Discrimination of bacteria from Jamaican bauxite soils using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Soil bacteria are sensitive to ecological change and can be assessed to gauge anthropogenic influences and ecosystem health. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the focus on new technologies that can be applied to the evaluation of soil quality. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique that has been used for the investigation and characterization of explosives, solids, liquids, gases, biological and environmental samples. In this study, bacteria from un-mined and a chronosequence of reclaimed bauxite soils were isolated on Luria–Bertani agar media. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of the bacterial 16S rDNA, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis were applied to each isolated soil bacteria from the sample sites resulting in the identification and classification of the organisms. Femtosecond LIBS performed on the isolated bacteria showed atomic and ionic emission lines in the spectrum containing inorganic elements such as sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), and calcium (Ca). Principal component analysis and partial least squares regression analysis were performed on the acquired bacterial spectra demonstrating that LIBS has the potential to differentiate and discriminate among bacteria in the un-mined and reclaimed chronosequence of bauxite soils.     

Halide, amide, cationic, manganese carbonylate, and oxide derivatives of triamidosilylamine uranium complexes

Treatment of the complex [U(Tren(TMS))(Cl)(THF)] [1, Tren(TMS) = N(CH(2)CH(2)NSiMe(3))(3)] with Me(3)SiI at room temperature afforded known crystalline [U(Tren(TMS))(I)(THF)] (2), which is reported as a new polymorph. Sublimation of 2 at 160 °C and 10(-6) mmHg afforded the solvent-free dimer complex [{U(Tren(TMS))(μ-I)}(2)] (3), which crystallizes in two polymorphic forms. During routine preparations of 1, an additional complex identified as [U(Cl)(5)(THF)][Li(THF)(4)] (4) was isolated in very low yield due to the presence of a slight excess of [U(Cl)(4)(THF)(3)] in one batch. Reaction of 1 with one equivalent of lithium dicyclohexylamide or bis(trimethylsilyl)amide gave the corresponding amide complexes [U(Tren(TMS))(NR(2))] (5, R = cyclohexyl; 6, R = trimethylsilyl), which both afforded the cationic, separated ion pair complex [U(Tren(TMS))(THF)(2)][BPh(4)] (7) following treatment of the respective amides with Et(3)NH·BPh(4). The analogous reaction of 5 with Et(3)NH·BAr(f)(4) [Ar(f) = C(6)H(3)-3,5-(CF(3))(2)] afforded, following addition of 1 to give a crystallizable compound, the cationic, separated ion pair complex [{U(Tren(TMS))(THF)}(2)(μ-Cl)][BAr(f)(4)] (8). Reaction of 7 with K[Mn(CO)(5)] or 5 or 6 with [HMn(CO)(5)] in THF afforded [U(Tren(TMS))(THF)(μ-OC)Mn(CO)(4)] (9); when these reactions were repeated in the presence of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), the separated ion pair [U(Tren(TMS))(DME)][Mn(CO)(5)] (10) was isolated instead. Reaction of 5 with [HMn(CO)(5)] in toluene afforded [{U(Tren(TMS))(μ-OC)(2)Mn(CO)(3)}(2)] (11). Similarly, reaction of the cyclometalated complex [U{N(CH(2)CH(2)NSiMe(2)Bu(t))(2)(CH(2)CH(2)NSiMeBu(t)CH(2))}] with [HMn(CO)(5)] gave [{U(Tren(DMSB))(μ-OC)(2)Mn(CO)(3)}(2)] [12, Tren(DMSB) = N(CH(2)CH(2)NSiMe(2)Bu(t))(3)]. Attempts to prepare the manganocene derivative [U(Tren(TMS))MnCp(2)] from 7 and K[MnCp(2)] were unsuccessful and resulted in formation of [{U(Tren(TMS))}(2)(μ-O)] (13) and [MnCp(2)]. Complexes 3-13 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, (1)H NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, Evans method magnetic moment, and CHN microanalyses.     

