Transition factor method for discrete master equations; and application to chemical reactions

We introduce transition factors and derive equations for them which are equivalent to the originalN-dimensional discrete master equation. After transition to continuous variables we obtain nonlocal partial differential equations for these transition factors which are slowly varying variables. Finally we consider a chemical reaction system. Using this method the corresponding master equation is exactly solvable in a very simple manner.     

Sample stacking for charged phenol derivatives in capillary zone electrophoresis

10 selected phenol derivatives are separated by capillary zone electrophoresis in an alkaline phosphate/borate buffer at pH 10. Resolution and selectivity of the separation are increased using methanol as an organic modifier. The conductivity in the sample zone, mainly due to the high pH, needed for the formation of phenolates and the electroendosmotic flow are considerably lowered by adding about 40% methanol. Detection limits are improved by a specially optimized electrostacking procedure. The improvement is in the range of two orders of magnitude compared to hydrodynamic injection. Detection limits are found to be in the low ppb range. This optimization for electrostacking may also be used for other slow anionic analytes forming charged molecules only at a very high pH.     

Multiarm star nanocarriers containing a poly(ethylene imine) core and polylactide arms

Star polymers (SPs) containing a hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) (PEI; number‐average molecular weight = 10,000) core and polylactide arms were synthesized via the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide. PEI was used as a multifunctional macroinitiator for the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide. Different lactide monomer/amino‐functional group (LA/NH_n; n = 1 or 2) ratios were used for preparing SPs with different molecular weights. SPs were able to encapsulate small guest molecules such as Rose Bengal; they also transported small, hydrophilic molecules from water to the organic phase. The transport capacity of all the nanocarriers depended on the LA/NH_n ratio used for synthesizing the SPs. Nanocarriers with a higher LA/NH_n ratio had higher transport capacities. The size of all the nanocarriers depended on the type of solvent. In chloroform, these nanoparticles had several sizes that were related to the self‐assembly of these nanocarriers, but in acetone, they were monodisperse, and their size was smaller than that in chloroform. Also, the transport of polar dyes from water to the chloroform phase was possible. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5740–5749, 2006