Application of hydrophilic ionic liquids as co-solvents in chloroperoxidase catalyzed oxidations

The effect of hydrophilic ionic liquids (ILs) on the activity of chloroperoxidase (CPO) was checked through kinetic and stereochemical studies. The possibility to employ this enzyme in synthesis has been demonstrated investigating the chemo- and stereoselectivity of oxidation of phenyl methylsulfide in several citrate buffer-IL mixtures.     

Competing kinetic pathways in the bromine addition to allylic ethers in 1,2‐dichloroethane: Opposite temperature effects

The kinetics of the electrophilic bromination of three allylic ethers in a nonprotic solvent, 1,2‐dichloroethane, has been investigated. Two of them followed a prevalent second‐order pathway, while the third one exhibited a classical, clean third order. The second‐order pathway in the first two olefins is attributed to electrophilic assistance of the ethereal oxygen to the attacking bromine molecule. In the molecular bromination of 2,4‐cis‐dimethyl‐8‐oxabicyclo[3.2.1]‐6‐octen‐3‐cis‐ol, opposite temperature dependences were found for the two different kinetic pathways. An exoergonic process for the second‐order reaction was explained by the lesser stability of the bromiranium–bromide ionic intermediate, compared to the bromiranium–tribromide in the third‐order profile. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 39: 197–203, 2007     

The effect of the anion on the physical properties of trihalide-based N,N-dialkylimidazolium ionic liquids

Low viscosity, high density trihalide-based 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids have been prepared and characterised. Key physical properties (density, conductivity, melting point, refractive index, surface tension and diffusion coefficient) of the ionic liquids have been determined and are compared with those of other 1,3-dialkylimidazolium molten salts. The relationship between anion identity and the physical properties of the ionic liquids under investigation is discussed.     

A combinatorial approach to obtain affinity media with binding properties towards the aflatoxins

In our work we performed a combinatorial solid-phase synthesis in aqueous medium to prepare peptide libraries from which to select an amino acid sequence with binding properties towards aflatoxins.We used polystyrene beads, functionalised with carboxylic groups as solid support and eight amino acids as monomers. During the first step 64 different sequences of two amino acids were prepared by exploiting the principles of combinatorial chemistry; then the binding properties of all sequences towards aflatoxin B(1 )were checked. We determined binding constants towards aflatoxin B(1) and towards aflatoxins B(2), G(1) and G(2). Results were promising, so we prepared a new library by using the selected dipeptide as the starting solid phase. After selecting the best tetrapeptide sequences, we determined binding constants towards the quoted aflatoxins. We obtained binding constants ( K>10(4) M(-1)) similar to those shown by human serum albumin for similar compounds. Preliminary studies on an extraction column were promising for the development of an SPE system and for its application in food matrices.     

Proton controlled intramolecular communication in dinuclear ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes

The synthesis and characterization of two dinuclear ruthenium polypyridyl complexes based on the bridging ligands 5,5'-bis(pyridin-2' '-yl)-3,3'-bis(1H-1,2,4-triazole) and 5,5'-bis(pyrazin-2' '-yl)-3,3'-bis(1H-1,2,4-triazole) and of their mononuclear precursors are reported. The dinuclear compounds have been prepared by a Ni(0) catalyzed coupling of a mononuclear ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex containing a brominated triazole moiety. Electrochemical and photophysical studies indicate that, in these dinuclear complexes, the protonation state of the bridge may be used to tune the intercomponent interaction between the two metal centers and that these species act as proton driven three-way molecular switches that can be read by electrochemical or luminescence techniques.     

Characterization of biosensors based on membranes containing a conducting polymer

A new type of biosensor based on the coupling of an enzyme to an ion-selective membrane containing a conducting polymer is evaluated. The results obtained with the enzyme field- effect transistor (ENFET) and the ion-selective electrode (ISE) for the determination of creatinine and urea are compared. The presence of the conducting polymer significantly lowers the detection limit for creatinine by one decade to 10^?7 and 10^?4 M for the ENFET and ISE, respectively. The determination of urea in urine and serum with the ENFET was carried out, and the results correlated well with those obtained by spectrophotometry.     

