Molecular orbital studies on the conformation of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)

In distinction to Extended Hückel Theory which predicts as the most stable conformation of free zwitterionic GABA a totally extended form, PCILO and SCF ab initio studies show that the intrinsically preferred conformation of the isolated molecule is a highly folded one, resulting from strong interactions between the two charged ends. Computations are also carried out for hydrated GABA in the supermolecule approach allowing moreover for the flexibility of binding of some of the water molecules of the first hydration shell. They predict the coexistence in solution of a large number of conformations showing different degrees of folding (or extension), a result confirmed by recent NMR studies. This and a number of similar results show that we have to adapt our thinking on the role of conformations in pharmacological activity to this situation, which was frequently obscured by the more abundant results of X-ray crystallography yielding a single conformation.     

Flow injection analysis. principles,applications and trends

The basic principles of Flow Injection Analysis are outlined. The parameters governing the dispersion of the injected sample zone in the system are discussed, and it is demonstrated how these parameters can be manipulated in order to suit the requirements of an individual analytical procedure. A number of examples illustrating the practical application of f.i.a. are described, comprising the use of automated, stopped-flow, merging-zones, extraction techniques as well as f.i.a. scanning and methods based on intermittent pumping. Updated lists on f.i.a. procedures published and species that can be determined by f.i.a. are included.     

Crystallization impedance in the case of D.C. superposition

An expression for the impedance frequency dependence in the case of d.c. superposition has been derived and analyzed for the crystallization process of metals taking into account the two-dimensional diffusion of ions in solution and the surface diffusion of adatoms and using the simplest surface model with parallel step lines. It is shown that in the general case it is impossible to present the crystallization impedance as the sum of the surface diffusion impedance and the Warburg impedance. It has been found that in the case of anode polarization an unusual effect of the impedance increasing with agitation intensity takes place which is typical of this mechanism. Possible methods for determination of the model parameters from impedance measurements are discussed. The authors suggest an iteration procedure which permits to determine all the parameters of the model under consideration including the surface diffusion coefficient of adatoms and the spacing between the growth step lines.     

Microstructure determination of poly-(1,3-pentadiene) by a combination of infrared, 60-MHz NMR, 300-MHz NMR,and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy

A quantitative procedure has been developed for characterizing the complete microstructure of polymers of 1,3-pentadiene, including the tacticity of any crystalline component. This can be accomplished by a combination of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray crystallinity, and 300-MHz NMR spectroscopy. A series of high structural purity polymers were synthesized with a series of previously unreported mixed microstructures. These samples were characterized by using the three techniques mentioned, including the previously unreported 300-MHz NMR data. With those results a 60-MHz NMR/IR method of spectroscopy was developed to determine the composition of poly(1,3-pentadiene)s in terms of percent cis-1,2-, cis-1,4-, trans-1,4-, and 3,4-pentadiene units.     

On the optical activity of paraffinic hydrocarbons

An expression for potential energy as a function of torsion angle about a saturated CC bond is developed analytically. This equation is used in the development of two methods for the conformational analysis of paraffins-one based on consideration only of exactly staggered conformers and one giving consideration to energy at 1° intervals of torsion angle. Two methods of assigning molecular rotations to hydrocarbon conformers are considered. Various combinations of results so obtained are compared as ways to calculate rotations for paraffins.     

Ein Computerverfahren für die Massenspektrometrische Untersuchung Organischer Proben bei Fraktionierter Direktverdampfung

A procedure is described for use of an on-line digital computer to acquire and process low resolution mass spectra obtained by a fractionated evaporation technique. The procedure generates unambiguous spectra from uniform solid or liquid organic substances, and characteristic spectra from multicomponent organic solid or liquid samples. The system is realised with minimal hardware configuration.     

Activation analysis with fast neutrons using a cyclotron

A systematic study of activation analysis with cyclotron-produced neutrons for (n, 2n), (n, p) and (n, α) reactions is presented. The limits of detection for elements of atomic number from 6 to 80 are given. The possibilities of optimization of irradiation conditions by the choice of the most suitable neutron spectrum are discussed. The potential of this fast neutron activation analysis method is compared with that of 14 MeV neutron activation analysis.     

An NQR study of the effects on the torsional oscillations of a molecular crystal due to uniaxial pressures

This work reports the experimental results of the uniaxial pressure dependence at various temperatures of the spin-lattice relaxation time, T₁, in paradichlorobenzene single crystals.The directionality of the pressure dependence, together the temperature dependence ot T₁ near room temperature, give us some information about the dependence of the molecular torsional frequencies and lifetimes of the oscillations ground levels with the intermolecular crystalline potential.     

Equilibrium of the reaction between dissolved sodium sulfide and biologically produced sulfur

The equilibrium of the heterogeneous reaction between dissolved sodium sulfide and biologically produced sulfur particles has been studied. Biologically produced sulfur was obtained from a bioreactor of a hydrogen sulfide removal process in which the dominating organism is Thiobacillus sp. W5. Detailed knowledge of this reaction is essential to understand its effect on the process. The results were compared with the equilibrium of the reaction of sulfide with ‘inorganic’ elemental sulfur. The equilibrium between dissolved sodium sulfide and biologically produced sulfur particles can be described by an equilibrium constant, K_x, which consists of a weighted sum of constants for polysulfide ions of different chain length, rather than a true single equilibrium constant. For biologically produced sulfur pK_x = 9.10 ± 0.08 (21 °C) and 9.17 ± 0.09 (35 °C) with an average polysulfide chain length x = 4.91 ± 0.32 (21 °C) and 4.59 ± 0.31 (35 °C). The pK_x value for biologically produced sulfur is significantly higher than for reaction of dissolved sodium sulfide with inorganic sulfur (pK_x = 8.82; 21 °C). This difference is probably caused by the negatively charged polymeric organic layer, which is present on biologically produced sulfur but absent with “inorganic” sulfur. Specific binding of polysulfide ions to the organic layer results in a higher polysulfide concentration at the reaction site compared to the bulk concentration. This results in an apparent decrease of the measured equilibrium constant, K_x.     

Effect of the homogeneity of the column set on the performance of a simulated moving bed unit. I. Theory

Although it is impossible to manufacture identical columns for use in a simulated moving bed (SMB) process, theoretical studies assume that all the columns in an SMB unit have identical characteristics. In practice, calculations in modeling and optimization studies are made with the average values of each column parameter set. In this report, the effects on SMB process performance caused by column-to-column fluctuations of the parameters are discussed. As a first step, we show how the differences in porosity of the columns may be taken into account with a revised set of separation conditions. Reductions in the purity of the extract and the raffinate streams are quantitatively related to the column-to-column fluctuations of the retention times of the two components arising from these porosity differences. For the sake of simplicity, the discussion first addresses the case of a four-column SMB operating under linear conditions. Then, the scope is extended to the cases of SMB units incorporating several columns in each section and to SMB units operating under nonlinear conditions.