Mechanism of ruthenium tetroxide-catalysed oxidation of aldoses by alkalineN-bromoacetamide

The kinetics of oxidation of three aldoses (glucose, mannose and galactose) byN-bromoacetamide (NBA) in the presence of an alkaline solution of RuO₄ as catalyst and Hg(OAc)₂ as co-catalyst and as a scavenger for bromide have been investigated. The main products of the oxidation are the corresponding aldonic acids. The reaction is zero order with respect to aldose and OH⁻. First order dependence of the reaction on both NBA and RuO₄ at low concentrations shifts to zero order at higher concentrations. Addition of acetamide decreases the reaction rate, while addition of Hg(OAc)₂ has the opposite effect. No significant effect of ionic strength was observed. OBr⁻ is postulated as the reactive oxidising species and a mechanism involving co-catalysis by RuO₄ and Hg^II is proposed. TMC 2588     

Study of silica supported PtxNi1-x catalysts by ion scattering spectroscopy

As supported Pt_xNi_1–x catalysts are used for hydrogenation reactions, it seemed necessary to assess the surface composition of the reduced samples. To approach the usual reduction conditions we applied in situ reduction in a reaction chamber (1 mbar H₂ up to 500 °C) placed in ultra high vacuum recipient (UHV: 10^–9 to 2.10^–10mbar). All ion scattering spectroscopy measurements were performed in UHV. Charging of the samples was avoided by electron bombardment (5 eV). The variation of the surface composition was determined after subsequent sputtering, thermal treatment at 500 °C and during oxygen adsorption. A comparison with previous results of surface compositions of binary alloys (polycrystalline foils [1, 2] and single crystals Pt_xNi_1–x [3]) is given.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Inaccessible hydroxyl groups on silica are accessible in supercritical CO2

The three main types of hydroxyl groups on a silica surface are classified as isolated, hydrogen bonded, and inaccessible. The isolated and hydrogen bonded groups are the most important as these readily exchange with D(2)O and thus are exposed to reactant molecules. However, it has generally been accepted that the inaccessible groups do not participate in surface reactions as only a small fraction of these groups exchange with D(2)O. It is shown that the inaccessible hydroxyl groups on nonporous fumed silica and mesoporous MCM-48 silica powders and films fully exchange with D(2)O and are reactive with octadecylydimethylchlorosilane when supercritical CO(2) is used as the solvent. Furthermore, it is found that the CO(2) penetrating the regions containing the inaccessible groups is not removed by simple evacuation but rather slowly diffuses from the silica over periods of months.     

A chiroptical molecular switch with distinct chiral and photochromic entities and its application in optical switching of a cholesteric liquid crystal

Two new structurally related photoswitches are described, in which azobenzene photochromism is combined with the chirality of a 2,2'-dihydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyl unit. In system 1 the chiral binaphthyl moiety is bridged by a methylene tether, locking the biaryl chirality while in system 2 the biaryl core is unbridged and has considerable conformational flexibility. Both compound are capable of inducing cholesteric liquid crystalline phases and proved to be good photoswitches both in solution and in a liquid crystalline matrix. Compound 2 is capable of completely reversing the liquid crystalline chirality which is unique for a chiroptical molecular switch where the switching unit and the chiral moiety are separate entities.     

Preserving the chromatographic integrity of high-speed supercritical fluid chromatography separations using time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The advantage of high-speed time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) detection for ultrafast qualitative supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry (SFC/MS) applications allows the superior resolving power of SFC to be exploited in high-throughput analysis. A chromatographic comparison of quadrupole MS and TOF-MS shows high-speed TOF total ion current data point sampling to be more indicative of fast SFC separations and corresponding short (1-2 s) baseline peak widths. Results shown for analysis of a six-compound mixture with two peaks eluting at 0.86 and 0.89 min exhibit >50% resolution by high-speed TOF data sampling, whereas the same peaks appear to coelute using quadrupole MS data sampling. Additionally, a marked improvement in the peak baseline widths is afforded by fast TOF data acquisition of 0.1 s/spectrum, resulting in a reduction in the baseline width, 1.6 s, of sulfanilamide in a four-compound mixture that is more than 2-fold greater than that achieved at the slower data acquisition of 0.5 s/spectrum. The resulting increase in resolution and improved peak shapes allow automatic integration routines to perform more effectively. For most classes of compounds amenable to high performance liquid chromatography, including druglike species, steroids, and polymers, the union of SFC with TOF-MS provides the maximum density of chemical information per unit time available with any high-speed chromatographic/mass spectrometric method.     

