Formal DNA hydrolysis by mono- and dinuclear iron complexes

The complexes CpFe(CO)(2)Ph and [CpFe(CO)(2)](2) cleave DNA in the presence of H2O2 or organic peroxides to give products resulting from the formal hydrolysis of the phosphodiester groups.     

Rate coefficients for the reactions of BF with O and O2

Bimolecular reaction rate coefficients of k = (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10^?10 and < 5 × 10^?17 cm³/molecule s have been measured at T = 294 K in a flowtube facility for BF + O → BO + F and BF + O₂ → products, respectively. These results are discussed in terins of the electronic structure of boron monofluoride.     

A Detailed Investigation of the Reaction of 5,9-Diphenylbenz[a]azulene with Dialkyl Acetylenedicarboxylates Leading to Dialkyl 8,12-Diphenylbenzo[a]heptalene-6,7-dicarboxylates

The synthesis of 5,9-diphenylbenz[a]azulene ( 1 ) from 1,3-diphenylcyclopent[a]indene-2,8-dione ( 4 ) and cyclopropene has been re-investigated. The reduction of the decarbonylated cycloadduct 5 with LiAlH₄/AlCl₃ in Et₂O leads not only to the expected 7,10-dihydrobenz[a]azulene 6 , but also to small amounts of the cyclopropa[b]fluorenes exo- 7 and endo- 7 (cf. Scheme 2), the structures of which have been determined by X-ray crystal-structure analysis (cf. Fig. 1). The reaction of 1 with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (ADR) in MeCN at 100° in the presence of 2 mol-% of catalysts such as [RuH₂(PPh₃)₄] results mainly in the formation of the expected 8,12-diphenylbenzo[a]heptalene-6,7-dicarboxylates 3 . A thorough investigation of the reaction mixture of 1 and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADM) revealed the presence of a number of intermediates and side products (Scheme 5). Most important was the isolation and identification of the cyclobutene intermediate 9a (cf. Fig. 4), which is formed by a zwitterionic rearrangement of the primary adduct 2a of 1 and ADM and represents the direct precursor of the heptalene-diester 3a . Compounds of type 9a have so far only been postulated as necessary intermediates in the thermal reaction of azulenes and ADR to give corresponding heptalenedicarboxylates. Compound 9a is photochemically unstable and undergoes rearrangement even under the influence of normal laboratory light into a mixture of trans- 10a and cis- 10a (Scheme 8). Both diastereoisomers are also found in the original reaction mixture of 1 and ADM, but not when the reaction is performed under exclusion of light. On heating in MeCN at 100°, or better in DMF at 150°, trans- 10a and cis- 10a undergo rearrangement to the fluoranthene-1,2-dicarboxylate 11a (Scheme 9), which is also present in the original reaction mixture of 1 and ADM. The catalysts do not accelerate the reaction of 1 and ADR, but they lead to better yields of the benzo[a]heptalene-6,7-dicarboxylates 3 , especially in the reaction of 1 with diisopropyl acetylenedicarboxylate (ADiP) (cf. Tables 1 and 2).     

Natural resins and balsams from an eighteenth-century pharmaceutical collection analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Historical nomenclature has not always been unequivocally associated with the botanical origin of natural resins. The availability of natural resins has changed throughout the centuries and so have their trade names. Furthermore, adulterations and lack of knowledge have led to variations in the composition of the products traded under the same name. This investigation aims at a new understanding of the interrelation between the historical and modern terms for natural resins. Different Pinaceae and Pistacia resins, mastic, sandarac, copaiba balm and burgundy pitch from Vigani’s Cabinet, a 300-year-old pharmaceutical collection owned by Queens’ College, Cambridge (UK) were investigated. Related reference materials from modern collections were analysed together with natural resins derived from reliable botanical sources. The analytical method was gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with and without derivatisation with trimethylsulfonium hydroxide. This technique provided detailed molecular compositions of the studied materials, which in turn led to particular data profiles of the materials. Marker molecules of Copaifera, Pinaceae, Cupressaceae and Pistacia resins were identified. By comparing the GC-MS data profiles to the reference samples, a clearer picture of the connection between nomenclature and botanical origin was obtained. With the aid of the marker molecules and data profiles, it was then possible to clarify the nomenclature of the aged resins sampled from Vigani’s Cabinet.     

Surface grafting of a thermoplastic polyurethane with methacrylic acid by previous plasma surface activation and by ultraviolet irradiation to reduce cell adhesion

The material performance, in a biological environment, is mainly mediated by its surface properties and by the combination of chemical, physical, biological, and mechanical properties required, for a specific application.In this study, the surface of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material (Elastollan^®1180A50) was activated either by plasma or by ultra-violet (UV) irradiation. After surface activation, methacrylic acid (MAA) was linked to the surface of TPU in order to improve its reactivity and to reduce cell adhesion. Grafted surfaces were evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and by contact angle measurements. Blood compatibility studies and cell adhesion tests with human bone marrow cells (HBMC) were also performed.If was found that UV grafting method led to better results than the plasma activation method, since cell adhesion was reduced when methacrylic acid was grafted to the TPU surface by UV.     

