On the theory of radiative transitions in centrosymmetric complexes

The theory of radiative transitions, in centrosymmetric complexes, is examined in great detail, within the framework of the crystal field method.In connection with radiative transitions, the current method of calculations, with and without invoking closure approximation, are considered from a purely theoretical point of view, by taking advantage of the irreducible tensor method put forward by Griffith.Explicit equations are derived throughout the course of this work to account for the vibronic electric dipole moments, associated with d-d and f-f type of excitations.At high Academy of Pedagogic Sciences, Santiago, Chile.     

Correlation between C and O chemical shifts and torsional strain in spiroacetals

The relationship between the ¹³C and ¹⁷O NMR chemical shifts and the dihedral energies (non-bonding interactions) of 1,4-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,10-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,11-dioxaspiro[4.6]undecane, 1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, 1,5-dioxa and 7,12-dioxaspiro[5.6]dodecane and 1,6-dioxaspiro[6.6]tridecane were analyzed. These data showed correlation of the non-bonding interactions with the chemical shift of the spiranic carbon, as well as a linear relationship between ¹³C and ¹⁷O.     

Evaluation of different mediator-modified screen-printed electrodes used in a flow system as amperometric sensors for NADH

This work presents a comparative study between two different methods for the preparation of mediator-modified screen-printed electrodes, to be used as detectors in a reliable flow injection system for the determination of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) coenzyme. The best strategy was selected for the final development of compact biosensors based on dehydrogenase enzymes. For the first immobilisation strategy, different redox mediators were electropolymerised onto the SPE surface. The second immobilisation strategy was carried out using polysulfone–graphite composites, which were deposited by screen-printing technology onto the screen-printed electrode (SPE) surface. Both methods achieved an effective and reliable incorporation of redox mediators to the SPE configuration. Finally, a flow system for ammonium determination was developed using a glutamate dehydrogenase (GlDH)-Meldola's Blue (MB)-polysulfone-composite film-based biosensor.

The stability of the redox mediators inside the composite films as well as the negligible fouling effect observed on the electrode surface improve the repeatability and reproducibility of the sensors, important features for continuous analysis in flow systems. Furthermore, the optimised bio/sensors, incorporated in a flow injection system, showed good sensitivities and short response times. Such a good analytical performance together with the simple and fast sensor construction are interesting characteristics to consider the polysulfone-composite films as attractive electrochemical transducer materials for the development of new dehydrogenase-based SPEs.     

Double exchange in polynuclear mixed-valence clusters. 2. Iron-sulfur proteins [Fe4S4]+ and [Fe4S4]3+

The energy states of tetrameric iron clusters with d⁶-d⁶-d⁶-d⁵ and d⁵-d⁵-d⁵-d⁶ electronic configurations, which form the metal frameworks of the [Fe₄S₄]⁺ and [Fe₄S₄]³⁺ iron-sulfur proteins, are calculated using a general approach. It is revealed that the structural distortions of these systems significantly affect the composition of the magnetic states. The effect of the isotropic Heisenberg exchange is considered. Valencia University, Spain. Bordeaux University, France. Moldova State University. Institute of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences, Moldova Republic. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 816–825, September–October, 1996. Translated by I. Izvekova     

Synthesis,conformational analysis and in vivo assays of an anti-cancer vaccine that features an unnatural antigen based on an sp2-iminosugar fragment

The Tn antigen (GalNAc-α-1-O-Thr/Ser) is a well-known tumor-associated carbohydrate determinant. The use of glycopeptides that incorporate this structure has become a significant and promising niche of research owing to their potential use as anticancer vaccines. Herein, the conformational preferences of a glycopeptide with an unnatural Tn antigen, characterized by a threonine decorated with an sp²-iminosugar-type α-GalNAc mimic, have been studied both in solution, by combining NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, and in the solid state bound to an anti-mucin-1 (MUC1) antibody, by X-ray crystallography. The Tn surrogate can mimic the main conformer sampled by the natural antigen in solution and exhibits high affinity towards anti-MUC1 antibodies. Encouraged by these data, a cancer vaccine candidate based on this unnatural glycopeptide and conjugated to the carrier protein Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) has been prepared and tested in mice. Significantly, the experiments in vivo have proved that this vaccine elicits higher levels of specific anti-MUC1 IgG antibodies than the analog that bears the natural Tn antigen and that the elicited antibodies recognize human breast cancer cells with high selectivity. Altogether, we compile evidence to confirm that the presentation of the antigen, both in solution and in the bound state, plays a critical role in the efficacy of the designed cancer vaccines. Moreover, the outcomes derived from this vaccine prove that there is room for exploring further adjustments at the carbohydrate level that could contribute to designing more efficient cancer vaccines.

An anti-cancer vaccine based on an unnatural antigen with an sp²-iminosugar fragment.     

