Mechanistic study of osmium(VIII) promoted oxidation of crotonic acid by aqueous alkaline solution of potassium bromate

Kinetics and mechanism of the Os(VIII) catalysed oxidation of crotonic acid (CA) by KBrO₃ in alkaline medium have been investigated. Zero order dependence in [KBrO₃] was observed, while first order with respect to CA in its lower concentration range tends to zero order at its higher concentration range. The order in [Os(VIII)] was found to be unity and a positive effect of [OH⁻] was observed. Variation of the ionic strength (μ) and dielectric constant of the medium and addition of Hg(OAc)₂ (used as Br⁻ scavenger) had an insignificant effect on the rate of reaction. Thermodynamic parameters have also been calculated and reported. A suitable mechanism consistent with the observed kinetic results has been suggested and the related rate law deduced.     

Complexation and Separation of Amines,Amino Acids,and Peptides by Functionalized Calix[<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>]arenes

The ability of calix[n]arenes to form complexes, to act as extractants in liquid–liquid extraction, and run as carriers in transport through liquid membranes of different biological amine compounds (e.g., ammonium ion, amines, amino acids, and peptides) has been the central topics of many reports. These features recommend the calix[n]arenes as competitive candidates for studying the interactions involved in host–guest recognition as well as useful receptors in separation processes. Some specific aspects of their applications in binding and separation of various amine compounds by extraction, and in transport through liquid membranes have therefore been considered. The effect of the factors that might influence the separation of above compounds by extraction, and the transport through liquid membranes using the calix [n]arenes has been presented.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.     

Structural characterization of cardiolipin by tandem quadrupole and multiple-stage quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization

We report negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometric methods for structural characterization of cardiolipin (CL), a four-acyl-chain phospholipid containing two distinct phosphatidyl moieties, of which structural assignment of the fatty acid residues attached to the glycerol backbones performed by low-energy CAD tandem mass spectrometry has not been previously described. The low-energy MS2-spectra of the [M - H]- and [M - 2H]2- ions obtained with ion-trap or with tandem quadrupole instrument combined with ion-trap MS3-spectra or with source CAD product-ion spectra provide complete structural information for CL characterization. The MS2-spectra of the [M - H]- ions contain two sets of prominent fragment ions that comprise a phosphatidic acid, a dehydrated phosphatidylglycerol, and a (phosphatidic acid + 136) anion. The substantial differences in the abundances of the two distinct phosphatidic anions observed in the MS2-spectra of the [M -H]- ions lead to the assignment of the phosphatidyl moieties attached to the 1' or 3' position of central glycerol. Upon further collisional dissociation, the MS3-spectra of the phosphatidic anions provide information to identify the fatty acyl substituents and their position in the glycerol backbone. The MS2-spectra of the [M - 2H]2- ions obtained with TSQ or ITMS contain complementary information to confirm structural assignment. The applications of the above methods in the differentiation of cardiolipin isomers and in the identification of complex cardiolipin species consisting of multiple molecular structures are also demonstrated.     

Capillary liquid chromatography-microcoil 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry for on-line structure elucidation of isoflavones in Radix astragali

Miniaturization and hyphenation of chromatographic separation techniques to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is being increasingly demanded in the field of biomedical, drug metabolite and natural product analysis. Herein, capillary liquid chromatography was coupled on-line to microcoil 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (capLC-NMR) equipped with a 1.5 microL solenoidal probe for structure elucidation of isoflavones in Radix astragali. The extract was screened by HPLC-UV-MS as the preliminary step and four major peaks were identified tentatively by ion trap mass spectrometry molecular weights and characteristic fragments. Then, stopped-flow capLC-UV-NMR was performed using 33 microg extract injected on-column. The four peaks were parked manually in the micro probe one by one and corresponding 1H NMR spectra were recorded with good resolutions under the applied capLC-NMR conditions (120 and 220 ng injected on-column for peaks 2 and 4, respectively). All aromatic regions of 1H NMR spectra correlated well to the characteristic signals of isoflavone aglycone protons. And the signal corresponding to the anomeric proton of the glucopyranoside of isoflavone glycoside was also obtained for peak 1. Therefore, these four peaks are determined as calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), ononin (2), calycosin (3) and formononetin (4) unambiguously. The capLC-NMR results indicate that this hyphenated technique could be used for the determination of a great variety of natural products from small sample amounts, e.g., only 5 g R. astragali in this study.     

Evidence for unfolding and refolding of gas-phase cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> ions in a Paul trap

The folding pathways of gas-phase cytochrome c ions produced by electrospray ionization have been studied by an ion trapping/ion mobility technique that allows conformations to be examined over extended timescales (10 ms to 10 s). The results show that the +9 charge state emerges from solution as a compact structure and then rapidly unfolds into several substantially more open structures, a transition that requires 30-60 ms; over substantially longer timescales (250 ms to 10 s) elongated states appear to refold into an array of folded structures. The new folded states are less compact than those that are apparent during the initial unfolding. Apparently, unfolding to highly open conformations is a key step that must occur before +9 ions can sample more compact states that are stable at longer times.     

DNA-binding studies of mixed ligand cobalt(III) complexes

The DNA binding characteristics of mixed ligand complexes of the type [Co(en)₂(L)]Br₃ where en = N,N′-ethylenediamine and L = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione), dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine (dppz) have been investigated by absorption titration, competitive binding fluorescence spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. The order of intercalative ability of the coordinated ligands is dppz > phen > phendione > bpy in this series of complexes.     

