Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured iron compounds prepared from the decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl dispersed into carbon materials with varying porosities

This work describes the production and characterization of carbon-iron nanocomposites obtained from the decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl (Fe(CO)₅) mixed with different carbon materials: a high surface area activated carbon (AC), powdered graphite (G), milled graphite (MG), and carbon black (CB). The nanocomposites were prepared either under argon or in ambient atmosphere, with a fixed ratio of Fe(CO)₅ (4.0 mL) to carbon precursor (2.0 g). The images of scanning electron microscopy and the analysis of textural properties indicated the presence of nanostructured Fe compounds homogeneously dispersed into the different classes of pores of the carbon matrices. The elemental Fe content was always larger for samples prepared in ambient atmosphere, reaching values in the range of 20–32 wt%. On the other hand, samples prepared under argon showed reduced Fe content, with values in the range 5–10 wt% for samples prepared from precursors with low surface area (G, MG, and CB) and a much higher value (~19 wt%) for samples prepared from the precursor of high surface area (AC). Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry showed that the nanoparticles were mostly composed of iron oxides in the case of the samples prepared in oxygen-rich ambient atmosphere and also for the AC-derived nanocomposite prepared under argon, which is consistent with the large oxygen content of this precursor. For the other precursors, with reduced or no oxygen content, metallic iron and iron carbides were found to be the dominant phases in samples prepared under oxygen-free atmosphere. The samples prepared in ambient atmosphere and the AC-derived sample prepared under argon exhibited superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature, as revealed by temperature-dependent magnetization curves and Mössbauer spectroscopy.     

An Extremal Problem Arising in the Dynamics of Two-Phase Materials That Directly Reveals Information about the Internal Geometry

In two-phase materials, each phase having a non-local response in time, it has been found that for some driving fields the response somehow untangles at specific times, and allows one to directly infer useful information about the geometry of the material, such as the volume fractions of the phases. Motivated by this, and to obtain an algorithm for designing appropriate driving fields, we find approximate, measure independent, linear relations between the values that Markov functions take at a given set of possibly complex points, not belonging to the interval [-1,1] where the measure is supported. The problem is reduced to simply one of polynomial approximation of a given function on the interval [-1,1] and, to simplify the analysis, Chebyshev approximation is used. This allows one to obtain explicit estimates of the error of the approximation, in terms of the number of points and the minimum distance of the points to the interval [-1,1]. Assuming this minimum distance is bounded below by a number greater than 1/2, the error converges exponentially to zero as the number of points is increased. Approximate linear relations are also obtained that incorporate a set of moments of the measure. In the context of the motivating problem, the analysis also yields bounds on the response at any particular time for any driving field, and allows one to estimate the response at a given frequency using an appropriately designed driving field that effectively is turned on only for a fixed interval of time. The approximation extends directly to Markov-type functions with a positive semidefinite operator valued measure, and this has applications to determining the shape of an inclusion in a body from boundary flux measurements at a specific time, when the time-dependent boundary potentials are suitably tailored. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

High-resolution heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy in solid state NMR of aligned samples

A new two-dimensional scheme is proposed for accurate measurements of high-resolution chemical shifts and heteronuclear dipolar couplings in NMR of aligned samples. Both the (1)H chemical shifts and the (1)H-(15)N dipolar couplings are evolved in the indirect dimension while the (15)N chemical shifts are detected. This heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) spectroscopy yields high-resolution (1)H chemical shifts split by the (1)H-(15)N dipolar couplings in the indirect dimension and the (15)N chemical shifts in the observed dimension. The advantages of the HETCOR technique are illustrated for a static (15)N-acetyl-valine crystal sample and a (15)N-labeled helical peptide sample aligned in hydrated lipid bilayers.     

Physical properties of SrSn(4) single crystals

We present detailed thermodynamic and transport measurements on single crystals of the recently discovered binary intermetallic superconductor, SrSn(4). We find this material to be a slightly anisotropic three-dimensional, strongly coupled, possibly multiband, superconductor. Hydrostatic pressure causes a decrease in the superconducting transition temperature at the rate of ≈?-?0.068?K?kbar(-1). Band structure calculations are consistent with experimental data on the Sommerfeld coefficient and upper superconducting critical field anisotropy, and suggest a complex, multi-sheet Fermi surface formed by four bands.     

