Gradients of the Exchange-repulsion Energy in the General Effective Fragment Potential Method

Formulae for calculating the analytic gradients of the exchange-repulsion energy in the general effective fragment potential (EFP2) method are derived and implemented using a direct differentiation approach. The timings for the exchange repulsion gradient evaluations are approximately three times longer than the energy evaluations, orders of magnitude faster than a previous implementation. Since the direct differentiation approach is not approximate, the gradients can be used with confidence in molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations with the EFP2 method.     

Quantitative determination of selected compounds in a Kentucky 1R4F reference cigarette smoke by multidimensional gas chromatography and selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry

Eight compounds from a Kentucky 1R4F reference cigarette smoke condensate have been determined by selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry (SIM-MS) to confirm the validity of multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) as a quantitative tool in complex mixture analyses. Four electrostatically precipitated smoke condensate samples of 100 cigarettes each are dissolved individually in 25 mL of 2-propanol. The 2-propanol contains two methyl esters (C8 and C14) and seven deuterium-labeled compounds used as internal standards (IS). Analysis of the compounds of interest, pyridine; acetamide; acrylamide; phenol; o-, m-, and p-cresol; and quinoline, is accomplished by using two heartcuts. Heartcut times of the MDGC analysis are selected such that at least one IS is transferred with each group of compounds being analyzed. This study shows that the MDGC technique previously developed and described can be used for quantitative analyses. A comparison is made between the two types of internal standards. The results obtained for both types of internal standards agree within 20% of each other, on the average, with higher standard deviations for approximately 60% of the compounds where methyl esters are used as internal standards.     

Characterization of the oxidation products of styryl-substituted terthiophenes and sexithiophenes using electronic absorption spectroscopy and time-dependent DFT

The electronic absorption spectra of a series of alkoxy-styryl substituted terthiophenes, their corresponding sexithiophenes, and the oxidation products of both have been measured. The terthiophenes studied sigma-dimerize to sexithiophenes during the oxidation process and there is clear evidence of sexithiophene radical cations, dications, and pi-dimers in the electronic absorption spectra. The oxidation of concentrated solutions produces predominantly pi-dimer bands, as expected. The absorption spectrum of the styryl-functionalized sexithiophene dication without alkoxy substitution closely resembles that of unsubstituted sexithiophene, while alkoxy substitution induces changes in the wavelength of the dication band maximum and the overall band shape. Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations have shown that styryl-based molecular orbitals are important in the transitions of the neutral molecules as well as the charged species, the dication in particular. Kinetics analyses confirm the stabilization effect induced by the alkoxy substituents. The presence of a reversible pi-dimer equilibrium was verified by cyclic voltammetry. It is clear from the experimental observations and the theoretical calculations that both the styryl and alkoxy groups are influencing the electronic properties of this class of molecules.     

Synthesis of an isomer of the germacranolide isoaristolactone

Photocycloadditlon of (+)-isoplperltenone and cyclobutene-1-carboxylic acid gives an adduct which upon reduction with NaCNBH₃ followed by thermolysis yields an isomer of isoaristolactone in an overall yield of 26%.     

Rhodium(I) catalyst supported on polymer crystal surfaces: Further hydrogenation studies

Catalysts bound to polymers in the form of crosslinked beads have been demonstrated to have a number of advantages over homogeneous catalysts. However, there are several problems that exist due to the polymer support being in the form of a bead. The rate of reaction depends on the presence of solvents that adequately swell the bead in order to allow access to the catalytic sites. Differences in polarity and reactant size can inhibit diffusion into the bead. Recently a new system has been developed whereby tris(triphenyl phosphine) chlororhodium (I) (Wilkinson's catalyst) is bound to the surface of polyethylene single crystals. Polyethylene single crystals have a very high surface to volume ratio allowing for greater ease of reaction compared to a bead system. In a previous paper we showed that there is a dramatic increase in catalytic activity and that the reaction rate increased as the polarity of solvent was increased, even in ethanol where the homogeneous catalyst is not soluble and the polystyrene bead support would not swell. In this letter we are describing the activity of hydrogenation of olefins contained in both large and/or polar molecules. The results demonstrate the advantages of supported catalysts on polyethylene single crystals rather than on polymer beads.     

Some diels—alder reactions of η1-bonded cyclopentadienylmetal compounds

Bis(cyclopentadienyl)mercury readily undergoes Diels—Alder reactions with RCCR (R = CO₂Me or CF₃), CF₃CFCFCF₃, CF₃CFCF₂, (CF₃)₂CC(CN)₂, C₂(CN)₄ and Ph$\text{NCONNC}$O to give stable adducts characterised by¹H, ¹⁹F and ¹³C NMR, spectroscopy. Similar reactions of CF₃CCCF₃ and CF₃CFCFCF₃ with the cyclopentadiene derivatives Me₃MC₅H₅ and (Me₃M)₂C₅H₄ (M = Si, Sn) are also described.     

