Reactions of Bromine Fluoride Dioxide,BrO2F,for the Generation of the Mixed‐Valent Bromine Oxygen Cations Br3O4+ and Br3O6+

A reliable synthesis of unstable and highly reactive BrO₂F is reported. This compound can be converted into BrO₂⁺SbF₆^?, BrO₂⁺AsF₆^?_, and BrO₂⁺AsF₆^??2 BrO₂F. The latter decomposes into mixed‐valent Br₃O₄?Br₂⁺AsF₆^? with five‐, three‐, one‐, and zero‐valent bromine. BrO₂⁺ H(SO₃CF₃)₂^? is formed with HSO₃CF₃. Excess BrO₂F yields mixed‐valent Br₃O₆⁺OSO₃CF₃^? with five‐ and three‐valent bromine. Reactions of BrO₂F and MoF₅ in SO₂ClF or CH₂ClF result in Cl₂BrO₆⁺Mo₃O₃F₁₃^?. The reaction of BrO₂F with (CF₃CO)₂O and NO₂ produces O₂Br‐O‐CO‐CF₃ and the known NO₂⁺Br(ONO₂)₂^?. All of these compounds are thermodynamically unstable.     

Synthesis of CuCorePtShell Nanoparticles as Model Structures for Core–Shell Electrocatalysts by Direct Platinum Electrodeposition on Copper

The synthesis of Cu(core)Pt(shell) model catalysts by the direct electrochemical deposition of Pt on Cu particles is presented. Cu particles with an average diameter of 200 nm have been deposited on glassy‐carbon electrodes by double pulse electrodeposition from a copper sulfate solution. Subsequent deposition from a platinum nitrate solution under potential control allows for a high selectivity of the Pt deposition towards Cu. Using a combination of cyclic voltammetry, XPS and sputtering, the structure of the generated particles has been analyzed and their core–shell configuration proven. It is shown that the electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction is similar to that of other PtCu catalyst systems. The synthesized structures could allow for the analysis of structure–activity relations of core–shell catalysts on the way to the simple and controlled synthesis of supported Cu(core)Pt(shell) nanoparticles as oxygen reduction catalysts.     

Modification of the Cp′ ring in the ferrocifen precursor and its influence on the recognition by the estrogen receptor

A synthetic pathway giving access to diphenyl ethylene organometallic derivatives possessing the ferrocifen precursor skeleton modified in the Cp′ ring is described. It relies on reaction of the (η⁵-propionylcyclopentadienyl) (η⁶-benzene)iron(II) salt 7 with substituted cyclopentadienyl anions or their heteroanalogs followed by the McMurry coupling reaction with 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone. Using this approach pentamethylcyclopentadienyl and 3,4-dimethylphospholyl analogs of ferrocifen precursor (10 and 11) have been synthesized. Even with the presence of the bulky and containing phosphorus η⁵-ligands these compounds are still recognized by the two subtypes of estrogen receptor(ERα and ERβ).     

A complete family of isostructural cluster compounds with cubane-like M(3)S(4)M' cores (M = Mo,W; M' = Ni,Pd, Pt): comparative crystallography and electrochemistry

By reaction of the geometrically incomplete cubane-like clusters [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)Mo(3)S(4))][pts] and [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)W(3)S(4)][pts] (Cp' = methylcyclopentadienyl; pts = p-toluenesulfonate) with group 10 alkene complexes, three new heterobimetallic clusters with cubane-like cluster cores were isolated: [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)W(3)S(4)M'(PPh(3))][pts] ([5][pts], M' = Pd; [6][pts], M' = Pt); [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)Mo(3)S(4)Ni(AsPh(3))][pts] ([7][pts]). The compounds [5][pts]-[7][pts] are completing the extensive series of clusters [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)M(3)S(4)M'(EPh(3))][pts] (M = Mo, W; M' = Ni, Pd, Pt; E = P, As) which allows the consequences of replacing a single type of atom on structural and NMR and UV/vis spectroscopic as well as electrochemical properties to be determined. Single-crystal X-ray structure determinations of [5][pts]-[7][pts] revealed that [5][pts] was not isomorphous to the other members of the series [(eta(5)-Cp')(3)M(3)S(4)M'(EPh(3))][pts] due to distinctly different cell parameters, which in the molecular structure of [5](+) is reflected in a slightly different orientation of the PPh(3) ligand. Electrochemical measurements on the series showed that the Mo-based clusters were more difficult to oxidize than their W-based analogues. The Pd-containing clusters underwent two-electron oxidation processes, whereas the Ni- and Pt-containing clusters underwent two separated one-electron oxidation processes.     

A single-fluor approach to DNA sequence determination using high performance capillary electrophoresis.