Long term stability of organic selenium species in aqueous solutions

Long term stability of organic selenium compounds (selenocystine, selenomethionine, trimethylselenonium ion) has been studied over a one year period for 2 analyte concentrations: 25 and 150 μg/L Se, at pH 4.5 in the dark, under different storage conditions: temperature of –20°C, 4°C, 20°C, 40°C; in Pyrex, Teflon, or polyethylene containers; in an aqueous matrix or in the presence of a chromatographic counter ion (pentyl sulfonate at 10^–4 mol/L concentration). Light effects have also been tested. The stability of the selenium species was monitored by HPLC-ICP/MS. Storage conditions can drastically alter the stability of organic selenium species. Organoselenium compounds were shown to be stable in the dark over a one year period in an aqueous matrix at pH 4.5 in Pyrex containers at both 4°C and 20°C. Pyrex vials exposed to natural sunlight at room temperature resulted in a steady decrease of the selenoamino acid concentration. Teflon containers caused losses of less than 25% at both 4° C and 20° C in the dark. However, polyethylene vials presented, at all temperatures tested, a rapid decrease of the TMSe⁺ concentration. The stability of the Se species studied did not show significant differences between 4° C and 20° C in any container material used. Storage of solutions at 40° C led to slight differences between the Pyrex and Teflon containers. However, polyethylene presented a drastic decrease of the three species over time at this higher temperature. Solutions frozen at –20° C in polyethylene vials did not stabilize the TMSe⁺ signal. Finally, concentrations and matrices of the samples did not significantly affect the stability of the species. Received: 15 July 1996 / Revised: 14 July 1997 / Accepted: 18 July 1997     

Optimization of the reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) in a microwave oven

 Parameters for the reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) in HCl medium by heating in a microwave oven have been optimized. The reduction resulted to be quantitative applying 100% power, corresponding to 600 W heating for 2 min in 6 mol/L or for 3 min in 4 mol/L HCl. The behavior of selenomethionine and selenocystine under the optimized reduction conditions was studied in order to evaluate a possible interference of these selenium species in the determination of Se(VI). The final determination of Se(IV), and Se(VI) were done by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry. The analytical merits of the method are reported. The method was applied to the selective determination of Se(IV), and Se(VI) in spiked river and lake water. Received: 6 December 1996/Revised: 1 April 1997/Accepted: 3 April 1997     

Development of a fibrinolytic surface: specific and non-specific binding of plasminogen

Plasminogen is the primary zymogen in the fibrinolytic pathway, and its primary function involves degradation of fibrin. Biomaterials often show adsorption of fibrinogen and subsequent formation of fibrin. Plasminogen's function in vivo could be adapted to facilitate its activation and fibrinolytic function on a biomaterial surface. In order to elucidate plasminogen function adsorbed to a model fibrinolytic surface ligands known to affect plasminogen properties in solution were attached to model silica surfaces to study the effects of immobilized ligands as fibrinolytic activators. Model silica surfaces were synthesized which contained covalently attached lysine moieties (surface I), sulfonate moieties (surface II) or a combination of both (surface III). Lysine moieties on these model surfaces interact specifically with multiple lysine-binding sites of plasminogen and induce a number of changes in conformation and function. Sulfonate moieties interact non-specifically with accessible lysine and arginine residues of plasminogen and also affect the function of plasminogen. Inherent physico-chemical properties monitored following plasminogen adsorption were activation to plasmin, enzymatic activity, fluorescent intensity, and fluorescent polarization, monitored by total internal reflection fluorescence, each of which are affected by plasminogen conformation.

Correlations were as follows: increased fluorescent intensity and decreased fluorescent polarization were indicative of plasminogen conformational changes and are correlated to increased enzymatic activity of plasmin. Surfaces I and III showed a 20% increase in fluorescent intensity, and a 25% and 8% decrease in fluorescent polarization, respectively, in comparison to surface II. The specific activity for surfaces I and III was increased 11.3 and 1.8 fold above that found for surface II. Plasminogen incubated with sulfonate groups in solution resulted in no increase in fluorescent intensity and a slight decrease in fluorescent polarization as compared with plasminogen alone and reduced specific activity of plasmin in the presence of sulfonate as compared with plasmin alone. Lysine or ε-aminocaproic acid (ACA) incubated with plasmin in solution showed a 30% and 10% increase in fluorescent intensity, a 24% and 5% decrease in fluorescent intensity, and maximum specific activity increased 3.6 and 2.5 fold, respectively, over plasminogen alone.

Interactions of plasminogen with ligands for its lysine-binding sites produced dramatic effects both in solution and adsorbed to model fibrinolytic surfaces. The characterization of these interactions along with known fibrin interactions will allow selection of appropriate surface modifications to enhance the fibrinolysis of thrombus formed at a biomaterial interface. These modifications may lead to a native-like surface structure to protein and cellular components of blood and create a more biocompatible surface.     

Rate constant of unimolecular decomposition of the radical (CH3)2juvyCCH(CH3)2

The energy of activation of CH ₃ ^. radical rupture from the radical (CH₃)₂juvyCCH(CH₃)₂ is 142.2 kJ mol^–1; the selfcombination rate constant is k_c {(CH₃)₂juvyCCH(CH₃)₂}=10^7.3 dm³ mol^–1 s^–1.

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CH ₃ ^. (CH₃)₂juvyCCH(CH₃)₂ 142,2 /, k_c {(CH₃)₂juvyCCH(CH₃)₂}=10^{7,3 3–1 –1}.