A representation of the polarization term in the interaction energy between a molecule and a point-like charge

The interaction energy of a molecule M with a point-like charge q can be partitioned into simpler contributions, two of which can be expressed in terms of the charge distribution _M of the sole M. The first term, qV(r), represents the interaction of q with the undistorted charge _M ⁰ of M while the second q ² P(r) gives the additional contributions due to the polarization of _M ⁰ under the influence of the charge q placed at the point r. In this paper we investigate the possibility of getting an inexpensive and sufficiently accurate analytical representation of P(r) over the whole space outside the van der Waals volume of M.     

Salt promoted adsorption chromatography of malted barley amylases

Summary A sequence for the fractionation of the amylasic components from a malted barley extract is proposed using two salt-promoted, adsorption processes: thiophilic interaction chromatography (TIC) and hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC).Two fractions containing -amylase activity were recovered during the thiophilic chromatography; the first was resolved in to -amylase I and -amylase I by HIC on a phenyl-sepharose column; an enrichment factor of 32 was achieved for -amylase I. The other amylasic component eluted from the thiophilic gel was characterized as -amylase II. Although the adsorption of malt amylases on phenylsepharose and the thiophilic adsorbent is salt promoted, the interactions involved in each case are clearly distinguished by the different behaviour and disparate salt effects.     

Accurate electrical and spectroscopic properties ofX 1Σ+ BeO from coupled-cluster methods

Summary This paper reports a series of coupled-cluster (CC) calculations through CCSDT on the theoretically challenging ground state of the BeO molecule. Along with CC methods, quadratic configuration interaction (QCI) approximations to CC theory have been used (QCISD and QCISD(T)), which show several dramatic failings. Equilibrium electrical properties (, _xx , and _zz ) and basic spectroscopic properties (r _e, _e,D _e, and infrared intensity (I)) have been computed. Basis set and electron correlation effects are analyzed in order to arrive at accurate values of the dipole moment and polarizability, which are not known experimentally. For the dipole moment, we obtain a value of 6.25 D, with an uncertainty of about 0.1 D. For _xx and _zz , we suggest respective values of 32 and 36 atomic units (a.u.) and error bars of about 1 and 2 a.u. With extended basis sets, the spectroscopic propertiesr _e, _e, andD _e are reproduced to high accuracy, which is the first time this has been achieved for this species byab initio methods. At the highest calculation levels,I is predicted to be very small. AlthoughI has not been measured, some support for this prediction comes from a recent infrared study of BeO-rare gas complexes. The QCI methods are shown to be much more sensitive to basis set, and even with large basis sets yield values of _zz andI which differ from CC results by an order of magnitude and three orders of magnitude, respectively. These differences doubtless arise from the importance of single excitations (T ₁) for this molecule, as several terms involvingT ₁ are neglected in the QCISD approximation compared with CCSD. We also report CC calculations with Brueckner orbitals, which yield results similar to those obtained with restricted Hartree-Fock orbitals.     

AN INVESTIGATION ON THE ab initio CALCULATION OF INTERMOLECULAR INTERACTION——NON-BONDED INTERACTION IN THE HYDROGEN BOND COMPLEX (HF)_2

An ab initio calculation of the hydrogen bond complex (HF)_2 is given with the 6-311 G~(**) basis set, according to which the potential surface around the balance point of the distancès and the orientations between two HF molecules is obtained. The atomic charges in the system are calculated with the PD/LSF method (potential-derived/least-square-fitting method) and then an analysis of the hydrogen bond interaction between two HF molecules is given with the (exp-6-1) potential function, by means of which it is shown that the main interaction between them is not an electro-static but a charge transfer one. The potential curve between two HF molecules is like a Morse function.     

Microcalorimetry, energetics and binding studies of DNA-dimethyltin dichloride complexes

The interaction of dimethyltin dichloride (Me₂SnCl₂) with calf thymus DNA was studied at 27 °C, pH 7.6 using various techniques including isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and UV-Vis, fluorescence and IR spectrophotometries. The binding isotherm and enthalpy curve for Me₂SnCl₂-DNA interaction was a biphasic transition process. This was determined by the analysis of the binding data with the Hill equation. The first phase of the enthalpy curve (exothermic process) was consistent with the first set of binding site, the second phase (endothermic process, less exothermicity) was consistent with second set of binding site from the cited interactions. Our results showed that the first set of binding sites is occupied by one mole of ligand bound per near 1 base pair of DNA. The DNA-ethidium bromide (EB) complex, in the presence of Me₂SnCl₂, caused the quenching of the fluorescence emission. The Scatchard plots illustrated a non-intercalating manner for such quenching. The DNA-EB complex results indicated that the binding of Me₂SnCl₂ is with the phosphate groups of DNA at low ligand concentrations (<9 mM). This was confirmed with the IR spectrophotometric spectra. However, the binding at higher ligand concentrations (>9 mM) was with the base groups of DNA. Therefore, these results suggest that the Me₂SnCl₂ binding to DNA at low concentrations occurs through an outside interaction by an exothermic process. However, the partial unfolding of the DNA caused at higher concentrations of Me₂SnCl₂ is through an endothermic process involving interactions with the base groups.     

