Enzyme-metal combo catalysis is described as a useful methodology for the synthesis of optically active compounds. The key point of the method is the use of enzyme and metal in combination as the catalysts for the complete transformation of racemic substrates to single enantiomeric products through dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR). In this approach, enzyme acts as an enantioselective resolving catalyst and metal does as a racemizing catalyst for the efficient DKR. Three kinds of enzyme-metal combinations - lipase-ruthenium, subtilisin-ruthenium, and lipase-palladium –have been developed as the catalysts for the DKRs of racemic alcohols, esters, and amines. The scope of the combination catalysts can be extended to the asymmetric transformations of ketones, enol acetates, and ketoximes via the DKRs. In most cases studied, enzyme-metal combo catalysis provided enantiomerically-enriched products in high yields.

Diblock copolymers with different poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) block lengths were synthesized by ringopening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone in the presence of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG-OH, MW 2000) as initiator. The self-aggregation behaviors of the diblock copolymer nanoparticle, prepared by the diafiltration method, were investigated by using $^1H$ NMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The PEG-PCL block copolymers formed the nano-sized self-aggregate in an aqueous environment by intrsa- and/or intermolecular association between hydrophobic PCL chains. The critical aggregation concentrations (cac) of the block copolymer self-aggregate became lower with increasing hydrophobic PCL block length. On the other hand, reverse trends of mean hydrodynamic diameters were measured by DLS owing to the increasing bulkiness of the hydrophobic chains and hydrophobic interaction between the PCL microdomains. The hydrodynamic diameters of the block copolymer nanoparticles, measured by DLS, were in the range of 65-270 nm. Furthermore, the size of the nanoparticles was scarcely affected by the concentration of the block copolymers in the range of 0.125-5 mg/mL owing to the negligible interparticular aggregation between the self-aggregated nanoparticles. Considered with the fairly low cac and nanoparticle stability, the PEG-PCL nanoparticles can be considered a potential candidate for biomedical applications such as drug carrier or imaging agent.

Measurement of toxicologically relevant polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners such as non-ortho(IUPAC#) 77, 81, 126, 169 and mono-ortho 105, 114, 118, 123, 156, 157, 189 and di-ortho 170, 180 and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) such as 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154 in environmental samples become almost mandatory in several countries now. However, most of the available methods involve expensive instrumentations such as HRGC-HRMS or ECNI-LRMS, apart from expensive extraction and clean-up (with large volume of solvents) steps. A method has been devised combining the analytical separation power of PYE [2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyldimethysilylated silica] column HPLC and high-resolution gas chromatographic techniques including micro-electron capture detection (ECD) and two dimensional gas chromatograpy-ECD techniques to determine these eco-toxic substances at parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels. This combination resolves co-elution of congeners that occur in disproportionate ratios (e.g. CB-110 and -77) and allows accurate congener-specific determination of target compounds. This method is cost effective as it requires only hexane, that in small quantities (10 mL) and GC-ECD. The elution and analysis time are optimized to less man hours. This method is effectively utilized in the analysis of co-planar PCBs and PBDEs from archived solvent extracts of samples previously analyzed for pesticides and PCBs. Structure based separation of contaminant classes improves GCECD determination at ppt levels.

It was proposed that Ru(II)[(1,10-phenanthroline)$_2$dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine ([Ru(phen)$_2$DPPZ]$^{2+}$)complexes and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) simultaneously bind to poly[d(A-T)$_2$] (Biophysics. J. 2003, 85, 3865). Förster type resonance energy transfer from excited DAPI to [Ru(phen)2DPPZ]$^{2+}$ complexes was observed. In this study, we synthesized $\Delta$- and $\wedge$-[Ru(phenanthroline)$_2$dipyrido[3,2-a:2’3’c]6-azaphenazine] ([Ru(phen)$_2$DPAPZ]$^{2+}$) at which the DNA intercalating ligand DPPZ was replaced and we studied its binding properties to poly[d(A-T)$_2$] in the presence and absence of DAPI using polarized spectroscopy and fluorescence techniques. All the spectroscopic properties of the [Ru(phen)$_2$DPAPZ]$^{2+}$-poly[d(A-T)$_2$] complex were the same in the presence and absence of DAPI that blocks the minor groove of polynucleotide, suggesting both $\Delta$- and $\wedge$-[Ru(phen)$_2$DPAPZ]$^{2+}$ complexes are located at the major groove of poly[d(A-T)2]. On the other hand, in contrast with [Ru(phen)$_2$DPPZ]$^{2+}$, both $\Delta$- and $\wedge$-[Ru(phen)$_2$DPAPZ]$^{2+}$ exhibited almost twice the efficiency in the fluorescence quenching of DAPI that binds at the minor groove of poly[d(A-T)$_2$]. This observation indicates that the efficiency of the Förster type resonance energy transfer can be controlled by a small change in the chemical structure of the intercalated ligand.

