Evaluation of ε for p-dinitrobenzene—aniline complexes by the Scott equation. Failure of the Benesi—Hildebrand equation

The Scott equation has been employed to determine ε for p-dinitrobenzene charge transfer complexes with anilines. It is seen that the Benesi—Hildebrand plots show a random scatter, whereas the Scott plots are satisfactory straight lines.     

Assessing the activity concentration of β-emitters by means of the end-window g.m. tube

The activity concentrations of β-emitters including ³⁵S (0.15 MeV) and presumably also ¹⁴C (0.14 MeV) may be determined with satisfactory accuracy using an end-window G.M. counter. For single preparations (if weighed), the described procedure warrants that the standard error will not exceed 0.8%, if the amount of substrate is kept below 0.2 mg/cm², and if carrier-free solutions are avoided. With a minimum of 4 preparations per sample solution, the error of the mean should not exceed 0.4%,     

Algorithm for the calculation of the electronic structure of molecules by the expanded Hückel method

An algorithm is described for the calculation of quantum-chemical characteristics of molecules by the expanded Hückel method. The method for the calculation of the complete overlap matrix of Slater atomic orbitals of type ns, np, and nd was modified.     

Comments on the Note on “Thermodynamic temperature differences from the ITS-90 for the correction of thermodynamic property data” by F. Pavese,P. Ciarlini,and P.P.M. Steur by J. Fischer,Chairman of WG4 of CCT

These are comments to a note from J. Fischer in publication.     

Organic reactions catalysed by modified enzymes part I. Alteration of the substrate specificity of α-chymotrypsin by the modification process

The substrate specificity of some modified α-chymotrypsin derivatives in the synthesis of peptides, using natural and synthetic acyl donors and several nucleophiles, is studied. A systematic study of the alteration of active sites by the modification method is carried out. The method used in the present paper consists of covalent bonding of external lysines of the enzyme with a hydrophobic polymer. Enzymes with several degrees of modification have been obtained. These derivatives present different hydrophobic characteristics, depending on the degree of modification. All the modified enzymes are active in hydrophobic solvents such as benzene, toluene or 1,1,1-trichloroethane but need a small amount of water to be activated (< 1.0%). High yields are obtained in the synthesis of peptidic bonds (100% > × > 60%). The modified enzyme has the same stereospecificity as the native enzyme, because only esters with L-configuration in the α-carbon are accepted as acyl donors. Nevertheless a greater number of acyl donors are accepted by the modified enzyme than by the native α-chymotrypsin, in the synthesis of peptides. On the other hand, the nucleophile subsite is more lipophilic in the modified enzyme than in the native α-chymotrypsin.     

On the study by D.S.C. of the unexpected ice melting at 0°C of emulsified aqueous saline solutions

Firstly, the behavior of droplets (Φ ≈ 1μm) of aqueous saline solutions dispersed within an emulsifying medium and subjected to steady cooling and heating is described. Droplets undergo freezing around a temperature T¹(x) and partial ice melting and total salt melting at the eutectic temperature T_E. This melting is followed by progressive melting of the remaining ice which ceases when the equilibrium temperature (T_e(x)) ice ⇆ solution is reached. Between T_e and T¹ the droplets are undercooled. Secondly, the results obtained when water crystallization occurs versus time at a fixed temperature _C, such as T¹(x) < > _C < T_e(x) are reported. During heating following crystallization at Θ_C, an unusual ice melting at 0° and/or ice melting ending at T & >; T_e(x) is noticed on the thermogram obtained by differential scanning calorimetry of the emulsion. This shows that pure ice or at all events less concentrated solutions must be present within the emulsion. A possible mechanism of crystallization at Θ_C is proposed.     

