Some difficulties in the application of the concept of density of states

The problem of defining N(E), the density of states, for molecular systems is discussed. It is shown that a numeric evaluation of N(E) is often only approximate, even for continuous data, and is not well defined for quantized systems. The application of the concept of density of states is discussed, particularly with regard to the RRKM theory of unimolecular reactions. The sum of states, W(E), and density of states curves are evaluated for several harmonic and anharmonic model systems and the results discussed in order to illustrate the foregoing considerations.     

The crystal structure of the NaNCS complex of nonactin

The NaNCS complex of the macrotetrolide antibiotic nonactin, which acts as an ionophore with biological and artificial membranes crystallizes in the space group C2/c, a = 15.55, b = 19.59, c = 15.31 Å, β = 90°. The X-ray crystal structure investigation shows that Na⁺ is coordinated by four carbonyl oxygen atoms (Na⁺ … O, 2.42 Å) and four ether oxygen atoms (Na⁺ … O, 2.77 Å). The cubic coordination by eight equidistant oxygen atoms observed in the K⁺ complex (K⁺ … O, 2.81 Å) is thus deformed. This, however, requires only very small changes in the ligand conformation.     

Nitration of Durene and Pentamethylbenzene with Nitronium Salts in Nitromethane and Acetonitrile

Nature and proportions of the products formed in the nitrations mentioned in the title are affected by the process of mixing. Pentamethylnitrobenzene, formed initially in the nitration of pentamethylbenzene, is attacked by a nitronium ion at a position meta to the nitro-group. In the σ-complex formed, loss of a proton from a methyl group leads to production of by-products and release of nitrite ions. The nitrous acid formed is protonated, and water is displaced from the nitrous acidium ion by the anion, PF₆^?, giving the nitrosonium ion which forms a 1:1 symmetric molecular complex with pentamethylbenzene. A similar complex is formed in the reaction between durene and nitronium salts. The results are consistent with the view that no σ-bond is formed between the aromatic compound and the nitrosonium ion.     

Kryoskopische Bestimmung der Aktivitätskoeffizienten von Nichtelektrolytmischungen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine Methode entwickelt, welche die Aufnahme von Schmelzkurven von binären Nichtelektrolytmischungen mit einer Genauigkeit von 0,001° (und dementsprechend von etwa 0,00001 im Molenbruch) gestattet. Die Bestimmung der Schmelzpunkte erfolgte an Hand von Erwärmungskurven, die bei konstanter Wärmezufuhr mit einem Thermistor aufgenommen wurden.Die Methode wurde auf die Systeme 1,2,4-Trichlorbenzol-(1)-n-Hexan und Anilin-(1)-Cyclohexan angewendet und sollte hier der Überprüfung und Ergänzung der Daten dienen, die früher aus Dampfdruckmessungen¹ und Messungen der Löslichkeitskurve² abgeleitet wurden. Die Übereinstimmung mit den früheren Resultaten ist bei dem System Trichlorbenzol-Hexan ausgezeichnet, bei dem System Anilin-Cyclohexan annehmbar. Die nun genauer zu bestimmenden lnf ₁/x ₂ ² -Kurven (f _i Aktivitätskoeffizient,x _i Molenbruch der Komponentei) zeigen bei dem Übergang von verdünnter zu konzentrierterer Lösung eine plötzliche Änderung, als ob mit Erhöhung der Konzentration der Komponente 2 eine plötzliche Änderung der molekularen Struktur der Lösung einherginge. Dieser Befund steht zwar mit früheren Beobachtungen^1,2 in qualitativer Übereinstimmung, konnte aber bisher nicht so scharf formuliert werden.Mit 11 AbbildungenAuszugsweise vorgetragen auf der Chemiedozententagung der Chemischen Gesellschaft der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik in Halle (Saale) 24.–26. Juni 1959.     

Optical activity in the biaryl series

The relationship between the CD spectra of the chiral biaryls and their stereochemical configuration, as a function of the dihedral angle between the molecular planes of the aromatic moieties, has been investigated for biphenyl, 1,1′-binaphthyl, 1,1′-bianthryl and 9,9′-bianthryl in the exciton approximation and, for the 1,1′-binaphthyls, in the π-SCF approximation. Both methods provide unambiguous assignments of absolute configuration except for biaryls with a critical dihedral angle of π/2 in those with effective D_data2 chromophoric symmetry, or 100–110° in the case of the 1,1′-binaphthyls.     

STRUCTURE AND PHOTOBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 7-CHLORO-1,4-BENZODIAZEPINES. STUDIES ON THE PHOTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE, DESMETHYLCHLORDIAZEPOXIDE AND DEMOXEPAM USING A BACTERIAL INDICATOR SYSTEM

The photobiological activity of chlordiazepoxide, an active ingredient of the drug Librium, which is known to induce phototoxic effects, and two of its metabolites, desmethylchlordiazepoxide and demoxepam, was investigated. Upon irradiation of these biologically active compounds with longwave UV light, the main decomposition product formed is an oxaziridine. Using a strain of Salmonella typhimurium as a test organism for cytotoxicity, it could be demonstrated that not only the drug itself, but also the major mammalian metabolites are phototoxic and, furthermore, that the respective oxaziridines are responsible for the toxic effects found upon irradiation. A close relationship appears to exist between the phototoxicity of the nitrones and the toxicity in the dark of their respective oxaziridines. Investigations of the photobiological activity of a few closely structurally related benzodiazepines could establish that a 4-oxide moiety in the benzodiazepine nucleus is the structural characteristic responsible for the appearance of phototoxicity; in those compounds which contain a 4-oxide in the benzodiazepine nucleus, photo-decomposition to a toxic oxaziridine is observed, while the analogues lacking the 4-oxide moiety do not show this characteristic and, therefore, no phototoxic effects can be observed. Finally, mutagenicity tests performed with the same bacterial indicator as used for phototoxic studies, and including chlorpromazine as a positive reference compound, indicate that under the present experimental conditions photoproducts formed upon irradiation of chlordiazepoxide and its metabolites with longwave UV light do not exert a mutagenic effect.     

Transesterification of fatty acid ethoxylates in supercritical methanol, then gas chromatography-mass spectrometric determination of the derived methyl esters, for identification of the initiators

Unknown fatty acid ethoxylate samples have been transesterified in supercritical methanol, using a loop made of a stainless-steel tubing as the reactor vessel. The initiator acids, now present as the corresponding methyl esters, were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Quantitative transesterification is achieved by heating a solution of the ethoxylate sample in methanol at 280 degrees C for 10 min under pressure. The influence of reaction time, temperature, and presence of a Lewis acid catalyst has been investigated. The method of transesterification was optimized in respect of low cost, short reaction time, and availability to laboratories with standard analytical equipment.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched allenes by (-)-sparteine-mediated lithiation of alkynyl carbamates

[reaction: see text]. The alpha-deprotonation of alkynyl carbamates 3 with the chiral base (-)-sparteine (4)/n-butyllithium, transmetalation with ClTi(O(i)()Pr)3, and subsequent substitution with an aldehyde results in the formation of enantioenriched 4-hydroxyallenyl carbamates 11. Stereoselection is determined by dynamic resolution of the lithium/(-)-sparteine complexes by selective crystallization.