NMR investigation of concentrated alumina and silica slurries

The longitudinal relaxation times (T₁) of water in concentrated silica and alumina slurries were measured as a function of solids content. It was shown that the results could be fit very well with a two-phase fast-exchange model between free and surface-bound water. As expected, values of T₁ for bound water were in the order of 20–2000 times lower than that for free water, indicating a higher effective viscosity of the surface-bound water. The strength of the interaction depended on the particular surface, and all of the aluminas examined interacted more strongly with water than the two silicas studied, which themselves differed considerably. The chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) removal rate of tantalum by silica slurries was shown to be directly correlated with the interaction parameters, derived from the NMR relation times rather than with total surface hydroxyl group concentration.     

Influence of molecular architecture on the dewetting of thin polystyrene films

The control of dewetting for thin polymer films is a technical challenge and of significant academic interest. We have used polystyrene nanoparticles to inhibit dewetting of high molecular weight, linear polystyrene, demonstrating that molecular architecture has a unique effect on surface properties. Neutron reflectivity measurements were used to demonstrate that the nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the thin (ca. 40 nm) film prior to high temperature annealing, yet after annealing, they were found to separate to the solid substrate, a silanized silicon wafer. Dewetting was eliminated when the nanoparticles separated to form a monolayer or above while below this surface coverage the dewetting dynamics was severely retarded. Blending linear polystyrene of similar molecular weight to the polystyrene nanoparticle with the high molecular weight polystyrene did not eliminate dewetting.     

Rapid imaging, using a cooled charge-coupled-device, of fluorescent two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels produced by labelling proteins in the first-dimensional isoelectric focusing gel with the fluorophore 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)furanone

A new method for visualising proteins in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels was developed. Proteins were labelled with the fluorophore 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)furanone (MDPF) while present in the first-dimensional gel after isoelectric focusing and subsequently electrophoresed into the second-dimensional gel. High resolution spot patterns were produced and compared with other methods of visualisation. A new rapid imaging system based on a cooled charge-coupled-device was used to view the two-dimensional fluorescent protein spot patterns. The method allows the immediate and rapid imaging of two-dimensional gels at the end of electrophoresis with no further processing.     

Benzodiazepine analogues. Part 21. 13C NMR analysis of benzoxathiepine derivatives

The influence of substituents and structure on the 13C NMR spectra of four series of benzoxathiepine derivatives has been investigated. Signal assignments in the 13C NMR spectra have been facilitated by the use of several predictive methods, permitting comparison of their relative efficacy.     

On the regular heptagon

The geometry of rings with 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 links, particularly those with seven links such as occur in cyclo‐heptane and analogous molecules* is re‐considered with the aid of distance geometry, now more practicable with modern mathematical software. Use is made of a quadric surface which may be fitted to nine points. *In admiration for the author I have ventured to appropriate the title of Archimedes’ work “On the regular heptagon”, which came to light only in 1926 [C. Schoy, Graeco‐Arabische Studien, Isis 8 (1926) 21–40]. “Regular”, as applied to rings in space admits of various definitions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Direct determination of free methionine in soy-based infant formula

A method was developed for the direct determination of free methionine in soy-based infant formula, with analyte separation and quantitation by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC), and UV absorbance at 214 nm, respectively. Sample preparation required only dilution with mobile phase and syringe filtration. Using a 0.02M KH2PO4 mobile phase (pH adjusted to 2.9 with 85% o-phosphoric acid) and 0.7 mL/min flow rate, methionine eluted at approximately 8 min, and total run time was 14 min after column regeneration with acetonitrile-water. System linearity was demonstrated as peak area versus analyte concentration, ranging from 80 to 120% of the formula specification for free methionine (r > 0.999, and all residuals < 0.45%). Intermediate precision relative standard deviation values were < 1.5% for ready-to-feed and reconstituted powder samples, and recoveries ranged from 98.0 to 103.5% for inter-method comparison with an amino acid analyzer method. The limit of quantitation was 3 mg methionine/L in the "as fed" infant formula. Despite the relatively weak UV absorptivity of methionine, the 214 nm signal was sufficiently intense in the 30-65 mg/L (201-436 microM) range to afford quantitation by peak area proportionation versus a 2-point external standard calibration. This direct UV detection after reversed-phase LC separation provides a simple and accurate method for determining free methionine without derivatization.     

Photochemistry and photophysics of Cr(III) macrocyclic complexes

The phosphorescence and photochemical behavior of the macrocyclic complexes (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaazacyclooctadecane)chromium(III) (Cr([18]-aneN(6))(3+); 1) and (4,4',4'-ethylidynetris(3-azabutan-1-amine)) chromium(III) (Cr(sen)(3+); 2) have been compared to each other and to the complex Cr(en)(3)(3+). For both macrocyclic complexes, phosphorescence from room temperature aqueous solutions is too weak to be observed, contrasting with Cr(en)(3)(3+), though both had somewhat longer 77 K lifetimes than Cr(en)(3)(3+). Phosphorescence lifetimes for these macrocyclics decreased with increasing temperature much faster than for Cr(en)(3)(3+) and a conventional extrapolation based on a fit of reciprocal lifetimes (corrected for the low-temperature contribution) to the Arrhenius equation gave estimated room temperature phosphorescence lifetimes of a few nanoseconds, consistent with the failure to observe room temperature emission. Fitting of the nonlinearity of the data seen in these plots suggested that two high-temperature processes were occurring with estimated activation parameters (E in kJ mol(-1) and A in s(-1)) for Cr([18]-aneN(6))(3+): E(1) = 40, A(1) = 1 x 10(16); E(2) = 24, A(2) = 1 x 10(14): Cr(sen)(3+); E(1) = 45, A(1) = 2 x 10(15); E(2) = 29, A(2) = 7 x 10(11). Cr([18]-aneN(6))(3+) was photochemically inert on irradiation. On irradiation into the lowest quartet ligand field absorption band, Cr(sen)(3+) photolyzes with a quantum yield of 0.098 +/- 0.001 at room temperature. Laser flash photolysis with conductivity detection showed that this photoreaction occurred faster than protonation of the liberated amine ligand at all practical proton concentrations. The quantum yield for irradiation directly into the doublet absorption band of Cr(sen)(3+) was 0.077 +/- 0.003. Photoaquation of Delta-Cr(sen)(3+) led to loss of optical activity and product analysis by capillary electrophoresis showed that both racemic and Delta-Cr(sen)(3+) photoaquate to a single main product, trans-Cr(sen-NH)(H(2)O)(4+). The product stereochemistry is shown to be consistent with predictions based on the angular overlap model for Cr(III) photochemistry, recognizing the additional constraints imposed by the ligand. The abnormally short room temperature solution lifetime of the doublet state is a result of a radiation-less process that competes with other processes depleting the doublet state. However, this doublet-state deactivation process does not lead to photoaquation but competes with BISC and photoaquation via the quartet state, resulting in an unprecedented reduction in photoaquation quantum yield on direct irradiation into the doublet state.     

Novel products from attempted michael addition to 1-methyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-4-carbonitrile

The reaction of some phenols with the title compound, in the presence of sodium, gives 2-(2-hydroxyaryl_piperidine derivatives. Geometrical isomers have been separated, which differ in having an equatorial (A) or axial (B) cyano group on the piperidine chair (the methyl and aryl groups are equatorial in both forms). The x-ray crystallographic structures of an example of each of A and B are reported and the proton NMR spectra are assigned.