Determination of chlorite at very low levels by using differential pulse polarography

A method is reported for the determination of μgl^?1 levels of chlorite by using differential pulse polarography. The electrochemical reduction of chlorite was studied between pH 3.7 and 14 and in an ionic strength range of 0.05–3.0 M. The optimum conditions are pH 4.1–4.4 and an ionic strength of 0.45 M. The current under these conditions is diffusion-controlled and is a linear function of chlorite concentration ranging from 2.77×10^?7 to 2.80×10^?4 M (19 μgl^?1 to 19 mg l^?1). The imprecision is better than ±1.0% and ±3.4% at concentrations of 2.87×10^?5 M and 1.74×10^?6M, respectively, with a detection limit of 1×10^?7 M (7μgl^?1). An interference study and the application of this method for determining chlorite in drinking water are reported.     

VECTORIAL ELECTRON TRANSPORT ACROSS LIPID VESICLE MEMBRANES DRIVEN BY TWO PHOTOREACTIONS. I. ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID AS AN ELECTRON DONOR via FLAVIN TRIPLET STATE IN THE INNER COMPARTMENT AND CYTOCHROME c AS AN ELECTRON ACCEPTOR FROM CHLOROPHYLL TRIPLET STATE IN THE OUTER COMPARTMENT

Negatively charged vesicle suspensions containing chlorophyll a (chl) dissolved in the lipid bilayer, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) enclosed in the inner compartment as electron sources and oxidized cytochrome c (cyt c[ox]) in the outer compartment as an electron acceptor have been studied using laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation methods. Cytochrome c initially quenches the chl triplet state (³chl) generating the chlorophyll cation radical (chi⁺′) in the membrane. Reverse electron transfer from cyt c(red) to chl^+. subsequently occurs in a kinetically biphasic reaction, with rate constants of 430 pT 30 and 21.9 pT 1.7 s^?1 for the fast and slow phases, respectively. In the absence of FMN, reduction of chl⁺′ by EDTA in the inner compartment can be observed during steady-state irradiation but not in a laser flash photolysis experiment. This is due to a low reaction yield, which is probably limited by the repulsive electrostatic interaction between EDTA and the negatively charged membrane. When FMN was enclosed together with EDTA in the inner Compartment, the reaction yield of vectorial electron transfer across the bilayer from EDTA to cyt c(oX) was increased by a factor of six during steadystate white light irradiation. Laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation experiments using red and blue light excitation have demonstrated that the enhancement mechanism involves the formation of fully reduced FMN by blue light-sensitized photooxidation of EDTA via the flavin triplet state, occumng simultaneously with red lightsensitized electron transfer to cyt c via the chlorophyll triplet state.     

Reactions of diphosphineplatinum(II) oxalate complexes with phenylacetylene. Formation of phenylalkynylplatinum complexes

[Pt(C₂O₄)(dppe)] reacts thermally with PhCCH to produce [Pt(CCPh)₂(dppe)], which has been prepared by alternative routes. Similar treatment of [Pt(C₂O₄)(dppm)] initially produces [Pt(CCPh)₂(dppm)], which rearranges to give cis,cis-[Pt₂(CCPh)₄(μ-dppm)₂]. Reaction of [PtCl₂(dppm)] with PhCCH/KOH/18-crown-6, or with (PhCC)SnMe₃, gives [Pt(CCPh)₂(dppm)], which may be converted to the cis,cis-dimer by addition of oxalic acid. Ultraviolet irradiation or refluxing with a trace amount of dppm converts [Pt(CCPh)₂(dppm)] to trans,trans-[Pt₂(CCPh)₄(μ-dppm)₂], but the cis,cis-dimer is stable under these conditions. [Pt(C₂O₄)L₂] (L = PPh₃, PEt₃) complexes also react thermally with PhCCH to yield [Pt(CCPh)₂L₂] species.     

CHLOROPHYLL PHOTOSENSITIZED ELECTRON TRANSFER IN PHOSPHOLIPID VESICLE SYSTEMS: COMPARISON OF INSIDE-OUTSIDE ASYMMETRY BETWEEN LARGE AND SMALL UNILAMELLAR VESICLES*

Abstract— We have determined the chlorophyll triplet quenching efficiencies, the chlorophyll cation radical yields and the conversion efficiencies of chlorophyll triplet to radical in large and small unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles (LUV and SUV, respectively) in the presence of electrically-charged electron acceptors (ferricyanide and oxidized cytochrome c) located in either the inner or outer aqueous compartments of the vesicles. Both types of vesicles displayed inside-outside asymmetry, although the properties were reversed. Triplet quenching in SUV was more efficient when ferricyanide was located within the vesicle interior, whereas the reverse was true in LUV. When ferricyanide was located on the outside of the vesicles, the extent of triplet quenching in LUV was about two times that in SUV and the amount of cation radical formed in LUV was about two times that in SUV. Under these conditions, the conversion efficiencies of chlorophyll triplet to radical were 12.2% for LUV and 8.5% for SUV. With cytochrome c as an electron acceptor in negatively charged vesicles (25 mol per cent dixhexadecylphosphate incorporated) similar results were obtained. Again, the triplet quenching and radical yield inside-outside asymmetry properties were reversed between the two types of vesicles, and radical formation efficiencies when cyt c was located outside the vesicles were higher in LUV (11.7%) than in SUV (4.2%). We conclude that the inside-outside asymmetric photochemical behavior of unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles is influenced by factors in addition to the difference in radius of curvature between the inside and outside surfaces. It is suggested that transmembrane electrostatic potentials may be involved. Furthermore, in the present system the properties of LUV were more favorable to photochemical electron transfer product formation than those of SUV.