The thermal decomposition of ammonium metavanadate,I

The stoichiometry of the various stages involved in the thermal decomposition of ammonium metavanadate has been shown to correspond to a stepwise decrease in the ratio of ammonia and water to V₂O₅, with V₂O₅ being the final product in vacuum, in air and in argon. In ammonia, VO₂ is formed. The actual stages and intermediates are dependent upon the prevailing atmosphere. Chemical analyses, together with infrared absorption spectra and X-ray powder data, have enabled the intermediates and products to be characterized and the structural changes involved in the decomposition to be discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurde gezeigt, daß die verschiedenen Stufen in der thermischen Zersetzung von Ammoniummetavanadat dem stufenweisen stöchiometrischen Verlust von Ammonia und Wasser entsprechen. In Vakuum, Sauerstoff und Argon ist V₂O₅, in Ammoniak VO₂ das Endprodukt. Die Zwischenprodukte der einzelnen Stufen sind von der umgebenden Gasatmosphäre abhängig. Durch chemische, infrarot- und röntgenspektroskopische Analyse gelang es, diese zu charakterisieren und so die durch die Zersetzung hervorgerufenen strukturellen Umlagerungen zu deuten.

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Résumé On montre que les différentes étapes de la décomposition thermique du métavanadate d'ammonium correspondent à la diminution progressive de l'eau et de l'ammoniac par rapport à V₂O₅; cet oxyde constitue le produit final dans le vide, dans l'air et dans l'argon. Dans l'ammoniac, c'est VO₂ qui se forme. Les étapes respectives et les intermédiaires dépendent de l'atmosphère qui prévaut. A l'aide de l'analyse chimique, des spectres d'absorption infrarouge et des données de rayons X sur poudre, on a pu caractériser les intermédiaires et les produits formés, ainsi que les changements structuraux provoqués par la décomposition.

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, V₂O₅. , V₂O₅. . , , .

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We wish to acknowledge helpful comments from Prof. L. Glasser and Dr. N. H. Agnew and financial support from the National Institute for Metallurgy, Johannesburg, South Africa.     

A new tri-orthogonal strategy for peptide cyclization

A solid phase tri-orthogonal protection/cleavage strategy that uses acidic, basic, and neutral conditions is described. Strategically protected alpha-azido-gamma-9-fluorenylmethyl-L-glutamate (1) and alpha-azido-epsilon-N-Fmoc-L-lysine (2) were incorporated into growing peptides on Wang resin using a novel azide protection strategy. These residues, separated by 1-3 monomers, were deprotected at the side chains and cyclized via lactam formation. The N-terminus was further functionalized to extend the chain. This method represents a straightforward protocol for peptide cyclization on solid support.     

An evaluation of trapping compounds used for determining14CO2 by liquid scintillation counting

Four commonly used trapping agents for scintillation counting of¹⁴CO₂ (Hyamine, Primene, ethanolamine and β-phenylethylamine) were assessed under identical conditions, the progress of trapping being measured directly by pressure changes and by liquid scintillation counting. It was found that quantitative absorption required considerably longer periods of time than those previously reported and that absorption at low¹⁴CO₂ pressures was very slow. The effects of pressure and stirring rate were also studied.     

Uses and analyses of curtin-hammett/winstein-holness systems involving second order reactions

The Curtin-Hammett (C-H) principle and the Winstein-Holness (W-H) equation approximate the product ratio and overall rate constant of reaction for systems involving a starting material which exists in two forms, each of which reacts via first-order kinetics to give a different product. The C-H/W-H approximations are valid when the rates of isomer interconversion are significantly faster than the rates of product formation. The present treatment encompasses non-first-order reactions to product. A numerical predictor-corrector technique is used to show (1) that relative reagent concentration can affect both the product ratio and the observed rates of product formation; (2) that the absolute concentration of reagent and substrate can affect the kinetics; and (3) that factors (1) and (2) above can affect the validity of the C-H/W-H approximations for non-first-order C-H/W-H schemes.     

Rapid determination of protein in plant material by flow injection spectrophotometry with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid

The rapid determination of protein in plant material based on spectrophotometric determination of amino acids in protein hydrolysates with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid has been adapted to flow injection analysis. With the manifold described, a routine sampling rate of 120 samples/h is possible, though this, as well as sensitivity, can easily be varied. The method was calibrated against the Kjeldahl method and a good correlation was obtained between the two methods over a wide range of protein values for beans.