Separation of DNA fragments in hydroxylated poly(dimethylacrylamide) copolymers

The novel polymer matrices reported here are low-viscosity sieving media for DNA capillary electrophoresis. This new family of matrices comprises copolymers of N,N-dimethylacrylamide with different monomers which increase polymer hydrophilicity. All these new copolymers self-coat on fused-silica capillaries. Resolution, peak spacing and peak width were the parameters taken into account to assess the influence of polymer structure on separation selectivity and efficiency. This work demonstrates that the performance of polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA) can be improved through copolymerization with hydrophilic monomers. The improvement is related to the efficiency parameter. The new copolymers, due to their low viscosity high sieving capacity and ability to suppress EOF, represent a better alternative to PDMA and are suitable replaceable matrices for capillary and microchip electrophoresis.     

Primary photoinduced processes in bimetallic dyads with extended aromatic bridges. tetraazatetrapyridopentacene complexes of ruthenium(II) and osmium(II)

The photophysics of the binuclear complexes [(phen)2M(tatpp)M(phen)2]4+, where M = Ru or Os, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, and tatpp = 9,11,20,22-tetraazatetrapyrido[3,2-a:2'3'-c:3',2'-l:2',3']pentacene, has been studied in acetonitrile and dichloromethane by femtosecond and nanosecond time-resolved techniques. The results demonstrate that complexes of different metals have different types of lowest excited state: a tatpp ligand-centered (LC) triplet in the case of Ru(II); a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) triplet state in the case of Os(II). The excited-state kinetics is strongly solvent-dependent. In the Ru(II) system, the formation and decay of the LC state take place, respectively, in 25 ps and ca. 5 ns in CH3CN and in 0.5 ps and 1.3 micros in CH2Cl2. These solvent effects can be rationalized on the basis of a thermally activated decay of the LC state through the upper MLCT state. In the Os(II) system, the formation and decay of the MLCT state take place, respectively, in 3.8 and 60 ps in CH3CN and in 0.5 and 4 ps in CH2Cl2. These effects are consistent with the solvent sensitivity of the MLCT energy, in terms of driving force and energy-gap law arguments. The relevance of these results for the use of ladder-type aromatic bridges as potential molecular wires is discussed.     

Intermetallic Phases in the Ca‐Cu‐Sn System

Twelve ternary alloys in the Ca‐Cu‐Sn system were synthesized as a test on the existing phases. They were prepared from the elements sealed under argon in Ta crucibles, melted in an induction furnace and annealed at 700 °C or 600 °C. Four ordered compounds were found: CaCuSn (YbAuSn type), Imm2, a = 4.597(1) Å, b = 22.027(2) Å, c = 7.939(1) Å, Z = 12, wR2 = 0.080, 1683 F² values; Ca₃Cu₈Sn₄ (Nd₃Co₈Sn₄ type), P6₃mc, a = 9.125(1) Å, c = 7.728(1) Å, Z = 2, wR2 = 0.087, 704 F² values; CaCu₂Sn₂ (new structure type), C2/m, a = 10.943(3) Å, b = 4.222(1) Å, c = 4.834(1) Å, β = 107.94(1)°, Z = 2, wR2 = 0.051, 343 F² values; CaCu₉Sn₄ (LaFe₉Si₄ type), I4/mcm, a = 8.630(1) Å, c = 12.402(1) Å, Z = 4, wR2 = 0.047, 566 F² values. In all phases the shortest Cu‐Sn distances are in the range 2.59‐2.66Å, while the shortest Cu‐Cu distances are practically the same, 2.53‐2.54Å, except CaCuSn where no Cu‐Cu contacts occur.     

Cobalt(II) and nickel(II) chloride and bromide complexes of 2-(2′-methyl-8′-quinolyl)benzoxazole and 2-(2′ or 4′-methyl 8′-quinolyl)benzimidazole

Summary Cobalt(II) and nickel(II) halide complexes of the ligands 2-(2-methyl-8-quinolyl)benzoxazole (mqbo), 2-(2-methyl8quinolyl)benzimidazole (mqbi) and 2-(4-methyl-8-quinolyl)benzimidazole (mqbi) were synthesized and characterized by analytical, thermogravimetric, conductivity and magnetic data, and i.r. and electronic spectra.The ligands are bidentate N-donors yielding complexes where the coordination geometry depends on the metal ion and steric hindrance. All the cobalt complexes have formula [CoL₂X₂] and distorted tetrahedral geometry. Different types of nickel compounds were obtained: i) complexes of formula NiLX₂ · n H₂O (or EtOH) (L = mqbo or mqbi; n=0–1.5) which arepseudo-tetrahedral or five-coordinate and ii) complexes NiL₂X₂ · n H₂O (L = mqbi, n=3 or 4) where the metal is bound to four nitrogen atoms and the overall coordination geometry is tetragonal. The structural changes occurring after removal of water or alcohol from the complexes are also reported.     

2,5-Diphenyloxazole chromium(III) complexes

Summary Complexes of chromium(III) with 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) of general formula Cr(PPO)_nX₃·m H₂O, where X=Cl^–, Br^–, I^– or NO ₃ ^su– ; n=1–3 and m=0–6, have been prepared and studied by spectroscopic and magnetic methods and by molar conductivity measurements. All the complexes seem to be hexacoordinated, generally with monodentate N-bonded ligand.     

Gain recovery dynamics and photon-driven transport in quantum cascade lasers

Quantum cascade lasers are semiconductor devices based on the interplay of perpendicular transport through the heterostructure and the intracavity lasing field. We employ femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe measurements to investigate the nature of the transport through the laser structure via the dynamics of the gain. The gain recovery is determined by the time-dependent transport of electrons through both the active regions and the superlattice regions connecting them. As the laser approaches and exceeds threshold, the component of the gain recovery due to the nonzero lifetime of the upper lasing state in the active region shows a dramatic reduction due to the onset of quantum stimulated emission; the drift of the electrons is thus driven by the cavity photon density. The gain recovery is qualitatively different from that in conventional lasers due to the superlattice transport in the cascade.