Simultaneous Gas-chromatographic Analysis of Heptyl Chloride Heptanesulphonyl Chloride Isomeric Mixtures

Gas chromatographic analyses of several sulphonyl chlorides were performed without derivatization. Optimized conditions for this analysis were selected and the results controlled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results obtained were compared with data reported for gas chromatography using derivatization. This method was extended to the simultaneous analysis of isomeric mixtures of n-heptyl chlorides and n-heptanesulphonyl chlorides obtained by the photochemical sulphochlorination of n-heptane

Escherichia coli D-malate dehydrogenase, a generalist enzyme active in the leucine biosynthesis pathway.

The enzymes of the β-decarboxylating dehydrogenase superfamily catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of D-malate-based substrates with various specificities. Here, we show that, in addition to its natural function affording bacterial growth on D-malate as a carbon source, the D-malate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli (EcDmlA) naturally expressed from its chromosomal gene is capable of complementing leucine auxotrophy in a leuB(-) strain lacking the paralogous isopropylmalate dehydrogenase enzyme. To our knowledge, this is the first example of an enzyme that contributes with a physiologically relevant level of activity to two distinct pathways of the core metabolism while expressed from its chromosomal locus. EcDmlA features relatively high catalytic activity on at least three different substrates (L(+)-tartrate, D-malate, and 3-isopropylmalate). Because of these properties both in vivo and in vitro, EcDmlA may be defined as a generalist enzyme. Phylogenetic analysis highlights an ancient origin of DmlA, indicating that the enzyme has maintained its generalist character throughout evolution. We discuss the implication of these findings for protein evolution

Coordination-compounds As Precursors for Laser Deposition of Nickel-based Conducting Films

Coordination compounds of nickel(II) are used as precursors for the formation of nickel and nickel oxide deposits on alumina substrates by direct laser writing using an argon ion laser. The starting resins are made of aqueous, methanolic or N,N-dimethylformamide (dmf) solutions of nickel(II) acetate, formate or acetylacetonate in the presence of a polymeric cellulose-based additive which controls the spin-coating step of the substrate. Infrared, UV-visible and NMR spectroscopic studies are carried out on the acetate solutions and resins to understand the interactions occurring between the various components. Arguments supporting the replacement of water molecules in tetrahydrated nickel(II) acetate by the organic solvent are described. The nature of the obtained deposits is determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Whereas resins based on acetate or acetylacetonate compounds in dmf and methanol are shown to generate nickel oxide films, aqueous resins based on nickel(II) formate are found to be very promising in view of obtaining conductive deposits of nickel metal. The role of the cellulosic additive is clearly restricted to the viscosity modulation