The Belousov-Zhabotinskii system measured by a Pt electrode is investigated under external electrode current constraint. A dynamical analysis of the electrode reaction phase has been made by means of a linearized stability criterion valid for three-variable system. It turns out that limit cycle oscillatory regime and dynamical behaviors of the electrode reaction phase have been degenerated under periodical electrode current.

The interaction between ionic surfactants and different nonionic molecules and polymers are studied using ion surfactant selective electrode. From the experimental data, critical concentrations of the interaction and binding process are evaluated. The interaction between hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in three molecular weights (1000, 10000 and 100000) and also schiff-bases, 2-[2-carboxyphenyl nitrilomethylidyne]-phenol (ortho CNP), 2-[3-carboxyphenyl nitrilomethylidyne]-phenol (meta CNP)and 2-[4-carboxyphenyl nitrilomethylidyne]-phenol (para CNP) with the potentiometric method were investigated using HTAB membrane selective electrode. In the case of PEG with increasing molecular weights more interaction to HTAB occurs. The electromotive force (EMF) data also showed that interaction between para CNP with HTAB is more than the other schiff-bases. It seems this case related to less space interference of COOH group for that compound. The onset of binding ($T_1$) of course is the same for three schiffbase molecules.

The formation of striped phases of unsymmetric hexyl octadecyl disulfide ($CH_3(CH_2)_5SS(CH_2)_{17}CH_3$, HOD) and 1-hydroxyundecyl octadecyl disulfide ($CH_3(CH_2)_{17}SS(CH_2)_{11}$OH, HUOD) on Au(111) and graphite has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to understand the self-assembly processes of dialkyl disulfides. STM imaging clearly shows the formation of striped phases having corrugation periodicities that are nearly consistent with the molecular length of alkanethiolate moieties formed after the S-S bond cleavage of dialkyl disulfide on a gold surface. On the other hand, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of dialkyl disulfides on a graphite surface displayed long-range, well-ordered monolayers with one striped pattern that shows periodicity as a function of molecular length via nondissociative adsorption. From a nonoscopic viewpoint, we have clearly demonstrated that dialkyl disulfide SAMs on gold form via S-S bond cleavage of disulfide.

Crystallization of SAPO-5 and SAPO-34 molecular sieves with microwave and conventional electric heating of the same gel has been investigated in an alkaline condition using N,N,N’N’tetraethylethylenediamine as a template molecule. SAPO-5 structure can be selectively prepared with microwave heating because of the fast crystallization of the technique. On the other hand, SAPO-34 is the sole product with usual conventional electric heating because SAPO-5 can be gradually transformed into SAPO-34 structure with an increase in crystallization time. This phase selectivity is probably because of the relative stability of the two phases at the reaction conditions (kinetic effect). Crystallization with microwave heating can be suggested as a phase selective synthesis method for relatively unstable materials because of fast crystallization.

The Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts were prepared from conventional chloride precursors by adsorption or precipitation-deposition methods. Their activities for hydrogenation reactions of cyclohexene and acetophenone were compared with those of commercial catalysts. The Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts obtained from the adsorption procedure reveal higher hydrogenation activity than commercial catalysts and the catalysts prepared by the precipitation-deposition method. Their improved performances are attributed to the decreased metal crystallite sizes of Pt or Pd formed on the active carbon support upon the adsorption of the precursors probably due to the same negative charges of the chloride precursor and the carbon support. Under the preparation conditions studied, the reduction of the supported catalysts using borohydrides in liquid phase is superior to a gas phase reduction by using hydrogen in the viewpoint of particle size, hydrogenation activity and convenience.

