CORRELATION BETWEEN THE BINDING OF FORMATE AND DECREASED RATES OF CHARGE TRANSFER THROUGH THE PHOTOSYSTEM II QUINONES

Abstract— The binding parameters of bicarbonate to the thylakoid membrane at different formate concentrations have been established [Stemler and Murphy (1983) Photochem. Phorobiol. 38, 701–707]. Based on these parameters, predictions could be made concerning the effects of bicarbonate and formate on photosynthetic electron flow. In this work these effects of various concentrations of bicarbonate and formate are measured and compared to predictions from the binding study. Electron flow is measured between Q_A and Q_B (the primary and secondary quinone acceptors) and Q_B and the plastoquinone pool. Also, these same concentration effects are determined for silicomolybdate supported oxygen evolution. It is found that the results of the bicarbonate binding study are in good agreement with the concentration dependence determined for the quinone reactions, as well as the silicomolybdate reaction. The bicarbonate concentrations required for half-maximal effects are approximately 100 μM, 300 μM and 1.3 mM in the presence of 0, 20 mM and 100 mM formate, respectively. It is concluded that a hierarchy of possible electron flow rates exist. The slowest rates occur when formate is bound. A substantially higher rate occurs when neither formate nor bicarbonate (< 2 μM) are present, but only chloride is present. The highest rates of electron flow occur when bicarbonate is bound. The Q_A- Q_B→ Qa Qb^? Qa^? Qb^2– PQ → Q_a Q_b- PQ^2–, and the silicomolybdate reactions all have the same concentration dependence on formate and bicarbonate. From this it is concluded that a single binding site for formate and bicarbonate affect all of these reactions. The possibility that multiple sites exist with approximately equal affinities for bicarbonate cannot be excluded.     

A simplified synthesis of the hexamethylplatinate(IV) ion

Tetra-n-butylammonium hexachloroplatinate (IV) reacts with lithium methyl/lithium iodide in ether to give a solution containing lithium hexamethylplatinate (IV). With lithium methyl/lithium bromide in ether however, tetrabutylammonium hexamethylplatinate (IV) is precipitated together with lithium halides. Solid [Bu₄N)₂[Pt(Ch₃)₆] is stable under nitrogen at room temperature, but ether solutions of [Pt(Ch₃)₆]^2- decompose in a few minutes at room temperature in the absence of excess lithium methyl.     

A general and efficient synthesis of sulfonylbenzotriazoles from N-chlorobenzotriazole and sulfinic acid salts

One-pot reactions of sulfinic acid salts (produced from organometallic reagents with SO2) with N-chlorobenzotriazole gave the corresponding N-alkane-, N-arene-, and N-heteroenesulfonylbenzotriazoles 3a-j in 41-93% yields. Reagents 3a-j are efficient sulfonylating agents, reacting at 20-80 degrees C with various primary and secondary aliphatic amines to yield the corresponding sulfonamides in 64-100% yields.     

Flow-injection amperometric determination of oxalate with immobilized oxalate oxidase

Oxalate is immobilized on controlled-pore glass and is used on-line in a glass minicolumn (2.5×25 mm). The hydrogen peroxide formed is detected amperometrically. Oxalate (6×10^?6?9×10^?4 M) is determined in a flowing stream of pH 3.5 citrate (or succinate) buffer. As little as 20 ng (in 40 μl; 5.7×10^?6 M) of oxalate can be detected. Copper inhibition can be removed either by adding EDTA to the carrier stream or incorporating a chelating-resin minicolumn into the flow system prior to the enzyme column.     

