Enhanced Direct Electron Transfer of a Multihemic Nitrite Reductase on Single‐walled Carbon Nanotube Modified Electrodes

Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) deposits on glassy carbon and pyrolytic graphite electrodes have dramatically enhanced the direct electron transfer of the multihemic nitrite reductase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774, enabling a 10‐fold increase in catalytic currents. At optimal conditions, the sensitivity to nitrite and the maximum current density were 2.4±0.1 A L mol^?1 cm^?2 and 1500 µA cm^?2, respectively. Since the biosensor performance decreased over time, laponite clay and electropolymerized amphiphilic pyrrole were tested as protecting layers. Both coating materials increased substantially the bioelectrode stability, which kept about 90 % and 60 % of its initial sensitivity to nitrite after 20 and 248 days, respectively.     

Interaction of hydantoins with transition metal ions: synthesis,structural, spectroscopic,thermal and magnetic properties of [M(H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)<Subscript>4</Subscript>(phenytoinate)<Subscript>2</Subscript>] M = Ni(II), Co(II)

Complexes of Ni(II) and Co(II) of the formulae [Ni(H₂O)₄(pht)₂] (1) and [Co(H₂O)₄(pht)₂]·1,5NH₃·H₂O (2) (where pht = phenotoinate anion) were obtained and characterized physicochemically. [Ni(H₂O)₄(pht)₂] (1) crystallizes in a monoclinic space group P2₁/c; a = 11.7358(8), b = 11,1250(8), 11.4182(7) Å; β = 97.076(5)°; V = 1479.41 Å³; Z = 2. The environment around the nickel and cobalt ions can be described as a distorted octahedron. The metal ion was found to bind to four water molecules and two nitrogen atoms derived from two anions of the monodentate phenytoinate. Four intramolecular hydrogen bonds designated as S(6) graph set are found in one [Ni(H₂O)₄(pht)₂] (1) molecule. Two chain HB patterns, constructed by the [Ni(H₂O)₄(pht)₂] molecules extending along the c and b axes, respectively, have been observed. The cobalt complex precipitates with the additional solvent molecules: one and a half of ammonia and one water. The results document the preferential binding of hydantoins to the metal ions through N(3) atom.     

Electronic spectra and crystal structure of dinuclear Cu(II) ‘paddle wheel’ acetate complex containing axially coordinated 3-methyl-4-nitropyridine-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-oxide

This article presents the electronic spectral characteristics enhanced with the structural, IR and magnetic data of the copper(II) acetate complex with 3-methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide. The complex of the formula, [Cu₂(OAc)₄(3-mnpn)₂], belongs to the group of the ‘paddle wheel’ type species with a very short (2.58 Å) metal–metal distance. In the electronic spectra, new bands were found at 16,000 and 24,000 cm^?1, which have been tentatively assigned to the metal–metal interactions and solid state effects, respectively. The complex show fast kinetic exchange of the apical ligand, i.e. 3-methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide.     

Transition metal ion-modified polyurethanes: Spectroscopic and thermal studies on polyesterurethane/chromium metallopolymers

Polyesterurethane/chromium(III) metallopolymers (PUCr) having chromium contents below 1% were prepared by using different initial molar ratios urethane groups/chromium ions. PUCr were characterized in comparison with the parent polyurethane (PU) by AAS, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, DMA and TGA. Chromium ions form coordination complexes with the urethane nitrogen atoms, the intermolecular complexation bringing about the crosslinking of the hard segments. As a result, disturbance of the hydrogen bonding and modifications in the crystallinity of the hard-segment domains take place. PUCr exhibit higher values of soft-segment glass transition and storage modulus than PU, revealing the reinforcing effect of chromium ions on the polyurethane matrix. As compared with PU, PUCr present lower initial thermal stability, a strongly catalyzed final stage of the thermal decomposition process and more thermally stable intermediate decomposition products.     