The Tabor and Richardson strategy for enzymatic chain termination sequencing of DNA using relative peak intensity has been adapted to high performance capillary gel electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection. This approach to DNA sequencing involves the use of only a single fluor and results in significant reduction in the time required to determine a DNA sequence without the use of highly complicated and expensive instrumentation. We present a modification of the Tabor and Richardson approach employing two reactions, each containing complementary mixtures of only three ddNTP's in the concentration ratio 4:2:1. The DNA sequence is determined by relative peak height and by assigning the missing ddNTP to "gaps" between the peaks. The use of only three terminators/reaction simplifies the software task of differentiating between the termination types and makes more efficient use of the available dynamic range. Both complementary mixes generate complete sequence information and the two data files are combined in order to make a more confident sequence call. This process helps to eliminate errors caused by occasional non-uniform incorporation of ddNTP's or false terminations and also alleviates some of the difficulty associated with reading through compressed regions of the electropherogram.     

Sample evaporation in conventional GC split/splitless injectors. Part 1: Some quantitative estimates concerning heat consumption during evaporation

During sample evaporation in conventional vaporizing injection, the supply of heat to the evaporating liquid is a problem, first because the amounts of heat consumed are relatively large and, secondly, because the heat must be transferred to the sample within a very short time. Times available for evaporation, required amounts of heat, possible sources of heat, and the time required to transfer the heat to the sample liquid are discussed. It is shown that mixing with carrier gas contributes little heat to the evaporation process, but also that packings with glass wool have too low a heat capacity to deliver the required amount of heat to the evaporating sample. Transfer of heat from the insert wall to the sample easily requires several seconds, even if cooling of the vaporizing zone by 20° is accepted. Thus “flash evaporation” is usually impossible and most liquids must be held in the vaporizing chamber to allow full evaporation.     

Sample evaporation in conventional split/splitless GC injectors. Part 3: Retaining the liquid in the vaporizing chamber

As most sample liquids tend to pass through an empty injector insert at a speed which is too high to enable complete evaporation, movement of the liquid must be arrested before it reaches the column entrance. Stopping the liquid means deposition on to a surface; this, however, is possible only after the temperature of the surface has been cooled to (or below) the boiling point of the liquid (solvent). The performance of different means of stopping the liquid has been tested visually (by the method described in Part 2). Baffles on the wall of the injector insert had hardly any effect on evaporation: the band of liquid leaving the syringe needle performed a perfect slalorn around them. The inverted cup proved more efficient, but the best performance was obtained from a light plug of glass wool: owing to its low thermal mass, the first fibers to be met by the liquid are immediately cooled to the solvent boiling point, allowing the liquid to wet it. The sample liquid is sucked up by the glass wool, from where the sample evaporates relatively slowly, often over a period of several seconds.     

Digital Microfluidics and Magnetic Bead-Based Intact Proteoform Elution for Quantitative Top-down Nanoproteomics of Single C. elegans Nematodes

While most nanoproteomics approaches for the analysis of low-input samples are based on bottom-up proteomics workflows, top-down approaches enabling proteoform characterization are still underrepresented. Using mammalian cell proteomes, we established a facile one-pot sample preparation protocol based on protein aggregation on magnetic beads and intact proteoform elution using 40 % formic acid. Performed on a digital microfluidics device, the workflow enabled sensitive analyses of single Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, thereby increasing the number of proteoform identifications compared to in-tube sample preparation by 46 %. Label-free quantification of single nematodes grown under different conditions allowed to identify changes in the abundance of proteoforms not distinguishable by bottom-up proteomics. The presented workflow will facilitate proteoform-directed analysis on samples of limited availability.     

Fluorine-Stabilized Sulfur–Carbon Multiple Bonds

Alkylidene and alkylidyne sulfur fluorides contain sulfur–carbon multiple bonds. In contrast to the sulfur ylides, alkylidene sulfur fluorides fulfill all the criteria for double bonds, i.e. they have short bond lengths, strong anisotropic distribution of electron density, and rotation about the C? S bond is restricted. Alkylidyne sulfur fluorides have especially short bond distances and, due to a high amplitude bending motion, appear to be more or less linear, depending on the physical state. The advantage of the C? S multiple bond systems in contrast with numerous others, e.g. those of phosphorus and silicon, is that they exist without steric stabilization. Moreover, the limits of the triple-bond principle are outlined: the prognosis for triple bonds between two elements of higher periods is poor, because carbene-like or fully bridged structures win in terms of stability.     

Unusual peak defocusing in capillary GC on hexakis(2,6-diO-pentyl-3-O-acetyl)-α-cyclodextrin stationary phase

An unusual peak defocusing effect influencing chromatographic performance over a limited range of elution temperatures is described for hexakis(2,6-di-O-pentyl-3-O-acetyl)-α-cyclodextrin stationary phase. Since this phenomenon is likely to be dependent on minor details of the cyclodextrin molecule, full assignment of the ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR-spectra are given.