Fmoc-D-α-aminobutyric acid

Characterization of the surface acidic properties of solid acid catalysts is a key issue in heterogeneous catalysis. Important acid features of solid acids, such as their type (Brønsted vs. Lewis acid), distribution and accessibility (internal vs. external sites), concentration (amount), and strength of acid sites are crucial factors dictating their reactivity and selectivity. This short review provides information on different solid-state NMR techniques used for acidity characterization of solid acid catalysts. In particular, different approaches using probe molecules containing a specific nucleus of interest, such as pyridine-d5, 2-(13)C-acetone, trimethylphosphine, and trimethylphosphine oxide, are compared. Incorporation of valuable information (such as the adsorption structure, deprotonation energy, and NMR parameters) from density functional theory (DFT) calculations can yield explicit correlations between the chemical shift of adsorbed probe molecules and the intrinsic acid strength of solid acids. Methods that combine experimental NMR data with DFT calculations can therefore provide both qualitative and quantitative information on acid sites.

The Stephan Curve has played a dominant role in caries research over the past several decades. What is so remarkable about the Stephan Curve is the plethora of interactions it illustrates and yet acid production remains the dominant focus. Using sophisticated technology, it is possible to measure pH changes in plaque; however, these observations may carry a false sense of accuracy. Recent observations have shown that there may be multiple pH values within the plaque matrix, thus emphasizing the importance of the milieu within which acid is formed. Although acid production is indeed the immediate proximate cause of tooth dissolution, the influence of alkali production within plaque has received relative scant attention. Excessive reliance on Stephan Curve leads to describing foods as "safe" if they do not lower the pH below the so-called "critical pH" at which point it is postulated enamel dissolves. Acid production is just one of many biological processes that occur within plaque when exposed to sugar. Exploration of methods to enhance alkali production could produce rich research dividends.

Organic acidemias are disorders of intermediary metabolism that lead to accumulation of organic acids in biologic fluids, disturb acid-base balance, and derange intracellular biochemical pathways. Their clinical presentation reflects the resultant systemic disease and progressive encephalopathy. While in some organic acidemias, disturbed acid-base metabolism is the predominant presenting feature, in others it is less prominent or even absent. The etiologies of the more than 50 different phenotypes include impaired metabolism of branched-chain amino acids, vitamins, glucose, lipids, glutathione, and gamma-aminobutyric acid and defects of oxidative phosphorylation. Most organic acidemias present with neurologic manifestations, which include acutely or subacutely progressive encephalopathy that involves different parts of the nervous system. The age of presentation and the associated systemic, hematologic, and immune findings provide additional guidelines for differential diagnosis. We summarize major organic acidemias, while emphasizing their usual and unusual neurologic presentations.