Kinetic studies of the ClO + ClO association reaction as a function of temperature and pressure

The kinetics of the association reaction of ClO radicals: ClO + ClO + M --> Cl2O2+ M (1), have been investigated as a function of temperature T between 206.0-298.0 K and pressure p between 25-760 Torr using flash photolysis with time-resolved UV absorption spectroscopy. ClO radicals were generated following the photolysis of Br2/Cl2O mixtures in nitrogen diluent gas. Charge coupled device (CCD) detection of time resolved absorptions was used to monitor ClO radicals over a broad wavelength window covering the ClO (A 2Pi<-- X 2Pi) vibronic absorption bands. The high pass filtered ClO absorption cross sections were calibrated as a function of temperature between T = 206.0-320 K, and exhibit a negative temperature dependence. The ClO association kinetics were found to be more rapid than those reported in previous studies, with limiting low and high pressure rate coefficients, in nitrogen bath gas, k0 = (2.78 +/- 0.82) x 10(-32) x (T/300)(-3.99 +/- 0.94) molecule(-2) cm6 s(-1) and k(infinity) = (3.37 +/- 1.67) x 10(-12) x (T/300)(-1.49 +/- 1.81) molecule(-1) cm3 s(-1), respectively, (obtained with the broadening factor F(c) fixed at 0.6). Errors are 2sigma. The pressure dependent ClO association rate coefficients (falloff curves) exhibited some discrepancies at low pressures, with higher than expected rate coefficients on the basis of extrapolation from high pressures (p > 100 Torr). Reanalysis of data excluding kinetic data recorded below p = 100 Torr gave k0 = (2.79 +/- 0.85) x 10(-32) x (T/300)(-3.78 +/- 0.98) molecule(-2) cm6 s(-1) and k(infinity) = (3.44 +/- 1.83)x 10(-12) x (T/300)(-1.73 +/- 1.91) molecule(-1) cm3 s(-1). Potential sources of the low pressure discrepancies are discussed. The expression for k(0) in air bath gas is k0 = (2.62 +/- 0.80) x 10(-32) x (T/300)(-3.78 +/- 0.98) molecule(-2) cm6 s(-1). These results support upward revision of the ClO association rate coefficient recommended for use in stratospheric models, and the stratospheric implications of the results reported here are briefly discussed.     

Synthesis, characterization and ethylene reactivity of 2-diphenylphosphanylbenzamido nickel complexes

Addition of primary amines to N-[2-(diphenylphosphanyl)benzoyloxy]succinimide affords 2-diphenylphosphanylbenzamides, Ph2PC6H4C(O)NHR (R = C(CH3)3, 3; R = H, 4; R = CH2CH2CH3, 5; R = CH(CH3)2, 6). Addition of NiCl(eta3-CH2C6H5)(PMe3) to the deprotonated potassium salts of the amides and subsequent treatment of two equivalents of B(C6F5)3 to the resulting products furnishes eta3-benzyl zwitterionic nickel(II) complexes, [Ph2PC6H4C(O)NR-kappa2N,P]Ni(eta3-CH2C6H5) (R = C6H5, 9; R = C(CH3)3, 10; R = H, 11; R = CH2CH2CH3, 12; R = CH(CH3)2, 13). Solid structures of 9, 11, 13 and the intermediate eta1-benzyl nickel(II) complexes, [Ph2PC6H4C(O)NR-kappa2N,P]Ni(eta1-CH2C6H5)(PMe3) (R = C6H5, 7; R = C(CH3)3, 8) were determined by X-ray crystallography. When ethylene is added to the eta3-benzyl zwitterionic nickel(II) complexes, butene is obtained by the complexes 9-12 but complex 13 provides very high molecular-weight branched polyethylene (Mw, approximately 1300000) with excellent activity (up to 5200 kg mol-1 h-1 at 100 psi gauge).     

