Sliding spark spectroscopy

Summary A new analytical radiation source combined with fiber optics linked to a diode array detection device with modified software is described. The direct-reading spectrometer simultaneously covers the wavelength range 185–510 nm with a spectral resolution of <1.5 nm. Intense optical emission is observed when positionally stable high-current surface sparks supplied by a pulse-generator with definite discharge parameters (max. 800 Ampere/pulse) are sliding over compact non-conductive materials such as plastics, glasses, quartz filters or powder pellets. Substrate vaporization, ionization and excitation processes in the surface discharge plasma channel generate emission corresponding to neutral and ionic states. The spectra are essentially composed of lines emitted by the electrode material (e.g. copper, silver), from the substrate under investigation, radiation continuum as well as structured background from the surrounding air atmosphere. Due to the occurrence of emission lines of reactive fillers, inorganic pigments and stabilizers, a rapid multi-element screening method is demonstrated. A rapid identification system (mix-up test) of PVC or fire-retardant thermoplastics within one second has been realized from the atomic emission line intensity originating from the sputtered copper electrode material according to its increased volatility in the presence of chlorine (modified Beilstein test).Puls-Plasma-Technik GmbH, Dortmund     

Bemerkungen zur Synthese von 3-Aminotoluol-5-sulfonsäure und 2-Aminotoluol-3-sulfonsäure

Some comments on the synthesis of 3-aminotoluene-5-sulfonic acid and 2-aminotoluene-3-sulfonic acid. Sulfonation of 3-nitrotoluene ( 5 ) yields predominantly the unsymetrical isomer 5-nitrotoluene-2-sulfonic acid ( 7 ), and lesser amounts of 5-nitrotoluene-3-sulfonic acid ( 6 ), previously reported as the major product. The desired 5-aminotoluene-3-sulfonic acid ( 3 ) was synthesized in preparative amounts from 6-aminotoluene-3-sulfonic acid (4) via the following sequence of reactions: diazotation and Sandmeyer replacement of 6-chlorotoluene-3-sulfonic acid ( 13 ), nitration of the sulfonyl chloride 14 under suitable conditions to give isomer free 6-chloro-5-nitrotoluene-3-sulfonyl chloride ( 15 ), hydrolysis to the sulfonic acid 16 and finally, simultaneous hydrogenolysis and reduction to 3 . The isomeric 7 was unequivocally prepared from 2-amino-5-nitrotoluene ( 9 ) via two routes: (1) diazotation, Sandmeyer thiocyanatation to 5-nitro-2-thiocyanatotoluene ( 10 ), Na₂S reduction to the di(2-methyl-4-nitro-phenyl)-disulfide ( 11 ), treatment with nitric acid and chlorine to give 5-nitrotoluene-2-sulfonyl chloride ( 12 ) and finally alkaline hydrolysis to 7 ; (2) Meerwein's SO₂ treatment of the diazonium salt derived from 9 leads directly to 12 and thence to 7 . 2-Aminotoluene-3-sulfonic acid ( 1 ) was prepared from the key intermediate 3-amino-2-nitrotoluene ( 18 ) via the same two routes used to prepare 7 from 9 . Both reaction sequences provided 2-nitrotoluene-3-sulfonly chloride, the hydrolysis product of which was reduced to 1 . Intermediate 18 was prepared in the following four steps from m-toluic acid ( 19 ): nitration to the 2-nitroderivative ( 20 ), whose acid chloride ( 21 ) was converted to 2-nitro-m-toluamide ( 22 ), and Hoffmann rearrangement to 18 .     

Ab initio studies on polymers. VI. Torsional potential in regular polyethylene chains

Ab initio crystal orbital calculations have been performed on regular polyethylene chains applying basis sets of minimal and double-zeta quality. Relative stabilities of periodic all-trans, all-gauche, and alternating trans–gauche conformers have been evaluated, including extensive geometry optimization. Potential curves for a simultaneous rotation around C? C single bonds from the all-trans to the all-gauche conformation have been computed applying the rigid-rotor approximation, the flexible-rotor approximation, and an additional reoptimization of C? C distances. A rigid-rotor potential curve from the all-trans to the alternating trans-gauche conformation has been computed as well. Results obtained are compared with ab initio calculations on butane and pentane and with semiempirical and empirical force-field studies on polyethylene.     

13C-NMR studies of marine natural products II. Total assignment of the 13C-NMR spectrum of asperdiol

¹³C-nmr spectral assignments for asperdiol are made with the aid of model compounds and T₁ relaxation behavior. Overall isotropic tumbling was inferred from the latter providing a supplemental means of multiplicity determination. Utilization of the T₁ relaxation times as an assignment criterion for select resonances in asperdiol is also described.     

