Rhodamine B amine as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for saccharides in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

6-Rhodamine B amine functions as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for mono- and oligosaccharides; it reacts with the reducing end of saccharides under acidic conditions. The fluorescent derivatives of five monosaccharides can be separated within 25 min by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with isocratic elution. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides are 7-51, 13, and 9-35 fmol/20 microl injection, which correspond to analyte concentrations of 35-255, 65, 45-175 nM, respectively. We have applied this derivatization method successfully to the analysis of the components of oligosaccharides in glycoproteins (ribonuclease B and fetuin) following their acidic or enzymatic hydrolysis. The results from these analyses are in good agreements with the reported values established previously.     

Antioxidant activity and Neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity of scorbamic acid and a red pigment derived from ascorbic acid

Abstract

L-Ascorbic acid (AA), known as vitamin C, can form browning products by a non-enzymatic process during storage and the browning products cause deterioration of agricultural products. In the browning reaction, a red pigment, 2,2´-nitrilodi-2(2´)-deoxy-L-ascorbic acid ammonium salt (NDA), is generated from AA via L-scorbamic acid (SCA) as an intermediate. However, the biological activities of SCA and NDA have not yet been clarified. In this study, we assayed the antioxidant activities of SCA and NDA using ABTS radical cation and their neurite outgrowth-enhancing activities in PC12 cells. SCA showed stronger radical-scavenging activity than that of AA, while NDA hardly showed any activity. SCA and NDA enhanced the neurite outgrowth induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP after their incorporation into cells in the same manner as that of AA. The results indicated that SCA has antioxidant activity and that SCA and NDA have neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity.     

Screening method for organic aciduria by spectrofluorometric measurement of total dicarboxylic acids in human urine based on intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization

A simple screening method of organic aciduria by spectrofluorometric measurement of total dicarboxylic acids in human urine is described. This method is based on an intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization with a pyrene reagent, 4-(1-pyrene)butanoic acid hydrazide (PBH). Dicarboxylic acids in urine were converted to the corresponding dipyrene-labeled derivatives by reaction with PBH in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and pyridine, and the derivatives afforded intramolecular excimer fluorescence (420-540 nm) which can clearly be discriminated from the normal fluorescence (360-420 nm) emitted from reagent blanks. The technique is so selective that it permits spectrofluorometric measurement of total amount of dicarboxylic acids by the direct derivatization of diluted urine samples. The same reaction mixture has also served as a liquid chromatographic (LC) sample for the separative determination of individual dicarboxylic acids. The spectrofluorometric data did not contradict with the LC data. These methods were usefully applied to preliminary screening test of glutaric aciduria. In conclusion, the present derivatization method allows rapid and direct determination of total amount of dicarboxylic acids in human urine samples.     

Synthesis of benzylidene-pendant polyphthalimidines from flexible bisphthalides and various diamines

New polyphthalimidine-forming monomers, 5,5′-(oxydi-p-phenylenedicarbonyl)bis(3-benzylidenephthalide) and the 6,6′-derivative, were synthesized by the Friedel–Crafts reaction of diphenyl ether with 5- and 6-chloroformyl-3-benzylidenephthalide, respectively. The direct polycondensation of these bisphthalides with both aliphatic and aromatic diamines in o-phenylphenol at 200–250°C afforded polyphthalimidines having inherent viscosities of 0.2–1.2 dL/g in almost quantitative yields. Syntheses of aliphatic polyphthalimidines with higher inherent viscosities were also achieved by a two-step procedure involving ring-opening polyaddition and subsequent thermal cyclodehydration. All the polymers were amorphous and readily soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), m-cresol, nitrobenzene, pyridine, and chloroform. Tough and flexible films could be cast from NMP solutions of the polymers. Glass transition temperatures of the polyphthalimidines were in the range of 158–246°C. The thermogravimetry of the aromatic polymers showed 10% weight loss in air and nitrogen at 445–515 and 500–520°C, respectively. The crosslinking reaction of some benzylidenependant polyphthalimidines took place at 300°C through double-bond addition to afford cured polymers with improved thermal stability.     

Synthesis of polyphthalimidines with benzylidene group from aminophthalide monomers

Two aminophthalide monomers, 6-amino-3-benzylidenephthalide (I) and 3-(p-aminobenzylidene)phthalide (II), underwent self-polycondensation in o-phenylphenol at 250°C to yield polyphthalimidines with inherent viscosities up to 0.5 dL/g. These polymers were readily soluble in a variety of solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, m-cresol, pyridine, and methylene chloride. The temperatures at which a 10% weight loss occurred by thermogravimetry in nitrogen were 460°C for the polymer derived from I and 490°C for the polymer from II. The glass transition temperature of the polymer from I was 332°C, determined by thermomechanical analysis.     

