Photoinduced electron transfer in platinum(II) terpyridinyl acetylide complexes connected to a porphyrin unit

A series of six new dyads consisting of a zinc or magnesium porphyrin appended to a platinum terpyridine acetylide complex via a para-phenylene bisacetylene spacer are described. Different substituents on the 4' position of the terpyridinyl ligand were explored (OC7H15, PO3Et2, and H). The ground-state electronic properties of the dyads are studied by electronic absorption spectroscopy and electrochemistry, and they indicate some electronic interactions between the porphyrin subunit and the platinum complex. The photophysical properties of these dyads were investigated by steady-state, time-resolved, and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in N,N-dimethylformamide solution. Excitation of the porphyrin unit leads to a very rapid electron transfer (2-20 ps) to the nearby platinum complex followed by an ultrafast charge recombination, thus preventing any observation of the charge separated state. The variation in the rate of the photoinduced electron transfer in the series of dyads is consistent with Marcus theory. The results underscore the potential of the para-phenylene bisacetylene bridge to mediate a rapid electron transfer over a long donor-acceptor distance.     

Peak compression effects in capillary electrochromatography of basic drug substances using a strong cation-exchanger

Peak compression effects in capillary electrochromatography of basic drug substances using a strong cation-exchanger have been studied. Extremely narrow peaks with apparent efficiencies of several million plates per meter could be obtained when the composition of the sample zone differed from that of the mobile phase. The increased efficiencies were predominately observed when the analyte had an elution time similar to that of the electroosmotic flow marker. Peak compression was found to be reproducible and could be obtained for all investigated basic drug substances by altering the composition of the mobile phase in such a way that the analyte co-eluted with the sample zone. An explanation of the observed phenomena is proposed. A sample zone differing in composition from the mobile phase will disturb the equilibrium between the stationary and mobile phase. The elution rate of an analyte will consequently be different when residing inside the sample zone. If the analyte migrates through the sample zone at a higher speed than the rest of the mobile phase and is strongly retained after passing through a boundary in the sample zone, a continuous stacking can be obtained trapping the analyte as a very narrow band.     

Molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of hardwood and softwood pulps

The molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of fibers present in hardwood and softwood pulps, together with the effects of different bleaching processes on these properties, have been investigated in this study. In order to separate the hemicelluloses located in these two layers, fibers were subjected to mechanical peeling and then separated by filtration into surface (filtrate) and inner layer materials. The materials thus obtained were characterized with respect to their polysaccharide compositions and uronic acid contents. The molar mass parameters of the hemicelluloses (extracted by alkali) were determined by employing size-exclusion chromatography in combination with off-line MALDI mass spectrometry. For all of the pulps examined, the relative content of xylan was found to be greater in the surface layer of the fiber than in the corresponding inner layer. The xylan polymers of the surface layer exhibited higher molar masses and lower frequencies of uronic acid side groups than did the xylans in the inner fiber layer. In connection with ozone treatment, hexenuronic acid residues in the surface layer xylan were removed to a greater extent than in the case of the inner layers, indicating a gradient for the reaction with ozone across the fiber wall. The xylan polymer remaining on the surface of the softwood pulps after completion of the chlorine dioxide bleaching process was predominantly uncharged.     

Biosensors based on enzyme field-effect transistors for determination of some substrates and inhibitors

This paper is a review of the authors' publications concerning the development of biosensors based on enzyme field-effect transistors (ENFETs) for direct substrates or inhibitors analysis. Such biosensors were designed by using immobilised enzymes and ion-selective field-effect transistors (ISFETs). Highly specific, sensitive, simple, fast and cheap determination of different substances renders them as promising tools in medicine, biotechnology, environmental control, agriculture and the food industry.The biosensors based on ENFETs and direct enzyme analysis for determination of concentrations of different substrates (glucose, urea, penicillin, formaldehyde, creatinine, etc.) have been developed and their laboratory prototypes were fabricated. Improvement of the analytical characteristics of such biosensors may be achieved by using a differential mode of measurement, working solutions with different buffer concentrations and specific agents, negatively or positively charged additional membranes, or genetically modified enzymes. These approaches allow one to decrease the effect of the buffer capacity influence on the sensor response in an aim to increase the sensitivity of the biosensors and to extend their dynamic ranges.Biosensors for the determination of concentrations of different toxic substances (organophosphorous pesticides, heavy metal ions, hypochlorite, glycoalkaloids, etc.) were designed on the basis of reversible and/or irreversible enzyme inhibition effect(s). The conception of an enzymatic multibiosensor for the determination of different toxic substances based on the enzyme inhibition effect is also described.We will discuss the respective advantages and disadvantages of biosensors based on the ENFETs developed and also demonstrate their practical application.     

