Water Relaxation Measurements on Semiquinones of Various Flavoproteins

The water relaxation rates of several flavoproteins in the semiquinone state have been investigated by the spin echo technique. The results indicate a rather unspecific interaction between water and the protein-bound flavosemiquinones. An average interaction distance of 0.3-0.5 nm has been estimated. From the temperature dependence of the rate constants the free energy of activation for proton exchange is calculated to be about 17 kJ/mol. The rate of proton exchange is around 10¹¹ s?¹ for the flavosemiquinones investigated are accessible to water regardless of their ionic state. The large difference in relaxation rates of water protons between D - and L - amino-acid oxidases is noticeable. Oxynitrilase exhibits the highest whereas Azotobacter vinelandii flavodoxin shows the lowest water relaxation rate of the flavoproteins studied. The results are discussed in relation to the visible-light absorption properties of the flavoproteins.     

Surface-induced dissociation and chemical reactions of C2D 4 + on stainless steel, carbon (HOPG), and two different diamond surfaces

Surface-induced interactions of the projectile ion C₂D₄⁺ with room-temperature (hydrocarbon covered) stainless steel, carbon highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), and two different types of diamond surfaces (O-terminated and H-terminated) were investigated over the range of incident energies from a few eV up to 50 eV. The relative abundance of the product ions in dependence on the incident energy of the projectile ion [collision-energy resolved mass spectra, (CERMS) curves] was determined. The product ion mass spectra contained ions resulting from direct dissociation of the projectile ions, from chemical reactions with the hydrocarbons on the surface, and (to a small extent) from sputtering of the surface material. Sputtering of the surface layer by low-energy Ar⁺ ions (5–400 eV) indicated the presence of hydrocarbons on all studied surfaces. The CERMS curves of the product ions were analyzed to obtain both CERMS curves for the products of direct surface-induced dissociation of the projectile ion and CERMS curves of products of surface reactions. From the former, the fraction of energy converted in the surface collision into the internal excitation of the projectile ion was estimated as 10% of the incident energy. The internal energy of the surface-excited projectile ions was very similar for all studied surfaces. The H-terminated room-temperature diamond surface differed from the other surfaces only in the fraction of product ions formed in H-atom transfer surface reactions (45% of all product ions formed versus 70% on the other surfaces).     

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as a tool for estimating odour concentrations of biofilter effluents at aerobic composting and rendering plants

The relationship between chemical concentrations (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis) and odour concentrations (olfactometry) was studied for biofilter emissions from four aerobic vegetable, fruit and garden waste (VFG) composting plants and one animal rendering plant. For the VFG composting plants, the study revealed a good linear relationship of the odour concentration with the total volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentration (R²=0.97, n=16) as well as with the concentration of esters and ketones (R²=0.9, n=19). For biofilter emissions of the animal rendering plant, the total VOC concentration was a poor estimator for odour concentration. However, for this type of odour, concentrations of organic sulphur containing compounds correlated well with odour concentrations (R²=0.94, n=8). The results of the study also showed that the relationship between chemical and odour concentrations is specific for each type of odour and cannot be generalized.     

具有苯烷基侧链的芳香液晶聚酯的合成及性质

以熔融缩聚方法全盛了具有苯烷基侧链取代的全芳香液晶聚酯,用TG,DSC,热台偏光显微镜研究了聚酯的热性能,并讨论了取代基对聚酯热性能的影响,所有合成的聚酯均为热致型液晶,且具有较低的相转变温度。特别是当聚对苯二甲酸对苯二酚酯的两个苯环上分别取代了叔丁基和苯烷基,或取代了两个苯烷基侧链后,聚酯的熔融温度下降到225℃以下,并可在室温下溶于普通的有机溶剂中。     

Comparing Cyclophellitol N‐Alkyl and N‐Acyl Cyclophellitol Aziridines as Activity‐Based Glycosidase Probes

The synthesis and evaluation as activity‐based probes (ABPs) of three configurationally distinct, fluorescent N‐alkyl cyclophellitol aziridine isosteres for profiling GH1 β‐glucosidase (GBA), GH27 α‐galactosidase (GLA) and GH29 α‐fucosidase (FUCA) is described. In comparison with the corresponding acyl aziridine ABPs reported previously, the alkyl aziridine ABPs are synthesized easily and are more stable in mild acidic and basic media, and are thus easier to handle. The β‐glucose‐configured alkyl aziridine ABP proves equally effective in labeling GBA as its N‐acyl counterpart, whereas the N‐acyl aziridines targeting GLA and FUCA outperform their N‐alkyl counterparts. Alkyl aziridines can therefore be an attractive alternative in retaining glycosidase ABP design, but in targeting a new retaining glycosidase both N‐alkyl and N‐acyl aziridines are best considered at the onset of a new study.     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and thermal properties of the nickel(II), palladium(II) and copper(II) complexes of oxalyldihydrazide

Summary The new complexes K₂[ML₂]·2H₂O (M=Ni, Cu), K₂[PdL₂]·H₂O, K₂[CuL₂(H₂O)₂]·H₂O, [Ni(LH₂)Cl₂]_x ·xH₂O and [Ni(LH₂)Br₂]_x·1,5xH₂O, where LH₂= oxalyldihydrazide, have been prepared. Emphasis has been put on determining the conditions for the synthesis of both deprotonated and non-deprotonated Ni^II complexes. They were characterized by analyses, conductivity measurements, thermogravimetry, magnetic susceptibility and spectroscopic methods like i.r. and far-i.r., diffuse reflectance u.v. vis, and e.s.r. Monomeric square planar and distorted octahedral structures were found for the deprotonated complexes in the solid state while the non-deprotonated Ni^II complexes appeared to be pseudo-tetrahedral polymers. The doubly deprotonated L²-ion exhibits a bidentate N(amide), N(amide)-coordination, while the neutral LH₂ molecule behaves as a N(amino), N(amino)-bidentate ligand forming polymeric structures. Vibrational analysis of the complexes was carried out, using hydrogen and metal isotopic substitution.