Synthesis and characterization of soluble aromatic polyazomethines from 2,5-bis(4-aminophenyl)-3,4-diphenylthiophene and aromatic dialdehydes

New soluble aromatic polyazomethines with inherent viscosities of 0.4–0.8 dL/g were prepared by the solution polycondensation of 2,5-bis(4-aminophenyl)-3,4-diphenylthiophene, bis(4-aminophenyl) ether, and aromatic dialdehydes in o-chlorophenol at 20°C. The copolyazomethines are generally soluble in chlorinated hydrocarbons, amide-type or phenolic solvents. The thermal stability of the polymers, which showed no weight loss up to 400°C in both air and nitrogen atmospheres.     

Development of hydrophilic fluorogenic derivatization reagents for thiols: 4-(N-acetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole and 4-(N-trichloroacetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole

Sensitive, reactive, and hydrophilic fluorogenic reagents for thiols with the benzofurazan skeleton, 4-(N-acetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (AcABD-F) and 4-(N-trichloroacetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (TCAcABD-F) have been developed. These reagents reacted with thiols within 10 min at 60 degrees C. AcABD-F and TCAcABD-F themselves do not fluoresce but are strongly fluorescent after the reaction with thiol compounds. The generated derivatives were highly water-soluble, since they dissociated a proton and ionized in the neutral pH region. The derivatives with four biologically important thiol compounds were separated on a reversed-phase HPLC column and detected fluorometrically at 504 nm with excitation at 388 nm. The detection limit attained for homocysteine with AcABD-F was 25 fmol on column (11 nM) (signal-to-noise ratio = 3), and that for glutathione with TCAcABD-F was 45 fmol on column (20 nM).     

A method for the measurement of catechol-O-methyltransferase activity using norepinephrine, an endogenous substrate

We propose a highly sensitive method for the measurement of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity with norepinephrine (NE), an endogenous native substrate. The product, normetanephrine, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence reaction detection or, if required, less sensitive fluorescence detection. For the measurement of membrane-bound (MB)-COMT activity in the rat erythrocyte, the HPLC-peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence reaction detection was employed. Soluble (S)- and MB-COMT activities in the rat erythrocyte were 22.9 +/- 2.5 and 4.62 +/- 1.23 pmol min-1 (mg protein)-1, respectively (n = 5). The Km values obtained for S- and MB-COMT were 366 +/- 31 mumol l-1 and 12.0 +/- 1.1 mumol l-1, respectively (n = 5), suggesting that the use of NE as a substrate would give more precise information on the role of both isoenzymes. However, with dihydroxybenzoic acid as an artificial substrate, the Km values for S- and MB-COMT were similar, with values of 69.2 +/- 11.4 mumol l-1 and 72.2 +/- 9.2 mumol l-1, respectively. The proposed method is thought to be useful for the measurement of both S-COMT and MB-COMT activities, and would give us critical information on the role of metabolism of catecholamines in rat tissues.     

Kinetic pathway to double-gyroid structure

We have investigated the structural development during order-order transitions to the double-gyroid (DG) phase of nonionic surfactant/water systems based on two-dimensional small-angle x-ray scattering patterns from highly oriented ordered mesophases. The lamellar (L) to DG transition proceeds through two intermediate structures, a fluctuating perforated layer structure having ABAB stacking and a hexagonal perforated lamellar structure with ABCABC stacking (HPLABC). For a hexagonally packed cylinder (H) to DG transition, we also observed the HPLABC structure as the intermediate phase, thus the HPLABC is an entrance structure for the DG phase. The hexagonal perforated lamellar (HPL) structure consists of hexagonally packed holes surrounded by the planar tripods, and the transition from HPL structure to the DG phase proceeds by rotation of the dihedral angle of connected tripods. A geometrical consideration shows that large deformations of HPL planes are necessary to form the DG structure from the HPLABC structure, whereas the transition from a HPL structure with ABAB stacking (HPLAB) to the DG structure is straightforward. In spite of the topological constraints, the HPLABC structure is observed in the kinetic pathway to the DG structure.     

Preparation and properties of high transition temperature aromatic polyphosphonates by phase-transfer-catalyzed polycondensation of phenylphosphonic dichloride with bisphenols

Aromatic polyphosphonates of high molecular weights were prepared from phenylphosphonic dichloride and bisphenols having rigid ring structures by the two-phase polycondensation in organic solvent–aqueous alkaline solution system with phase-transfer catalyst at 0°C or below. The effects of reaction solvent and catalyst on the inherent viscosities of the polymers formed are studied. The glass transition temperatures of the polyphosphonates with biphenyl, phenylindane, and diphenylfluorene units are 120, 124, and 188°C, respectively. These polymers are self-extinguishing and are readily soluble in solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide, pyridine, tetrahydrofuran, and chloroform. They began to lose weight above 300°C in air. Copolyphosphonates from combinations of bisphenols and phenylphosphonic dichloride are also prepared and characterized.