Selective liquid adsorption and structural properties of montmorillonite and its hexadecylpyridinium derivatives

Summary An X-ray diffraction method was used to study the structures of montmorillonites, the surfaces of which were covered to a systematically increasing extent with hexadecylpyridinium (HDP) cations. It was found that, depending on the degree of cover of the surface, the HDP cations form a mono- or bimolecular layer in the interlayer space. A detailed investigation was made of the selective sorption of binary mixtures on montmorillonite and on HDP-montmorillonites with different surface coverages. The adsorption excess isotherms were determined, as were the adsorption capacities from analysis of the isotherms, and also the equivalent specific surface areas.It was established that from benzene-n-heptane mixtures the benzene is adsorbed only on the external surface of montmorillonite, while in the case of organocomplexes it causes moderate disaggregation.From benzene, alcohols with different numbers of carbon atoms are also preferentially adsorbed on the internal surfaces of montmorillonite; with the rise in the number of carbon atoms, the extent of interlamellar adsorption decreases. In the case of HDP-montmorillonites in methanol-benzene mixtures, the adsorption capacity exhibits a monotonous increase with the degree of organopbility in the range under consideration. In the event of optimum organophility the disaggregation of the organocomplex is complete, and the equivalent specific surface area is 764-778 m² · g^–1. The swelling of the organocomplex, which can be characterized by X-ray diffraction measurement, is in close correlation with the interlamellar liquid adsorption. The results show modification of the surface of montmorillonite with HDP cations fundamentally determines the nature and extent of the selective liquid adsorption.

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Zusammenfassung Die Struktur von mit Hexadecyl-pyridinium(HDP)-Kationen im systematisch gesteigerten Maße bedeckten Montmorilloniten wurde mit der Röntgendiffraktions-Methode untersucht. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die HDP-Kationen, von der Bedeckung der Oberfläche abhängend, im Schichtzwischenraum eine mono- bzw. bimolekulare Schicht bilden. Die selektive Sorption binärer Gemische wurde an Montmorilloniten und an HDP-Montmorilloniten verschiedener Bedeckung eingehend untersucht. Es wurden die Adsorptionsisothermen von Flüssigkeitsgemischen und aus deren Analyse die Adsorptionskapazitäten und die äquivalenten spezifischen Oberflächen bestimmt.Es wurde festgestellt, daß aus Benzol-n-Heptan-Gemischen das Benzol nur an der äußeren Montmorillonite-Oberfläche adsorbiert wird, während es bei Organokomplexen eine mäßige Desaggregation verursacht. Die Adsorption von Alkoholen verschiedener Kohlenstoffzahl aus Benzol erscheint auch an inneren Montmorillonit-Oberflächen bevorzugt; mit zunehmender Kohlenstoffzahl nimmt das Ausmaß der interlamellaren Adsorption ab. Bei HDP-Montmorilloniten zeigt die Adsorptionskapazität aus Methanol-Benzol-Gemischen mit zunehmender Organophilität im untersuchten Gebiet eine monotone Steigerung. Im Falle optimaler Organophilität ist die Desaggregation vollständig, die äquivalente spezifische Oberfläche beträgt 764-778 m²/g. Die durch Röntgenn-diffraktionsmessung charakterisierbare Quellung des Organokomplexes steht mit der interlamellaren Flüssig-keitsadsorption in engern Zusammenhang. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Charakter und Ausmaß der selektiven Flüssigkeitsadsorption durch die Modifizierung der Montmorillonit-Oberfläche mit HDP-Kationen grundlegend verändert wird.

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With 14 figures and 4 tables     

Complexation of Ni (II) and Zn(II) ions by 3-(1-naphthyI)-2-mercaptopropenoic acid

The complexation equilibria between Ni(II) and Zn(II) metal ions with 3-(1-naphthyl)-2-mercaptopropenoic acid (H₂NMP) were studied by glass electrode potentiometry, at 25 °C and 1.0 mol·dm^–3 in NaClO₄ as constant ionic medium in 50% (v/v) water-ethanol solutions. Formation constants for the complexes Ni(NMP), Ni(NMP) ₂ ^2– , Zn(NMP) and Zn(NMP) ₂ ^2– , refined by the MINIGLASS program, are reported.     

