Metal ion catalysis in the beta-elimination reactions of N-[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]quinuclidinium and N-[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]quinuclidinium in aqueous solution

Catalysis of the beta-elimination reaction of N-[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]quinuclidinium (1) and N-[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]quinuclidinium (2) by Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) in OH(-)/H(2)O (pH = 5.20-6.35, 50 degrees C, and mu = 1 M KCl) has been studied. In the presence of Zn(2+), the elimination reactions of both isomers occur from the Zn(2+)-complexed substrates (C). The equilibrium constants for the dissociation of the Zn(2+)-complexes are as follows: K(d) = 0.012 +/- 0.003 M (isomer 1) and K(d) = 0.065 +/- 0.020 M (isomer 2). The value of k(C)(H2O) for isomer 1 is 4.81 x 10(-6) s(-1). For isomer 2 both the rate constants for the "water" and OH(-)-induced reaction of the Zn(2+)-complexed substrate could be measured, despite the low concentration of OH(-) in the investigated reaction mixture [k(C)H2O)= 1.97 x 10(-6) s(-1) and k(C)(OH-)= 21.9 M(-1) s(-1), respectively]. The measured metal activating factor (MetAF), i.e., the reactivity ratio between the complexed and the uncomplexed substrate, is 8.1 x 10(4) for the OH(-)-induced elimination of 2. This high MetAF can be compared with the corresponding proton activating factor (Alunni, S.; Conti, A.; Palmizio Errico, R. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2 2000, 453), PAF = 1.5 x 10(6) and is in agreement with an E1cb irreversible mechanism (A(xh)D(E)* + D(N)) (Guthrie, R. D.; Jencks, W. P. Acc. Chem. Res. 1989, 22, 343). A value of k(C)(H2O)>or= 23 x 10(-7) s(-1) is estimated for the Cd(2+)-complexed isomer 2, while catalysis by Cd(2+) has not been observed for isomer 1.     

Thermal denaturation of bovine serum albumin and its oligomers and derivativespH dependence

In a previous paper, we report a preliminary DSC study on bovine (BSA) and human (HSA) serum albumins. However, at accurate HPLC analysis the commercial proteins show three peaks: Fraction V-I, probably globulins (as declared by the producers), Fraction V-II (about 15–18% of the product) and Fraction V-III that represents pure BSA or HSA. A hypothesis is that the Fraction II is a covalent dimer, or trimer or a mixture of both, generated during the scalf-life of the commercial product. Denaturation enthalpies of the purified Fraction V-III and Fraction V-II of BSA, have been determined calorimetrically, at changing thepH, and the results of both compared with those obtained on the untreated protein. Few calorimetric experiments have been also carried on a BSA monomer derivative with sulphidril group protected. Computer program have been developed for the deconvolution of exo- and endothermic effects and for the analysis of thermal denaturation profiles.     

The chemistry and the stereochemistry of poly(N-alkyliminoalanes) : V. The preparation and crystal structure of the pentamer [(HalN-i-Pr)2(H2AlNH-i-Pr)3]

The compound [(HAlN-i-Pr)₂(H₂AlNH-i-Pr)₃] has been prepared and the crystal and molecular structure determined by an X-ray analysis, carried out with three-dimensional data collected on a diffractometer. The molecule is made up of a cyclohexane-type ring, [(HAlN-i-Pr)₂(H₂AlNH-i-Pr)], in skewboat conformation, on each side of which is bonded an -H₂AlNH-i-Pr- bridging unit between a nitrogen atom and an aluminum atom of the ring. The molecule lies on a binary axis of the crystal, but this symmetry is fulfilled only by a statistical orientation of the asymmetric molecular units (the statistical model is not however completely defined). The AlN bond lengths range from 1.901 to 1.985 Å; the average NC bond length is 1.527(9) Å. Main crystal data are: monoclinic space group C2/c; a = 10.15(2), b = 21.64(3), c = 12.84(2) Å, β = 111.9(5)°; Z = 4; calculated density 1.095 g/cm³. The structure was solved by direct methods and block-matrix least-squares converged to an R value of 5.6%.     

Selectivity in cycloadditions-IX: Cycloadditions of nitrile oxides to indoles. Reactivity and regiochemistry

Cycloadditions of benzonitrile oxide and mesitonitrile oxide to N-methylindole and indole yield the acid sensitive cycloadducts 1 a-d with high regioselectivity. With N-carbethoxyindole the stable cycloadducts 1 e,f and minor amounts of the regioisomeric 2 e,f are isolated. The electron withdrawing substituent reduces both the regioselectivity and the reactivity of the cycloadditions.Frontier orbital considerations, based on MINDO/3 calculations, allow elucidation of the observed changes in reactivity and regiochemistry.     

Molecular orbital theory of the hydrogen bond. 24. Ground-state water–uracil complexes

