Determination of 5-nitroindazole using silver solid amalgam electrode

Monatshefte für Chemie - Chemical Monthly - The voltammetric behavior of 5-nitroindazole was investigated at polished (p-AgSAE) and at mercury meniscus-modified (m-AgSAE) silver solid amalgam...     

Sonogashira alkynylation of unprotected 8-brominated adenosines and guanosines: fluorescence properties of compact conjugated acetylenes containing a purine ring

A practical Sonogashira alkynylation protocol for the preparation of 8-alkynylated adenosines and guanosines has been developed. Protection of the sugar hydroxyl substituents is not required; protection hinders the purification of these products. A preliminary fluorescent study is reported, which shows that the presence of a substituent on the phenylene ring influences the fluorescent properties considerably, an outcome that could be utilized in biological applications.     

Radiotracer studies of the antitumor metallocene molybdocene dichloride with biomolecules

Neutron irradiation of Cp₂MoCl₂ for 24 h afforded the radiotracer Cp₂⁹⁹MoCl₂ which was characterised by UV–Vis spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography. Binding experiments with the thiol containing protein human serum albumin (HSA) or calf thymus DNA, were monitored for ⁹⁹Mo using a gamma counter. Under the conditions investigated, molar ratios of binding of 0.2:1 (Cp₂MoCl₂:DNA) and 9.4:1 (Cp₂MoCl₂:HSA) were calculated. The results are consistent with in vitro coordination studies that have shown strong preferential interaction of Cp₂MoCl₂ with thiols versus other donor sites in biomolecules including DNA.     

The effect of olefinic terminal chains on the mesomorphic properties of 4,4'-disubstituted diphenyldiacetylenes

New diphenyldiacetylenes of the type with A, B = H and/or F; m = 0, 1; n = 1-4; and X = C n H 2n + 1 , F, CF 3 or CN were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties determined by hot stage polarizing microscopy and DSC. When m = 0, all of these compounds showed only a nematic phase except when X = CF 3 when both nematic and smectic A phases were seen. Both clearing and melting temperatures were higher than those reported for substitution with the corresponding alkyl chains but the much larger increase in clearing temperatures produced considerably wider nematic phases. Eutectic mixtures of a few of these olefins yielded nematic materials also having much wider temperature ranges and higher clearing temperatures than the eutectic mixtures of the alkyl compounds, while retaining their high birefringence and low viscosities. Such materials are of interest for beam-steering devices.

Four of the diacetylenes with m = 1 ( A, B = H) were also prepared ( X = C 6 H 13 , F, n = 2, 3). When X was C 6 H 13 ( n = 2), the nematic range was smaller in the 2- than in the 1-olefin but wider than in the alkyl series. When X = F, either no nematic phase or a monotropic one was observed, whereas the 1-olefins gave a much wider nematic phase. Both transition temperatures were lower than those for the corresponding 1-olefin and alkyl analogues. The compound with X = C 6 H 13 and n = 2 had a melting temperature below room temperature.     

Quantitative Impact of a Cognitive Modeling Intelligent Tutoring System on Student Performance in Balancing Chemical Equations

The need for improved interactive tutoring capabilities in educational software for chemistry problem solving is an important one clearly articulated by teachers and students. To deliver the next generation of individualized interactive capabilities users demand, it is necessary to go beyond the conventional computer-assisted instruction methodology. The focus of this paper is the assessment with first-semester general chemistry students of a recently developed artificial intelligence (AI) tutor for balancing chemical equations. This is the first such assessment of an AI-based learning tool in chemistry. Students in CHEM 121 in the Fall 2001 semester at Duquesne University (N = 273) participated in the study. Students were divided into a test group that used the AI tutor as part of their study activities and a control group that did not use the tutor. It was found that the tutor improved the performance of the test group students to a statistically significant degree, helping the weakest students the most. This study establishes the feasibility of an AI-based approach to creating advanced new tutoring software for chemistry problem solving. Access to a Web-based demonstration of the equation-balancing tutor may be obtained by emailing the corresponding author.