Concerning the Thermal Diastereomerization of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore

Summary. Two model compounds for the green fluorescent protein chromophore were prepared. One of them incorporates the natural 4-hydroxybenzylidene group of the natural tyrosin derived chromophore, the other one bears a methyl group instead of the hydroxy group. Whereas the photochemically prepared (E)-diastereomer of the first compound very effectively reverted thermally (room temperature) to the thermodynamically stable (Z)-diastereomer, the (E)-diastereomer of the second derivative proved to be stable even at elevated temperatures for more than a day. This finding can be rationalized by constructing the appropriate resonance structures showing that only in the first case an effective delocalization enables partial single bond character of the benzylidene double bond. From the standpoint of chemical etiology, only Nature’s choice of the tyrosin derived chromophore of the green fluorescent protein provides an efficient radiationless thermal relaxation channel for the unwanted photo-diastereomerization product formed after excitation besides the dominating fluorescence channel of its chromophore.     

Profiling fatty acids in vegetable oils by reactive pyrolysis-gas chromatography with dimethyl carbonate and titanium silicate

A novel methodology in on-line pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) for the fast analysis of fatty acids in vegetable oils with minimal sample treatment and the use of non-toxic reagents is described. Pyrolysis at 500 degrees C for 10 s of sub-microgram quantity of vegetable oil dissolved in dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and in the presence of nanopowder titanium silicon oxide resulted in the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) as unique products. Pyrolysis performed by means of a resistively heated filament pyrolyser interfaced to a GC-MS apparatus enabled the direct analysis of evolved FAMEs. The DMC/Py-GC-MS analysis was tested on soybean, coconut, linseed, walnut and olive oil and the results compared to the classical BF(3)-methanol as reference methodology. The DMC method exhibited a lower precision and was biased towards lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in comparison to the BF(3)-methanol method, but was more advantageous in terms of reduced sample treatment, waste generation and risk factors of employed chemicals.     

“鱼”乐圈大揭秘

This article introduces the relationship between chemistry and fish farming, fish selling, and fish food. The nitrogen cycle process in fish ponds is introduced to explain the fish farming. "Yufuling" is used as the entry point to fish selling to connect food safety with chemistry. Fishy smell is explained from a chemical perspective for fish food. This paper aims at making a scientific explanation of life phenomena, deepening the consciousness of chemical life, helping people establish a correct view of chemical science, and inspiring youth to learn to use the knowledge that they have learned to explain life phenomena. This paper also tries to show the youth that life cannot be separated from chemistry, and chemistry cannot be separated from life.     

Hydrogen bonding between solvation shells around gd3+ from cooperative vibronic spectra

Cooperative vibronic spectra involving Gd³⁺ electronic transitions and the vibrational transitions of nearby water molecules are used to determine the stretching spectrum for isotopically dilute OH in a solution of GdCl₃ in D₂O. The OH stretching spectrum of water molecules in the first hydration sphere is shifted to lower energy than that of the bulk liquid.     

Some developments in reaction and solution microcalorimetry,with particular reference to its use in biochemistry and cellular biology

The field of isothermal microcalorimetry as applied to systems of interest for aqueous solution chemistry, biochemistry and in cellular biology is briefly reviewed. Some techniques recently developed in the author's laboratory are described.     

我国化学科普的现状与创新发展对策

Chemistry is a central science. However, the public's recognition of chemistry needs to be promoted, and the prejudice needs to be reduced. Chemical science popularization is a long-term, complex and arduous social education project, which is of great significance to promote social harmony and improve people's quality of life. This paper summarizes the current status of chemical science popularization in China, and puts forward the innovative development countermeasures which focus on improving public participation, training popular science talents, carrying out popular science popularization education at different levels, creating high-quality science popularization works and opening up new positions and approaches of chemical science popularization. This paper has the reference value for the science popularization colleagues.     

Laccase-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formation: oxidative dimerization of salicylic esters by air in aqueous solution

The laccase catalyzed oxidative dimerization of salicylic esters, a rare example of a laccase-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formation, was studied. This reaction allows the use of air as stoichiometric oxidant and proceeds in aqueous solution. The preparative scope and the mechanism of the method, which provides a new and convenient access to functionalized biaryls under mild conditions, were investigated.     

化“材”为“筑”

Chemistry is a central, practical and creative discipline. The development of chemistry plays an important role in the progress of science and society, as well as the improvement of the quality of human life. This paper introduces the chemical knowledge of stone, concrete, glass and other inorganic nonmetallic building materials by the anthropomorphically story. Taking nanomaterials as an example, the prospect of building materials development in the future is put forward.     

Bismuth triflate catalyzed Claisen rearrangement of allyl naphthyl ethers

Bismuth triflate was found to be an efficient catalyst for the Claisen rearrangement of allyl naphthyl ethers. The reaction proceeds smoothly with a catalytic amount of bismuth triflate (20 mol %) to afford the corresponding ortho-allyl naphthol in moderate to good yields in most cases.