Interfacial Oxidative Oligomerization of Catechol.

The heterogeneous reaction between thin films of catechol exposed to O3(g) creates hydroxyl radicals (HO•) in situ, which in turn generate semiquinone radical intermediates in the path to form heavier polyhydroxylated biphenyl, terphenyl, and triphenylene products. Herein, the alteration of catechol aromatic surfaces and their chemical composition are studied during the heterogeneous oxidation of catechol films by O3(g) molar ratios ≥ 230 ppbv at variable relative humidity levels (0% ≤ RH ≤ 90%). Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and reverse-phase liquid chromatography with UV-visible and mass spectrometry detection provide new physical insights into understanding the surface reaction. A Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism is accounted to report reaction rates, half-lives, and reactive uptake coefficients for the system under variable relative humidity levels. The reactions reported explain how the oligomerization of polyphenols proceeds at interfaces to contribute to the formation of brown organic carbon in atmospheric aerosols.

Identification and characterization of a set of monocot BAHD monolignol transferases.

Plant BAHD acyltransferases perform a wide range of enzymatic tasks in primary and secondary metabolism. Acyl-CoA monolignol transferases, which couple a CoA substrate to a monolignol creating an ester linkage, represent a more recent class of such acyltransferases. The resulting conjugates may be used for plant defense but are also deployed as important "monomers" for lignification, in which they are incorporated into the growing lignin polymer chain. p-Coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferases (PMTs) increase the production of monolignol p-coumarates, and feruloyl-CoA monolignol transferases (FMTs) catalyze the production of monolignol ferulate conjugates. We identified putative FMT and PMT enzymes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and have compared their activities to those of known monolignol transferases. The putative FMT enzymes produced both monolignol ferulate and monolignol p-coumarate conjugates, whereas the putative PMT enzymes produced monolignol p-coumarate conjugates. Enzyme activity measurements revealed that the putative FMT enzymes are not as efficient as the rice (Oryza sativa) control OsFMT enzyme under the conditions tested, but the SbPMT enzyme is as active as the control OsPMT enzyme. These putative FMTs and PMTs were transformed into Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to test their activities and abilities to biosynthesize monolignol conjugates for lignification in planta. The presence of ferulates and p-coumarates on the lignin of these transformants indicated that the putative FMTs and PMTs act as functional feruloyl-CoA and p-coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferases within plants.

Aqueous Photochemistry of 2-Oxocarboxylic Acids: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Atmospheric Impact.

Atmospheric organic aerosols play a major role in climate, demanding a better understanding of their formation mechanisms by contributing multiphase chemical reactions with the participation of water. The sunlight driven aqueous photochemistry of small 2-oxocarboxylic acids is a potential major source of organic aerosol, which prompted the investigations into the mechanisms of glyoxylic acid and pyruvic acid photochemistry reviewed here. While 2-oxocarboxylic acids can be contained or directly created in the particles, the majorities of these abundant and available molecules are in the gas phase and must first undergo the surface uptake process to react in, and on the surface, of aqueous particles. Thus, the work also reviews the acid-base reaction that occurs when gaseous pyruvic acid meets the interface of aqueous microdroplets, which is contrasted with the same process for acetic acid. This work classifies relevant information needed to understand the photochemistry of aqueous pyruvic acid and glyoxylic acid and motivates future studies based on reports that use novel strategies and methodologies to advance this field.

Improved analysis of arabinoxylan-bound hydroxycinnamate conjugates in grass cell walls.

BACKGROUND: Arabinoxylan in grass cell walls is acylated to varying extents by ferulate and p-coumarate at the 5-hydroxy position of arabinosyl residues branching off the xylan backbone. Some of these hydroxycinnamate units may then become involved in cell wall radical coupling reactions, resulting in ether and other linkages amongst themselves or to monolignols or oligolignols, thereby crosslinking arabinoxylan chains with each other and/or with lignin polymers. This crosslinking is assumed to increase the strength of the cell wall, and impedes the utilization of grass biomass in natural and industrial processes. A method for quantifying the degree of acylation in various grass tissues is, therefore, essential. We sought to reduce the incidence of hydroxycinnamate ester hydrolysis in our recently introduced method by utilizing more anhydrous conditions. RESULTS: The improved methanolysis method minimizes the undesirable ester-cleavage of arabinose from ferulate and p-coumarate esters, and from diferulate dehydrodimers, and produces more methanolysis vs. hydrolysis of xylan-arabinosides, improving the yields of the desired feruloylated and p-coumaroylated methyl arabinosides and their diferulate analogs. Free ferulate and p-coumarate produced by ester-cleavage were reduced by 78% and 68%, respectively, and 21% and 39% more feruloyl and p-coumaroyl methyl arabinosides were detected in the more anhydrous method. The new protocol resulted in an estimated 56% less combined diferulate isomers in which only one acylated arabinosyl unit remained, and 170% more combined diferulate isomers conjugated to two arabinosyl units. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the new protocol for mild acidolysis of grass cell walls is both recovering more ferulate- and p-coumarate-arabinose conjugates from the arabinoxylan and cleaving less of them down to free ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and dehydrodiferulates with just one arabinosyl ester. This cleaner method, especially when coupled with the orthogonal method for measuring monolignol hydroxycinnamate conjugates that have been incorporated into lignin, provides an enhanced tool to measure the extent of crosslinking in grass arabinoxylan chains, assisting in identification of useful grasses for biomass applications.

