Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure of a One-dimensional Diamagnetic Metal-radical Complex: [Zn(NIT4py)2(DTB)2(H2O)2]

A novel one-dimensional complex [Zn(NIT4py)₂(DTB)₂(H₂O)₂] (1), with mixed ligands [where NIT4py is 2-(4′-pyridyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide and DTB is 3,5-dinitrobenzoate] has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r., u.v.–vis spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray single crystal diffraction and magnetic measurements. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system and space group Pî. The Zn ^II ion is in a distorted octahedral environment: two nitrogen atoms from two NIT4py entities, two oxygen atoms from two DTB units in the basal plane; and two oxygen atoms from the two water molecules in the axial position. The [Zn(NIT4py)₂(DTB)₂(H₂O)₂] units are connected as a one dimension chain by the intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The complex exhibits intramolecular antiferromagnetic interactions between the two radicals.     

DIRECT DETERMINATION OF NEODYMIUM AND ERBIUM IN RARE EARTH MIXTURE BY DERIVATIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

The absorption spectra of 4f electron transitions of the complexes of neodymium and erbium with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid in the presence of diethylamine and ethanol have been measured by normal and third-derivative spectrophotometry. Their molar absorptivities are 70.7 l.mol~(-1).cm~(-1) for Nd and 62.5 l.mol~(-1).cm~(-1) for Er. They are 7.6 times and 14.9 times greater than those of corresponding chlorides, respectively. Use of the third-derivative spectra both eliminates the interference of Ce(Ⅳ) and increases the sensitivity for Nd and Er. Beer,s Law was obeyed from 0-10 ug/ml of Nd and Er. The method has been applied to the determination of neodymium and erbium in rare earth mixtures.     

Polymer-enzyme conjugates can self-assemble at oil/water interfaces and effect interfacial biotransformations

Native water-soluble enzymes were transformed into interface-binding enzymes via conjugation with hydrophobic polymers, thus enabling interesting interfacial biocatalysis between immiscible chemicals at oil/water interfaces. Such interfacial biocatalysis demonstrated a significantly improved catalytic efficiency as compared to traditional biphasic reactions with enzymes contained in the bulk aqueous phase. Particularly, polystyrene-conjugated beta-galactosidase showed a catalytic efficiency that was more than 145 times higher than that of the native enzyme for a transgalactosylation reaction. It is believed that the improved accessibility of the biocatalysts to chemicals held in both phases across the interface is the key driver for the enhancement of enzyme activity.     

A small molecule with osteogenesis-inducing activity in multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cells

Purmorphamine, which is a 2,6,9-trisubstituted purine compound, was discovered through cell-based high-throughput screening from a heterocycle combinatorial library. It differentiates multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cells into an osteoblast lineage. It will serve as a unique chemical tool to study the molecular mechanisms of osteogenesis of stem cells and bone development.     

Uniform Rice-like CdS Particles Prepared from Water-in-oil Microemulsions

IntroductionNano-sized semiconductors are of great interestdue to their special optical and electronic proper-ties[1,2].As one of the mostimportantⅡ—Ⅵsemicon-ductors,CdS has importantapplications in many fields,such as the solar cell field,non linear o…     

An alternative multipolar expansion for intermolecular potential functions

We have derived a new multipolar expansion for intermolecular potential-energy functions with applications in molecular physics, theoretical chemistry, and mathematical physics. The new formulation employs a separation of radial and angular terms with a simple index structure that leads to computational efficiency and ease of physical interpretation. For the case of the Coulomb interaction, we compare the present formulation with two conventional multipole expansions: the Cartesian tensor and the irreducible spherical tensor expansions. The new formalism leads to efficient numerical algorithms that are useful for general applications beyond intermolecular potentials. In addition to the electrostatic Coulomb interaction, we illustrate the formalism with applications to special function theory and a bipolar expansion involved in potential theory.     

Probing the kinetic landscape of transient peptide-protein interactions by use of peptide (15)n NMR relaxation dispersion spectroscopy: binding of an antithrombin peptide to human prothrombin

Protein-ligand interactions may lead to the formation of multiple molecular complexes in dynamic exchange, affecting the kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the binding equilibrium. We followed the dissociation kinetics of the transient and specific complex of an antithrombotic peptide N-acetyl-Asp(55)-Phe-Glu-Glu-Ile-Pro(60)-Glu-Glu-Tyr-Leu-Gln(65) with human prothrombin by use of (15)N NMR relaxation dispersion spectroscopy of the peptide. Every one of the five (15)N-labeled adjacent residues of the peptide exhibited apparently different kinetic exchange and relaxation behaviors, which were especially evident at different concentrations of prothrombin. Binding-induced (15)N relaxation dispersion of residues Phe(56), Glu(57), Glu(58), and Ile(59) can be fitted phenomenologically to a two-site on-and-off exchange mechanism with physically feasible relaxation and kinetic parameters obtained for residues Phe(56), Glu(58), and Ile(59), independent of the prothrombin concentration. The apparent kinetic parameters of Glu(57) show some dependence on the concentration of prothrombin and the extracted transverse relaxation rate for Glu(57) in the bound state was severalfold higher than that expected for a protein-peptide complex with a size of approximately 72 kDa. In addition, the equilibrium population of the bound peptide obtained for Glu(57) was inconsistent with those for Phe(56), Glu(58), and Ile(59) and with the prothrombin/peptide ratios used in the experiments. These discrepancies can be explained by the presence of two conformations for the peptide-protein complex exchanging at a rate of approximately 100 s(-)(1). In all, our study shows that fast dissociation of protein-peptide complexes can be studied quantitatively using peptide (15)N NMR relaxation dispersion measurements without a precise knowledge of the peptide and protein concentrations. In addition, protein titration was found to improve the accuracy of quantitative analysis and may make it possible to determine the rate of conformational changes within the protein-peptide complex.     

Fullerenes-extracted soot: a new adsorbent for collecting volatile organic compounds in ambient air

Fullerenes-extracted soot (FES) is the by-product of fullerenes production. Retention characteristics at different temperatures for 17 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on FES are measured. The adsorption and desorption efficiencies for VOCs on FES adsorbent tubes range from 40.8 to 117%, most of them being 100+/-20%. The values are compared with Tenax GR, an adsorbent commonly used in environmental analysis. FES can be used as an adsorbent of low cost to collect VOCs in environmental samples.     

An Efficient Method for the Synthesis of Acyl-diazenes Using NaNO_2/NaHSO_4·H_2O

Azo compounds are widely utilized as analytic reagents and dyes1, they can also be used in material of non-linear optics, material of optics information storing in laser disks, and dyes with oil solubility in photochromy in modern technology2. Recently, many noteworthy studies have shown that some azo compounds possess excellent optical memory and photoelectric properties3,4. For example, polymer scaffolds bearing azobenzene-potential are useful for optical information storage, azo-dye doped…