A chemical study of 2-butyne-1,4-diol

Commercial grade 2-butyne-1,4-diol has been used in electroplating for several years. In laboratory experiments, its presence in the electrolyte increases the current efficiency of zinc electro-winning. Its chemical behaviour in solution is not well known. The present paper indicates that the brownish technical grade 2-butyne-1,4-diol contains the monomer, the dimer and some trimer. Pure monomeric 2-butyne-1,4-diol is a white solid obtained by evaporation of the technical grade product. The monomer is slowly transformed into dimer and possibly into a trimer when dissolved in water. Various analytical techniques were used in the study of this system. Factor analysis with column cross-validation was applied to chromatographic data to help in the resolution of the system.     

Polynuclear manganese grids and clusters—A magnetic perspective

High nuclearity paramagnetic, spin-coupled transition metal clusters and grids are fascinating chemists and physicists partly because of their structural beauty, and the challenge of creating them, but also because of their novel physical properties. Magnetic interactions between the spin centers are a primary focus. This review will examine a selection of Mn(II) polynuclear grids and clusters, with nuclearities in the range Mn₄ to Mn₉. Theoretical treatments of the magnetic properties are discussed, and approaches to solving the exchange problem for ‘large’ spin systems related to computational difficulties. A freely available software package (MAGMUN4.1) is presented as a means of dealing simply with spin-coupled clusters in general, and symmetry reduction methods are discussed briefly as a means of dealing with ‘large’ spin systems.     

Diffusion in ethylene–propylene rubber

A study of sorption in a copolymer of ethylene and propylene is presented. Long-time sorption and desorption measurements provided the actual diffusion coefficient in the limit of zero concentration gradient. An analysis of the diffusion–sorption data reinforced the Frisch hypothesis about diffusion in a polymer matrix. The better solvent deforms the microstructure, allowing a more marked dependence of the diffusivity upon concentration.     

Hydrazide-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar nitrone cycloadditions

The triflate salts of cyclic hydrazides function as asymmetric catalysts for the [3+2]cycloadditions of nitrones with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The camphor-derived hydrazides show a preference for the exo isomers during these reactions, providing a compliment to other organically catalyzed dipolar cycloadditions. Enantiomeric excesses as high as 93% were realized for the exo isomers, while some endo products were obtained in 94% ee.     

Chemical Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Containing N6-Methyladenine Residues in the GATC Site

To investigate by NMR the effects of adenine methylation, a set of oligodeoxynucleotides has been synthesized by phosphotriester or phosphoramidite procedures on silica-gel support. The preparation of fully protected 2′-deoxy-N⁶-methyladenosine 3′-phosphate 4 and (2′-deoxy-N⁶-methyladenosin-3′-O-yl)(methoxy)morpholinophosphine 5 is described. The large-scale chemical synthesis, purification by HPLC, and characterization by MS of these molecules containing N⁶-methyladenine is reported.     

Electron-impact-induced fragmentation of aromatic cyclic diazoketones

The mass spectra of eleven diazoketones have been obtained. High resolution mass measurements of selected ions have shown initial loss of nitrogen followed by loss of carbon monoxide. In many of the spectra, flat-topped metastables were observed.     

Analytical methods used to measure acrylamide concentrations in foods

The state-of-the-art of analysis for acrylamide in food is reviewed. The majority of analytical methods adopts a similar approach: addition of internal standard to the specimen, extraction with water, purification of extract using a solid-phase extraction cartridge, and then determination using either gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) after bromination, or direct measurement with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (LC/MS). The available methods generally show good agreement and are likely to be accurate. However, improvements in precision (within-laboratory) and repeatability (between-laboratory) are needed by particular data users.     

Influence de la structure sur l'hydrolyse des N-pyrrolylmethylene-2 anilines

Hydrolysis of the imine function of a series of Schiff bases derived from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde and substituted anilines (X = H, p-OCH₃, p-OC₂H₅, p-CH₃, p-Cl, p-Br, m-CN, m-NO₂, p-NO₂) was studied in all of the pH ranges. The hydrolysis curves log k_abs (mn^?1) = f(pH) were established in buffered aqueous methanol by polarography or amperometry. The shapes of the curves obtained for pH > 5 indicates that N-pyrrolylmethylene-2 anilines hydrolyse according to the same mechanism as N-benzylidene anilines. The particular stability of these products for pH < 5 permits one to obtain complete hydrolysis curves in acid media. A very good Hammett correlation (k_obs = + 1,73) has been established from the maxima which appear for strong acidity. This stability is interpreted as due to the specific electron-donating effect of the pyrrole nucleus. The influence of the structural parameter X on the morphology of the curves log k_abs = f(pH) and on the hydrolysis mechanism of the imine function is discussed in all of the pH ranges.