A problem in etching Pyrex glass capillary columns

Recent attempts to reproduce a literature method for etching of Pyrex glass capillary columns with ?etching ether”? resulted in reduction of the columns to dust through a violent explosion. Although modifications of the method produced etched columns, we found that less than satisfactory results were achieved. Introduction of etching ether by simply coating the column with a thin film of the ether produced an evenly etched column with well defined whiskers. Several observations made during the etching process will also be discussed.     

Comparison of two methods of detection,determination, and library search of the substances present in gas chromatography—mass spectrometry data

A comparison is made of two different methods, LIANAL and MSSMET, for the analysis of a g.c.—m.s. data matrix for the purpose of detecting and determining the metabolic profiles of the substances present. The parameters of the methods and the profiles determined on two different data matrices are compared. The two methods agree in 92 out of a possible 103 instances as to the presence or absence of the 103 substances for which they both made determinations. Ratios of the metabolic profiles for the two samples are highly correlated (0.9954) for the two methods.     

Intact and fragmented triosmium clusters on MgO: characterization by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

Oxidative fragmentation of the clusters Os(3)(CO)(12) adsorbed on MgO powder was investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Exposure of the clusters to air leads to their fragmentation, oxidation of the osmium, and formation of ensembles consisting of three Os atoms. X-ray absorption near-edge spectra demonstrate the oxidative nature of the fragmentation process. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra indicate an average Os-Os distance of 3.33 Angstrom and an Os-Os coordination number of 2, consistent with the formation of ensembles of three Os atoms on the support. STEM images confirm the presence of such trinuclear ensembles, and the diameters of the observed scattering centers (6.0 Angstrom) match that indicated by the EXAFS results.     

A chemical model for redox regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) activity

Growing evidence indicates that endogenously produced hydrogen peroxide acts as a cellular signaling molecule that (among other things) can regulate the activity of some protein phosphatases. Recent X-ray crystallographic studies revealed an unexpected chemical transformation underlying the redox regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, in which oxidative inactivation of the enzyme yields an intrastrand protein cross-link between the catalytic cysteine residue and its neighboring amide nitrogen. This work describes a small organic molecule that serves as an effective model for the redox-sensing assembly of functional groups at the active site of PTP1B. Findings obtained using this model system suggest that the oxidative transformation of PTP1B to its "crosslinked" inactive form can proceed directly via oxidation of the active-site cysteine to a sulfenic acid (RSOH). The remarkably facile nature of this protein cross-link-forming reaction, along with the widespread cellular occurrence of protein sulfenic acids generated via oxidation of cysteine residues, suggests that the type of oxidative protein cross-link formation first seen in the context of PTP1B represents a potentially general mechanism for redox "switching" of protein function. Thus, the chemistry characterized here could have broad relevance to both redox-regulated signal transduction and the toxic effects of oxidative stress.     

Thermochemistry of polyhalides. II. Caesium and rubidium dibromoiodides

Using a solution-reaction calorimeter the standard enthalpies of formation of crystalline caesium and rubidium dibromoiodides have been determined as ?445.5±4.1 and ?428.3±4.2 kJ mol^?1, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters, including lattice energies, are calculated and the thermal stability of polyhalides discussed. Thermometric titrations have been used to investigate the mechanism of reaction of caesium dibromoiodide with aqueous silver nitrate.     

Synthesis and reactivity of dimethyl gold complexes supported on MgO: characterization by infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopies

Dimethyl gold complexes bonded to partially dehydroxylated MgO powder calcined at 673 K were synthesized by adsorption of Au(CH3)2(acac) (acac is C5H7O2) from n-pentane solution. The synthesis and subsequent decomposition of the complexes by treatment in He or H2 were characterized with diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies. The XANES results identify Au(III) in the supported complexes, and the EXAFS and DRIFTS data indicate mononuclear dimethyl gold complexes as the predominant surface gold species, consistent with the lack of Au-Au contributions in the EXAFS spectrum and the presence of nu(as)(CH3) and nu(s)(CH3) bands in the IR spectrum. EXAFS data show that each complex is bonded to two oxygen atoms of the MgO surface at an Au-O distance of 2.16 angstroms. The DRIFT spectra show that reaction of Au(CH3)2(acac) with MgO at room temperature also formed Mg(acac)2 and H(acac) species on the support. Treatment of the dimethyl gold complexes in He or H2 at increasing temperatures varying from 373 to 573 K removed CH3 ligands and caused aggregation forming zerovalent gold nanoclusters of increasing size, ultimately with an average diameter of about 30 angstroms. Analysis of the gas-phase products during the genesis of the gold clusters indicated formation of CH4 (consistent with removal of CH3 groups) and CO2 at 473-573 K, associated with decomposition of the organic ligands derived from acac species. O2 and CO2 were also formed in the decomposition of ubiquitous carbonates present on the surface of the MgO support.     

