Spectroscopic investigation of the adsorption and oxidation of thiourea on polycrystalline Au and Au(111) in acidic media

In the present paper, a systematic electrochemical investigation on thiourea (TU) electrooxidation was developed on polycrystalline and (111) single-crystal gold electrodes in 0.1 M perchloric acid. The combination of cyclic voltammetry with in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) and differential electrochemical mass spectrometry techniques have allowed the nature of the species formed during the electroadsorption and electrooxidation of TU to be established. FTIRS experiments were performed in D2O to clean up the region of the H2O bending around 1600 cm(-1). It was concluded that TU adsorbs tilted on the surface in the 0.05-0.40 VRHE potential range. A dual-path reaction mechanism was evidenced in the oxidation process. The first pathway takes place from adsorbed TU at E > 0.40 VRHE and implies the formation of [Au(I)-(TU)2]+, which is oxidized to NH2CN and S0 at E > 0.80 VRHE. In a following oxidation step at E > 1.20 V, N2, CO2, and HSO4-/SO4(2-) were produced. The second parallel reaction occurs from TU in solution at E > 0.50 VRHE to form (TU)2(2+). All these species were characterized from the spectroscopic experiments. Similar results were obtained for both surfaces.     

Covalently bonded platinum(II) complexes of alpha-amino acids and peptides as a potential tool for protein labeling

Arylplatinum(II) complexes have been covalently bonded to the N and C termini and to the alpha-carbon of various amino acid derivatives. These organometallic-functionalized amino acid compounds can be converted into the corresponding free amino acids under both basic and acidic conditions; this demonstrates the excellent stability properties of these biomolecules. Due to the NMR activity displayed by the 195Pt nucleus (natural abundance 33.8%, I = 1/2) these compounds are functional bio-markers. Furthermore, the ability of the arylplatinum functional group to bind SO2 gas, selectively and reversibly as indicated by changes in the spectroscopic properties (1H, 13C, 195Pt NMR and UV spectra) of these compounds, allows for the potential use of these complexes as in vitro biosensors.     

Hyperbranched polycyclocarbosiloxane

A new cross-linkable naphthalene-cyclocarbosiloxane was synthesised starting from bis[1,4-bis(methylhydrosiloxanyl)-dihydronaphthalene] via catalytic addition of the Si-H reactive groups to the unsaturated bond of triethoxyvinylsilane. Hyperbranched polycyclocarbosiloxane networks were formed by condensation of the alcoxyl groups in the presence of dibutyltin dilaurate as catalyst. The cross-linking process was studied in order to obtain information concerning the values of the reaction parameters and to determine the position of the gelation point relative to conversion.GPC analysis, IR, and 1H-NMR spectral analysis techniques were used to investigate the chemical structures of the intermediates and of the product.     

Surface properties of Ni-Pt/SiO2 catalysts for N2O decomposition and reduction by H2

The surface properties of bimetallic Ni-Pt/SiO2 catalysts with variable Ni/Ni + Pt atomic ratio (0.75, 0.50, and 0.25) were studied using N2O decomposition and N2O reduction by hydrogen reactions as probes. Catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of the silica support with aqueous solutions of the metal precursors to a total metal loading of 2 wt %. For both model reactions, Pt/SiO2 catalyst was substantially more active than Ni/SiO2 catalyst. Mean particle size by TEM was about the same (in the range 6-8 nm) for all catalysts and truly bimetallic particles (more than 95%) were evidenced by EDS in the Ni-Pt/SiO2 catalysts. CO adsorption on the bimetallic catalysts showed differences in the linear CO absorption band as a function of the Ni/Pt atomic ratio. Bimetallic Ni-Pt/SiO2 catalysts showed, for the N2O decomposition, a catalytic behavior that points out an ensemble-size sensitive behavior for Ni-rich compositions. For the N2O + H2 reaction, the bimetallic catalysts were very active at low temperature. The following activity order at 300 K was observed: Ni75Pt25 > Ni25Pt75 approximately Ni50Pt50 > Pt. TOF values for these catalysts increased 2-5 times compared to the most active reference catalyst (Pt/SiO2). The enhancement of the activity in the Ni75Pt25 bimetallic catalysts is explained in terms of the presence of mixed Ni-Pt ensembles.     

Correlation between molecular orbitals and doping dependence of the electrical conductivity in electron-doped metal-phthalocyanine compounds

We have performed a comparative study of the electronic properties of six different electron-doped metal-phthalocyanine (MPc) compounds (ZnPc, CuPc, NiPc, CoPc, FePc, and MnPc), in which the electron density is controlled by means of potassium intercalation. Despite the complexity of these systems, we find that the nature of the underlying molecular orbitals produces observable effects in the doping dependence of the electrical conductivity of the materials. For all the MPc's in which the added electrons are expected to occupy orbitals centered on the ligands (ZnPc, CuPc, and NiPc), the doping dependence of the conductivity has an essentially identical shape. This shape is different from that observed in MPc materials in which electrons are also added to orbitals centered on the metal atom (CoPc, FePc, and MnPc). The observed relation between the macroscopic electronic properties of the MPc compounds and the properties of the molecular orbitals of the constituent molecules clearly indicates the richness of the alkali-doped metal-phthalocyanines as a model class of compounds for the investigation of the electronic properties of molecular systems.     

