A thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis,evolved gas analysis and pyrolysis/gas chromatography—mass spectrometry study of tetrakis (diethyldithiocarbamato)tin(IV)

The thermal decomposition of tetrakis(diethyldithiocarbamato)tin(IV) has been studied by TG/DTA, EGA and P/GC-MS techniques. From the P/GC-MS analysis, it is apparent that the denticity of the dithiocarbamate ligand influences the mechanism of decomposition. Initially, the monodentate ligands decompose by a radical mechanism to form tetraethylthiuramdisulphide which decomposes further into carbon disulphide and diethylamine. The intermediate formed, bis(diethydithiocarbamato)tin(II), decomposes in two different ways. The bidentate ligands decompose with the liberation of carbon disulphide and tetraethylthiourea, whereas the monodentate ligands, formed as a result of the high temperatures, decompose to produce S-ethyl N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate and ethylisothiocyanate. The overall thermal decomposition mechenism of tetrakis(diethyldithiocarbamato)tin(IV) is complex and the primary decomposition involved both ionic and radical recombination reactions.     

Detecting evolving patterns of self‐organizing networks by flow hierarchy measurement

Hierarchies occur widely in evolving self‐organizing ecological, biological, technological, and social networks, but detecting and comparing hierarchies is difficult. Here we present a metric and technique to quantitatively assess the extent to which self‐organizing directed networks exhibit a flow hierarchy. Flow hierarchy is a commonly observed but theoretically overlooked form of hierarchy in networks. We show that the ecological, neurobiological, economic, and information processing networks are generally more hierarchical than their comparable random networks. We further discovered that hierarchy degree has increased over the course of the evolution of Linux kernels. Taken together, our results suggest that hierarchy is a central organizing feature of real‐world evolving networks, and the measurement of hierarchy opens the way to understand the structural regimes and evolutionary patterns of self‐organizing networks. Our measurement technique makes it possible to objectively compare hierarchies of different networks and of different evolutionary stages of a single network, and compare evolving patterns of different networks. It can be applied to various complex systems, which can be represented as directed networks. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2011     

Viscoelastic suppression of gravity-driven counterflow instability

Attempts to achieve "top kill" of flowing oil wells by pumping dense drilling "muds," i.e., slurries of dense minerals, from above will fail if the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the gravity-driven counterflow produces turbulence that breaks up the denser fluid into small droplets. Here we estimate the droplet size to be submillimeter for fast flows and suggest the addition of a shear-thickening or viscoelastic polymer to suppress turbulence. We find in laboratory experiments a variety of new physical effects for a viscoelastic shear-thickening liquid in a gravity-driven counterstreaming flow. There is a progression from droplet formation to complete turbulence suppression at the relevant high velocities. Thick descending columns show a viscoelastic analogue of the viscous buckling instability. Thinner streams form structures resembling globules on a looping filament.     

Solution structure of a DNA duplex containing the potent anti-poxvirus agent cidofovir

Cidofovir (1(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]cytosine, CDV) is a potent inhibitor of orthopoxvirus DNA replication. Prior studies have shown that, when CDV is incorporated into a growing primer strand, it can inhibit both the 3'-to-5' exonuclease and the 5'-to-3' chain extension activities of vaccinia virus DNA polymerase. This drug can also be incorporated into DNA, creating a significant impediment to trans-lesion DNA synthesis in a manner resembling DNA damage. CDV and deoxycytidine share a common nucleobase, but CDV lacks the deoxyribose sugar. The acyclic phosphonate bears a hydroxyl moiety that is equivalent to the 3'-hydroxyl of dCMP and permits CDV incorporation into duplex DNA. To study the structural consequences of inserting CDV into DNA, we have used (1)H NMR to solve the solution structures of a dodecamer DNA duplex containing a CDV molecule at position 7 and of a control DNA duplex. The overall structures of both DNA duplexes were found to be very similar. We observed a decrease of intensity (>50%) for the imino protons neighboring the CDV (G6, T8) and the cognate base G18 and a large chemical shift change for G18. This indicates higher proton exchange rates for this region, which were confirmed using NMR-monitored melting experiments. DNA duplex melting experiments monitored by circular dichroism revealed a lower T(m) for the CDV DNA duplex (46 °C) compared to the control (58 °C) in 0.2 M salt. Our results suggest that the CDV drug is well accommodated and stable within the dodecamer DNA duplex, but the stability of the complex is less than that of the control, suggesting increased dynamics around the CDV.     

Identification and determination of microgram amounts of phenol and chlorophenols by the Ring Oven technique

This paper reports investigations carried out on phenol and a number of chloro-substituted phenols using the Ring Oven technique in conjunction with the reagent 4-aminoantipyrine. The reactions with individual phenols and combined groups of phenols using in situ, and extraction methods are discussed.     

A thermometric titration study of the interaction of Al3+, Co2+, Ni2+ and Zr4+ with xylenol orange

A thermometric titrimetry study of the interaction in aqueous solution of A1³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zr⁴⁺ with xylenol orange has revealed in each case a linear reaction heat/[Mⁿ⁺] relationship at a specified pH, thereby suggesting the potential of metallochromic indicators for the analytical determination of these metals in water. The effect of pH on the reaction heat is investigated and is interpreted in terms of the ability of these metal cations to complex with the known xylenol orange species existing at the various pH studied. An interference study, involving transition and non-transition metal ions, is also reported and the interference effect, as measured by the deviation ofQ/Q from unity (Q andQ are the relevant reaction heats in the presence and absence of interfering ion), is partially explained in terms of the coordination numbers, relative sizes and crystal field stabilization energies of the cations studied and the known behaviour of xylenol orange in aqueous solution.     

Thermal studies on palladium alkyl xanthates

Eleven palladium(II) alkylxanthates: Pd(ROCSS)₂ [RMe, Et, nPr, iPr, nBu, iBu, tBu, nAm, iAm, nHex and cyclohex], have been prepared and their thermal properties investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The complexes, although volatile under vacuum (10^?2 mm Hg), decompose without volatilization at normal atmospheric pressure leaving a residue of palladium metal at 950°C. The intermediate decomposition products were identified mass spectrometrically and a thermal decomposition mechanism is proposed.     

Undergraduate women empowering women in computational chemistry: Three perspectives

The undergraduate computational chemistry research group headed by Mauricio Cafiero at Rhodes College has a history of including, promoting, and supporting women in this predominantly male field. Alums of this research group from 2004 to 2019 include nine M.Ds, two science researchers, two Ph.D.s, one secondary teacher, two pharmacists, a physical therapist, two nurses, six current medical school students, and five current science graduate students. They have produced 18 peer-reviewed publications with female undergraduate first authors and over 100 conference presentations, including 9 international conference presentations. While Professor Cafiero does all he can to support these students, he attributes the continuous success of the group in recruiting, retaining, and supporting these women to the students themselves. The students' success and visibility on campus helps to recruit new students. The heavy presence of women in this group provides a strong support system for women who may otherwise feel isolated in a male-dominated field; and these support groups provide models and support for women to overcome common obstacles that women in science face. We will profile three recent graduates who will discuss how the above points affected them during their time in the research group and discuss their experience in the context of some literature on women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.