The Radical Anions of N,N′-Dicyanoquinone Diimines,a New Class of Electron Acceptors

The radical anions of 12 N,N′-dicyanoquinone diimines, a new class of electron acceptors, hace been characterized by their hyperfine data with the use of ESR and ENDOR spectroscopy. The largest coupling constant (0.30–0.45 mT), due to the two ¹⁴N nuclei in the exocyclic positions, gives rise to a conspicuous broadening of the peripheral ESR lines by an incomplete averaging of the hyperfine anisotropy. The most plausible interpretation of the experimental results for the radical anions of N,N′-dicyano- 1,4-benzoquinone diimine ( 1 ) and N,N′-Dicyano-9,10-anthraquinone diimine ( 9 ) is in terms of both ‘syn’- and ‘anti’-configurations contributing to the ESR and ENDOR spectra and having equal proton- and ¹⁴N-coupling constants. The π-spin distribution in the radical anions of N,N′-dicyanoquinone diimines is compared with those in the analogous ions of tetracyanoquinodimethanes and quinones.     

Solid-phase synthesis of metal-complex containing peptides

We report the synthesis of Fmoc protected single amino acid chelates (SAAC) and their metal complexes. The modified amino acids are suitable for solid-phase peptide synthesis. The use of 4-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid AM (HMBA-AM) resin allows the nucleophilic cleavage of the peptide-metal complexes from the resin without decomplexation.     

Phospholipid mesophases at solid interfaces: in-situ X-ray diffraction and spin-label studies

In this work, we report on recent investigations, both on the global and on the local molecular architecture of supported phospholipid model membranes. A brief theoretical introduction explains how global structural information on supramolecular lipid ensembles can be retrieved from surface X-ray diffraction measurements as well as how spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) provides complementary information on the local environment of probe molecules. The combination of especially designed X-ray cells with the technique of small- and wide-angle X-ray surface scattering makes it possible to explore various fields of lipid research and its applications. Examples for different physico-chemical conditions are presented: (i) in situ chemistry under excess of water conditions demonstrating how solid-supported lipid films sense salinity, (ii) the 3D electron density reconstruction of a vesicle-fusion intermediate under controlled humidity, and (iii) complementary temperature and pressure effects on oriented phospholipid samples. Further, special attention has been given to the influence of different film preparation techniques with respect to quality and the defect structure manifestation. To resolve the proportions and local properties of defects in a hydrated lipid-deposited surface, spin-label EPR was applied. The results from 9.6 GHz EPR as well as from 1.2 GHz EPR suggest the alignment to be in the range between 30% and 80%. In addition, slow time-dependent EPR measurements point to nano-structural rearrangements due to water flow and reduction of alignment quality.     

Chain-length dependence of the conformational order in self-assembled dialkylammonium monolayers on mica studied with soft X-ray absorption

Self-assembled alkyl chain based monolayers on mica are important for industrial and technological processes since they can be employed for an organic modification of the inorganic substrate. The conformational structure and orientational order of the films determine the interaction of the modified substrate with the environment and the chemical character and stability of its surface. We have studied the conformational order in ion exchanged dialkylammonium monolayers adsorbed on mica depending on the length of the alkyl chains systematically with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). In addition, films were characterized by water contact angle measurements. The experimentally determined average tilt angles of the chains are discussed in terms of the degree of order. It was found that the absolute number of gauche defects in the films increases with decreasing chain length.     

Enantioselective 1,4-Addition of Aliphatic Grignard Reagents to Enones Catalyzed by Readily Available Copper(I) thiolates derived from TADDOL. Preliminary communication

Two simple thiols derived from the parent TADDOL, α,α,α′,α′ tetraphenyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-clioxolan-4,5-dimethanol, are used to prepare Cu¹ complexes C and D to catalyze (0.05 equiv.) 1,4-additions of Grignard reagents RMgCl to cyclic enones with enantioselectivities which are comparable to or better than previously reported (enantiomer ratios up to 92:8).     

Polymeric Catalysts

The present-day position in the field of polymeric catalysts is outlined. The following selected groups of polymeric catalysts are discussed: synthetic hydrolases, immobilized enzymes, phase-transfer catalysts, nucleophilically active bases, polymers with conjugated π-systems, photosensitizers, polymers as carriers for catalytically active metals or ions, and immobilized homogeneous catalysts. Polymeric catalysts have the following valuable properties: insoluble polymeric catalysts are readily separable from reaction solutions and can often be re-used without loss of activity; a hydrophobic matrix protects the organometallic active center from deactivation by oxygen and water; by fixation of finely divided metals on an ion exchanger, multistage reactions may be effected successively in one reactor. Polymeric carriers may influence the catalytic properties; for example, in the case of immobilized enzymes on polyionic carriers the pH of the activity maximum may be shifted.     

‘Lone pair’ Electronic Structure,Conformation and Oxidation Behaviour of Diaziridines

Photoelectron spectroscopic investigations indicate that (i) monocyclic diaziridines prefer a trans-conformation of the nitrogen-lone pairs, and (ii) the interaction between these is comparable to that exhibited by open-chain analogues, i.e. alkyl-substituted hydrazines. The chemical experience concerning the particular case of ? NH? NH? →? N?N? oxidation of diaziridines can therefore not be accounted for by a prevailing unfavorable ‘lone pair’ interaction. Thermochemical as well as entropy arguments may serve as an explanation. A rather unsatisfactory agreement between predictions from various theoretical procedures and experimental results for the ionization potentials of ‘lone pair’ MO electrons is noted.     

On-line SFE-GC for determination of PCBs in human milk and blood serum

On-line coupled supercritical fluid extraction and gas chromatography (SFE-GC) has been utilized for the determination of PCBs and other organochlorine compounds in human milk and blood serum. The procedure involved preconcentration of the sample on C₁₈-silica sorbent in an extraction cell: after precipitation of the proteins up to 20 ml of human milk was concentrated on 0.5 g of sorbent. Serum (up to 5 ml) was applied to the C₁₈ material without pretreatment. Basic alumina was utilized as a selective adsorbent for lipids in the on-line SFE-GC system. The method was used to analyze milk and serum spiked with 0.5 and 10 ng of Aroclor 1260 and the results compared with those obtained by liquid–liquid extraction of serum.     

An analogue to a conjecture of S. Chowla and H. Walum

It is proved that (for every ε > 0)

$\text{∑}\text{n?T}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{∑n<}\text{T}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{a}}\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{b}}\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{({}\text{T}\text{nm}\text{}) = O(T}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>(a+b+1)</mtext><mtext>3?</mtext>}}\text{)}$

(where {·} denotes the fractional part and B_k the Bernoulli polynomial of order k) under the suppositions that k ≥ 2 and 2a ? 1 ≥ b ≥ 1. If (1) were true for k = 1, a = b = 0, then Piltz' divisor problem (for n = 3) would be readily solved. This is an analog to a conjecture formulated by S. Chowla and H. Walum in 1963 and settled in the affirmative (under suitable suppositions) quite recently by S. Kanemitsu and R. Sita Rama Chandra Rao.