Amperometric determination of calcium as selenite

Summary An amperometric titration of calcium with selenite is described. Barium, strontium, and other cations forming insoluble selenites interfere, but magnesium does not. The method is rapid and suitable for routine analysis, the error being less than 10 parts per 1000 over the range 50 to 70 mg of calcium.

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Zusammenfassung Ein amperometrisches Titrationsverfahren für Calcium mit Selenit wurde beschrieben. Barium, Strontium und andere Kationen, die unlösliche Selenite bilden, stören, nur Magnesium nicht. Das Verfahren ist rasch und für Routineanalysen geeignet. Im Bereich zwischen 50 und 70 mg Calcium ist der Fehler geringer als 1% relativ.

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Résumé On décrit un titrage ampérométrique du calcium par l'ion sélénite. Le baryum, le strontium et les autres cations formant des sélénites insolubles interfèrent, excepté le magnésium. La méthode est rapide et convient à l'analyse en série, l'erreur étant inférieure à 10 parties pour 1000 dans le domaine de 50–70 mg de calcium.

     

Application of the two stage ascorbic acid-iodate titration to the determination of iodine and iodide

Summary An extension of the two stage titration of ascorbic acid against iodate to the determination of iodine and iodide in a solution is described. A known excess of ascorbic acid, standardized against iodate, is added to a mixed iodine and iodide solution and the excess ascorbic acid together with the total iodide is titrated against the same iodate to the two end points under controlled conditions of acidity. The differential method of calculation gives the amount of iodine and iodide with a blank and a direct titration. The accuracy of the results provides a useful evidence for the mechanism suggested for the two stage titration of ascorbic acid against iodate.Our sincere thanks are due to Professor S. S. Joshi for kind interest in the work.     

Amperometric determination of metals forming normal selenites

Summary A new procedure for the quantitative determination of Ag, Hg and Pb has been described. This is based on the precipitation, under appropriate conditions of their normal selenites and titrating amperometrically the excess Se^IV against NaOBr after filtering the precipitate. In this respect the method is almost analogous to the volumetric determination of the above metals after precipitating their pyridine thiocyanate complexes.Sincere thanks of the authors are due to Prof. S. S. Joshi for kind interest in the work, and to the National Institute of Sciences of India for an award of a fellowship to one of them (M. G. B.).     

Cl (Pj)_ fine structure quantum yields from UV dissociation of PCl3, CCl4, CHCl3 and Cl2 in a supersonic jet

Jet-cooled phosphorus trichloride, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and molecular chlorine are photodissociated in the UV wavelength range 235–238 nm. Chlorine atom photofragments Cl (²P_3/2) and Cl* (²P_1/2) are detected via resonance-enhanced (2+1) ionization throughout the 232–238 nm wavelength region. The relative Cl* yields, φ*=[Cl*]/([Cl]+[Cl*]), are measured for both ³⁵Cl and ³⁷Cl isotopes using the two-photon atomic transitions at 235.3 nm for Cl and 237.8 nm for Cl*. Preliminary results indicate that the Cl* yields are different for the two isotopes for some of the precursors. In addition, we obtained the two-photon oscillator strength of the Cl transition at 237.7 nm relative to the Cl* transition at 237.8 nm. The advantage of using the two-photon Cl transition at 237.7 nm for quantum yield measurements is discussed.     

Synthesis of 4,6-disubstituted-7-β-D-ribofuranosyl- and arabinofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines and certain related ribonucleosides

Several disubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine and thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine ribonucleosides have been prepared as congeners of uridine and cytidine. Glycosylation of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivative of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H,7H)-dione ( 4 ) with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-D-ribofuranose ( 5 ) in the presence of TMS triflate afforded 7-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazolo-[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione ( 6 ). Debenzoylation of 6 gave the uridine analog 7-β-D-ribofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione ( 3 ), identical with 7-ribofuranosyloxoallopurinol reported earlier. Thiation of 6 gave 7 , which on debenzoylation afforded 7-β-D-ribofuranosyl-6-oxopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4(1H,5H)-thione ( 8 ). Ammonolysis of 7 at elevated temperature gave a low yield of the cytidine analog 4-amino-7-β-D-ribofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-6(1H)-one ( 11 ). Chlorination of 6 , followed by ammonolysis, furnished an alternate route to 11 . A similar glycosylation of TMS-4 with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-α-D-arabinofuranosyl chloride ( 12 ) gave mainly the N7-glycosylated product 13 , which on debenzylation provided 7-β-D-arabinofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione ( 14 ). 4-Amino-7-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-6(1H)-one ( 19 ) was prepared from 13 via the C4-pyridinium chloride intermediate 17 . Condensation of the TMS derivatives of 7-hydroxy- ( 20 ) or 7-aminopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-5(4H)-one ( 23 ) with 5 in the presence of TMS triflate gave the corresponding blocked nucleosides 21 and 24 , respectively, which on deprotection afforded 7-hydroxy- 22 and 7-amino-4-β-D-ribofuranosylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-5-one ( 25 ), respectively. Similarly, starting either from 2-chloro ( 26 ) or 2-aminothiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine-5,7-(4H,6H)-dione ( 29 ), 2-amino-4-β-D-ribofuranosylthiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine-5,7(6H)-dione ( 28 ) has been prepared. The structure of 25 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

Biophysical characterization of complexation of DNA with block copolymers of poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate, poly(ethylene oxide), and poly(propylene oxide)

