Time-resolved gas-phase kinetic and quantum chemical studies of the reaction of silylene with nitric oxide

Time-resolved kinetic studies of the reaction of silylene, SiH2, generated by laser flash photolysis of phenylsilane, have been carried out to obtain rate constants for its bimolecular reaction with NO. The reaction was studied in the gas phase over the pressure range 1-100 Torr in SF6 bath gas at five temperatures in the range 299-592 K. The second-order rate constants at 10 Torr fitted the Arrhenius equation log(k/cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1)) = (-11.66 +/- 0.01) + (6.20 +/- 0.10 kJ mol(-1))/RT ln 10 The rate constants showed a variation with pressure of a factor of ca. 2 over the available range, almost independent of temperature. The data could not be fitted by RRKM calculations to a simple third body assisted association reaction alone. However, a mechanistic model with an additional (pressure independent) side channel gave a reasonable fit to the data. Ab initio calculations at the G3 level supported a mechanism in which the initial adduct, bent H2SiNO, can ring close to form cyclo-H2SiNO, which is partially collisionally stabilized. In addition, bent H2SiNO can undergo a low barrier isomerization reaction leading, via a sequence of steps, ultimately to dissociation products of which the lowest energy pair are NH2 + SiO. The rate controlling barrier for this latter pathway is only 16 kJ mol(-1) below the energy of SiH2 + NO. This is consistent with the kinetic findings. A particular outcome of this work is that, despite the pressure dependence and the effects of the secondary barrier (in the side reaction), the initial encounter of SiH2 with NO occurs at the collision rate. Thus, silylene can be as reactive with odd electron molecules as with many even electron species. Some comparisons are drawn with the reactions of CH2 + NO and SiCl2 + NO.     

NMR J-based analysis of nitrogen-containing moieties and application to dysithiazolamide, a new polychlorinated dipeptide from Dysidea sp.

The methodology of J-based analysis applied to 1,3-methylcarboamido systems allowed us to deduce the relative configurations of the two leucine-like fragments of a new tetrachloro amino acid derivative dysithiazolamide, which was isolated from an unidentified sponge of the genus Dysidea. Furthermore, the absolute configuration was also proposed by comparison with analogous systems.     

Time shift correction in second-order liquid chromatographic data with iterative target transformation factor analysis

When the generalized rank annihilation method (GRAM) is applied to liquid chromatographic data with diode-array detection, an important problem is the time shift of the peak of the analyte in the test sample. This problem leads to erroneous predictions. This time shift can be corrected if a time window is selected so that the chromatographic profile of the analyte in the test sample is trilinear with the peak of the analyte in the calibration sample. In this paper we present a new method to determine when this condition is met. This method is based on the curve resolution with iterative target transformation factor analysis (ITTFA). The calibration and test matrices are independently decomposed into profiles and spectra, and aligned before GRAM is applied. Here we study two situations: first, when the calibration matrix has one analyte and second, when it has two analytes. When the calibration matrix has two analytes, we selectively determine the time window for the analyte to be quantified. There were considerably fewer prediction errors after correction.     

Homogeneous pyrolysis kinetics of ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate in the gas phase

The pyrolysis kinetics of ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate have been examined over the temperature range of 286–330°C and pressure range of 29–108 Torr. In a seasoned vessel and in the presence of the free radical inhibitor cyclohexene or toluene the reaction is homogeneous, unimolecular and obeys a first-order rate law. The elimination products are mainly acetone and ethyl acetate, and very small amounts of ethyl 3-butenoate, acetic acid, ethylene and H₂O. The rate coefficient is expressed by the following equation: log k₁(s^–1)=(12.39±0.46)–(174.5±5.2) kJ mol^–1 (2.303RT)^–1. The mechanism appears to proceed via a six-membered cyclic transition state, where polarization of the (CH₃)C(OH)^+...-CH₂COOCH₂CH₃ bond is rate determining.     

XRD and Si MAS-NMR spectroscopy across the β-Lu2Si2O7-β-Y2Si2O7 solid solution

Samples in the system Lu_2−xY_xSi₂O₇ (0?x?2) have been synthesized following the sol-gel method and calcined to 1300 °C, a temperature at which the β-polymorph is known to be the stable phase for the end-members Lu₂Si₂O₇ and Y₂Si₂O₇. The XRD patterns of all the compositions studied are compatible with the structure of the β-polymorph. Unit cell parameters are calculated as a function of composition from XRD patterns. They show a linear change with increasing Y content, which indicates a solid solubility of β-Y₂Si₂O₇ in β-Lu₂Si₂O₇ at 1300 °C. ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra of the different members of the system agree with the XRD results, showing a linear decrease of the ²⁹Si chemical shift with increasing Y content. Finally, a correlation reported in the literature to predict ²⁹Si chemical shifts in silicates is applied here to obtain the theoretical variation in ²⁹Si chemical shift values in the system Lu₂Si₂O₇-Y₂Si₂O₇ and the results compare favorably with the values obtained experimentally.     

