Photophysical studies of uranyl complexes: VIII. Luminescence spectra of UO2SO4 · 312H2O and two polymorphs of bis(urea) uranyl sulfate

The photoluminescence spectra of hydrated and anhydrous uranyl sulfates have been studied under conditions of high resolution at cryogenic temperatures. All uranyl sulfate systems were found to yield nonequivalent spectra: the energies for the electronic and vibronic origins were found to vary with the system, and certain uranyl vibrational frequencies exhibited a dependence on environment. These differences must reflect the various ways in which the uranyl centers are linked by the bridging sulfate groups, as this linking is the main difference between the various structures.     

A new maximum likelihood approach with asymmetric residual distribution for multicomponent mass spectra analysis

This paper proposes a new maximum likelihood approach for the deconvolution of identity and quantity of individual compounds based on the multicomponent mass spectra measured by mass spectrometry (MS). Mixture analysis of multicomponent mass spectra is, typically, based on a linear multicomponent mass spectrum model, where the compounds of the measured spectra to be solved are explicitly stated and assumed to be known. In many cases, however, the measured spectrum may contain unknown compounds that are not explicitly stated in the model and a commonly used least square (LS) solution fails. Moreover, a standard improvement over the LS method in these cases, namely the M-estimation (ME) approach, also suffers from this same problem. Our method overcomes the limitations of the LS and ME methods by modeling the effect of the unknown compound(s) to the residual of the linear model. The experimental results presented show that this new approach can separate more robustly the complex multicomponent mass spectra into their individual constituents compared to the LS and ME methods.     

Structural and electronic characteristics of perhydrogenated carbon nanotubes

The structural and electronic characteristics of fully hydrogenated armchair and zigzag carbon nanotubes have been determined by quantum chemical methods. With use of line group symmetries, the structures of nanotubes up to 10 nm in diameter could be optimized by periodic B3LYP calculations. “In–out” isomerism is shown to significantly stabilize perhydrogenated carbon nanotubes, the energetically most favorable structures being those with 1/3–1/2 of the carbon atoms endo-hydrogenated. In favored nanotubes the ratio of endo- to exo-hydrogens is 1:1, the stabilities increasing as a function of the diameter of the nanotube. The calculated band gaps indicate that the perhydrogenated carbon nanotubes are insulators.     

Degradable polyesters through chain linking for packaging and biomedical applications

The major route to convert lactic acid to high-molecular-weight polymers is ring-opening polymerization of lactide. We have investigated alternative synthesis routes based on oligomerization and chain linking to produce high-molecular-weight thermoplastic degradable polymers cost-effectively. Chain linking also offers new possibilities to prepare degradable polyesters for biomedical applications by extending the range of polymer properties achievable. In this paper, we briefly review different chain linking techniques used in our laboratory. Typically, lactic acid prepolymers with molecular weights of around 3,000-15,000 g x mol(-1) have been prepared by direct polycondensation. Hydroxyl terminated oligomers have been chain linked by using diisocyanate coupling agents, preferably 1,4-butane diisocyanate, forming poly(ester-urethanes). Poly(ester-amides) have been prepared by using 2,2'-bis(2-oxazoline) as coupling agent for carboxylic acid telechelic oligomers. Chain linking by end functionalization has been used in the preparation of poly(ester-anhydrides). In addition, a variety of crosslinked degradable polymers and copolymers have been synthesized through different crosslinking routes, by using methacrylic, itaconic or maleic double bonds or triethoxysilane moieties. A biodegradation test and ecotoxicological evaluation of the degradation products were carried out in addition to hydrolysis tests. Lactic acid based chain linked polymers were biodegradable and the degradation products were harmless. In hydrolysis tests, enzymatic degradation was pronounced in the chain linked poly(epsilon-caprolactone).     