Nachweis von Oxoverbindungen. IV

Zusammenfassung Enolisierende Oxoverbindungen, die eine - CH₂-CO- oder eine- CO-NH-NH-Gruppe enthalten, geben mit Diazoniumsalz eine Farbreaktion. Formaldehyd, Benzaldehyd, Nitrobenzaldehyde, Benzoin, Benzophenon usw. reagieren dabei nicht. 1,3-Diketone geben mit diazotiertem p-Nitroanilin zweierlei Färbungen, bei geringer Diazoniumsalzkonzentration eine rote, bei großem Überschuß eine blaue oder grüne Färbung. Die Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit ändert sich auch nach der Art des Diazoniumsalzes. Mit dieser Methode wurden selektive Nachweise für Oxoverbindungen ausgearbeitet. Acetonspuren können in Äthanol bzw. in Wasser oder in Methyläthylketon mit diazotiertem Anilin, 10^–3 % Acetessigsäureäthylester in Äthylacetat mit diazotiertem p-Phenetidin, 10^–5 % Acetylaceton in Aceton mit diazotiertem p-Nitroanilin, außerdem Acetaldehyd neben Formaldehyd, Acetylphenylhydrazin neben Acetanilid, mbzw. o- neben p-Nitroanilin nachgewiesen werden. Nach dem Absorptionsspektrum erwies sich das Reaktionsprodukt von Aceton mit diazotiertem p-Nitroanilin als eine Azoverbindung.

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Detection of Oxocompounds. IV

Summary Enolizing oxo-compounds, that contain a -CH₂-CO- or a -CO-NH-NH-group, yield a color reaction with diazonium salt. Formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, nitrobenzaldehyde, benzoin, benzophenone etc. however do not show this reaction. 1,3-diketones yield two kinds of color reactions with diazotizedp-nitraniline; a slight diazonium salt concentration yields a red coloration, while a large excess gives a blue or green coloration. Selective detections for oxo-compounds were developed with this method. Traces of acetone may be detected in ethanol or water or in methylethyl ketone by means of diazotized aniline, 10^–3% of acetoacetic ester can be detected in ethyl acetate by means of diazotizedp-phenetidine, 10^–5% acetylacetone in aldehyde, acetylphenylhydrazine in the presence of acetanilide,m- oro- in the presence ofp-nitraniline. Judging from the absorption spectrum, the reaction product from acetone and diazotizedp-nitraniline is an azo compound.

     

Prompt gamma activation analysis using a chopped neutron beam

A beam chopper has been developed at the cold neutron PGAA facility of the Budapest Research Reactor. In the open phase of the chopper the usual prompt gamma-spectrum is recorded, while in the decay phase short-lived decay lines can be collected with good counting statistics on an extremely low baseline. A series of elements has been measured with the chopped beam technique to assess the capabilities of the new technique. An archaeological sample was also examined, to demonstrate how spectral interferences can be resolved.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the mononuclear zinc-beta-lactamase from Bacillus cereus complexed with benzylpenicillin and a quantum chemical study of the reaction mechanism

Herein, we present results from MD simulations of the Michaelis complex formed between the B. cereus zinc-beta-lactamase enzyme and benzylpenicillin. The structural and dynamical effects induced by substrate-binding, the specific role of the conserved residues, and the near attack conformers of the Michaelis complex are discussed. Quantum chemical methods (HF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G*) are also applied to study the hydrolysis reaction of N-methylazetidinone catalyzed by a monozinc system consisting of the side chains of the histidine residues (His86, His88, and His149) complexed with Zn-OH and the side chains of Asp90 and His210. From this model system, we built molecular-mechanics representations of the prereactive complex and transition state configurations docked into the active site. Linear-scaling semiempirical calculations coupled with a continuum solvent model were then performed on these static models. We propose that the experimental rate data for the B. cereus enzyme is compatible with a one-step mechanism for the hydrolysis of beta-lactam substrates in which His210 acts as a proton donor.     

Enzyme catalysis in organic solvents: a promising field for optical biosensing

The ability of enzymes to work in non-aqueous media offers new and almost unexploited possibilities for the development of new optical biosensors. The advantages of performing biocatalytic reactions in non-aqueous media are discussed in relation to their possible application in optical biosensor design. Attention is focused on the factors that influence enzymatic catalysis in organic solvents, including the role of enzyme-associated water, criteria for solvent selection and the alteration of enzyme specificity. Recent examples of relevant applications and future prospects of organic-phase optical biosensing are discussed.     

