Uncovering the Stoichiometry of Pyrococcus furiosus RNase P,a Multi‐Subunit Catalytic Ribonucleoprotein Complex,by Surface‐Induced Dissociation and Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

We demonstrate that surface‐induced dissociation (SID) coupled with ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM‐MS) is a powerful tool for determining the stoichiometry of a multi‐subunit ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex assembled in a solution containing Mg²⁺. We investigated Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu) RNase P, an archaeal RNP that catalyzes tRNA 5′ maturation. Previous step‐wise, Mg²⁺‐dependent reconstitutions of Pfu RNase P with its catalytic RNA subunit and two interacting protein cofactor pairs (RPP21?RPP29 and POP5?RPP30) revealed functional RNP intermediates en route to the RNase P enzyme, but provided no information on subunit stoichiometry. Our native MS studies with the proteins showed RPP21?RPP29 and (POP5?RPP30)₂ complexes, but indicated a 1:1 composition for all subunits when either one or both protein complexes bind the cognate RNA. These results highlight the utility of SID and IM‐MS in resolving conformational heterogeneity and yielding insights on RNP assembly.     

The Formation of Imidazolium Salt Intimate (Contact) Ion Pairs in Solution

1‐n‐Butyl‐2,3‐dimethylimidazolium (BMMI) ionic liquids (ILs) associated with different anions undergo H/D exchange preferentially at 2‐Me group of the imidazolium in deuterated solvents. This process is mainly related to the existence of ion pairs rather than the anion basicity. The H/D exchange occurs in solvents (CDCl₃ and MeCN for instance) in which intimate contact ion pairs are present and the anion possesses a labile H in its structure, such as hydrogen carbonate and prolinate. In D₂O, separated ion pairs are formed and the H/D exchange does not occur. A plausible catalytic cycle is that the IL behaves as a neutral base in the course of all H/D exchange processes. NMR experiments, density functional calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations corroborate these hypotheses.     

Formation of “Quasi” Contact or Solvent‐separated Ion Pairs in the Local Environment of Probe Molecules Dissolved in Ionic Liquids

The change from “quasi” contact to “quasi” solvent‐separated ion‐pair configuration in the local environment of a probe molecule in ionic liquids depends on the varying interaction strength of the chosen anions. The ion speciation in these Coulomb fluids could be shown by combining infrared spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and natural bond orbital analysis using a low‐self‐clustering probe molecule.     

Ion Pairing in Protic Ionic Liquids Probed by Far‐Infrared Spectroscopy: Effects of Solvent Polarity and Temperature

The cation–anion and cation–solvent interactions in solutions of the protic ionic liquid (PIL) [Et₃NH][I] dissolved in solvents of different polarities are studied by means of far infrared vibrational (FIR) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The dissociation of contact ion pairs (CIPs) and the resulting formation of solvent‐separated ion pairs (SIPs) can be observed and analyzed as a function of solvent concentration, solvent polarity, and temperature. In apolar environments, the CIPs dominate for all solvent concentrations and temperatures. At high concentrations of polar solvents, SIPs are favored over CIPs. For these PIL/solvent mixtures, CIPs are reformed by increasing the temperature due to the reduced polarity of the solvent. Overall, this approach provides equilibrium constants, free energies, enthalpies, and entropies for ion‐pair formation in trialkylammonium‐containing PILs. These results have important implications for the understanding of solvation chemistry and the reactivity of ionic liquids.     

Mechanism of Back Electron Transfer in an Intermolecular Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reaction: Solvent as a Charge Mediator

Back electron transfer (BET) is one of the important processes that govern the decay of generated ion pairs in intermolecular photoinduced electron transfer reactions. Unfortunately, a detailed mechanism of BET reactions remains largely unknown in spite of their importance for the development of molecular photovoltaic structures. Here, we examine the BET reaction of pyrene (Py) and 1,4‐dicyanobenzene (DCB) in acetonitrile (ACN) by using time‐resolved near‐ and mid‐IR spectroscopy. The Py dimer radical cation (Py₂^.+) and DCB radical anion (DCB^.?) generated after photoexcitation of Py show asynchronous decay kinetics. To account for this observation, we propose a reaction mechanism that involves electron transfer from DCB^.? to the solvent and charge recombination between the resulting ACN dimer anion and Py₂^.+. The unique role of ACN as a charge mediator revealed herein could have implications for strategies that retard charge recombination in dye‐sensitized solar cells.     

