Unique tautomeric properties of isoguanine

The tautomeric properties of isoguanine (also named 2-oxoadenine or 2-hydroxyadenine) have been studied in the gas phase, in different pure solvents, and in the DNA environment using state of the art theoretical methods. Our results show that isoguanine constitutes an unique example of how tautomerism can be modulated by the environment. Compared to the tautomeric preference in the gas phase, both polar solvents and the DNA microenvironment dramatically change the intrinsic tautomeric properties of isoguanine. Tautomers which are important in physiological conditions are less than 1/10(5) of the total population of isoguanine in the gas phase. The impact of the present findings in the understanding of spontaneous mutations and in the design of new nucleobases with multiple recognition properties is discussed.     

Quality control of Metamitron in agrochemicals using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the middle and near range

Two vibrational spectrometry-based methodologies were developed for Metamitron determination in pesticide formulations. Fourier transform-middle infrared (FT-MIR) procedure was based on the extraction of Metamitron by CHCl₃ and latter determination by peak area measurement between 1556 and 1533 cm⁻¹, corrected with a two points baseline established from 1572 to 1514 cm⁻¹. Fourier transform-near infrared (FT-NIR) determination was made after the extraction of Metamitron in acetonitrile and measuring the peak area between 6434 and 6394 cm⁻¹ corrected using a two points baseline defined between 6555 and 6228 cm⁻¹. Repeatability, as relative standard deviation, of 5 independent measurements at mg g⁻¹ concentration level, of 0.16% and 0.07% for MIR and NIR and a limit of detection of 0.03 and 0.004 mg g⁻¹ were obtained for MIR and NIR, respectively.NIR determination provides a sample frequency of 120 h⁻¹, higher than that found by MIR and liquid chromatographic methods (60 and 15 h⁻¹, respectively). On the other hand, the NIR method reduces the solvent consumption and waste generation, to only 1 ml acetonitrile per sample as compared with 3.4 ml chloroform required for the MIR determination and 60 ml acetonitrile used in the chromatographic reference procedure. So, vibrational procedures can be considered serious alternatives to long and time consuming chromatographic methods usually recommended for quality control of commercially available pesticide formulations.     

A novel synthesis of enantiopure octahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrroles by intramolecular [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition on chiral perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines

[reaction: see text] Condensation of N-substituted glycines with chiral 3-allyl-2-formyl perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines forms an azomethine ylide that cyclizes to give octahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole derivatives. The [3 + 2] dipolar cycloadditions are stereoespecific leading to a single diastereoisomer. The chemical yields are dependent on the reaction temperature and the presence or absence of a base.     

Structure and Dynamics of Methyl-substituted Beryllocene: [Be(C5Me5)2]

In this paper we study theoretically the molecular structure of [Be(C₅Me₅)₂], with special interest in similarities and differences found in the computed geometric parameters, depending on the treatment of the electron correlation used. Given the low energy differences found between the different configurations studied (less than 4 kcal mol⁻¹), and the high fluxionality found in experimental studies for this compound, we analyzed the dynamics of the system by means of first principles molecular dynamics calculations. A complex dynamics is found and analyzed in terms of two molecular rearrangement processes: 1,2-sigmatropic intraring rearrangement and a ring inversion mechanism that interchanges the roles (with regard to their coordination to the central Be atom) of the two rings.Dedicated to Dr. Jeal Paul Malrieu on occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Validated, non-destructive and environmentally friendly determination of cocaine in euro bank notes

A non-destructive, fast and environmentally friendly procedure has been developed for cocaine determination in euro bank notes. Cocaine was extracted with 15 ml methanol by vortex agitation during 5 min. The extract was evaporated and reconstituted in 0.5 ml methanol. GC-MS-MS analysis was performed using as precursor ion m/z 182.2, with an excitation energy voltage of 1.60 eV, being the product ions measured m/z 150.2 and 82.0. A limit of detection of 0.15 ng per note and a repeatability of 6%, established from the relative standard deviation, of a 1 ng ml(-1) level, were achieved. Recoveries of 101+/-2 and 98+/-3% were obtained for samples spiked with 100 and 10 microg respectively. Results show that all the euro bank notes measured (16 samples) were contaminated with cocaine in the range between 1.25 and 889 microg. Two different contamination levels, high level (150-889 microg) and low one (1.25-77 microg) were found and it could be related with the direct or indirect contact with the drug.     

The Radical Cations of 4,5,7,13,15,16-Hexamethyl- and 4,5,7,8,12,13,15,16-Octamethyl [2.2]paracyclophane

4,5,7,13,15,16-Hexamethyl- (3) and 4,5,7,8,12,13,15,16-octamethyl[2.2]paracyclophane (4) have been oxidized to their radical cations in solution under relatively mild conditions. Substantial hyperfine splittings in the ESR. spectra of 3⊕. and 4⊕. arise from the methyl protons, whereas those from methylene protons are very small. This result indicates that the ethano bridges, unlike the methyl substituents, are rather ineffective in delocalizing the positive charge in 3⊕. and 4⊕. It is in line with the interpretation proposed previously to rationalize the gas-phase ionization potentials of multiply bridged [2_N]cyclophanes and methyl derivatives of [2.2]paracyclophane. The π-spin distributions in 3⊕. and 4⊕. are discussed in terms of a simple model in which the singly occupied orbitals are represented as the antibonding combinations of two benzene HOMO's.     

