Generating long-lasting 1H and 13C hyperpolarization in small molecules with parahydrogen-induced polarization.

Recently, Levitt and co-workers demonstrated that conserving the population of long-lasting nuclear singlet states in weak magnetic fields can lead to a preservation of nuclear spin information over times substantially longer than governed by the (high-field) spin-lattice relaxation time T1. Potential benefits of the prolonged spin information for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy were pointed out, particularly when combined with the parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) methodology. In this contribution, we demonstrate that an increase of the effective relaxation time by a factor up to three is achieved experimentally, when molecules hyperpolarized by PHIP are kept in a weak magnetic field instead of the strong field of a typical NMR magnet.

Kinetic and spectroscopic studies of the [palladium(Ar-bian)]-catalyzed semi-hydrogenation of 4-octyne.

The kinetics of the stereoselective semi-hydrogenation of 4-octyne in THF by the highly active catalyst [Pd{(m,m'-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3))-bian}(ma)] (2) (bian = bis(imino)acenaphthene; ma = maleic anhydride) has been investigated. The rate law under hydrogen-rich conditions is described by r = k[4-octyne](0.65)[Pd][H(2)], showing first order in palladium and dihydrogen and a broken order in substrate.

Monitoring apple flavor by use of quartz microbalances.

"Electronic noses", i.e. arrays of differently coated quartz microbalances (QMB), have been used for selective detection of, and discrimination between, volatile organic compounds (VOC) formed during the post-harvest ripening of apples.