Reaction of Ketones with 1,4-Diaza-1,3-diene Zirconium and Hafnium Complexes: First Example of a 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction of 1,4-Diaza-1,3-diene Complexes of Early Transition Metals

The novel complexes M[O(R)PhCH{CH=N(tBu)}N(tBu)](2) [M = Zr, R = Me (4a), R = Ph (4b) and M = Hf, R = Me (5a), R = Ph (5b)] have been prepared in almost quantitative yield by reaction of (tBu-DAD)(2)Zr (1) and (tBu-DAD)(2)Hf (2) [tBu-DAD = (tBu)N=CHCH=N(tBu)] with 2 equiv of the ketones MeCOPh (3a) or PhCOPh (3b). The reaction proceeds via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the C=O bond across the M-N-C unit of the DAD complexes. The molecular structures of the complexes 4a and 5b have been determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study (4a, triclinic, space group P&onemacr;; a = 10.395(2) ?, b = 10.865(2) ?, c = 16.842(3) ?, alpha = 93.80(3) degrees, beta = 99.84(3) degrees, gamma = 106.12(3) degrees, V = 1787.4(6) ?(3), Z = 2, R1 = 0.035 (wR2 = 0.101) for 6963 reflections with I > 2sigma(I); 5b, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 19.961(4) ?, b = 10.482(2) ?, c = 20.150(4) ?, beta = 91.30(1) degrees, V = 4215(1) ?(3), Z = 4, R1 = 0.036 (wR2 = 0.097) for 4650 reflections with I > 2sigma(I)). The metal atoms in 4a and 5b adopt a pseudooctahedral coordination sphere consisting of four nitrogen and two oxygen atoms. The distortion is a consequence of the [2.2.1] bicyclic structure of the newly formed tridentate ligands which are not able to span three regular octahedral positions.     

Microscopic investigations of homogeneous nucleation in charged sphere suspensions

We studied the homogeneous nucleation kinetics of an aqueous suspension of charged colloidal spheres under de-ionized conditions. Samples of equilibrium crystalline structure were shear molten and the metastable melt left to solidify after cessation of shear. At low particle number densities n, corresponding to low metastability of the melt, nucleation was monitored directly via video microscopy. We determined the nucleation rates gamma(t) by counting the number of newly appearing crystals in the observation volume per unit time. Using a suitable discrete adaptation of Avrami's [J. Chem. Phys. 7, 1003 (1939); ibid.8, 212 (1940); ibid.9, 177 (1941)] model for solidification via homogeneous nucleation and subsequent growth, we calculate the remaining free volume VF(t) to obtain the rate densities J(t) = gamma(t)/VF(t). We observe J(t) to rise steeply, display a plateau at a maximum rate density Jmax, and to decrease again. With increased n the plateau duration shrinks while Jmax increases. At low to moderate number densities fully solidified samples were analyzed by microscopy to obtain the grain-size distribution and the average crystallite size angle brackets(L). Under the assumption of stationarity, we obtained the nucleation rate density J(Avr), which increased strongly with increasing n. Interestingly, J(Avr) agrees quantitatively to Jmax and to J(Avr) as obtained previously from scattering data taken on the same sample at large n. Thus, by combination of different methods, reliable nucleation rate densities are now available over roughly one order of magnitude in n and eight orders of magnitude in J.     

Frictional drag and electrical manipulation of recombinant proteins in polymer-supported membranes

We establish a lipid monolayer supported by a polymer interface that offers advantages over conventional solid-supported membranes for determining the frictional drag at the membrane-protein interface as well as for electric field manipulation of membrane-anchored proteins. Polymer-supported monolayers with functional lipid anchors allow for the specific docking of His-tagged green fluorescent protein variants (His-EGFP and His-DsRed tetramer) onto the membrane surface at a defined surface density. In the first part, we measure the lateral diffusion coefficients of lipids and proteins and calculate the frictional drag at the protein-membrane interface. The second part deals with the electric field-induced accumulation of recombinant proteins on a patterned surface. The mean drift velocity of proteins, which can be obtained analytically from the shape of the steady-state concentration gradient, can be controlled by tuning the interplay of electrophoresis and electroosmosis. The results demonstrate the potential of such molecular constructs for the local functionalization of solid substrates with membrane-associated proteins.     

Field-force alignment of disc-type pi systems.

The ability of electric fields to align nonpolar semiconducting molecules was demonstrated using hexa(para-n-dodecylphenyl)hexabenzocoronene (HBC-PhC12) as a model compound. A solution of HBC-PhC12 was applied to a glass surface by drop-casting and the molecules were oriented into highly ordered structures by an electric field during solvent evaporation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed a long-range alignment where the disclike molecules were organized in columns perpendicular to the direction of the imposed electric field. The high anisotropy of the uniaxially aligned films was characterized by cross-polarized light microscopy. The birefringence of the HBC-PhC12 films was related to the presence of extended domains of unidirectionally aligned columns in which the aromatic cores of the HBC-PhC12 molecules were perpendicular to the columnar axis. The packing and the arrangement of the molecules in the field-force ordered films were proven by electron diffraction and X-ray analyses.     