Kinetic investigation of the reactions of S-4-nitrophenyl 4-substituted thiobenzoates with secondary alicyclic amines in aqueous ethanol

The reactions of S-4-nitrophenyl 4-X-substituted thiobenzoates (X = H, Cl, and NO(2): 1, 2, and 3, respectively) with a series of secondary alicyclic amines (SAA) were subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt % ethanol-water, at 25.0 degrees C and an ionic strength of 0.2 M (KCl). The reactions were followed spectrophotometrically by monitoring the release of 4-nitrobenzenethiolate anion at 420-425 nm. Under excess amine, pseudo-first-order rate constants (k(obsd)) are obtained for all reactions. The plots of k(obsd) vs [SAA] at constant pH are linear with the slope (k(N)) independent of pH. The statistically corrected Br?nsted-type plots (log k(N)/q vs pK(a) + log p/q) for the reactions of 1 and 2 are nonlinear with slopes at high pK(a), beta(1) = 0.27 and 0.10, respectively, and slopes at low pK(a), beta(2) = 0.86 and 0.84, respectively. The Br?nsted curvature is centered at pK(a) (pK(a)(0)) 10.0 and 10.4, respectively. The reactions of SAA with 3 exhibit a linear Br?nsted-type plot of slope 0.81. These results are consistent with a stepwise mechanism, through a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T(+/-)). For the reactions of 1 and 2, there is a change in rate-determining step with amine basicity, from T(+/-) breakdown to products at low pK(a), to T(+/-) formation at high pK(a). For the reactions of 3, breakdown to products of T(+/-) is rate limiting for all the SAA series (pK(a)(0) > 11). The increasing pK(a)(0) value as the substituent in the acyl group becomes more electron withdrawing is attributed to an increasing nucleofugality of SAA from T(+/-). The greater pK(a)(0) value for the reactions of SAA with 1, relative to that found in the pyridinolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl benzoate (pK(a)(0) = 9.5), is explained by the greater nucleofugality from T(+/-) of the former amines, compared to isobasic pyridines, and the greater leaving ability from T(+/-) of 2,4-dinitrophenoxide relative to 4-nitrobenzenethiolate.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions of S-2,4-dinitrophenyl 4-substituted thiobenzoates with secondary alicyclic amines

[reaction: see text] The title reactions, in 44 wt % ethanol-water at 25.0 degrees C, exhibit slightly curved Br?nsted-type plots (log kN versus pKa of amines) with slopes beta1 = 0.1-0.44 (at high pKa) and beta2 ca. 0.7 (at low pKa). The magnitude of some of these slopes, together with the fact that the curvature center (pKa(0) = 9.5-10.8) does not change with the electronic effects of the benzoyl substituent, suggests that these reactions are not stepwise, but concerted.     

Antiaromaticity in relation to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene structures

An isodesmic energy analysis has been carried out at the MP 2/6–31G *//HF /3–21G level for the nonplanar ground state ( 1 ) of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctateraene and for two planar forms, one having complete π delocalization ( 2 ) and the other having alternating single and double bonds ( 3 ). 1 is found to have a considerable degree of stabilization, which is attributed to limited π delocalization. The polyene 3 is the more stable of the two planar forms; it is a transition state in the inversion between two possible nonplanar structures. 2 is found to be a triplet at the Hartree–Fock level and is a critical point on an alternate pathway between the two possible arrangements of alternating single and double bonds in 3 . Both 2 and 3 have negative isodesmic energies, indicating the presence of stabilizing factors. Our results for 3 show that an “antiaromatic” system need not necessarily show a net destabilization. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Conlometric determination of weak bases applying bismuth electrode pair for the end-point detection

Tertiäre Amine und Salze organischer Säuren werden in Acetanhydrid mit 5% Essigsäure durch anodische Proton-Erzeugung auf Platin in Gegenwart von Hydrochinon mit Hilfe der biamperometrischen Endpunkttechnik mit einem Wismutelektrodenpaar quantitativ bestimmt. Mengen von 0,5–0,9 mg wurden mit einer mittleren Abweichung von <1% analysiert. Die Ergebnisse stimmten zufriedenstellend mit denen aus thermometrischen und photometrischen Titrationen überein.Summary Tertiary amines and salts of organic acids have been quantitatively determined in acetic anhydride with 5% of acetic acid by means of anodic generation of protons on platinum in the presence of hydroquinone, applying a biamperometric end-point detection using an indicating system of bismuth electrodes. Amounts of 0.5–0.9 mg have been analysed with average deviations of <1%. Good agreement was obtained with the results of thermometric and photometric titrations.

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Coulometrische Bestimmung von schwachen Basen unter Anwendung eines Wismut-Elektrodenpaars als Indicatorsystem

     

Autoxidation kinetics of atactic polypropylene in bulk

The kinetics of the reaction between atactic polypropylene (APP) and oxygen in bulk at temperatures ranging from 170 to 210°C and oxygen partial pressures from 160 to 760 torr have been studied by thermal differential analysis. The reaction takes place in two successive steps, both giving hydroperoxide groups as product. Partial reaction orders with respect to APP and oxygen for the first step, which corresponds to the uncatalyzed attack of a C? H tertiary bond to give a hydroperoxide, are one and two, respectively. In the second step, interpreted as another attack on a tertiary C? H by oxygen, catalyzed by a neighboring hydroperoxide group, reaction orders are one and one-half for APP and oxygen, respectively. Activation parameters have been determined and a reaction sequence is proposed. Hydroperoxidated APP subsequently decomposes via a zero-order process giving methylketone groups as its main product. An interpretation of this process is also given.