Room temperature, high-yield synthesis of multiple shapes of gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution

A seed-mediated growth method was used to control the morphology and dimensions of Au nanocrystals by the manipulation of the experimental parameters in aqueous solution at room temperature. This chemical route produces various structural architectures with rod-, rectangle-, hexagon-, cube-, triangle-, and starlike profiles and branched (such as bi-, tri-, tetra-, and multipod) Au nanocrystals of various dimensions in high yield in the presence of a single surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.     

Conformational effects on vibronic spectra and excited state dynamics of 3-fluorobenzoic acid dimer

Two conformational isomers of 3-fluorobenzoic acid dimer (3-FBA(2)) have been identified in a supersonic jet expansion by use of laser-induced fluorescence excitation (FE), UV-UV hole-burning, and dispersed fluorescence (DF) spectroscopic methods. In the FE spectrum, the S(1) origins of the two isomeric species appear at a frequency gap of only 24 cm(-1), and the vibronic intensities of the redshifted dimer (dimer I) are about two times weaker than those of dimer II. However, ab initio quantum chemistry calculations at the MP2/6-31G(**) level of theory predict that all the isomeric species of 3-FBA(2) have almost the same binding energy (approximately 17 kcal/mol) in the ground state. Furthermore, unlike benzoic acid dimer, the present system shows intense activity for a low-frequency mode in both the FE and DF spectra. With the aid of DFT (B3LYP/6-311G(**)) predicted normal mode frequencies, we have assigned the mode to the in-plane gear (cogwheel) vibration of the cyclic hydrogen-bonded frame of the dimer. The Franck-Condon profiles for vibronic excitation of the mode indicate that the distortion of the cyclic hydrogen bond frame as a result of S(1)<--S(0) excitation is larger for dimer I than dimer II. Moreover, the fluorescence lifetime at the S(1) zero-point level of the former is also significantly smaller than the latter. Using the predictions of configuration interaction singles calculations, we have proposed that the spectral and dynamical differences between the two isomeric species observed in this study are manifestations of the different characteristics of their S(1) surfaces. By measuring FE, DF, and hole-burning spectra of a mixed dimer between 3-fluobenzoic acid and benzoic acid we have shown that the isomeric features in the homodimer spectra are due to two locally excited rotamers of the 3-fluorobenzoic acid moiety.     

Role of dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent for vinyl polymerization

Dimethyl sulfoxide has been used as a solvent in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene. The chain-transfer coefficients of the solvent and the values of δ [i.e., (2k_t)^1/2/k_p] in solvent-monomer mixtures of various compositions were determined. δ was observed to be dependent on the solvent concentration in the case of methyl methacrylate but remained constant in case of styrene. The lowering of the values of δ with increasing solvent concentration in case of methyl methacrylate has been attributed to an interaction between the solvent and poly(methyl methacrylate) radical resulting in lower termination rate.     

Molecular and absolute crystal structure of pindolol-1-(1H-indol-4-yloxy)-3-[(1-methylethyl)amino]-2-propanol: A specific beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist with partial agonist activity

The crystal and molecular structure of pindolol, 1-(1H indol-4-yloxy)-3-[(1-methylethyl)amino]-2-propanol, has been determined by direct methods. Crystals are tetragonal, ,a=b=15.809(4),c=11.246(2) Å,Z=8,D _c=1.174 mg m^–3. The finalR-factor for 2271 reflections withI>2(I) is 0.038. Refinement by full-matrix least-squares on F² also enabled the absolute configuration of the structure to be established. The molecule is essentially planar, including much of the side-chain which is stabilized by the existence of two intramolecular H-bonds, between the ethyl oxygen and OH group, and between the OH and side-chain amide groups, respectively. The crystal structure is formed by three intermolecular hydrogen bonds including two side-chain-side-chain interactions, between ethyl oxygen to amide and OH to amide, and an interaction between the side-chain OH to indole NH.     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate with cupric laurate–benzoin system as initiator

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by cupric laurate in combination with benzoin has been investigated in carbon tetrachloride medium at 60°C. The rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to the square root of both cupric ion and benzoin concentrations, and to the 1.5th power of the monomer concentration. Spectral studies indicated that there is a complex formation between cupric ion and the monomer methyl methacrylate. A reaction scheme, based on initial formation of the complex and its subsequent reaction with benzoin to produce the free radicals responsible for initiation has been postulated to explain the observed results.     