Determination of pore sizes and volumes of porous materials by 129Xe NMR of xenon gas dissolved in a medium

In our previous paper (J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 757) it was illustrated that the 129Xe NMR spectra of xenon dissolved in acetonitrile confined into mesoporous materials give detailed information on the system, especially about the pore sizes. A resonance signal originating from xenon atoms sited in very small cavities built up inside the pores during the freezing transition (referred to as signal D) turned out to be highly sensitive to the pore size. The emergence of this signal reveals the phase transition temperature of acetonitrile inside the pores, which can also be used to determine the size of the pores. In addition, the difference in the chemical shifts of two other signals arising from xenon dissolved in bulk and confined acetonitrile (B and C) provides another method for determining the pore sizes. In the present work, the observed correlations have been investigated using an extensive set of measurements with a variety of porous materials (silica gels and controlled pore glasses) with the mean pore diameters ranging from 43 to 2917 A. The usefulness of the correlations has been demonstrated by calculating the pore size distributions from the spectral data. The distributions are in agreement with those reported by the manufacturers, when the mean pore diameter is smaller than approximately 500 A. In addition, it has been shown that the porosity of the materials can be determined by comparing the intensities of the signals arising from the bulk and confined liquid. When acetonitrile is replaced by cyclohexane in the sample, the dependence of the chemical shift difference between the B and C signals on the pore size becomes more sensitive, but no D signal appears below the freezing point. In addition, the influence of xenon gas on the melting points of bulk and confined acetonitrile has been studied by 1H NMR cryoporometry. The measurements show that the temperature of the latter transition lowers slightly more, and consequently affects the pore sizes calculated by means of the difference in the phase transition temperatures. Hysteresis in the phase transitions in a cooling-warming cycle has also been studied as a function of the temperature stabilization time by 129Xe NMR of xenon dissolved in acetonitrile.     

The efficiency of two indexed priority queue algorithms

Two priority queue algorithms, a linked linear sublist and ap-subtree algorithm, are analysed. Both of them use a search index that speeds up finding the correct sublist/subtree. In most cases the methods require a short processing time for the so-called HOLD-operation of the discrete event simulation. The relative power of the algorithms depends on the ratior of the total number of elements in the queue and the size of the search index. For large values ofr (16) thep-subtree algorithm is to be preferred. However, the more primitive data structure used by the sublist algorithm makes it possible to use a larger index leading to a smaller ratior.     

Chemical characterisation of different separation media based on agarose by static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

In this paper, the novel application of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for qualitative and semi-quantitative investigation of the surface chemistry of separation media based on beaded agarose is reported. Five different media were studied: DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow, Q Sepharose Fast Flow, SP Sepharose Fast Flow, Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow at ligand densities between 7 and 33% (w/w) and the base matrix Sepharose 6 Fast Flow. The obtained TOF-SIMS spectra reveal significant chemical information regarding the ligands (DEAE, Q, SP and Phenyl) which are covalently attached to the agarose-based matrix Sepharose 6 Fast Flow. For the anion-exchange media (DEAE and Q Sepharose Fast Flow), the positive TOF-SIMS spectra yielded several strong characteristic fragment peaks from the amine ligands. Structural information was obtained, e.g. from the peak at m/z 173.20, originating from the ion structure [(C2H5)2NCH2CH2NH(C2H5)2l+, which shows that the ligand in DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow is composed of both tertiary and quaternary amines. The positive spectrum of Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow contained major fragments both from the base matrix and the ligand. The cation-exchanger (SP Sepharose Fast Flow) gave rise to a positive spectrum resembling that of the base matrix (Sepharose 6 Fast Flow) but with a different intensity pattern of the matrix fragments. In addition, peaks with low intensity at m/z 109.94, 125.94 and 139.95 corresponding to Na2SO2+, Na2SO3+ and Na2SO3CH2+, respectively, were observed. The positive TOF-SIMS spectrum of Sepharose 6 Fast Flow contains a large number of fragments in the mass range up to m/z 200 identified as CxHyOz and CxHy structures. The results clearly show that positive TOF-SIMS spectra of different media based on Sepharose 6 Fast Flow are strongly influenced by the ligand coupled to the matrix. The negative TOF-SIMS spectra contained several ligand-specific, characteristic peaks for the cation-exchanger, having sulphonate as the ion-exchange group. Negative fragments such as S-, SO-, SO2-, SO3-, C2H3SO3-, C3H5SO3- and OC3H5SO3- were observed. Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow, which has an uncharged group (Phenyl) coupled to the agarose matrix yielded one ligand-related peak corresponding to the C6H5O- fragment. DEAE and Q ligands could only be identified by the appearance of the fragments CN- and CNO- in the negative spectrum. However, a strong peak corresponding to the counter ion (Cl-) was observed. TOF-SIMS analysis can also be used for the investigation of residues from the coupling procedure that bonds the ligands to the matrix. One example is the observation of bromine peaks in the negative spectrum of Q Sepharose Fast Flow. Furthermore, it has also been shown that different ligand concentrations of Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow can easily be detected by TOF-SIMS analysis. Information regarding the difference between the ligand density on the surface of the beads and in the bulk can also be obtained. However, spectra registered on the outermost surface and on the pore surface (crushed beads) of DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow clearly show that the agarose and the DEAE groups are homogeneously distributed in the beads.     

