Coupling of narrow-bore liquid chromatography to thin-layer chromatography : Part 2. Application of fluorescence-based spectroscopic techniques for off-line detection

The effluent from a narrow-bore liquid chromatographic (l.c.) separation can be immobilized on thin-layer chromatographic (t.l.c.) plates with little loss of resolution. The deposited compounds are then available for further inspection. For off-line detection, direct fluorescence emission, fluorescence excitation emission spectra, and fluorescence line-narrowing spectroscopy are investigated with tetracene and benz[k] fluoranthene as model compounds. Detection based on direct emission measurements and on measurements for which complete spectra are obtained for the separated compounds, is suitable for identification and determination. Detection limits are of the same order of magnitude as those for on-line detection in narrow-bore l.c. The fluorescence spectra of immobilized compounds can be obtained with a conventional fluorescence spectrometer equipped with a solid-sample accessory. No other special apparatus is needed. The immobilized chromatogram is also suitable for techniques incompatible with flow systems, e.g., fluorescence line-narrowing spectroscopy, which yields fluorescence spectra via laser excitation of low-temperature solid samples. Very selective narrow-line fluorescence spectra were obtained for tetracene deposited on t.l.c. plates in amounts down to the low picogram level.     

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical studies of the heterometallic diclusters [{Fe2(μ-CO)(CO)6(μ-PPh2)Au}2(diphosphine)] (diphosphine=dppm, dppip, dppe, dppp)

Treatment of [(ClAu)₂(diphosphine)] {diphosphine=bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm), bis(diphenylphosphino)isopropane (dppip), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp)} with two equivalents of the anion [Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)]⁻ in the presence of TlBF₄ gives the new heterometallic diclusters [{Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)Au}₂(diphosphine)] that have been isolated and characterized. Their ³¹P-NMR spectra show different patterns as a function of the diphosphine ligand. The electrochemical behavior of these compounds has been investigated and compared with that of the mono- [Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)(μ-AuPPh₃)] and tricluster [{Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)Au}₃(triphos)] derivatives.     

Statistical experimental design-driven discovery of room-temperature conditions for palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides

A combination of Pd₂(dba)₃·CHCl₃ (0.5 mol %) and commercially available, air-stable phosphonium salt [(t-Bu)₃PH]BF₄ (1.4 mol %) in a presence of Zn powder and Zn(CN)₂ as the cyanide source comprises an extremely efficient catalyst system for the cyanation of a diverse array of aryl bromides, at room temperature. This result emerged from an experimental strategy that combines the advantages of parallel, automated experimentation with the design of experiments (DOE) for the effective definition of an optimal set of reaction conditions.     

RNA integrity as a quality indicator during the first steps of RNP purifications : A comparison of yeast lysis methods

Background  

The completion of several genome-sequencing projects has increased our need to assign functions to newly identified genes. The presence of a specific protein domain has been used as the determinant for suggesting a function for these new genes. In the case of proteins that are predicted to interact with mRNA, most RNAs bound by these proteins are still unknown. In yeast, several protocols for the identification of protein-protein interactions in high-throughput analyses have been developed during the last years leading to an increased understanding of cellular proteomics. If any of these protocols or similar approaches shall be used for the identification of mRNA-protein complexes, the integrity of mRNA is a critical factor.     

Simultaneous determination of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper by UV-visible spectrophotometry with multivariate calibration

A method for the simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of the divalent ions of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper based on the formation of their complexes with 1,5-bis(di-2-pyridylmethylene) thiocarbonohydrazide (DPTH) is proposed. The resolution of quaternary mixtures of these metallic ions was accomplished by several chemometric approaches. A comparative study of the results obtained for simultaneous determinations in mixture by using principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares regression (PLS-1 and PLS-2) for absorbance, first-derivative and second-derivative data is presented. In general, the best recovery values are obtained by the PLS-2 method for absorbance data. This procedure allows the simultaneous determination of the cited ions in alloys and biological materials Good reliability of the determination was proved.     

Counterion distributions and effective interactions of spherical polyelectrolyte brushes

We consider the electrosteric repulsion of colloidal particles whose surface carries a dense layer of long polyelectrolyte chains (spherical polyelectrolyte brushes). The theory of electrosteric repulsion of star polyelectrolytes developed recently is augmented to include particles with a finite core radius. It is shown that most of the counterions are confined within the brush layer. The strong osmotic pressure thus created within the brush layer dominates the repulsive interaction between two such particles. Because of this the pair interaction potential between spherical polyelectrolyte brushes can be given in terms of an analytic expression. The theoretical predictions are compared with available experimental data and semi-quantitative agreement between the two is found.     

A model for energy transfer in inelastic molecular collisions applicable at steady state or non-steady state and for an arbitrary distribution of collision energies

A new model for energy exchange between translational and internal degrees of freedom in atom-molecule collisions has been developed. It is suitable for both steady state conditions (e.g., a large number of collisions with thermal kinetic energies) and non-steady state conditions with an arbitrary distribution of collision energies (e.g., single high-energy collisions). In particular, it does not require that the collision energies be characterized by a quasi-thermal distribution, but nevertheless it is capable of producing a Boltzmann distribution of internal energies with the correct internal temperature under quasi-thermal conditions. The energy exchange is described by a transfer probability density that depends on the initial relative kinetic energy, the internal energy of the molecule, and the amount of energy transferred. The probability density for collisions that lead to excitation is assumed to decrease exponentially with the amount of transferred energy. The probability density for de-excitation is obtained from microscopic reversibility. The model has been implemented in the ion trap simulation program ITSIM and coupled with an Rice-Rampsberger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) algorithm to describe the unimolecular dissociation of populations of ions. Monte Carlo simulations of collisional energy transfer are presented. The model is validated for non-steady state conditions and for steady state conditions, and the effect of the kinetic energy dependence of the collision cross-section on internal temperature is discussed. Applications of the model to the problem of chemical mass shifts in RF ion trap mass spectrometry are shown.     

Active species of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and cytochrome P450: two electronic chameleons

The active site of HRP Compound I (Cpd I) is modeled using hybrid density functional theory (UB3LYP). The effects of neighboring amino acids and of environmental polarity are included. The low-lying states have porphyrin radical cationic species (Por(*)(+)). However, since the Por(*)(+) species is a very good electron acceptor, other species, which can be either the ligand or side chain amino acid residues, may participate in electron donation to the Por(*)(+) moiety, thereby making Cpd I behave like a chemical chameleon. Thus, this behavior that was noted before for Cpd I of P450 is apparently much more wide ranging than initially appreciated. Since chemical chameleonic behavior property was found to be expressed not only in the properties of Cpd I itself, but also in its reactivity, the roots of this phenomenon are generalized. A comparative discussion of Cpd I species follows for the enzymes HRP, CcP, APX, CAT (catalase), and P450.     

Stereoselective hydroxylation of an achiral cyclopentanecarboxylic acid derivative using engineered P450s BM-3

Substrate engineered, achiral carboxylic acid derivative was biohydroxylated with various mutants of cytochrome P450 BM-3 to give two out of the four possible diastereoisomers in high de and ee. The BM-3 mutants exhibit up to 9200 total turnovers for hydroxylation of the engineered substrate, which without the protecting group is not transformed by this enzyme.