2-Phosphonobutane-1,2,4,-Tricarboxylic Acid (PBTC): pH-Dependent Behavior Studied by Means of Multinuclear NMR Spectroscopy

Although 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4,-tricarboxylic acid, PBTC, has manifold industrial applications, relevant and reliable data on the protonation of PBTC are poor. However, these data are critical parameters for ascertaining PBTC speciation, especially with regard to a sound structural and thermodynamic characterization of its metal ion complexes. A rigorous evaluation of pH-dependent ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P chemical shifts along with accessible scalar spin–spin coupling constants (J) was performed in order to determine the pK_a values of PBTC in 0.5 molal NaCl aqueous solution by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The phosphonate group revealed pK_a values of 0.90 ± 0.02 and 9.79 ± 0.02, and the pK_a values associated with the carboxylic groups are 3.92 ± 0.02, 4.76 ± 0.03, and 6.13 ± 0.03. Supported by DFT-calculated structures revealing strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding, the sequence of deprotonation could be unambiguously determined.     

Homogenization of Linear Elastic Properties of Silicon Nitride

The effective linear elastic properties of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) are estimated based on first–, third–, and fifth–order bounds of the strain energy density. This specific type of material is a mixture of two linear elastic materials with different material symmetries. The β-Si₃N₄ grains have a hexagonal symmetry with significant amount of anisotropy, whereas the glassy phase is approximately isotropic. The results are as follows: i) The fifth–order upper and lower bounds are almost identical. Therefore, these bounds are sufficient for estimating the effective elastic properties. ii) For fixed elastic constants of the hexagonal β-Si₃N₄ grains, the effective properties of Si₃N₄ are determined as a function of properties of the glassy phase and its volume fraction. The corresponding diagrams allow for the inverse identification of the elastic properties of the glassy phase. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

2H/1H Ratio Analysis of Flavor Compounds by On‐Line Gas Chromatography Pyrolysis Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (HRGC‐P‐IRMS): Benzaldehyde

Isotope ratio monitoring gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry of the ²H/¹H ratio by pyrolysis isotope ratio mass spectrometry (P‐IRMS) was used to analyze benzaldehyde originating from various sources. Based on the δ²H_SMOW value of an authentic reference sample determined with an elemental analyzer (EA), the range of reproducibility and linearity was checked. Correct (EA related) and reproducible data were obtained for sample amounts >0.6 μg benzaldehyde (on column). In another series of experiments, the influence of sample preparation, i. e. simultaneous distillation‐extraction (SDE) was found to be negligible. The following ranges of δ²H_SMOW values were determined for benzaldehyde using five types of samples, i. e. (i) synthetic (δ²H_SMOW –78 to –85‰, ex benzal chloride; +420 to +668‰, ex toluene) and ‘natural’ (including ‘ex‐cassia’) references (δ²H_SMOW –83 to –144‰); (ii) bitter almond oils (δ²H_SMOW –113 to –148‰); (iii) fruits (δ²H_SMOW –111 to –146‰); (iv) kernels (δ²H_SMOW –115 to –188‰); and (v) leaves (δ²H_SMOW –165 to –189‰).     

[{(CO)5Cr}6Ge6]2−, A Molecular Organometallic Derivative of the Unknown Zintl Ion [Ge6]2−

Octahedral clusters from p-block elements are rare ; however, the only known molecular aggregate of this kind, [{(CO)₅Cr}₆Sn₆]²⁻, has now been supplemented by the isoelectronic cluster [{(CO)₅Cr}₆Ge₆]²⁻ ( 1 ).     

NMR Characterization of Surface Receptor Protein Interactions in Live Cells Using Methylcellulose Hydrogels

Interactions of transmembrane receptors with their extracellular ligands are essential for cellular communication and signaling and are therefore a major focus in drug discovery programs. The transition from in vitro to live cell interaction studies, however, is typically a bottleneck in many drug discovery projects due to the challenge of obtaining atomic‐resolution information under near‐physiological conditions. Although NMR spectroscopy is ideally suited to overcome this limitation, several experimental impairments are still present. Herein, we propose the use of methylcellulose hydrogels to study extracellular proteins and their interactions with plasma membrane receptors. This approach reduces cell sedimentation, prevents the internalization of membrane receptors, and increases cell survival, while retaining the free tumbling of extracellular proteins.     

Development of sampling approaches for the determination of the presence of genetically modified organisms at the field level

In order to comply with the European Union regulatory threshold for the adventitious presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed, it is important to trace GMOs from the field. Appropriate sampling methods are needed to accurately predict the presence of GMOs at the field level. A 2-year field experiment with two maize varieties differing in kernel colour was conducted in Slovenia. Based on the results of data mining analyses and modelling, it was concluded that spatial relations between the donor and receptor field were the most important factors influencing the distribution of outcrossing rate (OCR) in the field. The approach for estimation fitting function parameters in the receptor (non-GM) field at two distances from the donor (GM) field (10 and 25 m) for estimation of the OCR (GMO content) in the whole receptor field was developed. Different sampling schemes were tested; a systematic random scheme in rows was proposed to be applied for sampling at the two distances for the estimation of fitting function parameters for determination of OCR. The sampling approach had already been validated with some other OCR data and was practically applied in the 2009 harvest in Poland. The developed approach can be used for determination of the GMO presence at the field level and for making appropriate labelling decisions. The importance of this approach lies in its possibility to also address other threshold levels beside the currently prescribed labelling threshold of 0.9% for food and feed.     

Ferrocene compounds: methyl 1′‐aminoferrocene‐1‐carboxylate

The title compund, [Fe(C₅H₆N)(C₇H₇O₂)], features one strong intermolecular hydrogen bond of the type N—H...O=C [N...O = 3.028 (2) Å] between the amine group and the carbonyl group of a neighbouring molecule, and vice versa, to form a centrosymmetric dimer. Furthermore, the carbonyl group acts as a double H‐atom acceptor in the formation of a second, weaker, hydrogen bond of the type C—H...O=C [C...O = 3.283 (2) Å] with the methyl group of the ester group of a second neighbouring molecule at (x, −y − , z − ). The methyl group also acts as a weak hydrogen‐bond donor, symmetry‐related to the latter described C—H...O=C interaction, to a third molecule at (x, −y − , z + ) to form a two‐dimensional network. The cyclopentadienyl rings of the ferrocene unit are parallel to each other within 0.33 (3)° and show an almost eclipsed 1,1′‐conformation, with a relative twist angle of 9.32 (12)°. The ester group is twisted slightly [11.33 (8)°] relative to the cylopentadienyl plane due to the above‐mentioned intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the carbonyl group. The N atom shows pyramidal coordination geometry, with the sum of the X—N—Y angles being 340 (3)°.