Accurate intermolecular ground state potential of the Ne-N2 van der Waals complex

Ab initio ground state potential energy surfaces are obtained from interaction energies calculated with the coupled cluster singles and doubles model including connected triples corrections [CCSD(T)] and the aug-cc-pVXZ (X=5,Q,T,D) basis sets augmented with two different sets of midbond functions (denoted 33221 and 33211). The aug-cc-pV5Z-33221 surface is characterized by a T-shaped 49.5 cm(-1) minimum at Re=3.38 Angstroms and a linear saddle point at 3.95 Angstroms with De=36.6 cm(-1). These results agree well with the values provided by the accurate semiempirical potentials available. The rovibronic spectroscopic properties are determined and compared to the available experimental data and previous theoretical results. We study the basis set convergence of the intermolecular potentials and the rotational frequencies. The aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets provide reasonable binding parameters, but seem not to be converged enough for the evaluation of the microwave spectra. The aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets considerably improve the triple zeta results. The differences between the results obtained with the aug-cc-pVTZ-33221 basis set surface and those with the aug-cc-pVQZ-33221 are smaller than those of the corresponding bases with the set of 33211 midbond functions. The aug-cc-pVQZ surfaces are close to the aug-cc-pV5Z, that are expected to be close to convergence. With our best surfaces the errors in the frequencies with respect to the accurate experimental results go down to 0.6%.     

Simultaneous determination of arsenic, antimony and selenium by gas-phase diode array molecular absorption spectrometry, after preconcentration in a cryogenic trap

This paper describes a method for the simultaneous determination of As(III), Sb(III) and Se(IV) by combining hydride generation and gas phase molecular absorption spectrometry. A system for continuous hydride generation has been designed and developed, based on the use of a double process of gas-liquid separation, and optimal compromise operation conditions for the three compounds have been found. After generation, the hydrides are collected in a liquid nitrogen cryogenic trap, and then evaporated and driven to the flow cell of a diode array spectrophotometer, in which the transient signals over the 190–250 nm wavelength interval are measured. Under the recommended conditions (sample flow: 35 ml min⁻¹, 0.5 M HCl; reductor flow: 4 ml min⁻¹ of 4% NaBH₄, solution) linear response ranges above 50 μg 1⁻¹ for As(III), 30 μg 1⁻¹ for Sb(III) and 200 μg 1⁻¹ for Se(IV) are obtained with detection limits of 22 μg 1⁻¹, 15 μg 1⁻¹ and 65 μg 1⁻¹, respectively. Multiwavelength linear regression equations were used for the simultaneous determination of the three elements in different synthetic samples, with good precision and accuracy and to study simultaneously the interference from different chemical species for the three compounds. Results were similar to those obtained by other techniques using hydride generation.     

Electrical conductivities of halide salts in aqueous formamide solutions

The electrical conductivities of sodium chloride and sodium iodide solutions in formamide-water mixtures of different composition have been measured at 25°C. From these data, the limiting equivalent conductances for these salts have been determined. The correspondingWalden products are compared together with the one reported for sodium bromide in the same solvent mixtures, and they are analysed as functions of the anion size. Further, the limiting ionic equivalent conductances are estimated for the different ions. The variation of the ionicWalden products with solvent composition is discussed in terms of ionic solvation and solvent structure.

---

Elektrische Leitfähigkeit von Halogensalzen in wäßrigen Formamid-Lösungen

Zusammenfassung Es wurden die elektrischen Leitfähigkeiten von Natriumchlorid- und Natriumjodidlösungen in Formamid-Wasser-Mischungen verschiedener Zusammensetzung bei 25°C gemessen. Aus diesen Daten wurden die Grenzäquivalenzleitfähigkeiten für diese Salze bestimmt. Die entsprechendenWalden-Produkte wurden mit den für Natriumbromid in den gleichen Lösungsmittelgemischen berichteten verglichen und hinsichtlich der Anionengrößen analysiert. Außerdem wurden die ionischen Grenzäquivalenzleitfähigkeiten für die einzelnen Ionen abgeschätzt. Die Variation der ionischenWalden-Produkte mit der Lösungsmittelzusammensetzung wurde bezüglich Ionensolvatation und Lösungsmittelstruktur diskutiert.

     

Accurate intermolecular ground state potential of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex

From an accurate ground state intermolecular potential energy surface we evaluate the rovibrational spectrum of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex. The intermolecular potential is obtained by fitting a considerable number of interaction energies obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles including connected triple excitations level and with the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence quintuple zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. This basis set is selected after a systematic basis set study carried out at geometries close to those of the three main surface stationary points. The surface is characterized by two linear minima, i.e. Ne-ClH and Ne-HCl, with distances from the Ne atom to the HCl center of mass of 3.398 and 3.833 angstroms, respectively; and binding energies of -65.10 and -66.85 cm(-1), respectively. These results agree well with the experimental data available in contrast to previous theoretical results. The rovibrational spectra calculated for the different isotopic species are also compared to the experiments.