Thermogravimetric study of flame-retarding properties on phosphorylated beech sawdust

Beech sawdust (S) and samples containing 1% of H₃PO₄ (SP), (NaPO₃)_n (PS), P₂O₅ (POS), NaOH/P₂O₅ (SPS), NaOH (SS) or Na₂CO₃ (CS) were analysed using dynamic and isothermal thermogravimetry (TG) in nitrogen and oxygen environments. According to the results of dynamic experiments in nitrogen, the thermal resistance at 275 °C decreased in the order: S > SS > CS > SP> SPS > PS > POS, while in oxygen the order was: S > POS > SPS=CS=PS > SP > SS. The difference in residues obtained in nitrogen in comparison to oxygen environment reaches its maximum at temperatures from 300 to 325 °C and according to the decreasing values the following order could be listed: SS (300 °C/27%) > SP (325 °C/25%) > CS (300 °C/24%) > S (325 °C/23%) > SPS (300 °C/19%) > PS (300 °C/11%) > POS (275 °C/4%). This indicates that with a decreasing difference in residues formed in oxidative and inert environments the flame-retardant effect of the sample is increasing. The calculated initial rate constants of residue formation and gasification and the corresponding activation energies of the processes in nitrogen and oxygen from the isothermal experiments gave smaller values of rate constants for SPS than for S. For the SPS sample in comparison with S the activation energy of residue formation in nitrogen decreased while the three remaining values increased. The E_r* of PS in the oxygen is the biggest from all studied samples under the conditions used, while SPS gave the biggest E_g* in the oxygen environment. The phosphorus could be washed out with water from SP and SPS, while it remained in PS and POS. These last two samples also have the best flame-retarding properties according to TG analysis.     

A new approach for the detection of carbon-centered radicals in enzymatic processes using prefluorescent probes

In this communication we propose a novel application for prefluorescent probes in the detection of free carbon-centered radicals in enzymatic processes. Prefluorescent probes combine a fluorescent moiety tethered to a paramagnetic nitroxide that acts as a fluorescence quencher. Trapping of a radical by the nitroxide group restores the fluorescence properties. The increase in fluorescence intensity with time reflects the formation and quenching of carbon-centered radicals and can be used for the quantitative evaluation of yields and kinetics. As a test system we used horseradish peroxidase, an oxidoreductase that is widely accepted to operate by a radical-mediated mechanism. We used the prefluorescent probe (quinoline-TEMPO), where a quinoline moiety has been tethered to 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl.     

The structural phase transitions of aminoguanidinium(1+) dihydrogen phosphate—study of crystal structures, vibrational spectra and thermal behavior

Aminoguanidinium(1+) dihydrogen phosphate was prepared by crystallization from aqueous solution. On the basis of the results of DSC measurements, X-ray structural analysis was carried out at temperatures of 160, 215 and 293 K for three aminoguanidinium(1+) dihydrogen phosphate phases ( |Z=2|non-ferroic |melting point 408 K; II |201-222 K|(2) |Z=2|non-ferroic|-; III |<201 K|(2)|Z=4|non-ferroic|-). The triclinic unit cell dimensions (a=6.8220(2), b=7.1000(2), c=7.4500(2) Å, α=86.925(2)°, β=80.731(2)°, γ=79.630(2)°, V=350.21(2) Å³—phase I) are similar for all three structural phases with the exception of phase III, where doubling of the c-axis length leads to an increase in the volume to 692.34(3) Å³. The crystal structure of all three modifications consists of parallel layers of dihydrogen phosphate anions that are interconnected by aminoguanidinium(1+) cations through hydrogen bonds of the N-H…O type. The planar aminoguanidinium(1+) cations are oriented almost parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the anion layers. The primary differences amongst phases I, II and III lie in the location of the H atom in the short O-H…O bonds connecting the dihydrogen phosphate anions in layers. The FTIR and FT Raman spectra of natural and deuterated compounds were recorded and interpreted. The FTIR spectra were studied down to a temperature of 90 K.     

Nitrite catalyzes reductive nitrosylation of the water-soluble Ferri-Heme model FeIII(TPPS) to FeII(TPPS)(NO)

Quantitative investigation of the reaction of the ferri-heme model compound Fe(III)(TPPS)(H(2)O)(2) (1) to give Fe(II)(TPPS)(NO) (2) (TPPS = tetra(4-sulfonato-phenyl)porphinato) in buffered aqueous solution demonstrates a slow pH-independent reductive nitrosylation pathway in the pH range 4-6. The rate of this reaction is subject to modest general base catalysis. In the course of this study, a surprising catalytic pathway whereby nitrite ion (NO(2)(-)) strongly catalyzes the reduction of 1 to 2 under reductive nitrosylation conditions was demonstrated.     

