Computational study on the interaction of water with 2- and 3-hydroxypyridine and the corresponding pyridones

SCF –MO –LCAO ab-initio computations were carried out for the four tautomers 2-pyridone, 2-hydroxypyridine, 3-pyridone, and 3-hydroxypyridine interacting with a water molecule placed at different positions and orientations around each of them. The computed interaction energies were fitted by an analytical potential consisting of a 6–12 Lennard-Jones term plus a Coulombic one. The root-mean-square deviation of the fit is 2.5 kJ/mol. We report isoenergy contour maps for some important cross sections and obtain a qualitative trend of the solvation entropy, in agreement with available experimental data. The obtained potentials were used for Monte Carlo simulation of four clusters consisting of a tautomer molecule as solute and 50 water molecules, at 300 K. The problem of the transferability of fitting constants is also examined.     

A note on heuristics for the traveling salesman problem

We introduce subclasses of the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and analyze the behaviour of heuristics on them. We derive bounds for the performance of the algorithms.     

The vilsmeier-haack formylation of 1,2,3-trimethylindole

The title reaction yields mainly a side-chain monosubstituted formyl derivative, namely 2-(1,3-dimethylindolyl)acetaldehyde.     

Nature of the chemical bond between metal atoms and oxide surfaces: new evidences from spin density studies of K atoms on alkaline earth oxides

We have studied the interaction of K atoms with the surface of polycrystalline alkaline-earth metal oxides (MgO, CaO, SrO) by means of CW- and Pulsed-EPR, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopies and DFT cluster model calculations. The K adsorption site is proposed to be an anionic reverse corner formed at the intersection of two steps, where K binds by more than 1 eV, resulting in thermally stable species up to about 400 K. The bonding has small covalent and large polarization contributions, and the K atom remains neutral, with one unpaired electron in the valence shell. The interaction results in strong modifications of the K electronic wave function which are directly reflected by the hyperfine coupling constant, (K)a(iso). This is found to be a very efficient "probe" to measure the degree of metal-oxide interaction which directly depends on the substrate basicity. These results provide an original and general model of the early stages of the metal-support interaction in the case of ionic oxides.     

Adsorption of transition metal atoms on the NiO(100) surface and on NiO/Ag(100) thin films

We have studied the adsorption of Au, Pd, and Pt atoms on the NiO(100) surface and on NiO/Ag(100) thin films using plane wave DFT+U calculations. The scope of this work is to compare the adsorption properties of NiO, a reducible transition metal oxide, with those of MgO, a simple binary oxide with the same crystal structure and similar lattice parameter. At the same time, we are interested in the adsorption characteristics of NiO ultra-thin films (three atomic layers) deposited on Ag(100) single crystals. Also in this case the scope is to compare NiO/Ag(100) with the corresponding MgO/Ag(100) films which show unusual properties for the case of Au adsorption. The results show that the transition metal atoms bind in a similar way on NiO(100) and NiO/Ag(100) films, with Pt, Pd, and Au forming bonds of decreasing strength in this order. No charging effects occur for Au adsorbed on NiO/Ag(100) films, at variance with MgO/Ag(100). The reasons are analyzed in terms of work function of the metal/oxide interface. Possible ways to modify this property by growing alternate layers of MgO and NiO are discussed.     

Receptors for organochlorine pesticides based on calixarenes

The water soluble 4-sulfocalix[n]arenes (with n?=?4,6,8) have been investigated as potential synthetic receptors for cyclodiene organochlorine pesticides. Steady state fluorescence experiments in ethanol solution have shown that only the cavitands with n equal to 6 and 8 form complexes, of comparable stability, with heptachlor. Electrochemical data, obtained in water solution, confirmed the ability of 4-sulfocalix[6]arene to bind the heptachlor, unlike the smaller calixarene. Moreover, a significant increase in the stability constant is observed in water solutions. This stability is caused by the sterical hindrance of pesticides with respect to the cavity dimension of the calixarene. This results in a selective interaction of this molecule with other organochlorine pesticides. Binding experiments, carried out with endosulfan have shown that, despite of chemical similarity, 4-sulfocalix[6]arene and 4-sulfocalix[8]arene behave in a very different way: the former is unable to bind this pesticide, while the latter shows a binding constant of 4.7?×?10⁵ with endosulfan. To investigate the molecular features of the interactions, molecular dynamic simulations of 4-sulfocalix[6]arene in presence of heptachlor in water solution have been performed. These simulations show that different configurations of heptachlor inside the calixarene cavity are equally populated and easily interconverting, suggesting that a non specific hydrophobic interaction plays a key role in the complex stability. These studies have permitted to individuate versatile synthetic receptors for organochlorine pesticides.     

Environment effects on the CO vibrational shifts in erbium complexes: a quantum chemical study

The stability of lanthanide complexes and the efficiency of the energy transfer process, which makes these molecules interesting materials for technological applications, are correlated to the chemical environment surrounding the metal ion. In particular the efficiency depends on the relative position of the antenna (the ligand moiety that acts as photon absorption center) and the lanthanide ion (the emitting center), while the stability of the complex is correlated to the strength of the coordination between the rare earth and the ligands. For these reasons, knowledge of the structural properties of the complex is an interesting task to achieve. Since a large number of ligand structures hold the carboxylate group (COO(-)), which is used as an anchor for binding the antennae to the lanthanide ion, in this work we will show how the vibrational shifts of this group, induced by the interactions between the carboxylate moiety and the metal center of the lanthanide complex, can be used for obtaining in a simple way information on the structure of the chemical environment surrounding the lanthanide ion.     

Properties of alkali metal atoms deposited on a MgO surface: a systematic experimental and theoretical study

The adsorption of small amounts of alkali metal atoms (Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) on the surface of MgO powders and thin films has been studied by means of EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. From a comparison of the measured and computed g values and hyperfine coupling constants (hfccs), a tentative assignment of the preferred adsorption sites is proposed. All atoms bind preferentially to surface oxide anions, but the location of these anions differs as a function of the deposition temperature and alkali metal. Lithium forms relatively strong bonds with MgO and can be stabilized at low temperatures on terrace sites. Potassium interacts very weakly with MgO and is stabilized only at specific sites, such as at reverse corners where it can interact simultaneously with three surface oxygen atoms (rubidium and cesium presumably behave in the same way). Sodium forms bonds of intermediate strength and could, in principle, populate more than a single site when deposited at room temperature. In all cases, large deviations of the hfccs from the gas-phase values are observed. These reductions in the hfccs are due to polarization effects and are not connected to ionization of the alkali metal, which would lead to the formation of an adsorbed cation and a trapped electron. In this respect, hydrogen atoms behave completely differently. Under similar conditions, they form (H(+))(e(-)) pairs. The reasons for this different behavior are discussed.     

Mass spectrometry analysis of gliadins in celiac disease

In recent years, scientific research on wheat gluten proteins has followed three main directions aimed at (1) finding relationships between individual genetic alleles coding for gliadins, high or low molecular weight glutenin subunits, and the viscoelastic dough properties of flour-derived products such as pasta and bread; (2) identifying prolamins and derived peptides involved in celiac disease, a pathological condition in which the small intestine of genetically predisposed individuals is reversibly damaged; and (3) developing and validating sensitive and specific methods for detecting trace amounts of gluten proteins in gluten-free foods for celiac disease patients. In this review, the main aspects of current and perspective applications of mass spectrometry and proteomic technologies to the structural characterization of gliadins are presented, with focus on issues related to detection, identification, and quantification of intact gliadins, as well as gliadin-derived peptides relevant to the biochemical, immunological, and toxicological aspects of celiac disease.