Analysis by partial reflection spectrometry of protonated tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbed at a liquid-liquid interface

Visible reflection spectra of diprotonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbates spontaneously formed at a dodecane-aqueous sulfuric acid interface have been measured using a home-made device comprising a prism-cell and variable-angle optics. The tilt angle of the pyrrole ring plane was estimated to be 47 degrees from the interface normal by use of an experimentally evaluated molecular density (1.20x10(-10) mol cm(-2)) of the diprotonated molecule in a monolayer form at the liquid-liquid interface. Positive and negative bands have been observed in the p-polarized partial internal reflection (p-PIR) spectra, whose band locations correspond to those in p-polarized external reflection (p-ER) spectra. Nevertheless, the bands in the p-PIR exhibited reversed sign to those of p-ER spectra. These suggest that the surface selection rule of the p-PIR spectrometry has a reversal rule of p-ER and p-PIR can also be used for the analysis of molecular orientation.     

De novo design, synthesis, and function of semiartificial myoglobin conjugated with coiled-coil two-alpha-helix peptides

The introduction of a flavin chromophore on the myoglobin (Mb) surface and an effective electron-transfer (ET) reaction through the flavin were successfully achieved by utilizing the self-assembly of heterostranded coiled-coil peptides. We have prepared a semiartificial Mb, named Mb-1alphaK, in which an amphiphilic and cationic alpha-helix peptide is conjugated at the heme propionate (Heme-1alphaK). Heme-1alphaK has a covalently bound iron-protoporphyrin IX (heme) at the N terminus of a 1alphaK peptide sequence. This sequence was designed to form a heterostranded coiled-coil in the presence of a counterpart amphiphilic and anionic 1alphaE peptide sequence in a parallel orientation. Two peptides, Fla(1)-1alphaE and Fla(31)-1alphaE, both incorporating a 10-methylisoalloxazine moiety as an artificial flavin molecule, were also prepared (Fla=2-[7-(10-methyl)isoalloxazinyl]-2-oxoethyl). Heme-1alphaK was successfully inserted into apomyoglobin to give Mb-1alphaK. Mb-1alphaK recognized the flavin-modified peptides and a two-alpha-helix structure was formed. In addition, an efficient ET from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to the heme center through the flavin unit was observed. The ET rate was faster in the presence of Fla(1)-1alphaE than in the presence of Fla(31)-1alphaE or the equivalent molecule that has no peptide chain. These results demonstrate that the introduction of a functional chromophore on the Mb surface can be achieved by using specific peptide-peptide interactions. Moreover, the dependence of the ET rate on the position of the flavin indicated that the distance between the heme active site and the flavin chromophore was regulated by the three-dimensional structure of the designed polypeptide.     

Unusual enlargment of magnetic interactions in the lowest excited states of nitroxide radical chromium(III) complexes as revealed by magnetic circular dichroism and luminescence

Magnetic circular dichroism and NIR luminescence of nitroxide radical complexes, [Cr(III)(beta-diketonato)(2)(NIT2py or IM2py)]PF(6), demonstrate that the energy gaps between the singlet ((1)L(D)) and triplet ((3)L(D)) spin coupled levels in the lowest excited (2)E(g),(2)T(1g) states are much larger than those in the ground state. This is the first observation of magnetic interactions in the excited states of radical complexes, which could be elucidated in terms of the exchange mechanism.     

Colominic acid: a novel chiral selector for capillary electrophoresis of basic drugs

Capillary zone electrophoresis was used for characterising nine samples of natural organic matter (NOM) using phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 7) and various modifiers; methanol (50 mM), acetonitrile (10%,v/v), dimethyl sulfoxide (5%,v/v), and urea (5 M). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine whether the electrophoretic profiles can be utilised as fingerprints for tracing the NOM samples to their source and/or type of location. It was found that all modifiers except methanol affect the electropherograms. Furthermore, it was found that the PCA analysis carried out on the electrophoretic profiles recorded in buffer solution modified by urea gave the best results for fingerprinting. The distribution of the fingerprints suggests a model for the humic substances in which all samples can be regarded as mixtures between two endmembers: autochtonous and allocthoneous NOM.     

