On the reliability of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity calculated from the moisture retention curve

In comparison with direct measurements of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, the methods of calculations from the moisture retention curve are attractive for their fast and simple use and low cost. These are the main reasons for their increasing use, mainly in spatial variability studies. On the other hand, it is known that their applicability is limited. The possibility of the use of the retention curve to indirectly determine hydraulic conductivities is analyzed as follows. The theoretical derivation of the relationK(h) – (h) is briefly discussed with regards to potential sources of inaccuracy. The sensitivity of the algorithm forK(h) calculation is studied as a response to possible inaccuracies in the retention curve determination. Conclusions about the usability of calculated hydraulic conductivities are drawn.     

Metal-benzene and metal-CO bond energies in neutral and ionic C6H6Cr(CO)3 studied by threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy and density functional theory

photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations have been used to investigate the dissociation kinetics of the benzene chromium tricarbonyl ion, BzCr(CO)3+ (Bz = C6H6). The dissociation of the BzCr(CO)3+ ion proceeds by the sequential loss of three CO and benzene ligands. The first and third CO and the benzene loss reactions were associated with metastable precursor ions (lifetimes in the microsecond range). By simulating the resulting asymmetric time-of-flight peak shapes and breakdown diagram, the 0 K appearance energies of the four product ions were determined to be 8.33 +/- 0.05, 8.93 +/- 0.05, 9.97 +/- 0.06, and 11.71 +/- 0.06 eV, respectively. Combined with the ionization energy of BzCr(CO)3, 7.30 +/- 0.05 eV, the three successive Cr-CO bond energies in the BzCr(CO)3+ were found to alternate, with values of 1.03 +/- 0.05, 0.60 +/- 0.05, and 1.04 +/- 0.05 eV, respectively, and the Bz-Cr bond energy in BzCr+ is 1.74 +/- 0.05 eV, a trend confirmed by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Using the heats of formation of the fully dissociated products, C6H6, Cr+, and CO, the 298 K heats of formation the ionic BzCr(CO)n+ (n = 03) species were determined. By scaling the DFT calculated bond energies for the neutral molecules, the heats of formation of the neutral BzCr(CO)n (n = 03) were also obtained.     

Conversions between ordered and disordered cellulose. Effects of mechanical treatment followed by cyclic wetting and drying

An investigation into the effects of mechanical treatment and hydration on the order of cellulose substrates (microcrystalline cellulose and Cladophora cellulose) was performed by the use of ball milling followed by cyclic wetting and drying. The results, monitored by¹³C-CP/MAS NMR-spectroscopy, were evaluated by calculation of the crystallinity indices and principal component analysis of the NMR data acquired. The results showed that a large part of the disorder induced by the mechanical treatment of cellulose by ball milling is reversible and reordering upon hydration leads to the cellulose I form initially present. The C4 signals corresponding to the reversibly disordered cellulose chains are observed in the amorphous region between 79 and 86 ppm in the¹³C-CP/MAS NMR-spectra together with signals from cellulose chains on the surface of ordered regions. The peak cluster which contains the C2, C3 and C5 ring carbons can be divided into two specific spectral regions; one between 74 and 77 ppm largely originates from ring carbons within disordered cellulose structures, and one between 70 and 74 ppm contains larger contributions from ordered cellulose. The behaviour of the celluloses upon milling is in accordance with a concept of ordered cellulose fibrils containing amorphous cellulose mainly as surface layers and induced reversible lattice distortions.     

Unexpected differences in the alpha-halogenation and related reactivity of sulfones with perhaloalkanes in KOH-t-BuOH

Most alkyl phenyl sulfones are readily alpha-chlorinated with CCl(4) and alpha-brominated with CBrCl3 in KOH-t-BuOH via radical-anion radical pair (RARP) reactions. While isopropyl mesityl sulfone (4) is easily alpha-chlorinated with CCl(4), it was completely recovered when treated with the more reactive CBrCl3. Subsequent investigations showed the latter result to be due to the poor acidity of 4 together with the rapid depletion of CBrCl3 and KOH by their reaction with each other, and led to a variety of other important results. 4-Hydroxyphenyl isopropyl sulfone (6) is unreactive with either CCl4 or CBrCl3 in KOH-t-BuOH, its phenoxide anion strongly reducing the electronegativity of the sulfonyl group, thereby inhibiting alpha-anion formation. This effect is reversed by the electron-withdrawing influence of two alpha-phenyls, so that benzhydryl 4-hydroxyphenyl sulfone (8) is readily alpha-halogenated in KOH-t-BuOH with CCl4 or CBrCl3. On further contact with KOH-t-BuOH the alpha-halogenated sulfones from 8 are decomposed into benzophenone and phenol. While the alpha-halogenated derivatives of 4-methoxyphenyl benzhydryl sulfone (9) are stable to base, they are decomposed even under mildly acidic conditions into 4-methoxyphenyl 4-methoxybenzenethiolsulfonate (9c), phenol, and benzophenone. Mono-alpha-halogenation of benzyl phenyl sulfone (10) enhances the rate of the subsequent halogenation, so that alpha,alpha-dihalogenation is attained while much substrate is still present and the mono-alpha-halogenated product is not detected. The ease of reductive debromination of alpha-bromo sulfones with Cl3C- was correlated with the stability of the formed alpha-anions, explaining the success with alpha-bromobenzylic sulfones but failure with alpha-bromoalkyl sulfones. In the presence of air and the absence of competing halogenation, formation of the alpha-anions of alkyl aryl sulfones is quickly accompanied by oxidative cleavage by atmospheric O2, leading to the formation of arenesulfonyl alcohols, arenesulfonyl halides, and haloarenes.     

