Performance of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy for measuring diffusion and concentration.

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has become an important tool for measuring diffusion, concentration, and molecular interactions of cellular components. The interpretation of FCS data critically depends on the measurement set-up. Here, we present a rigorous theory of FCS based on exact wave-optical calculations. Six of the most important optical and photophysical factors that influence FCS are studied: fluorescence anisotropy, cover-slide thickness, refractive index of the sample, laser-beam geometry, optical saturation, and pinhole adjustment. Our theoretical framework represents a general attempt to link all relevant parameters of the experimental set-up with the measured correlation function.     

Ab initio thermochemistry involving heavy atoms: an investigation of the reactions Hg + IX (X = I, Br, Cl, O)

Accurate 0 K enthalpies have been calculated for reactions of mercury with a series of small iodine-containing molecules (I2, IBr, ICl, and IO). The calculations have been carried out with the coupled cluster singles and doubles method with a perturbative correction for connected triple excitations [CCSD(T)] using sequences of correlation consistent basis sets and accurate relativistic pseudopotentials. Corrections have been included to account for core-valence correlation, spin-orbit coupling, scalar relativity, and the Lamb shift. In a few cases coupled cluster calculations with iterative triple (CCSDT) and quadruple (CCSDTQ) excitations have been carried out to estimate the effects of higher order electron correlation. The pseudopotential calculations have also been compared to all electron calculations using second- and third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonians. In addition to the reaction enthalpies, heats of formation, bond lengths, and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been calculated for the stable triatomic products HgI2, HgIBr, HgICl, and HgIO. Accurate dissociation energies, equilibrium bond lengths, and harmonic vibrational frequencies have also been calculated for each of the diatomic molecules involved in this study (HgI, HgBr, HgCl, HgO, I2, IBr, ICl, and IO). The reported enthalpies are expected to have accuracies of 1 kcal/mol or better.     

Large Molecular Quadratic Hyperpolarizabilities in Donor/Acceptor-Substituted trans-Tetraammineruthenium(II) Complexes

A series of new Ru(II) complex salts trans-[Ru(NH(3))(4)(L(1))(L(2))](PF(6))(n) [n = 2, L(1) = 4-acetylpyridine (4-acpy) and L(2) = 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (dmap) (1), 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (dmabn) (2), 4-picoline (4-pic) (3), or 1-methylimidazole (1-MeIm) (4); n = 3, L(1) = N-methyl-4,4'-bipyridinium (MeQ(+)) and L(2) = dmap (6), dmabn (7), 1-MeIm (8), 4-acpy (9), or phenothiazine (PTZ) (10); n = 2, L(1) = dmap and L(2) = 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (pyca) (12) or ethyl isonicotinate (isne) (13)] have been synthesized and fully characterized. These complexes display intense, visible metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorptions which are highly solvatochromic. An X-ray crystal structure determination has been carried out for trans-[Ru(NH(3))(4)(MeQ(+))(PTZ)](PF(6))(3).Me(2)CO (10.Me(2)CO). This salt, empirical formula C(26)H(38)F(18)N(7)OP(3)RuS, crystallizes in the hexagonal system, space group P6(3), with a = b = 17.853(4) ?, c = 21.514(6) ?, and Z = 6. The MeQ(+) ligand adopts an almost planar conformation, with a torsion angle of 9.6 degrees between the two pyridyl rings. The dipolar cations exhibit a strong projected component along the z axis, but crystal twinning precludes second-harmonic generation. Measurements of the first hyperpolarizability beta by using the hyper-Rayleigh scattering technique at 1064 nm yield very large values in the range (232-621) x 10(-30) esu, the largest being for trans-[Ru(NH(3))(4)(MeQ(+))(dmabn)](PF(6))(3) (7). These beta values are resonance enhanced via the MLCT excitations. A correlation between beta and the MLCT absorption energy confirms that this excitation is the primary contributor to beta. The two-level model yields static hyperpolarizabilities beta(0) in the range (10-130) x 10(-30) esu, with trans-[Ru(NH(3))(4)(MeQ(+))(dmap)](PF(6))(3) (6) having the largest. The beta(0) values of the complexes of the bipyridyl ligand MeQ(+) are larger than those of their analogues containing monopyridyl ligands because of extended conjugation. beta(0) correlates with the MLCT energy only when the MLCT absorption is sufficiently far from the second harmonic at 532 nm.     

Discrete and heterogeneous rotational dynamics of single membrane probe dyes in gel phase supported lipid bilayer

In order to probe the local dynamics of lipid bilayers in the gel phase, we measured the rotational time trajectories of a membrane probe, diI(3), in supported bilayers of DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) using single molecule fluorescence polarization imaging. diI(3) has two hydrocarbon tails that mimic phospholipid tails and has its transition dipole moment lying mostly on the plane of the membrane; hence it is an excellent probe for rotational dynamics in membranes. Above the transition temperature, the probes are laterally mobile and do not display polarized emission. In the gel phase below the transition temperature, lateral mobility is severely reduced and the emission becomes polarized with its polarization direction changing in the milliseconds time scale. Molecule by molecule analysis of the rotational time scales revealed significant heterogeneities among molecules, much larger than would be due to statistical noise. Control experiments using small unilamellar vesicles suggest that the heterogeneities are not caused by surface interactions and are intrinsic to the gel phase membrane. The rotational dynamics is strongly temperature dependent and the thermally activated state for the rotational motion has a large entropic barrier (> 30kB), indicating that relatively large local disorder is required for the rotational motion to occur. Rotational hopping between discrete angles has been observed at the lowest temperatures (approximately 10 degrees C). Our results suggest that the gel phase membrane is not uniform at the microscopic level but is highly dynamic with the rigidity of local environments constantly changing.     