Ab initio SCF calculations with the STO -3G basis set have been performed to investigate the structural, energetic, and electronic properties of mixed water–uracil dimers formed at the six hydrogen-bonding sites in the uracil molecular plane. Hydrogen-bond formation at three of the carbonyl oxygen sites leads to cyclic structures in which a water molecule bridges N₁? H and O₂, N₃? H and O₂, and N₃? H and O₄. Open structures form at O₄, N₁? H, and N₃? H. The two most stable structures, with energies of 9.9 and 9.7 kcal/mole, respectively, are the open structure at N₁? H and the cyclic one at N₁? H and O₂. These two are easily interconverted, and may be regarded as corresponding to just one “wobble” dimer. At 1 kcal/mole higher in energy is another “wobble” dimer consisting of an open structure at N₃? H and a cyclic structure at N₃? H and O₄. The third cyclic structure at N₃? H and O₂ collapses to the “wobble” dimer at N₃? H and O₄. The two “wobble” dimers are significantly more stable than the open dimer formed at O₄, which has a stabilization energy of 5.4 kcal/mole. Uracil is a stronger proton donor to water through N₁? H than N₃? H, owing to a more favorable molecular dipole moment alignment when association occurs through H₁. Hydration of uracil by additional water molecules has also been investigated. Dimer stabilization energies and hydrogen-bond energies are nearly additive in most 2:1 water:uracil structures. There are three stable “wobble” trimers, which have stabilization energies that vary from 7 to 9 kcal/mole per water molecule. Hydrogen-bond strengths are slightly enhanced in 3:1 water:uracil structures, but the cooperative effect in hydrogen bonding is still relatively small. The single stable water–uracil tetramer is a “wobble” tetramer, with two water molecules which are relatively free to move between adjacent hydrogen-bonding sites, and a stabilization energy of approximately 8 kcal/mole per water molecule. Within the rigid dimer approximation, successive hydration of uracil is limited to the addition of one, two, or three water molecules.     

Improvement of plant parameters of the ROBO gamma irradiation facility due to design modification

Two industrial scale, “ROBO” type ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation facilities have recently been put into operation in Syria and Peru, and the dosimetry commissioning of both plants have been carried out to determine dose distribution within products and to calculate plant parameters such as efficiency, dose uniformity ratio and throughput. There are some design modifications between the two plants in connection with the location of the carriers with respect to the source plaque and also to each other. The effect of these construction modifications on the plant parameters is discussed in the analysis of the dose distribution data measured in the carriers with depth and height among the four irradiation rows on both sides of the source plaque. The plant parameters were also calculated for different product densities using the technical data of the facilities, and the calculated and measured results were compared to each other.     

Sequential injection system with higher dimensional electrochemical sensor signals Part 1. Voltammetric e-tongue for the determination of oxidizable compounds

A sequential injection analysis (SIA) system was developed with the aim of obtaining an automatic and versatile way to prepare standards needed in the study of systems with higher dimensional sensor signals. To illustrate this, different analytical techniques were used in determinations of several analytes. Automated potentiometric calibrations of different potentiometric sensors, with and without interference, were carried out. Useful determinations of selectivity coefficients with two degrees of freedom were obtained. Simultaneous voltammetric determinations have also been done. Firstly, simultaneous determinations of lead and cadmium, using epoxy-graphite composite as the working electrode, have enabled a separate calibration for each metal to be obtained. Next, a voltammetric electronic tongue was designed and applied to the determination of oxidizable species. The use of artificial neural networks has solved the overlapped signal of ascorbic acid, 4-aminophenol and 4-acetamidophenol (paracetamol). A set of 63 data points was prepared automatically and has facilitated the training of an electronic tongue for these three analytes. Accurate predictions of test solutions, in the range of 12–410 μM for ascorbic acid, 17–530 μM for 4-aminophenol and 10–420 μM for paracetamol, have been achieved with RMSEs lower than 0.10 μM.     

Preparation of trout liver microsomes for iron speciation in P-450 enzymes by AE–FPLC with ICP–(ORS)MS detection

Cytochromes P-450 are members of a superfamily of hemoproteins involved in the oxidative metabolism of various physiological and xenobiotic compounds in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The multiplicity of this group of enzymes has been widely studied by chromatographic techniques, mainly high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Because these enzymes are membrane-bound proteins, sample preparation for chromatographic separation of P-450 enzymes requires a solubilization step. The sample-preparation procedures are critical, because detergents affect not only the efficiency of protein solubilization but also their further chromatographic resolution. Trout liver microsomes have been taken here as a model sample to investigate iron speciation in cytochrome P-450. Trouts were treated intraperitoneally with -naphthoflavone, a potent inducer of some P-450 enzymes, and a microsomal suspension containing 7.4±0.1 nmol mL^–1 P-450 enzymes was obtained by ultracentrifugation. Lubrol PX was selected as detergent for solubilization, resulting in about 90% solubilization recovery. The solubilized cytochromes P-450 were further separated by AE–FPLC, with UV detection, or coupled to ICP–MS with an octapole reaction system, ICP–(ORS)MS (monitoring Fe signals at masses 54, 56, and 57). A sampling procedure and chromatographic conditions are developed and were successfully applied to iron speciation in trout liver P-450 enzymes. ICP–(ORS)MS detection of P-450 enzymes is Fe-specific and so will give accurate information on the prosthetic group of the protein, which can constitute an advantageous alternative to classical methods for detection of these hemoproteins.     

All-solid-state potentiometric sensors sensitive to nonionic surfactants based on ionophores containing ethoxylate units

Earlier work of potentiometric Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) sensitive to nonionic surfactants of the polyethoxylate type is further extended. The ISEs constructed were all-solid-state sensors with plasticized PVC membranes. The sensing material was a tetraphenylborate salt of the barium complex with a polyethoxylate nonionic surfactant. As membrane component, the combinations of two polyethoxylates of the nonylphenoxy type, which differed in the number of oxyethylene units (5 or 12), and two different plasticizers, (o-nitrophenyloctyl ether and o-nitrophenylphenyl ether), were tested. The response of these electrodes to different nonionic surfactants and the interference effect of several species has been evaluated. For all the types of tested electrodes, the sensitivities shown were ca. 30.0 mV dec(-1) and the limit of detection, ca. 10(-5) M, when a nonylphenoxyde with 12 oxyethylene units was used as standard. The membrane with the best response characteristics was then applied in potentiometric titrations of this kind of surfactants in the presence of Ba(2+) ion and using tetraphenylborate as the titrant.