Oxidation of L-lysine by diperiodatocuprate (III) in aqueous alkaline medium by the stopped flow technique

The kinetics of oxidation of L-lysine by diperiodatocuprate (III) (DPC) in alkaline medium at a constant ionic strength of 0.15 mol/dm³ was studied spectrophotometrically. The reaction between DPC and L-lysine in an alkaline medium had a 1: 2 stoichiometry (L-lysine: DPC). The reaction was first order in [DPC] and less than first order in [L-lysine] and [alkali]. The addition of periodate had no effect on the rate of the reaction. The intervention of free radicals was observed in the reaction. The oxidation reaction in alkaline medium was shown to proceed via a DPC-L-lysine complex. The main products were identified by spot test and spectral studies. The reaction constants involved in different steps of the mechanism were calculated. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanism were computed and discussed, and thermodynamic values were also determined. The article is published in the original.     

Dynamic capillary coatings with zwitterionic surfactants for capillary isoelectric focusing

The use of surfactants as additives was demonstrated for the first time in capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) to dynamically modify the surfaces of bare fused silica capillaries. These surfactants were zwitterionic sulfobetaines: dodecyldimethyl (3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide (C12N3SO3), hexadecyldimethyl (3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide (C16N3SO3) and coco (amidopropyl)hydroxyldimethylsulfobetaine (Rewoteric AM CAS U). They were added directly to the protein-ampholyte mixture, and remained in the capillary during isoelectric focusing and mobilization. The C16N3SO3 and CAS U coatings were shown effective in CEF. Separation of seven IEF protein standards was obtained, with significantly improved resolution compared to that from an uncoated silica capillary. The effect of these surfactants on the electroosmotic flow (EOF) in CIEF was determined. CAS U was effective in suppressing the EOF at neutral and alkaline pH conditions, C16N3SO3 was effective in suppressing EOF at acidic and neutral pH conditions. C12N3SO3 however had little effect on the EOF. The pH gradients formed inside these surfactant coated capillaries were recta-linear at pH 6 to 9 (R2 approximately equal to 0.99). Reproducibility of migration time and peak area was determined. For all three coatings, the migration time standard deviations were less than 1.6 min, and the relative standard deviations of area were below 10%. The protein recovery in the CAS U-modified capillary was quantitative or near-quantitative for five of the seven proteins studied.     

Natural products as scaffolds for chemical diversification: solution-phase parallel synthesis of a series of naringin analogues

The flavanone glycoside naringin hydrate is widely abundant in various citrus plants. As an ongoing effort toward the exploitation of natural products as scaffolds for chemical diversification at readily accessible positions, we have prepared a series of analogues of naringin in which the 6-hydroxyl group of the beta-d-glucopyranosyl subunit was converted to sulfonamides, amides, urethanes, and secondary and tertiary amines via the corresponding 6-amino derivative using a solution-phase parallel array protocol.     

Novel solid-phase extraction and preconcentration technique coupled with ICP-AES for the determination of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) in various water samples

Newly synthesized 2-propylpiperidine-1-carbodithioate (2-PPC) was used for the extraction of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) from various water samples. In the present investigation, the use of a syringe loaded with sorbent for the separation and enrichment of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was proposed to substitute the batch and column techniques. The described method was compared with the column technique with respect to fastness, simplicity, recovery, and risk of contamination. The syringe was loaded with 1.0 g of sorbent in order to retain the analyte elements. Next, 7.0 mL of sample solution (pH 5.0 ± 0.2) was drawn into the syringe in 15 s and discharged over 15 s. Then, an eluent (3.0 M HCl) was drawn into the syringe and ejected back to desorb the analyte elements. At the optimum conditions, the percentage recoveries of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) were in the range of 94.50 to 99.62% with a standard deviation (S.D.) of 0.03%. The elements could be concentrated by drawing and discharging several portions of sample successively and eluting only one time. The detailed study of various interferences proved the method to be highly selective. The risk of contamination is less than that with the column technique. The method was successfully applied to the determination of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) in spiked and natural water samples. The results obtained are in good agreement with those obtained by the reported methods at the 95% confidence level. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Applications of ethylammonium and propylammonium nitrate solvents in liquid-liquid extraction and chromatography

Ethyl- and propylammonium nitrate are novel ionic solvents, liquid at room temperature, suitable for use as selective solvents for the isolation of analytes containing proton donor functional groups (alcohols, amines, phenols, carboxylic acids, etc.) by liquid-liquid distribution. These solvents form immiscible solvent pairs with non-polar aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers and alkyl halide solvents (e.g., methylene chloride, chloroform). Analytes can be recovered from the ionic solvents by back-extraction into ah organic solvent after dilution with water or pH buffer or, preferably, by extractive derivatization when gas chromatography is used for the analyses, avoiding the accumulation of salt on the column that results in poor baseline stability. Alkylation, acylation and particularly silylation are suitable methods for extractive derivatization using standard reaction conditions. Applications are presented for the isolation of polar analytes from an urban dust, shale oil and urine samples and for the determination of low-molecular-weight alcohols in gasahol and glycerol in soap. Liquid-liquid chromatographic systems with the liquid organic salt as stationary phase can be used to predict distribution constants for a particular separation and for the separation of polar solutes, particularly isomeric compounds possessing a proton donor functional group.     

