Effect of 1,10-phenanthroline on the extraction and separation of lithium(I), sodium(I) and potassium(I) with thenoyltrifluoroacetone

The extraction of Li⁺ with thenoyltrifluoroacetone (Htta) in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) has been studied in various organic solvents. The remarkable enhancement of the extraction of Li⁺, that is a synergistic effect, was observed by the addition of phen, and the high extractability of Li⁺ was attained in toluene, benzene, chlorobenzene and o-dichlorobenzene. The extraction equilibrium of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ (denoted as M⁺) in the presence or absence of phen in chlorobenzene and the adduct formation reaction in the organic phase were studied in detail. The adduct of Li⁺ was Li(tta)(phen) in the wide concentration range of phen in the organic phase, while in Na⁺ and K⁺ M(tta)(phen)₂ also exists in the high concentration region. The maximum value of the separation factor between Li⁺ and Na⁺ was observed in the present system and was larger than that in the Htta-trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-benzene system reported previously.     

Base-labile tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group on phenols

Phenols are deprotected with weak bases from their tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) derivatives. Boc deprotection with bases can avoid side reactions during the deprotection with acids. We note the lability of the Boc to bases and are able to utilize it as a new cleavage condition for synthetic studies.     

Theoretical study of the electronic structure of the lower states of the [Cr2Cl9]3- and [Mo2Cl9]3- ions

The electronic structure of the lower states of a trigonal Cr3+ pair and Mo3+ pair, which occur in the Cs3M2Cl9 crystal (M=Cr,Mo), were studied by theoretical calculations carried out according to several methods: multireference singly and doubly excited configuration interaction, second-order configuration interaction, and multireference coupled-pair approximation. We employed a model of a [M2Cl9]3- anion embedded in a cage of point charges, which were arranged so as to simulate the anion in the crystal. The model core potential was utilized, where the relativistic effect was included for Mo. Results of the Cr complex showed that there were no direct bonds between the Cr metals. The lower electronic spectra of the [Cr2Cl9]3- ion were interpreted in terms of the electronic spectra of [CrCl6]3-. The lowest state of simultaneous excitation in both metals was considered. The [Mo2Cl9]3- ion exhibited a single direct bond between the metals. Reflecting this single bond, the observed singlet-triplet splitting was much larger than that in the case of Cr and the calculated splitting was in good agreement with the observed one. We account for the electronic spectra of the [Mo2Cl9]3- complex, which exhibited quite different features in the electronic excitation spectra in comparison with those of the Cr complex.     

Extraction equilibrium of palladium(II) with 2-methyl-8-quinolinol into supercritical carbon dioxide fluid

The present study is concerned with the extraction behavior and equilibrium of Pd(II) with 2-methyl-8-quinolinol (HMQ) into supercritical fluid CO(2) (SF-CO(2)). Pd(II)-HMQ complex extracted from a weakly acidic solution (pH 2-3) into SF-CO(2) was determined to be Pd(MQ)(2) on the basis of a slope analysis. The extraction constant K(ex,SF) (=[Pd(MQ)(2)](SF)[H(+)](2)[Cl(-)](4)[PdCl(4)(2-)](-1)[HMQ](-2)) was determined to be 10(4.3+/-0.2) at 8.5 MPa, 45 degrees C and I=0.4 M (H,Na)Cl (1 M=1 mol dm(-3)). The distribution behavior of HMQ between an aqueous and a SF-CO(2) phase was examined so as to discuss quantitatively the extraction equilibrium. The extraction constant (K(ex,Cy)) of Pd(II) with HMQ into cyclohexane with a similar polarity to SF-CO(2) was determined and the K(ex,SF) was compared with the K(ex,Cy). Pd(II) at the concentration range of 10(-5)-10(-4) M in the aqueous solution (pH<3) containing relatively high concentration of chloride ion was found to be extracted efficiently by the SF-CO(2) extraction.     

Cloning and characterization of an active fragment of luciferase from a luminescent marine alga, Pyrocystis lunula

Two marine dinoflagellates, Lingulodinium polyedrum and Pyrocystis lunula, emit light in a reaction involving the enzymatic oxidation of its tetrapyrrole luciferin by molecular oxygen. The characteristic properties of P. lunula luciferase have not been clarified, whereas L. polyedrum luciferase, which has three active domains, has been characterized. A cloned partial cDNA of the P. lunula luciferase encodes an active fragment corresponding to part of domain 2 and all of domain 3 of L. polyedrum luciferase. The homology of the amino acid sequence between the two luciferases in domain 3 is about 84.3%. A recombinant His-tagged luciferase fragment containing domain 3 (Mr = 46 kDa) catalyzed the light-emitting oxidation of luciferin (lambdamax = 474 nm). This protein was purified by a single affinity-chromatography procedure. The pH-activity profile and the bioluminescence spectrum of the recombinant enzyme having a third domain are almost identical to those of an extract from P. lunula cultured in vitro. The recombinant enzyme is active at pH 8.0, although the recombinant enzyme derived from the second domain of L. polyedrum luciferase is inactive at pH 8.0. Substitution of Glu-201 by histidine in the third domain of P. lunula luciferase showed a decrease of activity above pH 7.0, suggesting that histidine residues could be responsible for pH-sensitivity in dinoflagellate luciferase.     

