Coordination solids via assembly of adaptable components: systematic structural variation in alkaline earth organosulfonate networks

A family of alkaline earth organosulfonate coordination solids is reported. In contrast to more typical crystal engineering approaches, these solids are sustained by the assembly of building blocks that are coordinatively adaptable rather than rigid in their bonding preferences. The ligand, 4,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,3-disulfonate, L, progressively evolves from a 0D, 1D, 2D, to a 3D microporous network with the Group II cations Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+), and Ba(2+), (compounds 1-4), respectively. This trend in dimensionality can be explained by considering factors such as hard-soft acid-base principles and cation radii, a rationalization which follows salient crystal engineering principles. The selective gas sorption properties of the microporous 3D network [Ba(L)(H(2)O)].H(2)O, 4, with different gaseous guests are also presented.     

Organic nanoparticles whose size and rigidity are finely tuned by cross-linking the end groups of dendrimers

Dendrimers with molecular weights ranging from ca. 2700 to 11 000 and from 16 to 64 homoallyl ether end groups were cross-linked using the Grubbs ring-closing metathesis reaction. A combination of SEC, MALDI-TOF-MS, and AFM were used to characterize the cross-linked nanoparticles. The data suggest a significant decrease in volume with cross-linking and a concomitant increase in rigidity, both of which can be controlled independently with a fair degree of precision.     

Asymmetric dimers can be formed by dewetting half-shells of gold deposited on the surfaces of spherical oxide colloids

Asymmetric dimers consisting of gold microcrystals and spherical silica colloids have been fabricated by depositing thin films of gold onto the spherical colloids to form half-shells, followed by annealing at elevated temperatures. The capability and feasibility of this procedure have been demonstrated with silica and titania beads of 0.2-2 mum in diameter and gamma-Fe2O3/polystyrene@SiO2 core-shell particles 0.5 mum in size. The dimensions of gold microcrystals could be conveniently varied in the range of 100-650 nm by controlling the thickness of gold films and/or the diameter of the spherical colloids. This method provides another route to asymmetric dimers made of colloidal particles that could be different in size, chemical composition, surface functionality, density or sign of surface charge, bulk property, or a combination of these properties.     

Chemical synthesis of the first lignans to be found in humans and animals

$\text{Trans}$-2,3-$\text{bis}$-(3′-hydroxybenzyl)-butyrolactone (1) and 2,3-$\text{bis}$-(3′-hydroxybenzyl)-butane-1,4-diol (2), recently identified in urine, have been synthesised in racemic form.     

The synthesis of some benzo[4,5]cyclohept[1,2,3-ij]isoquinolines

A facile synthesis and spectroscopic properties of various oxidation states of the novel benzo[4,5]cyclohept[1,2,3-ij]isoquinoline system are described. The synthesis involves the condensation of 5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-one, or of its 10,11-dihydro derivative, with amino-acetaldehyde diethylacetal, followed by treatment of the resultant imines with polyphosphoric acid to afford the novel tetracyclic system in high yields.     

Spectrophotometric determination of bismuth in copper and cartridge brass by the iodide method

An improved spectrophotometric method is proposed for the determination with iodide of trace amounts of bismuth in copper and cartridge brass. The sample is dissolved in nitric acid and the bismuth is separated from the copper by an ammoniacal precipitation in the presence of iron(III) hydroxide as a gathering agent. The hydroxide precipitate is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid is added, the solution is evaporated to a few ml, hydrobromic acid is added to volatilize the antimony and tin, and the solution is evaporated to fumes of sulfuric acid. The bismuth iodide color is then developed with a composite potassium iodide—sodium hypophosphite reagent. Factors affecting the bismuth iodide color are investigated.     

Immobilized enzyme electrode for the determination of salicylate in blood serum

This determination of salicylate in blood serum is based on application of an immobilized enzyme electrode. Salicylate hydroxylase (E.C.1.14.13.1) is chemically immobilized onto a pig intestine mounted on an oxygen electrode. The signals are monitored amperometrically and the resulting output voltage is read using a simple adapter. The experimental parameters and possible interferences are discussed. Samples containing 1.0 × 10^?5?1.87 × 10^?3 M (1.6–300 μg ml^?1) salicylate were assayed with relative standard deviations between 1.3% and 6% and recoveries between 98.7 and 103%. Results obtained by the proposed method and by the established clinical method for randomly spiked pooled serum samples correlated well (r = 0.99).     

A systematic nomenclature for cascade polymers

Cascade (dendritic) polymers are discrete, highly branched, monodisperse polymers that possess branching patterns described by a mathematical progression. A systematic nomenclature that accurately represents these molecules is described. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Eliminating positively charged lysine epsilon-NH3+ groups on the surface of carbonic anhydrase has no significant influence on its folding from sodium dodecyl sulfate

This study compares the folding of two polypeptides--bovine carbonic anhydrase (BCA) and peracetylated BCA (BCA-Ac(18))--having the same sequence of amino acids but differing by 18 formal units of charge, from a solution containing denaturing concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Acetylation of BCA with acetic anhydride converts all 18 lysine-epsilon-NH(3)(+) groups to lysine-epsilon-NHCOCH(3) groups and generates BCA-Ac(18). Both BCA and BCA-Ac(18) are catalytically active, and circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) suggests that they have similar secondary and tertiary structures. SDS at concentrations above approximately 10 mM denatured both proteins. When the SDS was removed by dialysis, both proteins were regenerated in native form. This study suggests that large differences in the net charge of the polypeptide have no significant influence on the structure, the ability to refold, or the rate of refolding of this protein from solutions containing SDS. This study reinforces the idea that charged residues on the surface of BCA do not guide protein folding and raises the broader question of why proteins have charged residues on their surface, outside of the region of the active site.     

Polystyrene resins with immobilized polyamines: Preparation,characterization, and ability to bind Cu(II) ions

Three polyamine ligands, ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DTA), and triethylenetetramine (TETA), were bound to three chloromethylated “popcorn” polystyrene resins (16, 50, and 100% phenyl ring substitution) with the use of pyridine as the reaction medium. The rate of chloride displacement decreased with increasing molecular weight of the amine and higher degree of resin chloromethylation, while the extent of multiple attachments to the polymer matrix increased. The additional crosslinking, a result of multiple attachments, caused the polyamine resins to swell to a lesser extent in pyridine and water. The ability of the insoluble polyamine–polystyrene resins to chelate Cu²⁺ ions from dilute solutions (200 ppm) was determined at pH 5. With EDA resins the capacity for Cu²⁺ increased with increasing amount of the bound polyamine, with DTA it remained unchanged, while with TETA it was found to decrease.