Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1243zf), the process comprising: (a) fluorinating CCl3CH2CH2Cl (250fb) to produce a reaction product comprising CF3CH2CH2Cl (253fb) in the liquid phase in a first reactor, using HF as the fluorinating agent; and (b) (i) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in the vapour phase in the present of a catalyst in a second reactor; or (b)(ii) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in a second reactor, wherein the reaction product comprising 253fb produced in step (a) has subjected to one or more purification steps before step (b). The present invention also provides an azeotropic or near-azeotropic composition comprising HF and 253fb.

Abstract: A method for preparing a tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane comprising reacting a 3-acetoxy-2-bromo-tetrafluoropropane with an alkaline or alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution to provide a tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane, and partially fluorinated polyethers of formula [OCRR1CR2R3]n wherein n is from 5 to 100, R is F or H, R1 is CF3, R2 is F or H and R3 is H.

Abstract: A method for preparing a tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane comprising reacting a 3-acetoxy-2-bromo-tetrafluoropropane with an alkaline or alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution to provide a tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane, and partially fluorinated polyethers of formula [OCRR1CR2R3]n wherein n is from 5 to 100, R is F or H, R1 is CF3, R2 is F or H and R3 is H.

Abstract: A method for preparing atetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane comprising reacting a 2-bromo-tetrafluoropropan-3-ol with an alkaline or alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution, a compound which is 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane, and partially fluorinated polyethers of formula [OCRR1CR2R3]n wherein n is from 5 to 100, R is F or H, R1 is CF3, R2 is F or H and R3 is H.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1243zf), the process comprising: (a) fluorinating CCl3CH2CH2Cl (250fb) to produce a reaction product comprising CF3CH2CH2Cl (253fb) in the liquid phase in a first reactor, using HF as the fluorinating agent; and (b) (i) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in the vapour phase in the present of a catalyst in a second reactor; or (b)(ii) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in a second reactor, wherein the reaction product comprising 253fb produced in step (a) has subjected to one or more purification steps before step (b). The present invention also provides an azeotropic or near-azeotropic composition comprising HF and 253fb.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated process for preparing 2,3,3, 3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf), the process comprising: (a) vapour phase catalytic fluorination of a first composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-chloro-prop-1-ene (CF3C—CNCH2, 1233xf) with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a fluorination reactor to produce a fluorination product stream comprising 1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), HF and HCI; (b) vapour phase catalytic dehydrofluorination composition comprising 245cb in a dehydrofluorination reactor to produce a dehydrofluorination product stream comprising 1234yf and HF; wherein the fluorination product stream and the dehydrofluorination product stream are combined and subjected to (c) purification to produce a composition comprising 245cb and a 1234yf product stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1243zf), the process comprising: (a)fluorinating CCl3CH2CH2CI (250fb) to produce a reaction product comprising CF3CH2CH2CI (253fb) in the liquid phase in a first reactor, using HF as the fluorinating agent; and (b)(i) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in the vapour phase in the presence of a catalyst in a second reactor; or (b)(ii) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in a second reactor, wherein the reaction product comprising 253fb produced in step (a) has subjected to one or more purification steps before step (b). The present invention also provides an azeotropic or near-azeotropic composition comprising HF and 253fb.

Abstract: A method for preparing atetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane comprising reacting a 2-bromo-tetrafluoropropan-3-ol with an alkaline or alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution, a compound which is 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,2-epoxypropane, and partially fluorinated polyethers of formula [OCRR1CR2R3]n wherein n is from 5 to 100, R is F or H, R1 is CF3, R2 is F or H and R3 is H.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for purifying a fluid comprising a first drying stage which comprises contacting a first fluid stream comprising one or more hydro(chloro)fluoroolefins and water with a source of sulphuric acid to produce a first treated fluid stream comprising the hydro(chloro)fluoroolefin(s) and a first spent sulphuric acid stream, wherein the first treated fluid stream comprises a lower concentration of water than the first fluid stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1243zf), the process comprising: (a)fluorinating CCI3CH2CH2CI (250fb) to produce a reaction product comprising CF3CH2CH2CI (253fb) in the liquid phase in a first reactor, using HF as the fluorinating agent; and (b)(i) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in the vapour phase in the present of a catalyst in a second reactor; or (b)(ii) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in a second reactor, wherein the reaction product comprising 253fb produced in step (a) has subjected to one or more purification steps before step (b). The present invention also provides an azeotropic or near-azeotropic composition comprising HF and 253fb.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for purifying a fluid comprising a first drying stage which comprises contacting a first fluid stream comprising one or more hydro(chloro)fluoroolefins and water with a source of sulphuric acid to produce a first treated fluid stream comprising the hydro(chloro)fluoroolefin(s) and a first spent sulphuric acid stream, wherein the first treated fluid stream comprises a lower concentration of water than the first fluid stream.

