The crystal structure of CuVo3(II), a high-pressure ilmenite phase

The crystal structure of a second high-pressure copper vanadate phase, CuVO₃(II), has been determined and refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures using automatic diffractometer data to a residual R = 0.042 (R_w = 0.051). The space group is rhombohedral, $\text{R}\text{3}$, with hexagonal unit cell a = 4.966(2) and c = 14.084(5) Å [a_R = 5.501(2) Å and α = 53.66(3)°]. The structure is the fully ordered ilmenite-type and, on the basis of published magnetic data and the interatomic distances, the valence distribution Cu⁺V⁵⁺O₃ is proposed. This represents a unique example of Cu⁺ in an octahedral environment.     

An electrochemical study of redox indicators : Part I. Substituted chrysoidines

The electrochemical oxidation of various substituted chrysoidines was studied by cyclic voltammetry, to determine which have stable oxidation products. Only 4-hydroxy-chrysoidine has a stable product; the apparent oxidation potential is 0.779 V vs. NHE. 4-Methoxy- and 4-ethoxy-chrysoidine rapidly lose methanol or ethanol, respectively, so that the 4-hydroxychrysoidine wave appears on subsequent scans. All the other chrysoidines studied are irreversible. The results indicate that a hydroxy group in the 4-position is necessary for stability; the 4-alkoxychrysoidines can achieve the stable quinoidal structure by cleavage of the alkoxy group after nucleophilic attack.     

Electrode processes in the oxidation of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives

The electrochemical oxidation of the alkaloid laudanosine (Ia) to O-methylflavinantine (II) has been studied in acetonitrile solvent. Using cyclic voltammetry, rotating disc voltammetry and preparative electrolyses on several alkaloids, simple aliphatic amines and aromatic compounds, some aspects of the mechanism of this coupling reaction are elucidated. The first anodic wave for laudanosine at platinum has E_p=0.55 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺. The electrode rapidly becomes partially passivated at potentials above 0.5 V. This is due to a film which “dissolves” below 0.5 V, at a rate independent of the potential. It is shown that the reaction (Ia)→(II) proceeds at 0.5 V by initial oxidation of the amine moiety. If acids such as sodium bicarbonate are added to the anolyte the amine is protonated causing the first wave to disappear. Oxidation at 1.1 V under these acidic conditions produces the same product, but more rapidly and in significantly higher yield because electrode filming and side reactions resulting from the amine oxidation are abrogated.     

The synthesis of cypridina etioluciferamine and the proof of structure of cypridina luciferin

An unambiguous synthesis of Cypridina etioluciferamine was accomplished in order to prove the structure of this important bioluminescent natural product. Several 2-aminopyrazine 1-oxides were synthesized in order to establish a spectroscopic method for determining the placement of substituents on the pyrazine nucleus of Cypridina etioluciferamine. Titanium tetrachloride was used to improve the yields of these compounds; for example, the yield of 2-amino-3-methyl-5-phenylpyrazine 1-oxide (19) from reaction of phenylglyoxal 1-oxime and α-aminopropionitrile was raised from 3% to 51% by the use of titanium tetrachloride. The pyrazine ring proton is found at τ 1·37 (DMSO-d₆). The isomeric 2-amino-3-methyl-6-phenylpyrazine 1-oxide (22) was similarly prepared and its pyrazine ring proton is found at τ 2·18. This large difference (0·81 ppm) in chemical shift was used to determine whether a 2-aminopyrazine 1-oxide was 5- or 6- substituted. Prepared in an analogous fashion were 2-amino-5-(indol-3-yl)-3-methylpyrazine 1-oxide (23) and 2-amino-5-(indol-3-yl)-3-(3-phthalimidopropyl)pyrazine 1-oxide (16). The structures of these compounds were verified by NMR spectroscopy. By treatment with Raney nickel and hydrogen gas, then 100% hydrazine hydrate, 16 was converted to 2-amino-3-(3-aminopropyl)-5-indol-3-ylpyrazine (5), isolated as the dihydrochloride. This compound, with the indole moiety definitely placed at C-5, is identical with Cypridina etioluciferamine dihydrochloride (IR, UV, TLC). These results show that the structures of Cypridina etioluciferamine and luciferin are correct as published.     

Preparation of apolar glass capillary columns by the barium carbonate procedure

As an extension of previous reports, the barium carbonate procedure has been optimized in detail for the preparation of apolar columns. The aim was to produce optimum overall column characteristics, and to maintain them unchanged under the prolonged influence of the highest possible temperature. The main parameters under optimization were glass variety, leaching of glass surface with aqueous HCl, and amount of barium carbonate deposited, while deactivation and coating were kept constant. The basic column characteristics were adsorption properties and thermostability of deactivation, acid/base behaviour and separation efficiency. They were determined by a new, quantitative testing procedure. Intense leaching was able to eliminate almost totally the differences between glass varieties and to create a well-defined glass surface. While untreated glass, leached glass, and barium carbonate treated glass showed specific weak points in the respective column quality, the combination of leaching and barium carbonate treatment yielded the highest and most stable quality. Some technical modifications of the preparation procedure are described, including deactivation in the gas phase, and use of pentane as a solvent for static coating.     

Analytical applications of picolinealdehyde salicyloylhydrazone: Spectrophotometric determination of nickel and zinc

With a view to the use of picolinealdehyde salicyloylhydrazone as analytical reagent, a study of the physical properties and chemical reactions of this substance has been carried out. It reacts with nickel (λ_max = 375 nm, ? = 3.9 × 10⁴M^?1cm^?1) or zinc (λ_max = 365 nm, ? = 4.8 × 10⁴M^?1cm^?1) to produce a yellow 1:2 complex in both cases. Spectrophotometric determinations of trace amounts of nickel and zinc have been established.     

Some developments in reaction and solution microcalorimetry,with particular reference to its use in biochemistry and cellular biology

The field of isothermal microcalorimetry as applied to systems of interest for aqueous solution chemistry, biochemistry and in cellular biology is briefly reviewed. Some techniques recently developed in the author's laboratory are described.     

Correlation of the position of the bond functions in H-X with electronegativity

S type Gaussian bond functions are optimized for HF, H₂O, NH₃, and CH₄. The optimization is carried out with respect to the exponent and position in the H-X bond. The position is found to correlate well with the electronegativity of Pauling and Allred-Rochow.     

The composition of the evolved gases from the thermal decomposition of certain metal sulfates

By the use of TG—MS, the thermal dissociation of anhydrous CuSO₄ and Al₂(S0₄)₃ was found to proceed according to the reactions:

followed by the reactions:

No SO₃ was indicated in the dissociation of alunite. The sulfate ion appears to dissociate by at least two different mechanisms although the parameter which controls the mechanisms has not been elucidated.     

Multiparametric curve fitting-VII Determination of the number of complex species by factor analysis of potentiometric data

The number of complex species in solution may be determined by a computer-assisted factor analysis of a set of potentiometric titration curves, by finding the rank of the normalized data matrix. An application of the program SPECIES is demonstrated for some examples of titration data. The method is limited in that it can discriminate only between species with differing degrees of polymerization.