Fractional protein dynamics seen by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Relating molecular dynamics simulation and experiment

We propose a fractional Brownian dynamics model for time correlation functions characterizing the internal dynamics of proteins probed by NMR relaxation spectroscopy. The time correlation functions are represented by a broad distribution of exponential functions which are characterized by two parameters. We show that the model describes well the restricted rotational motion of N-H vectors in the amide groups of lysozyme obtained from molecular dynamics simulation and that reliable predictions of experimental relaxation rates can be obtained on that basis.     

Positron annihilation in some organic scintillators: magnetic quenching and three gamma spectroscopy results

We present positron annihilation data in some organic polycrystalline scintillators, obtained through lifetime and three gamma spectroscopies, as well as magnetic quenching measurements. Strong magnetic quenching effects at low fields were discovered, which cannot be explained in terms of simply “swollen” Positronium (qPs): a possible explanation in terms of interactions between the qPs and the magnetic moments of the spur products is proposed.     

Hydration of monosaccharides: A study by dielectric and nuclear magnetic relaxation

NMR studies indicate that the relaxation rate of¹⁷O-enriched water is enhanced in monosaccharide solutions, and it is greater in hexose solutions than with a pentose, ribose. Three dielectric relaxations have been isolated and assigned to bulk water相似文献   

Structural characterization of a poly(methacrylic acid)-poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymer by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have been combined to achieve the complete microstructural characterization of a poly(methacrylic acid)-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMAA-PMMA) copolymer synthesized by nitroxide-mediated polymerization. Various PMAA-PMMA species could be identified which mainly differ in terms of terminaisons. ¹H and ¹³C NMR experiments revealed the structure of the end-groups as well as the proportion of each co-monomer in the copolymers. These end-group masses were further confirmed from m/z values of doubly charged copolymer anions detected in the single stage mass spectrum. In contrast, copolymer composition derived from MS data was not consistent with NMR results, obviously due to strong mass bias well known to occur during electrospray ionization of these polymeric species. Tandem mass spectrometry could reveal the random nature of the copolymer based on typical dissociation reactions, i.e., water elimination occurred from any two contiguous MAA units while MAA-MMA pairs gave rise to the loss of a methanol molecule. Polymer backbone cleavages were also observed to occur and gave low abundance fragment ions which allowed the structure of the initiating end-group to be confirmed.     

Photo-stabilising effect of Ni compounds in photo-oxidative degradation of cis-1,4-poly(butadiene)

The photo-stabilisation effect of two nickel chlorides—bis(tributyl phosphine)nickel-(II)chloride and cyclopentadienyl(triphenyl phosphine)nickel(II)chloride—and three nickel chelates—bis(dithiobenzil)nickel, bis(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzil)nickel and 2,2′-thiobis(4-t-octylphenolato)n-butylamine nickel (Cyasorb® UV 1084)—on the oxidative photo-degradation of cis-1,4-poly(butadiene) has been investigated. Their stabilising effect includes possible mechanisms such as ultraviolet screening, catalytic decomposition of hydroperoxides, radical trapping and singlet oxygen deactivation.     

Molecular dynamics of poly(ATRIF) homopolymer and poly(AN-co-ATRIF) copolymer investigated by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

Aiming to develop new dielectric polymers containing CN and F groups with strong dipole moments, a novel copolymer of acrylonitrile (AN) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate (ATRIF) was synthesized in acetonitrile by free radical process as well as the respective homopolymer (poly(ATRIF)). The copolymer’s composition and microstructure were analyzed by FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and SEC. The molar incorporation of AN determined in the copolymer by NMR was 58 mol%. Thermogravimetric analysis of poly(AN-co-ATRIF) copolymer showed good thermal stability comparatively to the fluorinated homopolymer.Both copolymer, poly(AN-co-ATRIF), and homopolymer, poly(ATRIF), were dielectrically characterized over a frequency range from 10⁻¹ to 10⁶ Hz, and in a temperature range from 223 to 393 K. The dominating relaxation process detected in both materials is the α-relaxation, associated with the dynamic glass transition. A VFTH temperature dependence of the relaxation times (τ) was found for both materials, as characteristic of cooperative processes, from which the respective glass transition temperatures (T_g(τ = 100 s)) were estimated, which differ ∼40 K, the one of the copolymer being higher (307 K) in accordance to the calorimetric analysis. This effect was attributed to a higher stiffness of the backbone in the copolymer originated by the inclusion of the acrylonitrile groups. Both relaxation functions have the same breath of relaxation times allowing constructing a single master curve, indicating similar non-exponential character. A less fragile behavior was found for the copolymer. This was rationalized in a more straightforward way by the free volume approach instead from a correlation between fragility and intermolecular coupling. It was found that in the copolymer the free volume increases at a lower rate with the temperature increase. It was inferred from the VFTH temperature dependence of the dc conductivity and low values of the decoupling index that ion motion is significantly influenced by the dynamics of the α-process.     

