Elucidation of the structure of quindolinone,a minor alkaloid of cryptolepis sanguinolenta: Submilligram 1H-13c and 1H-15N heteronuclear shift correlation experiments using micro inverse-detection

Elucidation of minor natural product structures has been significantly augmented by inverse-detection; further improvement has been afforded by the development of micro inverse-detection probes. We report here the elucidation of the structure of a new alkaloid, quindolinone (5H, 10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinolin-11-one), from the West African plant Cryptolepis sanguinolenta. All nmr data for this minor, preparative hplc-isolated alkaloid, including ¹H-¹⁵N one? bond heteronuclear shift correlation (HMQC) data, were recorded on an 800 μg sample of the alkaloid dissolved in 140 μl of 100% d₆-DMSO using a 400 MHz spectrometer.     

Synthesis and properties of crosslinked polyvinylformamide and polyvinylamine hydrogels in conjunction with silica particles

Polyvinylamine hydrogels with silica particles encapsulated (PVAm/silica) were produced by a two‐step synthesis. In the first step, polyvinylformamide/silica (PVFA/silica) hybrids were synthesized from vinylformamide (VFA) and 1,3‐divinylimidazolidin‐2‐one (1,3‐bisvinylethyleneurea, BVU), as the crosslinker, by radical copolymerization in silica/water suspensions using different compositions of VFA/BVU. The target product PVAm/silica was obtained by acidic hydrolysis of the PVFA/silica hydrogels in a second step. The chemical structures of both hydrogels, PVFA/silica and PVAm/silica, respectively, were revealed by solid‐state ¹³C(¹H) cross‐polarity/magic‐angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. Both hydrogels swelled significantly in water. The swelling capacity of the two systems was characterized by the correlation length ξ (or hydrodynamic blob size) of the network meshes with small‐angle neutron scattering experiments. ξ is significantly larger for PVAm/silica than for PVFA/silica, which corresponds to the observed higher swelling capacity of this polyelectrolyte material. Furthermore, the swelling behavior of the hybrid hydrogels was quantitatively described in terms of free swell capacity, centrifuge‐retention capacity, adsorption against pressure, and free swell rate as compared with values of the corresponding copolymer hydrogels. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3144–3152, 2002     

Time‐resolved Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection spectroscopy for the measurement of molecular diffusion in polymers

Over the past 2 decades, the use of time‐resolved Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy for the measurement of diffusion in polymers has grown. ATR is a powerful technique for the measurement of diffusion in polymers because it is an in situ technique that is relatively inexpensive, provides reliable short‐time data, and provides a wealth of information at the molecular level. This article highlights the technique and its application to numerous studies, ranging from the diffusion of drugs in human skin to chemical warfare agents in barrier materials. In addition to these topics, recent studies with ATR to quantify and model molecular interactions during the diffusion process are reviewed. In the future, the ATR technique may have an impact on a variety of emerging fields in which diffusion in polymers plays an important role, such as fuel cells, membrane separation, sensors, and drug delivery. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2794–2807, 2003     

Mammalian cell growth studiedin situ by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared techniques were used to monitor mammalian cell growth plated on attenuated total reflection (ATR) crystals. Consistently, the growth kinetics plots generated from the obtained spectra demonstrated a sigmoidal curve representing a sequence of slow, rapid, then tapering cell growth which correlated well with non-spectral cell growth determinations. Significant advantages over traditional methods of measuring cell growth kinetics are demonstrated. The technique has promising potential to be used to study events in areas such as toxicology and cell biology.     

Synthesis and dispersion of Ni(OH)2 platelet-like nanoparticles in water

Synthesis of nanometric platelet-like Ni(OH)2 particles is described. The role of several experimental parameters on the particle size is investigated. A colloidal dispersion of particles is produced by adsorbing ionizable organic ligands (trisodium citrate) on the particle surface. The stability of this colloidal dispersion and the particle charge density are determined for different citrate ions concentrations.     

Direct detection of oxygen intermediates in the non-heme Fe enzyme taurine/alpha-ketoglutarate dioxygenase

The reaction of substrate-bound taurine/alpha-ketoglutarate dioxygenase with O2 has been studied using cryogenic continuous-flow spectroscopy. Transient absorption spectra acquired at -38 degrees C show an exponential decay of a 318-nm chromophore with an apparent rate of 1.3 s-1. The observed optical changes and their kinetics are consistent with the profile of an Fe(IV) species detected recently by M?ssbauer spectroscopy (Price et al., Biochemistry 2003, 42, 7497-7508). Resonance Raman measurement upon excitation at 363.7 nm reveal at least two oxygen isotope-sensitive vibrations at 821/787 cm-1 and 583/555 cm-1 for 16O and 18O derivatives, respectively. An additional mode is likely to be obscured by an ethylene glycol vibration at 865 cm-1 and/or 1089 cm-1. The 821 cm-1 vibration is assigned to the stretching mode of Fe(IV)=O species on the basis of its frequency and isotopic shift amplitude. The 583 cm-1 band is likely to originate from an Fe-O2 precursor of the Fe(IV)=O species, although its structural details are unclear at present.     

Pulse radiolysis and fourier transform infrared study of neopentyl peroxy radicals in the gas phase at 297 K

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of the neopentyl peroxy radical (CH₃)₃CCH₂O₂, and the kinetics and products of its self reaction have been studied in the gas phase at 298 K. Absorption cross sections were quantified over the wavelength range 230–290 nm. The measured cross section at 250 nm was; Errors represent statistical (2σ) together with our estimate of potential systematic errors(15%). The kinetics of the decay of the UV absorption following the generation of the neopentyl peroxy radicals was complicated by the rapid decomposition of the (CH₃)₃CCH₂O radicals formed in channel (4a). By measuring the yield of t-butyl peroxy radicals, the branching ratio k_4a/(k_4a + k_4b) was determined to be 0.39 ± 0.03. The rate constant for the self reaction of neopentyl peroxy radicals was k₄ = (1.07 ± 0.22) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Quoted errors represent 2σ. These results are discussed with respect to the available literature data. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dimethyldihydropyrene-dehydrobenzoannulene hybrids: studies in aromaticity and photoisomerization

The synthesis and study of dehydrobenzoannulene (DBA)-dimethyldihydropyrene (DDP) hybrids as models for the investigation of aromaticity in weakly diatropic systems is reported. Three new monofused DBA-DDP hybrids have been synthesized, and their NMR spectra are discussed with regard to quantifying the aromaticity remaining in multibenzene-fused DBAs. Nucleus-independent chemical shifts, determined at a series of locations for each compound, bond lengths, and (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts were calculated and used to probe the aromaticity of these hybrids. Systems where more than one annulene/DBA is fused to the DDP core have also been obtained, and their potential use in photoinduced isomerization applications is discussed.