Thermal analysis,state transitions and food quality

Thermal properties of food systems are important in understanding relationships between food properties and changes in food quality. Concentrated food systems (low-moisture and frozen foods) are seldom in an equilibrium state and they tend to form amorphous, non-crystalline structures. Several glass transition-related changes in such foods affect stability, e.g., stickiness and caking of powders, crispness of snack foods and breakfast cereals, crystallisation of amorphous sugars, recrystallisation of gelatinised starch, ice formation and recrystallisation in frozen foods and rates of non-enzymatic browning and enzymatic reactions. Relationships between glass transition, water plasticisation and relaxation times can be shown in state diagrams. State diagrams are useful as stability or quality maps and in the control of rates of changes in food processing and storage.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Iron-57 Mössbauer effect study of the distribution of divalent and trivalent ions in potassium transition metal fluorides having the tetragonal bronze structure

Mössbauer studies are reported for compounds of the type KM^IIM^IIIF₆ (M = first-row transition metal ion, Zn, or Mg) which have the tetragonal bronze structure. The results of this investigation provide evidence that the trivalent ions are located on the 8(j) sites of the bronze structure and that the divalent ions are distributed over both the 8(j) and 2(c) sites.     

乙炔和甲基二氯硅烷的硅氢加成反应研究：Ⅲ气固相反应规律探讨

比较了铂，铑，钯的氯化物对乙炔和甲基二氯硅烷的气固相硅氢加成反应的催化活性；筛选了铂催化剂中的无机载体；研究了浸渍法和制备的铂催化剂的催化反应行为。结果表明，浸渍法制备的铂催化剂中存在两类稳定性不同的活性中心，铂离子是具有催化活性的组分，甲基二氯硅烷与铂离子间的氧化还原反应是导致催化剂     

Computerized optimization of gradient elution conditions with ternary solvent mobile phases in RPLC

Summary In this work, an optimization procedure for gradient RPLC separation, using ternary mobile phases, is described. This procedure requires eight preliminary experiments in gradient elution mode to predict the retention surface for each solute over the whole triangular space. This is followed by computerized calculations to determine the best ternary gradient elution profile with respect to both selectivity and analysis time. The efficiency of this procedure from the point of view of rapidity and of accuracy, is illustrated for the specific separation of twelve phenyl urea herbicides.     

Binding site optimisation for artificial enzymes by diffusion NMR of small molecules

A binding site optimisation protocol for the design of artificial enzymes based on "small molecule-small molecule" binding studies by diffusion NMR is presented. Since the reaction chosen was the hydrolysis of ester 1 ([4-(4-carboxy-1-oxobutyl)-aminobenzyl]-phenethyl ester), an analogous phosphonate ester 2 ([4-(4-carboxy-1-oxobutyl)-aminobenzyl]-phosphonic phenethyl ester) was selected as a suitable transition state analogue (TSA). The key objective of the NMR studies was to find a unit with functional groups capable of binding to the acidic sites of the TSA. Nine dipeptides, mainly with basic and hydroxyl groups, were used and their affinity to the TSA was studied by measuring the change in the diffusion coefficient, D(pep), upon binding by pulse field gradient NMR. The value of D(pep) at 298 K in D(2)O at pD 5, 7 and 10 was measured both in free solution, and mixtures containing one dipeptide and the TSA. As both components are low molecular weight species with M < 500, a TSA-to-dipeptide ratio of 10:1 was used to detect significant changes in D(pep). The results revealed that dipeptides with basic residues show higher affinity to the TSA than those with hydroxyl or aliphatic side chains in aqueous solutions. The dipeptide showing the most significant relative change in D(pep) was H-Arg-Arg-OH, and the binding constant was estimated to be 86 L M(-1) by measuring D(pep) at varying concentrations of the TSA. In addition, binding of the TSA to a new water-soluble polymer with a polyallylamine backbone and randomly distributed Arg-Arg binding sites was examined, and the binding constant was estimated to be > or =1500 L M(-1). As confirmed by further catalytic activity tests, polymers containing Arg-Arg as a binding site are capable of significant rate accelerations in the hydrolysis of ester 1.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Structural Characterization of a Novel Organic—Inorganic Hybrid Compound {[Cu（2,2′—bpy）2]2—Mo8O26}