Conformational analysis of poly(ethylene oxide) and model compounds by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In order to determine the conformation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), ¹³C satellite spectra of PEO, 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), and dioxane were measured at various temperatures in various solvents, and analyzed. Relations between the coupling constants were derived from the linearity between the parameters N = J_AB + J_A′B and L = J_A′B in AA′BB′ spectra of PEO and DME. The vicinal coupling constants for the individual rotational isomers were obtained from the above relations and the temperature dependences of N and L and the enthalpy differences were calculated in each solvent. The gauche rotamer is more stable than the trans isomer by 250–500 cal/mole in all cases examined.     

Relaxation dynamics of blends of PVDF and zwitterionic copolymer by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

Relaxation dynamics of PVDF blended with a random zwitterionic copolymer (r-ZCP) of methyl methacrylate and zwitterionic sulfobetaine-2-vinylpyridine (PMMA-r-SB2VP) were investigated using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the PVDF crystal phase of compression molded blends. Adding 25 wt% of r-ZCP promoted the formation of the polar β and γ crystals over the nonpolar α phase. A structural model is proposed where the r-ZCP biases the PVDF to form polar crystal phases. Boyd's model was used to calculate the room temperature dielectric constants and led to good agreement with our measurements. Dielectric spectra of neat r-ZCP showed two relaxation peaks attributed to PMMA units, with no additional relaxations present from the zwitterions. Blends of PVDF with r-ZCP were dominated by the α_c relaxation associated with the crystalline phase of PVDF, which showed an Arrhenius temperature dependence. Analysis of the conductivity spectra shows a larger DC conductivity in the blends than in either r-ZCP or homopolymer PVDF. Blends show an additional peak in the loss tangent, absent in the copolymer or PVDF attributed to space-charge polarization. Higher DC conductivity and space-charge polarization indicate that the combination of zwitterions and unique microstructure affects charge transport properties.     

Structural changes from heating amber and copal as observed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Structural changes caused by heating of fossilized (amber) and semifossilized (copal) resins have been examined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A set of 28 samples was constituted to include different geographical sources, degrees of maturation, colors, and structural groupings. The onset of structural alterations was determined by observation of the lowest temperature at which spectral changes occurred. Both proton spectra in solution and carbon-13? spectra in the solid state then were recorded of cooled samples after heating for 12 hr at temperature increments, until liquification of the sample began. The spectra of both nuclides exhibit loss of a few peaks, broadening of most peaks, and enhancement of the unsaturated or aromatic region at the expense of saturated resonances. Such changes are irreversible and lead to a harder and less soluble material on cooling. The changes parallel those that occur with maturation of fossil resins or materials that lead to coal.     

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of furanose ring dynamics in the DNA HhaI binding site

The dynamics of the furanose rings in the GCGC moiety of the DNA oligomer [d(G 1A 2T 3A 4 G 5 C 6 G 7 C 8T 9A 10T 11C 12)] 2 are studied by using deuterium solid-state NMR (SSNMR). SSNMR spectra obtained from DNAs selectively deuterated on the furanose rings of nucleotides within the 5'-GCGC-3' moiety indicated that all of these positions are structurally flexible. The furanose ring within the deoxycytidine that is the methylation target displays the largest-amplitude structural changes according to the observed deuterium NMR line shapes, whereas the furanose rings of nucleotides more remote from the methylation site have less-mobile furanose rings (i.e., with puckering amplitudes < 0.3 A). Previous work has shown that methylation reduces the amplitude of motion in the phosphodiester backbone of the same DNA, and our observations indicate that methylation perturbs backbone dynamics through the furanose ring. These NMR data indicate that the 5'-GCGC-3' is dynamic, with the largest-amplitude motions occurring nearest the methylation site. The inherent flexibility of this moiety in DNA makes the molecule more amenable to the large-amplitude structural rearrangements that must occur when the DNA binds to the HhaI methyltransferase.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of petroporphyrins : Self-aggregation effects, nuclear overhauser enhancements, and spin-lattice relaxation used in structural elucidation

The substitution pattern of the two major petroporphyrins of Marl Slate, the ETIO III and the C₃₂ DPEP, is determined by NMR spectroscopy alone, using self-aggregation effects, nuclear Overhauser enhancements and spin-lattice relaxation times. Protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester was used as a model compound.     

