Ethylene tetramerization: a new route to produce 1-octene in exceptionally high selectivities

Linear alpha-olefins, such as 1-hexene and 1-octene, are important comonomers in the production of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). The conventional method of producing 1-hexene and 1-octene is by oligomerization of ethylene, which yields a wide spectrum of linear alpha-olefins (LAOs). While there exists several processes for producing 1-hexene via ethylene trimerization, a similar route for the selective production of 1-octene has so far been elusive. We now, for the first time, report an unprecedented ethylene tetramerization reaction that produces 1-octene in selectivities exceeding 70%, using an aluminoxane-activated chromium/((R2)2P)2NR1 catalyst system.     

Synthesis and conformational studies of palladium(II) complexes containing [PhP(O)NP(E)Ph]− (E=S or Se)

The ligands [Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂]⁻ (E=S I; E=Se II) can readily be complexed to a range of palladium(II) starting materials affording new six-membered Pd–O–P–N–P–E palladacycles. Hence ligand substitution reaction of the chloride complexes [PdCl₂(bipy)] (bipy=2,2′-bipyridine), [{Pd(μ-Cl)(L–L)}₂] (HL–L=C₉H₁₃N or C₁₂H₁₃N), [{Pd(μ-Cl)Cl(PMe₂Ph)}₂] or [PdCl₂(PR₃)₂] [PR₃=PPh₃; 2PR₃=Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂or cis-Ph₂PCH=CHPPh₂] with either I (or II) in thf or CH₃OH gave [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}(bipy)]PF₆, [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}(L–L)], [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}Cl(PMe₂Ph)] or [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E} (PR₃)₂]PF₆ in good yields. All compounds described have been characterised by a combination of multinuclear NMR [31 P{1 H} and 1 H] and IR spectroscopy and microanalysis. The molecular structures of five complexes containing the selenium ligand II have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Three different ring conformations were observed, a pseudo-butterfly, hinge and in the case of all three PR₃ complexes, pseudo-boat conformations. Within the Pd–O–P–N–P–Se rings there is evidence for π-electron delocalisation.     

Detection of genetically modified corn (Bt176) in spiked cow blood samples by polymerase chain reaction and immunoassay methods

The fate of DNA and protein transgenic sequences in products derived from animals fed transgenic crops has recently raised public interest. Sensitive molecular tests targeting the Bt176 genetic construct and the transgenic Cry1Ab protein were developed to determine whether plant sequences, especially transgenic sequences, are present in animal products. A protocol for total DNA extraction and purification from cow whole blood samples was first drawn up and assessed by spiking with known amounts of DNA from Bt176 maize. The limit of detection for transgenic sequences (35S promoter and Bt176-specific junction sequence) was determined by both the polymerase chain reaction-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA) and the 5'-nuclease PCR assay. Four additional PCR systems were built to substantiate the results. The first detects a mono-copy maize-specific sequence (ADH promoter). Two others target multi-copy sequences from plant nucleus (26S rRNA gene) and chloroplast (psaB gene). The last one, used as a positive control, targets a mono-copy animal sequence (alpha(s1)-casein gene). Both methods detected a minimum spiking at 25 copies of Bt176 maize/mL in 10 mL whole blood samples. The sandwich ELISA kit used detected down to 1 ng transgenic Cry1Ab protein/mL spiked whole blood.     

Bipolar Mass Spectrometry of Labile Coordination Complexes, Redox Active Inorganic Compounds, and Proteins Using a Glass Nebulizer for Sonic-Spray Ionization

In this study, we report on the development of a novel nebulizer configuration for sonic-spray ionization (SSI) mass spectrometry (MS), more specifically for a version of SSI that is referred to as Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (V-EASI) MS. The developed nebulizer configuration is based on a commercially available pneumatic glass nebulizer that has been used extensively for aerosol formation in atomic spectrometry. In the present study, the nebulizer was modified in order to achieve efficient V-EASI-MS operation. Upon evaluating this system, it has been demonstrated that V-EASI-MS offers some distinct advantages for the analysis of coordination compounds and redox active inorganic compounds over the predominantly used electrospray ionization (ESI) technique. Such advantages, for this type of compounds, are demonstrated here for the first time. More specifically, a series of labile heptanuclear heterometallic [Cu^II ₆Ln^III] clusters held together with artificial amino acid ligands, in addition to easily oxidized inorganic oxyanions of selenium and arsenic, were analyzed. The observed advantages pertain to V-EASI appearing to be a “milder” ionization source than ESI, not requiring electrical potentials for gas phase ion formation, thus eliminating the possibility of unwanted redox transformations, allowing for the “simultaneous” detection of negative and positive ions (bipolar analysis) without the need to change source ionization conditions, and also not requiring the use of syringes and delivery pumps. Because of such features, especially because of the absence of ionization potentials, EASI can be operated with minimal requirements for source parameter optimization. We observed that source temperature and accelerating voltage do not seem to affect labile compounds to the extent they do in ESI-MS. In addition, bipolar analysis of proteins was demonstrated here by acquiring both positive and negative ion mass spectra from the same protein solutions, without the need to independently adjust solution and source conditions in each mode. Finally, the simple and efficient operation of a dual-nebulizer configuration was demonstrated for V-EASI-MS for the first time.

