On the mechanism of reorientational and structural relaxation in supercooled liquids: the role of border dynamics and cooperativity

Molecular dynamics simulation and analysis based upon the many-body potential energy landscape (PEL) are employed to characterize single molecule reorientation and structural relaxation, and their interrelation, in deeply supercooled liquid CS(2). The rotational mechanism changes from small-step Debye diffusion to sudden large angle reorientation (SLAR) as the temperature falls below the mode-coupling temperature T(c). The onset of SLAR is explained in terms of the PEL; it is an essential feature of low-T rotational dynamics, along with the related phenomena of dynamic heterogeneity and the bifurcation of slow and fast relaxation processes. A long trajectory in which the system is initially trapped in a low energy local minimum, and eventually escapes, is followed in detail, both on the PEL and in real space. During the trapped period, "return" dynamics occurs, always leading back to the trap. Structural relaxation is identified with irreversible escape to a new trap. These processes lead to weak and strong SLAR, respectively; strong SLAR is a clear signal of structural relaxation. Return dynamics involves small groups of two to four molecules, while a string-like structure composed of all the active groups participates in the escape. It is proposed that, rather than simple, nearly instantaneous, one-dimensional barrier crossings, relaxation involves activation of the system to the complex, multidimensional region on the borders of the basins of attraction of the minima for an extended period.     

Beitrag zum Stabilisierungsmechanismus des Wollkeratins durch einige Metalle

Zusammenfassung Das Verhalten des Wollkeratins ist im kochenden Wasser nach Behandlung mit Kupfer-, Kadmium-, Silber- und Quecksilbersalzen unnormal, nicht nur verglichen mit dem Verhalten des metallfreien Proteins, sondern auch gegenüber des unter gleichen Bedingungen mit anderen Metallen behandelten Keratins. Die beobachteten Phänomene werden in einigen Fällen entweder mit der Annahme der Bildung von Vernetzungen zwischen benachbarten Polypeptidketten durch Komplexbildung des Metalls mit einigen Gruppen des Keratins oder durch Blockieren des Cysteins und der Verhinderung des Disulfidaustausches erklärt. In anderen Fällen jedoch, besonders bei Silber, ist die Erklärung der eintretenden Veränderung mit Hilfe dieser zwei Mechanismen nicht möglich, und es wird die direkte Reaktion des Metalls mit dem Schwefel des Cystins vorgeschlagen. Hierbei wird das Cystin und damit die Disulfidbindung gespalten. Die Spaltung dieser Bindung und die Verhinderung ihrer Rückbildung, entweder in derselben oder in anderer Lage, senkt die Zahl der Quervernetzungen im Keratin herab und damit die Fixierung der Polypeptidketten in ihrer ursprünglichen Lage. Hieraus resultiert eine Schrumpfung der Ketten und die Kontraktion der Faser.

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Summary Wool fibres containing cadmium, copper, mercury or silver set in a different way than the untreated ones or the fibres which contain other metals. This behaviour is explained in some cases by assuming the formation of complexes between the metal and the protein or by the disulphide exchange mechanism. In other cases, however, and particularly with silver this is not possible, and therefore the direct reaction between the metal and the sulphur of cystine is proposed. According to this mechanism the contraction of the fibre is due to the breakdown of the disulphide bond and the inability of its reformation.

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Mit 10 Abbildungen und 2 Tabellen     

Total synthesis of 3,3′:4′,3″-ter-1,2,5-thiadiazole using a synthetic utility of S4N4·SbCl5 complex

3,3′:4′,3″-Ter-1,2,5-thiadiazole, an useful oligoheterocyclic compound, has been accomplished in seven steps from 1-(5-methyl-3-isoxazolyl)ethanone or diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate using a synthetic utility of tetrasulfur tetranitride antimony pentachloride (S₄N₄·SbCl₅) complex to make a 1,2,5-thiadiazole ring.     

An addition to the oxoacid family: H2B12(OH)12

The acid H(2)B(12)(OH)(12) can be isolated as a crystalline solid by protonation of the hydroxylated borane anion, B(12)(OH)(12)(2)(-). This acidic compound has low solubility in water, conducts protons in the solid state, and has thermal stability to a temperature of 400 degrees C. The conductivity mechanism is a Grotthuss mechanism with a low activation enthalpy (9-13 kcal/mol). This new acid represents an addition to the class of oxoacids, of which sulfuric and phosphoric acid are the most prominent examples.     

Surface-initiated growth of poly d(A-T) by Taq DNA polymerase

In this paper, we report surface-initiated d(A-T) polymerization by Taq DNA polymerase as a method for constructing DNA-tethered surfaces using an enzyme. The enzymatic polymerization was conducted successfully via two steps: tethering of oligo d(A-T)s onto the surface presenting carboxylic acids by amide coupling and surface-initiated polymerization using Taq DNA polymerase. In this enzymatic polymerization process, the design and construction of carboxylic acid-presenting surfaces were found to be an important factor: DNA growth did not occur on the gold surface coated only with the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA), but effectively proceeded on the surfaces presenting mixed SAMs of MHDA and 1-pentadecanethiol. The coupling of oligo d(A-T)s and the subsequent DNA polymerization reaction were characterized by polarized infrared external reflectance spectroscopy, ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy.     

