Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Cysteine and Cystine at a Carbon-Paste Electrode Modified with Ruthenium(IV) Oxide

The electrocatalytic activity of ruthenium(IV) oxide incorporated into a carbon-paste electrode was studied in the oxidation of cysteine and cystine. The oxidation potentials of the amino acids decreased and the current peaks of their oxidation increased at a modified electrode as compared to an unmodified one. Procedures for the voltammetric determination of cysteine and cystine with the use of electrodes chemically modified with ruthenium(IV) oxide were proposed.     

Evaluation of the Use of QSARS for Priority Setting and Risk Assessment

Abstract Impending changes in EEC legislation have accelerated the need to define the principles and practical considerations of the use of QSARs in priority setting and risk assessment. It is important to delineate the limitations of this approach and to review whether and how this information should be used in the risk assessment. The value and limitations of QSARs for use in priority setting and risk assessment will not be discussed in detail since the European Chemical Industry Ecology and Toxicology Centre (ECETOC) has only recently established a Task Force to tackle this issue. The terms of reference of the Task Force are: (1) compare the predictions obtained with QSARs to measured data using ECETOC databases and other sources of data and comment on the validity and applicability of such QSARs; (2) identify and review software packages which are available for accessing and using appropriate QSARs; (3) identify those aspects of environmental distribution, fate and effects where the further development of QSARs is desirable and feasible; and (4) provide a scientific basis for ECETOC's contribution to the activities of the European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) in this area. In this short paper, only an initial and personal evaluation is made of when and where to use QSARs in the priority setting and risk assessment process within the regulatory framework. Some critical remarks and suggestions are provided to guide future developments and integration of QSARs in the risk assessment process.     

Physico-Chemistry of the Limestone Sulphation Process

Aspects of the mechanism of the overall reaction between CaCO₃/CaO and SO₂/SO₃ under oxidizing conditions are discussed. The limestone and lime sulphation processes were carried out in a thermobalance under conditions relevant to atmospheric fluidized bed combustion. Sulphated samples, prepared in the form of cross-section particles, were examined in a scanning electron microscope by energy-dispersive X-ray and back-scattered electron imaging. Photomicrographs are presented. The reaction proceeded from the outer surface of the particles and along the pores. Surface textural changes during the reaction were considered. The layer of products was identified as controlling both the rate and extent of limestone/lime sulphation. In the products, two sulphur-bearing solids (CaSO₄ and CaS) were identified. The presence of CaS, which may cause difficulties in practice, is attributed to CaSO₃ disproportionation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Preparation of Y2Ba4Cu7O15-δ Superconductor without High Oxygen Pressure

The synthesis of bulk Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ superconductor at atmospheric oxygen pressure via solid state sintering is reported. Temperature ranging from 860 to 890 °C as well as time interval over 2 to 15 days were used to investigate the formation of the Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase. A time-temperature profile characterizing the conditions for the preparation of Y₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15-δ phase suggests the optimal condition to be sintering at 890 °C for over 10 days. Detailed results of X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, iodometric titration and magnetization measurements are described.     

CHARGE TRANSFER ACROSS PIGMENTED BILAYER LIPID MEMBRANE AND ITS INTERFACES

Abstract— The technique of forming bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) has made it possible to study photoreactions of pigments in an environment that is much closer to those in photosynthetic and visual membranes. A pigmented BLM system with Mg²⁺-porphyrins as membrane-bound pigments and with ferricyanide and ferrocyanide as the aqueous electron acceptor and donor, respectively, was used to illustrate the photoelectric effects due to coupled interfacial charge transfer reactions.
The steady-state continuous photoresponse was studied by means of the voltage clamp method and a null current method. The independence of the pigment conductance channel and the ionic conductance channel was demonstrated. A tunable voltage clamp method was used to study the transient pulsed photoresponses. Such a measurement permits us to characterize the photosystem in terms of an equivalent circuit model which contains a novel chemical capacitance. Molecular interpretation of this equivalent circuit model was given.
A microscopic model based on the Gouy–Chapman theory and chemical kinetics calculation leads to an equivalent circuit which is also equivalent to the previous one. Generalization of this microscopic model further leads to a physical mechanism of the generation of the early receptor potential (ERP) in visual membranes. Relevance of pigmented BLM research to photosynthesis and other disciplines was also discussed.     