A coupled column liquid chromatography system was applied for the separation of the burnup monitors in spent nuclear fuel sample solutions. A reversed phase column was studied for the adsorption behavior of uranyl ions using alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid as an eluent and used for the separation of plutonium and uranium. A cation exchange column prepared by coating 1-eicosylsulfate onto the reversed phase column was used for the separation of the lanthanides. In addition, retention of Np was checked with the reversed phase column and cation exchange column, respectively, according to the oxidation states to observe the interference effect for the separation of burnup monitors. This chromatography system showed a great reduction in separation time compared to a conventional anion exchange method. A good agreement from the burnup data was obtained between for this method and a conventional anion exchange method to within 1% of a difference for the spent nuclear fuel samples of about 40 GWD/MTU.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) was used, along with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), to monitor Paal-Knorr synthesis of 2,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrrole by condensation of aniline with 2,5-hexanedione. In addition to 2,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrrole observed as a single spot by TLC, unexpected dimer size compounds were observed by GC-MS. Dimers and trimers were observed by ESI MS. ESI tandem mass spectrometry was used to select plausible structures for the dimer. ESI MS with or without liquid chromatographic separation is useful for observing oligomeric byproducts with low volatility produced in organic reactions.

The 3-[(2-furylmethylene)amino]-2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (FTT) was used as an excellent ionophore in construction of a $Zn^{2+}$ PVC-based membrane sensor. The best performance was obtained with a membrane composition of 30% poly(vinyl chloride), 62% nitrobenzen (NB), 3% FTT and 5% sodium tetraphenyl borate (TBP). This membrane sensor shows very good selectivity and sensitivity towards $Zn^{2+}$ over a wide variety of cations, including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The membrane sensor revealed a great enhancement in selectivity coefficients for $Zn^{2+}$ ions, in comparison to the previously reported $Zn^{2+}$ membrane sensors. Theoretical studies also showed the selective interaction of TFF and $Zn^{2+}$ ions. The proposed membrane sensor exhibits a Nernstian behavior (with slope of 29.3 ${\pm}$ 0.3 mV per decade) over a wide concentration range (1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-6}$-1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-2}$) with a detection limit of 8.5 ${\times}$ $10^{-7}$ M (52 ng mL$^{-1}$). It shows relatively fast response time, in the whole concentration range ($\lt$ 20 s), and can be used for at least 10 weeks in a pH range of 3.0-7.0. The proposed membrane sensor was successfully used in direct determination of $Zn^{2+}$ ions in wastewater of industrial zinc electroplating companies, and also as an indicator electrode in titration with EDTA.

Bipyridine and its derivatives have been widely used as the ligands in transition metal complexes. The proton affinities of pyridine derivatives were calculated using an ab initio quantum mechanical method (B3LYP with various double zeta and triple zeta basis sets) in combination with the Poisson-Boltzmann continuum solvation model. Van der Waals radii of the atoms in the heterocyclic rings for the solvation energy calculation were set to values determined to reproduce the $pK_a$ values of guanine and oxoguanine derivatives and that of chlorine was optimized to reproduce the experimental values of relating compounds. The $pK_a$ values for the heterocyclic ring compounds were in agreement with the experimental values with a mean unsigned error of 0.45 $pK_a$ units.

The solvation free energy of proton in methanol was calculated by B3LYP flavor of density functional calculations in combination with the Poisson-Boltzmann continuum solvation model. In order to check the adequacy of the computation level, the free energies of clustering in the gas phase were compared with the experimental data. The solvents were taken into account in a hybrid manner, i.e. one to five molecules of methanol were explicitly considered while other solvent molecules were represented with an implicit solvation model.

