Adsorption of aspartic acid on kaolinite

The interaction of aspartic acid with kaolinite was studied by potentiometric titrations and by adsorption measurements both at constant aspartate concentration (but varying pH) and at a constant pH of 5.5. The temperature was 25 degrees C, and the ionic medium 5 mM KNO3. Aspartic acid dissociation constants estimated from titrations agreed with those from the literature. The adsorption of aspartic acid to kaolinite was weak and varied only slightly with pH; 10-18% of 100 microM aspartic acid adsorbed to kaolinite at 100 m(2)L(-1) between pH 3 and 10. Data from the titrations and adsorption experiments were fitted closely by an extended constant-capacitance surface complexation model, in which monodentate outer-sphere complexes formed between deprotonated aspartic acid molecules and protonated sites on the variable-charge edges of the kaolinite crystals. There appeared to be no adsorption to the permanently charged crystal faces.     

Structural and Spectroscopic Studies of Halocuprate(I) and Haloargentate(I) Complexes [M2XnX′4−n]2−

The complexes [Cu₂Br₄]^2?, [Cu₂I₄]^2?, [Cu₂I₂Br₂]^2?, [Cu₂I₃Cl]^2?, [Ag₂Cl₄]^2? have been characterized as their isomorphous bis(triphenylphosphoranylidene)ammonium ([Ph₃PNPPh₃]⁺ = PNP⁺) salts by single crystal structural determinations. All anions show the centrosymmetric doubly halogen‐bridged forms [XM(μ‐X)₂MX]^2? with three‐coordinate metal atoms that have been observed in [M₂X₄]^2? complexes with other large organic cations. In [Cu₂I₂Br₂]^2? the iodide ligands occupy the bridging positions and the bromide the terminal positions, while in [Cu₂I₃Cl]^2?, obtained in an attempt to prepare [Cu₂I₂Cl₂]^2?, two of the iodide ligands occupy the bridging positions with the third iodide and the chloride ligand occupying two statistically disordered terminal positions. In [Ag₂Cl₄]^2? the distortion from ideal trigonal coordination of the metal atom is greater than in the copper complexes, but less than in other previously reported [Ag₂Cl₄]^2? complexes with organic cations. The ν(MX) bands have been assigned in the far‐IR spectra, and confirm previous observations regarding the unexpectedly simple IR spectra of [Cu₂X₄]^2? complexes.     

OXYGEN QUENCHING OF CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE IN CHLOROPLASTS

Abstract— Three phases of chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching by O₂ are observed in green plants. The effects of various inhibitors on photosynthetic partial processes in chloroplasts were investigated in attempts to (1) localize the O₂-quenching sites and (2) assess possible physiological significance of O₂-quenching. Our results localize the most sensitive (and presumably functionally important) phase to a site between plastoquinone and the photosystem I acceptor, chlorophyll (P₇₀₀), possibly plastocyanin. It is suggested that PC may transfer electrons to oxygen in addition to P₇₀₀.     

Mixed-metal cluster chemistry. 28. Core enlargement of tungsten-iridium clusters with alkynyl, ethyndiyl, and butadiyndiyl reagents