Production of Singlet Oxygen (1O2) during the Photochemistry of Aqueous Pyruvic Acid: The Effects of pH and Photon Flux under Steady-State O2(aq) Concentration.

The photochemistry of pyruvic acid (PA) in aqueous atmospheric particles contributes to the production of secondary organic aerosols. This work investigates the fate of ketyl and acetyl radicals produced during the photolysis (λ ≥ 305 nm) of 5-100 mM PA under steady state [O2(aq)] = 260 µM (1.0 ≤ pH ≤ 4.5) for photon fluxes between 1 and 10 suns. The radicals diffuse quickly into the water/air interface of microbubbles and react with dissolved O2 to produce singlet oxygen (1O2*). Furfuryl alcohol is used to trap and bracket the steady-state production of 2 × 10-12 ≤ [1O2*] ≤ 1 × 10-11 M. Ion chromatography mass spectrometry shows that 2,3-dimethyltartaric acid (DMTA), 2-(3-oxobutan-2-yloxy)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (oxo-C7 product), and 2-(1-carboxy-1-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methyl-3-oxobutanoic acid (oxo-C8 product) are formed under all conditions investigated. The sigmoidal dependence of initial reaction rates with pH resembles the dissociation curve of PA. For increasing photon fluxes, the branching ratio of products shifts away from the radical recombination that favors DMTA toward multistep radical chemistry forming more complex oxocarboxylic acids (oxo-C7 + oxo-C8). The large steady-state production of 1O2 indicates that PA in aerosols can be a significant source of atmospheric oxidants on par with natural organic matter.

Crystal structure of zymonic acid and a redetermination of its precursor, pyruvic acid.

The structure of zymonic acid (systematic name: 4-hy-droxy-2-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-di-hydro-furan-2-carb-oxy-lic acid), C6H6O5, which had previously eluded crystallographic determination, is presented here for the first time. It forms by intra-molecular condensation of parapyruvic acid, which is the product of aldol condensation of pyruvic acid. A redetermination of the crystal structure of pyruvic acid (systematic name: 2-oxo-propanoic acid), C3H4O3, at low temperature (90 K) and with increased precision, is also presented [for the previous structure, see: Harata et al. (1977 ▸). Acta Cryst. B33, 210-212]. In zymonic acid, the hy-droxy-lactone ring is close to planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0108 Å) and the dihedral angle between the ring and the plane formed by the bonds of the methyl and carb-oxy-lic acid carbon atoms to the ring is 88.68 (7)°. The torsion angle of the carb-oxy-lic acid group relative to the ring is 12.04 (16)°. The pyruvic acid mol-ecule is almost planar, having a dihedral angle between the carb-oxy-lic acid and methyl-ketone groups of 3.95 (6)°. Inter-molecular inter-actions in both crystal structures are dominated by hydrogen bonding. The common R 2 2(8) hydrogen-bonding motif links carb-oxy-lic acid groups on adjacent mol-ecules in both structures. In zymonic acid, this results in dimers about a crystallographic twofold of space group C2/c, which forces the carb-oxy-lic acid group to be disordered exactly 50:50, which scrambles the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups and gives an apparent equalization of the C-O bond lengths [1.2568 (16) and 1.2602 (16) Å]. The other hydrogen bonds in zymonic acid (O-H⋯O and weak C-H⋯O), link mol-ecules across a 21-screw axis, and generate an R 2 2(9) motif. These hydrogen-bonding inter-actions propagate to form extended pleated sheets in the ab plane. Stacking of these zigzag sheets along c involves only van der Waals contacts. In pyruvic acid, inversion-related mol-ecules are linked into R 2 2(8) dimers, with van der Waals inter-actions between dimers as the only other inter-molecular contacts.

