Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of 1,1'-binaphthyl-based chiral phenylenevinylene dendrimers

New chiral, soluble binaphthyl derivatives that incorporate stilbenoid dendrons at the 6,6'-positions have been prepared. The synthesis of the new enantiopure dendrimers was performed in a convergent manner by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction of the appropriately functionalized 1,1'-binaphthyl derivative (R)-1 and the appropriate dendrons (R)(2n)G(n)-CHO. Different electroactive units were incorporated in the peripheral positions of the dendrons in order to tune both the optical and electrochemical behavior of these systems. Fluorescence measurements on the chiral dendrimers reveal a strong emission with maxima between 409 and 508 nm depending upon the substitution pattern. Finally, the redox properties of the dendrimers were determined by cyclic voltammetry, showing the influence of the functional groups at the peripheral positions of the dendrimer on the redox behavior of these systems.     

Determination of arsenic in mussels by slurry sampling and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS)

A method for the determination of arsenic in slurries of mussel tissue using palladium-magnesium nitrate as modifier was optimized. The slurry was stabilized by a 0.015% (v/v) of Triton X-100. To achieve complete mineralization the slurries were ashed at 480 °C for 10s in an air flow (50 ml/min) and at 1200 °C for 15s in an argon flow (300 ml/min) in the presence of Pd—Mg(NO₃)₂ as modifier. The optimum atomization temperature was 2200 °C. The precision and accuracy of the method were studied using the Reference Material BCR n ° 278 Mussel Tissue (Mytilus edulis). The detection limit (LOD) of the final slurry solution was 1 g/l of arsenic corresponding to an arsenic level in the mussel of 1.3 g/g, for a 0.5% (m/v) slurry. Results of calibration using aqueous standards and the standard additions method were compared. The method was applied to the determination of arsenic in mussels from the Galician coast. The levels found lie between 2 and 9.3 g/g of arsenic.     

Quasi‐random integration in quantum chemistry: Efficiency,stability, and application to the study of small atoms and molecules constrained in spherical boxes

This project consists of two parts. In the first part, a series of test calculations is performed to verify that the integrals involved in the determination of atomic and molecular properties by standard self‐consistent field (SCF) methods can be obtained through Halton, Korobov, or Hammersley quasi‐random integration procedures. Through these calculations, we confirm that all three methods lead to results that meet the levels of precision required for their use in the calculation of properties of small atoms or molecules at least at a Hartree–Fock level. Moreover, we have ensured that the efficiency of quasi‐random integration methods that we have tested is Halton=Korobov>Hammersley?pseudo‐random. We also find that these results are comparable to those yielded by ordinary Monte Carlo (pseudo‐random) integration, with a calculation effort of two orders of smaller magnitude. The second part, which would not have been possible without the integration method previously analyzed, contains a first study of atoms constrained in spherical boxes through SCF calculations with basis functions adapted to the features of the problem: Slater‐type orbitals (STOs) trimmed by multiplying them by a function that yields 1 for 0 < r < (R‐δ), polynomial values for (R‐δ) < r < R and null for r > R, R being the radius of the box and δ a variationally determined interval. As a result, we obtain a equation of state for electrons of small systems, valid just in the limit of low temperatures, but fairly simple. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

New cis-clerodane diterpenoids from Croton schiedeanus

The acid fraction of extracts from the aerial part of Croton schiedeanus afforded six cis-clerodane type diterpenoids. Two of them (1 and 4) are new natural compounds. Structural elucidation was achieved on the basis of their spectral data.     

Covalently bonded platinum(II) complexes of alpha-amino acids and peptides as a potential tool for protein labeling

Arylplatinum(II) complexes have been covalently bonded to the N and C termini and to the alpha-carbon of various amino acid derivatives. These organometallic-functionalized amino acid compounds can be converted into the corresponding free amino acids under both basic and acidic conditions; this demonstrates the excellent stability properties of these biomolecules. Due to the NMR activity displayed by the 195Pt nucleus (natural abundance 33.8%, I = 1/2) these compounds are functional bio-markers. Furthermore, the ability of the arylplatinum functional group to bind SO2 gas, selectively and reversibly as indicated by changes in the spectroscopic properties (1H, 13C, 195Pt NMR and UV spectra) of these compounds, allows for the potential use of these complexes as in vitro biosensors.     

