Intramolecular hemiacetals. The acid-base-catalyzed ring-chain interconversion of 2-substituted 2-hydroxy-4,4-dimethylmorpholinium cations in aqueous solution.

The ring-chain tautomerism in aqueous solution of some aryl-substituted morpholinium salts (bromides), has been studied and equilibrium constants are reported. In the crystals the substrates exist entirely in their cyclic forms as hemiacetals, but in aqueous solution NMR measurements reveal that an equilibrium is established between the cyclic (hemiacetal) and the noncyclic (ketone) form, the degree of ring-opening being more pronounced with electron-donating aryl substituents at the carbonyl carbon. The kinetics of the ring-chain interconversion in water has been investigated spectrophotometrically by a 'pH jump' stopped-flow technique. General base catalysis is observed with a Br?nsted beta value apparently independent of substituent and equal to 0.60. The Hammett rho values for various base catalysts are close to those for very similar intermolecular reactions involving hemiacetal breakdown, leading to the suggestion of a 'normal' class n mechanism for base catalysis. For acid catalysis, however, a quite different situation is encountered, since no general acid but only (weak) catalysis by the hydronium ion can be detected. We believe this deviation from 'normal' general acid catalysis is caused by an electrostatic interaction, and we suggest that it might result from a change in the usual class e mechanism for general acid catalysis by a situation in which rate-limiting concerted proton transfer is replaced by rate-limiting preprotonation. This is supported by the observed drastic change in Hammett rho value for catalysis by the hydronium ion, compared with the 'normal' case. An interesting case is encountered for the 4-aminophenyl-substituted substrate, in which the amino group becomes protonated in acid solution, thus representing a new substituent. Despite this complication, the various equilibrium and rate constants may also be evaluated experimentally for this substrate.     

Plasma B-6 vitamer and plasma and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid concentrations in young women as determined using high performance liquid chromatography.

Plasma B-6 vitamer and plasma and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid concentrations of 21 young white women, 21-27 years, having radiomonitored pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and coenzyme stimulation of erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase activities indicative of adequate vitamin B-6 status were determined in an effort to establish normal ranges for plasma B-6 vitamers. B-6 vitamers and 4-pyridoxic acid were quantitated using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric and ultraviolet detection. Pyridoxal phosphate values obtained by radioenzymatic and chromatographic, fluorometric and ultraviolet, assays were highly correlated as were pyridoxine phosphate values determined using both detectors. The B-6 vitamer and 4-pyridoxic acid values of these subjects should be of use in the establishment of normal ranges of these congeners in women.     

Certified reference materials for the quality control of analysis in the environment

Summary The Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) has undertaken the production of a wide range of certified reference materials (CRMs) for the improvement of accuracy and measurement harmony in various areas of concern at European Community level. This paper provides an overview of the sectors of the BCR-programme in the field of environment i.e. for water systems (water, sediment, biota), soil analysis (soil, fertiliser, waste), plant analysis (aquatic and terrestrial plants), analysis related to animals (e.g. muscle or liver) or man (e.g. industry and food).     

Hamiltonian and recursion operators for two-dimensional scalar fields

The equation for the Noether operator is obtained. It gives the necessary conditions for complete integrability of the field equations. For several double-component models the Hamiltonian pairs and the recursion operators are presented.     

Penetration of a rigid cone into a plastic orthotropic half space

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 5, pp. 159–163, September–October, 1991.     

High performance liquid chromatography as a tool in the definition of abnormalities in monoamine and tryptophan metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neurological disorders

In this study we report the levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovallinic acid, tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid and serotonin in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular disease and muscular tension headache the later, as healthy controls. The separation of these substances was performed on a reversed phase column by ion pair high performance liquid chromatography and detection was made by a glassy carbon electrode set at +900 mV vs Ag+/AgCl. The whole separation was achieved within 25 min. Concentrations of all substances (10-1000 pmole/L) were linearly proportional to areas obtained. The system is sensitive, stable and reproducible. The significance of CSF levels of these metabolites from patients groups compared with healthy controls are discussed.     

Rotation Part of the Dielectric Permittivity of Water Vapor for Different Spectral Line Profiles

We estimate the possible influence of spectral line profile (Lorentz profile, Van Vleck–Weisskopf profile, and profile obtained by solving kinetic equation) on the rotation part of the dielectric permittivity of water-vapor monomers. Spectral regions corresponding to long-wavelength (static) and high-frequency (optical) limiting cases as well as regions in close proximity to resonances of various intensities are considered. The studied effects are compared with the corresponding effects on water-vapor absorption coefficient, which are related to factors determining the line-shape structure.