DNase activity ofMicrococcal endonuclease insolubilized on corn cob

The endonuclease from S. aureus has been immobilized on ground maize cob, previously activated with tosyl chloride. Pretreatment of the support on acid before tosylation yielded the best insoluble enzyme derivatives. The catalytic activity has been evaluated as percent of total hydrolysis attained in a batch reactor using DNA as a model substrate. The derivatives prepared are very resistant to high temperatures under conditions of catalysis (24 h at 45 degrees C). For these long reaction times, the extent of hydrolysis in the presence of small amounts of organic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide at 2 percent) is larger than in plain buffer (Tris). This type of derivative could be very useful for the removal of nucleic acids from single-cell protein concentrates.     

Extraction of the (C4H9)4N+Co(II)SCN− ion-pair in chloroform and in isoamyl alcohol: Spectrophotometric determination of cobalt

When excesses of ammonium thiocyanate and tetrabutylammonium chloride are added to a cobalt(II) solution, a water-insoluble ion-pair is formed; this compound is soluble in chloroform, isoamyl alcohol, and other solvents. The variables which affect the extractions by these two solvents are studied in order to obtain the optimal conditions and two alternative extraction procedures are proposed. Thus, the separation of cobalt as a previous step for its spectrophotometric determination is studied.     

Nachweis von Peroxiden,Hydroperoxiden und Persäuren

Zusammenfassung Die Indikatorbase 4-Methoxyphenylazo--naphthylamin wird von p-Nitrobenzoylperoxid in neutralem oder saurem Medium ohne, von p-Nitrobenzopersäure unter Erwärmen oxydiert, gar nicht aber von p-Nitroäthylbenzol--hydroperoxid. Auf der Grundlage dieses Verhaltens können die drei Verbindungen unterschieden und p-Nitrobenzoylperoxid nachgewiesen werden. Die Indikatorsäure 4-Nitrophenylazo-2-amino-5-nitrobenzol wird von p-Nitroäthylbenzol--hydroperoxid oxydiert, nicht aber von p-Nitrobenzoylperoxid und p-Nitrobenzopersäure. Mit dieser Farbreaktion kann p-Nitroäthylbenzol--hydroperoxid nachgewiesen werden. p-Nitrobenzopersäure kann neben p-Nitroäthylbenzolhydroperoxid mit einer Farbreaktion von p- + m-Phenylendiamin nachgewiesen werden. Auch p-Nitrobenzoylperoxid gibt die Reaktion, aber p-Nitroäthylbenzol--hydroperoxid setzt sich nicht um.

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Detection of peroxides, hydroperoxides, and peracids

Summary The indicator base 4-methoxyphenylazo--naphthylamine is oxidized in neutral medium without warming byp-nitrobenzoyl peroxide, and byp-nitrobenzoperacid with warming, but it is not oxidized at all byp-nitroethylbenzene--hydroperoxide. The three compounds may be differentiated on the basis of these behaviors and furthermore it is thus possible to detect and identifyp-nitrobenzoyl peroxide. The indicator acid 4-nitrophenylazo-2-amino-5-nitrobenzene is oxidized byp-nitroethylbenzene--hydroperoxide but not byp-nitrobenzoyl peroxide andp-nitrobenzoperacid.p-Nitroethylbenzene--hydroperoxide may be detected through this color reaction.p-Nitrobenzoperacid can be detected in the presence ofp-nitroethylbenzene--hydroperoxide by a color reaction withp + m-phenylenediamine but no reaction is given byp-nitroethylbenzene--hydroperoxide.

     

Application of pressurized sample preparation methods for the analysis of steels and copper alloys

Pressurized sample preparation devices (High Pressure Asher, Pressurized Microwave Digestion system, compared with a PTFE decomposition vessel) were used to dissolve certified metal alloy samples (steel, copper) for ICP analysis. Based on the results of the analysis it was established that both up-to-date devices can be advantageously applied to quickly and quantitatively dissolve metal alloy samples. To dissolve the samples, two different kinds of acid mixtures (A: nitric and hydrochloric acid; B: nitric and hydrochloric and sulphuric and phosphoric acid) were used. The sample preparation is simpler and less time-consuming than the earlier commonly used methods, sample loss and degree of contamination are also reduced. Steel samples containing tungsten, titanium and niobium (less than 0.5%) can only be analyzed using a mixture of the four acids. By dissolving steel samples in the nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture, the concentration of their most common elements (Cr, Ni, Mn, V, Cu) as well as their S and P content can be determined. Copper alloy samples can be dissolved quickly by the pressurized microwave decomposition device using hydrochloric acid and diluted (1:1) nitric acid.