On the index and the order of quasi-regular implicit systems of differential equations

This paper is mainly devoted to the study of the differentiation index and the order for quasi-regular implicit ordinary differential algebraic equation (DAE) systems. We give an algebraic definition of the differentiation index and prove a Jacobi-type upper bound for the sum of the order and the differentiation index. Our techniques also enable us to obtain an alternative proof of a combinatorial bound proposed by Jacobi for the order.As a consequence of our approach we deduce an upper bound for the Hilbert–Kolchin regularity and an effective ideal membership test for quasi-regular implicit systems. Finally, we prove a theorem of existence and uniqueness of solutions for implicit differential systems.     

A cationic mononuclear and a neutral trinuclear boron compound derived from boric acid and N2O2-type ligands of the Salan class

Four different ligands of the Salan class have been prepared and reacted with boric acid. Reaction of saleanH₄ (saleanH₄ = N,N′-bis(o-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2-diaminoethane) with three equivalents of boric acid gave a neutral trinuclear boron complex containing two four-coordinate and one three-coordinate boron atom involved in a system of four heterocyclic rings of the composition {C₃BNO}, {C₂B₂N₂O} and {B₃O₃}. The salceanH₄ ligand (salceanH₄ = N,N′-bis(o-hydroxybenzyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane) gave a so far unknown mononuclear boronium complex of the general formula [(RO)₂B(NR′R′′)₂]⁺. Both compounds might have applications, the trinuclear species as Lewis acid catalyst and the borocation as positively charged counterion for voluminous anions. With salpanH₄ (salpanH₄ = N,N′-bis(o-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-diaminopropane) and salophanH₄ (salophanH₄ = N,N′-bis(o-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2-diaminobenzene) only unseparable product mixtures of oligo- and/or polymeric boron complexes could be obtained.     

Photoinduced Degradation of the Herbicide Clomazone Model Reactions for Natural and Technical Systems

The photodegradation of the herbicide clomazone in the presence of S₂O₈^2? or of humic substances of different origin was investigated. A value of (9.4 ± 0.4) × 10⁸ m ^?1 s^?1 was measured for the bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of sulfate radicals with clomazone in flash‐photolysis experiments. Steady state photolysis of peroxydisulfate, leading to the formation of the sulfate radicals, in the presence of clomazone was shown to be an efficient photodegradation method of the herbicide. This is a relevant result regarding the in situ chemical oxidation procedures involving peroxydisulfate as the oxidant. The main reaction products are 2‐chlorobenzylalcohol and 2‐chlorobenzaldehyde. The degradation kinetics of clomazone was also studied under steady state conditions induced by photolysis of Aldrich humic acid or a vermicompost extract (VCE). The results indicate that singlet oxygen is the main species responsible for clomazone degradation. The quantum yield of O₂(a¹Δ_g) generation (λ = 400 nm) for the VCE in D₂O, Φ_Δ = (1.3 ± 0.1) × 10^?3, was determined by measuring the O₂(a¹Δ_g) phosphorescence at 1270 nm. The value of the overall quenching constant of O₂(a¹Δ_g) by clomazone was found to be (5.7 ± 0.3) × 10⁷ m ^?1 s^?1 in D₂O. The bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of clomazone with singlet oxygen was k_r = (5.4 ± 0.1) × 10⁷ m ^?1 s^?1, which means that the quenching process is mainly reactive.     

Ring Isomorphism of Cyclic Cyclotomic Algebras

It is shown that ring isomorphisms between cyclic cyclotomic algebras over cyclotomic number fields are essentially determined by the list of local Schur indices at all rational primes. As a consequence, ring isomorphisms between simple components of the rational group algebras of finite metacyclic groups are determined by the center, the dimension over ?, and the list of local Schur indices at rational primes. An example is given to show that this does not hold for finite groups in general.     

A Critical Overview of Sensors for Monitoring Polymerizations

The available on‐line and in‐line sensor technologies developed for polymerization reactors from 1990 until today are discussed and critically reviewed. About 600 references are included, which evidence the growth in sensor technology in the last two decades. Sensors for operational parameters in polymer reactors (i.e. temperature, pressure, level and flow) as well as sensors for polymer property monitoring (i.e. calorimetry, chromatography and spectroscopy, among others) are included. Complementary topics such as state estimation, multivariate statistical methods, fault diagnosis techniques and optimal sensor selection and location are briefly covered.