A novel organic-inorganic hybrid compound {[Cu(2,2′-bpy)2]2Mo8O26} has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, Pna21,with a=2.4164(5),b=1.8281(4),c=1.1877(2)nm,V=5.247(2)nm^3,Z=4,and final R1=0.0331,wR2=0.0727.The structure consists of discrete {[Cu(2,2′-bpy)2]2Mo8O26} clusters,constructed from a β-octamolybdate subunit[Mo8O26]^4- covalently bonded to two [Cu(2,2′-bpy)2]^2 coordination complex cations via bridging oxo groups.In addition,the spectroscopic properties and thernal behavior of this compound have been investigated by spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis,IR,Raman and EPR spectra) and TG analysis.     

Non-solvated aluminum hydride. Crystallization from diethyl ether-benzene solutions

Crystallization of non-solvated aluminum hydride from a diethyl ether-benzene mixed solvent was studied. The desolvation of AlH₃·(Et₂O)_x etherate in solution and the crystallization of α-AlH₃ during polythermal heating of the solution occur only in the presence of ≥10 wt.% LiAlH₄. The process is multistage, and the crystallization begins with the formation of the AlH₃·0.25Et₂O solvate, which recrystallizes in the solid phase into γ-AlH₃ and then α-AlH₃. Four crystalline modifications of aluminum hydride were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1259–1265, July, 2007.     

改性环糊精气相色谱手性固定相拆分对映体的选择性及拆分机理的讨论

改性环糊精气相色谱手性固定相拆分对映体的选择性及拆分机理的讨论周昕，万宏，欧庆瑜（中国科学院兰州化学物理研究所兰州７３００００）１前言自１９８８年Ｋｏｎｉｇ￣［１］等人成功地将改性环糊精用于毛细管气相色谱固定相拆分对映体以来，环糊精衍生物以其高选择性...     

Molecularly-imprinted polypyrrole-modified stainless steel frits for selective solid phase preconcentration of ochratoxin A

A molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared by electropolymerization of pyrrole (Py) onto a stainless steel frit, using ochratoxin A (OTA) as the template, in order to make a micro solid phase preconcentration (SPP) device. The OTA template was removed with 1% triethylamine (TEA) in methanol. Compared to non-imprinted polypyrrole (PPy), the molecularly-imprinted polypyrrole (MIPPy) enhanced the selective binding of OTA. The percentage recovery improved from 0 to 40% when the OTA sample solution was acidified with 1 M HCl (1% by volume). At a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, maximum OTA binding was reached in 6 min after a total loading of 3.2 ng OTA. Final elution of the OTA was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection, using 20:80 v/v acetonitrile–ammonia buffer (NH₄Cl/NH₃, 20 mM, pH 9.2) as the mobile phase. The MIPPy-SPP-HPLC results clearly demonstrated that the MIPPy-SPP device afforded selective preconcentration of OTA from red wine samples, at OTA concentration levels as low as 0.05 ppb, prior to HPLC analysis.     

Three‐Component Reactions with (S)‐Methyl Pyroglutamate: An Efficient Way to Diversely Substituted Asymmetric Amidocyclohexenes

Chiral N‐dienyl lactams are crucial building blocks for the synthesis of complex organic compounds. However, their generation is rather challenging. This paper reports the novel one‐pot reaction of (S)‐methyl pyroglutamate as the a mide component with different a ldehydes and d ienophiles (AAD reaction) to give novel chiral 1‐amido‐2‐cyclohexenes. The corresponding N‐dienyl lactams generated in situ undergo subsequent Diels–Alder reactions in good yield and diastereoselectivity. The scope and limitations of the three‐component protocol were investigated. X‐ray and NMR spectroscopic analysis of the products as well as DFT calculations of the intermediates were also performed to explain the observed stereoselectivity and structural features.