Open-loop and closed-loop control of dissociative ionization of ethanol in intense laser fields

The relative yield of the C-O bond breaking with respect to the C-C bond breaking in ethanol cation C2H5OH+ is maximized in intense laser fields (10(13)-10(15) Wcm2) by open-loop and closed-loop optimization procedures. In the open-loop optimization, a train of intense laser pulses are synthesized so that the temporal separation between the first and last pulses becomes 800 fs, and the number and width of the pulses within a train are systematically varied. When the duration of 800 fs is filled with laser fields by increasing the number of pulses or by stretching all pulses in a triple pulse train, the relative yield of the C-O bond breaking becomes significantly large. In the closed-loop optimization using a self-learning algorithm, the four dispersion coefficients or the phases of 128 frequency components of an intense laser pulse are adopted as optimized parameters. From these optimization experiments it is revealed that the yield ratio of the C-O bond breaking is maximized as far as the total duration of the intense laser field reaches as long as approximately 1 ps and that the intermittent disappearance of the laser field within a pulse does not affect the relative yields of the bond breaking pathways.     

Photoinduced hydrogen production by direct electron transfer from photosystem I cross-linked with cytochrome c3 to [NiFe]-hydrogenase

The photosynthetic reaction center is an efficient molecular device for the conversion of light energy to chemical energy. In a previous study, we synthesized the hydrogenase/photosystem I (PSI) complex, in which Ralstonia hydrogenase was linked to the cytoplasmic side of Synechocystis PSI, to modify PSI so that it photoproduced molecular hydrogen (H2). In that study, hydrogenase was fused with a PSI subunit, PsaE, and the resulting hydrogenase-PsaE fusion protein was self-assembled with PsaE-free PSI to give the hydrogenase/PSI complex. Although the hydrogenase/PSI complex served as a direct light-to-H2 conversion system in vitro, the activity was totally suppressed by adding physiological PSI partners, ferredoxin (Fd) and ferredoxin-NADP+-reductase (FNR). In the present study, to establish an H2 photoproduction system in which the activity is not interrupted by Fd and FNR, position 40 of PsaE from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, corresponding to the Fd-binding site on PSI, was selected and targeted for the cross-linking with cytochrome c3 (cytc3) from Desulfovibrio vulgaris. The covalent adduct of cytc3 and PsaE was stoichiometrically assembled with PsaE-free PSI to form the cytc3/PSI complex. The NADPH production by the cytc3/PSI complex coupled with Fd and FNR decreased to approximately 20% of the original activity, whereas the H2 production by the cytc3/PSI complex coupled with hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris was enhanced 7-fold. Consequently, in the simultaneous presence of hydrogenase, Fd, and FNR, the light-driven H2 production by the hydrogenase/cytc3/PSI complex was observed (0.30 pmol Hz/mg chlorophyll/h). These results suggest that the cytc3/PSI complex may produce H2 in vivo.     

Gas-phase acidities of disubstituted methanes and of enols of carboxamides substituted by electron-withdrawing groups

The gas-phase acidities DeltaG degrees (acid) of some 20 amides/enols of amides RNHCOCHYY'/RNHC(OH)=CYY' [R = Ph, i-Pr; Y, Y' = CO(2)R', CO(2)R' ', or CN, CO(2)R', R', R' ' = Me, CH(2)CF(3), CH(CF(3))(2)], the N-Ph and N-Pr-i amides of Meldrum's acid, 1,3-cyclopentanedione, dimedone, and 1,3-indanedione, and some N-p-BrC(6)H(4) derivatives and of nine CH(2)YY' (Y, Y' = CN, CO(2)R', CO(2)R' '), including the cyclic carbon acids listed above, were determined by ICR. The acidities were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31+G//B3LYP/6-31+G level for both the enol and the amide species or for the carbon acid and the enol on the CO in the CH(2)YY' series. For 12 of the compounds, calculations were also conducted with the larger base sets 6-311+G and G-311+G. The DeltaG degrees (acid) values changed from 341.3 kcal/mol for CH(2)(CO(2)Me)(2) to 301.0 kcal/mol for PhNHC(OH)=C(CN)CH(CF(3))(2). The acidities increased for combinations of Y and Y' based on the order CO(2)Me < CO(2)CH(2)CF(3) < CN, CO(2)CH(CF(3))(2) for a single group and reflect the increased electron-withdrawal ability of Y,Y' coupled with the ability to achieve planarity of the crowded anion. The acidities of corresponding YY'-substituted systems follow the order N-Ph enols > N-Pr-i enols > CH(2)YY'. Better linear relationships between DeltaG degrees (acid) values calculated for the enols and the observed values than those for the values calculated for the amides suggest that the ionization site is the enolic O-H of most of the noncyclic trisubstituted methanes. The experimental DeltaG degrees (acid) value for Meldrum's acid matches the recently reported calculated value. The calculated structures and natural charges of all species are given, and the changes occurring in them on ionization are discussed. Correlations between the DeltaG degrees (acid) values and the pK(enol) values, which are linear for the trisubstituted methanes, excluding YY' = (CN)(2) and nonlinear for the CH(2)YY' systems, are discussed.     

