Dihydrogen trioxide clusters, (HOOOH)n (n = 2-4), and the hydrogen-bonded complexes of HOOOH with acetone and dimethyl ether: implications for the decomposition of HOOOH

Hydrogen-bonded gas-phase molecular clusters of dihydrogen trioxide (HOOOH) have been investigated using DFT (B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd)) and MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) methods. The binding energies, vibrational frequencies, and dipole moments for the various dimer, trimer, and tetramer structures, in which HOOOH acts as a proton donor as well as an acceptor, are reported. The stronger binding interaction in the HOOOH dimer, as compared to that in the analogous cyclic structure of the HOOH dimer, indicates that dihydrogen trioxide is a stronger acid than hydrogen peroxide. A new decomposition pathway for HOOOH was explored. Decomposition occurs via an eight-membered ring transition state for the intermolecular (slightly asynchronous) transfer of two protons between the HOOOH molecules, which form a cyclic dimer, to produce water and singlet oxygen (Delta (1)O 2). This autocatalytic decomposition appears to explain a relatively fast decomposition (Delta H a(298K) = 19.9 kcal/mol, B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)) of HOOOH in nonpolar (inert) solvents, which might even compete with the water-assisted decomposition of this simplest of polyoxides (Delta H a(298K) = 18.8 kcal/mol for (H 2O) 2-assisted decomposition) in more polar solvents. The formation of relatively strongly hydrogen-bonded complexes between HOOOH and organic oxygen bases, HOOOH-B (B = acetone and dimethyl ether), strongly retards the decomposition in these bases as solvents, most likely by preventing such a proton transfer.     

Electric transport and ion binding in solutions of fullerenehexamalonic acid Th-C66(COOH)12 and its alkali and calcium salts

The transport numbers of the macroion constituent in aqueous solutions of fullerenehexamalonic acid, C66(COOH)12, and its lithium, sodium, cesium, and calcium salts were determined by the indirect moving boundary method. By combining the transport data with the literature data for the electrical conductivity of the same solutions, the fraction of bound counterions to the fullerenehexamalonate macroion was calculated. It was found that about 20-40% of counterions are associated with the macroion in the concentration range from about 0.1 to 0.002 mol COO-/L. Consequently, under the influence of a potential field, these counterions move toward the anode as an integral part of the migrating macroion in opposition to the electrical field. Therefore, the absolute values of the macroion constituent transport numbers are relatively high. The experimental values of the fractions of bound counterions were compared with the theoretical predictions based on the solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for the spherical cell model, and a reasonable agreement was obtained.     

Synthesis and characterization of dicyclopalladated complexes of azobenzene derivatives by experimental and computational methods

A series of doubly cyclopalladated complexes of azobenzene and its unsymmetrical substituted derivatives, namely, {LPdCl(mu-AZB)LPdCl}, where AZB is azobenzene, 4-methylazobenzene, 4-aminoazobenzene, or 4-(dimethylamino)-4'-nitroazobenzene, while L is N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, or pyridine, have been prepared. Their structural and spectroscopic properties were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis as well as by (1)H NMR, IR, UV-vis, and fluorimetric studies. Experimental results were rationalized by quantum chemical calculations. Crystal structures of several complexes have been resolved, and for the first time, it was demonstrated that the cyclopalladation may take place at the azobenzene aromatic ring having the strong electron-withdrawing substituent at the para position. In all cases, the metalated carbon and N,N-dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide ligands are mutually trans, whereas the pyridine ligands are in the cis arrangement. cis/trans isomerism in the isolated compounds is explained by comparing the calculated energies of isomeric structures. All of the complexes absorb strongly in the visible region, and according to time-dependent density functional theory calculations, most of the absorptions can be attributed to intraligand pi --> pi* or metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions. The fluorescence emission was observed for the complexes with 4-aminoazobenzene or 4-(dimethylamino)-4'-nitroazobenzene. The aromaticity of palladacycles is evaluated by several aromaticity indices and related to relevant experimental findings.     

