Speciation studies on the complex formation reactions of [Pd(N,N-diethyl-ethylendiamine)(H2O)2]2+ with some bio-relevant ligands and displacement reaction by mercaptoethylamine

Pd(deen)Cl2 and Pd(deen)(CBDCA) complexes, where deen=N,N-diethylethylenediamine and CBDCA=1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylate, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic techniques. The stoichiometry and stability of the complexes formed between various biologically relevant ligands (amino acids, peptides, DNA constituents and dicarboxylic acids) and [Pd(deen)(H2O)2]2+ were investigated at 25 °C and 0.1 M ionic strength. The speciation diagrams of the complexes formed in solutions are evaluated. The mode of coordination of glycylglycine is investigated by spectrophotometric measurements. The equilibrium constants for the displacement of coordinated ligands as inosine, glycine or methionine by mercaptoethylamine are calculated. The results are expected to contribute to the chemistry of antitumour agents.     

Identification of a novel series of alkylitaconic acids in wood cultures of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A novel series of long-chain unsaturated dicarboxylic acids consisting of a long aliphatic chain attached to the C-3 position of itaconic acid has been identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry during in vitro decay of eucalypt wood by the white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. The major compounds were identified as tetradecyl-, 7-hexadecenyl- and hexadecylitaconic acids by their mass fragmentation patterns. Other members of the same compound series, identified as dodecanyl-, tridecanyl-, tetradecenyl-, pentadecanyl-, octadecenyl- and octadecanylitaconic acids, were present in very minor amounts or traces. Whereas hexadecenylitaconic acid has already been reported in cultures of C. subvermispora, to our knowledge this is the first report of the presence of the other alkylitaconic acids in fungal cultures. These new alkylitaconic-type metabolites may constitute a source for peroxidizable lipids involved in lignin degradation during wood decay by C. subvermispora and other white-rot basidiomycetes.     

Quenching of giant hysteresis effects in La(1-z)Y(z)Hx switchable mirrors

Hydrogen atoms adsorbed on TiO2(110)-(1x1) surfaces have been characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with electron stimulated desorption (ESD) technique. Certain amounts of H atoms are unexpectedly found on the TiO2 surfaces annealed at 900 K. Two forms of adsorption were discriminated in STM images from the different sensitivity to ESD and tentatively assigned to hydroxyl-type (O-H) and hydride-type (Ti-H) species.