Cysteine-reactive polymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization for conjugation to proteins

In this communication we report a strategy for the synthesis of semitelechelic polymers reactive to cysteines. An initiator modified with a pyridyl disulfide was prepared and used for the CuBr/2,2'-bipyridine-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Polydispersity indices (M(w)/M(n)) of the polymers with different molecular weights were 1.25 or less. The pyridyl disulfide end group was preserved during the polymerization and allowed direct conjugation of the polymer to cysteine residues of bovine serum albumin. The described method provides a general way for the preparation of protein-polymer conjugates through a reversible disulfide bond without the need for postsynthesis modification of the polymers.     

A theoretical investigation of the ground and core hole states of linear and bent NiCO; a prototype for CO adsorbed on nickel

Non-empirical LCAO MO SCF calculations within the Hartree-Fock formalism have been performed on linear and bent conformations of NiCO, for both the states arising from the 3d⁹4s¹ and 3d¹⁰ electronic configurations of Ni, for ground and core ionized species. Binding and relaxation energies are computed for the nickel atom, the free ligand (CO) and the absorbed species (NiCO). Comparison with available experimental data reveals good agreement for the shifts in core binding energies for the bent, 3d⁹4s¹ NiCO system. The main contribution to these binding energy shifts is found to be due to relaxation effects, which may be rationalized in terms of atomic population and bond overlap changes accompanying core ionization.     

The coordination chemistry of simple phospholes. Complexes of rhenium,ruthenium, cobalt,rhodium and iridium chlorides and of some chlorocarbonyls of ruthenium and rhodium

The reactions of 1-phenylphosphole (PP), 3-methyl-1-phenylphosphole (mPP), 3,4-dimethyl-1-phenylphosphole (dPP) and, in certain instances, 1-n-butyl-3,4-dimethylphosphole (dBP) with some transition metal chlorides and some metal-Cl-CO systems are reported. These reactions show that simple phospholes in general unexpectedly behave much like ordinary tertiary phosphines and that, unlike the reactions with Ni(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II), the complexes formed are conventional in most respects. However, a few unusual reactions were observed. For example, mPP partially reduces Ru(III) to give a mixed-valent Ru(III)-Ru(II) complex while PP reduces Ir(III) to Ir(I). From infrared spectroscopic studies of the square-planar Rh(I) complexes L₂Rh(CO) Cl (L = phosphole), it appears that donor character decreases with decreasing substitution on the phosphole ring carbon atoms. Phosphorus-phenyl cleavage has been observed in reactions of 1-phenylphosphole with Rh-CO systems. The results are briefly discussed in relation to the behaviour of other phospholes in similar reactions and in the context of the electronic structure of phospholes.     

Temperature dependence of carbon-13 kinetic isotope effects of importance to global climate change

We report here a theoretical study of the 13C kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and its temperature dependence for the reaction OH + CH4 --> H2O + CH3, the major sink of atmospheric methane in the troposphere. The KIE values at various atmospherically significant temperatures were determined by direct dynamics using variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunneling contributions (VTST/MT). The potential energy surfaces (PESs) were generated by hybrid density functional theory as well as by recently developed doubly hybrid density functional theory methods. Comparisons of our calculated KIEs with experimental data and theoretical values in the literature reveal the critical contributions due to multidimensional tunneling and torsion anharmonicity as well as the critical issue of the choice of internal rotational axis.     

Programmable assembly of colloidal particles using magnetic microwell templates

A substrate of thin micromagnets covered by a template of microwells is used to direct the assembly of superparamagnetic colloidal beads into two-dimensional arrays. It is confirmed that the magnetization of the micromagnets can direct beads to programmed locations on the substrate with assistance of externally applied magnetic fields. Empirical investigations on this topic were guided by mathematical models with the intent to elucidate the conditions that promote a single bead to be assembled in the desired microwells. To demonstrate that this technique is programmable, heterogeneous arrays of colored beads are produced.     

Distribution kinetics of Ostwald ripening at large volume fraction and with coalescence

Condensation phase transitions from metastable fluids occur by nucleation with accompanying particle growth and eventual Ostwald ripening. During ripening the subcritical particles dissolve spontaneously while larger particles grow and possibly coalesce if their volume fraction is large enough. The classical diffusion-influenced rates are also affected by large particle concentrations and are here described by mass-dependent rates. We represent the kinetics of ripening through growth, dissolution, and biparticle coalescence by a new population dynamics equation for the particle size distribution (PSD). Numerical solutions of the scaled governing equations show that coalescence plays a major role in influencing the PSD when the scaled mass concentration (volume fraction) or number concentration is relatively large. The solution describes the time range from initial conditions to the final narrowing of polydispersity. We show that the time dependence of the average particle mass in the asymptotic period of ripening has a power-law increase dependent on rate expressions for particle growth and coalescence at large values of volume fraction.