Formation of Octameric Methylaluminoxanes by Hydrolysis of Trimethylaluminum and the Mechanisms of Catalyst Activation in Single‐Site α‐Olefin Polymerization Catalysis

Hydrolysis of trimethylaluminum (TMA) leads to the formation of methylaluminoxanes (MAO) of general formula (MeAlO)_n(AlMe₃)_m. The thermodynamically favored pathway of MAO formation is followed up to n=8, showing the major impact of associated TMA on the structural characteristics of the MAOs. The MAOs bind up to five TMA molecules, thereby inducing transition from cages into rings and sheets. Zirconocene catalyst activation studies using model MAO co‐catalysts show the decisive role of the associated TMA in forming the catalytically active sites. Catalyst activation can take place either by Lewis‐acidic abstraction of an alkyl or halide ligand from the precatalyst or by reaction of the precatalyst with an MAO‐derived AlMe₂⁺ cation. Thermodynamics suggest that activation through AlMe₂⁺ transfer is the dominant mechanism because sites that are able to release AlMe₂⁺ are more abundant than Lewis‐acidic sites. The model catalyst system is demonstrated to polymerize ethene.     

离子色谱法同时测定不同时段酸雨中17种离子

应用离子色谱法同时测定不同时段酸雨中17种离子的含量。样品经离心沉淀后,经0.45μm滤膜过滤,滤液供离子色谱分析。阴离子分离时用Shodex SI-52 4E阴离子色谱柱,并用3.6mmol·L-1碳酸钠-0.6 mmol·L-1碳酸氢钠缓冲溶液作为淋洗液;阳离子分离时用TSKGEL阳离子色谱柱,并用2mmol·L-1硝酸溶液作为淋洗液,采用电导检测器进行检测。17种离子均在一定的质量浓度范围内与其峰面积呈线性关系,方法的检出限(3S/N)在1.4~18.7μg·L-1之间。回收率在95.0%~105%之间,测定值的相对标准偏差(n=6)在1.7%~7.2%之间。     

白果形钨酸铅的可控合成及光致发光特性

以酒石酸钠为表面活性剂,采用直接沉淀法合成了白果形钨酸铅晶体,通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、能量散射仪(EDS)及荧光发射光谱(PL)对产物的结构和性质进行了表征。探讨了酒石酸钠对(004)晶面的抑制作用以及pH值和陈化温度对产物形貌的影响,结合晶体的内部结构提出了产物可能的形成机制。结果表明,陈化温度为30℃时,晶体形貌最为规整,PbWO4晶体在紫外光激发下展现出强的绿光发射,在pH=9时可达到最大的发光强度。     

离子色谱法测定合成气制烯烃产物中的C_1~C_6有机酸

采用离子色谱建立了合成气制烯烃(SGTO)水相产物和油相产物中C1~C6有机酸的测定方法。对分离条件进行了优化,使用标准样品测定了线性范围和工作曲线,考察了方法的精密度和准确度,确定了SGTO油相产物样品的碱洗条件,并对SGTO水相产物和油相产物样品进行了测定。结果表明:C1~C6有机酸的质量浓度在各自配制的质量浓度范围内呈现良好的线性关系,相关系数均大于0.99。标准溶液的回收率测定表明回收率在95.6%~104.3%之间,5次重复测定的相对标准偏差(RSD)在0.4%~3.6%之间,表明该方法具有良好的准确性和精密度。SGTO油相产物中的加标回收率在91.1%~96.8%之间,5次重复测定的RSD为0.7%~2.3%,准确性可以满足实际分析的需要。实际SGTO水相产物和油相产物中C1~C6有机酸的分析结果表明,SGTO水相产物中C2~C4有机酸含量较高,而SGTO油相产物中C4~C6有机酸含量较高。本研究对SGTO反应研究、催化剂制备、工艺优化以及设备材料的选择具有重要意义。