Solid-phase extraction and sample stacking-micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography for the determination of multiresidues of herbicides and metabolites

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) with diode array detection was used for the separation of 13 compounds (eight herbicides widely used in agriculture: metribuzin, lenacil, ethofumesate, atrazine, terbutryn, isoproturon, chlorotoluron and linuron, and five of their principal degradation products; namely, deethylatrazine, 2-hydroxyatrazine, deethyl-2-hydroxyatrazine, deisopropylatrazine and 3-chloro-4-methylphenylurea). Peak separation for the 13 analytes was not successful when a single surfactant system was employed, neither sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) nor dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) sodium salt. However, a mixture of these herbicides was successfully separated using a mixed micellar system involving SDS–DOSS in less than 14 min. An application study of an on-line concentration technique for MEKC was carried out to enhance sensitivity. The optimized on-line stacking procedure consisted simply of the addition of 50 mM of sodium chloride to the injection sample, the stacking effect being more intensive as analyte polarity increased. When this stacking procedure was combined with an off-line sample preconcentration step, based on solid-phase extraction, analytes could be detected in the ppb range. The whole method was applied to ultra-high-quality and natural waters. Linear relationships between the analytical signal and the initial analyte concentration were found to be independent of the type of water, except for the more polar analytes for which small differences were observed.     

Organocatalytic ring expansion of beta-lactams to gamma-lactams through a novel N1-C4 bond cleavage. direct synthesis of enantiopure succinimide derivatives

Tetrabutylammonium cyanide (20 mol %) catalyzes ring expansion of 4-(arylimino)methylazetidin-2-ones 2 to 5-aryliminopyrrolidin-2-ones 3 through a novel N1-C4 bond cleavage of the beta-lactam nucleus. New, efficient one-pot protocols to enantiopure succinimide derivatives 3 and 4 from beta-lactam aldehydes 1 have also been developed. [reaction: see text]     

The solubilization of alcohols in micellar solutions

The specific conductivities of dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium bromide (C12BBr) have been determined in aqueous butanol and aqueous benzyl alcohol solutions in the temperature range of 5-40°C. From these data the temperature dependent critical micelle concentration (cmc) was determined. The molar fraction of alcohol in the micelle was estimated using the theory suggested by Motomura et al. for surfactant binary mixtures. The thermal properties such as standard Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of solubilization of alcohols in the micelles were estimated for the phase separation model. The change in heat capacity upon solubilization of alcohol in the micelle has been estimated form the above properties. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis of cationic carbonyl complexes of manganese(I) with bidentate ligands

Summary Bidentate ligands can readily replace acetone in thefac-[Mn(CO)₃(chel)(OCMe₂)]⁺ complexes or the perchlorate group fromfac-[Mn(CO)₃(chel)(OClO₃)] yieldingfac-[Mn(CO)₃(chel)(L-L)]⁺ or [{fac-Mn(CO)₃(chel)}₂(L-L)]²⁺ [chel = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2-bipyridine (bipy), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphine)ethane (dpe); L-L = bis(diphenylphosphine)methane (dpm), dpe, 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphine)butane (dpb), succinonitrile (suc), and glutaronitrile (glu)]. Some of these mononuclear complexes are precursors for binuclear complexes which are linked by bridging phosphines or nitriles.     

Determination of lead in natural waters using flow injection with on-line preconcentration and flame AAS detection

A rapid and sensitive method has been developed for the determination of lead in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry using on-line preconcentration on a microcolumn packed with silica gel treated with a mixture of Aliquat 336 and nitroso-R-salt. The lead is retained at pH 5.5. The preconcentrated lead is directly eluted from the column to the nebulizer-burner system using 150 L of 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid. The optimum preconcentration conditions are given and the retention efficiency achieved is higher than 80%. The enrichment factor is 37 and 100 for sample volumes of 5 and 30 mL, respectively. The limits of detection are 10.0, 6.0 and 4.0 ng/mL when 5, 10 and 30 mL of water is preconcentrated.