Synthesis and photochemistry of a new class of photocleavable protein cross-linking reagents

A new series of photocleavable protein cross-linking reagents based on bis(maleimide) derivatives of diaryl disulfides have been synthesised. They have been functionalised with cysteine and transient absorption spectra for the photolysis reaction have been recorded by using the pump-probe technique with a time resolution of 100 femtoseconds. Photolysis of the disulfide bond yields the corresponding thiyl radicals in less than a picosecond. There is a significant amount of geminate recombination, but some of the radicals escape the solvent cage and the quantum yield for photocleavage is 30 % in water.     

Preparation and practical application of spinel pigment Co0.46Zn0.55(Ti0.064Cr0.91)2O4

Synthesis of the green spinel pigment Co_0.46Zn_0.55(Ti_0.064Cr_0.91)₂O₄ by a novel two-step method of preparation have been investigated. Inorganic pigments are almost always prepared by a solid state reaction. It is classical ceramic method which used oxides, hydroxides or carbonates as precursors. The reaction is performed at temperature higher than 1300°C and an agent of mineralization is usually present. The presented novel method of preparation decreases the calcining temperature necessary for reaching of bright and clear hue of the pigments prepared. Main attention was focused on the influence of two types of titanium raw materials on the temperature region of the spinel structure formation and on the colour properties of the pigments. The mixture of precursors with TiO₂ gives a one-phase system when calcining at 1100°C but the colour properties are more interesting at 1150°C. Thermal stability of this pigment is limited by temperature 1300°C. This temperature is connected with partial oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Thermal analysis provided the first information about the temperature region of the pigment formation and determined the thermal stability of pigment.     

Preparation and separation of all possible rotamers of a stereochemical analog of meso-tartaric acid: optically inactive and optically active isomers of (R,S)-2,2′-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-6,6′-dimethyl-9,9′-bitriptycyl

All the three possible rotamers of the title compound were separated by chromatography, and unambiguously identified by NMR and X-ray analysis. One of the isomers was optically inactive C_i conformation. The other optical active forms were resolved to give a pair of enantiomers, which were characterized by optical rotation and CD spectra. Thus the optical inactivity of a compound such as meso-tartaric acid that can take C_i conformation in solution, is now ascribed to that the molecule has an optically inactive C_i conformer and equal amounts of optically active conformers, that are enantiomers, in solution.     

Analytical assays based on detecting conformational changes of single molecules.

One common strategy for the detection of biomolecules is labeling either the target itself or an antibody that binds to it. Herein, a different approach, based on detecting the conformational change of a probe molecule induced by binding of the target is discussed. That is, what is being detected is not the presence of the target or the probe, but the conformational change of the probe. Recently, a single-molecule sensor has been developed that exploits this mechanism to detect hybridization of a single DNA oligomer to a DNA probe, as well as specific binding of a single protein to a DNA probe. Biomolecular recognition often involves large conformational changes of the molecules involved, and therefore this strategy may be applicable to other assays.     

Optical sensors for determination of heavy metal ions

A review is given on optical means for single shot testing (probing) as well as continuous monitoring (sensing) of heavy metal ions (HMs). Following an introduction into indicator based approaches, we discuss the types of indicator dyes and polymeric supports used, as well as existing sensing schemes for HMs. The wealth of information is compiled in the form of tables and critically reviewed. Notwithstanding the tremendous work performed so far, it is obvious that still severe limitations do exist in terms of selectivity, limits of detection, dynamic ranges, applicability to specific problems, and reversibility. On the other hand, such sensors have found — and will find — their application whenever rapid and cost-effective testing is required, where personnel is scarce or unskilled, and in field tests. Despite their limitations, the number of such sensors (and of irreversible probes) for HMs is likely to increase in future.     