Abstract: A method for determining the amount of template nucleic acid present in a sample comprising the steps of: i) bringing into association with the sample all the components necessary for nucleic acid amplification, and all the components necessary for a bioluminescence assay for nucleic acid amplification and subsequently: ii) performing the nucleic acid amplification reaction; iii) monitoring the intensity of light output from the bioluminescence assay; and iv) determining the amount of template nucleic acid present in the sample.

Abstract: Use of a luciferase that has a mutation of at least one amino acid selected from the group consisting of positions 14, 35, 182, 232 and 465, where the numbering is according to the sequence of the luciferase from P. pyralis (SEQ ID NO:1) in a method that is performed at a pH below the optimal pH for the wild-type luciferase during at least part of the time period over which bioluminescence measurements are taken, wherein the specific activity of the mutant luciferase is higher than the specific activity of wild-type at the pH at which the method is carried out.

Abstract: A method for determining the amount of template nucleic acid present in a sample comprising the steps of: i) bringing into association with the sample all the components necessary for nucleic acid amplification, and all the components necessary for a bioluminescence assay for nucleic acid amplification and subsequently: ii) performing the nucleic acid amplification reaction; iii) monitoring the intensity of light output from the bioluminescence assay; and iv) determining the amount of template nucleic acid present in the sample.

Abstract: A method for determining the extent of a processive nucleic acid polymerase reaction producing pyrophosphate can be conducted, in the presence of all components necessary for the progression of nucleic acid synthesis, wherein the components comprise a substrate for the nucleic acid polymerase which is either dATP or a dATP analogue. The method includes a pyrophosphate assay comprising the steps of conversion of the pyrophosphate to ATP and detection of light produced by the bioluminescence reaction of a luciferase with ATP, wherein one or both of the following apply: a) the luciferase reacts with ATP and the substrate, such that the spectral overlap is reduced relative to the spectral overlap between the outputs of reaction between wild-type Photinus pyralis luciferase with ATP and dATP respectively; and b) the luciferase reacts with the substrate to give a reduced bioluminescence relative to that produced by the reaction of wild-type Photinus pyralis luciferase with dATP.

Abstract: A process is provided for modifying growth or architecture of plants by altering the level or the functional level of a cell division controlling protein, preferably a cell-division controlling protein that binds or phosphorylates retinoblasoma-like proteins, more preferably a cyclin, particularly a D-type cyclin within cells of a plant. Also provided are chimeric genes comprising a transcribed DNA region encoding an RNA or a protein, which when expressed either increases or decreases the level or functional level of a cell-division controlling protein, and plant cells and plants expressing such chimeric genes.

Abstract: A process is provided for modifying growth or architecture of plants by altering the level or the functional level of a cell division controlling protein, preferably a cell-division controlling protein that binds phosphorylates retinoblasoma-link proteins, more preferably a cyclin, particularly a D-type cyclin within cells of a plant. Also provided are chimeric genes comprising a transcribed DNA region encoding an RNA or a protein, which when expressed either increases or decreases the level or functional level of a cell-division controlling protein, and plant cells and plants expressing such chimeric genes.

Abstract: Enzymes and methods suitable for assaying ATP, and specific application for such assays are described and claimed. In particular, there is described a recombinant mutant luciferase having a mutation for example, in the amino-acid corresponding to amino acid residue number 245 in Photinus pyralis, is such that the Km for ATP of the luciferase is increased e.g. five-fold with respect to that of the corresponding non-mutated enzyme such that it is of the order of 500 &mgr;m-1 mM. Also disclosed are luciferases having additional mutations conferring improved thermostability or altered wavelength of emitted light. Recombinant polynucleotides, vectors and host cells are also disclosed, as are methods of assaying the amount of ATP in a material (e.g. cells) optionally in real-time. Also disclosed are test-kits for in vitro assays.

Abstract: Proteins are provided having luciferase activity with greater heat stability than wildtype luciferases by replacing the glutamate equivalent to that at position 354 of Photinus pyralis luciferase or 356 of Luciola luciferases with an alternative amino acid, particularly lysine. DNA, vectors and cells that encode for and express the proteins are also provided as are test kits and reagents for carrying out luminescence assays using the proteins of the invention. Preferred proteins have a second replaced amino acid at a position equivalent to position 215 of Photinus pyralis luciferase or 217 of Luciola luciferases.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring fetal health during labor detects the occurrence of a fetal ECG in digital signals derived from electrodes on a fetus using a matched filter routine to detect a QRS complex. The peaks of successive R waves are then found and used to determine fetal heart rate. After time coherent filtering of digital samples representing the fetal ECG the P-R interval and the elevation of the S-T interval are found and a correlation coefficient between the fetal heart rate and the P-R interval is derived. The elevation and the coefficient are displayed. If the correlation coefficient becomes positive for about half an hour and a significant fall in the elevation of the S-T interval also occurs it is an indication of acidosis of the fetus.