Polarography in solution of some problems in organic chemistry: recent applications

Applications of chromatographic and atomic absorption methods are compared with those of electroanalytical techniques. The limitations of electroanalytical procedures and their advantages, such as speed, sensitivity and speciation are discussed. Among applications of polarography and voltammetry to a solution of basic problems, attention has been paid to the possibility to distinguish the degree of conjugation (e.g. of compounds containing the grouping CNNC), to a contribution to understanding of solution chemistry of mitomycin C and to processes involved in the reduction of cephalosporins. Among practical applications, the possibility to analyze suspensions, which can be carried out without separation offers advantages. Examples are interactions in suspensions of bile salts in the presence of metal (II) ions, adsorptions of various pesticides and other toxic materials on lignin and the possibility to follow alkaline cleavage of lignin in buffers pH 8-12 at 25 °C. Most of these studies would not be possible to carry out using other techniques.     

Twofold discretization and reconstruction of an infinite radiation field

Discretization method for unfolding Fredholm equation of the first kind is suggested for the reconstruction of an infinite monoenergetic radiation field scanned by a directional detector. The method is readily applicable for scanning carried out in planes with constant radial angles.     

Determination of hydrochloric acid in organic solutions by gas chromatography

Summary A method is described for the determination of small quantities of hydrochloric acid in two chlorinated organic solvents (CHCl₃ and CCl₄). An excess of gaseous ethylene oxide is added to a liquid sample; the 2-chloroethanol formed is then analyzed by gas chromatography. The procedure is simpler and more sensitive in comparison with other conventional methods. It can be modified for other organic solvents.D.G.R.C.S.T. grant.     

Calcium-selective electrodes based on calcium tetra(4-chlorophenyl)borate complexes of macrocyclic polyether diamides

The preparation of macrocyclic 7,19-dibenzyl-7,19-diaza-1,4,10,13,16-pentaoxa-cycloheneicosane-6, 20-diones substituted in positions 2 and 3 with methyl groups, and their properties in PVC membranes as calcium sensors are described. Complexes of these polyether diamides (PEDA) with calcium and tetra(4-chlorophenyl)borate (TClPB) ions having the composition 2PEDA·Ca·2TClPB were prepared. Calcium electrodes based on these complexes have selectivity coefficients for calcium over barium up to 10³, and over alkali metals up to 3 × 10⁴.     

Preparation and NMR spectra of substituted 2-phenyl-5,5-dialkylimidazolinones

Eighteen substituted 2-phenyl-5,5-dialkylimidazolinones 2 have been prepared by cyclizations of substituted 2-(N-benzoylamino)alkanamides 1. The cyclization of methylamides 1 proceeds at room temperature whereas primary amides are cyclized on boiling. The ¹H and ¹³C nmr spectra of the imidazolinones are presented and the changes in their spectra connected with their protonation in hexadeuteriodimethyl sulfoxide-trifluoroacetic acid mixtures are discussed.     

Perturbation theory for open-shell systems: Simulation of the UHF states by means of the perturbed RHF wave functions

Second-, third-, and selected fourth-order contributions to the correlation energy were calculated for a series of simple open-shell systems by means of the previously developed double-perturbation theory in the restricted MO formalism. It was found possible to assign some of the diagrams to self-consistency effects and to approximate in this way the E – E energy difference. A comparison is made with a more rigorous approach, in which the UHF ground-state wave function is expressed as a first-order perturbation expansion based on the RHF reference wave function. Distinguishing between “self-consistency” and “correlation” diagrams for open-shell systems in the RHF formulation represents a special case of a more general problem met in any double-perturbation treatment, such as, e.g., treatments of systems in the external field or perturbation expansions with noncanonical orbitals.     

Synthesis of protected peptides from the human IgG1 hinge region on PEG support using disulfide bond synthons and alkaline or enzymatic detachment

Peptides from the hinge region of human IgG1 are potential defined carriers of synthetic immunogens. Their synthesis was carried out on the soluble support—PEG-OMe 2000 using disulfide bond synthons. The loading capacity of the polymer was increased twofold by anchoring the lysine as a simple branching unit. The amino acid leucine was used as an enzymatically cleavable linker. Peptide detachment from the polymer was performed either by classical ester bond saponification or newly by peptide bond cleavage catalyzed by thermolysin in water.     

Structural basis for recognition of bacterial cell wall teichoic acid by pseudo-symmetric SH3b-like repeats of a viral peptidoglycan hydrolase

Endolysins are bacteriophage-encoded peptidoglycan hydrolases targeting the cell wall of host bacteria via their cell wall-binding domains (CBDs). The molecular basis for selective recognition of surface carbohydrate ligands by CBDs remains elusive. Here, we describe, in atomic detail, the interaction between the Listeria phage endolysin domain CBD500 and its cell wall teichoic acid (WTA) ligands. We show that 3′O-acetylated GlcNAc residues integrated into the WTA polymer chain are the key epitope recognized by a CBD binding cavity located at the interface of tandem copies of beta-barrel, pseudo-symmetric SH3b-like repeats. This cavity consists of multiple aromatic residues making extensive interactions with two GlcNAc acetyl groups via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts, while permitting the docking of the diastereomorphic ligands. Our multidisciplinary approach tackled an extremely challenging protein–glycopolymer complex and delineated a previously unknown recognition mechanism by which a phage endolysin specifically recognizes and targets WTA, suggesting an adaptable model for regulation of endolysin specificity.

Combining genetic, biochemical and computational approaches, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the recognition of Listeria wall teichoic acid by bacteriophage-encoded SH3b repeats.     

The SO(3,3) group as a common basis for Dirac's and Proca's equations

Dirac's and Proca's equations are unified in the sense that the algebras of Dirac -matrices and Duffin-Kemmer-matrices are shown to furnish two distinct matrix representations of the Lie algebra of the SO(3,3)-group. This fact is then interpreted as evidence for the classical picture of particles described by the above-mentioned equations to be a relativistic top. It is also argued that the shape of the top is rod-like.     

90–120 GHz millimeter wave power head

Power-voltage and frequency characteristics of power heads for 90–120 GHz TE₁₀-mode millimeter waves are presented. Operation of the power heads is based on thermo-e.m.f. of hot charge carriers in silicon. The head has been tested both in the pulsed and continuous generation regime. The experiments were carried out in the power range of 2·10^–3–4 W. In the pulse regime, the shortest pulse duration was 1s.