The infrared spectra and theoretical calculations of frequencies of fac-tricarbonyl octahedral complexes of manganese(I)

The carbonyl stretching frequencies in the infrared spectra of 38 fac-tricarbonyl octahedral complexes of manganese(I) prepared in this laboratory were determined. These complexes may be grouped into three types: (a) neutral complexes of the structure (CO)(3)Mn(P-P)Z where P-P represents depe, dppe, or dppp, and Z represents various anionic functional groups bonded to the manganese; (b) ionic complexes of the structure [(CO)(3)Mn(P-P)Z](+)BF(4)(-) where Z represents various neutral molecules possessing one phosphorous, nitrogen, or oxygen atom coordinated to the manganese; (c) complexes of the structure (CO)(3)Mn(pn)Z where the chelating pn represents 1,1-diphenylphosphino-2,2-dimethylaminoethane, Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)NMe(2). All of these complexes show three carbonyl stretching modes (2A' + A"). The effects on the frequencies of these modes induced by both the various Z groups and the various ligands are discussed. Theoretical calculations (B3LYP/6-31G) with optimization of the full molecule make it possible to distinguish between the three stretching modes and to make unambiguous assignments of appropriate symmetry species to each.     

Characterization of an immobilized antibody-enzyme complex

Antiserum specific for propanediol dehydrogenase, an enzyme found inNeisseria gonorrhoeae cells, has been immobilized to glass. When mixed withN gonorrhoeae cell lysates, the immobilized antibody (IMA) binds the enzyme. Over 70% of the calculated adsorbed activity can be recovered from the immobilized antibody-enzyme (IMA-E) complex. When mixed with bacterial lysates prepared from different organisms having propanediol dehydrogenase-like activity, the IMA specifically adsorbed the enzyme from theN gonorrhoeae lysate. IMA-E complexes have been prepared and their kinetic, temperature and chemical stability, and antigenic properties investigated. These studies demonstrated the feasibility of using an immobilized antibody in the detection of the propanediol dehydrogenase enzyme.     

New Enantioselective Routes to Cyclic and Acyclic S,O-acetals; Enzymatic Resolution of α-Acetoxy Sulfides and Enantioselective Synthesis of the Antiviral Agent Lamivudine

A new method for the synthesis of cyclic and acyclic optically active S,O-acetals is reported, along with subsequent stereocontrolled transformations, culminating in a synthesis of the important antiviral nucleoside Lamivudine.     

Synthesis of the isomeric monomethyl derivatives of the novel naphtho[2′,1′:4,5]thieno[2,3-c]quinoline ring system

The synthesis of the novel naphtho[2′,1′:4,5]thieno[2,3-c]quinoline (11) ring system and four of the isomeric monomethyl derivatives is described.     

Improvement of lysine production by analog-sensitive and auxotroph mutants of the acetylene-utilizing bacterium gordona bronchialis (Rhodococcus bronchialis)

An acetylene utilizingGordona (Rhodococcus) bronchialis strain, screened for the production of fine chemicals, was found to be capable of producing small amounts of lysine. Attempts to produce amino-acid analogresistant and/or sensitive mutants and auxotrophs of this strain with increased lysine production were made following UV-irradiation orN-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment. The bacterium exhibited surprisingly high resistance levels to the aforementioned mutagens which is attributed to highly effective inborn-repair systems. Natural resistance to high levels ofS-(2-aminoethyl)-l-cysteine (AEC) (2%) was observed, in contrast withd, l-aspartic acid hydroxamate (AAH),l-lysine hydroxamate (LHX) and β-fluoropyruvate (FP). A variety of amino-acid analog-resistant (AAH^r, LHX^r) or analog-sensitive (FP^s) mutants were produced following UV-irradiation or MNNG treatment. Similarly, a large number of auxotrophs (68) of different types were also obtained. From these, one FP^s mono-auxotroph and two poly-auxotrophs (with at least one requirement for the aspartic acid family) showed an increased lysine production (~1.8 g/L) comparable (4 g/L) to that found in other bacteria capable of utilizing long-chain hydrocarbons(1).