Characterization of a DAPI-RIT-DAPI System for Gas-Phase Ion/Molecule and Ion/Ion Reactions

The discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface (DAPI) has been developed as a facile means for efficiently introducing ions generated at atmospheric pressure to an ion trap in vacuum [e.g., a rectilinear ion trap (RIT)] for mass analysis. Introduction of multiple beams of ions or neutral species through two DAPIs into a single RIT has been previously demonstrated. In this study, a home-built instrument with a DAPI-RIT-DAPI configuration has been characterized for the study of gas-phase ion/molecule and ion/ion reactions. The reaction species, including ions or neutrals, can be introduced from both ends of the RIT through the two DAPIs without complicated ion optics or differential pumping stages. The primary reactant ions were isolated prior to reaction and the product ions were mass analyzed after controlled reaction time period. Ion/molecule reactions involving peptide radical ions and proton-transfer ion/ion reactions have been carried out using this instrument. The gas dynamic effect due to the DAPI operation on internal energy deposition and the reactivity of peptide radical ions has been characterized. The DAPI-RIT-DAPI system also has a unique feature for allowing the ion reactions to be carried out at significantly elevated pressures (in 10^–1 Torr range), which has been found to be helpful to speed up the reactions. The viability and flexibility of the DAPI-RIT-DAPI system for the study of gas-phase ion reactions have been demonstrated.

Understanding Refractive Index Changes in Homologous Series of Unbranched Organic Compounds Based on Beer's Law

Changes of the refractive index for homologous series of hydrocarbons are usually plotted versus the density. While there is a clear linear dependence for alkanes and alkenes, the linearity deteriorates for homologous series with functional groups involving heteroatoms. The slope can even become negative, e. g., for carboxylic acids. For gaining a deeper understanding and to establish a more general correlation, we reinvestigate the corresponding theories starting with the Newton-Laplace, Gladstone-Dale and the Lorentz-Lorenz rules. We revisit the concept of molar refractivity pioneered by Landolt and Brühl and show that it is closely connected with a twin of Beer's law. We conclude that the refractive index of homologues series should better be plotted versus the molar concentration of the main UV-chromophore, the C−H bond, which actually causes the refractive index changes. This new approach is not limited to alkanes and alkenes but holds for homologous series with functional groups including heteroatoms.     

Preparation,Crystal Structures,and Thermal Studies of Alkaline Earth Nitrocarboxylates

The preparation, crystal structures, and thermal properties of [Ca(pyr)₂(4‐nba)₂]_n ( 1 ) (pyr = pyrazole; 4‐nba = 4‐nitrobenzoate) {[Ca(H₂O)₂(3‐npth)] · H₂O}_n ( 2 ) (3‐npth = 3‐nitrophthalate), [Mg(H₂O)₅(3‐npth)] · 2H₂O ( 3 ), and [Mg(H₂O)₄(2‐nba)₂] ( 4 ) (2‐nba = 2‐nitrobenzoate) are reported. The anhydrous Ca^II compound 1 and the diaqua Ca^II‐3‐nitrophthalate monohydrate 2 are one‐dimensional coordination polymers containing a hexacoordinate Ca^II ion located on a center of inversion in 1 and a heptacoordinated Ca^II ion in 2 . In 1 , the 4‐nitrobenzoate moiety acts as a μ₂‐bridging bidentate ligand, whereas the 3‐nitrophthalate anion exhibits a μ₃‐bridging pentadentate coordination mode in 2 . The hexacoordinate Mg^II‐containing compounds 3 and 4 do not contain a [Mg(H₂O)₆]²⁺ unit and the central Mg^II ion is coordinated to at least one monodentate carboxylate unit namely the monodentate 3‐npth molecule in 3 and two trans monodentate 2‐nba molecules in 4 . Hydrogen bonding between the lattice water molecules results in the formation of a water dimer in 3 . A comparative study of 17 alkaline earth nitrocarboxylates is described.     

Dynamics of droplet motion under electrowetting actuation

The static shape of droplets under electrowetting actuation is well understood. The steady-state shape of the droplet is obtained on the basis of the balance of surface tension and electrowetting forces, and the change in the apparent contact angle is well characterized by the Young-Lippmann equation. However, the transient droplet shape behavior when a voltage is suddenly applied across a droplet has received less attention. Additional dynamic frictional forces are at play during this transient process. We present a model to predict this transient behavior of the droplet shape under electrowetting actuation. The droplet shape is modeled using the volume of fluid method. The electrowetting and dynamic frictional forces are included as an effective dynamic contact angle through a force balance at the contact line. The model is used to predict the transient behavior of water droplets on smooth hydrophobic surfaces under electrowetting actuation. The predictions of the transient behavior of droplet shape and contact radius are in excellent agreement with our experimental measurements. The internal fluid motion is explained, and the droplet motion is shown to initiate from the contact line. An approximate mathematical model is also developed to understand the physics of the droplet motion and to describe the overall droplet motion and the contact line velocities.     

