Degradation of ²-O-4 lignin model and related compounds by the ascomyceteChrysonilia sitophila (TFB 27441 strain)

Growth of the ascomyceteChrysonilia sitophila during degradation of lignin model dimers and monomers was compared to a glucose control. An inhibition of growth by Cα-carbonyl monomers and stimulation by β-O-4 lignin model and vanillyl alcohol were observed. A comparison of the degradation by this ascomycete with the basidiomycetePhanerochaete chrysosoporium showed similarities in relation to the type of degradation caused.     

One-step electrochemical synthesis of pure poly(2,5-dicyano-p-phenylenevinylene) films

In this communication we describe the electrochemical synthesis of poly(2,5-dicyano-p-phenylenevinylene) (DCNPPV) polymer films on indium tin oxide substrates. We investigate the purity, morphology, absorption and emission properties of the film. The purity was checked by infrared spectroscopy. The film formed presented spectroscopic purity equivalent to the chemically prepared PPV that was dialyzed for one week. Scanning electron microscopy of the surface revealed a grain-like morphology. The absorption and emission spectra showed absorption and emission bands at 420 nm and 575 nm, respectively, with the absorption onset at 422 nm, which corresponds to an energy gap of 2.25 eV. The electrochemical determination of the energy gap gives 2.05 eV, thus quite close to the optical energy gap at the onset of absorption. The EA and IP were determined by electrochemical measurements and are 3.46 eV and 5.51 eV, respectively.

Voltammetry of copper species in estuarine waters: Part I. Electrochemistry of copper species in chloride media

Theoretical and experimental voltammetric studies of copper reduction in chloride media show that electrodeposition on the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) is controlled by competitive reduction between Cu(II) organic species and the Cu(I)Cl₂^? intermediate. For reversible Cu(II) species reduction, the change from organic ligand to chloride control of the final reduction step can be predicted by thermodynamic calculation. On the other hand in irreversible systems (e.g. estuarine waters) involvement of the CuCl₂^? intermedite in the electrodeposition is more complex and can occur both before and after amalgamation.     

(η5-C5R5)2Fe2(CO)2(μ-CO)(μ-CH2) (R = H,CH3): A convenient one-pot synthesis using chloromethyl pivalate

The compounds (η⁵-C₅R₅)₂Fe₂(CO)₂(μ-CO)(μ-CH₂) (R = H, CH₃) have been prepared through the reaction of chloromethyl pivalate with the appropriate metal anions, η⁵-C₅H₅Fe(CO)₂K and η⁵-C₅Me₅Fe(CO)₂K.     

Unusual route to and rearrangement of four-membered ring complexes C5H5Fe (CO) [ (C6H5)2PN(R)CH (C6H5) ]

The amine substituted phosphines (C₆H₅)₂PN(H)CH₂CH₃ and (C₆H₅)₂PN(H)CH₂C₆H₅ react with C₅H₅Fe(CO)₂CH(C₆H₅) (OCH₃) photolytically to give moderate yields of the four-membered chelate ring complexes C₅H₅$\text{Fe (CO) [(C}{}_6\text{H}{}_5\text{)}{}_2\text{PN (CH}{}_2\text{CH}{}_3\text{) C}$H (C₆H₅)] and C₅H₅$\text{Fe (CO) [(C}{}_6\text{H}{}_5\text{)}{}_2\text{PN (CH}{}_2\text{C}{}_6\text{H}{}_5\text{)C}$H(C₆H₅)], respectively. Photolysis of C₅H₅Fe(CO)₂CH(C₆H₅) (OCH₃) in the presence of (S)-(?)-diphenyl(1-phenylethylamino)phosphine leads to the isolation of C₅H₅Fe(CO)[(C₆H₅)2PNC(CH₃) (C₆H₅)]CH₂C₆H₅ which is proposed to arise from a formally 1,3-hydrogen shift rearrangement of an intermediate four-membered chelate ring complex.     