A NOVEL ZWITTERIONIC SILANE COUPLING AGENT FOR NONTHROMBOGENIC BIOMATERIALS

A novel silane coupling agent bearing sulfobetaine group, N,N-diethyl-N-（3-sulfopropyl）-aminopropyl- trimethoxysilane （DESATS）, was first designed, synthesized and characterized. Its solution property was studied by means of dynamic light scattering. DESATS was successfully bonded onto the surface of the glass and proved by ESCA. Platelet adhesion assay in vitro indicated that the nonthrombogenicity of glass slide modified with DESATS is greatly improved.     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and thermal properties of the nickel(II), palladium(II) and copper(II) complexes of bis(aminoalkyl)-oxamides (=LH2) including the crystal structure of Cu2L(NO3)2

Summary The synthesis of the Ni^II, Pd^II and Cu^II complexes of N, N-bis(aminoalkyl)oxamides (LH₂) is described and structures are proposed on the basis of their physical and spectroscopic properties. With Ni^II and Pd^II only one complex is formed with general formula NiL or PdL, characterised by coordination through two deprotonated amide N-atoms and two terminal NH₂ groups. With Cu^II it proved possible to obtain three structurally different compounds, depending on the pH, with general formulae Cu(LH₂)X₂, Cu₂(L)X₂ and CuL in which X=Cl, Br or NO₃. The structure of [Cu₂(C₈O₂N₄H₁₆](NO₃)₂ was solved by means ofx-ray diffraction; Mr=451.33, monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a=9.503(4), b=7.614(1), c=10.407(3) Å, =98.43(3)°, V=744.3(7)ų, Z=2, Dx=1.202 g cm^–3, =1.33 cm^–1, (MoK)=0.71073 Å, F(000)=520, room temperature, R=0.043, wR=0.047 for 1080 observed [I>-3(I)] not systematically absent reflections out of 1423 measurements and 137 variables. The compound has a conformational chair/boat disorder with 82% in the more stable chair form.     

Determination of polar organic compounds by potentiometry at an anodically pretreated nickel oxide electrode

The open-circuit potential drop of an oxidatively pretreated nickel electrode in 0.1 M NaOH was used to develop a technique for the determination of alcohols, amino acids, carbohydrates, etc., in aqueous solution. The electrode pretreatment consisted of the formation of nickel hydrated oxides on the electrode surface with an oxidation state > 2. Both electrochemical and chemical pre-oxidation of the electrode surface were examined. The analytical signal was the enhancement of the potential drop corresponding to analyte concentration. The analytical signal was linearly related to the logarithm of the analyte concentration. The limits of determination ranged from 1 mM for low-molecular-weight to 0.02 mM for alkyl polyether alcohols. The flow-injection technique allows convenient pretreatment and direct observation of the analytical signal. Interferences from chloride and calcium can be readily eliminated by excluding them during electrode pretreatment. Potentiometric measurements were correlated with amperometric anodic responses at the nickel oxide electrode, allowing an unusual direct comparison of the two methods.     

Interferences by transition metals and their elimination by cyanide as a complexing agent in the determination of arsenic using continuous flow HG-ICP-AES

The interfering effects of various foreign ions on the determination of arsenic were studied by hydride generation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (HG-ICP-AES). There were serious inhibiting interferences by Cu, Pb, Co, Au, Pd and Ni. However, by using cyanide as a complexing agent these interferences could be completely eliminated over a wide range of interferent concentration. The optimum chemical parameters for continuous arsine generation were studied. A major advantage of this technique is that it only needs low acid concentrations and produces less hazardous waste. Sensivity, selectivity and accuracy of the determination of arsenic by HG-ICP-AES were investigated. The detection limit (in 1 mol/l HCl medium) for arsenic(III) was 0.82 ng/ml. The relative standard deviation for ten determinations of a solution containing 50 ng/ml arsenic was 1.3%.     

Concise and enantioselective synthesis of the aminocyclitol core of hygromycin A

[reaction: see text] Stereoselective aminohydroxylation and dihydroxylation using osmium(VIII) oxidants enabled the short and efficient synthesis of the aminocyclitol core of hygromycin A. In addition to allowing the selective introduction of the heteroatoms N and O, the use of osmium (via an osmate ester) as a protecting group for a 1,2-glycol is also reported. This tactic allowed efficient differentiation of otherwise equivalent hydroxyl groups and allowed us to complete the synthesis in short order (14 steps) and excellent overall yield (12%).