Enantioreversal in the sharpless asymmetric epoxidation reaction controlled by the molecular weight of a covalently appended achiral polymer

Polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) have proven use in a variety of applications including organic synthesis. We now disclose our investigations into the recently disputed report that PEG tartrate esters can reverse the enantioselectivity of the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation reaction. The results presented herein have clarified that the enantioselectivity of this reaction can be reproducibly reversed solely as a function of the molecular weight of the appended PEG. By preparing a range of tartrate ligands with varying PEG chains lengths, the reversal was found to occur within a molecular weight change of only 800. As the PEG chain did not affect the inherent chirality of the ligand, the enantioreversal was proposed to occur as a result of two Ti-ligand complexes which differ in their molecularity of ligand, one monomeric in ligand and the other dimeric. Support for this hypothesis was given through equilibrium measurements which revealed that the predominant species in Ti/PEG tartrate ester mixtures is a distinct 2:1 Ti-ligand complex, as opposed to the 2:2 Ti-ligand complex of traditional Sharpless asymmetric epoxidations. In total, these data represent an unrecognized property of PEG-supported catalysts that could open up new venues in the control of asymmetric reactions by means of achiral appended polymers.     

Polarisabilites moléculaires et effet diélectrique de milieu à l'état liquide. Étude théorique de la molécule d'eau et de ses diméres

The model of Onsager in which a polar molecule undergoes a reaction field due to the polarization of the molecular surroundings is used to evaluate by a S.C.F. calculation (CNDO/2 approximation) the modifications of a molecular structure in the liquid state.Application to water molecule and to three polar dimers for values of the dielectric constant varying between 3 and 78, shows that most of geometric parameters and dipoles moments vary of few per cent when the molecule is inserted in a liquid. In the liquid state dipole moments do not depend very much on the dielectric constant but energies and relative stabilities of isomers are strongly dependent on the medium.[/p]

     

De novo synthesis of stable tetrahydroporphyrinic macrocycles: bacteriochlorins and a tetradehydrocorrin

[structures: see text] Bacteriochlorins (tetrahydroporphyrins) are attractive for diverse photochemical applications owing to their strong absorption in the near-infrared spectral region, as exemplified by the bacterial photosynthetic pigment bacteriochlorophyll a, yet often are labile toward dehydrogenation to give the chlorin. Tetradehydrocorrins (ring-contracted tetrahydroporphyrins) are attractive for studies of catalysis analogous to that of vitamin B12. An eight-step synthesis toward such tetrahydroporphyrinic macrocycles begins with p-tolualdehyde and proceeds to a dihydrodipyrrin-acetal (1) bearing a geminal dimethyl group and a p-tolyl substituent. Self-condensation of 1 in CH3CN containing BF3 x OEt2 at room temperature afforded a readily separable mixture of two free base bacteriochlorins and a free base B,D-tetradehydrocorrin. Each bacteriochlorin contains two geminal dimethyl groups to lock-in the bacteriochlorin hydrogenation level, p-tolyl substituents at opposing (2,12) beta-positions, and the absence (H-BC) or presence (MeO-BC) of a methoxy group at the 5- (meso) position. The B,D-tetradehydrocorrin (TDC) lies equidistant between the hydrogenation levels of corrin and corrole, is enantiomeric, and contains two geminal dimethyl groups, 2,12-di-p-tolyl substituents, and an acetal group at the pyrroline-pyrrole junction. Examination of the effect of the concentrations of 1 (2.5-50 mM) and BF3 x OEt2 (10-500 mM) revealed a different response surface for each of H-BC, MeO-BC, and TDC, enabling relatively selective preparation of a given macrocycle. The highest isolated yield of each was 49, 30, and 66%, respectively. The macrocycles are stable to routine handling in light and air. The bacteriochlorins display characteristic spectral features; for example, H-BC exhibits near-IR absorption (lambda(Qy) = 737 nm, epsilon(Qy) = 130,000 M(-1) cm(-1)) and emission (lambda(em) = 744 nm, phi(f) = 0.14). In summary, this simple entry to stable bacteriochlorins and tetradehydrocorrins should facilitate a wide variety of applications.     

Enantioselectivity of 6-O-alkyldimethylsilyl-2,3-di-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrins as chiral stationary phases in capillary GC

Summary Clenbuterol has been determined in urine by solidphase extraction on a C₁₈ cartridge, diazotization of the eluate with nitrite, coupling of the diazonium ion with 1-(naphthyl)ethylenediamine, and separation of the azo dye formed by HPLC with a C₁₈ column and a micellar mobile phase containing 0.1 M sodium dodecyl sulphate, 12%n-butanol and 0.05 M citrate buffer, pH 3. Recoveries higher than 90% were obtained by mixing the samples with a 20% 0.2 M NaOH before extraction. Limits of detection of 51 and 6.7 ng L⁻¹ were obtained with spectrophotometric and thermal lens spectrometric detection, respectively; respective repeatabilities were 3.1% (5 μg mL⁻¹) and 5.6% (0.16 μg mL⁻¹).     

The direct conversion of carbamates to ureas using aluminum amides

The conversion of carbamates into ureas using aluminum amide complexes is reported. This reaction is a convenient method to prepare bi-, tri- and tetra-substituted ureas from carbamate-protected primary or secondary amines by reaction with primary or secondary amines in the presence of stoichometric quantities of trimethylaluminum. A reactivity trend of the various carbamates was observed and methyl and benzyl carbamates were reacted selectively in the presence of t-butyl carbamates.