Chromatographic competitive binding immunoassays: a comparison of the sequential and simultaneous injection methods

Two approaches for performing competitive binding immunoassays by HPLC and other flow-based systems are the simultaneous and sequential injection methods. Both these techniques make use of a column with a limited amount of antibody, onto which is injected a sample and a fixed amount of a labeled analyte analog. An indirect measure of the unlabeled analyte in the sample is then obtained by looking at the amount of analog in either the nonretained or retained peaks. In the simultaneous injection mode, the sample and labeled analog are applied at the same time to the column, while in the sequential mode the sample is injected first, followed by the analog. This results in a difference in the analytical characteristics of these two approaches. This study used chromatographic theory and previous data obtained for injections of human serum albumin (HSA) onto an anti-HSA antibody column to compare the response, detection limits, range, and sensitivity of these methods. Under equivalent conditions, it was found that the sequential method always provided the best lower limit of detection and sensitivity. However, the simultaneous mode had a broader dynamic range and higher upper limit of detection. From these observations, several guidelines were developed regarding the use and selection of such assays for new applications.     

Synthesis of mixed metal decaosmium carbido clusters: The X-ray structures of the monoanions [Os10C(CO)24Cu(NCMe)]− and [Os10C(CO)24AuPPh3]−

The high nuclearity mixed metal cluster monoanions [Os₁₀C(CO)₂₄Cu(NCMe)]^? (I) and [Os₁₀C(CO)₂₄AuPPh₃]^? (II) have been obtained by reaction of the carbido-dianion [Os₁₀C(CO)₂₄]^2? (III) with one equivalent of [Cu(NCMe)₄] [BF₄] and Ph₃PAuCl, respectively, in CH₂Cl₂. X-ray analysis of the [PPh₃Me]⁺ salts of I and II show that the Cu and Au ligands have added to capping tetrahedra of the dianion III in μ₃- and μ₂-bridging positions, respectively.     

Squeezing the [Cu-OH...H2O-Cu]3+ bridge by cryptate encapsulation

Treatment of cryptand L(1) with Cu(II) generates a H3O2(-)-bridged dicopper(II) cryptate, 2, where the guest anion has responded to steric constraint by a significant shortening of the O-O distance to 2.325(9) A; computational optimization at the B3LYP/6-31(d) level suggests that the bridging O-H...O H-bond is bent (approximately 157 degrees) but that the barrier to interchange of the bridging H atom is low (<4 kJ mol(-1)). This cryptate, rather than the [Cu2L(1)muCN]3+ species recently claimed to derive from cleavage of the C-C bond of the solvent, is the product of acetonitrile recrystallization of the initially formed reaction product, 1.     

Reduction of sulfoxides with boranes catalyzed by MoO2Cl2

The first example of an organic reduction with boranes catalyzed by a high valent oxo-complex is reported. The systems catecholborane/MoO₂Cl₂(H₂O)₂ (5 mol %) and BH₃·THF/MoO₂Cl₂ (5 mol %) proved to be very efficient for the reduction of sulfoxides to the corresponding sulfides in excellent yields.     

Picosecond acoustic transmission measurements. II. Probing high frequency structural relaxation in supercooled glycerol

The high frequency acoustic response of liquids is measured in a manner directly analogous to conventional ultrasonic measurements. Two thin metal films act as acoustic transducer and receiver for a liquid layer between them. Pulsed optical excitation generates high bandwidth wave packets in the transducer, and these are detected in the receiver after damping and dispersion by the liquid. This initial measurement probes structural relaxation dynamics of glycerol in the frequency range 2-20 GHz, for temperatures between 235 and 291 K. The analysis presented here demonstrates the presence of excess relaxation, not accounted for by either the alpha or beta relaxation of the mode-coupling theory, and suggests the presence of constant loss in the susceptibility spectrum of supercooled glycerol.