Biomimetic zinc funnel complexes based on calix[6]N3ArO ligands: an acid-base switch for guest binding

The coordination chemistry of Zn in an N(3)ArOH environment has been explored. The ligands are based on calix[6]arenes that present two imidazole arms and an amino phenol moiety at the narrow rim. Three different types of complexes have been characterized. One is dicationic with Zn(2+) coordinated to the three nitrogen atoms and to the oxygen of the phenol group of the calix[6]ligand. This complex is very sensitive to exogenous coordinating molecules and exists as a 5-coordinate species due to the endo-complexation of a guest. The second species is a monocationic complex for which the phenol group has been deprotonated. The resulting N(3)ArOZn complex can also bind a guest ligand albeit with a lower affinity than the dicationic complex. The third species is neutral. It can be obtained upon reaction with a base to yield a hydroxo complex or with an anion such as a chloride that coordinates the metal center from the outside of the calixarene cavity. The simultaneous binding of two anionic donors decreases the Zn Lewis acidity, allowing an impressive conformational reorganization of the system. One imidazole arm is released by the metal center. The other one undergoes self-inclusion into the pi-basic calixarene cavity because the low affinity of the metal center for neutral ligand does not allow the endo-coordination of an exogenous guest. Hence, the calix[6]N(3)ArOH-based Zn complexes act as an acid-base switch for guest binding. Several aspects of this system appear reminiscent of Zn-peptidases of the astacin and serralisin families.     

Sequential ortho effects: characterization of novel [M - 35]+ fragment ions in the mass spectra of 2-alkyl-4, 6-dinitrophenols

High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), hybrid tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) (EBqQ), and photoelectron-photoion coincidence (PEPICO) experiments were conducted to examine a possible ortho-ortho effect resulting in a novel [M - 35]⁺ fragment ion in 2-alkyl-4, 6-dinitrophenols. For compounds having ethyl or larger alkyl substituents, [M35]⁺ was observed only when [M - 18]⁺ ions were present, with the ortho nitro group being involved in the reaction to [M- 35]⁺. For [M - 18]⁺ and [M - 35]⁺, HRMS results were consistent with losses of H₂O and H₂O + OH, respectively, whereas MS/MS results indicated a sequential reaction due to metastable dissociations. The appearance energy determined by PEPICO for [M - 35]⁺ was found to be greater than the appearance energy for [M - 18]⁺, thus supporting a sequential reaction. 69–75).     

Quantification of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the picogram/liter range in water of the river Elbe

Sampling and determination of dissolved and particlebound PCBs and HCB in the river Elbe are described. A new filtration/adsorption unit for sampling of dissolved lipophilic contaminants was developed. The detection limit for dissolved PCBs and HCB was 5 pg/l. The data show that more than 98% of the PCBs and of HCB in the water of the river Elbe are particle-bound.     

ABSORPTION SPECTRAL SHIFTS OF CAROTENOIDS RELATED TO MEDIUM POLARIZABILITY

Abstract–Solvent induced absorption spectral shifts of the electronic transition from ground 1 A_g state to the excited 1B_u state in carotenoids have been studied. It is shown that the shift depends only on dispersion interactions in non-polar solvents. In polar media there is just a small extra contribution to the red-shift, due to other forms of interactions. The spectral shifts are well described by the theory, which expresses the shift relative to the gas phase value, as a function of solvent polarizability. The main conclusion is that the dominating mechanism behind the large red-shifted absorbance of carotenoids in the proteinacous environment, in vivo, is the mutual polarizability interactions between the carotenoids and the surrounding medium. The solution-phase values of the dipole moments of the lA_g to 1B_u transitions and the differences of isotropic polarizability between 1B_u and lA_g states of carotenoids in non-polar solvents are calculated and found to be around 13 D and 360 ų respectively. From the great overlap of absorption spectra between carotenoids in quinoline and carotenoids in vivo in purple bacterial antenna complexes, it can be expected that the carotenoids are surrounded by several aromatic amino acids in vivo. Comparisons have been done between the exicted states in carotenoids and in linear conjugated polyenes.     

Cooperativity, partially bound states, and enthalpy-entropy compensation

Efforts to develop a quantitative understanding of molecular recognition rely on the additivity of individual intermolecular interactions, and cooperativity represents one of the major potential stumbling blocks. A chemical double-mutant cycle has been used to experimentally measure cooperativity between functional group interactions within a complex framework. The interaction between two aromatic groups varies by 0.2 +/- 0.4 kJ mol(-1) in synthetic H-bonded complexes that differ by 8-13 kJ mol(-1) in overall stability. In these systems, the free energies associated with individual intermolecular interactions can therefore be reliably treated in an additive fashion. The results suggest that alternative explanations should be considered for cooperative phenomena observed in other systems, and a rationale based on the population of partially bound states in flexible molecules is proposed to account for the enthalpic chelate effect and enthalpy-entropy compensation.