Adsorption modes of cysteine on Au(111): thiolate, amino-thiolate, disulfide

The adsorption of cysteine on the (111) surface of gold has been studied by means of periodic supercell density-functional theory calculations. A number of different adsorption modes are examined, including adsorption through the thiol group in either thiolate or disulfide form, and adsorption through both the thiol and amino functional groups. We find that at intermediate coverage densities the latter mode of adsorption is favored, followed by thiolate adsorption at the bridge (slightly displace toward fcc) site. The N-Au and S-Au bond strengths in the amino-thiolate adsorption are estimated to be of the order of 6 and 47 kcal/mol, respectively. The electronic structure of the different systems is analyzed, with focus on the total and projected density of states, as well as on the detailed character of the electronic states at the interface. States near the Fermi energy are found to have a metal-molecule antibonding character, whereas metal-molecule bonding states mostly occur near the lower edge of the Au-d band.     

Evaluation of thermodynamic properties of irreversible protein thermal unfolding measured by DSC

Summary We assessed the applicability of the extrapolation procedure at infinite scanning rate to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data related to irreversible protein unfolding. To this aim, an array of DSC curves have been simulated on the basis of the Lumry-Eyring model N↔U→F. The results obtained confirmed that when the apparent equilibrium constant K_{app (T=T1/2)} is lower than 3, the application of the extrapolation procedure provides accurate thermodynamic parameters. Although this procedure applies only to monomeric proteins for which the Lumry-Eyring model is a reasonable approximation, it will hopefully contribute to increase the potential of DSC in obtaining reliable thermodynamic information regarding the folding/unfolding equilibrium.     

A density functional theory study on the electrocyclization of 1,2,4,6-heptatetraene analogues: converting a pericyclic to a pseudopericyclic reaction

A comprehensive B3LYP/6-31+G* study on the electrocyclization of 1,2,4,6-heptatetraene analogues was conducted. Starting from the cyclization of (2Z)-2,4,5-hexatrienal, a pericyclic disrotatory process favored by the assistance of a electron lone pair, we incorporated small modifications in its molecular structure to obtain a truly pseudopericyclic process. To this purpose electronegative atoms (fluorine and nitrogen) were added to give a more electrophilic character on the carbon atom which is attacked by the electron lone pair of the oxygen atom. The complete pathway for each reaction was determined, and changes in magnetic properties were monitored with a view to estimating the aromatization associated with each process. This information, together with the energetic and structural results, allowed us to classify the reactions as pseudopericyclic or pericyclic. Among all studied reactions only one was a truly pseudopericyclic process and another was a borderline case. The features of this unequivocally pseudopericyclic case were analyzed in depth.     

Ratios between content of fatty acids as markers for mixture of cow and goat milk

The fat of mixture of goat and cow milk, extracted by di-ethylic ether, was gas chromatographically analysed in order to propose an analytical procedure suitable to reveal small additions of cow milk to goat milk. The obtained results show evident differences in the percentages of some fatty acids. An attempt to apply the peak area ratios, corresponding to the methyl esters of fatty acids, suggested by the literature for cow milk did not yield good results. Other ratios suitable to reveal even the presence of low percentages (up to 5 %) of cow milk in goat milk were found and proposed in this paper. Such ratios are sensitive and can be defined markers towards cow or goat milk and also towards extraneous fat like lard or colza seeds oil.     

Stereoselective synthesis of novel types of cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides containing quaternary stereogenic centers

Versatile and stereocontrolled synthetic entries to novel types of cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides are described. The target products have been synthesized from suitable cyclopropane precursors obtained, in turn, from olefinic compounds derived from D-glyceraldehyde as a chiral precursor. Selective manipulation of the functional groups has allowed the preparation of enantiopure nucleosides, some of them displaying opposite chirality. All these molecules contain a quaternary stereogenic carbon at C-1 or C-3 of the cyclopropane ring and bear an amino, a hydroxymethyl, or a methyl group as an additional substituent. In one instance, thymine is directly linked to the cyclopropane. A methylene unit serves as the spacer in the other synthesized nucleosides.