Fast pyrolysis (ultrapyrolysis) of cellulose

A fast pyrolysis process, termed ultrapyrolysis, has been developed at the University of Western Ontario in order to exploit the high heating rates, short residence times high temperatures and rapid quenching, which are required to produce valuable non-equilibrium intermediates (i.e. ethylene and acetylene) from finely divided biomass. Hot solids(Thermo-for) are used to carry and transfer heat to the biomass particles in a very turbulent vortical contactor (Thermovortactor). This turbulence creates an ideal environment for fast thorough mixing and extremely rapid heat transfer. Cold solids (Cryofor) are then used to quickly quench the products. Trials with cellulose were conducted at temperatures between 750 and 900°C and residence times between 250 and 450 ms. Ethylene yields, expressed as a mass fraction of the product gas, varied from 6.8 to 8.2% for temperatures ranging from 750 to 900°C. The total hydrocarbon yield, also expressed as amass fraction of the product gas, was 18.8% at 900°C. The conversion of cellulose to a permanent non-condensible gaseous product was estimated to be 98% by mass at 900°C.     

N-methylformamide-benzene complex as a prototypical peptide N-H...pi hydrogen-bonded system: density functional theory and MP2 studies

Although the existence of peptide N-H...pi hydrogen bonds recently has been reported in protein structures, little is known about their strength and binding nature and, therefore, the relative importance of the interaction. To shed light on this binding, the N-methylformamide-benzene complex, as a model of the peptide N-H...pi hydrogen bonding, was studied by using density functional theory and M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation (MP2) methods. The geometry of the complex was fully optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and MP2/6-31G(d,p) levels. The optimized interaction distances are about 3.6 and 3.2 A, respectively, at the two levels. The binding energy corrected by basis set superposition error with the MP2/cc-pVTZ method based on the MP2/6-31G geometry is -4.37 kcal/mol, which is as strong as the conventional hydrogen bonding. The calculated results suggest that the peptide N-H...pi hydrogen bonding is of sufficient strength to play an important role in the stabilization of protein structures. These results are helpful to better understand the characteristics and nature of the peptide N-H...pi interaction as well as to modify current force fields to better represent this special interaction.     

Franck-Condon simulation of the single vibronic level emission spectra of HSiF and DSiF including anharmonicity

Potential energy functions (PEFs) of the X (1)A(') and A (1)A(") states of HSiF have been computed using the coupled-cluster single-double plus perturbative triple excitations and complete-active-space self-consistent-field multireference internally contracted configuration interaction methods, respectively, employing augmented correlation-consistent polarized-valence quadruple-zeta basis sets. For both electronic states of HSiF and DSiF, anharmonic vibrational wavefunctions and energies of all three modes have been calculated variationally with the ab initio PEFs and using Watson's Hamiltonian for nonlinear molecules. Franck-Condon factors between the two electronic states, allowing for Duschinsky rotation, were computed using the calculated anharmonic vibrational wavefunctions. These Franck-Condon factors were used to simulate the single vibronic level (SVL) emission spectra recently reported by Hostutler et al. in J. Chem. Phys. 114, 10728 (2001). Excellent agreement between the simulated and observed spectra was obtained for the A (1)A(")(1,0,0)-->X (1)A(') SVL emission of HSiF. Discrepancies between the simulated and observed spectra of the A (1)A(")(0,1,0) and (1,1,0) SVL emissions of HSiF have been found. These are most likely, partly due to experimental deficiencies and, partly to inadequacies in the ab initio levels of theory employed in the calculation of the PEFs. Based on the computed Franck-Condon factors, minor revisions of previous vibrational assignments are suggested. The calculated anharmonic wave functions of higher vibrational levels of the X (1)A(') state show strong mixings between the three vibrational modes of HSi stretching, bending, and SiF stretching.     

