Characterisation of beeswax in works of art by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry procedures

Pyrolysis (Py) with in situ derivatisation with hexamethyldisilazane-gas chroma-break tography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry procedure based on microwave-assisted saponification were used to identify the organic components in small sized beeswax samples. With the latter procedure quantitative recoveries can be made and hydrocarbons, alcohols and omega-1-diols in the neutral fraction, and fatty acids and omega-1-hydroxy acids in the acidic fraction can be efficiently separated and detected. Both procedures were used to characterise a wax anatomic sculpture "The Plague" (1691-1694) by Gaetano Zumbo, resulting in the identification of beeswax and a Pinaceae resin. The GC-MS analysis brought to light some essential differences in beeswax composition between the raw material and the old modelled wax thus giving some clear indications about the recipe used by the sculptor.     

Determination of beeswax and some impurities by IR spectroscopy

Summary Analysis of the IR spectra of waxes isolated from samples of paints from paintings dating from the Ist to VIIth centuries of our era and fragments of archaeological antique murals has shown that in some cases the wax isolated is pure beeswax and in others it contains as impurities what are presumably resin acids, and also salts of fatty acids. The IR spectrum of pure beeswax extracted from a fragment buried for 2000 yr is absolutely identical with the spectrum of modern beeswax, which shows the extreme chemical stability of the wax.All-Union Central Scientific-Research Laboratory for Conservation and Restoration, Moscow. Scientific-Research Institute of Organic Intermediates and Dyes, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 271–275, March–April, 1977.     

Sample preparation methods for beeswax characterization by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection

New and simpler methods of sample preparation to determine several families of compounds in beeswax by conventional and high temperature gas chromatography are proposed. To analyze hydrocarbons and palmitates, a dilution of sample is enough whereas for the total acid content, a hydrolysis and simultaneous methylation with BF3-methanol results more effective than the usual methods; for the total content of alcohols, a further acetylation with acetic anhydride is necessary. Free alcohols are directly acetylated in a sample dissolution but for free acids and monoesterified 1,2,3-propanetriols analysis, a previous extraction with acetonitrile is required. The concentrations of all the compounds studied are expressed in weight percentage referred only to one standard: octadecyl octadecanoate. The precision of the analytical methods has been evaluated showing its importance in the analysis of beeswaxes used in apiculture.     

Quality assurance of commercial beeswax. Part I. Gas chromatography-electron impact ionization mass spectrometry of hydrocarbons and monoesters

The use of low-temperature capillary gas chromatography coupled to electron impact mass spectrometry for the characterization of crude beeswaxes yielded by Apis mellifera is described. The system allows the identification of a great number of compounds, some of them not reported till now in beeswax, such as a family of ethyl esters, tetracosyl oleate, and several saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The information acquired makes possible the differentiation between pure beeswax and some foundation beeswax samples where mixture of pure beeswax with another substances is suspected.     

Matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction of organophosphorous pesticides from beeswax

Beeswax is a complex mixture of lipophilic compounds and other components such as aliphatic alcohols and carotenoids. Then, extraction and clean-up for pesticide analysis in beeswax is a challenge. In this work, a multiresidue method for the analysis of dichlorvos (DCV), diazinon, malathion, methyl parathion and coumaphos (CMF) in beeswax was developed. The proposed approach is based on matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction. The adsorbent for sample clean-up was studied and a simplex-centroid cubic statistical design was applied to evaluate pure solvents and their binary and ternary mixtures to elute the analytes. Finally, Florisil and ethyl acetate were chosen as solid support and eluting solvent, respectively. After extraction, pesticides were separated and detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The method achieved acceptable recoveries (70–85%; except for DCV, 24–38%) with relative standard deviations below 5%. The repeatability of the method was lower than 8% and interday variability was below 12%. The limit of detection (LOD) for the analytes varies between 0.2 and 2.6 µg?kg^?1 and limit of quantification from 0.93 to 8.8 µg?kg^?1. LOD reached for CMF was below the maximum residue limit allowed by the legislation of the United States and Canada.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of bile acids and bile alcohols diastereoisomeric at C-25

The high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of the 25R and 25S diastereoisomers of the bile alcohols 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha,26-triol and 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha, 12 alpha, 26-tetrol and the bile acids, 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholestane-26-oic acid and 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholestane-26-oic acid is described. A Radial-Pak microBondapak C18 reversed-phase cartridge was used for the separations and elutions were carried out with acetonitrile-water-methanol-acetic acid mixtures. All eight diastereoisomeric compounds showed baseline separation when up to 200 micrograms of the isomeric mixtures were injected into the column and the method can be used for isolation of pure diastereoisomers of these bile acids and bile alcohols.     