The interactions of DNA (salmon testes) with two new cationic block copolymers made of poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate and poly(ethylene oxide), PEO-pDMAEMA, or poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide), L92-pDMAEMA, were studied with the aim to understand their different in vitro transfection efficiencies when used as nonviral delivery vectors. PEO-pDMAEMA does not show surface activity while L92-pDMAEMA is as surface active as its parent Pluronic L92. Surface tension, titration microcalorimetry, ethidium bromide displacement, and zeta-potential measurements were carried out in phosphate buffers at pH 5 and 7. The association of L92-pDMAEMA with DNA was strongly exothermic at both pHs; the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) corresponded to a N/P ratio of 0.3, the maximum energy evolved was reached for N/P ratios of 0.82 and 1.27 at pH 5 and pH 7, respectively, and the saturation occurred for N/P ratios close to 2. The presence of L92 in the structure of this new block copolymer apparently did not modify the thermodynamic parameters of the interaction with DNA. In contrast, the interaction with PEO-pDMAEMA was significantly less exothermic, and CAC and saturation occurred for N/Ps equal to 0.43 and 1.37, respectively. The strong affinity of L92-pDMAEMA for DNA was reflected in its capacity to displace ethidium bromide and in the jump in the values of the zeta potential when N/P is near 1. Above the N/P ratio at which electroneutral polyplexes are formed, only at pH 5 an excess of L92-pDMAEMA is incorporated in the complexes, resulting in positively charged complexes. The profile of the zeta-potential values obtained for mixtures of L92-pDMAEMA with Pluronic P123 showed a shift to a lower N/P ratio, owing to an easier interaction of L92-pDMAEMA molecules with DNA in the presence of P123. Additionally, a visual inspection of the systems indicates that P123 contributes to stabilize/solubilize the DNA/cationic polymer aggregates, by avoiding the typical phase separation near the charge neutralization point. The information obtained can be particularly useful to optimize the conditions to form efficient polyplexes for gene delivery systems.     

THE 'OPSIN SHIFT' IN BACTERIORHODOPSIN: STUDIES WITH ARTIFICIAL BACTERIORHODOPSINS

Abstract— The difference (in cm⁻¹) in absorption maxima between the protonated Schiff base of retinals and the pigment derived therefrom has been defined as the opsin shift. It represents the influence of the opsin binding site on the chromophore. The analysis of the opsin shifts of a series of dihydrobacteriorhodopsins has led to the external point-charge model, which in addition to a counter anion near the Schiff base ammonium, carries another negative charge in the vicinity of the β-ionone ring. This is in striking contrast to the external point-charge model proposed earlier for the bovine visual pigment. The absorption maxima of rhodopsins formed from bromo- and phenyl retinals support the two models. A retinal carrying a photoaffinity label has yielded a nonbleachable bacteriorhodopsin.     

Synthesis of cis bis-β-lactams via Staudinger cycloaddition reaction using C2-symmetric 1,2-diamines

An efficient stereoselective synthesis of bis-β-lactams via cycloaddition reaction (Staudinger reaction) of ketenes with bisimines derived from C₂-symmetric 1, 2-diamines is described. The reaction provided diastereomeric mixture of meso and C₂-symmetric cis-bis-β-lactams with higher selectivity for meso-bis-β-lactams.     

Acylation of α-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprates and alkyl- or aryl(halo)cuprates

α-(N-Carbamoyl)alkylcuprates [R₂CuLi·LiX or RCuXLi (X=CN, Cl)] when prepared from THF soluble CuX·2LiCl (X=Cl, CN) undergo a reliable and generally high yield reaction with aroyl, alkanoyl, and alkenoyl chlorides to provide a rapid and efficient synthesis of α-carbamoyl ketones. Cuprates prepared from acyclic, cyclic, and a functionalized carbamate can be utilized. Although yields are a function of cuprate reagent and substrate structure, nearly quantitative yields can be obtained with reagents generated from 2RLi+CuCN·2LiCl. The use of reagents generated from CuCl·2LiCl are more efficient in the α-(N-carbamoyl)alkyl ligand, although yields are slightly lower. Acylation of alkyl(chloro)cuprates generated from one equivalent of CuCl·2LiCl and organolithium or Grignard reagents provides an efficient and high yield procedure for ketone synthesis.     

Polarographic determination of Pb, Tl, Bi and Sb in ethylenediamine in presence of mannitol

Summary Pb, Tl, Bi and Sb yield well defined polarograms in 1 M ethylenediamine in presence of 3% mannitol, with half-wave potentials at – 0.71 V, – 0.51 V, – 0.60 V and – 1.10 V, respectively. Only Pb and Tl develop maxima which can be suppressed by 0.02% gelatin. Presence of mannitol prevents the precipitation of Pb, Bi, and Sb in the alkaline solution. Simultaneous determinations of Pb/Tl, Bi/Sb, and Pb/Sb can be carried out.

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Polarographische Bestimmung von Pb, Tl, Bi und Sb in Äthylendiamin in Gegenwart von Mannit

Zusammenfassung Gut ausgebildete Polarogramme kann man von diesen Elementen in 1 M Äthylendiamin in Gegenwart von 3% Mannit erhalten. Die Halbstufenpotentiale liegen bei – 0,71 V (Pb), – 0,51 V (Tl), – 0,60 V (Bi) und – 1,10 V (Sb). Maxima, die im Falle von Pb und Tl gebildet werden, können durch 0,02% Gelatine unterdrückt werden. Durch Mannit wird die Fällung von Pb, Bi, und Sb in der alkalischen Lösung verhindert. Simultanbestimmungen von Pb/Tl, Bi/Sb und Pb/Sb sind möglich.

Our sincere thanks are due to Dr. G. B. Singh, Professor and Head, Department of Chemistry, B.H.U. for providing the necessary facilities.