The influence of seasonal changes in the concentration of trace elements in liver tissue of various wild animals determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Levels of some of the most essential minerals in liver tissue of wild animals living in game reserves in South Africa were studied by instrumental thermal neutron activation analysis and a Ge(Li) detector. In addition, some of the most important trace elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The distribution of the content of the various elements was followed for about two years and attempts have been made to explain the influence of seasonal fluctuations of the micronutrients determined.     

Synthesis of racemic and optically active Δ1- and Δ6-3,4-cis-tetrahydrocannabinols1

Three syntheses of the hitherto unknown (±)-Δ⁶-3,4-cis-THC 4a and the first total synthesis of optically active Δ¹- and Δ⁶-cis-THC's are described. These syntheses utilize a stereospecific intramolecular epoxide opening by phenolate anion; an acid catalyzed equilibration of Δ¹- and Δ⁶-cis-THC acetates; and a kinetically controlled dehydration. The use of HPLC, GLC and NMR for the separation and identification of closely related THC's is discussed.     

Chemistry of thienopyridines. VII. Mechanistic studies on the synthesis of thieno[2,3-c] pyridine by thermolytic cyclization

A study was made of the formation of thieno[2,3-c]pyridine (1) from hydrogen sulfide and 4-vinylpyridine in a flow system at 630°. 2-(4-Pyridyl)ethanethiol and bis-2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl sulfide were found to be likely intermediates. Based on these studies, there was devised a two-step practical preparative method for I (optimum overall yield 58%) which consists of preliminary conversion of 4-vinylpyridine to benzyl 2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl sulfide and subsequent thermolysis (at 605°) of this substance.     

Translational energy disposal in molecular collisions: The transfer of momentum constraint

A Franck—Condon type argument, which requires the least transfer of momenta to the nuclei during a collision is outlined and applied to the analysis of translational energy disposal and its dependence on the initial translational energy. Using the maximal entropy procedure of information theory we are able to proceed directly from the assumed (model) constraint to the product state distribution.     

An investigation of some experimental parameters in atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry

Atomic fluorescence in flames is measured by an adaptation of a commercially available flame spectrophotometer. A study is reported of the effect of background radiation and source scattering on 3 flames, air-propane, air-hydrogen and air-acetylene, and of the effects of variation of fuel gas pressure, zone of measurement in the flame, analysing monochromator slit-width and wavelength of measurement. The air-propane flame appears to offer several advantages. The atomic fluorescence of 10 metals is described; those of Co, Fe and Mn have not been previously reported. Excitation of spectra is achieved by means of an a.c. xenon arc lamp or individual discharge lamps.     

Quantum solvation of phthalocyanine in superfluid helium droplets

We have measured quantum states of the solvent-solute system of phthalocyanine in superfluid helium droplets in a high resolution pump-probe experiment. This provides evidence for the attribution of a splitting effect in the emission spectra of phthalocyanine in helium droplets to the relaxation of the first helium layer upon electronic excitation, measured recently by us. Our experimental results are a strong indication for the first helium layer playing a key roll for the solvation of molecules in helium droplets and, thus, for their spectroscopic features.     

Interfacial electron transfer in FeII(CN)6 4- -sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles: a study of direct charge injection by electroabsorption spectroscopy

Electroabsorption (Stark) spectroscopy has been used to study the dye sensitized interfacial electron transfer in an Fe(II)(CN)(6)(4)(-) donor complex bound to a TiO(2) nanoparticle. The average charge-transfer distance determined from the Stark spectra is 5.3 A. This value is similar to the estimated distance between the Fe(II) center of the complex and the Ti(IV) surface site coordinated to the nitrogen end of a bridging CN ligand in (CN)(5)Fe(II)-CN-Ti(IV)(particle). This finding suggests that the electron injection is to either an individual titanium surface site or a small number of Ti centers localized around the point of ferrocyanide coordination to the particle and not into a conduction band orbital delocalized over the nanoparticle. The polarizability change, Tr(Deltaalpha), between the ground and the excited states of the Fe(II)(CN)(6)(4)(-)-TiO(2)(particle) system is approximately 3 time larger than normally observed in mixed-valence dinuclear metal complexes. It is proposed that the large polarizability of the excited state increases the dipole-moment changes measured by Stark spectroscopy.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic olefins catalyzed by iridium complexes of proline derived phosphine-oxazoline ligands

The synthesis of a series of phosphine-oxazoline ligands is reported. This ligands are synthesized by reaction of a phosphine chloride with the secondary nitrogen of proline. Upon coordination to iridium the resulting complexes can be used in the asymmetric hydrogenation of simple olefins. The effect of different counter ions and substitution at the oxazoline and the phosphine is reported.     

Qy-excitation resonance Raman spectra of chlorophyll a and bacteriochlorophyll c/d aggregates. Effects of peripheral substituents on the low-frequency vibrational characteristics

Low-frequency (80-700 cm-1) Qy-excitation resonance Raman (RR) spectra are reported for thin-solid-film aggregates of several chlorophyll (Chl) a and bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c/d pigments. The pigments include Chl a, pyrochlorophyll a (PChl a), methylpyrochloropyllide a (MPChl a), methylbacteriochloropyllide d (MBChl d), [E,M] BChl cS, [E,E] BChl cF, and [P,E] BChl cF. The BChl c/d's are the principal constituents of the chlorosomal light-harvesting apparatus of green photosynthetic bacteria. Together, the various Chl a's and BChl c/d's represent a series in which the peripheral substituent groups on the chlorin macrocycle are varied in systematic fashion. All of the Chl a and BChl c/d aggregates exhibit rich low-frequency vibrational patterns. In the case of the BChl c/d's, certain modes in the very low-frequency region (100-200 cm-1) experience exceptionally strong Raman intensity enhancements. The frequencies of these modes are qualitatively similar to those of oscillations observed in femtosecond optical experiments on chlorosomes. The RR data indicate that the low-frequency vibrations are best characterized as intramolecular out-of-plane deformations of the chlorin macrocycle rather than intermolecular modes. The coupling of the out-of-plane modes in turn implies that the Qy electronic transition(s) of the aggregate have out-of-plane character. The RR spectra of the BChl c/d's also reveal that the nature of the alkyl substituents at the 8 and 12 positions of the macrocycle plays an important role in determining the detailed features of the low-frequency vibrational patterns. The frequencies of the modes are particularly sensitive to larger substituent groups whose conformations may be more easily perturbed in the tightly packed aggregates. These factors also make aggregates of pigments containing larger substituents more susceptible to structural, electronic, and vibrational inhomgeneities. Collectively, the RR studies of the various pigments delineate the factors which influence the low-frequency vibrational characteristics of chlorosomal aggregates.