Monitoring urea levels during haemodialysis with a pulsed-flow chemiluminescence analyser

We have developed a rapid and robust method for the determination of urea in spent haemodialysis fluid as a measure of the efficiency of haemodialysis treatments. A novel flow analysis instrument (which generates a pulsed solution flow) was coupled with a chemiluminescence detection system, based on the oxidation of urea with hypobromite. The ‘pulsed-flow chemiluminescence analyser’ exhibited high precision (1.6% relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for a 1×10⁻⁵ M urea standard, n=10) and good limit of detection (9×10⁻⁷ M, S/N=3) as a result of the rapid and reproducible mixing of small volumes of reagent and sample at the point of detection. The proposed chemiluminescence technique and an established urease-based laboratory procedure were compared, and showed a very similar trend for the change in urea concentration during a typical haemodialysis treatment. The relative chemiluminescence response from the oxidation of species with similar structure has revealed the inherent selectivity of the light producing pathway, but a positive interference was obtained from protein when this technique was applied to the determination of urea in serum samples. Arginine was identified as the predominant source of this interference.     

Selective and efficient oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with N-bromosuccinimide in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water

A simple and highly selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) catalyzed by β-cyclodextrin in water has been developed. A series of sulfides were oxidized selectively at room temperature in excellent yields. This reaction proceeds without over-oxidation to sulfones under mild conditions using water as a solvent and has many advantages over the existing methodologies.     

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,2-diols using N-bromosuccinimide in the presence of chiral copper catalyst

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,2-diols using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in the presence of copper(II) triflate and (R,R)-Ph-BOX has been exploited. This oxidation was applicable to asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-hydrobenzoin and kinetic resolution of dl-hydrobenzoin and racemic-cycloalkane-cis-1,2-diols to afford optically active α-ketoalcohols with good to high enantiomeric excess.     

Titanium superoxide: a heterogeneous catalyst for anti-Markovnikov aminobromination of olefins

A new facile procedure for the aminobromination of olefins in high yields has been described using p-toluene sulfonamide (p-TsNH₂) and N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as nitrogen and bromine sources, respectively, and titanium superoxide as a truly heterogeneous catalyst. The formation of anti-Markovnikov product exclusively in all the cases studied possibly proceeding through a free radical reaction pathway is remarkable.     

Flow injection determination of cationic surfactants by using N-bromosuccinimide and N-chlorosuccinimide as new oxidizing agents for luminol chemiluminescence

Two highly sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) systems are described. The method is based on the CL generated during the oxidation of luminol by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) in alkaline medium. The emission intensity is reduced by the presence of some surfactants at concentrations lower than critical micelle concentration (cmc).A new, simple, rapid and selective flow injection CL method for the determination of cationic surfactants such as dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is proposed. Their determinations are based on the reducing effect on the emission intensity of NBS-luminol and NCS-luminol chemiluminescent reactions. The effect of analytical and flow injection analysis (FIA) variables on these CL systems and on the determination of the cationic surfactants are discussed. The optimum parameters for the determination of cationic surfactants were studied and were found to be the following: luminol, 1×10⁻⁶ M; NBS and NCS both, 5×10⁻² M; NaOH, 5×10⁻² M and flow rate, 3.5 ml min⁻¹.     

Tandem synthesis of aromatic amides from styrenes in water

An expedient one-pot synthesis of aromatic amides has been reported from styrenes in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide and iodine by using aqueous ammonia in water. The reaction proceeds through the formation of α-bromoketone as an intermediate in the presence of NBS and water. α-Bromoketone on reaction with iodine forms bromodiiodoketone which on nucleophilic substitution with aqueous ammonia gives aromatic amide. Substituted aromatic amides were obtained in good yields with wide functional group compatibility.     

Samarium/N-bromosuccinimide-induced reductive dimerization of carbonyl compounds

Stereoselective reductive coupling of carbonyl compounds has been achieved using samarium/N-bromosuccinimide in methanol. The combination of these agents has proved a powerful addition to the arsenal of samarium-based reductants currently utilized.     

