Poly(acrylic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol) layers on positively charged surface coatings: molecular structure, protein resistance, and application to single protein deposition

A new copolymer (PAA-PEG2000) has been designed, consisting of a negatively charged poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) backbone to which poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains with a molecular weight of about 2 kDa were grafted in a molecular ratio of 3:10. It readily adsorbs to positively charged surfaces and may be considered to be the anionic counterpart of PEG-grafted poly(l-lysine) (PLL-PEG), which was first described by Kenausis et al. and is widely used to render negatively charged surfaces protein-resistant. The synthesis of PAA-PEG2000 can be carried out in aqueous solution at room temperature and does not require any sophisticated techniques such as handling in an inert gas atmosphere. Using ellipsometry and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), the film structure has been carefully analyzed for copolymer adsorption onto three different positively charged surfaces, namely, thin layers of poly(allylamine) (PAH), poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Besides the film thickness, the conformation of the PEG chains and their orientation with respect to the surface normal appear to be important parameters for the protein resistance of the films. Although PAA-PEG2000 adsorbed to PAH and PEI renders the surfaces inert, only partial protein resistance has been observed if the copolymer is deposited on APTES. In a model application, we have generated heterogeneous surfaces composed of isolated small Au nanoparticles (AuNP's) embedded in a protein-resistant layer of PAA-PEG2000 and demonstrated that the AuNP's can serve as adsorption sites for single protein species. In the future, these nanopatterned surfaces may be used for the investigation of isolated proteins.     

Electro-catalytic oxidative cleavage of lignin in a protic ionic liquid

Lignin is a component of lignocellulosic biomass and a promising matrix for recovering important renewable aromatic compounds. We present a new approach of electro-oxidative cleavage of lignin, dissolved in a special protic ionic liquid, using an anode with particular electro-catalytic activity. As appropriate ionic liquid triethylammonium methanesulfonate was identified, synthesised, explored for dissolution of alkali-lignin and used for electrolysis of 5 wt.% lignin solutions. As appropriate anode material, oxidation-stable ruthenium-vanadium-titanium mixed oxide electrodes were prepared and explored for their electro-catalytic activity. The electrolysis was performed at several potentials in the range from 1.0 V to 1.5 V (vs. an Ag pseudo reference electrode). A wide range of aromatic fragments was identified as cleavage products by means of GC-MS and HPLC measurements.     

One Facile Preparation of N‐Aroyl‐N′‐arylsulfonylhydrazines by Oxidation of Aromatic Aldehyde N‐Arylsulfonylhydrazones with bis(Trifluoroacetoxy)iodobenzene

N‐aroyl‐N′‐arylsulfonylhydrazines can be obtained by oxidation of aromatic aldehyde N‐arylsulfonylhydrazones with bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodobenzene in acetone at room temperature in mild to good yields.     

Crystal engineering: Supramolecular structures by cocrystallization ofMeso-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanediol and bisimines,simple cases of molecular recognition

The crystal structures of molecular complexes betweenmeso- 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanediol and two bisimines (N,N-(dibenzylidene)-ethylenediamine and glyoxylidene-bis(2,4-dimethyl-3-pentyl-amine) are reported at different temperatures. The structure-determining motif of the cocrystalline arrangement is one single O-H . N hydrogen bond resulting in infinite ladderlike polymers. The supramolecular structure is formed by recognition of fitting species: Thed- orl-isomers do not arrange in such structures.¹H NMR experiments show that no prearrangements take place by forming complexes in solution.     

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric determination of 3-methoxy-1,2-propanediol and cyclic diglycerols, by-products of technical glycerol, in wine: interlaboratory study

The aim of the present study was to provide the official wine control authorities with an internationally validated method for the determination of 3-methoxy-1,2-propanediol (3-MPD) and cyclic diglycerols (CycDs)-both of which are recognized as impurities of technical glycerol-in different types of wine. Because glycerol gives a sweet flavor to wine and contributes to its full-body taste, an economic incentive is to add glycerol to a wine to mask its poor quality. Furthermore, it is known that glycerol, depending on whether it is produced from triglycerides or petrochemicals, may contain considerable amounts of 3-MPD in the first case or CycDs in the second. However, because these compounds are not natural wine components, it is possible to detect glycerol added to wine illegally by determining the above-mentioned by-products. To this end, one of the published methods was adopted, modified, and tested in a collaborative study. The method is based on gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of diethyl ether extracts after salting out with potassium carbonate. The interlaboratory study for the determination of 3-MPD and CycDs in wine was performed in 11 laboratories in 4 countries. Wine samples were prepared and sent to participants as 5 blind duplicate test materials and 1 single test material. The concentrations covered ranges of 0.1-0.8 mg/L for 3-MPD and 0.5-1.5 mg/L for CycDs. The precision of the method was within the range predicted by the Horwitz equation. HORRAT values obtained for 3-MPD ranged from 0.8 to 1.7, and those obtained for CycDs ranged from 0.9 to 1.3. Average recoveries were 104 and 109%, respectively.     