The Effects of Reactant Concentration and Air Flow Rate in the Consumption of Dissolved O2 during the Photochemistry of Aqueous Pyruvic Acid.

The sunlight photochemistry of the organic chromophore pyruvic acid (PA) in water generates ketyl and acetyl radicals that contribute to the production and processing of atmospheric aerosols. The photochemical mechanism is highly sensitive to dissolved oxygen content, [O2(aq)], among other environmental conditions. Thus, herein we investigate the photolysis (λ ≥ 305 nm) of 10⁻200 mM PA at pH 1.0 in water covering the relevant range 0 ≤ [O2(aq)] ≤ 1.3 mM. The rapid consumption of dissolved oxygen by the intermediate photolytic radicals is monitored in real time with a dissolved oxygen electrode. In addition, the rate of O2(aq) consumption is studied at air flow rates from 30.0 to 900.0 mL min-1. For the range of [PA]0 covered under air saturated conditions and 30 mL min-1 flow of air in this setup, the estimated half-lives of O2(aq) consumed by the photolytic radicalsfall within the interval from 22 to 3 min. Therefore, the corresponding depths of penetration of O2(g) into water (x = 4.3 and 1.6 µm) are determined, suggesting that accumulation and small coarse mode aqueous particles should not be O2-depleted in the presence of sunlight photons impinging this kind of chromophore. These photochemical results are of major tropospheric relevance for understanding the formation and growth of secondary organic aerosol.

Cross Photoreaction of Glyoxylic and Pyruvic Acids in Model Aqueous Aerosol.

Aerosols of variable composition, size, and shape are associated with public health concerns as well as with light-particle interactions that play a role in the energy balance of the atmosphere. Photochemical reactions of 2-oxocarboxylic acids in the aqueous phase are now known to contribute to the total secondary organic aerosol (SOA) budget. This work explores the cross reaction of glyoxylic acid (GA) and pyruvic acid (PA) in water, the two most abundant 2-oxocarboxylic acids in the atmosphere, under solar irradiation and dark thermal aging steps. During irradiation, PA and GA are excited and initiate proton-coupled electron transfer or hydrogen abstraction and α-cleavage reactions, respectively. The time series of photoproducts is studied by ion chromatography (IC) with conductivity and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) detection, direct ESI-MS analysis in the negative ion mode, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The use of one-dimensional (1H and 13C NMR) and two-dimensional NMR techniques includes gradient correlation spectroscopy (gCOSY) and heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC). The aging of photoproducts in the dark is monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy. The periodicity in the time domain of the optical properties is explained in terms of chromophores that undergo alternating thermochromism and photobleaching between nighttime and daytime cycles, respectively. A reaction mechanism for the cross reaction of GA and PA explaining the generation of trimers with general formulas C5H8O5 (148 Da), C6H10O5 (162 Da), and C5H8O6 (164 Da) is provided based on all experimental observations.

Enhanced Acidity of Acetic and Pyruvic Acids on the Surface of Water.

Understanding the acid-base behavior of carboxylic acids on aqueous interfaces is a fundamental issue in nature. Surface processes involving carboxylic acids such as acetic and pyruvic acids play roles in (1) the transport of nutrients through cell membranes, (2) the cycling of metabolites relevant to the origin of life, and (3) the photooxidative processing of biogenic and anthropogenic emissions in aerosols and atmospheric waters. Here, we report that 50% of gaseous acetic acid and pyruvic acid molecules transfer a proton to the surface of water at pH 2.8 and 1.8 units lower than their respective acidity constants p Ka = 4.6 and 2.4 in bulk water. These findings provide key insights into the relative Bronsted acidities of common carboxylic acids versus interfacial water. In addition, the work estimates the reactive uptake coefficient of gaseous pyruvic acid by water to be γPA = 0.06. This work is useful to interpret the interfacial behavior of pyruvic acid under low water activity conditions, typically found in haze aerosols, clouds, and fog waters.

Development and characterization of a high-efficiency, aircraft-based axial cyclone cloud water collector.