Intramolecular metal—double bond interactions : VII. Intramolecular cyclization of alkenyl derivatives of lithium,aluminum, gallium and indium

The intramolecular cyclization reactions of tri-1-hex-5-enyl Group III derivatives and of 1-hex-5-enyllithium have been investigated and it is proposed that the reactions may be depicted as internal addition across the terminal double bonds of the alkenyl species. The cyclization reaction proceeds more readily for the 1-hex-5-enyl derivatives than for any other chain length and is dependent on temperature, concentration and solvent. ¹H NMR data and cryoscopic molecular weight data are presented for several diisobutyialkenyl- and diisobutylalkyl-aluminum derivatives. These data have been interpreted in terms of a direct intramolecular interaction between the metal center and the π-electron system of the olefinic site. The intramolecular cyclization reactions for the 1-hept-6-enyl, 1-oct-7-enyl- and 1-undec-10-enylaluminum derivatives also were investigated and it was found that cyclization occurred only for the 1-hept-6-enyl derivative.     

Chloride, -Hydride and -Borohydride Derivatives of Difluorenyl Thallium(III)

Chloride¹), borohydrides²) and hydrides³) of dicyclopentadienyl thallium (III) and diindenyl thallium (III) have already been reported. The present communication deals with a study on the preparation and characterization of difluorenyl thallium (III) chloride, -hydride and -borohydride.     

19F-Kernresonanzuntersuchungen an Imidoschwefeloxiddifluoriden

¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance studies on imidosulphuroxide difluorides Non equivalent fluorine atoms bounded to hexavalent sulphur of the NSOF₂ group in thionyl compounds give extreme AB-spectra.     

NMR studies on the stereospecific polymerization of methyl vinyl ether. Part I. Polymerization by metal halides: Penultimate effect

Methyl vinyl ether (MVE) was polymerized under various conditions by BF₃·O(C₂H₅)₂ and SnCl₄·CCl₃CO₂H catalysts. The effect of polymerization conditions on the steric structure of poly(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE) was studied by NMR spectra. It was found that the triad isotacticity of PMVE decreased and the syndiotacticity and heterotacticity increased with increasing polarity of the solvent and increasing polymerization temperature. This result coincided with the qualitative conclusion estimated from softening point and infrared spectra. However, the variation of tacticity by the change of the polarity of a solvent was not so large as expected. There was no large difference between the behavior of BF₃·O(C₂H₅)₂ and SnCl₄·CCl₃CO₂H as catalysts. From the relation between the difference of free energy of monomer addition due to the steric structure of the polymer and the polymerization temperature, it was concluded that the penultimate effect really existed and was due to only the difference in enthalpy in the MVE–BF₃. O(C₂H₅)₂ or MVE–SnCl₄·CCl₃CO₂H systems. The penultimate effect was not greatly changed by the polymerization conditions in these systems.     

Skeletal reactions of perfluoromethylethyl- and perfluorodiethylbenzocyclobutenes with 1,1- and 1,2-alkyl groups in SbF5

Taking perfluoro-1,1-dialkylbenzocyclobutenes as examples, it has been shown to be possible to enlarge the four-membered ring in polyfluorobenzocyclobutenes to five-membered in the presence of SbF₅, by cleavage of the four-membered ring followed by cyclization of the resulting polyfluorostyrene to the polyfluoroindane, which then undergoes further reactions. Perfluoro-1-methyl-1-ethylbenzocyclobutene isomerizes at 50°C in the presence of SbF₅ to perfluoro-,-o -trimethylstyrene, which is reversibly converted at 130°C into perfluoro-1,2-dimethylindane. Perfluoro-l,l-diethylbenzocyclobutene isomerizes at 130°C in the presence of SbF₅ to give perfluoro- -ethyl-,o -dimethylstyrene, which at 170°C gives perfluoro-2-methyl-3-ethylindene- and perfluoro-2-methyl-3-ethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindene. The last two compounds, together with perfluoro-o-dipropylbenzene, are obtained from per fluoro-1,2-diethylbenzocyclobutene-with SbF₅ at 170°C. From perfluoro-1-methyl-2-ethylbenzocyclobutene with SbF₅ at 95°C there is obtained perfluoro-1-ethylindane, while at 130°C, in addition to the latter compound, there are obtained perfluorinated 1,1-dimethylindane, 1,2-dimethylindane, ,,o-trimethylstyrene, 2,3-dimethylindene, and 2,3-dimethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindene.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1114–1120, May, 1990.