Evaluation of Accuracy for the Measurement of Octanol–Water Partition Coefficient by MEEKC

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) has been widely used as an indirect tool to measure octanol–water partition coefficients (logP _ow) of various kinds of compounds. In this paper, we present for the first time a mathematical model of the precision of logP _ow (ΔlogP _ow) as a function of the deviation of migration time (Δt _m) in MEEKC, and more importantly evaluated the accuracy of the MEEKC. Our model shows that for a given microemulsion system, there is an interval of migration times, where a high precision in the determination of logP _ow can be obtained. However, when the migration time approaches either the migration time of the electroosmotic flow or that of the microemulsion phase, the precision of logP _ow deteriorates rapidly. The model was experimentally verified by the microemulsion system with migration times of 6.50 and 32.00?min for the electroosmotic flow and microemulsion phase, respectively, and we found the useful logP _ow interval to be 0.50–5.50. The paper also demonstrates that the calibration constants between migration times t _m and predicted logP _ow values could be transferred with high accuracy from one MEEKC system to another as long as both systems are set up to use the same operational parameters.     

The preparation of samples for α-counting by the direct evaporation of organic solutions

A method is described for the preparation of thin deposits of α-emitting elements by evaporation of solutions in organic solvents. By heating the periphery of the tray, a suitable temperature gradient is maintained across the tray, giving smooth evaporation of the solvent to leave a deposit which is suitable for α-counting. It has been shown that on a semi-routine basis, the method is rapid and gives good precision.     

Comment on “Factorizing of a concentration function for the mean activity coefficients of aqueous strong electrolytes into individual functions for the ionic species” by A. Ferse and H.O. Müller

A. Ferse and H.O. Müller have recently presented a mathematical method aimed at subdividing the activity coefficients of electrolytes into functions of individual ionic species; these functions are suggested to be the ionic activity coefficients. By examining the method, it is possible to verify that the peculiar mathematical structure of the functions in question really guarantees a unique result, unlike the usual subdivisions of electrolyte activity coefficients, which admit infinite possibilities for the ionic activity coefficients. But the subsequent step of the reasoning, i.e., that these functions have to be the activity coefficients of the ionic species, is an illation. And indeed, another kind of subdivision in individual functions can be exemplified, whose mathematical structure also guarantees results that are unique and perfectly compatible with all theoretical properties of the ionic activity coefficients. It is concluded that it is impossible to rely on mathematical method to pull the activity coefficients of ions out of the mean activity coefficients of the electrolytes. And hence, the individual functions for the ionic species determined by Ferse and Müller do not represent the ionic activity coefficients and do not have any particular utility.     

Actional Mechanism of Trifluoroacetic Acid for the Separation of Biopolymers by Reversed-phase Liquid Chromatography

The present paper covers the actional mechanism of trifluoroacetic acid for the separation of biopolymers investigated by using the parameters of stoichiometric displacement model for retention(SDM-R) in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. It was found that the trifluoroacetic acid(TFA) may participate in, or stimulate the association among displacing agent molecules in mobile phase, and decrease the affinity of both the associate molecules of the displacing agent and the TFA-protein ion-pairing. The former dominates over the separation selectivity of biopolymers as the concentration of TFA is lower than a given value, and the two contrary functions partly offset to each other and the latter dominates as its concentration is greater than the given value.     

Radiation-Induced,Solid-State Polymerization of Derivatives of Methacrylic Acid. XI. Aspects of the Polymerization of Methacrylic Acid by γ-Irradiation

Aspects of the radiation-induced polymerization of methacrylic acid in the crystalline state have been investigated and utilized to evaluate the mechanism of polymerization. In particular, results for post-irradiation polymerization at 0°C after radiation doses of 0.1 to 2.0 Mrad support the concepts of Lando and Semen that chain initiation essentially all commences at the same time, that chain propagation continues without termination, and that termination of nonpropagating radicals proceeds simultaneously.     

Efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of bis-propargylamines by the reaction of terminal acetylenes with 1,5,3-dioxazepanes catalyzed by cоpper chloride

An efficient method for the synthesis of N-substituted bis-propargylamines and bis(alkadiynyl)amines was developed. The method consists of the CuCl-catalyzed aminomethylation of terminal acetylenes and α,ω-diacetylenes with N-substituted 1,5,3-dioxazepanes.     