Development of an analytical method for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sewage sludge by the use of gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants. As a consequence of their widespread use, they have been released into the environment. PBDEs are lipophilic organic contaminants that enter wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) from urban, agricultural and industrial discharges. Because of their low aqueous solubility and resistance to biodegradation, up to 90% of the PBDEs are accumulated in the sewage sludge during the wastewater treatment. To assess the possibilities for sludge re-use, a reliable determination of the concentrations of these PBDEs is of crucial importance. Six PBDE congeners (BDE 28, BDE 47, BDE 99, BDE 100, BDE 153 and BDE 154) are listed as priority substances under the EU Water Framework Directive. In the present work a simple analytical method with minimal sample-preparation steps was developed for a sensitive and reliable determination of the six PBDEs in sewage sludge by the use of gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS). For this purpose an extraction procedure was optimised. Different extracting agents (methanol (MeOH), acetic acid (AcOH)/MeOH mixture (3:1) and 0.1 mol L⁻¹ hydrochloric acid (HCl) in MeOH) followed by the addition of a Tris-citrate buffer (co-extracting agent) and iso-octane were applied under different modes of extraction (mechanical shaking, microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction). Mechanical shaking or the microwave-assisted extraction of sewage sludge with 0.1 mol L⁻¹ HCl in MeOH and the subsequent addition of the Tris-citrate buffer and the iso-octane extracted the PBDEs from the complex sludge matrix most effectively. However, due to easier sample manipulation during the extraction step, mechanical shaking was used. The PBDEs in the organic phase were quantified with GC-ICP-MS by applying a standard addition calibration method. The spike recovery test (recoveries between 95 and 104%) and comparative analyses with the species-specific isotope-dilution (ID) GC-ICP-MS confirmed the accuracy of the developed analytical procedure. The procedure is sensitive (limits of detection (LODs) for PBDEs congeners between 0.2 and 0.3 ng g⁻¹), repeatable and reproducible (RSDs 2.2–5.7%) and was applied for the determination of PBDEs in sewage sludge samples collected three times at the municipal WWTP over a period of 16 years.     

Not all G-quadruplexes exhibit ion-channel-like properties: NMR study of ammonium ion (non)movement within the d(G(3)T(4)G(4))(2) quadruplex

A solution-state NMR study on 15NH4(+) ion movement within d(G(3)T(4)G(4))(2), a dimeric G-quadruplex consisting of three G-quartets and two T(4) loops, rather unexpectedly demonstrated the absence of 15NH4(+) ion movement between the binding sites U and L along the central axis of the G-quadruplex. Distinct temperature dependences of autocorrelation signals for U and L binding sites have been observed in 15N-1H NzExHSQC spectra which correlate with the local stiffness of the G-quadruplex. The volumes of the cross-peaks, which are the result of 15NH4(+) ion movement, have been interpreted in terms of rate constants, T(1) relaxation, and proton exchange. 15NH4(+) ion movements from the binding sites U and L into the bulk solution are characterized by lifetimes of 139 ms and 1.7 s at 298 K, respectively. The 12 times faster movement from the binding site U demonstrates that 15NH4(+) ion movement is controlled by the structure of T4 loop residues, which through diagonal- vs edge-type orientations impose distinct steric restraints for cations to leave or enter the G-quadruplex. Arrhenius-type analysis has afforded an activation energy of 66 kJ mol(-)1 for the UB process, while it could not be determined for the LB process due to slow rates at temperatures below 298 K. We further the use of the 15NH4(+) ion as an NMR probe to gain insight into the occupancy of binding sites by cations and kinetics of ion movement which are intrinsically correlated with the structural details, dynamic fluctuations, and local flexibility of the DNA structure.     

