A New Saponin Transformed from Ginsenoside Rh1 by Bacillus subtilis

A novel saponin was isolated from the transformed products of ginsenoside Rh1 by Bacillus subtilis. It‘s structure was determined to be 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-20 (S)-protopanaxatriol on the basis of the spectral data.     

Peloruside A: a potent cytotoxic macrolide isolated from the new zealand marine sponge Mycale sp

A novel, polyoxygenated, pyranose ring containing 16-membered macrolide peloruside A (1) exhibiting cytotoxic activity in the nanomolar range was isolated from the New Zealand marine sponge Mycale sp. The structure of 1 and relative stereochemistry of the 10 stereogenic centers were determined on a 3 mg sample using a variety of spectroscopic methods. Compound 1 was isolated along with the previously reported cytotoxins mycalamide A (2) and pateamine (3) from a single specimen of this sponge.     

Analytical aspects of absorption spectroelectrochemistry at a platinum electrode-I Study of metal ions

An apparatus has been built with which the intensity of a light-beam passing at grazing incidence over a platinum electrode can be monitored. The absorption of light which occurs during the electrolysis of dilute aqueous metal ion solutions has been studied as a function of a number of parameters including wavelength, potential difference and concentration. The theories of metal deposition and processes occurring at the electrode surface and in the diffusion layer have been examined and a mechanism for the production of the absorbing species in terms of increase in pH of the catholyte is proposed. The analytical potential of the technique is discussed.     

IR laser-induced dehydrohalogenation of halogenated ethanes

Pulsed IR radiation from a CO₂ TEA laser has been shown to cause dehydrohalogenation of CF₃CH₃, CF₂ClCH₃ and C₂H₅Cl under collisionless conditions. IR emission has been observed and is attributed to HF² and CF₂CH₂² from CF₃CH₃, and to HF² and HCl² from CF₂ClCH₃.     

A selective extraction system for trace amounts of silver

Silver can be extracted from near-neutral aqueous solution into nitrobenzene as the ion-association system formed between its 1,10-phenanthroline complex and bromopyrogallol red. In the presence of EDTA, mercury(II) and bromide ions as masking agents, the extraction system is highly selective. Of 42 ions examined, only thiosulphate and large amounts of gold interfere. The colour system is very sensitive (ε = 32,000). Also, it can readily be applied to the indirect determination of concentrations of cyanide down to 0–026 ppm by determination of an added excess of silver.     

Intramolecular carboxylic acid trapping of pyran-4-one derived zwitterions: A novel synthesis of fused bicyclic lactones

Pyran-4-ones bearing carboxylic acid side chains were prepared either by direct carboxylation with carbon dioxide or through oxidative cleavage of side chain olefins. Irradiation in a non-nucleophilic solvent yielded fused bicyclic lactones. The efficiency of the reaction was not dependent on ring substitution.     

Pentacoordinate spirosilicate anion, bis(2,2′-biphenyldiyl)methylsilicate, synthesized by the lithium cleavage of dimethoxyethane

The reaction of spirobisilafluorene (1) with lithium in dimethoxyethane produces lithium 1-methyl-spirobisilafluorenide (2), a stable pentacoordinate silicon compound with five carbon ligands, and lithium 2-methoxyethoxide, which was identified by trapping with Ph₃SiCl to give Ph₃Si-OCH2CH2OCH3 (4). The X-ray crystal structure of 2 shows that the geometry at silicon is an idealized trigonal bipyramid, slightly distorted toward a square pyramid. Methanolysis of 2 cleaves a Si-aryl bond producing a methyl biphenylsilafluorene, 3. Crystal structures are reported for 3 and 4.     

Determination of cadmium by atomic-fluorescence and atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

The adaptation of a conventional atomic-absorption/flameemission spectrophotometer to the measurement of atomic-fluorescence in an air-acetylene flame is described. The determination of cadmium on the same instrument by both atomic-fluorescence and absorption shows that, even with a rather simple and inefficient means of exciting and measuring fluorescence, results can be obtained which indicate that the fluorescence technique is considerably more sensitive than atomic-absorbance and is equally free from inter-element interference.     

N-substituted salicylaldimine complexes of rhodium(III) and related rhodium(III) organometallic derivatives

A series of new Rh^III complexes with N-substituted salicylaldimines have been prepared of the form [RhSBPy₂]PF₆ where SB is a tetradentate N,N′-substituted bis(salicylaldimine) or represents two molecules of a corresponding bidentate derivative. Several of these complexes have been reduced with 0.5% sodium amalgam and the products reacted with CH₃I to yield the organometallic derivatives CH₃RhSBPy.     

Determination of trace concentrations of citrate in aqueous systems

A fluorimetric method for the determination of citrate is described. Through a series of reactions, citrate is converted into citrazinic acid. The ammonium salt of this compound exhibits a fluorescence maximum at 430 nm when an excitation source of 340 nm is used. The method does not suffer from the normal interferences. The limit of detection is 0.01 μg ml^-, and the best working range is 0.1–10 μg ml^-1.