Microchemical characterization of paintings — A case study

Summary The fundamental importance of scientific research for the preservation and restoration of works of art is uncontestable. The methods described in this paper, such as light microscopy, microchemical tests, emission spectroscopy, chromatography, scanning electron analysis, electron microprobe analysis and infrared spectroscopy, are of special significance in this filed. Nevertheless a better understanding of the problems that arise out of new special questions of art history can be obtained only by the right interpretation of the data obtained by scientific methods.

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Mikrochemische Charakterisierung von Gemälden

Zusammenfassung Die grundlegende Bedeutung wissenschaftlicher Forschung für die Erhaltung und Restaurierung von Kunstwerken ist unbestritten. Die hier beschriebenen Methoden (Lichtmikroskopie, mikrochemische Reaktionen, Emissionsspektroskopie, Chromatographie, Rasterelektronen-Analyse und Infrarotspektroskopie) sind hierfür von zunehmender Bedeutung. Sie ermöglichen ein besseres Verständnis neuerer kunsthistorischer Probleme nur durch die richtige Interpretation der Ergebnisse wissenschaftlicher Methoden.

     

Synthesis of N-heterocyclic carbene precursors bearing biphenyl units and their use in ruthenium-catalyzed ring-opening metathesis polymerization

A range of new imidazolium and imidazolinium chlorides bearing biphenyl units on their nitrogen atoms was synthesized. They differed by the electron-withdrawing or -donating nature and the steric bulk of the substituents on their aromatic rings. These various N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors were combined with the [RuCl₂(p-cymene)]₂ dimer and potassium tert-butoxide to generate the corresponding ruthenium-arene complexes [RuCl₂(p-cymene)(NHC)] in situ. The catalytic activity of these species was investigated in the photoinduced ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclooctene. The results obtained confirmed the necessity of blocking the ortho-positions of the phenyl rings in the vicinity of the metal center in order to attain high catalytic efficiencies. They also showed that changing the steric and electronic properties of the substituents on the remote phenyl rings of the biphenyl units had no significant influence on the outcome of the polymerization.     

The modulating possibilities of dicarbollide clusters: optimizing the Kharasch catalysts

exo-Cluster dicarbollides substitution has allowed tuning of the E degrees (Ru(II)/Ru(III)) potential to obtain the best-performing Kharasch catalyst. We postulate that this is possible through the to-and-fro electron movement between the boron cluster and the sulfonium moieties.     

Biochemical Aspects of Cholinergic Excitation

A prerequisite for every biological system to develop and to continue to function (“to live”) is an effective communication between its components, i.e. its cells. This intercellular communication is essentially of a chemical nature: It employs neurotransmitters and hormones as messengers, and receptors as the receivers of transmitted signals. As is typical for all communication systems, biological signal processes usually also utilize only relatively small amounts of material. This general rule, however, does not apply to some synaptic communication systems. One typical exception, for instance, is the nerve-muscle synapse and, in particular, its special form, the nerve-electroplaque synapse of electric fish. These systems, therefore, lend themselves to biochemical studies permitting investigation of the molecular basis of biological communication processes. Thus, the acetylcholine receptor of the plasma membrane of the postsynaptic cell was established as a structurally and functionally rather complicated “transducer system” responsible for both the reception of the chemical message and its conversion into an electrical activity of the receiving cell.     

Beitrag zur Kenntnis des Systems Vanadin—Chrom—Stickstoff

The System V–Cr–N has been investigated at 1100 and 1400 °C and at nitrogen pressures between 1 and 1000 atmospheres by X-ray techniques. VN and CrN on the one hand and V₂N and Cr₂N on the other are forming complete series of solid solutions. The phase field of the mononitride solid solution is dependent on nitrogen pressure and temperature conditions.

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Auszug aus der Diplomarbeit des Herrn Dipl.-Ing. Dr.W. Schebesta.     

The fluorescence of biliverdin dimethyl ester

Freshly prepared solutions of biliverdin dimethyl ester ( 2 ) in ethanol showed fluorescence maxima at 710 and 770 nm [Φ_F = 1.1. 10^?4 (room temperature) and 5.0 10^?4 (77 K)]. The maxima of monoprotonated 2 at 77 K were shifted to 725 and 806 nm and the quantum yield was increased to 2.6. 10^?2. This acid effect was reversible by neutralization with base. When a neutral solution was kept standing in the dark at room temperature, or when an acidic solution was neutralized by base, an additional fluorescence maximum at 500 nm with a mirror image excitation spectrum with λ_max = 470 nm developed, which disappeared on addition of acid and which is attributed to a chemical change of 2 .