The use of redox reactions in the analysis of dyes and dye industry intermediates: IV. Oxidation of benzidine,o-tolidine,and o-dianisidine with chloramine T and N-bromosuccinimide

The oxidation of benzidine, o-tolidine, and o-dianisidine with chloramine T and N-bromosuccinimide was studied, the stoichiometry was established, and a mechanism was proposed. An extraction-photometric determination of these diamines was developed, based on the reaction with excess chloramine T or N-bromosuccinimide and the measurement of the absorbance of the N,N′-dihalogeno-diphenoquinonediimines formed, after their extraction into chloroform.     

A mild oxidation of deactivated naphthalenes and anthracenes to corresponding para-quinones by N-bromosuccinimide

A new method to synthesize 1,4-naphthoquinone and 9,10-anthraquinone from naphthalene and anthracene functionalized with either –CHO or –COOH groups, using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous N,N-dimethylformamide at 75–80 °C, has been developed. Further, –CN and –CONH₂ functionalized naphthalenes and anthracenes can also be transformed into respective para-quinones in a one pot reaction, after successive acid hydrolysis and subsequent reaction with NBS. We believe that the present finding may serve as a valuable alternative to the classical approaches for the synthesis of polycyclic quinones from polyaromatic carbaldehydes through Dakin oxidation followed by further oxidation of the resulting hydroquinone by heavy metal oxides.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of N,N-bis(salicylaldehyde-1,2-diaminoethane) cobalt(II) by N-bromosuccinimide in aqueous acidic medium

The kinetics of oxidation of N,N-bis(salicylaldehyde-1,2-diaminoethane) cobalt(II) complex by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous acid and H₂O–MeOH solvent mixtures were studied spectrophotometrically over the 20–40 °C range, 0.1–0.5 mol dm^?3 ionic strength, 2.2–2.8 pH range and 0–40 wt% MeOH–H₂O solvent mixtures for a range of NBS and complex concentrations. The rate shows first-order dependence on both [NBS] and [complex] and decreases with pH over the range studied. The protonated form of N-bromosuccinimide was identified as the main reactive species. An inner-sphere mechanism involving free radicals is proposed.     

Ultramicrocoulometric determination of ammonia in serum, plasma, and blood

A method has been developed for the ultramicrodetermination of ammonia in as little as 0.01 ml of serum, plasma, or blood by coulometric titration with electrogenerated hypobromite using a sensitive amperometric endpoint. The only accurate volumetric measurement required is the pipetting of the sample. The sample is added to a 33-mm microdiffusion cell for 10 min to separate the ammonia; the ammonia is collected in 0.1 ml of 0.0025 M sulfuric acid in the center compartment. The separated ammonia is added to a coulometric generation cell where an excess amount of hypobromite has been generated. The decrease in amperometric current due to the utilization of the hypobromite by the ammonia is taken as a measure of the ammonia content; comparison is made with diffused standards. An optimum pH of 8.6 for the titration has been found to give reproducible results at all levels encountered. One-tenth-milliliter blood samples are routinely analyzed. When elevated ammonia levels are encountered, 0.01-ml samples can be used with accurate results. The time for the analysis is 10–15 min after initiating the diffusion.     

Deep eutectic solvent-assisted one-pot synthesis of 2-aminothiazole and 2-aminoxazole derivatives

Choline chloride–urea-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) has been found to be a highly effective catalyst and reaction medium for the one-pot synthesis of 2-aminothiazole and 2-aminoxazole derivatives. Three-component reactions of active methylene compounds, urea or thiourea and N-bromosuccinimide NBS in deep eutectic solvent furnished structurally diverse 2-aminoxazoles and 2-aminothiazoles in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions and short reaction times. DES is inexpensive, biodegradable and more accessible in any laboratory and industry.     

Ascorbimetry. The microdetermination of N-halogenated imides

A new titrimetric method for the microdetermination of N-halogenated imides, e.g., N-bromosuccinimide and N-chlorosuccinimide is described. The mechanism of the reaction in the presence of dilute acetic acid is discussed. The determination is done within the limits of 10 mg to 25 μg for N-bromosuccinimide and from 10 mg to 50 μg with N-chlorosuccinimide. The experimental error does not exceed ±2%. Comparative analysis of N-halogenated imides by the proposed method and the previously known sodium thiosulfate method is reported.     