An algebraic approach to q-partial fractions and Sylvester denumerants

The Ramanujan Journal - In 1857, Sylvester established an elegant theory that certain counting functions (which he termed denumerants) are quasi-polynomials by decomposing them into periodic and...     

Which electron count rules are needed for four-center three-dimensional aromaticity?

A series of charged and neutral four-center n-electron (4c-ne, n = 1-4) molecules based on the adamantane framework, but which include combinations of boron, nitrogen, and phosphorus atoms at bridgehead positions, were studied computationally at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of density functional theory (DFT). The three-dimensional aromaticity, observed earlier for the 1,3,5,7-bisdehydroadamantane dication (1), is found to be general for 4c-2e electron systems. The degree of electron delocalization, evaluated by energetic, geometric, and various magnetic criteria, is quite independent of the molecular symmetry (point groups vary from Td to Cs), the degeneracy of the orbitals, the molecular charges, and the nature of the atoms participating in the delocalized bonding. Although the multiple positive (e.g., in 1 and some of the heteroatom systems) and multiple negative charges are strongly repulsive, the rigid adamantane frameworks help hold the bridgehead atoms within bonding distances with the fewer available electrons. The corresponding 4c-1e doublets are approximately half as aromatic as the 4c-2e singlets based on the same criteria. However, the three-electron systems may either adopt distorted but still four-center delocalized structures, or alternative 3c-2e two-dimensional arrangements in which the fourth bridgehead atom is more distant. There is no need to derive special rules for each point group for 4c-ne systems. Although the three-dimensional stabilization is computed to be quite appreciable, ranging between 10 and 50 kcalmol(-1), this delocalization energy is generally not sufficient to overcome distortion due to strain in higher homologues of 1 and in analogous noncage systems. Among the various 4c-2e homoadamantanedehydro dications studied, only the 1,8-dehydrohomoadamandiyl-3,6-dication forms a three-dimensional aromatic system.     

Underpotential deposition studies of copper on glassy carbon

Studies on the deposition and dissolution of copper from 0·5 M sulphuric acid solutions onto glassy carbon (GC) using potential sweep techniques indicated that an additional peak occurs at higher positive potentials than the bulk stripping peak. This peak is identified as due to the stripping of underpotential deposited (UPD) copper. Results of investigations on the effect of sweep rate, deposition potential and time of deposition on the peak characteristics of UPD and bulk deposited copper are also reported.     

Temperature-dependent photoelectron spectroscopy of methyl benzoate anions: observation of steric effect in o-methyl benzoate

Temperature-dependent photoelectron spectra of benzoate anion (C6H5CO2(-)) and its three methyl-substituted isomers (o-, m-, p-CH3C6H4CO2(-)) have been obtained using a newly developed low-temperature photoelectron spectroscopy apparatus that features an electrospray source and a cryogenically controlled ion trap. Detachment channels due to removing electrons from the carboxylate group and benzene ring pi electrons were distinctly observed. Well-resolved vibrational structures were obtained in the lower binding energy region due to the OCO bending modes, except for o-CH3C6H4CO2(-), which yielded broad spectra even at the lowest ion trap temperature (18 K). Theoretical calculations revealed a large geometry change in the OCO angles between the anion and neutral ground states, consistent with the broad ground-state bands observed for all species. A strong steric effect was observed between the carboxylate and the methyl group in o-CH3C6H4CO2(-), such that the -CO2(-) group is pushed out of the plane of the benzene ring by approximately 25 degrees and its internal rotational barrier is significantly reduced. The low rotational barrier in o-CH3C6H4CO2(-), which makes it very difficult to be cooled vibrationally, and the strong coupling between the OCO bending and CO2 torsional modes yielded the broad PES spectra for this isomer. It is shown that there is no C-H...O hydrogen bond in o-CH3C6H4CO2(-), and the interaction between the carboxylate and methyl groups in this anion is found to be repulsive in nature.     

Negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectral study of dicarboxylic acids in the presence of halide ions

The negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra of a series of dicarboxylic acids, a pair of isomeric (cis/trans) dicarboxylic acids and two pairs of isomeric (positional) substituted benzoic acids, including a pair of hydroxybenzoic acids, were recorded in the presence of halide ions (F(-), Cl(-), Br(-) and I(-)). The ESI mass spectra contained [M--H](-) and [M+X](-) ions, and formation of these ions is found to be characteristic of both the analyte and the halide ion used. The analytes showed a greater tendency to form adduct ions with Cl(-) under ESI conditions compared with the other halide ions used. The isomeric compounds yielded distinct spectra by which the isomers could be easily distinguished. The collision-induced dissociation mass spectra of [M+X](-) ions reflected the gas-phase basicities of both the halide ion and [M--H](-) ion of the analyte. However, the relative ordering of gas-phase basicities of all analyte [M--H](-) and halide ions could not account for the dominance of chloride ion adducts in ESI mass spectra of the analytes mixed with equimolar quantities of the four halides.