Use of solid-phase microextraction-capillary-gas chromatography (SPME-CGC) for the varietal characterization of wines by means of chemometrical methods

The extraction of wine aroma compounds was studied by direct-SPME (DI/SPME), headspace-SPME (HS/SPME) and multiple-headspace-extraction-SPME (MHE/SPME). The aromagrams obtained by HS/SPME-CGC were evaluated with chemometrical methods for the varietal classification of wines. Received: 25 July 1997 / Revised: 24 September 1997 / Accepted: 7 October 1997     

Theoretical investigations of Fe porphyrins. V. Low-lying electronic states of bisammineporphinatoiron(III)

Ab initio CI calculations are reported on the lowest doublet, quartet, and sextet states of [Fe^III(P)(NH₃)₂]⁺. The low-spin ground state is calculated as (d_xy² (d_π)³ with d_xy(d_π)⁴ higher by 0.15 eV. The near-ir bands at ～1 eV observed in low-spin ferriheme proteins are attributed to (π → d_π) transitions. The lowest high-spin state is ⁶A_1g, and the near-ir transitions of the high-spin ferriheme proteins observed at ～1.2 eV are attributed to higher ⁶[tripsextet] excited states [i.e., ring triplet, metal sextet]. The 30-ps “triplet” transient populated with low quantum yield observed in laser-flash studies on Fe^III(TPP)CI [TPP = tetrapbenylporphyrin] may be an ¹[tripsextet] state.     

Rhodopsin exhibits a preference for solvation by polyunsaturated docosohexaenoic acid

An all-atom molecular dynamics simulation of rhodopsin in a membrane environment has been carried out with lipid composition similar to that of the retinal membrane. The initial conformation of the protein was taken from the X-ray crystallographic structure (1F88), while those of the lipids came from a previous molecular dynamics simulation. During the course of the 12.5 ns simulation, the initially randomly placed lipids adopt an anisotropic solvation structure around the protein. The lipids, having one saturated stearic acid chain and one polyunsaturated docosohexaenoic acid chain with a zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine headgroup, arrange themselves to maximize contact between the polyunsaturated chain and the protein surface. This organization is driven by energetically favorable interactions between the transmembrance helices and the docosohexaenoyl chains that are largely of the van der Waals type. These observations are consistent with various experimental studies on rhodopsin and other G-protein coupled receptors and with the picture of extreme flexibility in polyunsaturated fatty acid chains that has arisen from recent NMR and computational work.     

Selective sp3 C-H activation of ketones at the beta position by Ir(I). Origin of regioselectivity and water effect

The reaction of the cationic (PNP)Ir(I)(cyclooctene) complex (1) (PNP = 2,6-bis-(di-tert-butylphosphinomethyl)pyridine) with 2-butanone or 3-pentanone results in the selective, quantitative activation of a beta C-H bond, yielding O,C-chelated complexes. Calculations show that the selectivity is both kinetically (because of steric reasons in the rate determingin step (RDS)) and thermodynamically controlled, the latter as a result of carbonyl oxygen coordination in the product. The RDS is formation of the eta2-C,H intermediates from the complexed ketone intermediates. Water has a strong influence on the regioselectivity, and in its presence, reaction of 1 with 2-butanone gives also the alpha terminal C-H activation product. Computational studies suggest that water can stabilize the terminal alpha C-H activation product by hydrogen bonding, forming a six-membered ring with the ketone, as experimentally observed in the X-ray structure of the acetonyl hydride aqua complex.     

Simulation of Electrical and Thermal Behavior of Poly(propylene) / Carbon Filler Conductive Polymer Composites

PP-carbon CPC show interesting thermo-electrical properties, smooth resistivity increase with temperature up to 150°C and consequently high power dissipation on a wide temperature range. The addition of short carbon fibers to PP already formulated with carbon black increases sharply the electrical conductivity of the CPC but does not have much influence on thermal conductivity as it could have been expected from the favorable aspect ratio of the fibers. The simulations of the thermo-electrical behavior of the CPC under tension put into evidence a temperature gradient at high heat flux due to the low thermal conductivity, which may damage the material itself.     

Simple technique for the simultaneous determination of solvent diffusion coefficient in polymer by Quantum Resistive Sensors and FT‐IR spectroscopy

A simple, quick and novel method for the determination of diffusion properties through polymer films, based on Quantum Resistive Sensors made of Conductive Polymer nanoComposites is presented. The integral time lag method is employed for the calculation of diffusion coefficient, and the results are compared simultaneously with that of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and sorption method. Two model polymers, a semi‐crystalline poly(lactic acid) and an amorphous poly(isobutylene‐co‐isoprene), are used to validate the study. A good correlation is established between the diffusion coefficient values derived from all techniques demonstrating the interest of such reliable, simple and cheap nanosensors for the quick determination (several minutes) of diffusion properties in polymer films. Our first results suggest that this technique is meaningful for the determination of barrier properties in nanocomposite membranes filled with platelets of graphene or clay. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Characterization of the New Copper Indium Phosphate Cu8In8P4O30

The system CuO/In₂O₃/P₂O₅ has been investigated using solid state reaction between CuO, In₂O₃ and (NH₄)₂HPO₄ in silica glass crucibles at 900 °C. The powder samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, thermal analysis and FT‐IR spectroscopy. Orange single crystals of the new quaternary phase were achieved by the process of crystallization with mineralizers in sealed silica glass ampoules. They were then analyzed with EDX and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis in which the composition Cu₈In₈P₄O₃₀ with the triclinic space group P$\bar{1}$ (No 2) with a = 7,2429(14) Å, b = 8,8002(18) Å, c = 10,069(2) Å, α = 103,62(3)°, β = 106,31(3)°, γ = 101,55(3)° and Z = 1 was found. The three‐dimensional framework consists of [InO₆] octahedra and distorted [CuO₆] octahedra, overcaped [InO₇] prisms and [PO₄] tetrahedra, also trigonal [(CuIn)O₅] bipyramids and distorted [(CuIn)O₆] octahedra, where copper and indium are partly exchanged against each other. Cu₈In₈P₄O₃₀ exhibits an incongruent melting point at 1023 °C.     

Second-order nonlinearities of lead borate glasses poled with different electrodes

The second-order nonlinearities in thermally poled lead borate glasses were studied. After poling with different electrodes, both bulk and near surface second-order nonlinearities were obtained. The second harmonic generation signal from near surface effect was two orders of magnitude larger than the bulk effect. By simulating the poling process with a multiple carrier model, we concluded that the bulk second-order nonlinearity was caused by the deficiency of Pb²⁺ in a thick layer after poling, and the near surface second-order nonlinearity was caused by the depletion of H⁺ in a thin layer when H⁺ injection from the atmosphere was blocked.