Synthesis of amino-1,4-benzoquinones and their use in Diels-Alder approaches to the aminonaphthoquinone antibiotics

A new protocol for the synthesis of protected amino-1,4-benzoquinones by oxidation of the corresponding 2,5-dimethoxyaniline derivatives using PhI(OAc)(2) or PhI(OCOCF(3))(2) in water containing 2.5% methanol is reported. The process represents an improvement over previously reported methods, both in terms of yield and number of steps, and in the range of nitrogen protecting groups that it tolerates. A number of novel aminobenzoquinones were prepared and subsequently used as dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions to form building blocks for the synthesis of the aminonaphthoquinone antibiotics such as salinisporamycin.     

Tribological durability of silane monolayers on silicon

We report the frictional performance and long-term tribological stability of various alkyl silane monolayer films on silicon by using pin-on-disk tribometry at ambient conditions. We show that the durability of monolayers derived from n-alkyltrichlorosilanes on silicon increases exponentially with the chain length of the silane precursor, which we relate to the cohesive energy of these monolayers through molecular dynamics simulations. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to show that tribological damage consisted of the loss of molecular components that could be partially replaced upon exposure to a solution containing perfluorinated silane precursors. For monolayers derived from n-octadecyltrichlorosilane, a critical load was identified to be approximately 250 mN (200 MPa), above which failure of films occurred within 100 cycles of testing. Monolayers with hydroxyl surfaces exhibited reduced stabilities due to stronger tip-surface interactions. Monolayers with the capability for cross-linking exhibited much greater stabilities than monolayers where cross-linking was limited or prevented. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the mechanical durability of monolayers when subjected to a tribological load is greatly enhanced by maximizing dispersional interactions and cross-linking and minimizing tip-surface interactions.     

Bioelectrochemistry for various facets of tau protein biochemistry

Tau protein undergoes complex biochemical processes involved in normal and diseased cellular functions; specifically, tau pathology has been linked to neurodegeneration. At the heart of tau biochemistry are three pillars: microtubules, phosphorylation, and aggregation. However, these three processes are also regulated through other biomolecules in the biological setting, such as metal ions and small and larger ligands, including proteins and nucleic acids. This review describes the latest electrochemical approaches toward greater understanding of tau biochemistry, early disease diagnosis, and drug inhibitor screening.     

Aquachlorobis[4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐2‐(2‐pyridyl)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazol‐1‐oxyl 3‐oxide‐κ2O1,N2]nickel(II) nitrate methanol disolvate monohydrate

The title complex, [NiCl(C₁₂H₁₆N₃O₂)₂(H₂O)]NO₃·2CH₄O·H₂O, was obtained from a methano­lic solution of Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, 2‐pyridyl nitro­nyl nitro­xide (2‐NITpy) and (NEt₄)₂[CoCl₄]. The equatorial coordination sites of the octahedral Ni^II centre are occupied by two chelating radical ligands, with the axial positions occupied by the Cl^? and water ligands. The H₂O—Ni—Cl axis of the complex lies along a crystallographic twofold axis, so that only half the cation is present in the asymmetric unit. The Ni—Cl bond length [2.3614 (17) Å] is significantly shorter than distances typical of octahedral Ni^II centres [2.441 (5) Å]. However, with only one nitrate anion per formula unit, the oxidation state of the metal must be assigned as Ni^II. The 2‐NITpy ligands bend away from the equatorial plane, forming a hydro­phobic region around the Cl atoms. Conversely, the ligated water mol­ecule forms moderately strong hydrogen bonds with the disordered methanol solvent mol­ecules, which in turn form interactions with the water of crystallization and the disordered nitrate anion. These interactions combine to give hydro­philic regions throughout the crystal structure.     

Crystallographic rationalization of the reactivity and spectroscopic properties of (2R)‐S‐(2,5‐dihydroxyphenyl)cysteine

At 150 K, the title compound, C₉H₁₁NO₄S, crystallizes in the orthorhombic form as a zwitterion and has a low gauche conformation [χ = −46.23 (16)°] for an acyclic cysteine derivative. A difference in bond length is observed for the alkyl C—S bond [1.8299 (15) Å] and the aryl C—S bond [1.7760 (15) Å]. The –NH₃⁺ group is involved in four hydrogen bonds, two of which are intermolecular and two intramolecular. The compound forms an infinite three‐dimensional network constructed from four intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Characterization data (¹³C NMR, IR and optical rotation) are reported to supplement the incomplete data disclosed previously in the literature.