Electronic Transmutation (ET): Chemically Turning One Element into Another.

The concept of electronic transmutation (ET) depicts the processes that by acquiring an extra electron, an element with the atomic number Z begins to have properties that were known to only belong to its neighboring element with the atomic number Z+1. Based on ET, signature compounds and chemical bonds that are composed of certain elements can now be designed and formed by other electronically transmutated elements. This Minireview summarizes the recent developments and applications of ET on both the theoretical and experimental fronts.

All-nitrogen analogue of ozone: Li₃N₃ species.

A theoretical study of ozone isoelectronic Li3N3 species has been performed. Ab initio electronic structure calculations prove the viability of the ozone-like Li3N3 molecule that might become synthesized. The predicted Li3N3 species with a novel N3(3-) molecular motif possess structural and chemical bonding features similar to that of O3 molecules and can thus be considered as an "all-nitrogen ozone".

Analysis of why boron avoids sp2 hybridization and classical structures in the BnHn+2 series.

We performed global minimum searches for the B(n) H(n+2) (n=2-5) series and found that classical structures composed of 2c-2e B-H and B-B bonds become progressively less stable along the series. Relative energies increase from 2.9 kcal mol(-1) in B(2) H(4) to 62.

Ab initio search for global minimum structures of the novel B3H(y) (y = 4-7) neutral and anionic clusters.

We sampled potential energy surfaces of neutral and anionic B(3)H(y) clusters using the Gradient Embedded Genetic Algorithm (GEGA) program at the B3LYP/3-21G level of theory. The lowest energy isomers were recalculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G**, MP2/6-311++G**, and CCSD(T)/6-311++G** levels of theory. We found a diverse set of global minimum structures and low-lying isomers for the studied clusters.

Assessment of neuronal maturation and acquisition of functional competence in the developing zebrafish olfactory system.

Olfactory coding at the level of the olfactory bulb is thought to depend upon an ensemble response of mitral cells receiving input from chemotopically-organized projections of olfactory sensory neurons and regulated by lateral inhibitory circuits. Immunocytochemical methods are described to metabolically classify neurons in the developing zebrafish olfactory system based on the relative concentrations of taurine, glutamate, GABA (and potentially other small biogenic amines) and a small guanidium-based cation, agmatine, which labels NMDA-sensitive cells by permeating through active ionotropic glutamate receptor channels. Using metabolic profiling in conjunction with activity dependent labeling we demonstrate that neuronal differentiation in the developing olfactory bulb, as assessed by acquisition of a mature neurochemical profile, and sensitivity to an ionotropic glutamate receptor agonist, NMDA, occurs during the second day of development.