Substoichiometric radiochemical determination of thallium with sodium isopropyl xanthate

A rapid radiochemical method for the determination of thallium(III) has been developed based on the substoichiometric extraction of its 13 complex with sodium isopropyl xanthate into chloroform from pH 9 ammonia buffer. The effect of foreign ions on the extraction was also studied. 10 g amounts of thallium were determined with an average error of 1.9%. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of thallium content present in sphalarite ores collected from Jawar Mines, Rajasthan (India).     

In silico studies of the mechanism of methanol oxidation by quinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase

The mechanism of bacterial methanol dehydrogenase involves hydride equivalent transfer from substrate to the ortho-quinone PQQ to provide a C5-reduced intermediate that subsequently rearranges to the hydroquinone PQQH(2). We have studied the PQQ reduction by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations in aqueous solution. Among the five simulated structures, either Asp297 or Glu171 or both are ionized. Reasonable structures are obtained only when both carboxyl groups are ionized. This is not unexpected since the kinetic pH optimum is 9.0. In the structure of the enzyme.PQQ.HOCH(3) complex, the hydrogen bonded Glu171-CO(2)(-).H-OCH(3) is in a position to act as a general base catalyst for hydride equivalent transfer to C5 of PQQ. We thus suggest that Glu171 plays the role of general base catalyst in PQQ reduction rather than Asp297 as previously suggested. The reduction is assisted by Arg324, which hydrogen bonds to the ortho-quinone moiety of PQQ. The rearrangement of the C5-reduced intermediate to provide hydroquinone PQQH(2) is also assisted by proton abstraction by Glu171-CO(2)(-) and the continuous hydrogen bonding of Arg324 throughout the entire reaction. These features as well as the mapping of the channel for substrate and water into the active site entrance are the observations of major importance.     

Solvent extraction of Tm(III) by sulfoxides and mixtures of DPSO (di-N-pentyl sulfoxide) and HTTA (thenoyl-trifluoroacetone) from perchlorate and thiocyanate media

Extraction of Tm(III), from thiocyanate media, by different sulfoxides (R₂SO) has revealed that the extractable complex is Tm(SCN)₃·4 R₂SO. When mixtures of DPSO and HTTA are used for the extraction of Tm(III) from thiocyanate or perchlorate media, synergistic enhancement of the extraction of Tm(III) results. The complexes responsible for the enhanced extraction are Tm(TTA)₃·DPSO and Tm(TTA)₃·2 DPSO when perchlorate media were employed for the extraction and Tm(SCN)(TTA)₂·2 DPSO and Tm(SCN)₂(TTA)·3 DPSO, in addition to the above two when a thiocyanate medium was employed for the extraction. Values of equilibrium constants for some equilibria encountered in the extraction of Am(III) and Tm(III) by mixtures of DPSO and HTTA are given.     

Rapid defunctionalization of carbonyl group to methylene with polymethylhydrosiloxane-B(C(6)F(5))(3)

The polymethylhydrosiloxane-B(C(6)F(5))(3) combination is found to be a versatile carbonyl defunctionalization system under mild and rapid conditions. For the first time, B(C(6)F(5))(3) has been used as a nonconventional Lewis acid catalyst to activate PMHS. Aromatic and aliphatic carbonyl compounds were effectively reduced to give the corresponding alkanes in high yields.     

Highly stereoselective prins cyclization of silylmethyl-substituted cyclopropyl carbinols to 2,4,6-trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans

The homoallyl cation formed from a cyclopropyl carbinol that was vicinally substituted by a silylmethyl function underwent smooth Prins cyclization with aldehydes and ketones to form 2,4,6-trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans with very high stereoselectivity.     

Stereoselective syntheses of (+)-goniodiol, (-)-8-epigoniodiol,and (+)-9-deoxygoniopypyrone via alkoxyallylboration and ring-closing metathesis

A convenient synthesis of (+)-goniodiol, (-)-8-epigoniodiol, and (+)-9-deoxygoniopypyrone has been developed via asymmetric alkoxyallylboration and ring-closing metathesis pathways.     

The carbosilane unit as a stable building block for liquid crystal design: a new class of ferroelectric switching banana-shaped mesogens

New banana shaped liquid crystals with a carbosilane unit at one end were synthesised and depending on the number of Si-atoms either antiferroelectric (AF) or ferroelectric (FE) switching polar smectic C phases have been obtained.     

Metal-assisted red light-induced efficient DNA cleavage by dipyridoquinoxaline-copper(II) complex

Complete cleavage of double stranded pUC19 DNA by the complex [Cu(dpq)2(H2O)](ClO4)2 (dpq, dipyridoquinoxaline) has been observed on irradiation at 694 nm from a pulsed ruby laser, assisted by the metal d-band transition as well as the quinoxaline triplet states in the absence of any external additives.     

A facile one step synthesis of 1,6 ‐dihydro‐7H‐pyrazolo[4,3‐d]‐pyrimidin‐7‐ones

A general synthetic approach to pyrazolo[4,3‐d]pyrimidines is reported. Aldehydes, arylideneanilines, carboxylic acids and orthoesters are used as one‐carbon units for bridging the two amino functions of 4‐amino‐1‐alkyl‐3‐propylpyrazole‐5‐carboxamides.