Aryl- and acetylene-nickel(I) complexes

Reduction of various pentafluorophenylnickel(II) complexes in the presence of phosphines gives unstable nickel(I) compounds but Ni(C₆F₅)(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂ is isolated in the presence of CO. Similar NiR(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂ (R = C₆F₅,C₆Cl₅, 2,3,5,6-C₆Cl₄H) are obtained by reaction of the halogenonickel(I) complex with MgRBr or LiR. Reduction of NiX₂L₂ in the presence of acetylenes gives [NiXL₂]₂(μ-PhCCR) (R = H, X = Cl and R = Ph, X = Cl, Br) when L = P-n-Bu₃ but only NiX(PPh₃)₃ are recovered when L = PPh₃. No reaction with the alkyne is observed for [NiX(PPh₃)₂]_n but [NiCl(PPh₃)]_n reacts with RCCR′ to give paramagnetic NiCl(PPh₃)(CRCR′) (R = Ph, R′= H, COOEt), diamagnetic [NiCl(PPh₃)]₂(μ-PhCCPh) and cyclotrimerization when R = R′ = COOMe. Chemical and structural behaviour of the new nickel(I) complexes is described.     

Squash inhibitors: from structural motifs to macrocyclic knottins

In this article, we will first introduce the squash inhibitor, a well established family of highly potent canonical serine proteinase inhibitors isolated from Cucurbitaceae. The squash inhibitors were among the first discovered proteins with the typical knottin fold shared by numerous peptides extracted from plants, animals and fungi. Knottins contain three knotted disulfide bridges, two of them arranged as a Cystine-Stabilized Beta-sheet motif. In contrast to cyclotides for which no natural linear homolog is known, most squash inhibitors are linear. However, Momordica cochinchinensis Trypsin Inhibitor-I and (MCoTI-I and -II), 34-residue squash inhibitors isolated from seeds of a common Cucurbitaceae from Vietnam, were recently shown to be macrocyclic. In these circular squash inhibitors, a short peptide linker connects residues that correspond to the N- and C-termini in homologous linear squash inhibitors. In this review we present the isolation, characterization, chemical synthesis, and activity of these macrocyclic knottins. The solution structure of MCoTI-II will be compared with topologically similar cyclotides, homologous linear squash inhibitors and other knottins, and potential applications of such scaffolds will be discussed.     

Determination of serum aluminum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry: A comparison between Zeeman and continuum background correction systems

Excessive exposure to aluminum (Al) can produce serious health consequences in people with impaired renal function, especially those undergoing hemodialysis. Al can accumulate in the brain and in bone, causing dialysis-related encephalopathy and renal osteodystrophy. Thus, dialysis patients are routinely monitored for Al overload, through measurement of their serum Al. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) is widely used for serum Al determination. Here, we assess the analytical performances of three ETAAS instruments, equipped with different background correction systems and heating arrangements, for the determination of serum Al. Specifically, we compare (1) a Perkin Elmer (PE) Model 3110 AAS, equipped with a longitudinally (end) heated graphite atomizer (HGA) and continuum-source (deuterium) background correction, with (2) a PE Model 4100ZL AAS equipped with a transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) and longitudinal Zeeman background correction, and (3) a PE Model Z5100 AAS equipped with a HGA and transverse Zeeman background correction. We were able to transfer the method for serum Al previously established for the Z5100 and 4100ZL instruments to the 3110, with only minor modifications. As with the Zeeman instruments, matrix-matched calibration was not required for the 3110 and, thus, aqueous calibration standards were used. However, the 309.3-nm line was chosen for analysis on the 3110 due to failure of the continuum background correction system at the 396.2-nm line. A small, seemingly insignificant overcorrection error was observed in the background channel on the 3110 instrument at the 309.3-nm line. On the 4100ZL, signal oscillation was observed in the atomization profile. The sensitivity, or characteristic mass (m₀), for Al at the 309.3-nm line on the 3110 AAS was found to be 12.1 ± 0.6 pg, compared to 16.1 ± 0.7 pg for the Z5100, and 23.3 ± 1.3 pg for the 4100ZL at the 396.2-nm line. However, the instrumental detection limits (3 SD) for Al were very similar: 3.0, 3.2, and 4.1 μg L^− 1 for the Z5100, 4100ZL, and 3110, respectively. Serum Al method detection limits (3 SD) were 9.8, 6.9, and 7.3 μg L^− 1, respectively. Accuracy was assessed using archived serum (and plasma) reference materials from various external quality assessment schemes (EQAS). Values found with all three instruments were within the acceptable EQAS ranges. The data indicate that relatively modest ETAAS instrumentation equipped with continuum background correction is adequate for routine serum Al monitoring.     

