Flocculation with poly(ethylene oxide)/tyrosine-rich polypeptide complexes

New insights into the mechanism for the flocculation of aqueous colloids by the sequential addition of a water-borne phenolic polymer, called cofactor, followed by very high molecular poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) are presented. It is proposed that PEO/cofactor complexes form in the aqueous phase and adsorb onto the surfaces of the target colloidal particles. Flocculation will occur if PEO/cofactor complex on one particle will bind to adsorbed complex on a second particle; i.e., if the complexes are sticky. The proposed mechanism was illustrated by flocculation experiments with precipitated calcium carbonate, very high molecular weight PEO, and a polypeptide cofactor called PEY1 which was a 1:1 random copolymer of l-glycine and l-tyrosine. Independent measurements of the PEO/PEY1 complex properties, in the absence of calcium carbonate, were used to support the mechanism. In order for PEO/PEY1 complexes to be sticky, they must simultaneously have unbound PEY1 and polymer segments. With time the complexes deactivate (i.e., lose their stickiness) by a reconfiguration process which results in elimination of either unbound PEY1 or PEO segments.     

Polyarylaminophosphazene copolymers

A series of polyarylaminophosphazene copolymers have been prepared and are described. In each preparation, two arylamines were allowed to competitively react with polydichlorophosphazene, and the substituent ratios of the resulting copolymers, determined by high-temperature ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, generally reflect expected steric and electronic effects on the relative reactivities of the arylamines studied. The copolymers have intrinsic viscosities of 0.64–1.25 dl/g, glass transition temperatures of 75–104°C, and decomposition temperatures of 220–260°C. These properties, which are comparable to those of polyarylaminophosphazene homopolymers, are discussed in regard to what they may reflect about the structure of the polymers.     

A selenium-selective chromatoraphic detector based on isotope cluster

A selenium-selective chromatograhic detector based on mass spectrometry is described. Full mass spectra are collected continously from the gas chromatographic effuent. A computer program then searches the spectra for the naturall-occurring selenium isotope cluster, indicating which spectra in the data set are most likely to contain those clusters. The device involves a selective data-reduction technqiue, as opposed to a selective data-collection process; it therefore possesses some useful advantages. The method was tested on the EPA/NIH Mass Spectral Data Base and on the analysis of trimethylsilylated amino-acid mixtures including selenomethionine.     

Cloning and expression of full-lengthTrichoderma reesi cellobiohydrolase I cDNAs inEscherichia coli

The process of converting lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol via fermentation depends on developing economic sources of cellulases.Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase (CBH) I is a key enzyme in the fungal cellulase system; however, specific process application requirements make modification of the enzyme by site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) an attractive goal. To undertake SDM investigations, an efficient, cellulase-free host is required. To test the potential ofEscherichia coli as a host, T.reesei CBH I cDNA was expressed inE. coli strain GI 724 as a C-terminal fusion to thermostable thioredoxin protein. Full-length expression of CBH I was subsequently verified by molecular weight, Western blot analysis, and activity on soluble substrates.

     

Potential energy surfaces for the photodissociation H2O→O(1Dg + H2(X1Σ+g)

The minimum energy pathways for symmetrical dissociation of water into O(¹D_g + H₂(X¹Σ⁺_g) are calculated by the MRD Cl technique for various excited states of H₂O and possible mechanism for the photodissociation are discussed.     

Synthesis,molecular structure and stereoisomerization of 2-phosphinyl and 2-phosphonylethyl diorganotin halides

Functionally substituted triorganotin halides V–IX of type R₂Sn(X)(CH₂)₂P(O)PhR′ (R = Me, t-Bu; Rt? = OEt, t-Bu; X = Cl, Br) have been synthesized by halogen cleavage of the corresponding tetraorganotin compounds R₂R²Sn(CH₂)₂P(O)PhR′ (R² = Me or Ph), I–IV. The solid state structure of Me₂Sn (Br) (CH₂)₂P(O)PhBu-t (IX), determined by X-ray diffraction, shows a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal structure at the tin atom, with intramolecular coordination of the PO group. Spectroscopic data are in agreement with such a structure in solution for compounds V–IX. Upon varying the temperature, concentration or solvent in solutions of compounds V–IX a stereoisomerization is observed. On the basis of NMR ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P, ¹¹⁹Sn), IR and conductivity studies, it is suggested that this stereoisomerization involves a hexacoordinated transition state at the tin atom.     

Five-coordinate Fe(III)NO and Fe(II)CO porphyrinates: where are the electrons and why does it matter?

Recent years have seen dramatic growth in our understanding of the biological roles of nitric oxide (NO). Yet, the fundamental underpinnings of its reactivities with transition metal centers in proteins and enzymes, the stabilities of their structures, and the relationships between structure and reactivity remains, to a significant extent, elusive. This is especially true for the so-called ferric heme nitrosyls ([FeNO](6) in the Enemark-Feltham scheme). The Fe-CO and C-O bond strengths in the isoelectronic ferrous carbonyl complexes are widely recognized to be inversely correlated and sensitive to structural, environmental, and electronic factors. On the other hand, the Fe-NO and N-O bonds in [FeNO](6) heme complexes exhibit seemingly inconsistent behavior in response to varying structure and environment. This report contains resonance Raman and density functional theory results that suggest a new model for FeNO bonding in five-coordinate [FeNO](6) complexes. On the basis of resonance Raman and FTIR data, a direct correlation between the nu(Fe)(-)(NO) and nu(N)(-)(O) frequencies of [Fe(OEP)NO](ClO(4)) and [Fe(OEP)NO](ClO(4)).CHCl(3) (two crystal forms of the same complex) has been established. Density functional theory calculations show that the relationship between Fe-NO and N-O bond strengths is responsive to FeNO electron density in three molecular orbitals. The highest energy orbital of the three is sigma-antibonding with respect to the entire FeNO unit. The other two comprise a lower-energy, degenerate, or nearly degenerate pair that is pi-bonding with respect to Fe-NO and pi-antibonding with respect to N-O. The relative sensitivities of the electron density distributions in these orbitals are shown to be consistent with all published indicators of Fe-N-O bond strengths and angles, including the examples reported here.