Regioselective Substitution Reactions of Sulfur(VI)-Nitrogen-Phosphorus Rings: Reactions of the Halogenated Cyclic Thionylphosphazenes [NSOX(NPCl(2))(2)] (X = Cl or F) with Oxygen-Based Nucleophiles

The reactions of the cyclic thionylphosphazenes [NSOX(NPCl(2))(2)] (1, X = Cl; 2, X = F) with three oxygen-based nucleophiles of increasing basicity, sodium phenoxide (NaOPh), sodium trifluoroethoxide (NaOCH(2)CF(3)), and sodium butoxide (NaOBu) have been studied. The reaction of 1 and 2 with 4 equiv of NaOPh at 25 degrees C yielded the regioselectively tetrasubstituted species [NSOX{NP(OPh)(2)}(2)] (5d, X = Cl; 6d, X = F). Further reaction of 5d with an additional 2 equiv of NaOPh over several days or at elevated temperatures gave the fully substituted compound [NSO(OPh){NP(OPh)(2)}(2)] (5e), whereas 6d did not react further. The reaction of 1 and 2 with 5 equiv of NaOCH(2)CF(3) yielded in both cases [NSO(OCH(2)CF(3)){NP(OCH(2)CF(3))(2)}(2)] (7e), and similarly reaction with 5 equiv of NaOBu yielded [NSO(OBu){NP(OBu)(2)}(2)] (9e). In all cases, the reactions were monitored by (31)P NMR and (where applicable) (19)F NMR and were found to involve complete substitution at phosphorus via a predominantly vicinal pathway, followed by substitution at sulfur. Substitutional control of the reactions of NaOPh, NaOBu, with 1 and 2 was found to conform to the following general order of reactivity, PCl(2) > PCl(OR) > SOX (X = Cl, F). Although the reaction with NaOCH(2)CF(3) followed the same order of reactivity, a significant enhancement of reaction rate was detected with each equivalent of trifluoroethoxide added. Reaction of 7e with excess NaOCH(2)CF(3) led to elimination of (CF(3)CH(2))(2)O and the formation of the salts Na[NSO(OCH(2)CF(3))NP(OCH(2)CF(3))(2)NP(OCH(2)CF(3))O] (11) and Na[NS(O)O{NP(OCH(2)CF(3))(2)}(2)] (12). Crystals of 6d are triclinic, space group P&onemacr;, with a = 9.789(3) ?, b = 11.393(4) ?, c = 12.079(5) ?, alpha = 107.40(3) degrees, beta = 91.23(3) degrees, gamma = 93.18(3), V = 1283.6(8) ?(3), and Z = 2. Crystals of 5e are monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 32.457(3) ?, b = 10.747(1) ?, c = 18.294(2) ?, beta = 110.37(1) degrees, V = 5982.4(9) ?(3), and Z = 8.     

A convenient synthesis of new isolable phosphaalkenes using the base-induced rearrangement of secondary vinylphosphines

The secondary vinylphosphines Ar(F)P(H)C(R)[double bond]CH(2) [2a, Ar(F) = 2,6-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3), R = CH(3); 2b, Ar(F) = 2,6-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3), R = C(6)H(5); 2c, Ar(F) = 2,4,6-(CF(3))(3)C(6)H(2), R = CH(3)] were prepared by treating the corresponding dichlorophosphine Ar(F)PCl(2) (1) with H(2)C[double bond]C(R)MgBr. In the presence of catalytic base (DBU or DABCO) the vinylphosphines (2a-c) undergo quantitative 1,3-hydrogen migration over 3 d to give stable and isolable phosphaalkenes Ar(F)P=C(R)CH(3) (3a, Ar(F) = 2,6-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3), R = CH(3); 3b, Ar(F) = 2,6-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3), R = C(6)H(5); 3c, Ar(F) = 2,4,6-(CF(3))(3)C(6)H(2), R = CH(3)). Under analogous conditions, only 90% conversion is observed in the base-catalyzed rearrangement of MesP(H)C(CH(3))[double bond]CH(2) to MesP[double bond]C(CH(3))(2). Presumably, the increase in acidity of the P-H group when electron-withdrawing groups are employed (i.e. 2a-c) favors quantitative rearrangement to the phosphaalkene tautomer (3a-c). Thus, the double-bond migration reaction is a convenient and practical method of preparing new phosphaalkenes with C-methyl substituents.