Wiring of glucose oxidase with graphene nanoribbons: an electrochemical third generation glucose biosensor

A reagentless third generation electrochemical glucose biosensor was fabricated based on wiring the template enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) with graphene nanoribbons (GN) in order to create direct electron transfer between the co-factor (flavin adenine dinucleotide, FAD) and the electrode. The strategy involved: (i) isolation of the apo-enzyme by separating it from its co-enzyme; (ii) preparation of graphene nanoribbons (GN) by oxidative unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes; (iii) adsorptive immobilization of GNs on the surface of a screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE); (iv) covalent attachment of FAD to the nanoribbons; (v) recombination of the apo-enzyme with the covalently bound FAD to the holoenzyme; and (vi) stabilization of the bio-layer with a thin membrane of Nafion. The biosensor (referred to as GN/FAD/apo-GOx/Nafion/SPCE) is operated at a potential of +0.475 V vs Ag/AgCl/{3 M KCl} in flow-injection mode with an oxygen-free phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) acting as a carrier. The signals are linearly proportional to the concentration of glucose in the range from 50 to 2000 mg?L^?1 with a detection limit of 20 mg?L^?1. The repeatability (10 measurements, at 1000 mg?L^?1 glucose) is ±1.4% and the reproducibility (5 sensors, 1000 mg?L^?1 glucose) is ±1.8%. The biosensor was applied to the determination of glucose in human serum.

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Graphical abstract Wiring of the apo-enzyme of glucose oxidase (apo-GOx) with graphene nanoribbons (GN) bound to FAD at a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). Cyclic voltammetric and amperometric responses to various glucose concentrations.

     

On duality between étale groupoids and Hopf algebroids

For any étale Lie groupoid G over a smooth manifold M, the groupoid convolution algebra of smooth functions with compact support on G has a natural coalgebra structure over the commutative algebra which makes it into a Hopf algebroid. Conversely, for any Hopf algebroid A over we construct the associated spectral étale Lie groupoid over M such that is naturally isomorphic to G. Both these constructions are functorial, and is fully faithful left adjoint to . We give explicit conditions under which a Hopf algebroid is isomorphic to the Hopf algebroid of an étale Lie groupoid G.     

A Simple and Efficient Preparation of High‐Purity Hydrogen Trioxide (HOOOH)

A simple and efficient method allows the synthesis of solutions of high‐purity hydrogen trioxide (HOOOH), released in the low‐temperature methytrioxorhenium(VII) (MTO)‐catalyzed transformation of the ozonized polystyrene‐supported dimethylphenylsilane. High‐purity hydrogen trioxide solutions in diethyl ether, separated from the polymer and free of any reactants and by‐products, can be stored at ?20 °C for weeks. By removing the solvent in vacuo, HOOOH could be isolated in highly pure form or transferred to other solvents, thus significantly extending the research perspectives of HOOOH for novel applications.     

A 14N nuclear quadrupole resonance study of phase transitions and molecular dynamics in hydrogen bonded organic antiferroelectrics 55DMBP-H2ca and 1,5-NPD-H2ca

The temperature dependence of the (14)N NQR frequencies has been measured in antiferroelectric and paraelectric 55DMBP-H(2)ca and 1,5-NPD-H(2)ca. In both compounds we observe two non-equivalent nitrogen positions (N(+)-H···O(-) and N···H-O) in the antiferroelectric phase. The two nitrogen positions become equivalent (N···H···O) in the paraelectric phase. The critical exponent of the local antiferroelectric order parameter has been determined from the NQR data. The principal values of the quadrupole coupling tensor correlate in both compounds. The correlation diagrams clearly show how a proton migrates from the antiferroelectric position towards the paraelectric position in the bifurcated hydrogen bond on increasing the temperature. A slow motion has been observed in 55DMBP-H(2)ca by the (1)H and (14)N spin-lattice relaxation. An analysis of the spin-lattice relaxation data suggests a slow exchange between two non-planar conformations of the bipyridine molecule.