Extraction spectrophotometric determination of mercury(II) using thiacrown ethers and Bromocresol Green

A reasonably sensitive and highly selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of mercury(II) is proposed. The method is based on the extraction of the ion-associate formed by a mercury(II) thiacrown ether cationic complex with Bromocresol Green as the anionic counter-ion using chloroform as the extracting solvent. The effect of thiacrown ethers of different cavity sizes, namely 1,4,7,10,13-pentathiacyclopentadecane (PTP) and 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexathiacyclooctadecane (HTO), the thiacrown ether concentration, the extracting solvent, the bromocresol green concentration and the aqueous phase pH on the extraction were investigated. Measurement of the absorbance at the lambda(max) (420 nm) of the extracted ion-associate reveals that Beer's law is obeyed over 0.5-12.0 ppm mercury(II) for both ligands. Slight interference from copper(II) and cadmium(II) is exhibited by the PTP ligand, while HTO is negligibly affected by these metal ions. Strong interference from silver(I) is evident for both ligands while alkali, alkaline earth and other transition metals tested posed negligible interference. Analysis of mercury in synthetic complex mixtures was satisfactory.     

Thermodynamics of mixed electrolyte solutions. XI. An isopiestic study of the quaternary system NaCl−KCl−CaCl2−H2O at 25°C

Osmotic and activity coefficients in the aqueous quaternary system sodium chloride-potassium chloride-calcium chloride were derived from isopiestic measurements at 25°C. The isopiestic data were treated by the various procedures of Scatchard, Friedman, and Reilly, Wood, and Robinson. The results obtained showed good agreement with those obtained by pseudo-ternary transforms. Interaction parameters obtained indicated the preponderance of pairwise interactions. Excess Gibbs free energies of mixing were calculated.     

Transient rheological behavior of lyotropic (acetyl)(ethyl)cellulose/m-cresol solutions

The chiroptical properties and transient rheological behavior of (acetyl)(ethyl)cellulose (AEC) m-cresol liquid crystalline solutions have been investigated. Chiroptical properties were manipulated through (i) increasing degree of acetylation of ethyl cellulose (EC), and (ii) blending AEC with EC. At the same average degree of acetylation (DA), the chiroptical properties of pure AEC were different from those of the EC/AEC mixtures. However, at the same DA, the AEC and mixed AEC/EC solutions showed similar steady state flow and oscillatory behaviors, but the transient behaviors were different. At high flow rates the mixed AEC/EC solutions exhibited double recoil after cessation of steady-state flow, whereas the AEC solutions showed double recoil only in the high DA AEC solutions. All solutions, pure and mixed, had the same stress relaxation behavior. Both pitch and handedness affected the transient behavior. After cessation of high shear rate flow, the rate of modulus evolution decreased with increasing pitch, and was faster in right-handed mesophases than in left-handed ones at a similar pitch.     

Labelling and quality control of cysteine with99mTc and biological distribution

An instant kit of cysteine (amino acid) to be labelled with^99mTc was prepared. Optimal conditions were found, and a procedure to prepare the kit ready to use in liophilized form to gain the highest labelling yield. More than 95% labelling yield was obtained when^99mTc (TcO ₄ ^– ) eluted from^99mTc-generator was added to the contents of the kit. Each kit contains 0.66 mg of SnCl₂·2H₂O as stannite and 66 mg cysteine in lyophilized form. The formulation of cysteine tin (kit) was stable for nearly three months giving labelling yield more than 95%. Using GCS technique, different species of technetium and labelled cysteine were identified when Sephadex (G-50, G-25) was applied. Biodistribution of the labelled preparation revealed that kidney was the target organ. The ratio of accumulated dose in kidneys/liver was greater than 2.     

A new microanalytical radioactive method for the estimation of the iodine number in linseed oil

Summary A microanalytical radioactive method for the estimation of the iodine number in linseed oil has been fully described. The application of the method was carried out on three varieties of linseed oil, namely: Guiza IV, Indian and Baladi. The relationship between the radioactivity measured on the oil spot and the iodine consumed for saturation is described.A simple equation has been put forward for the direct estimation of the iodine value from the specific activity and the number of counts on the oil spot. The method could be used on different varieties of oils and fats.     

Synthesis of substituted stilbenes via the Knoevenagel condensation

Knoevenagel condensations between aldehydes and substrates containing active methylene groups were carried out in ethanol at room temperature, in the presence of potassium phosphate, to afford unsymmetrical olefins. These condensations have been shown to afford only the E-isomers in greater than 80% yields. Salicylaldehyde first produces the Knoevenagel condensation products, which undergo a subsequent heterocyclization to give coumarin derivatives. The structures of the synthesized compounds were established on the basis of UV, IR, MS and NMR spectroscopy.     

Factors influencing conformer equilibria in retro models of cisplatin-DNA adducts as revealed by moderately dynamic (N,N'-dimethyl-2,3-diaminobutane)PtG(2) retro models (G = a guanine derivative)

