Photochemical stability of nonlinear optical chromophores in polymeric and crystalline materials

We compare the photochemical stability of the nonlinear optical chromophore configurationally locked polyene 2-{3-[2-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)vinyl]-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enylidene} malononitrile (DAT2) embedded in a polymeric matrix and in a single-crystalline configuration. The results show that, under resonant light excitations, the polymeric compound degrades through an indirect process, while the DAT2 crystal follows a slow direct process. We show that chromophores in a crystalline environment exhibit three orders of magnitude better photostability as compared to guest-host polymer composites.     

Influence of the methacrylate monolith structure on genomic DNA mechanical degradation, enzymes activity and clogging

The chromatography of mechanically sensitive macromolecules still represents a challenge. While larger pores can reduce the mechanically induced cleavage of large macromolecules and column clogging, the column performance inevitably decreases. To investigate the effect of pore size on the mechanical degradation of DNA, column permeability and enzyme biological activity, methacrylate monoliths with different pore sizes were tested. Monolith with a 143 nm pore radius mechanically damaged the DNA and was clogged at flow rates above 0.5 ml min(-1) (26 cm h(-1)). For monoliths with a pore radius of 634 nm and 2900 nm, no mechanical degradation of DNA was observed up to 5 ml min(-1) (265 cm h(-1)) above which the HPLC itself became the main source of damage. A decrease of a permeability appeared at flow rate 1.8 ml min(-1) (95 cm h(-1)) and 2.3 ml min(-1) (122 cm h(-1)), respectively. The effect of the pore size on enzyme biological activity was tested with immobilized DNase and trypsin on all three monoliths. Although the highest amount of enzyme was immobilized on the monolith with the smallest pores, monolith with the pore radius 634 nm exhibited the highest DNase biological activity probably due to restricted access for DNA molecules into the small pores. Interestingly, specific biological activity was increasing with a pore size decrease. This was attributed to higher number of contacts between a substrate and immobilized ligand.     

Corrosion studies and interfacial bonding of urea/poly(dimethylsiloxane) sol/gel hydrophobic coatings on AA 2024 aluminum alloy

Bis[(ureapropyl)triethoxysilane] bis(propyl)-terminated-polydimethylsiloxane 1000 (PDMSU), an organic-inorganic hybrid, diluted in either EtOH or a mixture of EtOH-PrOH, was used in thin film form (<200 nm) to inhibit the corrosion of AA 2024 alloy. Potentiodynamic, time-dependent cyclovoltammetric measurements and salt spray tests showed that the corrosion inhibition of the latter was 10 times higher than that of the former films. This was correlated with the higher degree of hydrolysis and the formation of more open polyhedral silsesquioxane species (T2) in the bulk heat-treated PDMSU/EtOH-PrOH xerogels (29Si NMR spectra). The structure of the coatings deposited on AA 2024 Al alloy was deduced from the infrared reflection-absorption (IR RA) spectra, which revealed more extensive urea-urea interactions and more efficient silane-Al interface bonding for the PDMSU/EtOH-PrOH coatings with higher corrosion inhibition. Ex situ IR RA potentiodynamic spectroelectrochemical measurements of PDMSU coatings revealed that their degradation did not proceed via the formation of silanol groups and consequent hydration of the coatings but that they decomposed above E(corr) by forming fragments composed of -CH2- segments in an all-trans conformation.     

Helically chiral ferrocene peptides containing 1'-aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic acid subunits as turn inducers

We present a detailed structural study of peptide derivatives of 1'-aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic acid (ferrocene amino acid, Fca), one of the simplest organometallic amino acids. Fca was incorporated into di- to pentapeptides with D- and L-alanine residues attached to either the carboxy or amino group, or to both. Crystallographic and spectroscopic studies (circular dicroism (CD), IR, and NMR) of about two dozen compounds were used to gain a detailed insight into their structures in the solid state as well as in solution. Four derivatives were characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis, namely Boc-Fca-Ala-OMe (16), Boc-Fca-D-Ala-OMe (17), Boc-Fca-beta-Ala-OMe (18), and Boc-Ala-Fca-Ala-Ala-OMe (21) (Boc=tert-butyloxycarbamyl). CD spectroscopy is an extremely useful tool to elucidate the helical chirality of the metallocene core. Unlike in all other known ferrocene peptides, the helical chirality of the ferrocene is governed solely by the chirality of the amino acid attached to the N terminus of Fca. Depending on the degree of substitution of both cyclopentadiene (Cp) rings, different hydrogen-bonding patterns are realized. (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopy, together with the results from X-ray crystallography, give detailed information regarding not only the hydrogen-bonding patterns of the compounds, but also the equilibria between different conformers in solution. Differences in chemical shifts of NH protons in dimethyl sulfoxide ([D(6)]DMSO) and CDCl(3), that is, the variation ratio (vr), is used for the first time as a measure of the hydrogen-bonding strength of individual COHN bonds in ferrocenoyl peptides. In dipeptides with one intramolecular hydrogen bond between the pendant chains, for example, in dipeptide 16, an equilibrium between hydrogen-bonded and open forms is observed, as testified by a vr value of around 0.5. Higher peptides, such as tetrapeptide 21, are able to form two intramolecular hydrogen bonds stabilizing one single conformation in CDCl(3) solution (vr approximately 0). Due to the low barrier of Cp-ring rotation, new and unnatural hydrogen-bonding patterns are emerging. The systematic work described herein lays a solid foundation for the rational design of metallocene peptides with unusual structures and properties.     

Separation of pectin methylesterase isoenzymes from tomato fruits using short monolithic columns

One of the main forms of tomato pectin methylesterase (PME; EC 3.1.1.1.1) that is applicable to the food industry was isolated from fresh tomato fruit. The extraction of the PME isoenzymes involved washing the fresh tomato flesh with water in order to remove sugars and than solubilizing the enzymes with a diluted HCl solution at pH 1.6. The extract was then neutralized to pH 7.4 using buffer solution. After filtration, the solution was directly fractioned using Convective Interaction Media (CIM) short monolithic disk column bearing sulfonyl (SO3) groups and using a linear gradient from 0 to 700 mM NaCl. The injection volume was 3 ml and the diameter of the column was 12 mm and length 3 mm. The isolated fractions were monitored for protein content and PME activity. The fraction with the targeted enzyme, which showed NaCl independent activity, was further purified and concentrated by ultrafiltration and finally purified by a second semi-preparative cation-exchange chromatography step using a CIM carboxymethyl (CM) disk monolithic column consisting of two disks and applying a step gradient. From 1 kg of fresh tomato fruits, 7.5 mg of purified PME with molecular mass estimated to be 26 000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was obtained. A fraction with mixed PME and polygalacturonase activity was also obtained. Compared to the published procedures for the isolation and purification of PME from plant materials, this new procedure is much faster and more efficient. The potential application of CIM disk short monolithic columns in the analysis and semi-preparative extraction and isolation of the PME isoenzyme is presented.     

Spontaneous breaking of minimal surface condition: labyrinths in free standing smectic films

We present a study of thin free standing films made of intercalated smectic-C liquid crystal in which, upon lowering the temperature, the minimal surface area condition is broken. A periodic modulation of the film thickness is obtained and a labyrinth structure of crests and valleys is formed. Thickness variation is coupled to the spatial variation of the molecular orientation. The transition to the labyrinth structure is explained to be driven by the mass density difference between the surface and the bulk layers.