A structure-based design approach for the identification of novel inhibitors: application to an alanine racemase

We report a new structure-based strategy for the identification of novel inhibitors. This approach has been applied to Bacillus stearothermophilus alanine racemase (AlaR), an enzyme implicated in the biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. The enzyme catalyzes the racemization of l- and d-alanine using pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor. The restriction of AlaR to bacteria and some fungi and the absolute requirement for d-alanine in peptidoglycan biosynthesis make alanine racemase a suitable target for drug design. Unfortunately, known inhibitors of alanine racemase are not specific and inhibit the activity of other PLP-dependent enzymes, leading to neurological and other side effects.This article describes the development of a receptor-based pharmacophore model for AlaR, taking into account receptor flexibility (i.e. a `dynamic' pharmacophore model). In order to accomplish this, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on the full AlaR dimer from Bacillus stearothermophilus (PDB entry, 1sft) with a d-alanine molecule in one active site and the non-covalent inhibitor, propionate, in the second active site of this homodimer. The basic strategy followed in this study was to utilize conformations of the protein obtained during MD simulations to generate a dynamic pharmacophore model using the property mapping capability of the LigBuilder program. Compounds from the Available Chemicals Directory that fit the pharmacophore model were identified and have been submitted for experimental testing.The approach described here can be used as a valuable tool for the design of novel inhibitors of other biomolecular targets.     

Homo- and hetero-nuclear chromium(III) complexes with natural ligands. Part 2. Oxo- and hydroxo-bridged chromium(III)/vanadium(V) species

Six new heteropolynuclear chromium(III)/vanadium(V) complexes with natural ligands: glycine, glutaminic, nicotinic and asparginic acids, have been isolated and physicochemically characterised. The complexes have been analysed using spectroscopic (diffuse reflectance u.v.–vis., i.r.), magnetic methods and by FAB mass spectra. Spectral analyses with the digital filter and band deconvolution methods are presented. Additionally, preliminary toxicity studies have been performed.     

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Decomposition of dichlorodifluoromethane in thermal plasma was investigated theoretically by computing the equilibrium composition of the gas mixtures involving carbon, chlorine and fluorine in presence of argon (which is assumed to be the main plasma gas) and/or in addition of hydrogen and calcium together with hydrogen. The calculations were carried out for the temperature range between 500 and 6000 K and for the total pressure of the system of 1 bar. Use is made of the fact that a thermal plasma is a plasma in (local) thermal equilibrium, which makes possible the theoretical determination of its equilibrium composition at definite temperature by employing Gibbs free energy data for the compounds present in the system and assuming that the equilibrium of the system corresponds to its minimum energy state. The results of calculations show that toxic molecules and radicals can be, under convenient conditions (appropriate temperature and amount of added substances), converted into stable non-toxic species like CaF₂ and CaCl₂.     

Obtainment of chelating agents through the enzymatic oxidation of lignins by phenol oxidase

Oxidation of lignin obtained from acetosolv and ethanol/water pulping of sugarcane bagasse was performed by phenol oxidases: tyrosinase (TYR) and laccase (LAC), to increase the number of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in lignin, and to improve its chelating capacity. The chelating properties of the original and oxidized lignins were compared by monitoring the amount of Cu²⁺ bound to lignin by gel permeation chromatography. The Acetosolv lignin oxidized with TYR was 16.8% and with LAC 21% higher than that of the original lignin. For ethanol/water lignin oxidized with TYR was 17.2% and with LAC 18% higher than that of the original lignin.     

RP-HPLC analysis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beverages and plant extracts using a CoulArray detector

Methods were developed for the analysis of natural antioxidants including phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beverages and plant extracts using gradient HPLC with multi-channel electrochemical coulometric detection. Suitability of various reversed-phase columns for this purpose was compared; pH and mobile phase gradients were optimized with respect to the separation selectivity and sensitivity of detection. Because of different target compounds in various sample types, the overlapping resolution maps and the normalized resolution product approaches described earlier were used to select optimum columns and gradients to suit the analysis of the individual sample types. The methods were applied to the analysis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beer, wine, tea, and yacon extracts. 32 phenolic compounds were identified and determined, including derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids, flavones, and a few related glycosides. Eight-channel CoulArray detection offers high selectivity and sensitivity with limits of detection in the low microg L(-1) range, at least an order of magnitude lower than single-channel coulometric detection using the Coulochem detector. No special sample pretreatment is necessary and, because of the compatibility of the CoulArray detector with gradient elution, phenolic antioxidants of different polarities can be determined in a single run. In addition to the retention times, the ratios of the areas of the pre-dominant and post-dominant peaks to the area of the dominant peak can be used for improved identification of natural antioxidants.