Treatment of a solution of $CuCl_2$ in dimethyl phosphate (DMP) with DMSO under nitrogen atmosphere afforded to a light blue fluorescence powder. Slow evaporation of $H_2O$-DMSO solution of this powder resulted in blue-sky crystals of a new polymeric Cu(II) complex, with a unit cell composed of $Cu_2(DMP)_4$(DMSO), (1). The crystal and molecular structure of the complex acquired crystallographically. Compound (1) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group $P2_1$/n with a = 12.8920(11) $\AA$, b = 13.1966(11) $\AA$, c = 14.7926(13) $\AA$, $\alpha$ = 90$^{\circ}$, $\beta$ = 98.943(2)$^{\circ}$, $\gamma$ = 90$^{\circ}$, V= 2486.1(4) ${\AA}^3$, and Z = 4. A square pyramidal environment for the metal center was established by coordination of oxygen atoms of four bridging DMP ligands in the basal positions and binding a tri-centered oxygen atom of DMSO in the apical disposition of Cu(II). The sixth position was also affected by a weak interaction with the sulfur atom of another DMSO. The phosphorous atom in the bridging DMP was arranged in a deformed tetrahedron with (gg) conformation for methyl esters with $C_{2v}$ symmetry.

The aromatic fluorination method involving the acid-catalyzed decomposition of a triazene in an ionic liquid is a very convenient and efficient way to prepare a variety of aromatic fluorides in a lab-scale. It should be particularly useful for the preparation aryl fluorides substituted with electron withdrawing substituents. Fluorination of triazene 1 (1.0 mmol) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (1.2 mmol) in an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][$BF_4$], 2.5 mL) proceeds very smoothly at 80 ${^{\circ}C}$ with or without an external source of fluoride, providing 73% yield in 30 min. Unlike diazonium salts, triazene precursors are stable enough to be stored for a long period of time without a noticeable decomposition.

The $^1H\;and\;^{13}C$ chemical shifts of flavone and its five derivatives were determined completely using the basic 1D and 2D NMR experiments and molecular modeling. Of the six compounds used for our experiments, the NMR data of three compounds were published previously, but we found that the data of two compounds included wrong assignments. Therefore, we report the corrected data and the complete assignments of NMR data of the other three compounds.

The fragmentation patterns and ion-molecule reactions of two alkyn alcohols, 2-propyn-1-ol (HC≡$CCH_2$OH) and 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (HC≡CC($CH_3)_2$OH), were investigated using Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). The most abundant fragment ions formed from the molecular ions were [M-H]$^+$ for 2-propyn-1-ol and [M-$CH_3]^+$ for 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol. The dehydrated ion, [M-$H_2O]^+$ was formed only from 2-propyn-1-ol in which $\alpha$ -hydrogen atoms were available for $\alpha,\;\alpha$ -elimination reaction. The protonated molecules were dissociated into [M+H-$H_2O]^+$ and [M+H-$C_2H_2]^+$ through dehydration and deacetylenylation processes. The formations of [M+H-$H_2O]^+$ and [M+H-$C_2H_2]^+$ from 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol were more favorable than those from 2-propyn-1-ol due to stabilization by two methyl groups at $\alpha$ -carbon. Ion-neutral complexes formed at long ion trapping time gave dehydrated and/or deacetylenylated ion products by further dissociation.

The complex of the composition LaL(N$O_3)_3\;(H_2O)_2$ is prepared by the reaction of La($NO_3)_3{\cdot}6H_2O$ with Nethylmorpholine in aqueous medium. The ligand is involved in the complex as a neutral species where the chelation occurs via the oxygen of the ligand moiety and the nitrate groups as bidentate ligand. The chemical structure of the studied complex is confirmed through IR, XRD, and thermal analysis data. The complexation equilibria of La(III) with N-ethylmopholine is studied in aqueous medium at ionic strength I = 0.1 mol${\cdot}dm^{-3}\;KNO_3$ and at 25, 35 and 45 ${^{\circ}C}$, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters $\Delta$G, $\Delta$H and $\Delta$S values were calculated to prove the association with the complex formation. It is clearly observed that the process is accompanied by absorption of heat, i.e. endothermic process, while the entropy does not change greatly attributed to the release of constant number of water molecules during chelate formation.

