Highly strained 2,3-bridged 2H-azirines at the borderline of closed-shell molecules

Substituted 1-azidocyclopentenes and 1-azidocyclohexenes were photolyzed to generate 2,3-bridged 2H-azirines. In the case of bridgehead azirines with a six-membered carbocycle, detection by NMR spectroscopic analysis was possible, whereas even kinetically stabilized bridgehead azirines with a five-membered ring could not be characterized by low-temperature NMR spectroscopic analysis. Thus, a recent report on the latter heterocycles was corrected. Depending on the substitution pattern, irradiation of 1-azidocyclopentenes either led to products that can be explained on the basis of short-lived 2,3-bridged 2H-azirines, or gave secondary products generated from triplet nitrenes. The diverse photoreactivity of 2,3-bridged 2H-azirines was also studied by quantum chemical methods (DFT, CCSD(T), CASSCF(6,6)) with respect to the singlet and triplet energy surfaces. The ring-opening processes leading to the corresponding vinyl nitrenes were identified as key steps for the observed reactivity.     

Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with ion trap and triple quadrupole analyzers for determination of thyreostatic drugs in urine and muscle tissue

Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry methods were developed and validated to screen for and confirm residues of the thyreostatic drugs: tapazole, thiouracil, methylthiouracil, propylthiouracil, and phenylthiouracil in bovine and porcine urine and muscle tissues using dimethylthiouracil as internal standard. Thyreostats were extracted from urine samples with diethyl ether after derivatisation with 3-iodobenzylbromide in basic medium (pH 8.0) and analyzed by gradient elution on a Nucleosil C18 column with ion trap mass spectrometry detection using an electrospray source and triple quadrupole MS detection with turbo spray source. Thyreostats were extracted from muscle tissue with methanol, the denaturation of matrix protein was performed and then the same steps as for the urine samples were carried out. The methods were validated in accordance with the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Good thyreostats recoveries were obtained (from 82% to 117%) as well as acceptable within-lab reproducibility. The values of the decision limit CCα and the detection capability CCβ of five thyreostatic drugs are found to be below the recommended concentration set at 10 μg L(-1) (kg(-1)). The results of the validation demonstrate that liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with ion trap detection does not meet the criteria for confirmation for some thyreostats and therefore was applied for screening purpose only.     

A fluorescent, shape-persistent dendritic host with photoswitchable guest encapsulation and intramolecular energy transfer

A fluorescent and photoresponsive host based on rigid polyphenylene dendrimers (PPDs) has been synthesized. The key building block for the divergent dendrimer buildup is a complex tetracyclone 12 containing azobenzenyl, pyridyl, and ethynyl entities. The rigidity of polyphenylenes is of crucial importance for a site-specific placement of different functions: eight azobenzene (AB) moieties into the rigid scaffold, a fluorescent perylenetetracarboxdiimide (PDI) into the core, and eight pyridin functions into the interior cavities. AB moieties of host-1 undergo reversible cis-trans photoisomerization and are photostable, as confirmed by various techniques: UV-vis, (1)H NMR, size exclusion chromatography, and fluorescence correlation (FCS). In this system, AB moieties act as photoswitchable hinges and enable control over (i) molecular size, (ii) intramolecular energy transfer between AB and PDI, and (iii) encapsulation and release of guest molecules. The presence of PDI allows not only following the effect of cis-trans photoisomerization on molecular size with highly sensitive FCS but also monitoring the efficiency of the intramolecular energy transfer process (from AB to PDI) by time-resolved optical spectroscopy. Pyridyl functions were incorporated to facilitate guest uptake via hydrogen bonds between the host and guests. Also, we have demonstrated that the photoswitchability of the host can be utilized to actively encapsulate guest molecules into its interior cavities. This novel, light-driven encapsulation mechanism could enable the design of new drug delivery systems.     

A Novel APPI-MS Setup for In Situ Degradation Product Studies of Atmospherically Relevant Compounds: Capillary Atmospheric Pressure Photo Ionization (cAPPI)

We report on the development of a novel atmospheric pressure photoionization setup and its applicability for in situ degradation product studies of atmospherically relevant compounds. A custom miniature spark discharge lamp was embedded into an ion transfer capillary, which separates the atmospheric pressure from the low pressure region in the first differential pumping stage of a conventional atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer. The lamp operates with a continuous argon flow and produces intense light emissions in the VUV. The custom lamp is operated windowless and efficiently illuminates the sample flow through the transfer capillary on an area smaller than 1 mm². Limits of detection in the lower ppbV range, a temporal resolution of milliseconds in the positive as well as the quasi simultaneously operating negative ion mode, and a significant reduction of ion transformation processes render this system applicable to real time studies of rapidly changing chemical systems. The method termed capillary atmospheric pressure photo ionization (cAPPI) is characterized with respect to the lamp emission properties as a function of the operating conditions, temporal response, and its applicability for in situ degradation product studies of atmospherically relevant compounds, respectively.     

