Traube’s theory

A modification of Traube s theory was introduced simultaneously in 1897 by Bach 3 and by Engler and Wild,4 who laid emphasis on Traube s idea that the oxygen molecule combines as a whole, but extended its powers of combination to other substances than nascent hydrogen. In support of this, it was pointed out that sodium will burn on an aluminium plate to the peroxide, Na202, whilst rubidium is almost quantitatively converted into the peroxide, Rb02, in a similar manner.5... 

According to Traube s theory, the first-named reaction proceeds as follows ... 

A. Bach adopted Traube s theory in the form that the oxygen molecule unites with an autoxidiser A to form an unstable higher oxide AOs (moloxide), which then reacts with water or some other acceptor B to give the lower oxide of A and HsOs or BO AOs+HsO = AO+HsOs, or AOs + =AO+BO. With metals, the higher oxide (PbOs, ZnOs) may differ from the ordinary one. 

Traube s rule accommodates the balance between hydrophobicity and hydro-philicity. It has been extended somewhat and formalized with the development of quantitative methods to estimate the surface area of molecules based on their structures [19, 237]. The molecular surface area approach suggests that the number of water molecules that can be packed around the solute molecule plays an important role in the theoretical calculation of the thermodynamic properties of the solution. Hence, the molecular surface area of the solute is an important parameter in the theory. In compounds other than simple normal alkanes, the functional groups will tend to be more or less polar and thus relatively compatible with the polar water matrix [227,240]. Hence, the total surface area of the molecule can be subdivided into functional group surface area and hydro carbonaceous surface area . These quantities maybe determined for simple compounds as an additive function of constituent groups with subtractions made for the areas where intramolecular contact is made and thus no external surface is presented. 

Twenty years later, Isidor Traube, professor of physical chemistry at Berlin s Technische-Hochschule, distinguished between an inner atomic volume corresponding to the material core of the atom and an outer volume that included an atmosphere of bound ether the whole of the molecule then moved in a larger "co-volume" of free ether.41 Farther still from mainstream nineteenth-century chemistry, Karl Pearson developed a mathematical theory of "aether squirts," setting up a quantitative measure of chemical affinity in terms of the pulsation periods of the squirts.42... 

The theory that fermentation is brought about by unorganised ferments (enzymes) elaborated in living organisms was confirmed by Moritz Traube (Ratibor, 12 February 1826-Berlin, 28 June 1894), a pupil of Liebig and D.Phil. Berlin. Traube reluctantly abandoned an academic career to take over, as a filial duty, the family wine merchant s business in Ratibor, which gave him little time for scientific research. Beside his work on fermentation he published on osmosis (see p. 652), on respiration, and on oxidation and autoxi-dation (see p. 193). ... 

In 1867, Traube proposed that the selectivity of the membrane resulted from the presence of pores at the membrane s surface. Later, Conway proposed that the membrane is a lipoproteic sieve with its pores filled with water. The assumption was then made that the diameter of the pore is intermediate between that of hydrated sodium and hydrated potassium ions. As a result, potassium ions can pass the barrier but sodium ions are stopped. Again, such models are oversimplifications. According to the theory, the passage of a cation is determined by its mobility in a given field and by the size of the hydrated ion. The velocities of rubidium, cesium, and potassium under a gradient of 1 volt/cm are almost identical. In addition, the diameter of potassium is assumed to be equal to that of cesium and rubidium. Why should the cell membrane, then, be less permeable to cesium and rubidium than to potassium ... 

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