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.     

Reactions of esters of tetracoordinated phosphorus acids with nucleophilic reagents in highly organized media

Characteristic features of reactions involving esters of phosphorus-containing acids in highly organized media (micelles, liquid crystals, vesicles, and emulsions) are surveyed.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 298–312, February, 1996.     

Moment characterization of localized orbitals

The parallel between orbital first and second electric moments and statistical first and second central moments is noted. Three measures of orbital spatial distribution in terms of their moments are proposed, and applied to the LMO's in a series of ten-electron hydrides. Consistent differences between bond and lone pair distributions are found. Using the statistical interpretation, for each LMO an effective solid angle around the central atom is postulated.     

Molecular orbital studies on the conformation of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)

In distinction to Extended Hückel Theory which predicts as the most stable conformation of free zwitterionic GABA a totally extended form, PCILO and SCF ab initio studies show that the intrinsically preferred conformation of the isolated molecule is a highly folded one, resulting from strong interactions between the two charged ends. Computations are also carried out for hydrated GABA in the supermolecule approach allowing moreover for the flexibility of binding of some of the water molecules of the first hydration shell. They predict the coexistence in solution of a large number of conformations showing different degrees of folding (or extension), a result confirmed by recent NMR studies. This and a number of similar results show that we have to adapt our thinking on the role of conformations in pharmacological activity to this situation, which was frequently obscured by the more abundant results of X-ray crystallography yielding a single conformation.     

Volume and compressibility changes of complex formation between 18-Crown-6 and NaCl,KCl, and CsCl in water

The apparent molal volumes and compressibilities of NaCl, KCl, and CsCl in mixtures of 18-Crown-6 and water have been calculated from density and speed-of-sound measurements at 25°C. The partial molal volumes and compressibilities of the salts when all cations have formed complexes with 18-Crown-6 molecules have been evaluated. The sign and magnitude of the volume and compressibility changes of complex formation strongly suggest that the charge of the cation becomes very effectively screened by the crown ether.     

A Biokinetic Model to Describe Consequences of Inhibition/Stimulation in DNA-Proofreading and -Repair,Part 2. Calibration of the Model

Summary.  A biokinetic model has been developed to describe the mathematical consequences of inhibition, respectively stimulation of proofreading. According to data reported in the literature, a first approximative calibration of the model has been carried out in an attempt to make it both: practically applicable and comparable with experimental data and clinical facts. The model is open for further improvements and adjustable according to results of further researches via the parameters chosen. In a first test of the model it is shown that it does well reflect the results described in the literature upon proof-reading-inhibition and its consequences, i.e., the reduction of replication-fidelity (→ exponential increase of malignant cells with time). As a further result it is shown that the model also does well describe in its kinetic approach opposite effects as, e.g., a reduction of wrong genetic information by classical cancer-therapies like chemotherapy and surgergy. The system is orientated towards known biochemical relations and chemical similarities together with a discussion of the potential chance which offer special combinations of chemically identifyable substances (like nucleotides’ precursors or effector-molecules contained in low-molecular-human-placenta-extracts as an alternative to umbilical cords’-blood/cells) as stimulators of the enzymatic proof-reading- and -repair-machinery. E-mail: Haschke.H@isovolta.com Received January 20, 2002; accepted (revised) June 26, 2002     

Degradation of ²-O-4 lignin model and related compounds by the ascomyceteChrysonilia sitophila (TFB 27441 strain)

Growth of the ascomyceteChrysonilia sitophila during degradation of lignin model dimers and monomers was compared to a glucose control. An inhibition of growth by Cα-carbonyl monomers and stimulation by β-O-4 lignin model and vanillyl alcohol were observed. A comparison of the degradation by this ascomycete with the basidiomycetePhanerochaete chrysosoporium showed similarities in relation to the type of degradation caused.     

Studies of solvent effects

The effect of water on the conformational preferences of acetylcholine has been studied within the discrete, the continuum and the combined discrete-continuum models described in parts I and II of this series. All the models lead to the conclusion that the trans-gauche form which is, following refined quantum-mechanical computations, the intrinsically preferred one and the one observed in the crystal of acetylcholine and of a number of analogues should remain also the preferred conformation in water. This result agrees with NMR studies. The results of the empirical discrete model used here compare favorably to those obtained by an ab initio super-molecule treatment. The continuum model utilized here represents a net improvement above such models utilized in other works.     

Calculations of the electronic structures of cage molecules using free-electron orbitals as a basis

A non-empirical molecular orbital method, particularly suitable for calculations on cage-like molecules, is described. The method uses as basis functions the set of free-electron functions which are the solutions of Schrödinger's equation for an electron confined between two concentric, spherical potential energy barriers. Application of the theory to the SCF calculation of the energies of the delocalized electrons in benzene and tetrasulphur tetranitride shows that the model is capable of interpreting the properties of such systems. However, it does highlight a difficulty in the calculation of excited state energies with one-centre models which appears to be largely unrecognized.Extension of the method to a consideration of all the valence electrons, using P₄ as an example, reveals problems the origin of which is an inadequate treatment of the core electrons. It is suggested that these problems may best be dealt with by use of a suitable pseudo potential.     

Heterogeneous ECE Processes at Channel Electrodes: Analytical Solution for all Reaction Rate Constants and Different Diffusion Coefficients

An analytical solution is developed for heterogeneous ECE processes occurring at channel electrode surface for both laminar and turbulent flow. The solution explicitly links the behavior of ECE processes and the parameters. A simple expression of the effective number of electrons transferred, covering all the reaction rate constants and different diffusion coefficients of the reactant A and the intermediate product B, is obtained. Excellent agreement with previous numerical and analytical results is shown . Parametric studies illustrate the effects of diffusion coefficients, hydrodynamic factors and reaction rate constants on the effective number of electrons transferred and the currents.