Core, shell, and surface-optimized dendrimers for blue light-emitting diodes

We present a novel core-shell-surface multifunctional structure for dendrimers using a blue fluorescent pyrene core with triphenylene dendrons and triphenylamine surface groups. We find efficient excitation energy transfer from the triphenylene shell to the pyrene core, substantially enhancing the quantum yield in solution and the solid state (4-fold) compared to dendrimers without a core emitter, while TPA groups facilitate the hole capturing and injection ability in the device applications. With a luminance of up to 1400 cd/m(2), a saturated blue emission CIE(xy) = (0.15, 0.17) and high operational stability, these dendrimers belong to the best reported fluorescence-based blue-emitting organic molecules.     

Retention and selectivity effects caused by bonding of a polar urea-type ligand to silica: a study on mixed-mode retention mechanisms and the pivotal role of solute-silanol interactions in the hydrophilic interaction chromatography elution mode

The separation properties of five silica packings bonded with 1-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]urea in the range of 0–3.67 μmol m⁻² were investigated in the hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) elution mode. An increase of the ligand surface density promoted retention of non-charged polar compounds and even more so for acids. An opposite trend was observed for bases, while the amphoteric compound tyrosine exhibited a U-shaped response profile. An overall partitioning retention mechanism was incompatible with these observations; rather, the substantial involvement of adsorptive interactions was implicated. Support for the latter was provided by column-specific changes in analyte retention and concomitant selectivity effects due to variations of salt concentration, type of salt, pH value, organic modifier content, and column temperature. Silica was more selective for separating compounds differing in charge state (e.g. tyramine vs. 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), while in cases where structural differences of solutes resided in non-charged polar groups (e.g. tyramine vs. 5-hydroxydopamine, nucleoside vs. nucleobase) more selective separations were obtained on bonded phases. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the home-made urea-type and three commercial amide-type bonded packings evinced considerable differences in separation properties. The present data emphasise that the role of the packing material under HILIC elution conditions is hardly just the polar support for a dynamic coating with a water-enriched layer. Three major retention mechanisms are claimed to be relevant on bare silica and the urea-type bonded packings: (i) HILIC-type partitioning, (ii) HILIC-type weak adsorption such as hydrogen bonding between solutes and ligands or solutes and silanols (potentially influenced by individual degrees of solvation, salt bridging, etc.), (iii) strong electrostatic (ionic) solute–silanol interactions (attractive/repulsive). Even when non-charged polar bonded phases are used, solute–silanol interactions should not be discounted, which makes them a prime parameter to be characterised by HILIC column tests. Multi/mixed-mode type separations seem to be common under HILIC elution conditions, associated with a great deal of selectivity increments. They are accessible and controllable by a careful choice of the type of packing, the mobile phase composition, and the temperature.     

Synthesis and structure of [Na4(DMSO)15][(I3)3(I)]. Self-assembly of hexacoordinated sodium

A new complex with the molecular formula [Na(4)(DMSO)(15)][(I(3))(3)(I)] represents the first example of Na(+) coordinated solely by DMSO. The triiodide (I(3)(-)) and iodide (I(-)) anions form an infinite linear chain running throughout the crystal.     

Felix Hausdorff: Gesammelte Werke. Band VI. Geometrie,Raum und Zahl,hg. von M. Epple (Berlin: Springer, 2021). ISBN 978-3-540-77838-7. XX 540 Seiten. 89,99 €

Mathematische Semesterberichte -     

Double fluorescence lifetimes of metal-free phthalocyanine in a mixed-solvent Shpol'skii matrix at 4·2 K

We report identical double fluorescence lifetimes of τ = 3·7 and 6·3 ns for the 0-0 fluorescences of each of the two tautomeric species of metal-free phthalocyanine (H₂Pc) in a mixed solvent matrix of α-chloronaphthalene and n-octane at 4·2K. Such double lifetime feature has not been reported previously for this molecule nor, to our knowledge, for any of the related phthalocyanines and porphyrins.