Formation of O3+ upon ionization of O2: the role of isomeric O4+ complexes

The course of the reaction of electronically and vibronically excited metastable O(2) (+)((4)Pi(u), nu') ions with O(2), known to produce O(3) (+), was examined by the joint application of computational and mass spectrometric methods. The results show that the reaction does not proceed by a direct mechanism and that it involves instead the intermediacy of the [O(2) (+)((4)Pi(u)) x O(2)] and [O(3) (+)((4)A(2)) x O] complexes, both theoretically characterized, and the latter one positively identified by structurally diagnostic mass spectrometric techniques. The reaction is a potential source of stratospheric ozone, in that O(3) (+) ions are known to undergo efficient charge exchange with oxygen to yield neutral O(3).     

Global optimization of bimetallic cluster structures. II. Size-matched Ag-Pd, Ag-Au, and Pd-Pt systems

Genetic algorithm global optimization of Ag-Pd, Ag-Au, and Pd-Pt clusters is performed. The 34- and 38-atom clusters are optimized for all compositions. The atom-atom interactions are modeled by a semiempirical potential. All three systems are characterized by a small size mismatch and a weak tendency of the larger atoms to segregate at the surface of the smaller ones. As a result, the global minimum structures exhibit a larger mixing than in Ag-Cu and Ag-Ni clusters. Polyicosahedral structures present generally favorable energetic configurations, even though they are less favorable than in the case of the size-mismatched systems. A comparison between all the systems studied here and in the previous paper (on size-mismatched systems) is presented.     

Electrode surface modification by a spirobifluorene derivative. An XPS and electrochemical investigation

Ordered thin layers of a spirobifluorene derivative containing an amino group were formed by grafting them onto a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) on gold. Either physical (H-bonding) or chemical bonding (activated by EDCl) was investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed that both methods can be used to effectively graft 2-amino-9,9'-spirobifluorene molecules onto the SAM surface, giving high surface coverages, with a significantly higher packing in the case of chemisorbed films. EIS measurements also showed that the covalently bonded spirobifluorene SAMs act as an effective barrier to both ion penetration and heterogeneous electron transfer.     

NMR-based metabolic study of leaves of three species of Actinidia with different degrees of susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae

Abstract

Bacterial canker of Actinidia, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), is the most serious disease of these plants worldwide. Leaves of three species of Actinidia, namely A. chinensis var. chinensis, A. chinensis var. deliciosa and A. arguta, having different degrees of tolerance to Psa, were analyzed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Aqueous extracts of leaves were studied and several metabolites, classified as organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, phenols and other metabolites, were identified by 1D and 2D NMR experiments and quantified. The metabolic profiles of these species were compared through univariate statistical analysis ANOVA and multivariate PCA. Levels of metabolites with known antibacterial activity, such as caffeic and chlorogenic acids, were observed to be higher in the A. arguta samples. Moreover, these metabolites have different Pearson correlation patterns among the three Actinidia species, suggesting a difference at the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway.     

Structural events in the photocycle of green fluorescent protein

Picosecond time-resolved mid-infrared absorption changes of the wild type green fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria are reported on structural events during the photocycle. Concomitant with rapid H/D transfer following excitation of the neutral A state at 400 nm, a transient signal at 1721/1711 cm(-1) (H/D) developed belonging to protonated glutamate 222, which was definitively assigned using the E222D mutant from the altered proton-transfer kinetics to aspartate in addition to the altered band position and intensity in the spectra. A transient at 1697 cm(-1), assigned to a structural perturbation of glutamine 69, had a H/D kinetic isotope effect of >32, showing the conformational dynamics to be sensitive to the active site H/D vibrations. The kinetic data up to 2 ns after excitation in the 1250-1800 cm(-1) region in D2O provided 10 and 75 ps time constants for the excited-state deuteron transfer and the associated A1* - A1 and A2* - A2 difference spectra and showed the radiative intermediate I state vibrations and the transient accumulation of the long-lived ground-state intermediate I2. Assignments of chromophore modes for the A1, A2, and I2 ground states are proposed on the basis of published model compound studies (Esposito, A. P.; Schellenberg, P.; Parson, W. W.; Reid, P. J. J. Mol. Struct. 2001, 569, 25 and He, X.; Bell, A. F.; Tonge, P. J. J. Phys. Chem. B 2002, 106, 6056). Tentative assignments for the singlet-state intermediates A1*, A2*, and I* are discussed. An unexpected and unassigned band that may be a C=C chromophore vibration was observed in the ground state (1665 cm(-1)) as well as in all photocycle intermediates. Optical dumping of the transient I population was achieved using an additional 532 nm pulse and the directly obtained I2 - I* difference spectrum was highly similar to the I2 - I* photocycle spectrum. The pump-dump-probe spectrum differed from the pump-probe photocycle difference spectrum with respect to the intensity of the phenol 1 mode at 1578 cm(-1), suggesting stronger delocalization of the negative charge onto the phenolic ring of the anionic chromophore in the dumped I2 state. Indication for structural heterogeneity of the chromophore, Glu 222, and the chromophore environment was found in the two parallel proton-transfer reactions and their distinct associated ground- and intermediate-state vibrations. Vibrational spectral markers at 1695 cm(-1) assigned to Gln 69, at 1631 cm(-1) belonging to a C=C mode, and at 1354 cm(-1) belonging to a phenolate vibration further indicated the I2 and I* states to be unrelaxed.     

