The foam analogy: from phases to elasticity

By mapping the interactions of colloidal particles onto the problem of minimizing areas, the physics of foams can be used to understand the phase diagrams of both charged and fuzzy colloids. We extend this analogy to study the elastic properties of such colloidal crystals and consider the face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic and A15 lattices. We discuss two types of soft interparticle potentials corresponding to charged and fuzzy colloids, respectively, and we analyze the dependence of the elastic constants on density as well as on the parameters of the potential. We show that the bulk moduli of the three lattices are generally quite similar, and that the shear moduli of the two non-close-packed lattices are considerably smaller than in the face-centered cubic lattice. We find that in charged colloids, the elastic constants are the largest at a finite screening length, and we discuss a shear instability of the A15 lattice.     

The isolation of new norcycloartene triterpenoids from the tropical marine alga Tydemaniaexpeditionitis (chlorophyta)

Three new Δ³-norcycloartene triterpenoids, with differing side chain functionalities, have been isolated from the tropical green alga $\text{Tydemania}$$\text{expeditionitis}$ collected in Guam. The structures of these new compounds were secured by x-ray crystallography and by chemical interconversion.     

Engineering cytochrome P-450s

Cytochrome P-450 isozymes represent a critical component of nature’s spectrum of detoxification catalysts that could be exploited for bioremediation. The ethanol-inducible human cytochrome P-450 2E1 serves as a model eukaryotic P-450 that complements the bacterial P-450 cam in dehalogenation and detoxification of environmental pollutants. We explored the construction of novel chimeric P-450s using cytochrome P-450 camC and 2E1 genes. For construction of chimera 1 (478 amino acids, 55.14 kDa), 145 amino acids from the N-terminus of P-450 2E1 protein (493 amino acids, 56.84 kDa) were replaced with 130 amino acids from the N-terminus of P-450 camC protein (415 amino acids, 46.66 kDa). In chimera 2 (525 amino acids, 60.24 kDa) the strategy involves replacement of 28 amino acids in the C-terminus of chimera 1 with 75 amino acids from the C-terminus of P-450 camC gene. Homology models of both the chimeric proteins were developed using SWISS-MODEL based on the known crystal structure of cytochrome P-450 camC, BM-3, 1DT6A, and 2C17A. The models indicated that the proposed heme-binding site was intact, which is inevitable for catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450s. The expression of chimera 1 and 2 genes in Escherichia coli DH5α was evident from light-pink cell pellets, protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and diagnostic carbon monoxide-difference spectra. Our studies show that strategies can be developed to exploit the natural diversity of the P-450 superfamily to generate chimeric biocatalysts that would provide new templates amenable to directed evolution.     

Metal-thiophen derivatives. Organometallic compounds of palladium and platinum

Thienylmercury(II)chloride reacts with [Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂], [Pd(PPh₃)₄] and [Pt(PPh₃)₄] to afford new compounds containing a metal-2-thienyl linkage. The compound [Pd(PPh₃)₂(2-C₄H₃S)Cl] probably has trans stereochemistry.2-Bromothiophen undergoes oxidative addition with [Pd(PPh₃)₄] and [Pt(PPh₃)₄], probably via a radical mechanism. With [Pd(CO)(PPh₃)₃], a carbonyl inserted product is obtained. The bromo-metal(II) complexes have trans stereochemistry. The course of the reaction between 3-methyl-2-bromothiophen and Pd(PPh₃)₄ is more complex. Thus, there is evidence of some cis bromopalladium(II) compounds amongst the products, also there is good evidence to support the view that some isomerisation of 3-methyl-2-thienyl to 4-methyl-2-thienyl occurs during the reaction, thus giving greater molar quantities of [Pd(PPh₃)₂(4-CH₃-2-C₄H₂S)Br] than can be accounted for from any initial 4-methyl-2-bromothiophen impurity.The metallation of the thiophen ring, probably in the 4-position, with palladium(II) is described for 3-theylidene-4-methylaniline.     

The crystal structure of 1,1-bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylzirconole

The crystal and molecular structure of (η⁵-C₅H₅)₂Zr[C₄(C₆H₅)₄] has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The compound is isostructural with its titanium and hafnium analogues, and crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with unit cell parameters a = 13.790(5), b = 11.136(5), c = 18.692(7) », β = 92.82(4)°, and ?_calc = 1.34 g cm^?3 for Z = 4. Full-matrix least-squares refinement converged with a conventional R value of 0.049 for 2986 observed reflections. The metallocyclic ring is planar to within 0.05 », and the π-electron density is largely localized. The two independent ZrC(σ) bond lengths are 2.250(5) and 2.265(6) ». The ZrC(η⁵) distances range from 2.482(6) to 2.546(7) », and average 2.521(20) ». A comparison of zirconium- and hafnium-carbon bonds based on the data available shows that for M = Hf the MC bonds are shorter for all cases: C(sp), C(sp²), C(sp³), C(η⁵).     

Inorganic Chemistry in Liquid Ammonia : by David Nicholls,Elsevier Scientific Publ. Co., Amsterdam/Oxford/New York, 1979, x + 238 pp., Dfl. 110.00, $ 49.00.

Substitution of the hydrogen atoms of the cyclopentadienyl ring of (N, N-dimethylaminomethyl)cymantrene by deuterium changes the direction of orientation of metalation of this amine.     

Stoffwechselprodukte von Mikroorganismen. 177. Mitteilung. Avilamycin C

From cultures of the Avilamycin (Avilamycin A) producing organism, Streptomyces viridochromogenes, strain ETH 23575, a second antibiotic, Avilamycin C, C₆₁H₉₀Cl₂O₃₂ could be isolated in crystalline form. Both Avilamycins belong to the group of the Orthosomycins. By IR., ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. spectroscopy and by transformation to a common derivative it could be proven that Avilamycin A is a methyl ketone, Avilamycin C the corresponding methyl carbinol.     

CNDO/2 calculations of some polyazaindenes

The theoretically estimated dipole moments of indolizine, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, imidazo-[1,5-a]pyridine and of pyrazolo[ 1,5-a]pyridine obtained by the CNDO/2 approximation have been compared with the experimental values. The bond angles and bond distances for these polyazaindenes have been estimated.     

Molecular orbital theory of the properties of inorganic and organometallic compounds. 3. STO-3G basis sets for first- and second-row transition metals

STO -3G minimal basis sets for first- and second-row transition metals have been formulated and applied to the calculation of equilibrium geometries for a variety of inorganic systems, metal carbonyls, and organometallic compounds. While the overall level of agreement with experiment is not as good as that previously noted for main-group compounds, most trends and many subtle features in geometries are reproduced.     

Calculation of Gurney parameters for aqueous tetraalkylammonium halides based on Friedman's cosphere-overlap model

Recalculations of the Gurney free-energy parameters A_ij based on the cosphereoverlap model of Friedman and co-workers have been made using more recent experimental data. Our procedure for calculation seems to be more systematic than those previously reported. The excess energy, entropy, and volume parameters (E_ij, TS_ij, and V_ij) were also recalculated for some aqueous tetraalkylammonium halides. In addition, the excess-heat-capacity parameters C_ij are also reported here for the first time. These data are discussed briefly in terms of the structural implications.