Characteristics of the glucose isomerase from Streptomyces atratus

The molecular mass (Mr) of highly purified glucose isomerase fromStreptomyces atratus has been determined. The native glucose isomerase, which has affinity for xylose, consists of an oligomeric protein containing 1552 amino acid residues and formed of four subunits. The enzyme is stable in the range of temperatures from 40 to 80°C and at pH values of from 6.0 to 11.0.     

Simultaneous determination of mercury and arsenic by anodic stripping voltammetry

An electrochemical method for the simultaneous determinations of Hg^II concentration and total As^III and As^V concentration has been developed. The method does not require the additional preliminary step of the chemical reduction of As^V to As^III, or oxidation of As^III to As^V before stripping analysis takes place. Also, the method for the simultaneous determination of Hg^II concentration and As^III concentration is described. Measurements were performed in 0.1 M HCl using a gold-plated graphite electrode as sensor. Detection limits for both methods are below 0.4 ppb. Relative standard deviation did not exceed 15%. The possible interference by other trace metals was investigated. Analyses of natural water and industrial solutions were made using proposed methods and AAS. The t-test demonstrates that there was no significant difference between the results obtained with these methods. Proposed methods decrease the time of analysis because concentrations of the Hg^II and arsenic ions were measured simultaneously. Also, the removal of the additional step of chemical reduction of As^V to As^III or oxidation of As^III to As^V decreases analysis time, and also reduces the chance of contamination due to the use of additional reagents.     

Ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations on trifluoromethylamine

Extensive ab initio molecular-orbital calculations were carried out on trifluoromethylamine (TFM) to elucidate changes in geometry and electronic structure upon fluorination. The calculations show that the decomposition of CF₃NH₂ is slightly endoenergetic, and the heats of atomization of CF₃NH₂ and CH₃NH₂ show decreased stability of the species upon fluorination. Characteristic of CF₃NH₂ is a highly polar, strong, short CN bond. More limited calculations were carried out on CF₃OH and CH₃OH, and the electronic structure of CF₃OH is found to be generally similar to that of CF₃NH₂. The reduced basicity of the fluorinated amine cannot be ascribed to the inductive effect; the enhanced acidity of the fluorinated alcohol reflects the weakening of the OH bond. No evidence leads to a confirmation of the existence of nitrogen–fluorine hyperconjugation in the fluorinated amine.     

Double asymmetric induction in benchrotrene derivatives

Attachment of a Cr(CO)₃ moiety to one of the aromatic rings in rigid diaryl ketones of very low prochirality followed by addition of a chiral and optically pure reagent leads to satisfactory asymmetric induction ~40%. Asymmetric induction is smaller in the case of acyclic systems.     

Manganese Complexes with Octaphenyltetraazaporphine: Acid–Base Interactions and Kinetic Stability in Proton-Donor Solvents

Complexes of manganese(III) and manganese(V) with octaphenyltetraazaporphine (H₂OPTAP) were synthesized. Acid–base interactions of these complexes in the CH₂Cl₂–CF₃COOH system and kinetics of their dissociation in concentrated sulfuric acid, as well as kinetics of octaphenyltetraazaporphine destruction in sulfuric acid solutions were studied by spectrophotometric methods. Acid–base interactions in CH₂Cl₂–CF₃COOH were shown to involve two macrocyclic meso-nitrogen atoms in succession. Concentration stability constants of the acid forms obtained pK ₁ = 0.29 ± 0.01 and pK ₂ = –0.62 ± 0.08 for (chlorine)manganese(III)octaphenyltetraazaporphine ((Cl)MnOPTAP); pK ₁ = 0.99 ± 0.02 and pK ₂ = – 0.70 ± 0.03 for (nitrido)manganese(V)octaphenyltetraazaporphine ((N)MnOPTAP). The rate of dissociation of the complexes in 94–98% H₂SO₄ does not depend on the acid concentration. The manganese(V) complex is three times as stable as the manganese(III) complex.     

Bimetallic Alkoxides of Barium and Zirconium: Preparation of BaZrO3 Powder

Complex formation in solutions of barium and zirconium alkoxides in ROH (R=i-Pr, Et) was studied. A number of bimetallic complexes were isolated, and their structure and properties were studied. The sol-gel method yields a single-phase BaZrO₃ powder only wheni-PrOH solutions of the alkoxides are used. In this case, the oxocomplex, BaZrO(OPr-i)₄.(1–2)i-PrOH, is the precursor of the mixed oxide.     

Experimental (NMR) and Computational (MD) Studies on the Inclusion Complexes of 1-Bromoadamantane with alpha-, beta-, and gamma-Cyclodextrin

The inclusion complexes between the most commonly used cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-CD) and 1-bromoadamantane were prepared and studied experimentally by NMR methods and by molecular dynamics simulations (AMBER force field) with solvation. The NMR results suggest host/guest ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:1 for the complexes with alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin, respectively, as well as defined geometries for the complexes. Averaged geometrical data from the molecular dynamics simulations agree with the complexation geometries deduced experimentally.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched allenes by (-)-sparteine-mediated lithiation of alkynyl carbamates

[reaction: see text]. The alpha-deprotonation of alkynyl carbamates 3 with the chiral base (-)-sparteine (4)/n-butyllithium, transmetalation with ClTi(O(i)()Pr)3, and subsequent substitution with an aldehyde results in the formation of enantioenriched 4-hydroxyallenyl carbamates 11. Stereoselection is determined by dynamic resolution of the lithium/(-)-sparteine complexes by selective crystallization.     

Unique structural properties of the Mg-Al hydrotalcite solid base catalyst: an in situ study using Mg and Al K-edge XAFS during calcination and rehydration

The changes in the layered structure of Mg-Al hydrotalcite (Mg/ Al = 2) during heat treatment have been investigated by using in situ XAFS simultaneously at the Mg and Al K-edges. The development of unique in situ instrumentation allowed the coordination environments at both the Mg and Al centers to be monitored as a function of the temperature and heat treatment. The results of this study show that the hydrotalcite structure is highly flexible, and should lead to the further development of hydrotalcites as new solid basic catalysts. Moreover, the Mg and Al cations in the cation layers show different behavior as a function of temperature. The coordination of some octahedral Al ions decreases already at a temperature of 425 K, whereas the coordination about Mg does not show any modification at this temperature. However, hydrotalcite treated at 425 K, followed by cooling down to room temperature resulted in a complete reversal to the original octahedral Al coordination. It is proposed that Al-OH bond breakage occurs at 425 K, without the evolution of H2O. This bond is restored after cooling to room temperature. The actual dehydroxylation of hydrotalcite commences between 425 and 475 K, as indicated by a change in coordination of both the Mg and Al centers. This is accompanied by the evolution of H2O molecules and the changes are hence irreversible without the presence of excess water. Heat treatment at 725 K leads to the development of an MgO-like phase (octahedral Mg) and a mixed octahedral/tetrahedral Al phase. A subsequent rehydration at room temperature entirely restores the original coordination about the Al and Mg centers of hydrotalcite to a distance of 15 A, to which XAFS spectroscopy is sensitive.