Analysis of cyanobacterial toxins by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

The combination of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with electrospray mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) has been investigated as a tool for the analysis of assorted toxins produced by cyanobacteria. Toxins examined included saxitoxin and its various analogues (1-18), anatoxin-a (ATX-a, 19), cylindrospermopsin (CYN, 20), deoxycylindrospermopsin (doCYN, 21), and microcystins-LR (22) and -RR (23). The saxitoxins could be unequivocally detected in one isocratic analysis using a TSK gel Amide-80 column eluted with 65% B, where eluent A is water and B is a 95% acetonitrile/water solution, both containing 2.0 mM ammonium formate and 3.6 mM formic acid. The analysis of ATX-a, CYN and doCYN required 75% B isocratic. Simultaneous determination of 1-21 was also possible by using gradient elution. HILIC proved to be suitable for the analysis of microcystins, but peak shape was not symmetric and it was concluded that these compounds are best analysed using existing reversed-phase methods. The HILIC-MS method was applied to the analysis of field and cultured samples of Anabaena circinalis and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii. In general, the method proved quite robust with similar results obtained in two different laboratories using different instrumentation.     

Improved detection of multi-phosphorylated peptides in the presence of phosphoric acid in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

In contrast to lower phosphorylation states (e.g. the tryptic monophosphopeptide FQpSEEQQQTEDELQDK from bovine beta-casein), the specific detection of multi-phosphorylated peptides (e.g. the tetraphosphopeptide RELEELNVPGEIVEpSLpSpSpSEESITR from tryptic digestion of bovine beta-casein) has often been problematic for liquid chromatographic mass spectrometric (LC/MS) analysis owing to their high affinity for adsorption to exposed surfaces. We observed an enhancement in the overall detection of phosphopeptides on addition of phosphoric acid (0.1-1.0%) to the sample solution; a 10-fold increase in sensitivity was determined for the detection of two tryptic phosphopeptides and also a significant improvement in the detection of the tetraphosphopeptide. Using capillary LC with ion trap tandem MS for detection and identification, the achievable detection limits were 50 fmol and 50 pmol for the monophosphopeptide and the tetraphosphopeptide, respectively. Phosphoric acid is believed to act as a blocking agent to available silanol groups on both the silica capillary surface and the C(18)-bonded stationary phase silica surface.     

Dispersion state of CuO on CeO2

XRD and XPS are used to study the dispersion state of CuO on ceria surface. The dispersion capacity values of CuO measured by the two methods are consistent, which are of 1.20 mmol CuO/100 m² CeO₂. In addition, the results reveal that highly dispersed Cu²⁺ ions are formed at low CuO loadings and that increasing the CuO content to a value higher than its dispersion capacity produces crystalline CuO after the surface vacant sites on CeO₂ are filled. The atomic composition of the outermost layer of the CuO/CeO₂ samples has been probed by using static secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SSIMS), and the ratim of Cu/Ce are found to be 0.93 and 0.46 for the 1.22 and 0.61 mmol CuO/CeO₂ samples respectively. Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) profile with two reduction peaks at 156 and 165°C suggests that the reduction of highly dispersed Cu²⁺ ions consists of two steps and is easier than that of CuO crystallites, in which the TPR profile has only one reduction peak at about 249°C. The above experimental results are in good agreement with the prediction of the incorporation model. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

π -Type and σ -type cation- π complexes of atomic cations

MP2/6-31+G* calculations were performed on the cation- complexes of ethylene, cyclobutadiene and benzene with a number of atomic cations. It was found that except B⁺ all the atomic cations form -type cation- complexes with ethylene. On the other hand, with cyclobutadiene Li⁺, N⁺, Na⁺, P⁺ and K⁺ form -type complexes, whereas H⁺, F⁺, and Cl⁺ form covalent -type complexes. With benzene Li⁺, B⁺, Na⁺, Al⁺, and K⁺ form -type complexes whereas H⁺, F⁺, and Cl⁺ form -type complexes. It was concluded that the driving force to form the -type complex is chemical bonding, and that for metal cations to form -type complexes is non-covalent interaction.