 and 0.23 in pure solutions to1.5 × 10^–4 A cm² and 0.6 at = 0.25–0.3, whereas the reaction order by cyanide ions remains practically invariant with increasing . Variations in the kinetic parameters with are compared to similar measurements obtained earlier for the anodic process. These may be made consistent by assuming that mechanisms of cathodic and anodic reactions differ in pure solutions and are identical in the presence of catalytically active adatoms. An explanation to the above regularities is given.     

Spectrophotometric Determination of Copper in Waste Water Using Liquid–Liquid Extraction in a Flow-Injection System

A flow-injection procedure for the determination of copper in waste water is described. The procedure is based on the formation of an ion-pair between tetrabutylammonium and the tetrathiocyanatocuprate(II) anion. This ion-pair is extracted with chloroform, and the absorbance of the organic phase is measured at 485nm. Concentrations of copper 0.4mg L^–1 can be detected with a linear application range of between 0.5 and 25mg L^–1, a relative standard deviation of 2.3% (0.8mg L^–1, n=10) and a sampling frequency of 30h^–1. Under the proposed working conditions, only Ni(II) and Pd(II) interfere at molar ratios Ni(II)/Cu(II) 50 and Pd(II)/Cu(II) 100.     

UV/Vis Spectral Study of the Self-aggregation of Pinacyanol Chloride in Ethanol–Water Solutions

The concentration dependent self-aggregation of 1,1′-diethyl-2,2′-carbocyanine chloride (pinacyanol chloride dye) in 7.5% (v/v) ethanol + 92.5% water solution in the range of 10⁻⁶–10⁻³ mol⋅dm⁻³ has been investigated by quantitative UV/vis and derivative spectroscopy. Bands with maxima at 601, 546, 522, and 507 nm could be attributed, respectively, to the monomer, a sandwich-type dimer, a vibronic overtone of the dimer, and a higher aggregate, most probably a stacked trimeric form of the dye. Using the PeakFit program, the overlapping bands were separated and analyzed for all concentrations studied. From the spectral fitting routine, extinction coefficients of 192,000, 156,000, and 282,000 cm⁻¹⋅mol⁻¹⋅dm³ were determined for the monomer, dimer and trimer respectively.     

Enhancement of the Schottky Effect in a Si(100)—Water System Using Porous Polymeric Track-Etched Membranes

The kinetics of variation in the electronic work function (EWF) of single-crystal silicon Si(100) exposed to liquid water is studied. It is shown that immersing porous film track-etched membranes (TEMs) with pore sizes of 3.0–0.1 μm in water containing Si(100) considerably reduces the EWF of single-crystal silicon. It is found that a similar effect is observed when TEMs in the form of caps are held over the surface of water containing Si(100) at a distances of around 1.5–2.0 cm. It is speculated that the occurrence of a developed surface of TEMs in an open system changes the supramolecular structure of the water and leads to the formation of associates (H₂O)_n with increased dipole moments (compared to molecular moments), enhancing the Schottky effect during sorption on Si(100) surfaces.