Structural Analysis of Ti And Pb Citrate Using NMR and FT-Raman Signals and Quantum Mechanics Simulations

Titanium citrate and lead and titanium citrate were prepared by polymeric precursor method in aqueous solution. This citrate was analyzed by ¹H, ¹³C NMR and gHMBC–NMR (Hetero-nuclear multiple-bond correlation) to investigate the formation of the citrate complexs and influence of the Pb²⁺ ion in this complex. These complexs were characterized by interaction between Ti⁴⁺ ion and citric acid carboxyls. Quantum mechanic simulations in level ab initio were used to study the electronic structure and natural charges (NBO) to both the complexs. Such techniques indicated the formation of an octahedral complex with an arrangement similar to Ti atom in the crystalline structure of the PbTiO₃. A study using the technique FT-Raman made possible the confirmation of the interaction among the Ti⁴⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions with the citric acid carboxyls.     

Fluorimetric determination of aflatoxins by flow-injection analysis

Summary A fast and inexpensive fluorimetric method for the determination of total aflatoxins (B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂) in food of use in screening numerous samples suspectedly containing these substances is proposed. The sensitivity of the method (determination range between 0.5 and 200.0 ng ml^–1) allows these analytes to be detected at concentrations well below legal limits; hence, separation-detection techniques such as HPLC need only be used with samples in which these compounds are found to occur. The method has been applied to maize, peanut and tapioca samples, obtaining average recoveries of 100.9 with deviations of ±5% with respect to 100% recovery.

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Fluorometrische Bestimmung von Aflatoxinen durch Fließinjektionsanalyse

     

Photochimie d''heterocycles azotes—VI : Synthese par voie photochimique d''amino et d''alkoxy indazoles

The preparation of different aminoindazoles by nucleophilic aromatic photosubstitution of nitroindazoles by amines is described. In this manner, the amino, methylamino, dimethylamino and dimethylamino substituents are introduced in 3,4,5 or 7-position. The irradiation in the presence of ethanol gives ethoxyindazoles in only four cases. Two demethylation reactions have been observed: the first one concerns the formation of methylamino derivatives starting from dimethylamine; the second one, the formation of N(H)1-indazoles by irradiation in presence of diethylamine.     

Synthesis of Phosphohomoserine Lactone,A New Pseudopeptide Unit

We describe here the synthesis of the enantiomerically pure phosphohomoserine lactone which will serve as an haptenic structure in catalytic antibody preparation.     

A dynamic study of earthworm feeding ecology -using stable isotopes

Changes in the specific diet of earthworms with time in relation to landuse changes and two different climates were studied by analysing (13)C and (15)N natural abundance in soils and animals. Soil samples from three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) and earthworms were collected from two sites: Santiago (Northwest Spain) and North Wyke (Southwest England) both consisting of replicated long-term grasslands and recently converted to maize plots. Earthworms were hand-sorted in the field at the peak of the maize growth and after harvesting at both sites. In the Spanish plots, nine and eight earthworm species, all belonging to the three ecological categories (epigeic, anecic and endogeic), were found under maize and permanent pasture, whereas at the English site five and seven different species were, respectively, identified. At both sites (13)C isotopic values of the earthworm tissues reflected changes in diet from C(3) to C(4) with epigeic and epi/anecic worms in the maize plots showing one delta unit difference in relation to the ones found in the grassland plots. Anecic worms seemed to be less responsive to landuse changes. The higher (13)C values of the Spanish soils were also reflected in the earthworm tissues when compared with the English samples. (15)N values showed no clear relationship with the cropping treatments but were clearly related to the ecological grouping, with endogeic worms reaching the highest values whereas for the epigeic and epi/anecic species the lowest values were obtained. This finding was also previously recorded by other authors1 and suggests that, in the future, stable isotope techniques could also be a useful tool in taxonomic studies. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Secondary ion yields produced by keV atomic and polyatomic ion impacts on a self-assembled monolayer surface

A suite of keV polyatomic or 'cluster' projectiles was used to bombard unoxidized and oxidized self-assembled monolayer surfaces. Negative secondary ion yields, collected at the limit of single ion impacts, were measured and compared for both molecular and fragment ions. In contrast to targets that are orders of magnitude thicker than the penetration range of the primary ions, secondary ion yields from polyatomic projectile impacts on self-assembled monolayers show little to no enhancement when compared with monatomic projectiles at the same velocity. This unusual trend is most likely due to the structural arrangement and bonding characteristics of the monolayer molecules with the Au(111). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of the peak effect phenomenon in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.