Tetrazoloazines. 15N nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared absorption spectroscopy

The reaction of 4-chloro-2-phenylquinazoline with K¹⁵NN₂ has been studied by ¹⁵N-NMR. spectroscopy. ¹⁵N-chemical shifts in 5-phenyl-1 (3)-[¹⁵N]-tetrazolo[1,5-c]quinazoline and -Nα(Nγ)-[¹⁵N]-4-azido-2-phenylquinazoline are reported. The characteristic IR. absorption frequencies of the tetrazole group have been determined in a series of annelated ¹⁵N-labelled compounds. From these studies and the chemistry of the labelled tetrazoles, it is concluded that all haloazines examined react with KN₃ by the direct nucleophilic substitution mechanism. An addition of nucleophile-ring opening-ring closure (ANRORC) mechanism was not observed. The synthesis of several ¹⁵N-labelled tetrazoloazines is described.     

Inhibition and enhancement of resonance as studied by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

¹³C chemical shifts are reported for a series of 2-substituted 1,3-dimethylbenzenes: comparisons of these values with those for the corresponding monosubstituted benzenes reveal, in some cases, large differences in the para-carbon substituent chemical shifts, which are attributable to steric hindrance of resonance. The questions of steric enhancement of resonance, and methoxy group conformation in certain anisoles are also studied by the ¹³C NMR technique. Studies of selected 2-substituted fluorenes are also reported, and substituent chemical shifts at carbon-7 (traversing eight bonds) of greater than 2ppm are observed. These effects are consistently greater than those reported for the corresponding biphenyl compounds, and are associated with planarity-enforced enhancement of resonance.     

Detection of the pesticide compound 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate) using fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance (19F NMR) spectroscopic measurements were used to determine the chemical nature and amounts of organofluorine in dosed meat baits. Earlier work implied that sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) in meat baits was broken down into other organofluorine compounds such as fluorocitrate. No chemical evidence was found for such compounds. Only monofluoroacetate was detected in the prepared 1080 bait samples. Once the baits have aged, aqueous extraction fails to recover all the added 1080. Analysis using 19F NMR confirmed that the 1080 present in the aqueous extracts of the bait is recovered by Kramer's liquid chromatography method. It was shown here that the aqueous extracts do not recover all the 1080 in the meat bait.     

Monitoring of the insecticide trichlorfon by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectroscopy

Trichlorfon is an organophosphorus insecticide, which is extensively being used for protection of fruit crops. Trichlorfon is a thermal labile compound, which cannot be easily determined by gas chromatography (GC) and has no suitable group for sensitive detection by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this study, a ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P NMR) has been described for monitoring of trichlorfon without any separation step. The quantitative works of ³¹P NMR spectroscopy has been performed in the presence of an internal standard (hexamethylphosphoramide). Limit of detection (LOD) for this method has been found to be 55 mg L⁻¹, without any sample preparation, and the linear working range was 150-5500 mg L⁻¹. Relative standard deviation (R.S.D.%) of the method for three replicates within and between days was obtained ≤9%. The average recovery efficiency was approximately 99-112%. This method was applied for monitoring trichlorfon in a commercial insecticide sample and tomato sample.     

New insight into relaxation dynamics of an epoxy/hydroxy functionalized polybutadiene from dielectric and mechanical spectroscopy studies

Dielectric and mechanical spectroscopy methods have been employed to describe the temperature dependencies of the segmental and macromolecular relaxation rates in epoxy/hydroxy functionalized polybutadiene. Dielectric studies on the dynamics of segments of the polymer as well as the mobility of small ions trapped in the system have been carried out both as a function of temperature and pressure under isobaric and isothermal conditions, respectively.