Differentiation of organically and conventionally produced milk by stable isotope and fatty acid analysis

Increasing sales of organic milk mean intensified tests for authenticity are required. In addition to comprehensive documentation, analytical methods to identify organic milk, and thus to differentiate it from conventional milk, are needed for consumer protection. Because the composition of milk is fundamentally dependent on the feeding of the cows, thirty-five samples from both production systems in Germany, including farm and retail milk, were collected within 12 months, to reflect seasonal variation, and appropriate properties were analysed. Fatty acid analysis enabled organic and conventional milk to be completely distinguished, because of the higher α-linolenic acid (C18:3ω3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5ω3) content of the former. Organic milk fat contained at least 0.56% C18:3ω3 whereas the maximum in conventional milk was 0.53%. Because of the parallel seasonal course of the C18:3ω3 content of organic and conventional retail samples, however, time-resolved comparison at the five sampling dates resulted in a clearer difference of 0.34 ± 0.06% on average. Analysis of stable carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) also enabled complete distinction of both types of milk; this can be explained by the different amounts of maize in the feed. For conventional milk fat δ¹³C values were −26.6‰ or higher whereas for organic milk fat values were always lower, with a maximum of −28.0‰. The time-resolved average difference was 4.5 ± 1.0‰. A strong negative correlation (r = −0.92) was found between C18:3ω3 and δ¹³C. Analysis of a larger number of samples is required to check the preliminary variation ranges obtained in this pilot study and, probably, to adjust the limits. Stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) or sulfur (δ³⁴S) did not enable assignment of the origin of the milk; in cases of ambiguity, however, some trends observed might be useful in combination with other properties. Figure Correlation (r = −0.92) between δ¹³C value and C18:3ω3 content of milk fat from different production systems     

Temperature gradient focusing in a PDMS/glass hybrid microfluidic chip

This paper reports the application of temperature gradient focusing (TGF) in a PDMS/glass hybrid microfluidic chip. With TGF, by the combination of a temperature gradient along a microchannel, an applied electric field, and a buffer with a temperature-dependent ionic strength, analytes are focused by balancing their electrophoretic velocities against the bulk velocity of the buffer containing the analytes. In this work, Oregon Green 488 carboxylic acid was concentrated approximately 30 times as high as the initial concentration in 45 s at moderate electric strength of 70 V/cm and a temperature gradient of 55 degrees C across the PDMS/glass hybrid microfluidic chip with a 1 cm long capillary.     

Purity of potassium hydrogen phthalate, determination with precision coulometric and volumetric titration--a comparison

The mass fraction of potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) from a specific batch was certified as an acidimetric standard. Two different analytical methods on a metrological level were used to carry out certification analysis: precision constant current coulometric and volumetric titration with NaOH. It could be shown that with a commercial automatic titration system in combination with a reliable software for the end-point detection it is possible to produce equivalent results with the same accuracy in comparison to a definite method handled by a fundamental apparatus for traceable precision coulometry. Prerequisite for titrations are that a high number of single measurement are applied which are calibrated with a high precision certified reference material.     

Inducing pH responsiveness via ultralow thiol content in polyacrylamide (micro)gels with labile crosslinks

Here we present the synthesis and characterization of pH responsive polyacrylamide microgels, synthesized via free radical polymerization of acrylamide and bis (acryloylcystamine) (BAC). The gels were made with ultralow amounts of thiol functional groups incorporated into the polymer. The resulting gel monoliths were mechanically chopped into microgel particles with size distributions ranging from 80 to 200 mum. The gels exhibit an interesting reversible pH-dependent rheological behavior which led to gelling of the colloidal suspension when the pH was increased, and a low-viscosity suspension was obtained when the pH was taken back to the original value. The viscosity of the colloidal system containing MBA crosslinked microgels remained insensitive to pH. This observation motivated further analysis; viscosity measurements of the highly viscous (gel-like) state of the BAC crosslinked microgel colloidal suspension were carried out to further understand the rheological behavior of the colloidal system. Electrophoretic mobility measurements as function of pH of the BAC and MBA crosslinked colloidal polyacrylamide microgel suspensions were performed. The swelling behavior of the microgels for both colloidal systems was also determined as function of pH using static light scattering. This swelling behavior was used to rationalize the observed rheological behavior. The work presented here demonstrates that free thiol groups present within a polymer gel matrix confer pH responsive behavior to the gel in solution. The viscosity of a BAC crosslinked microgel suspension was also measured under reducing conditions. The viscosity of the microgel suspension reduced with time, due to the breakage of the disulfide bonds in the crosslinkers.