Analysis of human brain tissue, brain tumors and tumor cells by infrared spectroscopic mapping

This study uses infrared (IR) spectroscopic, point detection, mapping procedures to examine tissue samples from normal brain specimens and from astrocytic gliomas, the most frequent human brain tumors. Model systems were derived from cultured glioma cell lines. IR spectra of normal tissue sections distinguished white matter from gray matter by increased spectral contributions from lipids and cholesterol. Qualitatively the same differences were found in IR spectra of low and high grade glioma tissue sections pointing to a significant reduction of brain lipids with increasing malignancy. Whereas spectral contributions of proteins and lipids were similar in IR spectra of glioma cells and tissues, nucleic acid bands were more intense for cells suggesting higher proliferative activities. For statistical analyses of IR spectroscopic maps from 71 samples, a parameter for the lipid to protein ratio was introduced involving the CH(2) symmetric stretch band with lipids as main contributors and the amide I band of proteins. As this parameter correlated with the grade of gliomas obtained from standard histopathological examination, it was applied to classify brain tissue sections based on IR spectroscopic mapping.     

On the mechanism of nanopore filling of SAPO-5 molecular sieve by nitrogen molecules

SAPO-5 molecular sieve was synthesized according to patent literature and characterized with X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and solid state magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. The material of particles in the micrometer region was found to consist of ca. 20 nm microcrystallites packed in mostly parallel orientation to ca. 200 nm sized agglomerates. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm was measured at 77.6 K over ca. 7 decades of pressure up to pore saturation. The course of the isotherm is interpreted to consist of filling of the nanopores (diameter, 0.73 nm) up to 2N(2)/unit cell, subsequent multilayer adsorption on the outer surface of the agglomerates, and, finally, pore condensation in the interparticle adsorption space. The nanopore adsorption can be quantitatively reproduced with the statistical mechanical model of a quasi one-dimensional lattice gas taking intermolecular interactions into account. The evaluated energy parameters are of physically reasonable magnitude and agree with literature data. The multilayer part of the adsorption isotherm can be well represented by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller model yielding a specific outer space area (63 m(2) g(-)(1)) which is consistent with estimated geometrical and pore size analysis data.     

Adsorption, desorption, and surface-promoted hydrolysis of glucose-1-phosphate in aqueous goethite (α-FeOOH) suspensions

Adsorption, desorption, and precipitation reactions at environmental interfaces govern the fate of phosphorus in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Typically, a substantial part of the total pool of phosphorus consists of organophosphate, and in this study we have focused on the interactions between glucose-1-phosphate (G1P) and goethite (α-FeOOH) particles. The adsorption and surface-promoted hydrolysis reactions have been studied at room temperature as a function of pH, time, and total concentration of G1P by means of quantitative batch experiments in combination with infrared spectroscopy. A novel simultaneous infrared and potentiometric titration (SIPT) technique has also been used to study the rates and mechanisms of desorption of the surface complexes. The results have shown that G1P adsorption occurs over a wide pH interval and at pH values above the isoelectric point of goethite (IEP(goethite) = 9.4), indicating a comparatively strong interaction with the particle surfaces. As evidenced by IR spectroscopy, G1P formed pH-dependent surface complexes on goethite, and investigations of both adsorption and desorption processes were consistent with a model including three types of surface complexes. These complexes interact monodentately with surface Fe but differ in hydrogen bonding interactions via the auxiliary oxygens of the phosphate group. The apparent desorption rates were shown to be influenced by reaction pathways that include interconversion of surface species, which highlights the difficulty in determining the intrinsic desorption rates of individual surface complexes. Desorption results have also indicated that the molecular structures of surface complexes and the surface charge are two important determinants of G1P desorption rates. Finally, this study has shown that surface-promoted hydrolysis of G1P by goethite is base-catalyzed but that the extent of hydrolysis was small.     

Tetramethylcyclopentadienyl-supported rare-earth metal bis(tetramethyl)aluminate complexes: Synthesis,structural chemistry,cation formation,and isoprene polymerization

The protonolysis reaction of [Ln(AlMe₄)₃] with H(Cp′) (Cp′ = C₅Me₄H) gives access to half-sandwich complexes [(Cp′)Ln(AlMe₄)₂]. X-ray structure analyses of the samarium, neodymium, and lanthanum derivatives reveal a distinct [AlMe₄] coordination (one η², one bent η²) for the two smaller rare-earth metals. The lanthanum complex displays an unprecedented dimeric structure with two μ₂-η¹:η² coordinating [AlMe₄] ligands in the solid state. Treatment of complexes [(Cp′)Ln(AlMe₄)₂] with perfluorinated organoborates and -boranes produces discrete contact ion-pairs, which are characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ²⁷Al, ¹⁹F, and ¹¹B NMR spectroscopy and act as efficient initiators for the fabrication of trans-1,4 polyisoprene. The polymerization performance is hereby affected by the rare-earth metal cation size, the type of boron cocatalyst, and the polymerization temperature.