Preparation and characterization of 5,10,15,20‐tetraphenylporphyrin Langmuir films for gas chemsensor applications

In this work is reported the preparation and characterization of 5,10,15,20‐tetraphenylporphyrin (H₂TPP) films at the water‐air interfaces. The surface pressure‐area isotherms (π‐A) and UV‐Vis spectroscopy were used to investigate the effect of the spreading methods and parameters on the porphyrin monolayer formation. Also, Langmuir‐Blodgett (LB) and Langmuir‐Schaefer (LS) films were deposited onto glass substrates in order to study the conformation changes in porphyrin molecular packing. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was utilized as the active solid substrate for the development of the NO₂ gas sensor based on the H₂TPP molecular films. The results of π‐A curves have clearly shown the significant contribution of the preparation methods and processing parameters on the conformation of porphyrin molecular films. The UV‐Vis spectroscopy results using polarized absorption dichroism have indicated different molecular packing for porphyrin films deposited by LB and LS methods, with relative tilted angles of 50° ± 5° and 35° ± 5°, respectively. Moreover, the QCM response has given strong evidence that H₂TPP porphyrin molecular films have performed as NO₂ chemsensor. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of scanning calorimetry to estimate soil organic matter loss after fires

The severe heating of soil during wildfires and prescribed burns may result in adverse effects on soil fertility due to organic matter loss. No rapid and reliable procedure exists to evaluate soil organic matter (SOM) losses due to heating. Enthalpy of SOM combustion correlates with organic matter content. Quartz is a ubiquitous mineral in soils and has a remarkably constant composition and reversible α–β phase transition at 575 °C. We suggest that SOM content in heated and unheated soils can be compared using the ratio of SOM combustion enthalpy on heating to the β–α quartz transition enthalpy measured on cooling of the same sample. This eliminates the need to dry and weigh the samples, making possible field applications of the proposed method. The feasibility of using the (ΔH _{comb SOM})/(ΔH _β–α Qz) ratio was established with experiments on soil samples heated in the laboratory and the method was then used for evaluation of SOM loss on two pile burn sites at UC Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station in Georgetown, California.     

DFT study of polymorphism of the DNA double helix at the level of dinucleoside monophosphates

We apply DFT calculations to deoxydinucleoside monophosphates (dDMPs) which represent minimal fragments of the DNA chain to study the molecular basis of stability of the DNA duplex, the origin of its polymorphism and conformational heterogeneity. In this work, we continue our previous studies of dDMPs where we detected internal energy minima corresponding to the “classical” B conformation (BI‐form), which is the dominant form in the crystals of oligonucleotide duplexes. We obtained BI local energy minima for all existing base sequences of dDMPs. In the present study, we extend our analysis to other families of DNA conformations, successfully identifying A, BI, and BII energy minima for all dDMP sequences. These conformations demonstrate distinct differences in sugar ring puckering, but similar sequence‐dependent base arrangements. Internal energies of BI and BII conformers are close to each other for nearly all the base sequences. The dGpdG, dTpdG, and dCpdA dDMPs slightly favor the BII conformation, which agrees with these sequences being more frequently experimentally encountered in the BII form. We have found BII‐like structures of dDMPs for the base sequences both existing in crystals in BII conformation and those not yet encountered in crystals till now. On the other hand, we failed to obtain dDMP energy minima corresponding to the Z family of DNA conformations, thus giving us the ground to conclude that these conformations are stabilized in both crystals and solutions by external factors, presumably by interactions with various components of the media. Overall the accumulated computational data demonstrate that the A, BI, and BII families of DNA conformations originate from the corresponding local energy minimum conformations of dDMPs, thus determining structural stability of a single DNA strand during the processes of unwinding and rewinding of DNA. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 110:2548–2559, 2010     

Formic and acetic acids in a nitrogen matrix: Enhanced stability of the higher-energy conformer

Formic acid (HCOOH, FA) and acetic acid (CH(3)COOH, AA) are studied in a nitrogen matrix. The infrared (IR) spectra of cis and trans conformers of these carboxylic acids (and also of the HCOOD isotopologue of FA) are reported and analyzed. The higher-energy cis conformer of these molecules is produced by narrowband near-IR excitation of the more stable trans conformer, and the cis-to-trans tunneling decay is evaluated spectroscopically. The tunneling process in both molecules is found to be substantially slower in a nitrogen matrix than in rare-gas matrices, the cis-form decay constants being approximately 55 and 600 times smaller in a nitrogen matrix than in an argon matrix, for FA and AA respectively. The stabilization of the higher-energy cis conformer is discussed in terms of specific interactions with nitrogen molecule binding with the OH group of the carboxylic acid. This model is in agreement with the observed differences in the IR spectra in nitrogen and argon matrices, in particular, the relative frequencies of the νOH and τCOH modes and the relative intensities of the νOH and νC=O bands.     

Isomorphous substitutions of rare earth elements for calcium in synthetic hydroxyapatites

Polycrystalline hydroxyapatites Ca(10-x)REE(x)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2-x)O(x) were synthesized and studied by X-ray powder diffraction, infrared absorption, diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The solubility limits x(max) of rare earth elements (REE) in Ca hydroxyapatites decreases with an increasing REE atomic number from x(max) = 2.00 for La, Pr, and Nd to x(max) = 0.20 for Yb at 1100 °C. Refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns by the Rietveld method show that REE atoms substitute for Ca preferentially at the Ca(2) sites of the apatite structure. The substitution decreases the Ca(2)-O(4) atomic distances in the calcium coordination polyhedra and increases the Ca(2)-O(1,2,3) distances. This observation shows that interatomic distances depend not only on radii of the ions involved in the substitution but also on their charges.