Configuration and E/Z interconversion mechanism of O(S)-allyl-S(O)-methyl-N-(acridin-9-yl) iminothiocarbonate

The configuration and dynamic behavior of O-allyl-S-methyl-N-(acridin-9-yl)iminothiocarbonate (1) and its S-allyl-O-methyl regioisomer (2) were studied using quantum chemical calculations and by applying a novel graphical method to scatter maps obtained from MD simulations for evaluation of an NOE-weighted internuclear distance (r(NOE)). Energy calculations indicated that the Z configuration was predominant for each compound and, further, this was supported both by the calculated chemical shifts and the r(NOE). Both N-inversion- and rotation-type transition-state structures were also calculated for the E/Z isomerization process, the results indicating that the preferred interconversion mechanism for 1 is N-inversion, but contrastingly, interconversion via rotation is equally as probable as N-inversion for 2. This supports the notion that one or the other or both pathways can be active and each system needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.     

Exploratory studies aimed at a synthesis of vinigrol. 3. Evaluation of a lactone bridge as a conformational lock

Evaluated in the present investigation are possible synthetic approaches to vinigrol based on the involvement of lactone rings as tools for the conformational rigidification of functionalized cis-octalins. Emphasis was placed on the structural arrangements resident in 3 and 5. The first of these systems proved to be highly strained and inaccessible. Especially notable was the finding that hydroxy ketenes 14 and 21 could be isolated and shown not to be amenable to cyclization when heated. The stereo-controlled assembly of 5 was successfully accomplished through exploitation of a related synthetic pathway. However, neither this attractive intermediate nor its close relative 33 could be processed in a manner that delivered the vinigrol framework. Nonetheless, several features of the routes deployed offer the prospect of wider application in other contexts.     

Spectrophotometric determination of ethanol by an enzymatic method with 2, 2'-azino-di(3-ethylbenzthiazo- line-6-sulfonate)

The method is based on the oxidation of ethanol in the presence of alcohol oxidase, followed by oxidation of 2,2'-azino-di(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) in the presence of peroxidase.     

Asymmetrical nonbridgehead nitrogen-17: Complete separation into antipodes and absolute configuration of chiralic n-alkoxyisoxazolidines

trans-Stereospecificity of the amidation of 1-alkoxyisoxazolidine-3,3-dicarboxylic ester (1) has been elucidated. Alkaline hydrolysis of monester 4 yielded the salt 6 which after its ion exchange in the form of S(?) and R-(+)-phenylethylammonium salts was completely separated into the enantiomeric salts (+10 and ?10). Esterification and amidation of these salts afforded antipodes 2 S-( +12) and 2 R-( ?12) containing only a nitrogen asymmetric center. Optical purities of the products were established on the basis of their NMR spectra with shift-reagent. Molecular and crystal structure as well as an absolute configuration of +10 were detected by means of X-ray analysis.     

Functional characterization of two-dimensional gel-separated proteins using sequential staining

Proteins separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis can be visualized using various protein staining methods. This is followed by downstream procedures, such as image analysis, gel spot cutting, protein digestion, and mass spectrometry (MS), to characterize protein expression profiles within cells, tissues, organisms, or body fluids. Characterizing specific post-translational modifications on proteins using MS of peptide fragments is difficult and labor-intensive. Recently, specific staining methods have been developed and merged into the 2-D gel platform so that not only general protein patterns but also patterns of phosphorylated and glycosylated proteins can be obtained. We used the new Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein dye technology for the fluorescent detection of phosphoproteins directly in 2-D gels of mouse leukocyte proteins, and Pro-Q Emerald 488 glycoprotein dye to detect glycoproteins. These two fluorescent stains are compatible with general protein stains, such as SYPRO Ruby stain. We devised a sequential procedure using Pro-Q Diamond (phosphoprotein), followed by Pro-Q Emerald 488 (glycoprotein), followed by SYPRO Ruby stain (general protein stain), and finally silver stain for total protein profile. This multiple staining of the proteins in a single gel provided parallel determination of protein expression and preliminary characterization of post-translational modifications of proteins in individual spots on 2-D gels. Although this method does not provide the same degree of certainty as traditional MS methods of characterizing post-translational modifications, it is much simpler, faster, and does not require sophisticated equipment and expertise in MS.     

Ground-state properties and static dipole polarizabilities of the alkali dimers from K2 n to Fr2 n(n=0,+1) from scalar relativistic pseudopotential coupled cluster and density functional studies

The newly adjusted energy-consistent nine-valence-electron pseudopotentials for K to Fr are used to calculate spectroscopic properties for the neutral and positively charged alkali dimers using coupled cluster and density functional theory. For the neutral dimers the static dipole polarizability was calculated. The coupled cluster results are all in excellent agreement with experimental values. The density functionals used can give quite different spectroscopic properties especially for the dipole polarizability, with the Perdew-Wang PW91 functional performing best.