Multivariate monitoring of soybean oil ethanolysis by FTIR

In this work, an analytical procedure was developed to monitor the ethanolysis of degummed soybean oil (DSO) using Fourier-transformed mid-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and methods of multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLS). The triglycerides (reagents) and ethyl esters (products) involved in ethanolysis were shown to have similar FTIR spectra. However, when the FTIR spectra derived from seven standard mixtures of triolein and ethyl oleate were treated by PCA at the region that represents the CO stretching vibration of ester groups (1700-1800 cm⁻¹), only two principal components (PC) were shown to capture 99.95% of the total spectral variance (92.37% for the former and 7.58% for the latter PC). This observation supported the development of a multivariate calibration model that was based on the PLS regression of the FTIR data. The prevision capability of this model was measured against 40 reaction aliquots whose ester content was previously determined by size exclusion chromatography. Only small discrepancies were observed when the two experimental data sets were treated by linear regression (R²=0.9837) and these deviations were attributed to the occurrence of non-modeled transient species in the reaction mixture (reaction intermediates), particularly at short reaction times. Therefore, the FTIR/PLS model was shown to be a fast and accurate method to predict reaction yields and to follow the in situ kinetics of soybean oil ethanolysis.     

Vibrational spectroscopic detection of H-bonded β- and γ-turns in cyclic peptides and glycopeptides

The conformation of N-glycoproteins and N-glycopeptides has been the subject of many spectroscopic studies over the past decades. However, except for some preliminary data, no detailed study on the vibrational spectroscopy of glycosylated peptides has been published until recently.

This paper reports FTIR spectroscopic properties in DMSO and TFE of the N-glycosylated cyclic peptides cyclo[Gly-Pro-Xxx(GlcNAc)-Gly-δ-Ava] 3a and 3b in comparison with data on the non-glycosylated parent peptides cyclo(Gly-Pro-Xxx-Gly-δ-Ava) 2a and 2b [a, Xxx = Asn; b, Xxx = Gln; δ-Ava = NH-(CH₂)₄-CO] and N-acetyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- -gluco pyranosylamine (GlcNAc-NHAc, 4). The assignment of amide I band frequencies to conformation is based on ROESY experiments and determination of the temperature coefficients in DMSO-d₆ solution. (For the synthesis and NMR characterization of 2a and 3a see Ref. [19].)

Cyclic peptides are expected to adopt folded (β- and/or γ-turn) conformations which may be fixed by intramolecular H-bonding(s). A comparison of the temperature coefficients of the NH protons and amide I band frequencies and intensities suggests that in DMSO there is no significant difference in the backbone conformation and H-bond system of the N-glycosylated models and their parent cyclic peptides. The common feature of the backbone conformation of models 2 and 3 is the predominance of a 1 ← 4 (C₁₀) H-bonded type II β-turn encompassing Pro-Xxx or Pro-Xxx(GlcNAc), respectively. The ROESY connectivities in the Asn(GlcNAc) model (3a) have not been found to reflect intramolecular H-bondings between the peptide and the sugar.

The unique feature of the FTIR spectra in DMSO of the cyclic models is the lack or weakness of low-frequency (< 1640 cm⁻¹) amide I component bands. In TFE the amide I region of the FTIR spectra shows an increased number of components below 1650 cm⁻¹ reflecting a mixture of open and H-bonded β- and γ-turn conformers.

Because of its destabilizing effect upon γ-turns and other weakly H-bonded structures, DMSO decreases the number of backbone conformers. DMSO also destroys side-chain-backbone H-bondings of type C₇, C₆ or C₈. Possible ‘glyco’ C₇ H-bondings in GlcNAc-NHAc (4) or in glycopeptides 3a and 3b cannot resist the effect of DMSO either.

The FTIR data in TFE of models 2–4 suggest that the acceptor amide group of strong C₇ H-bondings in peptides and glycopeptides absorbs at 1630 ± 5 cm⁻¹ and that of bifurcated H-bondings between 1600–1620 cm⁻¹.     

