Size Dependence of Electronic Excitation Energy in Linear C_(2n)H and C_(2n-1)N

IntroductionCarbon chains are among the most attractivecandidates as the carriers of the diffuse interstellarbands ( DIBs) [1] .To detect the carbon chains indark clouds and carbon stars[2 ] ,itis very importantto understand their electronic spectra.Maier andhis coworkers have measured the polyacetylenicradicals C2 n H( n=1— 4) and C2 n-1H( n=2— 6) bythe rotational spectroscopy[3 ,4] and the species n≤ 4have been detected in dark interstellar clouds[5,6] .In neon matrices,the B2 Π← X2…     

An Efficient and High‐Yield One‐Pot Synthesis of Bis(oxazoline)s

An efficient and mild one‐pot synthesis of bis(oxazoline) (BOX) ligands is developed from reactions of dicarboxy dichlorides with β‐amino alcohols in the presence of 11.0 equiv. NEt₃ followed by the addition of 3.6 equiv. methanesulfonyl chloride (MsCl). Nine different BOX ligands were prepared in excellent yields of ≥ 80%. Advantages of this improved synthesis are mild reaction conditions, short total reaction time of 9 h, and high isolated yields.     

Molecular Basis of the Dynamic Strength of the Sialyl Lewis X—Selectin Interaction

The selectins are Ca²⁺‐dependent cell adhesion molecules that facilitate the initial attachment of leukocytes to the vascular endothelium by binding to a carbohydrate moiety as exemplified by the tetrasaccharide, sialyl Lewis X (sLeX). An important property of the selectin‐sLeX interaction is its ability to withstand the hydrodynamic force of the blood flow. Herein, we used single‐molecule dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) to identify the molecular determinants within sLeX that give rise to the dynamic properties of the selectin/sLeX interaction. Our atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements revealed that the unbinding of the selectin/sLeX complexes involves overcoming at least two activation barriers. The inner barrier, which determines the dynamic response of the complex at high forces, is governed by the interaction between the Fuc residue of sLeX and a Ca²⁺ ion chelated to the lectin domain of the selectin molecule, whereas the outer activation barrier can be attributed to interactions involving the sialic acid residue of sLeX. Due to their steep inner activation barriers, the selectin‐sLeX complexes are less sensitive to high pulling forces. Hence, besides its contribution to the bond energy, the Ca²⁺ ion also grants the selectin–sLeX complexes a tensile strength that is crucial for the selectin‐mediated rolling of leukocytes.     

Polystyrene prepared by reactive extrusion: kinetics and effect of processing parameters

The conversion and residence time were investigated during the bulk polymerization of styrene in a twin screw extruder. It was found that polymerization mainly occurred in the zone between 400 and 1000 mm along the screw axis in the extruder, corresponding to the residence time of the reactants ranging from 1 to 4 min in the extruder. Furthermore, the processing conditions (feed rate, screw rotation rate) and average molecular weight of the polymer have a great effect on the residence time. Based on dimensionless analysis, a model of the residence time has been built‐up, which has been confirmed by the results of realistic measurements. A kinetic model of the polymerization has also been established under the assumption that the screw extruder can be regarded as an ideal plug flow reactor. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ab initio through‐space/bond interaction analysis of the long C–C bonds in Bi(anthracene‐9,10‐dimethylene) photoisomers

The bi(anthracene‐9,10‐dimethylene) photoisomer has remarkably long C–C single bonds. To examine the lengthening of the C–C bond, we propose a novel procedure for quantitatively analyzing orbital interactions in a molecule at the level of the ab initio molecular orbital method. In this procedure, we can cut off the specific through‐space/bond interactions in a molecule by artificially increasing the absolute magnitude of the exponents in a Gaussian function. Then, the spatial orbital interactions were perfectly cut off, and, each term that makes up the total energy, that is, the nuclear–electron attractions, the electron–electron repulsions, and the nuclear–nuclear repulsions cancel each other. Several model molecules of the photoisomer were analyzed by this procedure. It was found that the orbital interaction between the p orbital on the benzene ring and the σ* orbital on the C–C bond in question, σ→σ* electron transfer through π orbital, weakens the C–C bond efficiently when these orbitals were located in the “periplanar” conformation. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

2H Chemical-shift resolution and dipolar2H-1H,2H-15N correlations in solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy for structure determination and distance measurements in hydrogen-bonded systems

In solid-state NMR, deuteron (²H) spectroscopy can be performed in full analogy to¹H spectroscopy, including²H chemical-shift resolution and²H-X dipolar correlation schemes, when the NMR experiments are conducted in a “rotor-synchronized” fashion under fast magic-angle spinning. Here, 2H-X NMR experiments of this type, including²H-¹⁵N and²H-¹H chemical-shift correlations and distance measurements, are introduced and demonstrated on cytosine monohydrate, whose acidic protons can readily be replaced by deuterons by recrystallization from D₂O. In this way,²H NMR spectroscopy provides information complementary to¹H NMR data, which is particularly useful for studying hydrogen bonds in supra- or biomolecular systems. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online versionof this article atand is accessible for authorized users.     