Sodium borohydride reduction of aromatic carboxylic acids via methyl esters

A number of important aromatic carboxylic acids precursors, or intermediates in the syntheses of natural products, are converted into methyl esters and reduced to the corresponding primary alcohols using a sodium borohydride-THF-methanol system. The alcohols are obtained in 70–92% yields in 2–5 hours, in a pure state. This two-step procedure not only provides a better alternative to aluminum hydride reduction of acids but also allows the selective reduction of esters in presence of acids, amides, nitriles or nitro functions which are not affected under these conditions.     

Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric investigations of organic residues from Roman glass unguentaria

A combination of gas chromatographic (GC) and mass spectrometric (MS) techniques, including direct exposure-MS (DE-MS), high-temperature GC-MS (HTGC-MS) and GC-MS of neutral and acid fractions, was employed to study the composition and recognise origin of the organic materials used to manufacture balm residues surviving in a series of glass unguentaria recovered from excavations of a Roman villa (Villa B) in the ancient town of Oplontis (Naples, Italy). DE-MS provided comprehensive 'fingerprint' information on the solvent soluble components of the contents of the unguentaria, while GC-MS analyses provided detailed molecular compositions, highlighting the presence of a wide range of compound classes including mid- and long-chain fatty acids, long-chain hydroxy-acids, n-alkanols, alkandiols, n-alkanes, long-chain monoesters, phytosterols and diterpenoid acids. Characteristic biomarkers and their distributions indicate the presence of beeswax, Pinaceae resin and another wax, as the main organic constituents of all of the preparations examined. In particular, the occurrence of phytosterols and long-chain monoesters, in which the acyl moiety was not exclusively palmitic acid, suggested the presence of a second waxy-lipid constituent of plant origin. The results are consistent with beeswax being used in the preparation of the cosmetics preserved in the unguentaria, while the other lipids are most likely the residue of some as yet unidentified plant extract(s), possibly deriving from the cuticular waxes of flowers and/or leaves. The composition of the extracts are consistent with the ancient practices of maceration and/or "enfleurage", in which lipid-based materials, such as beeswax, animal fat or vegetables oils, were used to extract aromatic and fragrant substances from resin, flowers, spices and scented wood, in order to produce unguents and balms.     

Synthesis of chiral 2-alkyl-8-quinolinyl-oxazoline ligands: reversal of enantioselectivity in the asymmetric palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

New chiral 2-alkyl-8-quinolinyl-oxazolines were synthesized from 2-alkyl-8-quinolinecarboxylic acids and enantiomerically pure amino alcohols using a convenient procedure. Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate with dimethyl malonate in the presence of 2-alkyl-8-quinolinyl-oxazolines provided an alkylation product with an opposite configuration compared to those obtained from unsubstituted quinolinyl-oxazoline ligands.     

Efficient Ring Opening of Aziridines with Carboxylic Acids

An efficient ring cleavage of aziridines with acids has been studied in the absence of any catalyst. The hydrolysis of the products, amino esters, leads to the corresponding amino alcohols. The reaction has been extended to chiral cycloalkyl aziridines, leading to the formation of diastereomers. After separation, these diastereomers have been converted to optically pure amino alcohols in two steps.     

1,1'-Binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl phosphoroselenoyl chloride as a chiral molecular tool for the preparation of enantiomerically pure alcohols and amines

Enantiomerically pure phosphoroselenoyl chloride bearing a binaphthyl group was synthesized. This phosphoroselenoyl chloride was used to discriminate and resolve simple secondary alcohols. Stereospecific conversions of diastereomerically pure phosphoroselenoic acid esters, obtained by reaction of the chloride with simple secondary alcohols, to enantiomerically pure alcohols and amines were also achieved.     

Highly functionalised organolithium and organoboron reagents for the preparation of enantiomerically pure α-amino acids

Homochiral, highly functionalised organolithium reagents derived from l-serine have been generated and reacted with electrophiles. The novel enantiomerically pure adducts thus obtained were then converted, through β-amino alcohols, into novel non-proteinogenic α-amino acids. The methodology also made available a novel boronic acid which was then employed as a Suzuki cross-coupling partner, elaborating a new pathway to phenylalanine analogues.     

Highly functionalized organolithium reagents for enantiomerically pure alpha-amino acid synthesis

[reaction: see text] Highly functionalized l-serine-derived organolithium reagents have been generated and reacted with a variety of electrophiles, delivering novel enantiomerically pure adducts. These adducts were then converted into homochiral amino alcohols and novel nonproteinogenic alpha-amino acids, including an aspartic acid mimic that has been synthesized in an enantiomerically pure form for the first time.     

Facile preparation of optically pure diamines and their applications in asymmetric aldol reactions

A family of optically pure diamines with tertiary-primary amine motif has been synthesized from optically pure binaphthol and amino acids. The catalysts are highly tunable in structure and has demonstrated high efficiency in direct aldol reactions. Thus, a variety of aldehydes or methyl 2-oxoacetates reacted with acetone in the presence of 10 mol % of catalyst and 20 mol % TFA, furnishing the desired alcohols in up to 99% yield with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).     