Metal-organic frameworks as adsorbents for hydrogen purification and precombustion carbon dioxide capture

Selected metal-organic frameworks exhibiting representative properties--high surface area, structural flexibility, or the presence of open metal cation sites--were tested for utility in the separation of CO(2) from H(2) via pressure swing adsorption. Single-component CO(2) and H(2) adsorption isotherms were measured at 313 K and pressures up to 40 bar for Zn(4)O(BTB)(2) (MOF-177, BTB(3-) = 1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate), Be(12)(OH)(12)(BTB)(4) (Be-BTB), Co(BDP) (BDP(2-) = 1,4-benzenedipyrazolate), H(3)[(Cu(4)Cl)(3)(BTTri)(8)] (Cu-BTTri, BTTri(3-) = 1,3,5-benzenetristriazolate), and Mg(2)(dobdc) (dobdc(4-) = 1,4-dioxido-2,5-benzenedicarboxylate). Ideal adsorbed solution theory was used to estimate realistic isotherms for the 80:20 and 60:40 H(2)/CO(2) gas mixtures relevant to H(2) purification and precombustion CO(2) capture, respectively. In the former case, the results afford CO(2)/H(2) selectivities between 2 and 860 and mixed-gas working capacities, assuming a 1 bar purge pressure, as high as 8.6 mol/kg and 7.4 mol/L. In particular, metal-organic frameworks with a high concentration of exposed metal cation sites, Mg(2)(dobdc) and Cu-BTTri, offer significant improvements over commonly used adsorbents, indicating the promise of such materials for applications in CO(2)/H(2) separations.     

Thermochemistry of paracetamol

Combustion calorimetry, Calvet-drop sublimation calorimetry, and the Knudsen effusion method were used to determine the standard (p ^o = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of monoclinic (form I) and gaseous paracetamol, at T = 298.15 K: \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text cr I ) = - ( 4 10.4 ±1. 3)\text kJ  \textmol ^{- 1} \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ cr I}}} \right) = - ( 4 10.4 \pm 1. 3){\text{ kJ}}\;{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} and \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text g ) = - ( 2 80.5 ±1. 9)\text kJ  \textmol ^{- 1} . \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ g}}} \right) = - ( 2 80.5 \pm 1. 9){\text{ kJ}}\;{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} . From the obtained \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text cr I ) \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ cr I}}} \right) value and published data, it was also possible to derive the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the two other known polymorphs of paracetamol (forms II and III), at 298.15 K: \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text crII ) = - ( 40 8.4 ±1. 3)\text kJ  \textmol ^{- 1} \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ crII}}} \right) = - ( 40 8.4 \pm 1. 3){\text{ kJ}}\;{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} and \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text crIII ) = - ( 40 7.4 ±1. 3)\text kJ  \textmol ^{- 1} . \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ crIII}}} \right) = - ( 40 7.4 \pm 1. 3){\text{ kJ}}\;{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} . The proposed \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textO ₂ \textN,\text g ) \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{O}}_{ 2} {\text{N}},{\text{ g}}} \right) value, together with the experimental enthalpies of formation of acetophenone and 4′-hydroxyacetophenone, taken from the literature, and a re-evaluated enthalpy of formation of acetanilide, \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto ( \textC ₈ \textH ₉ \textON,\text g ) = - ( 10 9. 2 ± 2. 2)\text kJ  \textmol ^{- 1} , \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} \left( {{\text{C}}_{ 8} {\text{H}}_{ 9} {\text{ON}},{\text{ g}}} \right) = - ( 10 9. 2\,\pm\,2. 2){\text{ kJ}}\;{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} , were used to assess the predictions of the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ and CBS-QB3 methods for the enthalpy of a isodesmic and isogyric reaction involving those species. This test supported the reliability of the theoretical methods, and indicated a good thermodynamic consistency between the \Updelta_\textf H_\textm^\texto \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} (C₈H₉O₂N, g) value obtained in this study and the remaining experimental data used in the \Updelta_\textr H_\textm^\texto \Updelta_{\text{r}} H_{\text{m}}^{\text{o}} calculation. It also led to the conclusion that the presently recommended enthalpy of formation of gaseous acetanilide in Cox and Pilcher and Pedley’s compilations should be corrected by ~20 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Erhitzungsvorrichtungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Spectroscopic observation of solvent interaction with selected retinal Schiff bases.

Iodide salts of several N-retinylidenedialkylamines were prepared and their UV-VIS spectra recorded. Their lambda max values increased as the number of hydrogen atoms on the carbons alpha to nitrogen increased. In separate experiments, iodide salts of N-retinylidene-n-butylammonium (1) and N-retinylidene-n-butylmethylammonium (2) were prepared, and their excitation energies (delta E) were measured in selected solvents of varying dielectric constant (epsilon). Data from each compound gave a straight line which converged at epsilon = 0. On the other hand, when delta E values of the iodide and bromide of 2 were plotted vs solvent epsilon, parallel rather than convergent lines were obtained. When lambda max values of 1 and 2 were measured in a greater number of solvents, the solvents fell into four main groups. The first group, regular solvents, are rigid, have fixed dipoles, neither donate nor accept H-bonds, and the delta E of 1 and 2 decreases linearly as solvent epsilon increases. This line for 2 is taken as a standard against which other solvents are judged. A second class of solvents that are good H-bond donors like CHCl3, whose dipole moment coincides with the C-H bond axis, is located in an area below the standard line. A third group, nucleophilic solvents like tetrahydrofuran, whose dipole moment is coincident with a strongly nucleophilic oxygen atom are good H-bond acceptors and are found above the standard line. Solvents with unpredictable spectroscopic behavior are classed as anomalous.