Reaction of sulfene with heterocyclic N,N-disubstituted α-aminomethyleneketones. IX. Synthesis of 1,2-oxathiino[6,5-e]indole derivatives

The polar 1,4-cycloaddition of sulfene to N,N-disubstituted 5-aminomethylene-1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-methylindol-4-ones occurred only in the case of aliphatic N-substitution to give, generally in good yield, 4-dialkylamino-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-7-methyl-7H-1,2-oxathiino[6,5-e]indole 2,2-dioxides IV. Full aromatization of IVa (4-NR₂ = dimethylamino) with DDQ in refluxing benzene gave in low yield 7-methyl-7H-1,2-oxathiino-[6,5-e]indole 2,2-dioxide, whereas the same reaction of IVe (4-NR₂ = morpholinyl) with excess DDQ afforded in low yield 7-methyl-4-morpholinyl-7H-1,2-oxathiino[6,5-e]indole 2,2-dioxide.     

Computational studies of the optical emission of silicon nanocrystals

We have computed absorption and emission energies of silicon nanocrystals as a function of size and of surface passivants, using both density functional theory and quantum Monte Carlo calculations. We have found that the ionic rearrangements and electronic relaxations occurring upon absorption and emission are extremely sensitive to surface chemistry. In particular, nanoclusters with similar sizes and similar absorption gaps can exhibit strikingly different emission energies. Our results provide a unifying interpretation of several recent measurements, which have observed significantly different emission energies from clusters with similar sizes. Our calculations also show that a combination of absorption and emission measurements can provide a powerful tool for identifying both the size and the surface passivants of semiconductor nanocrystals.     

The acylation of an acyl complex resulting in a labile OCO tridentate ligand

The reaction of propionic anhydride with [fac-Ru(C(O)Et)-(CO)2(H2O)3][CF3SO3] produces a new propylidin dipropionato group, which behaves as a tridentate ligand giving the neutral complex Ru(CEt(OC(O)Et)2)(CO)2(CF3SO3).     

Reaction of 2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with Dinucleophiles. IV. Synthesis of 5,7-dihydrothiopyrano[3,4-c]pyrazol-4(1H)-ones, 5H-Thiopyrano[4,3-d]isoxazol-4(7H)-one and 6H-Thiopyrano[3,4-d]pyrimidin-5(8H)-ones

The reaction of 2H-thiopyran-3,5(4H,6H)-dione with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal gave in good yield 4-dimethylaminomethylene-2H-thiopyran-3,5(4H,6H)dione (II), which afforded 1-substituted 5,7-dihydrothiopyrano[3,4-c]pyrazol-4(1H)-ones with aliphatic and aromatic hydrazines, 5H-thiopyrano[4,3-d]isoxazol-4(7H)-one (IV) with hydroxylamine hydrochloride and 2-substituted 6H-thiopyrano[3,4-d]pyrimidin-5(8H)-ones with amidines and guanidines, generally in satisfactory yields. 4-(t-Butylhydrazonoformyl)-2H-thiopyran-3,5(4H,6H)-dione was isolated as an intermediate in the reaction of II with t-butylhydrazine, whereas formamidine gave with II 4-iminoformyl-2H-thiopyran-3,5(4H,6H)-dione as the sole product. The isoxazole IV isomerized easily with sodium methoxide to 3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-5,5-dihydroxy-3-oxo-2H-thiopyrano-4-carbonitrile.     

New pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridones as selective A(1) adenosine receptor antagonists: synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modelling studies

A series of ethyl 4-amino-1-(2-chloro-2-phenylethyl)-6-oxo-6,7-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carboxylates () has been synthesized as potential A(1) adenosine receptor (A(1) AR) ligands. Binding affinities of the new compounds were determined for adenosine A(1), A(2A) and A(3) receptors. Compounds and showed good affinity (K(i)= 299 nM and 517 nM, respectively) and selectivity towards A(1) AR, whereas showed good affinity for A(2A) AR (K(i)= 290 nM), higher than towards A(1) AR (K(i)= 1000 nM). The only arylamino derivative of the series displayed high affinity (K(i)= 4.6 nM) and selectivity for A(3) AR. Molecular modelling and 3D-QSAR (CoMFA) studies carried out on the most active compounds gave further support to the pharmacological results.