Electronic aspects of enzymatic catalysis

Enzymes are large aperiodic structures and this hinders both ab initio molecular orbital and Bloch-type band theory of calculations. A frontier orbital perturbation theory of catalysis is applied to enzymes. Reasons are given for proposing that the induced-fit conformational changes, essential to enzymatic catalysis, leads to an increase in the electronic eigenvalue density at the active site, enhancing the necessary catalytic orbital perturbation.     

Practical aspects of quantitation

Quantitative Analysis using Chromatographic Techniques, edited by E. Katz, Wiley, 1987, £ 37.50 (427 pages) ISBN-0471-91406-1     

Oligosaccharide synthesis in microreactors

Described is the combination of microreactors and fluorous phase chemistry to assemble oligosaccharides. The synthesis of a beta-(1-->6) linked D-glucopyranoside homotetramer serves to illustrate this approach. Glycosylations employing a Fmoc-protected glucosyl phosphate building block were performed in a silicon-based micro-structured device to optimize reaction conditions and for reaction scale-up. A perfluorinated linker at the reducing end of the oligosaccharides allowed for purification by fluorous solid-phase extraction (FSPE) and further functionalization.     

Metal-Salen Schiff base complexes in catalysis: practical aspects

Schiff base ligands are considered "privileged ligands" because they are easily prepared by the condensation between aldehydes and imines. Stereogenic centres or other elements of chirality (planes, axes) can be introduced in the synthetic design. Schiff base ligands are able to coordinate many different metals, and to stabilize them in various oxidation states, enabling the use of Schiff base metal complexes for a large variety of useful catalytic transformations. Practical guidelines for the preparation and use of different Schiff base metal complexes in the field of catalytic transformations are discussed in this tutorial review.     

Fluorination reactions in microreactors

The DAST-mediated conversion of a range of alcohols to the corresponding fluorides in a microstructured device is described. This safe, practical fluorination method will facilitate reactions currently challenging on large scale.     

Atomic engineering of single-atom nanozymes for enzyme-like catalysis

Enzyme mimics, especially nanozymes, play a crucial role in replacing natural enzymes for diverse applications related to bioanalysis, therapeutics and other enzyme-like catalysis. Nanozymes are catalytic nanomaterials with enzyme-like properties, which currently face formidable challenges with respect to their intricate structure, properties and mechanism in comparison with enzymes. The latest emergence of single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) undoubtedly promoted the nanozyme technologies to the atomic level and provided new opportunities to break through their inherent limitations. In this perspective, we discuss key aspects of SAzymes, including the advantages of the single-site structure, and the derived synergetic enhancements of enzyme-like activity, catalytic selectivity and the mechanism, as well as the superiority in biological and catalytic applications, and then highlight challenges that SAzymes face and provide relevant guidelines from our point of view for the rational design and extensive applications of SAzymes, so that SAzyme may achieve its full potential as the next-generation nanozyme.

Single-atom nanozymes with definite active centers, high catalytic activities and enzyme-like selectivities promote the nanozyme research entering a new period of atomic level.     

Practical aspects of time domain reflectometry

Dielectric relaxation data for n-propanol are obtained in the time-domain and in the frequency-domain (via Fourier transformation) using the method of time-domain reflectometry. The frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity was deduced numerically using an exact solution and various approximate methods. The accuracy of the available procedures is assessed in the frequency and time domains.     

Perspectives of heterogeneous process intensification in microreactors

Recent developments in microreactor technology basing on different types of heterogeneous reaction systems: phase transfer catalysis, biocatalysis, and synthesis of nanoparticles are reviewed. Special attention is focused on the intensification of processes in microreactors compared with traditional approaches, which makes microtechnique of great interest for industry.     

The synthesis of fluorinated materials in microreactors

Synthetic utilities of microreactor for the synthesis of fluorinated materials are described. In particular, synthesis of silylenol ether of 4,4,4-trifluorobutan-2-one and its synthetic application at room temperature. Further, nitroaldol reactions and Michael addition reaction in microreactor are convenient ways for the syntheses of difluoromethylated materials.     

Direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide in microreactors

Several studies concerning direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide in microreactors are reviewed. Several types of microreactors have been applied. Their high surface area-to-volume ratio and small internal volume improve safety, which is required when operating with explosive gases. The tested microreactors represent capillary reactors and more sophisticated reactors with a special plate structure on which reaction channels have been machined. Both single- and multi-channel arrangements have been applied. The catalysts have been installed in the reactor in the form of powder or washcoat layer on the channel wall. Palladium and platinum on various support material, such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and C, have been tested. Water was the most common solvent, but also methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol have been used because of their better gas dissolving properties. In addition to solvents, chemicals, often called promoters, have been utilised to improve productivity. The most typical promoters were halide ions, such as Br^? and Cl^? and inorganic acids. Hydrogen peroxide has been produced successfully by several research groups. The highest reported mass fraction of hydrogen peroxide was 5 wt %.     

Practical aspects of chemometrics for oil spill fingerprinting

Tiered approaches for oil spill fingerprinting have evolved rapidly since the 1990s. Chemometrics provides a large number of tools for pattern recognition, calibration and classification that can increase the speed and the objectivity of the analysis and allow for more extensive use of the available data in this field. However, although the chemometric literature is extensive, it does not focus on practical issues that are relevant to oil spill fingerprinting. The aim of this review is to provide a framework for the use of chemometric approaches in tiered oil spill fingerprinting and to provide clear-cut practical details and experiences that can be used by the forensic chemist. The framework is based on methods for initial screening, which include classification of samples into oil type, detection of non matches and of weathering state, and detailed oil spill fingerprinting, in which a more rigorous matching of an oil spill sample to suspected source oils is obtained. This review is intended as a tutorial, and is based on two examples of initial screening using respectively gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and fluorescence spectroscopy; and two of detailed oil spill fingerprinting where gas chromatography-mass spectrometry data are analyzed according to two approaches: The first relying on sections of processed chromatograms and the second on diagnostic ratios.     

Practical aspects of fluorescent staining for proteomic applications

SYPRO Orange and SYPRO Ruby staining methods, modified for use with large-format two dimensional (2-D) gels, are compared to the manufacturer's recommended protocols to determine sensitivity and reproducibility of the new methods. This study examines the critical aspects of fixation, washing, and staining to develop an optimized fluorescent staining method. It was determined that careful control of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) levels and pH in the gel was critical for successful staining with SYPRO Orange. Overnight fixation in 40% ethanol/2% acetic acid/0.0005% SDS preserved protein content, eliminated ampholyte-generated staining artifacts, and had no detrimental effects on staining. Three one-hour washes in 2% acetic acid/0.0005% SDS, followed by staining with SYPRO Orange diluted 1:5,000 with washing solution for 3 or more hours, produced high sensitivity, low background images using a STORM 860 laser scanner. Gels viewed two years after staining showed no significant changes with respect to the initial protein patterns, and allowed successful mass spectrometric postgel characterization of protein spots. Protocol changes applied to SYPRO Ruby staining improved the contrast of STORM 860-generated images, but had little impact on staining sensitivity. A comparison of the cost benefits of staining with SYPRO Orange vs. SYPRO Ruby is also discussed.     

Kinetic aspects of non-linear effects in asymmetric synthesis,catalysis, and autocatalysis

The Kagan ML_n models developed for rationalizing non-linear effects of catalyst enantiopurity have become a valuable mechanistic tool for probing complex asymmetric catalytic reactions. This work demonstrates how these models also provide clues about reactivity that may be used for further evidence to test a mechanistic hypothesis. Special considerations for probing non-linear effects in asymmetric synthesis using stoichiometric chiral auxiliaries and in asymmetric autocatalysis are highlighted in comparison with asymmetric catalysis.     

Practical aspects of using methacrylate-ester-based monolithic columns in capillary electrochromatography

Methacrylate-ester-based monoliths containing quaternary ammonium groups were prepared in situ in capillary columns and in simultaneous experiments in vials, employing thermal initiation. The chromatographic properties of the monoliths were determined with capillary electrochromatography (CEC), and their morphology was studied with mercury-intrusion porosimetry on the bulk materials. Materials with different, well repeatable pore-size distributions could be prepared. A satisfactory column-to-column and run-to-run repeatability was obtained for the electro-osmotic mobility, the retention characteristics (k-values) and the efficiency on the columns prepared and tested in the CEC mode. A relatively high electro-osmotic flow was observed in the direction of the positive electrode. The electro-osmotic mobility was found to be influenced only marginally by mobile-phase parameters such as the pH, ionic strength, and acetonitrile content. The retention behavior of the monolithic columns was similar to that of columns packed with C18-modified silica particles. Columns could be prepared with optimum plate heights ranging from 6 microm for unretained compounds to 20 microm for well retained (k=2.5) polyaromatic hydrocarbons. However, for specific analytes a - still unexplained - lower chromatographic column efficiency was observed.