Synthesis and molecular structure of new acyclic analogues of nucleotides with a 1,2-alkadienic skeleton

Reaction of 1-chloro-4-(diethoxyphosphonyl)alka-2,3-dienes 14,15 with purine and pyrimidine heterocyclic bases in the presence of cesium carbonate afforded new acyclic analogues of nucleotides containing a 1,2-alkadienic skeleton 18-23. Dealkylation of 18-23 furnished phosphonic acids 2a-f. In contrast, alkylation reaction with 1-chloro-4-(diethoxyphosphonyl)octa-2,3-diene 16 led to Z- and E-1,3-alkadienic phosphonates 25a,b and 26a,b. A similar reaction with 1-chloro-4-(diethoxyphosphonyl)-2-methylbuta-2,3-diene 17 led to the elimination of hydrochloride and formation of 4-(diethylphosphonyl)-2-methylbut-1-en-3-yne 24. Molecular structures of new acyclic nucleotides 18 and 2f are determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Organic matter transformation in the environment investigated by quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy: studies on lignins

The lignins separated from angiosperm and gymnosperm trees, peat and xylitic brown coal were investigated by quantitative EPR. Observed free radicals in lignins are sensitive to alkaline environment. Gaseous ammonia interacting with solid lignins in resonance cavity shifts quinone-hydroquinone equilibria towards formation of semiquinone anions. Complexation of copper(II) by lignins causes drastic decrease of the semiquinones in the matrices. Formation of lignin-Pb(II) complexes yielded radicals characterised by unusually low g-value (1.9999-2.0003). Monomeric structural units of the investigated lignins were recognised by pyrolysis with in situ methylation by tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Although for the natural lignins the mixture of normal semiquinone signals at g about 2.0034 and signals at g 1.9999 were observed, some monomeric components of lignins (e.g., caffeic acid, pyrogallol) gave pure lines at g = 1.9999. The bacterial oxidative biodegradation of lignin monomeric components and their Pb(II) complexes resulted in increase of the radical signals.     

Normal mode analysis of oligomeric proteins: Reduction of the memory requirement by consideration of rigid geometry and molecular symmetry

A method is presented to reduce the memory requirement of normal mode analysis applied to systems containing two or more large proteins when these systems exhibit symmetry properties. We use a rigid geometry model (i.e., only the dihedral angles of the polypeptide chain are considered as variables). This model allows a reduction by a factor of 8 on average of the number of variables with a concomitant freezing of the high-frequency modes. The symmetry properties of the system are used to reduce further the number of variables that must be considered in the computation. Application of group theory leads to a factorization of the matrices of interest (the coefficient and the Hessian matrices) into independent blocks along the diagonal. The initial, reducible representation is thus transformed into a number of irreducible representations of smaller dimensions. In the case of the C₂ symmetry group, the method leads to a reduction of the size of the matrices that must be manipulated during the computation (coefficient matrix, Hessian matrix, and eigenvectors matrix) by a factor of 256 compared with the usual normal mode analysis in Cartesian coordinate space. The method is particularly well adapted to the study of the dynamics of oligomeric proteins because these proteins often display symmetry properties (e.g., virus coat proteins, immunoglobulins, hemoglobin, etc.). In favorable cases, in conjunction with X-ray diffuse scattering data, the study of systems showing allosteric properties might be considered. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the origin of geminal regioselectivity in the ene reaction of singlet oxygen with substituted alkenes

The geminal regioselectivity observed in the ene reaction between singlet oxygen and alkenes with anion-stabilizing groups is rationalized on the basis of a perepoxide intermediate, in which in analogy to the nucleophilic attack on protonated epoxides, the perepoxide is opened preferentially at the C---O bond weakened by the substituent.     

Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of clomazone residues in surface water

A method is described for the determination of clomazone residues in surface water by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The method involves solid-phase extraction with C18 extraction tubes. Clomazone was separated on a C18 column with a mobile phase of methanol-water (65:35, v/v) at pH 4.0 and a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. After optimization of the extraction and separation conditions, the method was validated. The method developed can be used for determination of clomazone in surface water, at the limit of 0.1 mcirog/l set by the European Union drinking water directive, with a 400-fold preconcentration.     