Aerial oxidation of primary alcohols and amines catalyzed by Cu(II) complexes of 2,2'-selenobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) providing [O,Se,O]-donor atoms

Seven copper(II)-complexes 1-7 with the ligand 2,2'-selenobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) providing [O,Se,O]-donor atoms have been isolated and characterized. Three of them 1, 2 and 3 are mononuclear, two 4 and 7 dinuclear and 5, 6 are trinuclear. The crystal structures of the complexes were determined by X-ray diffraction and the electronic structures were established by various physical methods including EPR and variable temperature (2-290 K) susceptibility measurements. The magnetic behaviour of the compounds 4-6 exhibits antiferromagnetic exchange coupling resulting in well-isolated S(t)= 1/2 ground state for 5 and 6 and a diamagnetic spin state for 4. Complexes 5 and 6 belong to the class of asymmetric trinuclear copper(II) complexes modelling the trinuclear copper site in multicopper oxidases. Complex 1 is a catalyst in the presence of a strong base for the aerial oxidation of primary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes. A dinuclear complex, seemed to be 4, prepared in situ has been found to be a catalyst for the aerial oxidation of primary amines containing alpha-C-H atoms. Primary kinetic isotope effects show that H-abstraction from the alpha-carbon atom of a coordinated substrate (alcoholato or amine) is the rate-determining step in both cases. Two functional models for the metalloenzymes galactose oxidase and amine oxidases are thus described.     

Stereoselective syntheses of (−)-chloramphenicol and (+)-thiamphenicol

Chloramphenicol and thiamphenicol have been enantioselectively synthesized using an asymmetric halohydrin reaction as a key step. In particular, halomethoxylation reaction was used, where O-methyl functions as a hydroxyl protecting group and eliminates an additional protection step.     

Molecular pair potential of chiral amino acid amphiphile in Langmuir monolayers on the basis of an atomistic model

In the present work, the pair potential of enantiomeric N-palmitoyl aspartic acid amphiphile monolayer at the air/water interface is calculated based on an atomistic model. The molecular structure and partial charges are calculated using two semi empirical (PM3, AM1) and one empirical (Gasteiger and Marcili) methods. A distance-dependent dielectric function is used to represent the interfacial dielectric constant at the aqueous subphase. The present study indicates that a pair of molecules have favorable interaction at specific ranges of mutual orientations. Other orientations are favorable but at larger separations. Favorable electrostatic interaction at a specific combination of orientation and short separations of the head groups significantly contribute to the total energy. The curvature of the domain boundary is suggested to be driven by the favorable arrangement which is dependent on the pair potential of molecules. The use of charges obtained by the PM3 and GM do not lead to a significant variation of the orientation-dependent features, while the AM1 predicts higher partial charges and interactions are stronger than the former two methods. However, orientation-dependent features remain the same. The variations in the LJ parameters and charges indicate that the conclusions made are insensitive to the choice of parameters. The mutual favorable interaction predicted by calculation agree with the handedness of curvature of domains.     

Interaction of adenine and thymine with aqueous sugar solutions

The solubility of the nucleic acid bases, adenine and thymine, in aqueous erythritol, xylose, glucose, and sucrose solutions has been studied. The solubility of adenine increases linearly with glucose and sucrose concentration, whereas with the other reagents a nonlinear increase is observed. Below 1.5M reagent concentration, the solubility of adenine increases in the order erythritol < robose, xylose < glucose < sucrose. The solubility of thymine in these solutions, on the other hand, decreases, increases, or does not change depending upon the reagent. The effect of temperature on the solubility of adenine and thymine in sugar solution indicates that the transfer of these molecules from water to sugar solution is exothermic.Presented in part at the VIIth All-India Symposium in Biophysics held at Visva Bharati University during October 1976.     

Effects of concentration, relative permittivity, and temperature on the solution behavior of sodium carboxymethylcellulose as probed by electrical conductivity

Precise measurements on the electrical conductivity of solutions of sodium salt of carboxymethylcellulose in acetonitrile/water mixed-solvent media containing 10, 20, and 40 vol % of acetonitrile are reported as a function of temperature. The degree of substitution of carboxymethylcellulose used was 0.70, and the concentrations were varied from approximately 1 x 10(-4) to approximately 1 x 10(-2) equiv L(-1). The results showed a decrease in the equivalent conductivity with increasing polyelectrolyte concentration. The applicability of Manning's theory for salt-free polyelectrolyte solutions was examined, and a major discrepancy against the theory was observed. The calculated values of the equivalent conductivity deduced on the basis of this theory were found to be higher than the experimental ones. Possible reasons for this discrepancy have been discussed. The fractions of uncondensed counterions were evaluated, and these were found to depend on the polyelectrolyte concentration. The effects of the temperature and relative permittivity of the medium on the equivalent conductivity as well as on the fraction of uncondensed counterions were also investigated.