We attempted to replace a benzopyran ring of 4-[(N-imidazol-2-ylmethyl)-4-chloroanilino]benzopyran, previously discovered as anti-angiogenic agent with antitumor activity, with pyranopyridines. The [3,2-c]-, [3,2-b]-, [2,3-c]-, and [2,3-b]-pyranopyridines with -(imidazol-2-ylmethyl)aniline moiety at the 4-position, were synthesized respectively, and evaluated for primary anti-angiogenic properties through primary cultured HUVEC tube formation assay. From this study, we found that the pyranopyridine ring, especially [3,2-b]- and [2,3-c]-isomer, can replace the benzopyran ring of the compound 1 and can be optimized through the introduction of substituents both on the pyranopyridine ring and the aniline moiety for the identification of a novel anti-angiogenic agent.

In the reversed-phase chromatography, the retention time of sample was investigated based on the molecular structure of compound. Several descriptors that were related to retention factors were selected, and then the values of descriptors were calculated with several softwares. The effect of retention factor was measured with calculated values, and the results were obtained that each descriptors of molecular structure of compound have different effect on the retention factor. Therefore, the empirical equation for seven types of descriptors considered was obtained, and it has high values of correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the experimental data and calculated values have good agreement.

The reaction of cis-[Cr([14]-decane)(OH$_2)_2]^+$ ([14]-decane = rac-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-teraazacyclotetradecane) with auxiliary ligands {$L_a$ = citrate(cit)} leads to a new dimeric complex cis-[{Cr([14]-decane)($\mu$-cit)}$_2](ClO_4)_2$. This binuclear complex has been structurally characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, conductivity, IR and Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. Analysis of the crystal structure of cis-[{Cr([14]-decane)($\mu$-cit)})($_2]^+$ reveals that each chromium has a distorted octahedral coordination environment and citrato ligands are monodentate to the two chromium atoms via the carboxyl groups. For dimeric complex the bridging geometry is as follows: Cr$\ldots$Cr = 7.361 $\AA$; Cr-O(average) = 1.958 (8) $\AA$; Cr-N range = 2.108 (9)-2.147(9) $\AA$; N(1)-Cr-N(3) (equatorial position) = 98.0(4)$^{\circ}$; N(2)-Cr-N(4) (axial position) = 166.4(4)$^{\circ}$; O(1)-Cr-N(2) = 98.1(4)$^{\circ}$; O(3)-Cr-N(4) = 96.6(3)$^{\circ}$; O(1)-Cr-O(3) = 90.4$^{\circ}$. The FAB mass spectrum of the dimeric complex displays peak due to the molecular ions cis-[{Cr([14]-decane)($\mu$-cit)})($_2]^+$ at m/z 1053.

Nucleophilic addition reactions of benzylamines $(XC_6H_4CH_2NH_2)\;to\;{\beta}$-cyanostilbenes ($YC_6H_4CH=C(CN)C_6H_4$Y’) have been studied in acetonitrile at 30.0 oC. A greater degree of N-$C_{\alpha}$ bond formation (larger ${\beta}_X$) is obtained with a stronger electron-withdrawing substituent in either ${\alpha}-\;(\delta\sigma_Y\;{\gt}\;0)\;or\;{\beta}-ring\;(\delta\sigma_{Y'}\;{\gt}$ 0). A stronger charge development is observed in the TS on $C_{\beta}\;(\rho_{Y'}$= 1.06 for X=Y=H) rather than on $C_{\alpha}\;(\rho_{Y}$ = 0.62 for X=Y’H) indicating the lag in the resonance development into the activating group (CN) on $C_{\beta}$ in the transition state. Similarly, the magnitude of $\rho$$_{XY'}$(−0.72) is greater than $\rho_{XY}$ (−0.66) due to a stronger interaction of the nucleophile with $\beta$-ring than $\alpha$-ring. The positive sign of $\rho_{YY'}$correctly reflects $\pi$ bond cleavage between the two rings in the TS. Relatively large kinetic isotope effects ($k_H/k_D\;{\geq}$ 2.0) involving deuterated nucleophiles ($XC_6H_4CH_2ND_2$) suggest a four-membered cyclic TS in which concurrent N-C$_{\alpha}$ and H(D)-C$_{\beta}$ bond formation occurs.