Molecular structure of 1,1-dichloroethylene as studied by gas electron diffraction and microwave data. Estimation of equilibrium structure by an extended anharmonic model analysis

The r_z structure of 1,1-dichloroethylene has been determined by a joint analysis of the electron diffraction intensity and the rotational constants as follows: $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>z</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CH}\text{) = 1.088 ± 0.011, r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>z</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CC}\text{) = 1.329 ± 0.003, r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>z</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CCl}\text{) = 1.725 ± 0.002}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, ∠}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>z</mtext>}}\text{HCH}\text{= 121.4 ± 0.7}\text{and}\text{∠}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>z</mtext>}}\text{ClCCl}\text{= 114.1 ± 0.2°}$. The uncertainties represent estimated limits of error. The observed structural parameters are compared with those for related compounds and the systematic trends in the bond lengths and bond angles are discussed. The effective constants representing anharmonicity have been obtained from an analysis of the isotopic differences in the r_z structure. By using the r_z parameters and the effective constants, the equilibrium structure has been estimated as follows: $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>e</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CH}\text{) = 1.079 ± 0.012, r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>e</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CC}\text{) = 1.324 ± 0.005, r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>e</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{CCl}\text{) = 1.721 ± 0.003}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, ∠}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>e</mtext>}}\text{HCH}\text{= 120.5 ± 0.8}\text{and}\text{∠}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>e</mtext>}}\text{ClCCl}\text{= 114.0 ± 0.3°}$.     

Laser-induced deposition of Ni lines on ferrite in NiSO4 aqueous solution

Maskless deposition of nickel lines on single crystalline Mn-Zn ferrite (MnO:ZnO:Fe₂O₃=31:17:52) has been investigated in a NiSO₄ aqueous solution by Ar⁺ laser irradiation. A high deposition rate of up to 36.4m/s was achieved by a single scan of laser beam. The purity of deposited nickel layers is up to 86%. In particular, well-defined values of laser power and laser irradiation time were necessary for effective deposition. The deposition process was found to be a thermochemical process.On leave from D. S. Scanner Co., Ltd., 5-3-7. Fukushima, Osaka 553, Japan     

Photoinduced rotational isomerization mechanism of 2-chlorobenzaldehyde in low-temperature rare-gas matrices by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies

Rotational isomerization of 2-chlorobenzaldehyde in low-temperature rare-gas matrices has been investigated by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies with aids of the density functional theory (DFT) and configuration interaction single (CIS) calculations. Infrared spectrum of the less stable O-cis isomer, produced from the more stable O-trans isomer upon UV irradiation, is measured with an FT-IR spectrophotometer. The enthalpy difference between the O-cis and O-trans isomers is estimated to be 9.7±0.2 kJ mol⁻¹ from the temperature dependence of the infrared band intensities. Analyses of the infrared and electronic absorption spectral changes after UV irradiation and the phosphorescence spectra measured at various excitation wavelengths suggest that the rotational isomerization occurs via the intersystem crossing from S₁ to T₁.     

Effect of Coriolis force on counter-current chromatographic separation by centrifugal partition chromatography

The effect of Coriolis force on the counter-current chromatographic separation was studied using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) with four different two-phase solvent systems including n-hexane-acetonitrile (ACN); tert-butyl methyl ether (MtBE)-aqueous 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (1:1); MtBE-ACN-aqueous 0.1% TFA (2:2:3); and 12.5% (w/w) polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000-12.5% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate. Each separation was performed by eluting either the upper phase in the ascending mode or the lower phase in the descending mode, each in clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise column rotation. Better partition efficiencies were attained by the CW rotation in both mobile phases in all the two-phase solvent systems examined. The mathematical analysis also revealed the Coriolis force works favorably under the CW column rotation for both mobile phases. The overall results demonstrated that the Coriolis force produces substantial effects on CPC separation in both organic-aqueous and aqueous-aqueous two-phase systems.