Barbier-type diastereoselective allylation of alpha-amino aldehydes with an enantiopure 2-sulfinylallyl building block.

An optimized procedure for the diastereoselective allylation under aqueous Barbier conditions of a series of alpha-amino aldehydes with our new chiral building block (S(s))-3-chloro-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-1-propene [(S(s))-1a] to afford enantiomerically pure sulfinylamino alcohols in good yields and diastereoselectivites is reported. High levels of diastereoinduction can be achieved from alpha-amino aldehydes configurationally related to natural alpha-amino acids.     

3-Aminoquinazolinones as chiral ligands in catalytic enantioselective diethylzinc and phenylacetylene addition to aldehydes

A series of readily known enantiomerically pure 3-aminoquinazolinones 1a–d were synthesised from easily accessible chiral pool α-hydroxy acids and α-amino acids in only four steps without any requirement of chromatography. These quinazolinones were examined as chiral ligands for catalytic enantioselective diethylzinc and phenylacetylene additions to aldehydes. For enantioselective alkylations, the effects of temperature, solvent, diethylzinc and ligand criteria were analysed, and the desired chiral alcohols were obtained in up to 86% ee. 3-Aminoquinazolinones 1a–d were also shown to be very useful ligands in enantioselective alkynylations of aldehydes. Based upon the optimised conditions, the corresponding propargylic alcohols were obtained in up to 94% ee.     

Solubility of long-chain fatty acid esters in selected organic one- and two-component solvents

Three long-chain ethylene glycol monoesters of stearic, eicosanoic and behenic acids have been synthesized and carefully purified. Their solubilities in 25 pure solvents and in 28 binary solvent systems have been investigated by a synthetic method over a temperature range from 280 to 320 K. The systems containing cyclohexane+alcohols and chlorohydrocarbons+alcohols mixed solvents were found to exhibit a solubility synergistic effect. The results of these measurements were correlated by the Wilson equation utilizing temperature dependent _ij parameters.     

Investigation of the possible role of fatty acids and alcohols as precursors of normal hydrocarbons generated during vacuum pyrolysis of a young kerogen

Significant amounts of fatty acids and alcohols, in addition to straight-chain hydrocarbons, were observed in the vacuum pyrolysate of a young kerogen isolated from a fresh-water sediment. The amounts and the distribution patterns of fatty acids and alcohols were compared with those indigenous to the original kerogen, as determined by solvent extraction followed by saponification extraction. Straight-chain fatty acids in the pyrolysate were 12.7 mg/g kerogen, while those extracted from the original kerogen were 10.5 mg/g. The amounts of fatty alcohols in the pyrolysate and in the extracts were 1.31 and 1.10 mg/g. respectively. The excess amounts in the pyrolysate were explained by the release of a strictly bound form of fatty acids and alcohols, which were left in the kerogen matrix even after the saponification extraction. The results indicated that most fatty acids and alcohols were not decomposed as a result of the vacuum pyrolysis and that neither fatty acids nor fatty alcohols should be viewed as the prime precursors of the straigth-chain hydrocarbons (4.6 mg/g) simultaneously generated during vacuum pyrolysis.     

Industrial methods for the production of optically active intermediates

Enantiomerically pure amino acids, amino alcohols, amines, alcohols, and epoxides play an increasingly important role as intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry and agrochemistry, where both a high degree of purity and large quantities of the compounds are required. The chemical industry has primarily relied upon established chemical methods for the synthesis of these intermediates, but is now turning more and more to enzymatic and biotechnological fermentation processes. For the industrial implementation of many transformations alternative methods are available. The advantages of the individual methods will be discussed herein and exemplified by syntheses of relevant compounds.     

Identification by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of constituent long-chain fatty acids and alcohols from the meibomian glands of the rat and a comparison with human meibomian lipids

Constituent long-chain fatty acids and alcohols from the meibomian secretions of the rat were examined as trimethylsilyl (TMS) and methyl ester-TMS derivatives by capillary gas chromatography and by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The positions of double bonds and methyl branch points were determined by the mass spectra of picolinyl esters and nicotinates for long-chain fatty acids and alcohols, respectively. Fatty acids had chain lengths from C12 to C34 and were of the straight-chain iso, anteiso and monounsaturated types. The unsaturated acids had double bonds in the omega-7 and omega-9 positions. The alcohols had corresponding structures. In common with the constituent acids and alcohols of other meibomian secretions, the chain lengths of the constituents showed a biphasic distribution with maxima around C16-C18 and C25-C27. The profile was qualitatively similar to that obtained from human meibomian secretion but with some differences in the relative proportions of certain acids and alcohols.