Femtosecond study of Cu(H(2)O) dynamics

The short-time nuclear dynamics of Cu(H(2)O) is investigated using femtosecond photodetachment-photoionization spectroscopy and time-dependent quantum wave packet calculations. The Cu(H(2)O) dynamics is initiated in the electronic ground state of the complex by electron photodetachment from the Cu(-)(H(2)O) complex, where hydrogen atoms are oriented toward Cu. Several time-resolved resonant multiphoton ionization schemes are used to probe the ensuing reorientation and dissociation. Immediately following photodetachment, the neutral complex is far from its minimum energy geometry and possesses an internal energy comparable to the Cu-H(2)O dissociation energy and undergoes both large-amplitude H(2)O motion and dissociation. Dissociation is observed to occur on three distinct time scales: 0.6, 8, and 100 ps. These results are compared to the results of time-dependent J=0 wave packet calculations, propagating the initial anion vibrational wave functions on the ground-state potential of the neutral complex. An excellent agreement is obtained between the experimental results and the ionization signals derived from the calculated probability amplitudes. Related experiments and calculations are carried out on the Cu(D(2)O) complex, with results very similar to those of Cu(H(2)O).     

Flow-injection determination of sulphite and assay of sulphite oxidase

Sulphite (1–80 × 10^?5 M) in formaldehyde-stabilized solutions is determined by injection into a flowing stream of pH 8.5 phosphate buffer, passing through a mini-column of sulphite oxidase immobilized on controlled-pore glass, with amperometric detection of the hydrogen peroxide produced. Sulphite oxidase (5–100 U l^?) is determined by injection into a flowing stream of formaldehyde-stabilized 2 × 10^?3 M sodium sulphite in pH 8.0 phosphate buffer; hydrogen peroxide is again monitored.     

Synthesis and characterisation of a series of alkylmagnesium amide and related oxygen-contaminated "alkoxy" compounds

Synthesised either by an unusual tert-butyl metathesis between tert-butyllithium and a n,s-butylmagnesium amide or by reaction of an alkyl Grignard reagent and a sodium amide, five tert-butylmagnesium amides, Bu(t)MgDBA (5)(DBA=dibenzylamide), Bu(t)MgDA (6)(DA=diisopropylamide), Bu(t)MgHMDS (7)(HMDS=1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazide), Bu(t)MgTMP (8)(TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide) and Bu(t)MgNCy2 (9)(cy=cyclohexyl) have been isolated as crystalline solids. All five amides have been characterised by X-ray crystallography and solution NMR spectroscopic studies. The former studies reveal a common dimeric molecular structure with amido bridges in a planar (MgN)2 ring and terminal Bu(t) ligands on the Mg atoms. Also described is the dodecameric primary amide [Bu(n)MgN(H)Dipp]12 (10a) and its monomeric solvate Bu(n)MgN(H)Dipp.TMEDA (10b)(Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl; TMEDA=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine). The crystal structures of the oxo-insertion products Bu(t)MgOBu(t).THF (11), Bu(t)Mg(mu-OBu(t))(mu-TMP)MgTMP (12) and Mg(OBu(n))HMDS.solv [solv=THF (13a) or Et2O (13b)], made fortuitously during the course of this work, are also presented.     

Some past achievements and future perspectives in main group chemistry

A survey of some recent developments and past achievements in low-valent main group chemistry is presented. Some emerging implications of this area of chemistry in materials science, catalysis and new reagent development are also discussed.     

Novel binding of beryllium to dicarboxyimidazole-based model compounds and polymers

The ligand 4,5-dicarboxyimidazole (H(2)DCI) and its methyl derivative 1-methyl-4,5-dicarboxyimidazole (H(2)MDCI) have been shown to bind to Be(II) forming a zwitterionic species that has been structurally characterized. A new dicarboxyimidazole-based polymer has been prepared and its Be-binding properties have been studied using NMR ((1)H and (9)Be) and fluorescence spectroscopy; it represents a rare example of beryllium binding to a polymer. Models of the mononuclear and polymeric Be(II)-binding sites have been studied using density functional theory (DFT), and the (9)Be NMR chemical shifts of these model materials have been calculated for the purpose of direct comparison to experimentally observed values. Differences in the binding modes of the mononuclear and polymeric species are discussed.