Adducts of Rh2[MTPA]4 with some phosphine chalcogenides: nature of binding and ligand exchange

Adducts of four phosphine chalcogenides with the chiral dirhodium complex ([Rh-Rh]) were investigated by variable-temperature 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy in order to compare their properties as axial ligands. Whereas the selenide (1) and the sulfide (2) are strong ligands with electrostatic attraction and, in addition, a significant orbital (HOMO-LUMO) interaction, the phosphine oxide compounds (P=O) bind primarily via electrostatic attraction and are relatively weak donors. Moreover, the overall bond strength in these adducts depends on steric congestion around the P=O group.     

Moclobemide-selective membrane electrode and its pharmaceutical applications

A liquid membrane electrode prepared with moclobemide-dipicrylamine ion-pair complex, dissolved in nitrobenzene as solvent, was studied for analytical performance. The linear response covers the range 10(-3)-10(-6) M moclobemide solution, with a slope of 50.7 mV decade(-1) (pH range 3.5-8). The detection limit is 3 x 10(-7) M. The electrode shows stability, good reproducibility and fast response. The selectivity of the electrode is good. There are two important interfering ions: mianserin and thiamine (Vitamin B(1)). The compression excipients (such as Mg(2+), starch, talcum powder) do not interfere. These characteristics of the electrode enabled it to be used for the determination of moclobemide in drugs and as an active substance, via indirect and direct potentiometric methods. Via an indirect potentiometric method moclobemide, as an active substance, can be determined with an average recovery of 99.96% and a relative standard deviation of 0.85%, and this method can also be used for its determination in drugs with a relative standard deviation of < 2%. The electrode is useful for the determination of the dissolution rate of moclobemide tablets. The physical processes are numerically simulated by typical equations. The apparent first-order rate constants for disintegration and dissolution were calculated.     

Vitamin C—A 13C magnetic resonance study

The pH dependence of the ¹³C chemical shifts of ascorbic acid has been measured and interpreted in terms of protonation sites. The transition of the dimer of dehydroascorbic acid into the hydrated monomer form is monitored by ¹³C spectroscopy.     

Two-dimensional protein database of human pancreas

We report here the two-dimensional protein database of human pancreas. The proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Totally, 302 proteins were identified, of which about 27% were enzymes with a broad range of catalytic activities. Several of these are specifically expressed in pancreas, such as pancreatic amylase, pancreatic stone protein, pancreatitis-associated protein, pancreatic lipase, pancreatic elastase, etc. Structural and cytoskeletal proteins are also strongly represented on the gels. Thus, the pancreatic proteome reflects the organ's function. This work paves the way for further studies on pancreatic protein expression in health and disease, such as diabetes and pancreatic cancer.     

Anion substitution effects on structure and magnetism in the chromium chalcogenide Cr5Te8—Part I: Cluster glass behavior in trigonal Cr(1+x)Q2 with basic cell (Q=Te, Se; Te:Se=7:1)

The effect of substitution of the anion Te by Se in non-stoichiometric Cr₅Te₈ has been investigated with respect to its crystal structure, magnetic properties, and electronic structure. The compounds Cr_(1+x)Q₂ (Q=Te, Se; Te:Se=7:1; (1+x)=1.234(6), 1.264(6), 1.300(7)) were synthesized at elevated temperatures followed by quenching the samples to room temperature. The crystal structures have been refined with X-ray powder diffraction data with the Rietveld method in the trigonal space group with lattice parameters a=3.8651(1)-3.8831(1) Å and c=5.9917(2)-6.0528(2) Å. The structure is related to the NiAs structure with full and deficient metal layers stacking alternatively along the c-axis. The irreversibility in the field-cooled/zero-field-cooled magnetization suggests that the substitution effects of one Te by one Se is strong enough to cause cluster-glass behavior, from ferromagnetic Cr₅Te₈ to cluster-glass Cr_(1+x)Q₂. Non-saturation magnetizations at 5.5 T and the magnetic relaxation results further support the existence of cluster-glass behavior. Accompanying SPR-KKR (spin-polarized relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker) band structure calculations strongly support the observation that the Cr(1) sites are preferentially occupied by Cr atoms and predict that these compounds are metallic. Results for the spin-resolved DOS and magnetic moments on each crystallographic sites are presented.