Structural and electronic characterization of nitrosyl(octaethylporphinato)iron(III) perchlorate derivatives

The synthesis and crystallographic characterization of the five-coordinate iron(III) porphyrinate complex [Fe(OEP)(NO)]ClO4 are reported. This [FeNO]6 complex has a nearly linear Fe-N-O group (angle = 173.19(13) degrees) with a small off-axis tilt of the Fe-N(NO) vector from the heme normal (angle = 4.6 degrees); the Fe-N(NO) distance is 1.6528(13) A and the iron is displaced 0.32 A out-of-plane. The complex forms a tight cofacial pi-pi dimer in the solid state. M?ssbauer spectra for this derivative as well as for a related crystalline form are measured both in zero applied magnetic field and in a 7 T applied field. Fits to the measurements made in applied magnetic field demonstrate that both crystalline forms of [Fe(OEP)(NO)]ClO4 have a diamagnetic ground state at 4.2 K. The observed isomer shifts (delta = 0.22-0.24 mm/s) are smaller than those typically observed for low-spin iron(III) porphyrinates. Analogous M?ssbauer measurements are also obtained for a six-coordinate derivative, [Fe(OEP)(Iz)(NO)]ClO4 (Iz = indazole). The observed isomer shift for this species is smaller still (delta = 0.02 mm/s). All derivatives show a strong temperature dependence of the isomer shift. The data emphasize the strongly covalent nature of the FeNO group. The M?ssbauer isomer shifts suggest formal oxidation states greater than +3 for iron, but the NO stretching frequencies are not consistent with such a large charge transfer to NO. Differences in the observed nitrosyl stretching frequencies of the two crystalline forms of [Fe(OEP)(NO)]ClO4 are discussed.     

Comparability and compatibility of proficiency testing results in schemes with a limited number of participants

Comparability and compatibility of proficiency testing (PT) results are discussed for schemes with a limited number of participants (less than 20–30) based on the use of reference materials (RMs) as test items. Since PT results are a kind of measurement/analysis/test result, their comparability is a property conditioned by traceability to measurement standards applied in the measurement process. At the same time, metrological traceability of the certified value of the RM (sent to PT participants as test items) is also important, since the PT results are compared with the RM certified value. The RM position in the calibration hierarchy of measurement standards sets the degree of comparability for PT results, which can be assessed in the scheme. However, this assessment is influenced by commutability (adequacy or match) of the matrix RM used for PT and routine samples. Compatibility of PT results is a characteristic of the collective (group) performance of the laboratories participating in PT that can be expressed as closeness of the distribution of the PT results to the distribution of the RM data. Achieving quality-of-measurement/analysis/test results in the framework of the concept “tested once, accepted everywhere” requires both comparability and compatibility of the test results.     

Evaluation of chiral purity for a substituted imidazole p38 MAP kinase inhibitor and its intermediates using a single chiral capillary electrophoresis method

The chiral separation of a substituted imidazole p38 MAP kinase inhibitor and its intermediates was investigated using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with various sulfated cyclodextrins. After initial screens, a single CE chiral method with a randomly sulfated beta-CD was selected for the evaluation of chiral purity for all three compounds. Operational parameters, such as the concentration of the chiral selectors, background electrolyte (or mobile phase) pH, organic modifiers, and temperature were varied in order to achieve an optimized method. The optimal method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, ruggedness, and specificity.     

Nitrosyliron(III) porphyrinates: porphyrin core conformation and FeNO geometry. Any correlation?

The synthesis, structural, and spectroscopic characterization of (nitrosyl)iron(III) porphyrinate complexes designed to have strongly nonplanar porphyrin core conformations is reported. The species have a nitrogen-donor axial ligand trans to the nitrosyl ligand and display planar as well as highly nonplanar porphyrin core conformations. The systems were designed to test the idea, expressly discussed for the heme protein nitrophorin (Roberts, et al. Biochemistry 2001, 40, 11327), that porphyrin core distortions could lead to an unexpected, bent geometry for the FeNO group. For [Fe(OETPP)(1-MeIm)(NO)]ClO(4).C(6)H(5)Cl (H(2)OETPP = octaethyltetraphenylporphyrin), the porphyrin core is found to be severely saddled. However, this distortion has little or no effect on the geometric parameters of the coordination group: Fe-N(p) = 1.990(9) A, Fe-N(NO) = 1.650(2) A, Fe-N(L) = 1.983(2) A, and Fe-N-O = 177.0(3) degrees. For the complex [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)]ClO(4).0.5CH(2)Cl(2) (H(2)OEP = octaethylporphyrin), there are two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The cation denoted [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)](+)(pla) has a close-to-planar porphyrin core. For this cation, Fe-N(p) = 2.014(8) A, Fe-N(NO) = 1.649(2) A, Fe-N(L) = 2.053(2) A, and Fe-N-O = 175.6(2) degrees. The second cation, [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)](+)(ruf), has a ruffled core: Fe-N(p) = 2.003(7) A, Fe-N(NO) = 1.648(2) A, Fe-N(L) = 2.032(2) A, and Fe-N-O = 177.4(2) degrees. Thus, there is no effect on the coordination group geometry caused by either type of nonplanar core deformation; it is unlikely that a protein engendered core deformation would cause FeNO bending either. The solid-state nitrosyl stretching frequencies of 1917 cm(-)(1) for [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)]ClO(4) and 1871 cm(-)(1) for [Fe(OETPP)(1-MeIm)(NO)]ClO(4) are well within the range seen for linear Fe-N-O groups. M?ssbauer data for [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)]ClO(4) confirm that the ground state is diamagnetic. In addition, the quadrupole splitting value of 1.88 mm/s and isomer shift (0.05 mm/s) at 4.2 K are similar to other (nitrosyl)iron(III) porphyrin complexes with linear Fe-N-O groups. Crystal data: [Fe(OETPP)(1-MeIm)(NO)]ClO(4).C(6)H(5)Cl, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4, with a = 12.9829(6) A, b = 36.305(2) A, c = 14.0126(6) A, beta = 108.087(1) degrees; [Fe(OEP)(2-MeHIm)(NO)]ClO(4).0.5CH(2)Cl(2), triclinic, space group Ponemacr;, Z = 4, with a = 14.062(2) A, b = 16.175(3) A, c = 19.948(3) A, alpha = 69.427(3) degrees, beta = 71.504(3) degrees, gamma = 89.054(3) degrees.     