Automatic analysis of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification products (exemplified by a commercial kit for prenatal aneuploidy detection)

For use in routine prenatal diagnostics, we developed software and methods for automatic aneuploidy detection based on a commercial multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) kit. Software and methods ensure a reliable, objective, and fast workflow, and may be applied to other types of MLPA kits. Following CE of MLPA amplification products, the software automatically identified the peak area for each probe, normalized it in relation to the neighboring peak areas of the test sample, computed the ratio relative to a reference created from normal samples, and compensated the ratio for a side effect of the normalization procedure that scaled all chromosomally normal DNA peak areas slightly up or down depending on the kind of aneuploidy present. For the chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y, probe reliability weighted mean ratio values and corresponding SDs were calculated, and the significance for being outside a reference interval around ratio 1.0 was tested. p < or = 1% suggested aneuploidy and 1 < p < or = 5% suggested potential aneuploidy. Individual peaks, where the normalized area was situated more than 4 SD from the corresponding reference, suggested possible partial deletion or gain. Sample quality was automatically assessed. Control probes were not required. Having used the software and methods for two years, we conclude that a reliable, objective, and fast workflow is obtained.     

DFT investigation of sites of protonation of antitumor of 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)benzazoles in the gas phase and in solution

The proton affinity on each of the possible sites in the antitumor 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)benzazoles has been calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311G** level of theory in the gas phase and in solution. The N₃‐site of protonation is found to be strongly favored over the NH₂‐site for the studied compounds both in gas phase and in solution. The stability of N₃‐protonated species is explained by the resonance interaction of the NH₂‐group with the heterocyclic ring. The potential energy surface (PES) for the protonation process was studied at the density functional theory (DFT)/B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. Solvent effects on the PES were also examined using two models: Onsager self‐consistent field and polarizable continuum model (PCM). © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Poly(N‐Bromobenzene‐1,3‐Disulfonylamide), N,N,N′,N′‐Tetrabromobenzene‐1,3‐Disulfonylamide and DABCO‐Bromine Complex: As Novel Reagents for the Oxidative Coupling of Thiols to Disulfides

An efficient method for the oxidative coupling of thiols to their corresponding disulfides by new reagents poly(N‐bromobenzene‐1,3‐disulfonylamide) PBBS , N,N,N′,N′‐tetrabromobenzene‐1,3‐disulfonylamide TBBDA and DABCO‐bromine complex is described. The reaction was applicable to a variety of thiols with high chemoselectivity.     

Influence of response factors on determining equilibrium association constants of non-covalent complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method for determining the equilibrium association constant of a complexation reaction A + B left harpoon over right harpoon AB by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is described. The method consists in measuring the relative intensities of the peaks corresponding to A and to AB in equimolar A-B solutions at different concentrations C(0). The results are fitted by a non-linear least-squares procedure, with the two variable parameters being the equilibrium association constant K(a) and a factor R, defined by I(AB)/I(A) = R x [AB]/[A]. The factor R is the ratio between the response factors of AB and A, and corrects for the relative electrospray responses of the complex and the free substrate A, mass discrimination of instrumental origin and/or moderate in-source dissociation. The method is illustrated with the following two systems: complexes between a double-stranded 12-base pair oligonucleotide and minor groove binders, and cyclodextrin complexes with alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acids. For the oligonucleotide complexes, it is found that the response of the complex is not dramatically different to the response of the free oligonucleotide duplex, as the double helix conformation is disturbed by the drug only to a minor extent. In the case of cyclodextrin complexes, these complexes were found to have a much higher response than free cyclodextrin. This may be due to the fact that cyclodextrin is neutral in solution, whereas the complex is charged, but it can also stem from the fact that a significant proportion of the complex is in a non-inclusion geometry. The present method requires the exact determination of the concentrations of the reactants and is applicable to 1 : 1 complexes.