Structural units Dimensionality

Polypeptide chains are folded into one or several discrete units, domains, which are the fundamental functional and three-dimensional structural units. The cores of domains are built up from combinations of small motifs of secondary structure, such as a-loop-a, P-loop-p, or p-a-p motifs. Domains are classified into three main structural groups a structures, where the core is built up exclusively from a helices p structures, which comprise antiparallel p sheets and a/p structures, where combinations of p-a-P motifs form a predominantly parallel p sheet surrounded by a helices. 

The structures of boron-rich borides (e.g. MB4, MBfi, MBio, MB12, MBe6) are even more effectively dominated by inter-B bonding, and the structures comprise three-dimensional networks of B atoms and clusters in which the metal atoms occupy specific voids or otherwise vacant sites. The structures are often exceedingly complicated (for the reasons given in Section 6.2.2) for example, the cubic unit cell of YB e has ao 2344 pm and contains 1584 B and 24 Y atoms the basic structural unit is the 13-icosahedron unit of 156 B atoms found in -rhombohedral B (p. 142) there are 8 such units (1248 B) in the unit cell and the remaining 336 B atoms are statistically distributed in channels formed by the packing of the 13-icosahedron units. 

Crystals have definite geometric forms because the atoms or ions present are arranged in a definite, three-dimensional pattern. The nature of this pattern can be deduced by a technique known as x-ray diffraction. Ihe basic information that comes out of such studies has to do with the dimensions and geometric form of the unit cell, the smallest structural unit that, repeated over and over again in three dimensions, generates the crystal In all, there are 14 different kinds of unit cells. Our discussion will be limited to a few of the simpler unit cells found in metals and ionic solids. 

Zeolites are prepared by the linking of basic structural units around a template molecule. The structural units are typically based on oxides of silicon and aluminium, and the templates are usually individual small molecules. Under the right conditions, the silicon and aluminium oxide precursors will link up around the template to form a crystalline three-dimensional matrix containing the template molecules. The template... 

Point defects are changes at atomistic levels, while line and volume defects are changes in stacking of planes or groups of atoms (molecules) m the structure. Note that the curangement (structure) of the individual atoms (ions) are not affected, only the method in which the structure units are assembled. Let us now examine each of these three types of defects in more detail, starting with the one-dimensional lattice defect amd then with the multi-dimensional defects. We will find that specific types have been found to be associated with each t3rpe of dimensional defect which have specific effects upon the stability of the solid structure. 

Protein domains are the common currency of protein structure and function. Protein domains are discrete structural units that fold up to form a compact globular shape. Experiments on protein structure and function have been greatly aided by consideration of the modular nature of proteins. This has allowed very large proteins to be studied. The expression of individual domains has allowed the intractable giant muscle protein titin to be structurally studied (Pfuhl and Pastore, 1995). Protein domains can be found in a variety of contexts, (Fig. 1), in association with a range of unrelated domains and in a variety of orders. Ultimately protein domains are defined at the level of three-dimensional structure however, many protein domains have been described at the level of sequence. The success of sequence-based methods has been demonstrated by numerous confirmations, by elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of the domain. 

Structural units of binary polycompounds with main group elements consist of one-, two- and three-dimensional polymers, as well as cage-like polycyclic anions. These polyanions can be converted into molecular compounds by appropriate chemical reactions. 

The structural variety of the compounds that form fibers is as diverse as their chemistries. From glasses (fiberglass), and partially crystalline materials (carbon), to special three-dimensional arrays, including polymers, the small, elongate solids may have aspect ratios up to 5000. From our research and compilation (Appendices 1, 2) we noted many mineral and synthetic compounds that have structures characterized by basic linear units. Amphi-boles, the major mineral group mined as asbestos, are characterized as doublechain structures. Many of the minerals in Appendix 1 are polymorphic (di-or trimorphs), and where one member of a mineral series has been described as fibrous the others in the same series are likely to be able to grow as fibers as well. Probably all compounds with similar structures and compositions, mineral or synthetic, can form fibers, even though they are not presently listed. It is also clear that fibrous formation is not confined to compounds with linear structural units indeed the variety of crystalline structure patterns is remarkably diverse. 

We shall here distinguish between surfaces that, in the clean state, have reconstructed or have unreconstructed structures. In the case of reconstructed structures, the surface atoms have moved sufficiently far away from their ideal bulk positions to either generate superlattices (i.e., larger two-dimensional structural unit cells) or, if no superlattice is present, at least substantially modified bond lengths or bond angles. 

In this chapter we will familiarize ourselves with basic concepts in molecular symmetry [17]. The presence or absence of symmetry has consequences on the appearance of spectra, the relative reactivity of groups, and many other aspects of chemistry, including the way we will make use of orbitals and their interactions. We will see that the orbitals that make up the primary description of the electronic structure of molecules or groups within a molecule have a definite relationship to the three-dimensional structure of the molecule as defined by the positions of the nuclei. The orientations of the nuclear framework will determine the orientations of the orbitals. The relationships between structural units (groups) of a molecule to each other can often be classified in terms of the symmetry that the molecule as a whole possesses. We will begin by introducing the basic termi-... 

Molybdate, MoO2-, is isolated in the form of salts of monovalent, divalent and trivalent cations. The salts of the simple monovalent cations are usually water soluble while salts with larger cations, e.g. N-propylammonium, jV-ethylpyridinium and tetra-n-butyl ammonium may also have solubility in non-aqueous solvents.9 The salts of di- and tri-valent cations are generally insoluble and form three-dimensional structures in the solid state. As discussed below, although many of these maintain the MoO2- structural unit, some salts which stoichiometrically contain Mo04 have octahedral six-coordinate MoVI. 

Domains are the fundamental functional and three-dimensional structural units of a polypeptide. Polypeptide chains that are greater than 200 amino acids in length generally consist of two or more... 

Domains are the fundamental functional and three-dimensional structural units of a... 

The secondary structure unit in zeolites A. X, and V is the truncated octahedron. These polyhedral units are linked in three-dimensional space through the four- or six-membered rings, The former linkage produces the zeolite A structure, and the latter the topology of zeolites X and Y and of the mineral faujasite. 

Taking into consideration the Si—O bonds within the glass surface, the difference between a strongly reacted layer and a highly polymerized network is difficult to define. However, with the above model the siloxane layer also contains partially polymerized structural units and/or hydrolysed remnants of the three-dimensional layer which would be expected from the random deposition of the hydrolysed APS. Consequently, some fragments may arise from pendant chains. Thus, the actual struture of the deposit will consist of a poly-siloxane probably chemically bonded to the glass surface every third silicon atom. 

If the O/Si ratio is less than 2.5, three-dimensional framework structures are formed. Silica, Si02, occurs in several crystalline forms. These are listed in Table 17.1. Silica can also occur as a glass (see Chapter 15). In all of these the basic structural unit is the tetrahedron. 

Make a model of the bonding structure using clay and toothpicks. The clay should represent atoms or ions and the toothpicks should represent bonds. Your model should have at least one structural unit. The additive method of three-dimensional construction should be used. 

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