High-performance liquid chromatography of coenzyme Q-related compounds and its application to biological materials

A convenient and precise method for the separation and determination of coenzyme Q (CoQ)-related compounds (CoQ homologues, plastoquinone-9, ubichromenol-9, etc.) was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All compounds tested were separated using a reverse-phase column with a suitable mobile phase and detected at a wavelength of 275 nm. CoQ extracts in plasma and erythrocytes were purified by thin-layer chromatography prior to HPLC analysis, but such purification was not necessary when determining CoQ in urine and tissues. Hydroquinone forms of CoQ existing in animal tissues were oxidized to the corresponding quinone forms with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III). This HPLC method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of the contents of CoQ homologues in human and animal samples. CoQ10 was the only homologue detected in human samples, and CoQ8, CoQ9 and CoQ10 were native homologues of CoQ in rat tissues. Ubichromenol-9 and plastoquinone-9 were not detected in these samples.     

Atoms-in-molecules analysis of extended hypervalent five-center, six-electron (5c-6e) C(2)Z(2)O interactions at the 1,8,9-positions of anthraquinone and 9-methoxyanthracene systems

To clarify the nature of five-center, six-electron (5c-6e) C(2)Z(2)O interactions, atoms-in-molecules (AIM) analysis has been applied to an anthraquinone, 1,8-(MeZ)(2)ATQ (1 (Z=Se), 2 (Z=S), and 3 (Z=O)), and a 9-methoxyanthracene system, 9-MeO-1,8-(MeZ)(2)ATC (4 (Z=Se), 5 (Z=S), and 6 (Z=O)), as well as 1-(MeZ)ATQ (7 (Z=Se), 8 (Z=S), and 9 (Z=O)) and 9-MeO-1-(MeZ)ATC (10 (Z=Se), 11 (Z=S), and 12 (Z=O)). The total electronic energy density (H(b)(r(c))) at the bond critical points (BCPs), an appropriate index for weak interactions, has been examined for 5c-6e C(2)Z(2)O and 3c-4e CZO interactions of the n(p)(O)sigma*(Z--C) type in 1-12. Some hydrogen-bonded adducts were also re-examined for convenience of comparison. The total electronic energy densities varied in the following order: OO (3: H(b)(r(c))=0.0028 au)=OO (6: 0.0028 au)>OO (9: 0.0025 au)> or =NNHF (0.0024 au)> or =OO (12: 0.0023 au)>H(2)OHOH (0.0015 au)>SO (8: 0.0013 au)=SO (2: 0.0013 au)> or =SO (11: 0.0012 au)=SO (5: 0.0012 au)>HFHF (0.0008 au)=SeO (10: 0.0008 au)=SeO (4: 0.0008 au)> or =SeO (1: 0.0007 au)> or =SeO (7: 0.0006 au)>HCNHF (-0.0013 au). H(b)(r(c)) values for SO were predicted to be smaller than the hydrogen bond of H(2)OHOH and H(b)(r(c)) values for SeO are very close to or slightly smaller than that for HFHF in both the ATQ and 9-MeOATC systems. In the case of Z=Se and S, H(b)(r(c)) values for 5c-6e C(2)Z(2)O interactions are essentially equal to those for 3c-4e CZO if Z is the same. The results demonstrate that two n(p)(O)sigma*(Z--C) 3c-4e interactions effectively connect through the central n(p)(O) orbital to form the extended hypervalent 5c-6e system of the sigma*(C--Z)n(p)(O)sigma*(Z--C) type for Z=Se and S in both systems. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis revealed that n(s)(O) also contributes to some extent. The electron charge densities at the BCPs, NBO analysis, and the total energies calculated for 1-12, together with the structural changes in the PhSe derivatives, support the above discussion.     