Treatment of uncorrected measurement bias in uncertainty estimation for chemical measurements

Consistent treatment of measurement bias, including the question of whether or not to correct for bias, is essential for the comparability of measurement results. The case for correcting for bias is discussed, and it is shown that instances in which bias is known or suspected, but in which a specific correction cannot be justified, are comparatively common. The ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement does not provide well for this situation. It is concluded that there is a need for guidance on handling cases of uncorrected bias. Several different published approaches to the treatment of uncorrected bias and its uncertainty are critically reviewed with regard to coverage probability and simplicity of execution. On the basis of current studies, and taking into account testing laboratory needs for a simple and consistent approach with a symmetric uncertainty interval, we conclude that for most cases with large degrees of freedom, linear addition of a bias term adjusted for exact coverage ("U(e)") as described by Synek is to be preferred. This approach does, however, become more complex if degrees of freedom are low. For modest bias and low degrees of freedom, summation of bias, bias uncertainty and observed value uncertainty in quadrature ("RSSu") provides a similar interval and is simpler to adapt to reduced degrees of freedom, at the cost of a more restricted range of application if accurate coverage is desired.     

Standard additions: myth and reality

Standard additions is a calibration technique devised to eliminate rotational matrix effects in analytical measurement. Although the technique is presented in almost every textbook of analytical chemistry, its behaviour in practice is not well documented and is prone to attract misleading accounts. The most important limitation is that the method cannot deal with translational matrix effects, which need to be handled separately. In addition, because the method involves extrapolation from known data, the method is often regarded as less precise than external calibration (interpolation) techniques. Here, using a generalised model of an analytical system, we look at the behaviour of the method of standard additions under a range of conditions, and find that, if executed optimally, there is no noteworthy loss of precision.     

Base-induced decomposition of alkyl hydroperoxides in the gas phase. Part 3. Kinetics and dynamics in HO- + CH3OOH, C2H5OOH, and tert-C4H9OOH reactions

The E(CO)2 elimination reactions of alkyl hydroperoxides proceed via abstraction of an alpha-hydrogen by a base: X(-) + R(1)R(2)HCOOH --> HX + R(1)R(2)C=O + HO(-). Efficiencies and product distributions for the reactions of the hydroxide anion with methyl, ethyl, and tert-butyl hydroperoxides are studied in the gas phase. On the basis of experiments using three isotopic analogues, HO(-) + CH3OOH, HO(-) + CD3OOH, and H(18)O(-) + CH3OOH, the overall intrinsic reaction efficiency is determined to be 80% or greater. The E(CO)2 decomposition is facile for these methylperoxide reactions, and predominates over competing proton transfer at the hydroperoxide moiety. The CH3CH2OOH reaction displays a similar E(CO)2 reactivity, whereas proton transfer and the formation of HOO(-) are the exclusive pathways observed for (CH3)3COOH, which has no alpha-hydrogen. All results are consistent with the E(CO)2 mechanism, transition state structure, and reaction energy diagrams calculated using the hybrid density functional B3LYP approach. Isotope labeling for HO(-) + CH3OOH also reveals some interaction between H2O and HO(-) within the E(CO)2 product complex [H2O...CH2=O...HO(-)]. There is little evidence, however, for the formation of the most exothermic products H2O + CH2(OH)O(-), which would arise from nucleophilic condensation of CH2=O and HO(-). The results suggest that the product dynamics are not totally statistical but are rather direct after the E(CO)2 transition state. The larger HO(-) + CH3CH2OOH system displays more statistical behavior during complex dissociation.     

Stop-consonant recognition for normal-hearing listeners and listeners with high-frequency hearing loss. I: The contribution of selected frequency regions

The purpose of this study is to specify the contribution of certain frequency regions to consonant place perception for normal-hearing listeners and listeners with high-frequency hearing loss, and to characterize the differences in stop-consonant place perception among these listeners. Stop-consonant recognition and error patterns were examined at various speech-presentation levels and under conditions of low- and high-pass filtering. Subjects included 18 normal-hearing listeners and a homogeneous group of 10 young, hearing-impaired individuals with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Differential filtering effects on consonant place perception were consistent with the spectral composition of acoustic cues. Differences in consonant recognition and error patterns between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners were observed when the stimulus bandwidth included regions of threshold elevation for the hearing-impaired listeners. Thus place-perception differences among listeners are, for the most part, associated with stimulus bandwidths corresponding to regions of hearing loss.