Photomovement of the Gliding Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Abstract— Using a computerized videomicroscope motion analysis system, we investigated the photomovements of two Synechocystis sp. (PCC 6803 and ATCC 27184). Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 displays a relatively slow gliding motion. The phototactic and photokinetic speeds of this cyanobacterium in liquid media were 5μm/min and 15.8 μm/min, respectively, at 3μmol/m²/s of stimulant white light. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 senses light direction rather than intensity for phototaxis. Synechocystis sp. ATCC 27184 showed a weak photokinesis but no phototaxis. Analysis of Synechocystis sp. ATCC 27184 suggests that the loss of phototaxis results from spontaneous mutation during several years of subculture. When directional irradiation was applied, the cell population of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 began to deviate from random movement and reached maximum orientation at 5 min after the onset of stimulant white light. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 showed high sensitivity to the stimulant white light of fluence rates as low as 0.002 |unol/m²/s. Neither 1,3-dichlorophenyldimethyl urea nor cyanide affected phototactic orientation, whereas cyanide inhibited gUding speed. This result suggests that the phototaxis of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is independent of photosynthetic phosphorylation and that its gliding movement is primarily powered by oxidative phosphorylation. In the visible wavelength region, 560 nm, 660 nm and even 760 nm caused positive phototaxis. However, 360 nm light induced strikingly negative phototaxis. Therefore, at least two independent photoreceptors may exist to control phototaxis. The photoreceptor for positive phototaxis appears likely to be a phytochrome-like tetrapyrrole rather than chlorophyll a .     

Efficient Energy Delivery Condition from Pulse Generation Circuit to Corona Discharge Reactor

The energy transfer efficiency from pulse generation circuit to corona discharge reactor was investigated. To find the optimum energy transfer condition, we varied the value of the pulse-forming capacitor in pulse generation circuit. Maximum energy transfer from pulse generation circuit to corona discharge reactor was achieved when the ratio of the pulse-forming capacitance to the geometric capacitance of the reactor was around 3.0. From the analyses of the voltage and current waveforms, we found that the capacitance of the reactor increases about three times, due to the corona development. This increase is the reason why the maximum energy transfer occurs when the pulse-forming capacitance is three times larger than the initial capacitance of the reactor. The energy consumption for removal of nitric oxide was also minimized at this capacitance ratio.     

Growth of big single crystals of a new magnetic superconducting double perovskite Ba2PrRu1–xCuxO6

Single crystals of Ba₂PrRu_1–xCu_xO₆ with x = 0 to 0.2, have been grown from high temperature solutions of a mixture of PbO‐PbF₂ in the temperature range 1100–1200 °C. Thin crystals with mostly a hexagonal and triangular plate like habit measuring up to 1–2 mm across and 0.1–0.2 mm thick were obtained. The size, quality and morphology of the crystals were improved by varying the solution volume as well as additives like B₂O₃. Large crystals measuring up to 3 mm across and 0.3 to 0.5 mm thick were obtained with 5–7 wt% solute concentration and 0.51 wt% of B₂O₃. The ZFC curves exhibit a spin glass like behavior with x = 0 and a superconducting transition at 8 to 11 K depending on x = 0.05 to 0.1. The transition was also influenced by the growth temperature and post growth annealing. Powder x‐ray diffraction, EDS and Raman spectroscopic measurements confirm the presence of Cu in the crystals. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Rheometry using velocity measurements

Traditional methods of rheometry employ simple flows such as viscometric flows and measure stress or volumetric flow rate to determine the rheological parameters in the constitutive equation. One can find analytic solutions for stress and volumetric flow rates for these simple flows, and comparison of them with experimental data determines rheological parameter values. In the present investigation, rheological parameters are estimated by measuring velocity at certain locations. A pulsatile flow in a circular pipe, which can be implemented easily, is adopted to estimate rheological parameters in a general constitutive equation. The inverse problem of determining the rheological parameters from velocity measurements is solved using a conjugate gradient method. The present method is found to yield a reasonably accurate estimation of rheological parameters even with noisy velocity measurements.