Reaction of [WIr3(mu-CO)3(CO)8(eta-C5Me5)] (1c) with [W(C[triple bond]CPh)(CO)3(eta-C5H5)] afforded the edge-bridged tetrahedral cluster [W2Ir3(mu4-eta2-C2Ph)(mu-CO)(CO)9(eta-C5H5)(eta-C5Me5)] (3) and the edge-bridged trigonal-bipyramidal cluster [W3Ir3(mu4-eta2-C2Ph)(mu-eta2-C=CHPh)(Cl)(CO)8(eta-C5Me5)(eta-C5H5)2] (4) in poor to fair yield. Cluster 3 forms by insertion of [W(C[triple bond]CPh)(CO)3(eta-C5H5)] into Ir-Ir and W-Ir bonds, accompanied by a change in coordination mode from a terminally bonded alkynyl to a mu4-eta2 alkynyl ligand. Cluster 4 contains an alkynyl ligand interacting with two iridium atoms and two tungsten atoms in a mu4-eta2 fashion, as well as a vinylidene ligand bridging a W-W bond. Reaction of [WIr3(CO)11(eta-C5H5)] (1a) or 1c with [(eta-C5H5)(CO)2 Ru(C[triple bond]C)Ru(CO)2(eta-C5H5)] afforded [Ru2WIr3(mu5-eta2-C2)(mu-CO)3(CO)7(eta-C5H5)2(eta-C5R5)] [R = H (5a), Me (5c)] in low yield, a structural study of 5a revealing a WIr3 butterfly core capped and spiked by Ru atoms; the diruthenium ethyndiyl precursor has undergone Ru-C scission, with insertion of the C2 unit into a W-Ir bond of the cluster precursor. Reaction of [W2Ir2(CO)10(eta-C5H5)2] with the diruthenium ethyndiyl reagent gave [RuW2Ir2{mu4-eta2-(C2C[triple bond]C)Ru(CO)2(eta-C5H5)}(mu-CO)2(CO)6(eta-C5H5)3] (6) in low yield, a structural study of 6 revealing a butterfly W2Ir2 unit capped by a Ru(eta-C5H5) group resulting from Ru-C scission; the terminal C2 of a new ruthenium-bound butadiyndiyl ligand has been inserted into the W-Ir bond. Reaction between 1a, [WIr3(CO)11(eta-C5H4Me)] (1b), or 1c and [(eta-C5H5)(CO)3W(C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]C)W(CO)3(eta-C5H5)] afforded [W2Ir3{mu4-eta2-(C2C[triple bond]C)W(CO)3(eta-C5H5)}(mu-CO)2(CO)2(eta-C5H5)(eta-C5R5)] [R = H (7a), Me (7c); R5 = H4Me (7b)] in good yield, a structural study of 7c revealing it to be a metallaethynyl analogue of 3.     

Cofactor-dependent enzyme catalysis in functionalized ionic solvents

Functionalized, hydrogen-bonding ionic liquids have been successfully evaluated as media for the performance of cofactor-dependent enzyme catalysed oxidations; the effects of incorporating hydroxyl groups into both the cation and anion have been studied and the dependence of activity upon water content has been evaluated.     

Chemical interactions in the surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) from the alpha-diimine complexes [Ru(bpm)(3)](2+) and [Ru(bpz)(3)](2+) is reported for the first time at a roughened silver electrode. In both cases, a possible adsorbate orientation has been proposed involving binding through nitrogen lone pair electrons to the silver surface, based on changes in band positions upon adsorption. The SERRS spectra of [Ru(bpm)(3)](2+) were found to change slightly with a change in applied potential. The relative intensity of the nu(C6C6') band was found to be dependent on both excitation wavelength and applied potential. This was ascribed to an active charge transfer (CT) mechanism operating synergistically with the electromagnetic mechanism. No such CT activity was observed in [Ru(bpz)(3)](2+). It is tentatively suggested that this behavior may arise from the different modes of adsorption of the two complexes.     

Synthesis of two glycolipid antigens of the causative agent of Lyme disease

As a prelude to development of a human vaccine against Lyme disease, the first chemical synthesis of glycolipid antigens of Borrelia burkholderi is reported. First, cholesteryl β-d-galactopyranoside was synthesized and was converted to partially protected congeners having the HO-6 group of the galactose moiety unprotected. Treatment of these intermediates with palmitic and oleic acid, respectively, under dehydrative conditions followed by removal of the protecting groups afforded cholesteryl 6-O-palmitoyl/oleoyl-β-d-galactopyranosides that were identical to the glycolipids isolated from B. burkholderi.     

Absolute rate constants for some hydrogen atom abstraction reactions by a primary fluoroalkyl radical in water

A combination of laser flash photolysis and competitive kinetic methods have been used to measure the absolute bimolecular rate constants for hydrogen atom abstraction in water from a variety of organic substrates including alcohols, ethers, and carboxylic acids by the perfluoroalkyl radical, *CF(2)CF(2)OCF(2)CF(2)SO(3)(-) Na(+). Comparison, where possible, of these rate constants with those previously measured for analogous reactions in the non-polar organic solvent, 1,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene (J. Am. Chem. Soc, 1999, 121, 7335) show that the alcohols react 2-5 times more rapidly in the water solvent and that the ethers react at the same rate in both solvents. A transition state for hydrogen abstraction that is more reminiscent of an "intimate ion pair" than a "solvent separated ion pair" is invoked to explain these modest solvent effects.     

High accuracy analysis by isotope dilution mass spectrometry using an iterative exact matching technique

The selection of an appropriate isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique for the practical application of this potentially primary method of analysis is highly important. The NARL approach for the application of the exact matching double isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique developed by Henrion is presented. NARL's approach utilises exact matching to minimise the effect of measurement biases within the method but also includes the thorough examination of all other biasing factors. The approach has been successfully tested in international CCQM intercomparisons with other national metrology institutes.