Tetrahydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine scaffolds from pentafluoropyridine

[reaction: see text] Representative polyfunctional tetrahydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine scaffolds have been synthesized very readily by a one-pot annelation reaction of pentafluoropyridine with appropriate diamines. The trifluorinated pyridopyrazine products react sequentially with various nucleophiles to give poly-substituted tetrahydropyridopyrazines, demonstrating the potential of the polyfluorinated ring fused pyridine system as a scaffold for the synthesis of previously inaccessible poly-substituted pyridopyrazine derivatives. This general approach has special relevance to the development of new chemical entities for the life science industries and particularly in the drug discovery arena, in which low molecular weight, polyfunctional heterocyclic derivatives are playing an increasingly important role.     

La(1-x)Ba(1+x)GaO(4-x/2): a novel high temperature proton conductor

In this communication we demonstrate high temperature proton conduction in the phase La(1-x)Ba(1+x)GaO(4-x/2), with conductivities significantly higher than reported for other phases containing tetrahedral ions, such as doped LaPO4.     

The possible role of tightly bound adenine nucleotides in oxidative and photosynthetic phosphorylation.

The tightly bound nucleotides of the beff-heart mitochondrial ATPase are released during cold inactivation followed by ammonium sulfate precipitation. During incubation at 0 degrees C the sedimentation coefficient (S20W) of the ATPase first declines from 12.1S to 9S. Prolonged incubation or precipitation with ammonium sulfate leads to dissociation of the 9S component into subunits with S20W of 3.5S. The 9S component still bears bound nucleotides which exchange more extensively and rapidly with added nucleotides than those bound to the active 12.1S component. The bound nucleotides are lost when the 9S form dissociates into the smaller subunits. Thus, firm binding of nucleotides is a property of the quarternary structure of the enzyme. The exchangeability of the nucleotides bound to the ATPase of chloroplast membranes is greatly increased in membranes illuminated in the presence of pyocyanine. Pi can exchange into both the beta and gamma positions of the bound nucleotides when the membranes are energized in the presence of Mg2+. The exchange of the nucleotides and the incorporation of Pi are insensitive to the inhibitor Dio-9 but are inhibited by the uncoupler S13. This inhibition by S13 parallels that of the inhibition of photosynthetic phosphorylation. These findings are discussed with regard to our hypothesis that electron transfer causes release of preformed tightly bound ATP from the ATPase by inducing a conformational change.     

A comparison of the effect of rare earth vs Si site doping on the conductivities of apatite-type rare earth silicates

Apatite-type lanthanum silicate (La_9.33Si₆O₂₆) has been attracting significant recent interest due to its high oxide ion conductivity. In this paper, synthesis and conductivity data for a range of doped samples (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Ga and Zn) are reported, in particular, to compare the effect of rare earth vs Si site doping. The results show that Ga, B and Zn favour substitution on the Si site, while Ca, Sr and Ba favour La-site substitution. Mg is shown to be an ambi-site dopant, substituting on either site depending on the starting composition. The samples doped on the Si site show higher conductivities than comparable samples doped on the La site, providing further support for the importance of the silicate network in the conduction process, as initially predicted by atomistic modelling studies. For Ga doping on the Si site, the effect of varying the rare-earth size on the conductivities is also reported.     

Die elektrolytische F?llung von Zink mit rotierenden Elektroden

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Incidence and properties of nanoscale defects in silicalite

Crystal intergrowths are predicted to form more readily than other extended defects in a model zeolite membrane and cause a reduction in molecular flux.     

Capillary electrophoresis sequencing of small ssDNA molecules versus the Ogston regime: fitting data and interpreting parameters

We study the mobility of short ssDNA fragments (approximately 30-500 bases) separated by capillary electrophoresis in entangled polymer solutions. Although this corresponds to what is commonly called the Ogston regime, the corresponding sieving concept has never been defined properly nor tested quantitatively. We consider three formulas that have been suggested to fit data in this range of ssDNA sizes, and we discuss how their free parameters are related to actual physical parameters. We test these formulas with new data obtained in our laboratory using a commercial poly-N,N-dimethylacrylamide sieving matrix. Our results show that all three formulas provide decent fits. However, the traditional Ogston equation produces fitting parameters that appear to lack physical meaning. Surprisingly, all three approaches predict that the effective pore size and fiber radius are almost equal. This is the first step towards the development of a systematic approach to optimizing sequencing systems for this size range.     

Affinity partitioning of plasmid DNA with a zinc finger protein

The affinity isolation of pre-purified plasmid DNA (pDNA) from model buffer solutions using native and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatized zinc finger-GST (Glutathione-S-Transferase) fusion protein was examined in PEG-dextran (DEX) aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs). In the absence of pDNA, partitioning of unbound PEGylated fusion protein into the PEG-rich phase was confirmed with 97.5% of the PEGylated fusion protein being detected in the PEG phase of a PEG 600-DEX 40 ATPS. This represents a 1322-fold increase in the protein partition coefficient in comparison to the non-PEGylated protein (Kc = 0.013). In the presence of pDNA containing a specific oligonucleotide recognition sequence, the zinc finger moiety of the PEGylated fusion protein bound to the plasmid and steered the complex to the PEG-rich phase. An increase in the proportion of pDNA that partitioned to the PEG-rich phase was observed as the concentration of PEGylated fusion protein was increased. Partitioning of the bound complex occurred to such an extent that no DNA was detected by the picogreen assay in the dextran phase. It was also possible to partition pDNA using a non-PEGylated (native) zinc finger-GST fusion protein in a PEG 1000-DEX 500 ATPS. In this case the native ligand accumulated mainly in the PEG phase. These results indicate good prospects for the design of new plasmid DNA purification methods using fusion proteins as affinity ligands.     

Cd/Pt Precursor Solution for Solar H2 Production and in situ Photochemical Synthesis of Pt Single-atom Decorated CdS Nanoparticles

Despite extensive efforts to develop high-performance H₂ evolution catalysts, this remains a major challenge. Here, we demonstrate the use of Cd/Pt precursor solutions for significant photocatalytic H₂ production (154.7 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹), removing the need for a pre-synthesized photocatalyst. In addition, we also report simultaneous in situ synthesis of Pt single-atoms anchored CdS nanoparticles (Pt_SA-CdS_IS) during photoirradiation. The highly dispersed in situ incorporation of extensive Pt single atoms on CdS_IS enables the enhancement of active sites and suppresses charge recombination, which results in exceptionally high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of ≈1 % and an apparent quantum yield of over 91 % (365 nm) for H₂ production. Our work not only provides a promising strategy for maximising H₂ production efficiency but also provides a green process for H₂ production and the synthesis of highly photoactive Pt_SA-CdS_IS nanoparticles.