Synthesis and circular dichroism of tetraarylporphyrin-oligonucleotide conjugates

The preparation and circular dichroic (CD) studies of self-complimentary 8-mer DNA sequences with a porphyrin at the 3' end are presented. Electronic interaction between the two porphyrins (the interchromophoric distance is in the range of 28-40 A), attached to both ends of the double-stranded helix, gives rise to a long-range exciton-coupled CD in the visible region (400-450 nm). The porphyrin chromophores act as sensitive probes of geometrical changes in the DNA backbone and sensitively reflect the double-strand to single-strand transition. This study demonstrates the possibility of using exciton-coupled porphyrin CDs for conformational studies of DNA.     

Dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis of biomass for ethanol production

A series of pilot plant experiments have been conducted to compare the performance of a system utilizing two percolation reactors in series to a single reactor system. Although theoretically capable of producing higher glucose yields or concentrations, the two-reactor system concentrations were approximately the same and the yields were considerably lower than those from the single reactor study. An associated kinetics study found the glucose degradation kinetics to be accelerated by chromium ions, but this effect was greatly reduced in the presence of wood. The presence of metal surfaces also increased the rate of degradation even without large ion concentrations. The poor performance of the reactor system is proposed to be caused by intraparticle glucose diffusion effects and the catalytic effect on glucose degradation reactions of chromium ions from the corrosion of stainless steel by the acid. Strategies for reducing the effects of these phenomena on PBR performance are presented.

     

Etchant solutions for the removal of Cu(0) in a supercritical CO2-based "dry" chemical mechanical planarization process for device fabrication

The microelectronics industry is focused on increasing chip complexity, improving the density of electron carriers, and decreasing the dimensions of the interconnects into the sub-0.25 mum regime while maintaining high aspect ratios. Water-based chemical mechanical planarization or polishing (CMP) faces several technical and environmental challenges. Condensed CO2 has significant potential for replacing current CMP solvents as a "dry" etching medium because of its unique properties. In working toward a condensed CO2-based CMP process, we have successfully investigated the oxidation and chelation of solid copper metal in liquid and supercritical CO2 using ethyl peroxydicarbonate and a beta-diketone chelating agent.     

Three-dimensional synchronous fluorimetric determination of indole-type auxins after derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde

A sensitive fluorimetric method for teh determination of indole-derivative plant-growth regulators of the auxin group (indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid and indole-3-propanoic acid) is based on their eaction with o-phthaladehyde in concentrated sulphuric acid. The fluorescence spectra of the three derivatives are very similar, but the advantages offered by a three-dimensional plot of the spectra, the synchronous derivative approach and the optimization of experimental variables permit the individual and simultaneous quantitation of mixtures of these compounds at the ng ml^-1 level.     

Gamma radiation effects on molecular characteristic of vegetable tannins

The influence of gamma radiation on tannins extracted from Pinus caribaea bark and on tannin acid has been investigated in this study with the aim of searching for evidences of structural and/or conformational changes. To fulfill this purpose, the samples of tannins, such as tannic acid and P. caribaea tannin bark, were irradiated at different doses (from 5 to 35 kGy) using a cobalt-60 gamma irradiator. The changes were analyzed by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and by high resolution liquid chromatography. The results pointed out some structural and conformational changes under the effects of gamma radiation for doses higher than 5 kGy for P. caribaea tannin bark. However, no changes were detected on the irradiated tannic acid. The observed behavior suggests the loss of carbonyl groups. This could be associated to a decarboxylation process with the corresponding release of CO₂ from the molecule. Evidences of some conformational changes were also noted.