Theoretical study of PO and PO−

The diatomic systems, PO and PO^– are studied, using numerical Hartree-Fock (NHF) and coupled-cluster calculations. The latter employs a hybrid NHF and Slater orbital basis set. Highly accurate CCSD methods predict bond lengths accurate to <0.004 Å and frequencies to 60 cm^–1. In addition the electron affinity of PO is computed to be 0.89 eV compared to an experimental value of 1.09±0.01. Comparisons are made with SCF and MBPT(2) results for PO⁺ using conventional basis sets.Dedicated to Professor J. Koutecký on the occasion of his 65th birthdayGuggenheim Fellow     

Substrate and Positional Selectivity in Electrophilic Substitution Reactions of Pyrrole, Furan, Thiophene, and Selenophene Derivatives

The relative reactivity (substrate selectivity) of five-membered heterocycles on electrophilic substitution (pyrrole >> furan > selenophene > thiophene) and their positional selectivity (furan > selenophene thiophene > pyrrole) are not consistent. The indicated differences in positional selectivity ( : ratios) of the parent heterocycles show up essentially in orientation on electrophilic substitution reactions of their derivatives and the corresponding benzannelated systems. It was shown that the positional selectivity was reduced in a sequence corresponding to the change in relative stability of the onium states of the elements (O⁺ < Se⁺ S⁺ < N⁺) and reflects the predominant role of the heteroatoms in stabilizing the -complexes formed on -substitution, in which the positive charge is distributed between the heteroatom and one -carbon atom (in -isom ers four atoms of the ring participate in delocalization of the charge). This interpretation was confirmed by quantum-chemical calculations carried out by the RHF/6-31G(d), MP2/6-31G(d)//RHF(6)-31G(d), and B3LYP/6-31G(d) ab initio methods.     

Solid sampling analysis by means of autoprobe-GFAAS

Summary A recently developed solid sampling graphite system for automatic probe atomisation (SAP-GFAAS) was applied for the direct determination of Pb and Cd in untreated bovine liver matrix.The study was based on 30 livers with a low content of lead (0.045 to 0.27 g Pb/g fresh matter) and of cadmium (0.031–0.24 g Cd/g fresh matter). The basic comparative data for the evaluation of the SAP-GFAAS method were supplied by a standardized GFAAS method with preliminary sample homogenization and matrix decomposition. Additionally, data were obtained by two further solid sampling methods: a front entry graphite system with direct Zeeman effect background correction and a side entry graphite system with high-energy deuterium continuum background correction. The combination of the autoprobe technique and solid sampling was shown to provide analytical results — in terms of handling, accuracy and precision — comparable to those obtained by means of the conventional solid sampling systems. Differences between the results of the sample decomposition method and the solid sampling methods, as well as between the three solid sampling methods must be regarded as being of no practical significance. Part I: see [1].     

Transfer activity coefficient of the proton in water-pyridine mixtures. A comparison of some extrathermodynamic assumptions

Various water-pyridine mixtures have been selected in order to compare several of the most popular extrathermodynamic assumptions involved in the determination of the transfer activity coefficient of the proton, _t(H⁺). Two techniques have been utilized for this purpose: voltammetry [study of the ferrocene, ferricyanide, or thallium(1) systems] and potentiometry at equilibrium (emf measurements of various galvanic cells, including liquid junctions and hydrogen electrode or silver electrode as a test electrode). The assumptions have been classified into various groups [e.g., _t(Z^p+)=_t(Z^q+) or _t(X^–)=_t(Y⁺)], and the values of _t(H⁺) have been experimentally determined in each case. The results vary depending upon the basic assumption (several pH units); less important differences (e.g., 0.5 pH unit) occur within a given group, and this may be assigned to the nature of the reference species chosen. A simple model of solvation has been also examined; the application of the law of mass action to the corresponding equilibrium provides results close to the _t(X^–) =_t(Y⁺)type of assumptions which ultimately leads to most self-consistent results.     

Preconcentration of Cd(II) and Pb(II) Using Humic Substances and Flow Systems Coupled to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

This paper demonstrates the potential of two natural adsorbents, vermicompost and humic acid, for preconcentration of cadmium(II) and lead(II) using flow systems coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The procedure involves the adsorption of Cd(II) or Pb(II) on these materials (using columns containing 25mg) and subsequent elution for determination by FAAS. Cadmium(II) was preconcentrated for 4min (flow rate of 4.0mLmin^–1) and eluted with 220µL of 3.0molL^–1 HNO₃. Under these conditions, preconcentration factors of 46 and 27 were obtained for vermicompost and humic acid, respectively. Except when using 1.0molL^–1 nitric acid (for humic acid), all conditions for lead(II) preconcentration were identical to those for cadmium(II), and preconcentration factors of 62 and 83 were obtained when vermicompost and humic acid, respectively, were used. The systems were stable with only slight variations in the slopes of the analytical curves (ca. 5% after 8h working period). The long-term stability shows that a minimum of 120 and 100 cycles, respectively, can be run using the same masses of vermicompost or humic acid. The detection limits for Cd(II) were 0.4 and 0.8µgL^–1 for vermicompost and humic acid respectively, while the detection limits for Pb(II) were 8.8 and 12.1µgL^–1, also for vermicompost and humic acid. The accuracy of the methods was checked by using spiked and real (certified and reference) samples. Due to the concomitant sorption of other metals leading to variable slopes for lead and cadmium determination, it was necessary to adopt the standard addition method for calibration purposes.     

Application of a parallel computer system to polymer calculations

The LCAP (loosely coupled array of processors) parallel processing systems developed at IBM Kingston have been employed in the simulation of Brownian dynamics on ring polymers. Significant speedups over the serial version of the FORTRAN code have been obtained by using bulk shared memories to expedite information passing between the attached array processors. In this manner we have been able to obtain data for chains with 128 and 256 units. Data on these larger chains indicate that the radius of gyration follows the predicted power law.This paper was presented at the International Conference on The Impact of Supercomputers on Chemistry, held at the University of London, London, UK, 13–16 April 1987