Preparation and separation of all possible rotamers of a stereochemical analog of meso-tartaric acid: optically inactive and optically active isomers of (R,S)-2,2′-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-6,6′-dimethyl-9,9′-bitriptycyl

All the three possible rotamers of the title compound were separated by chromatography, and unambiguously identified by NMR and X-ray analysis. One of the isomers was optically inactive C_i conformation. The other optical active forms were resolved to give a pair of enantiomers, which were characterized by optical rotation and CD spectra. Thus the optical inactivity of a compound such as meso-tartaric acid that can take C_i conformation in solution, is now ascribed to that the molecule has an optically inactive C_i conformer and equal amounts of optically active conformers, that are enantiomers, in solution.     

Cloud point extraction equilibrium of lanthanum(III), europium(III) and lutetium(III) using di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid and Triton X-100

The cloud point extraction behaviors of lanthanoids(III) (Ln(III) = La(III), Eu(III) and Lu(III)) with and without di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) using Triton X-100 were investigated. It was suggested that the extraction of Ln(III) into the surfactant-rich phase without added chelating agent was caused by the impurities contained in Triton X-100. The extraction percentage more than 91% for all Ln(III) metals was obtained using 3.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol dm⁻³ HDEHP and 2.0% (v/v) Triton X-100. From the equilibrium analysis, it was clarified that Ln(III) was extracted as Ln(DEHP)₃ into the surfactant-rich phase. The extraction constant of Ln(III) with HDEHP and 2.0% (v/v) Triton X-100 were also obtained.     

Application of pure silica gel as cation-exchange stationary phase in lon chromatography with indirect photometric detection for common mono-and divalent cations using aromatic monoamines as eluents

Summary A pure silica gel (Pia Seed 5S-60-SIL), synthesized by the hydrolysis of pure tetraethoxysilane [Si(OCH₂CH₃)₄], was applied as a cation-exchange stationary phase in ion chromatography with indirect photometric detection for common mono-and divalent cations (Li⁺, Na⁺, NH₄ ⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺) using various protonated aromatic monoamines (tyramine [4-(2-aminethyl) phenol], benzylamine, phenylethylamine, 2-methylpyridine and 2,6-dimethylpyridine) as eluet ions. When using 0.75 mM tyramine-0.25 mM oxalic acid-1.5 mM 18-crown-6 (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane) at pH 5.0 as the eluent, excellent simultaneous separation and highly sensitive detection at 275 nm for these mono-and divalent cations were achieved on the Pia Seed 5S-60-SIL column (150×4.6 mm I.D.) in 20 min.     

Microwave spectroscopic study on the molecular structure and the quadrupole coupling constants of thionyl chloride

Microwave spectra of thionyl chloride, SO³⁵Cl₂ and SO³⁵Cl³⁷Cl, in the frequency range 8–25 GHz have been analyzed. The rotational constants have been obtained from the low J transition frequencies. The r_S coordinates of Cl atoms and the r_o structure have been evaluated with some assumptions: r(S-O) = 1.435 ± 0.011± Å, r(S—Cl) = 2.072 0.005 Å, ∠ OSCl = 108.00 ± 0.06°, ∠ ClSCl = 97.15 ± 0.30°. Nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have been obtained for the SO³⁵Cl₂, species: x_aa = ?25.02 ± 0.04 MHz, x(_bb = ?0.25 ± 0.04 MHz, X_cc = 25.27 ± 0.08 MHz, and X_zz = ?96.75 MHz. The values obtained are compared with those of other workers.     

Reverse zymography using fluorogenic substrates for protease inhibitor detection

A novel, sensitive method for detecting protease inhibitors by using fluorescent protease substrates in gels is described. The protease inhibitors were separated on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels containing a copolymerized peptide substrate, namely 4-methyl-coumaryl-7-amide (MCA). As the incorporated substrates in the gel, Boc-Phe Ser-Arg-MCA was used for trypsin, Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-MCA for alpha-chymotrypsin, and Z-Phe-Arg-MCA for papain. After electrophoresis, washing and incubating the gel with the target protease solutions allowed the substrate to be cleaved by the protease, and the release of the fluorescent 7 amino-4 methyl-coumarin (AMC), which was detected under a UV transilluminator. The uncleaved peptide-MCA substrate remained where the inhibitors were present, and was visualized as dark blue bands on the light-green fluorescent background gel. This new method offers several advantages over other previous methods including: (i) greatly increased sensitivity can be achieved in a shorter period of time, which may be useful for discovering new protease inhibitors in small amounts of crude material; (ii) the procedure is quite simple and quick since the incubation period is very short and no time is needed for staining and destaining steps; (iii) since these probes using substrate specificity/target proteases, they are excellent tools for detection and discrimination of unknown protease inhibitors for various target proteases.