Monolithic silica spin column extraction and simultaneous derivatization of amphetamines and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines in human urine for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric detection

A simple, sensitive, and specific method with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed for simultaneous extraction and derivatization of amphetamines (APs) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDAs) in human urine by using a monolithic silica spin column. All the procedures, such as sample loading, washing, and elution were performed by centrifugation. APs and MDAs in urine were adsorbed on the monolithic silica and derivatized with propyl chloroformate in the column. Methamphetamine-d₅ was used as an internal standard. The linear ranges were 0.01-5.0 μg mL⁻¹ for methamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 0.02-5.0 μg mL⁻¹ for amphetamine (AP) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) (coefficient of correlation ≧0.995). The recovery of APs and MDAs in urine was 84-94%, and the relative standard deviation of the intra- and interday reproducibility for urine samples containing 0.1, 1.0, and 4.0 μg mL⁻¹ of APs and MDAs ranged from 1.4% to 13.6%. The lowest detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio ≧ 3) in urine was 5 ng mL⁻¹ for MA and MDMA and 10 ng mL⁻¹ for AP and MDA. The proposed method can be used to perform simultaneous extraction and derivatization on spin columns that have been loaded with a small quantity of solvent by using centrifugation.     

Radionuclides in steel slag intended for road construction

The objective of this study was to describe the radiochemical characteristics of electric arc furnace (EAF) slag from Croatian EAF black steel slags, generated from carbon steel production process in CMC Sisak d.o.o., and steel mill in Split in order to enhance the understanding of possibilities for their use in road construction. This article presents the results of radionuclide in electric arc furnace steel slag. The presence of natural isotopes ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th (²²⁸Ra), ²²⁶Ra and ²³⁸U was established. The measured activity in slag natural isotopes lies within the Croatian legally permitted limits.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of structural disordering and forming defects in a milling process for selenium

In our previous paper, structural changes of selenium powders ground by a planetary ball mill at various rotational speeds were investigated for the nanostructural modification of particles using mechanical grinding process. The experimental results indicated that the amorphisation of Se by grinding accompanies lattice strain, and the lattice strain arises from impact energy which is more than an energy related to intermolecular interaction. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations of selenium have been carried out under compressing conditions of various pressure strengths for obtaining information of the lattice strain at atomic level. Then, dynamical behaviour of atomic configuration has been discussed in this process. The structural disordering and formation of the structural defects were estimated by deviations of bond length and angle and the number of created defects before and after compressing from simulated results. The disordering took place during compressing at various pressure strengths, and the disordered atoms return to their initial positions at lower pressure. Stable disordered state and defects after the compression can however remain by compression at more than a certain pressure strength mainly associated with binding energy of selenium.     

Permselective monolayer membrane based on two-dimensional cross-linked polysiloxane LB films for hydrogen peroxide detecting glucose sensors

Novel two-dimensional (2D) cross-linked polysiloxane LB films were prepared and applied for glucose sensing as H2O2-permselective films in order to block other electroactive interferences, such as L-ascorbic acid, L-cysteine, uric acid and acetaminophen; the 2D cross-linked polysiloxane monolayers were remarkably effective in eliminating interfering responses and had a rapid response for glucose, even though the films were only a monolayer thick.     

Molecular packing and morphology of oligo(m-phenylene ethynylene) foldamers

Understanding and controlling solid-state morphologies and molecular conformations is the key to optimizing the properties of materials. As an example for the influence of small chemical changes on solid-state structures, we studied oligo(m-phenylene ethynylene) foldamers, where the introduction of an endo-methyl group induces a transition from an extended all-transoid to a helical all-cisoid conformation. The resulting structural changes were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and low-dose high-resolution electron microscopy (LD-HREM) over several length scales from the molecular to the mesoscopic level. The strong tendency of the endo-methyl oligomer 1 to form stable compact helices in solution resulted in round droplets with an ordered hexagonal columnar (Col(ho)) liquid crystalline structure, where shrinkage during the crystallization resulted in the formation of a banded texture. On the other hand, the endo-hydrogen oligomer 2 exhibited a very different morphology; its extended linear shape was maintained during crystallization and resulted in an extended lamellar structure, which was determined by a compromise between crystalline packing and minimization of the surface area. Another pronounced difference between both molecular structures was the ability of the extended lamellar "crystals" to bend, whereas the helices form either straight or disordered domains. In addition, both materials exhibit strong surface effects, which extend considerably inside the droplet and induce uniform bending of the supramolecular structures.