Study of the efficiency for ion transfer through bent capillaries

Discontinuous atmospheric pressure interfaces (DAPIs) with bent capillaries represent a highly simplified and flexible means for introducing ions into a vacuum manifold for mass analysis or gas phase ion reactions. In this work, a series of capillaries of different radians and curvatures were used with DAPI for studying the impact of the capillary bending on the ion transfer. The variation of transfer efficiency was systematically characterized for dry and solvated ions. The efficiency loss for dry ions was less than one order of magnitude, even with a three‐turn bent capillary. The transfer of solvated ions generated by electrospray was found to be minimally impacted by the bending of the transfer capillary. For multiply protonated ions, the transfer efficiency for ions at lower charge states could be relatively well retained, presumably due to the lower reactivity associated with proton transfer reaction and the compensation in intensity by conversion of ions at higher charge states. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Tellurium(II) bis(2‐methoxycarbonylethanethiolate): A Novel Coordination Mode of Tellurium

The tellurium(II) dithiolates Te[SCH₂CH₂C(O)OCH₃]₂, ( 1 ), Te[SCH₂CH₂CH₂SC(O)CH₃]₂, ( 2 ), and Te[SCH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂SC(O)CH₃]₂, ( 3 ) were synthesized from Te(S^tBu)₂ and the corresponding thiol. All compounds are sensitive toward higher temperatures and light and decompose to elemental tellurium and the disulfide. In the solid state, the Te atom of 1 exhibits the novel Te(S₂Te₂) coordination mode. Additionally to the two Te—S bonds, each Te atom forms two long Te···Te contacts to neighboring molecules, leading to a coordination number of four and a distorted sawhorse configuration. No intramolecular Te···O interactions are present in the solid state, in accordance with ab initio calculations (MP2/ecp‐basis) for the isolated molecule. ¹²⁵Te NMR shifts of all compounds lay within a narrow range and close to the respective shift of other Te(SCH₂R)₂ compounds. VT ¹²⁵Te NMR spectra gave no hint to donor acceptor interactions in solution for any of the compounds and thus corroborate results from IR‐spectroscopy, ab initio geometry optimizations, and thermochemical calculations.     

Monitoring the Reversibility of GPCR Signaling by Combining Photochromic Ligands with Label-free Impedance Analysis

G protein-coupled cell surface receptors (GPCR) trigger complex intracellular signaling cascades upon agonist binding. Classic pharmacological assays provide information about binding affinities, activation or blockade at different stages of the signaling cascade, but real time dynamics and reversibility of these processes remain often disguised. We show that combining photochromic NPY receptor ligands, which can be toggled in their receptor activation ability by irradiation with light of different wavelengths, with whole cell label-free impedance assays allows observing the cell response to receptor activation and its reversibility over time. The concept demonstrated on NPY receptors may be well applicable to many other GPCRs providing a deeper insight into the time course of intracellular signaling processes.     

Lewis Superacidic Divalent Bis(m-terphenyl)element Cations [(2,6-Mes2C6H3)2E]+ of Group 13 Revisited and Extended (E=B,Al, Ga,In, Tl)

In a combined experimental and computational study, the molecular and electronic structures of the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)element cations [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 13 ( 1 , E=B; 2 , E=Al; 3 , E=Ga; 4 , E=In; 5 , E=Tl) were investigated. The preparation and characterization of 2 , 3 and 5 were previously reported by Wehmschulte's (Organometallics 2004 , 23, 1965–1967; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003 , 125, 1470–1471) and our groups (Organometallics 2009 , 28, 6893–6901). The indinium ion 4 was prepared and fully characterized for the first time. Attempts to prepare the borinium ion 1 by fluoride or hydride abstraction were unsuccessful. The electronic structures of 1 – 5 and the stabilization by the bulky m-terphenyl substituents were analyzed using quantum chemical calculations and compared to the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)pnictogenium ions [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 15 ( 6 , E=P; 7 , E=As; 8 , E=Sb; 9 , E=Bi) previously investigated by our group (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018 , 57, 10080–10084). The calculated fluoride ion affinities (FIA) of 1–9 are higher than that of SbF₅, which classifies them as Lewis superacids.