A practical approach to transferring linear gradient elution methods

Attempts to theoretically address the problems involved in transferring linear gradient elution methods have been somewhat ad hoc due to the simplifying assumptions usually made in conventional gradient elution theory. Until now, all equations based on the k* parameter of linear gradient elution theory used as the basis for predicting the separation selectivity have not explicitly included the effect of the dwell volume (VD). Using an exact equation for predicting k*, that is, one which fully accounts in an a priori fashion for VD, we find a set of simple yet exact equations which unequivocally must be satisfied to transfer an optimized linear gradient elution method from one system (column or instrument or both) to another. These relationships absolutely mandate that a change in the instrument dwell volume requires a proportional change in the column volume; in turn, a change in the column volume requires a proportional change in the flow rate and/or gradient time to maintain a constant gradient steepness. Although we are not the first to suggest these guidelines, this work provides a complete theoretical foundation for these exact guidelines for the maintenance of gradient selectivity for the case of transferring a linear gradient elution method between different columns packed with the same particles and/or between different instruments.     

Three-dimensional self-assembly of metallic rods with submicron diameters using magnetic interactions

Metallic rods with submicron diameters that contain disklike ferromagnetic sections self-assemble into highly stable, hexagonally close-packed arrays of rods. The rods were fabricated by electrodeposition in porous alumina membranes and comprised alternating sections of gold and nickel. The thicknesses of the ferromagnetic nickel sections were approximately one-half the diameter of the rods (400 nm); this geometry orients the "easy" axis of magnetization perpendicular to the long axis of the rod. After magnetization of the rods with a rare-earth magnet, followed by sonication of the suspension, the rods spontaneously assembled into three-dimensional (3D) bundles that, on average, contained 15-30 rods. A macroscopic model of the rods suggests that the most stable orientation of the magnetic dipoles for rods in a defect-free, hexagonally close-packed arrangement is in concentric rings with the dipoles oriented head-to-tail. This configuration minimizes the energy of the bundle and does not generate a net dipole for the structure. This work provides a simple demonstration that magnetic interactions between ferromagnetic objects can direct and stabilize the formation of ordered, 3D structures by self-assembly.     

Supercritical fluid extraction of flumetralin in tobacco

Summary This work evaluates the level of Flumetralin residues in real tobacco samples. Conventional extraction methods were compared with SFE methods in both static and dynamic modes using CO₂ and CO₂ with modifier. Additionally, in the dynamic SFE mode, different collection approaches, such as collection at room temperature without solvent, collection at room temperature in the presence of solvent (hexane) and collection in an ice bath, without solvent, were studied. SFE showed itself to be a promising extraction technique for pesticide residues in tobacco samples.     

Expeditious synthesis of porphyrin-cobaltacarborane conjugates

Two porphyrin-cobaltacarborane conjugates and were prepared in high yields via a nucleophilic ring-opening reaction of . These novel boron-rich and fluorescent compounds have potential application as boron delivery agents for the boron neutron capture therapy of tumors.     

Competitive adsorption and desorption of a bi-solute mixture: effect of activated carbon type

This study aims to clarify the effects of carbon activation type and physical form on the extent of adsorption capacity and desorption capacity of a bi-solute mixture of phenol and 2-chlorophenol (2-CP). For this purpose, two different PACs; thermally activated Norit SA4 and chemically activated Norit CA1, and their granular countertypes with similar physical characteristics, thermally activated Norit PKDA and chemically activated Norit CAgran, were used. The thermally activated carbons were better adsorbers for phenol and 2-CP compared with chemically activated carbons, but adsorption was more reversible in the latter case. 2-CP was adsorbed preferentially by each type of activated carbon, but adsorption of phenol was strongly suppressed in the presence of 2-CP. The simplified ideal adsorbed solution (SIAS) model underestimated the 2-CP loadings and overestimated the phenol loadings. However, the improved and modified forms of the SIAS model could better predict the competitive adsorption. The type of carbon activation was decisive in the application of these models. For each activated carbon type, phenol was desorbed more readily in the bi-solute case, but desorption of 2-CP was less compared with single-solute. This was attributed to higher energies of 2-CP adsorption.