A new aircraft-mounted probe for collecting samples of cloud water has been designed, fabricated, and extensively tested. Following previous designs, the probe uses inertial separation to remove cloud droplets from the airstream, which are subsequently collected and stored for offline analysis. We report details of the design, operation, and modelled and measured probe performance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to understand the flow patterns around the complex interior geometrical features that were optimized to ensure efficient droplet capture. CFD simulations coupled with particle tracking and multiphase surface transport modelling provide detailed estimates of the probe performance across the entire range of flight operating conditions and sampling scenarios. Physical operation of the probe was tested on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules (fuselage mounted) and de Havilland Twin Otter (wing pylon mounted) during three airborne field campaigns. During C-130 flights on the final field campaign, the probe reflected the most developed version of the design and a median cloud water collection rate of 4.5 mL min-1 was achieved. This allowed samples to be collected over 1-2 min under optimal cloud conditions. Flights on the Twin Otter featured an inter-comparison of the new probe with a slotted-rod collector, which has an extensive airborne campaign legacy. Comparison of trace species concentrations showed good agreement between collection techniques, with absolute concentrations of most major ions agreeing within 30 %, over a range of several orders of magnitude.

Reactivity of Ketyl and Acetyl Radicals from Direct Solar Actinic Photolysis of Aqueous Pyruvic Acid.

The variable composition of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) contributes to the large uncertainty for predicting radiative forcing. A better understanding of the reaction mechanisms leading to aerosol formation such as for the photochemical reaction of aqueous pyruvic acid (PA) at λ ≥ 305 nm can contribute to constrain these uncertainties. Herein, the photochemistry of aqueous PA (5-300 mM) continuously sparged with air is re-examined in the laboratory under comparable irradiance at 38° N at noon on a summer day. Several analytical methods are employed to monitor the time series of the reaction, including (1) the derivatization of carbonyl (C═O) functional groups with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH), (2) the separation of photoproducts by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and ion chromatography (IC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS), (3) high resolution MS, (4) the assignment of 1H NMR and 13C gCOSY spectroscopic features, and (5) quantitative 1H NMR. The primary photoproducts are 2,3-dimethyltartaric acid and unstable 2-(1-carboxy-1-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methyl-3-oxobutanoic acid, a polyfunctional ß-ketocarboxylic acid with eight carbons (C8) that quickly decarboxylates into 2-hydroxy-2-((3-oxobutan-2-yl)oxy)propanoic acid. Kinetic isotope effect studies performed for the first time for this system reveal the existence of tunneling during the initial loss of PA. Thus, the KIEs support a mechanism initiated by photoinduced proton coupled electron transfer (PCET). Measured reaction rates at variable initial [PA]0 were used to calculate the sum of the quantum yields for the products, which displays a hyperbolic dependence: ∑Φproduct = 1.99 [PA]0/(113.2 + [PA]0). The fast photochemical loss of aqueous PA with an estimated lifetime of 21.7 min is interpreted as a significant atmospheric sink for this species. The complexity of these aqueous phase pathways indicates that the solar photochemistry of an abundant α-ketocarboxylic acid can activate chemical processes for SOA formation.

Aqueous Photochemistry of Glyoxylic Acid.

Aerosols affect climate change, the energy balance of the atmosphere, and public health due to their variable chemical composition, size, and shape. While the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from gas phase precursors is relatively well understood, studying aqueous chemical reactions contributing to the total SOA budget is the current focus of major attention. Field measurements have revealed that mono-, di-, and oxo-carboxylic acids are abundant species present in SOA and atmospheric waters. This work explores the fate of one of these 2-oxocarboxylic acids, glyoxylic acid, which can photogenerate reactive species under solar irradiation. Additionally, the dark thermal aging of photoproducts is studied by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopies to reveal that the optical properties are altered by the glyoxal produced. The optical properties display periodicity in the time domain of the UV-visible spectrum of chromophores with absorption enhancement (thermochromism) or loss (photobleaching) during nighttime and daytime cycles, respectively. During irradiation, excited state glyoxylic acid can undergo α-cleavage or participate in hydrogen abstractions. The use of (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) analysis shows that glyoxal is an important intermediate produced during direct photolysis. Glyoxal quickly reaches a quasi-steady state as confirmed by UHPLC-MS analysis of its corresponding (E) and (Z) 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones. The homolytic cleavage of glyoxylic acid is proposed as a fundamental step for the production of glyoxal. Both carbon oxides, CO2(g) and CO(g) evolving to the gas-phase, are quantified by FTIR spectroscopy. Finally, formic acid, oxalic acid, and tartaric acid photoproducts are identified by ion chromatography (IC) with conductivity and electrospray (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) detection and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. A reaction mechanism is proposed based on all experimental observations.