ELECTROCHEMICAL POLYMERIZATION OF ANILINE IN PHOSPHORIC ACID AND THE PROPERTIES OF POLYANILINE

The behavior of the electrochemical polymerization of aniline in a weak acid, phosphoric acid, is very similar to that in strong acids, i.e. its polymerization rate increases quickly with the electrolysis time. The FTIR spectra of polyaniline samples synthesized in phosphoric acid indicate that the counter ion H2PO4^- is present in both the oxidized form and the reduced form of polyaniline. The counter ion plays an important role in adjusting the pH value at the electrode surface of polyaniline during the oxidation and reduction processes. As a result, a pair of redox peaks still appear in cyclic voltammograms of polyaniline in a solution of sodium sulfate of pH 5.5 and in a solution of NaH2PO4 of pH 7.0,respectively, at low potential scan rate; and the color of polyaniline film also changes with applied potential at pH 7.0. Thus,the pH region for the electrochemical activity and the electrochromism of polyaniline is extended to pH 5.5 for a solution of sodium sulfate and to pH 7.0 for a solution of NaH2PO4. The conductivity of polyaniline is 3.3 S cm^-1, depending on the concentration of phosphoric acid used in the stage of polymerization of aniline. The result of elemental analysis of polyaniline is presented here.     

吡咯-IR法测定铝化β沸石的碱性

The basicities of aluminated zeolites βhave been investigated by FTIR spectra of chemisorbed pyrrole. The NH-stretching frequency of pyrrole adsorbed on the samples shifts towards lower wavenumber as the St/Al ratio is decreased and correlates well with the negative charge on the framework oxygen calculated from the Sanderson electronegativity equalization principle, revealing zeolite β to possess a stronger overall basicity after alumination and, therefore, the alumination to be an effective method to improve the basicity. It is also found that the heterogeneity of basic strength occurs and some stronger basic sites appear after alumination.     

醇和N,N-二甲基乙酰胺分子间相互作用的FTIR光谱研究

The association between alcohols and N,N-dimethylacetamide in carbon tetrachloride was investigated using FTIR spectroscopy at 298 K.The formation constants for 1∶1 and 1∶2 complexes were calculated using the method of Whetsel and Kagarise.The observed 1∶1 complex values were also verified using the method of Nash.The rate of change in C=O bond moment on complexing with alcohols increased with increasing acidity of alcohols.The formation constant and values of free energy change increased with the increase in carbon chain length of alcohols,which suggested that the degree of complex formation varied with the length of the carbon chain of alcohols.     

Flow analysis-vapor phase generation-Fourier transform infrared (FA-VPG-FTIR) spectrometric determination of nitrite

In this work, the coupling between flow analysis (FA)–vapor phase generation (VPG) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) has been proposed as a novel and alternative strategy for the determination of nitrite. The analyte was transformed into the gaseous nitric oxide (NO) by on-line reaction with potassium iodide (KI) or ascorbic acid in acidic medium. The gaseous NO generated was transported by means of a N₂ gas carrier stream inside the IR gas cell and the corresponding FTIR spectrum was acquired in a continuous mode. The absorbance at 1876 cm⁻¹, corrected by a baseline established between 1879 and 1872 cm⁻¹ at a nominal resolution of 2 cm⁻¹, was selected as a measurement criterion. The effect of different spectroscopic and flow analysis experimental parameters, such as nominal resolution, number of scans, reducing agent and its concentration, acidic medium, reagents and sample flow rates, and the carrier gas flow rate on the analytical signal, and then in the figures of merit were initially evaluated by using a standard short path length (10 cm) IR gas cell. The optimization of the system was carried out by the univariate method. The main aims of this study were: (i) to investigate the on-line generation of gaseous nitric oxide in a continuous flow system, and (ii) the use of Fourier transform infrared spectrometry as an alternative and selective detector for the determination of nitrite. The proposed method was initially tested and applied for the determination of nitrite in samples with very high concentration of nitrite, such as frankfurters.     