Sol-Gel Fabrication and Properties of Silica Cores of Optical Fibers Doped with Yb3+, Er3+, Al2 O3 or TiO2

Optical cores of preforms for drawing optical fibers doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ were fabricated by the sol-gel method with the aim of increasing the thickness of glass layers coated in a single coating cycle and to determine the relation between the preparation conditions and optical properties of the fibers. Al2O3-P2O5-SiO2 and TiO2-P2O5-SiO2 glasses have been studied as matrices for entrapping the rare-earth elements. Input sols have been prepared from silicon and titanium alkoxides, AlCl3, ErCl3, YbCl3, POCl3, water and a modifier under acidic catalysis of HCl. The sols were coated on the inner wall of a silica substrate tube and the gel layers were sintered at high temperatures up to 2000°C after which the tube was collapsed into the preform. Continuous and homogenous glass films with the maximum thickness of about 8 m were fabricated. The influence of high-temperature heat treatment of the layers on their composition and optical attenuation was observed. The amplified stimulated emission of Er3+ around 1.55 m was measured under the excitation of the fibers by an Nd : YAG laser at 1.064 m.     

二维光学薄膜的气敏反射光谱特性

研究二维光学薄膜ＳｎＯ２：ＴｉＯ２在乙醇、丙酮、氨蒸汽中的气敏反射光谱，发现它与厚膜（膜厚２０μｍ）的气敏反射光谱有明显的差异，它的反射光强在气体浓度较低时随气体浓度增加而增强，气体浓度较高时则现象相反，并且它的反射峰会发生位移。利用不同气体的反射峰的气敏特性，可制成有气体选择性的气敏光纤传感器。     

Chemical Sensors for Electronic Nose Systems

Chemical sensors have been widely used for the analysis of volatile organic compounds. Employing chemical sensors in an array format with pattern recognition provides a higher degree of selectivity and reversibility leading to an extensive range of applications. When such systems are used for odour analysis they are termed electronic noses. Application of electronic noses ranges from the food industry, medical industry to environmental monitoring and process control. Many types of different gas sensors have been employed in the array. These include conducting polymers, metal oxide semiconductors, piezoelectric, optical fluorescence and amperometric gas sensors The transducer principle of these sensors is varied and is discussed in detail within this review. Examples of the current trends in sensor array technology as well as the applications to which the sensor-based noses have been applied are also discussed.     

Syntheses, Structures, and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Two Crown-like Heteroselenometallic Compounds [Et4N]4[(μ5-WSe4)(CuX)5(μ-X)2] (X = Cl, Br)

Two isostructural crown-like heteroselenometallic cluster compounds, [Et₄N]₄[(μ₅-WSe₄)(CuX)₅(μ-X)₂] (X = Cl 1, Br 2), were prepared from the reactions of [Et₄N]₂[WSe₄] with CuX and [Et₄N]X· xH₂O in the presence of 2-picoline and characterized by single-crystal diffraction analysis. The [(μ₅-WSe₄)(Cu-X)₅(μ-X)₂]⁴⁻ anions in the cluster compounds consists of five CuX fragments coordinated to the five edges of the tetrahedral [WSe₄]²⁻ moiety along with two bridging halides connected to each of the two pairs of the symmetric copper atoms, exhibiting a novel crown-like core structure. The nonlinear optical absorption and refraction of cluster compound 2 were determined to be α₂ = 6.15 × 10⁻¹⁰ m/W and n ₂ = 4.18 × 10⁻¹¹ esu, respectively.     

取代苯体系的二阶非线性光学性质:动力学李代数方法

提出了一种动力学李代数方法来研究取代苯体系的非线性光学性质. 对于给定的PPP模型(Pariser-Parr-Pople)哈密顿量, 生成了一个动力学李代数. 依据这些代数元构造出演化算子作为群参数的函数, 通过求解一组非线性微分方程能够得到这些群参数. 再按照统计力学中的密度算子公式给出取代苯分子体系偶极矩的统计平均值. 于是导出二阶极化率的表达式. 与其他量子力学计算结果比较, 表明这种动力学李代数方法在预言有机共轭分子的非线性光学性质上同样有用.