Potential photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy. III. Photophysical properties of a lipophilic chlorin and its zinc and tin chelates.

Photophysical properties of a lipophilic chlorin derivative and its zinc and tin chelates were investigated in chloroform. The quantum yields of the fluorescence phi F, of the S1----T1 intersystem crossing phi T and of singlet oxygen (1 delta g) formation phi delta, as well as the Stern-Volmer constants for the quenching of the S1 states by oxygen and the rate constants of quenching of O2(1 delta g) by the chlorins were measured. In comparison to the metal-free chlorin an increase of phi T and a decrease of phi F have been observed for the metal-containing derivatives, whereas the phi delta values remain constant.     

Studies on the elimination of sulfide interference in the potentiometric determination of chloride using ion selective electrodes in a flow injection system

Detailed investigations have been reported on the application of a common procedure using bromate in nitric acid for the removal of the interference of sulfide in the direct potentiometric determination of chloride using silver-based ion selective electrodes in a flow injection system. It is shown that this procedure is not very efficient and carries a high risk of chloride underestimation. With increasing levels of sulfide the oxidation of chloride to elemental chlorine becomes progressively significant and under certain circumstances virtually no chloride is left irrespective of its initial concentration. Hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium is proposed as a suitable alternative for the efficient removal of sulfide without any adverse effects on the potentiometric method.     

Partially concurrent eluent evaporation with an early vapor exit; detection of food irradiation through coupled LC-GC analysis of the fat

This paper reports two subjects. It describes LC-GC transfer by partially concurrent eluent evaporation at a greatly accelerated rate, as required for optimal compatibility with 2–3 mm i.d. LC columns and LC flow rates up to some 500 μl/min. Evaporation rates around 200 μl/min were obtained using a 0.53 mm. i.d. uncoated pre-column and an early vapor exit. A stationary-phasecoated “retaining” pre-column was used for preventing escape of volatile solutes through the vapor exit. The technique was used for the detection of food irradiation by analyzing selected radiolysis products of triglycerides, namely alkanes/alkanes and aldehydes. Extracted fat of chicken, hazel-nuts, and soup mixes was injected in LO and the relevant fractions were transferred on-line to GC. For chicken and nuts, detection of irradiation was possible down to doses below 0.5 kGy. Detection limits were higher for soup mixes due to interfering peaks.     

Die Zusammensetzung der Neutrallipide aus normalen Hirnen alter Menschen

The chemical composition of lipids from six human brains (60–73 years) is reported. The total lipids out of cortex, white matter, diencephalon and cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata have been isolated and the neutral lipids have been separated in cerebrosides, sphingomyelines, and lecithins. The highest amount of pure lipids is found in the white matter, the lowest in the cortex. The relation of neutral lipids to acid lipids as well as the amount of cholesterol are about equal for all regions. The white matter shows more cerebrosides and sphingomyelines than the cortex, the opposite being the case for lecithins. The differences are strongly significant. The fatty acids out of the different pure lipid fractions have been analysed as esters by gas chromatography. Stearic and lignoceric acid, and cerebronic and hydroxy nervonic acid respectively are main components of cerebrosides, with only little differences for the different brain regions. The fatty acids of sphingomyelines consist mainly of stearic and nervonic acid; in the white matter these two acids are present about in the same quantity, whereas stearic acid dominates in the cortex and the other sections. Lecithins contain above all palmitic and oleic acid. The amount of the latter in the white matter is higher than that of palmitic acid.     

Combining fixed- and moving-grid methods to study direct dissociation processes involving nonadiabatic transitions

We present a novel quantum-dynamics approach suitable for computing direct dissociation processes, including electronic transitions. This approach combines quantum trajectories in the Lagrangian reference frame with standard fixed-grid wave packets in order to overcome the limitations and difficulties of both techniques. As a model application, we consider the ultrafast photodissociation of H2 excited by a femtosecond extreme UV laser pulse.     

The Isocyanide–Cyanide Rearrangement; Mechanism and Preparative Applications

Until recently the isocyanide–cyanide rearrangement was of interest almost solely as an example of a unimolecular gas-phase reaction, and kinetic studies had been carried out in only a few simple cases. Kinetic measurements in solution were made possible only by the discovery and suppression of a parallel free-radical chain process which leads to the same products. The rate of the isomerization is almost independent of the structure of the starting material and of the substituents present. An exception is provided by extreme steric hindrance in three dimensions which, as in tris-α-substituted triptycyl isocyanides, leads to a considerable increase in the activation energy. The results can be interpreted in terms of a purely sigmatropic mechanism, as predicted by ab initio calculations. The preparative application of this rearrangement reaction requires the suppression of side reactions and can best be carried out by flash pyrolysis; yields are then almost quantitative. Allyl isocyanides react without allyl isomerization, optically active isocyanides with complete retention of configuration. New, economically interesting syntheses for the known nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and (S)-naproxene are described. The application of the useful synthetic building blocks, the optically active β-acyloxy cyanides, which are formed from optically active α-amino acids, will be demonstrated.     

State-specific rotational energy transfer in OH (A 2Σ+, v′=0) by some combustion-relevant collision partners

State-to-state rotational energy transfer (RET) co-efficients were determined for inelastic collisions of OH (A ²⁺, v=0) with N₂, CO₂, and H₂O at 300 K. The experimental procedure described previously allows the direct evaluation of state-specific RET coefficients from time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements without any assumptions on the RET. The results show strikingly different RET behaviour for the three collision partners. The data can serve as a basis for a comparison with dynamic collision models.A. Jörg is now with IBM Corporation, Frankfurt, Fed. Rep. Germany     

Reverse micelles dissolved in supercritical xenon: an NMR spectroscopic study

Reverse micelles currently gain increasing interest in chemical technology. They also become important in biomolecular NMR due to their ability to host biomolecules such as proteins. In the present paper, a procedure for the preparation of high-pressure NMR samples containing reverse micelles dissolved in supercritical xenon is presented. These reverse micelles are formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT). For the first time, NMR spectroscopy could be applied to reverse micelles in supercritical xenon. The AOT/H(2)O/Xe system was studied as a function of experimental parameters such as xenon pressure, water content, and salt concentration. Optimum conditions for reverse micelle formation in supercritical xenon could be determined. It is, furthermore, demonstrated that biomolecules such as amino acids and proteins can be incorporated into the reverse micelles dissolved in supercritical xenon.     

REGULATION OF CHLOROPLAST DEVELOPMENT BY RED AND BLUE LIGHT

There are specific differences between red and blue light greening of etiolated seedlings of Hordevm vulgare L. Blue light results in a different prenyl lipid composition of chloroplast as compared to red light of equal quanta density. This is documented by a much higher prenylquinone content, higher chlorophyll a/b ratios, and lower values for the ratio xanthophylls to carotenes (x/c). The photosynthetic activity of “blue light” chloroplasts (Hill reaction) is higher than that of “red light” chloroplasts. These differences in prenylquinone composition and Hill-activity are associated with a different ultrastructure of chloroplasts. “Red light” chloroplasts exhibit a much higher grana content than “blue light” chloroplasts. The difference in thylakoid composition, photosynthetic activity and chloroplast structure found between blue and red light greening are similar to those found between sun and shade leaves and those between plants grown under high and low light intensities.