2-azatricyclo[2.2.1.01,6]heptane: Synthesis and conversion to 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes

A facile route to 6-substituted 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes via the novel tricyclic system, 2-azatricyclo[2.2.1.0^1,6]heptane (2), is described. The key intermediate (2) was prepared by oxidation of 4-aminomethylcyclopentene with lead tetra-acetate, and the bicyclic system was obtained by reaction of acetate with 2.MeI. Equilibration of exo- and endo-6-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane afforded an exo-endo isomeric ratio close to that of norborneol, and on this basis it is suggested that the steric requirements of the nitrogen lone pair are similar to that of CH.     

The pictet-spengler reaction and biogenic tryptamines: Formation of tetrahydro-β-carbolines at physiological pH

Biogenic tryptamines 1a-c were reacted with aldehydes 2a & b and α-keto acids 2c & d to form 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines (THBCs) 4d-1 , and other products, in a buffered solution at 37° and pH 7.4. These reactions were followed over time by ¹H nmr through integral changes in discrete signals in the spectra. Reactions between tryptamines and acetaldchyde ( 2b ) gave the expected 1-methyl-THBCs 4d-f , while those with sodium glyoxylate ( 2c ) resulted in THBC-1-carboxylic acids 4g-1 . Surprisingly, reactions with sodium pyruvate ( 2d ) or formaldehyde ( 2a ) did not form the expected products 4a-c or 4j-1 , respectively under these conditions. In successful reactions, 5-methoxytryptamine ( 1c ) was found to be more reactive than tryptamine ( 1a ) or serotonin ( 1b ). MOPAC calculations were employed to investigate reaction intermediates. These results are applicable in research related to aberrant tryptamine metabolism; e.g. depression and alcoholism.     

Nuclear magnetic shielding and quadrupole coupling tensors in liquid water: a combined molecular dynamics simulation and quantum chemical study

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shielding tensors for the oxygen and hydrogen nuclei, as well as nuclear quadrupole coupling tensors for the oxygen and deuterium nuclei of water in the liquid and gaseous state, are calculated using Hartree-Fock and density functional theory methods, for snapshots sampled from Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics trajectories. Clusters representing local liquid structures and instantaneous configurations of a single molecule representing low-density gas are fed into a quantum chemical program for the calculation of the NMR tensors. The average isotropic and anisotropic tensorial properties of 400 samples in both states, averaged using a common Eckart coordinate frame, are calculated from the data. We report results for the gas-to-liquid chemical shifts of (17)O and (1)H nuclei, as well as the corresponding change in the nuclear quadrupole couplings of (17)O and (2)H. Full thermally averaged shielding and quadrupole coupling tensors are reported for the gaseous and liquid-state water, for the first time in the case of liquid. Electron correlation effects, the difference of classical vs quantum mechanical rovibrational averaging, and different methods of averaging anisotropic properties are discussed.