Stabilization of a K+-(bis-Cage-Annulated 20-Crown-6) Complex by Bidentate Picrate

Bis-cage-annulated 18-crown-6 and 20-crown-6 macrocyclic ethers (i.e., 1 and 2, respectively) have been synthesized, and their alkali metal picrate extraction profiles have been determined. Host system 1 proved to be a significantly more avid alkali metal cation complexant than 2 and somewhat more avid than 18-crown-6. Both 1 and 18-crown-6 display modest selectivity toward K⁺ and Rb⁺. A stable host–guest complex was prepared by slow evaporation of a CH₂Cl₂–hexane solution of an equimolar mixture of 2 and potassium picrate. The X-ray crystal structure of this complex reveals that picrate anion functions as a bidentate ligand therein. The gas-phase interaction energy between the 2 K⁺ complex and picrate anion was calculated to be ca. –64.9 kcal mol^–1, thereby indicating that participation of picrate anion as an additional bidentate ligand results in significant stabilization of complex 10.     

Use of headspace capillary GC to study the development of volatile compounds in fresh fruit

The composition of volatile compounds produced by fruit during growth and post-harvest storage and ripening has been studied and the different headspace methods compared. Static and dynamic headspace sampling have been compared and evaluated according to their capacity to collect and concentrate volatiles from the atmosphere surrounding the fruits, and FID, MSD, and organoleptic detection have been compared. The results emphasize that the headspace sampling procedure selected is crucial to the performance of subsequent analysis.     

Optimization of catalyst enantioselectivity and activity using achiral and meso ligands

The optimization of asymmetric catalysts for enantioselective synthesis has conventionally revolved around the synthesis and screening of enantiopure ligands. In contrast, we have optimized an asymmetric reaction by modification of a series of achiral ligands. Thus, employing (S)-3,3'-diphenyl BINOL [(S)-Ph(2)-BINOL] and a series of achiral diimine and diamine activators in the asymmetric addition of alkyl groups to benzaldehyde, we have observed enantiomeric excesses between 96% (R) and 75% (S) of 1-phenyl-1-propanol. Some of the ligands examined have low-energy chiral conformations that can contribute to the chiral environment of the catalyst. These include achiral diimine ligands with meso backbones that adopt chiral conformations, achiral diimine ligands with backbones that become axially chiral on coordination to metal centers, achiral diamine ligands that form stereocenters on coordination to metal centers, and achiral diamine ligands with pendant groups that have axially chiral conformations. Additionally, we have structurally characterized (Ph(2)-BINOLate)Zn(diimine) and (Ph(2)-BINOLate)Zn(diamine) complexes and studied their solution behavior.     

Na(4)Mn(0.5)P(0.5)O(5): Synthesis of a Novel Mixed-Metal Manganese(VII)/Phosphorus(V) Oxide via Hydroxide Flux

Vibrant blue crystals of Na(4)Mn(0.5)P(0.5)O(5) were synthesized via a sodium hydroxide flux. The X-ray structural analysis showed that this sodium manganese(VII) phosphorous oxide crystallizes in an orthorhombic lattice with a = 8.967(3) ?, b = 7.291(3) ?, c = 8.090(3) ?: Pnma (No. 62); Z = 4. The manganese and phosphorus cations equally share one crystallographic site and are tetrahedrally coordinated. The (Mn,P)O(4) tetrahedra are held together by sodium cations via Na-O bonds forming an ionic solid, [Na(4)O](2+)[(Mn(0.5)P(0.5))O(4)](2)(-). The synthesis, structure, thermal property and infrared spectroscopy of the title compound are presented in this paper.     

Design and synthesis of novel type somatostatin analogs with antiproliferative activities on A431 tumor cells

It was reported that the somatostatin analog TT-232, d-Phe-c(Cys-Tyr-d-Trp-Lys-Cys)-Thr-NH₂, exhibited a highly potent antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Using pyrazinone analogs and aliphatic amino acids instead of the disulfide bond, we prepared novel type somatostatin analogs including the sequence essential for antitumor activities, Tyr-d-Trp-Lys. These analogs exhibited antiproliferative effect on A431 tumor cells.     

Multiplexed hybridizations of positively charge-tagged peptide nucleic acids detected by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a novel class of DNA analogues in which the entire sugar-phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide counterpart. Owing to its neutral character and the consequent lack of electrostatic repulsion, PNA exhibits very stable heteroduplex formation with complementary nucleic acid that is essentially ionic strength independent and enables hybridization under minimum salt conditions. This feature as well as its superior ion stability and easy ionization compared to DNA renders PNA very attractive for hybridization-based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) applications. We have developed an approach to DNA characterization that takes advantage of multiplexed PNA hybridizations analyzed by MALDI-TOFMS. Our motivation was the further development of oligonucleotide fingerprinting, an efficient technique for cDNA and genomic DNA library characterization. Through positive 'charge-tagging' of PNA the efficiency of detection in MALDI-TOFMS was considerably enhanced permitting an unparalleled degree of multiplexing. Results from the simultaneous hybridization of 21 charge-tagged PNA hexamer oligonucleotides showed that genomic DNA and cDNA clones are successfully characterized on the basis of their hybridization profiles. The degree of multiplexing achieved may render a significant increase in throughput and hence efficiency of oligonucleotide fingerprinting possible.