N-Bromosuccinimide-thiol cobromination in basic medium: an efficient one-pot transformation of olefins into the corresponding enol thioethers

A convenient method for the one-pot conversion of olefins into the corresponding enol thioethers is reported. The products were obtained via the N-bromosuccinimide cobromination reaction of olefins with thiols in basic medium. Steric hindrance present in the product alkenes may explain the stereochemistry observed.     

N-Bromosuccinimide as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of indolo[2,3-b]quinolines

The use of N-bromosuccinimide as a catalyst promoted the synthesis of polycyclic indolo[2,3-b]quinoline derivatives in good to high yields in the reactions of various aryl amines with indole-3-carbaldehyde at room temperature under mild conditions.     

NBS-mediated synthesis of β-keto sulfones from benzyl alcohols and sodium arenesulfinates

An efficient synthetic route towards the synthesis of β-keto sulfones has been developed from secondary benzyl alcohols using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). The present protocol utilizes NBS as oxidant as well as brominating agent, readily accessible benzyl alcohols and sodium arenesulfinates as the sulfonylating reagent under mild conditions. The control experiments revealed that the reaction proceeds via oxidation of alcohol to ketone, α-bromination of ketone and nucleophilic substitution by sodium arenesulfinate. Furthermore, the efficiency of the methodology was tested with a gram scale reaction and also shown the synthetic utility.     

“On line” mass spectrometric detection of ammonia oxidation products generated by polypyrrole based amperometric sensors

Polypyrrole (PPy) is the conducting polymer most widely employed in electrochemical sensors for ammonia detection in the last decade. Although sensors have been described in depth in the literature, the mechanism of ammonia detection by polypyrrole is still a matter of controversy. The differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) technique, together with UV-Vis spectroscopy, gives direct and conclusive evidence with respect to the ammonia oxidation products formed in NaOH solution (pH=10) at polyrrole or N-methyl polypyrrole film sensors polarized at 0.35 V (Ag/AgCl). Monitoring of the different possible ammonia oxidation products by on-line DEMS measurements indicates that only NO is formed and that other species such as N₂ or N₂O are absent. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy also showed that ionic products such as nitrate or nitrite are not formed.     

Synthesis and characterization of a tetraruthenium butterfly cluster containing a quadruply-bridging ligand derived from an N,N′-dipyrid-2-ylurea

The tetraruthenium cluster complex [Ru₄(μ₄-κ⁴-dmpu)(CO)₁₀], H₂dmpu = N,N′-bis(6-methylpyrid-2-yl)urea, has been prepared by treating [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] with H₂dmpu in toluene at reflux temperature. An X-ray diffraction study has determined that this cluster has a butterfly metallic skeleton hold up by a doubly-deprotonated N,N′-bis(6-methylpyrid-2-yl)urea ligand (dmpu). This ligand has the pyridine N atoms attached to the wing-tip Ru atoms and the amido N atoms spanning Ru-Ru wing-edges, in such a way that the cluster has C₂ symmetry. The donor atoms of doubly-deprotonated N,N′-dipyrid-2-ylureas seem to be appropriately arranged to hold butterfly tetranuclear clusters.     

Facile synthesis of sugar lactols via bromine-mediated oxidation of thioglycosides

Synthesis of a variety of sugar lactols (hemiacetals) has been accomplished in moderate to excellent yields by using bromine-mediated oxidation of thioglycosides. It was found that acetonitrile is the optimal solvent for this oxidation reaction. This approach involving bromine as oxidant is superior to that using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) which produces byproduct succinimide often difficult to separate from the lactol products.     

Synthesis of enantiopure azetidines: a route to new β-amino alcohols

β-Amino alcohols possessing an E vinylsilane moiety were cyclized in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide to afford diastereoisomerically pure polyfunctional azetidines. These azetidines were then transformed into enantiopure β-amino alcohols with a Z vinylic bromide moiety.