Development of an analytical method for the determination of the residues of four pyrethroids in meat by GC–ECD and confirmation by GC–MS

The development of an analytical method for the determination of four selected pyrethroid insecticides at residue level in beef meat is presented. Acetone and petroleum ether at 40-60 degrees C were chosen as extraction solvents. A two-step clean-up was performed using an Extrelut NT3-C(18) system followed by a Florisil column, with disposable, ready-to-use cartridges. Instrumental analysis was carried out on a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD), using matrix-matched and internal standard calibration techniques. Confirmatory analysis by GC-MS was performed. Recoveries at the EU Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), 0.5 x MRL and 1.5 x MRL levels and the repeatabilities were widely satisfactory. The main advantage of the method was the reduction of analysis time as compared with previously published works. The applicability of the method to different matrices and pesticide classes will be investigated.     

Sorption–Desorption of Copper and Strontium Ions by the Soil. The Influence of Microorganisms on the State of Metals

Sorption of heavy metal (copper and strontium) ions by the meadow chernozem and grey forest soils differing in the content of organic substance was described using the Langmuir equation. The analysis of characteristic sorption coefficients demonstrated that copper possesses the enhanced affinity for the studied soil samples compared to strontium. Maximal values of the sorption of copper (0.085 mmol/g) and strontium (0.045 mmol/g) obtained for the colloidal fraction of meadow chernozem soil (particle diameter d < 1 m) are approximately 1.5 times larger than for the same fraction of grey forest soil; this ratio remains almost the same even when using the coarser fraction (d < 50 m). It was established that up to 90% of metal ions could be present in the soil in an immobile form. An increase in the concentration of heavy metal ions in the soil causes their redistribution between the components of absorbing soil complex and an increase in the fraction of metal in mobile forms (water-soluble, exchange, soluble in weakly acidic medium). Upon the microbiological treatment (bioleaching in the suspension variant) of the soils containing copper or strontium ions, the total content of metal, including its mobile forms, decreases by an order of magnitude.     

Analysis of wines by ICP-MS: Is the pattern of the rare earth elements a reliable fingerprint for the provenance?

In a comparative analysis of young and finished product wines by semi-quantitative ICP-MS, a striking difference was observed: finished products exhibited significant concentrations of the rare earth elements whereas the concentrations in young wines which had not been subdued to any treatment after their initial preparation from the grapes were below the determination limits with a quadrupole instrument and could only be determined with a magnetic field instrument operated at a low mass resolution (R = 300). The reason was found in contamination from bentonites as usually applied for the purification of wines from tarnishing components such as proteins. Therefore, bentonites of different origin were extracted with a reference wine, and an increase of the rare earth element concentrations by more than one order of magnitude was observed in the extracts. The investigation leads to the conclusion that the concentration pattern of the rare earth elements can be strongly affected by the wine producing process and therefore is not generally suitable as a fingerprint for the provenance of wines. Received: 3 December 1998 / Revised: 11 February 1999 / Accepted: 18 February 1999     

Analysis of wines by ICP-MS: Is the pattern of the rare earth elements a reliable fingerprint for the provenance?

In a comparative analysis of young and finished product wines by semi-quantitative ICP-MS, a striking difference was observed: finished products exhibited significant concentrations of the rare earth elements whereas the concentrations in young wines which had not been subdued to any treatment after their initial preparation from the grapes were below the determination limits with a quadrupole instrument and could only be determined with a magnetic field instrument operated at a low mass resolution (R = 300). The reason was found in contamination from bentonites as usually applied for the purification of wines from tarnishing components such as proteins. Therefore, bentonites of different origin were extracted with a reference wine, and an increase of the rare earth element concentrations by more than one order of magnitude was observed in the extracts. The investigation leads to the conclusion that the concentration pattern of the rare earth elements can be strongly affected by the wine producing process and therefore is not generally suitable as a fingerprint for the provenance of wines.