Typical cis-PtA(2)G(2) models of key DNA lesions formed by cis-type Pt anticancer drugs are very dynamic and difficult to characterize (A(2) = diamine or two amines; G = guanine derivative). Retro models have A(2) carrier ligands designed to decrease dynamic motion without eliminating any of three possible conformers with bases oriented head-to-tail (two: DeltaHT and LambdaHT) or head-to-head (one: HH). All three were found in NMR studies of eight Me(2)DABPtG(2) retro models (Me(2)DAB = N,N'-dimethyl-2,3-diaminobutane with S,R,R,S and R,S,S,R configurations at the chelate ring N, C, C, and N atoms, respectively; G = 5'-GMP, 3'-GMP, 5'-IMP, and 3'-IMP). The bases cant to the left (L) in (S,R,R,S)-Me(2)DABPtG(2) adducts and to the right (R) in (R,S,S,R)-Me(2)DABPtG(2) adducts. Relative to the case in which the bases are both not canted, canting will move the six-membered rings closer in to each other ("6-in" form) or farther out from each other ("6-out" form). Interligand interactions between ligand components near to Pt (first-first sphere communication = FFC) or far from Pt (second-sphere communication = SSC) influence stability. In typical cases at pH < 8, the "6-in" form is favored, although the larger six-membered rings of the bases are close. In minor "6-out" HT forms, the proximity of the smaller five-membered rings could be sterically favorable. Also, G O6 is closer to the sterically less demanding NH part of the Me(2)DAB ligand, possibly allowing G O6-NH hydrogen bonding. These favorable FFC effects do not fully compensate for possibly stronger FFC dipole effects in the "6-in" form. SSC, phosphate-N1H cis G interactions favor LambdaHT forms in 5'-GMP and 5'-IMP complexes and DeltaHT forms in 3'-GMP and 3'-IMP complexes. When SSC and FFC favor the same HT conformer, it is present at >90% abundance. In six adducts [four (S,R,R,S)-Me(2)DABPtG(2) and (R,S,S,R)-Me(2)DABPtG(2) (G = 3'-GMP and 3'-IMP)], the minor "6-out" HT form at pH approximately 7 becomes the major form at pH approximately 10, where G N1H is deprotonated, because the large distance between the negatively charged N1 atoms minimizes electrostatic repulsion and probably because the G O6-(NH)Me(2)DAB H-bond (FFC) is strengthened by N1H deprotonation. At pH approximately 10, phosphate-negative N1 repulsion is an unfavorable SSC term. This factor disfavors the LambdaHT R form of two (R,S,S,R)-Me(2)DABPtG(2) (G = 5'-GMP and 5'-IMP) adducts to such an extent that the "6-in" DeltaHT R form remains the dominant form even at pH approximately 10.     

Electric field gradient at the Hf site and the phase transition in HfV2

The electric quadrupole interaction at the Hf site in the cubic HfV₂ compound, which shows lattice instability when cooled below 120 K, has been studied using the 482 keV (5/2⁺) state in¹⁸¹Ta. The time differential perturbed angular correlation (TDPAC) studies involving (133+136)-482 keV - cascade at room temperature show that only a fraction of¹⁸¹Ta nuclei see a cubic symmetry while the remaining experience a weak, randomly oriented, electric quadrupole interaction described by a Gaussian frequency distribution with _Q=6.1±1.0 Mrad/sec and the relative width =0.5. There is a dramatic change in TDPAC pattern indicating a phase transition when the compound is cooled down to 77 K. At this temperature the quadrupole interaction frequency is found to be _Q=40.6±3.0 Mrad/sec with =0.35. The experimentally observed EFG both at the Hf and the V sites are compared to the theoretical estimates based on point charge model.     

The estimation of the iodine number in edible and industrial oils by radioiodine

Summary The iodine number of twenty-two samples of different fats and oils is determined by ¹³¹I, according to the radiometric method. The values obtained for such samples lie between 7.2 and 154.9. The method is applicable with reproducible results and is recommended to cover any stage of unsaturation.

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Zusammenfassung Die Jodzahl von 22 Proben verschiedener Öle und Fette wird radiometrisch unter Benutzung von Jod-131 bestimmt. Die erhaltenen Werte liegen zwischen 7,2 und 154,9. Das Verfahren liefert reproduzierbare Ergebnisse und ist für jeden Grad von Ungesättigtheit anwendbar.

     

Dramatic 5'-residue effect on conformer distribution of short oligonucleotide retro models of the cisplatin-DNA cross-link: implications for the Lippard and cross-link distorted base pair steps present in cisplatin-DNA duplex adducts

The cisplatin anticancer drug preferentially attacks the GG sequence of DNA duplexes. Virtually all DNAs containing the key G*G* lesion (G* = N7 platinated G) have large distortions in the cross-link (G*G*) base pair (bp) step and also in the adjacent Lippard (XG*) bp step, making the adducts very different from B-form DNA in the XG*G* region. The XG*G* strand in duplexes also differs in several ways from single-strand (ss) models with G*G* and XG*G* sequences. In the duplex, the X residue has an N sugar, the 5'-G* and 3'-G* bases have slight "R" canting (3'-G* H8 atom toward the 5'-G* base), and there is no or weak H-bonding by the NH3 ligands. In most XG*G* ss models, X has an S sugar, the 5'-G* base normally cants strongly toward the 3'-G* base (L canting), and the NH3 forms an H-bond. Well-defined ss models exist in the solid state, but dynamic motion obscures the properties of the ss models in solution. In this work, we employ retro models (better defined, less dynamic ss models) to understand the differences between duplex and ss models. The retro models in this study lack carrier ligand NH's, thus eliminating H-bonding. To correlate previous ss solid-state models with our solution work, we constructed hybrid molecules by overlaying parts of known structures. The combined model and experimental information indicates that the X N-pucker is not favorable in L-canted ss models, that X residue steric effects (not H-bonding) favor L canting in ss models, that X N-pucker is needed for favorable WC hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions in duplexes, and that X N-pucker minimizes X base clashes with bases in the complementary strand in duplexes. The R canting minimizing clashes between the X and G* residues of the Lippard bp step (independent of X pucker) and the repositioning of the X residue base caused by the change from S-pucker to N-pucker together lead to the unusual features of the Lippard bp step in the duplex.