Density functional theory study of vibrational spectra, and assignment of fundamental vibrational modes of succinimide and N-bromosuccinimide

This work deals with the vibrational spectroscopy of succinimide and N-bromosuccinimide. The mid and far FTIR and FT-Raman spectra were measured in the condensed state. The fundamental vibrational frequencies and intensity of vibrational bands were evaluated using density functional theory (DFT) using standard B3LYP/6-31G(*) and B3LYP/6-311+G(**) methods and basis set combinations. The vibrational spectra were interpreted, with the aid of normal coordinate analysis based on a scaled quantum mechanical force field. The infrared and Raman spectra were also predicted from the calculated intensities. Comparison of simulated spectra with the experimental spectra provides important information about the ability of the computational method to describe the vibrational modes. Unambiguous vibrational assignment of all the fundamentals were made using the total energy distribution (TED).     

Preferential Uniplanar Orientation of Cellulose Microfibrils Reinvestigated by the FTIR Technique

A simple detection method to observe the uniplanar orientation behavior of native cellulose microfibrils to the cell wall surface by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the transmission mode is reported. Four bands at 1372, 1355, 1337, and 1317 cm⁻¹ (the latter two have been mentioned previously by Liang and Marchessault (1960, J. Polym. Sci. 43: 85–100)) were found to be sensitive to such orientation: the two middle bands at 1355 and 1337 cm⁻¹ increase remarkably when the 0.60–61 nm lattice planes lie parallel to the cell wall surfaces. The reverse was true when the 0.53–54 nm lattice planes oriented preferentially. Polarization of the two bands at 1372 and 1355 cm⁻¹ was parallel, while that of the other two bands at lower wavenumbers, i.e., at 1337 and 1317 cm⁻¹, was perpendicular to the molecular axis of cellulose. These bands were assigned to OH-related motion, probably to in-plane OH bending, as reported by Maréchal and Chanzy (2000, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 523: 183–196).     

Stabilisation of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with Vitamin E

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been the material of choice for load-bearing articular components used in total joint arthroplasty in the past 30 years. However, the durability of the whole implant has often been compromised by oxidation of UHMWPE components. Since the use of a suitable, biocompatible stabilizer would minimize this inconvenience, the possibility of adding synthetic Vitamin E to medical grade UHMWPE is currently under investigation.In the present work, medical grade UHMWPE was blended with 0.05, 0.1 or 0.5 w/w% of α-tocopherol and consolidated by compression moulding. Small blocks of reference UHMWPE and of each blend were then gamma irradiated to 30 or 100 kGy. FTIR spectroscopy was used to monitor changes in both the polymer and the additive. Thin sections of virgin and α-tocopherol doped UHMWPE irradiated and unirradiated were aged in a ventilated oven at 90 °C and the kinetic of oxidation was followed by FTIR. In addition, CL-imaging curves were recorded at 180 °C on both irradiated and unirradiated samples.Phenol loss is observed in all the α-tocopherol doped samples upon irradiation. Hypotheses on the rearrangements of the additive structure include the formation of quinonoid products. Nevertheless, all the additive-containing samples exhibit better oxidation resistance compared to the virgin material, indicating stabilizing activity of the α-tocopherol derivatives.     

The Influence of Sulfate‐Doping on the Nature of V Sites in VOx/TiO2 Catalysts

EPR, UV/Vis and FTIR spectroscopy as well as thermal analysis (TA/MS) were applied to study the influence of sulfate species present in the anatase support on the specific nature of VO_x species in supported VO_x/TiO₂ catalysts. Those sulfate species modify the local structure of the supported vanadyl species and lead to the formation of two types of VO²⁺ sites instead of only one type being formed on sulfate‐free anatase. EPR and FTIR spectroscopic measurements revealed that a part of the VO²⁺ species are directly bound to the surface sulfate species. By TA/MS it was found that SO₂ is released at lower temperature from VO_x/TiO₂ in comparison to the vanadium‐free support. The direct bonding between sulfate and VO_x species stabilizes the latter on the surface of VO_x/TiO₂ resulting in three effects: 1) a higher V site dispersion in comparison to sulfate‐free TiO₂, 2) a better resistance of surface vanadyls against diffusion into the bulk of the support and 3) a much faster reoxidation of reduced V sites than observed on sulfate‐free TiO₂.