Adsorption isotherms of a molecular imprinted polymer prepared in the presence of a polymerisable template: Indirect evidence of the formation of template clusters in the binding site

The current opinion about molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) is that their molecular recognition properties are due to the presence of nanocavities formed during a polymerization process developed in the presence of a template molecule. According to this principle, the shape of these nanocavities is complementary to that of the template and non-covalent interactions are established between the binding site and a single template molecule. Nevertheless, there are some experimental indications that the real molecular recognition mechanism involves clusters of template molecules being packed into the binding site. Recently, it has been proposed that template molecules covalently linked to the binding site can act as nucleation points, enhancing the formation of these molecular clusters.We have tested this hypothesis by studying the adsorption isotherms of polymers prepared by imprinting them with 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). Three different polymers were considered: P0, prepared without the template, P1, whose template was represented by 2,4,5-T molecules, and P2, whose template was 1/3 constituted by the polymerisable 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetoxy)-ethylmethacrylate (2,4,5-TEMA) and 2/3 by 2,4,5-T. The polymers were prepared by thermoinduced polymerization of template mixtures, 4-vinylpyridine and ethylene dimethacrylate. The crushed polymers were packed into HPLC columns and frontal chromatographic runs were performed by eluting the columns with a mobile phase containing variable amounts of 2,4,5-T.The experimental adsorption isotherms were fitted by using several isotherm models, and the Freundlich-Langmuir model was found to give the best fitting in terms of F-test. All the models considered showed a significant difference between the affinity constant values measured for the polymer P1 and P2, with a higher value for the polymer P2 (for Freundlich-Langmuir model: polymer P1, k=(2.00±0.43)×10⁴ M⁻¹; polymer P2, k=(1.93±0.0535)×10⁵ M⁻¹; ratio P2/P1, 9.65±2.09). Such experimental results support the hypothesis that a polymer prepared with a limited amount of template covalently attached to the binding site shows an increased affinity for the template itself.     

Novel RPLC stationary phases for lipophilicity measurement: solvatochromic analysis of retention mechanisms for neutral and basic compounds

An RPLC was developed to rapidly determine lipophilicity of neutral and basic compounds using three base deactivated RPLC stationary phases particularly designed for the analysis of basic compounds, namely, Supelcosil ABZ(+)Plus, Discovery RP Amide C16, and Zorbax Extend C18. The work consisted of three sets of experiments. In the first log kw values of neutral compounds were extrapolated using hydroorganic mobile phases at different compositions. Good correlation between log kw and log Poct indicated that the method was appropriate for these supports, without adding a silanol masking agent. In the second set of experiments, isocratic log k values of neutral and basic compounds were measured with three different mobile phases. The best estimation of lipophilicity was obtained for neutral and basic compounds when the secondary interactions were strongly reduced (i. e., when basic compounds were under their neutral form). In the third set of experiments, isocratic retention factors of basic compounds (in their neutral form) were measured with a high-pH mobile phase, on a chemically stable support (Zorbax Extend C18). Under these chromatographic conditions, correlation between the isocratic retention factors and log Poct (log D10.5) for basic compounds was similar to that for neutral compounds.     

Simple Extraction and HPLC Determination of UV-A and UV-B Filters in Sunscreen Products

The determination of 11 organic UV filters, worldwide authorised in sunscreen formulations, was performed by HPLC with UV spectrophotometric detection. The filters determined were: phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, benzophenone-4, benzophenone-3, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutyl phenol, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyltriazine, ethylhexyl triazone, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate. Three analytical methods were developed which were based on an ultrasonic extraction of the sample in methanol/1% aqueous acetic acid (70:30, v/v) or dimethylacetamide/propan-2-ol (1:1, v/v) in dependence of the water or fat-solubility of the filter, followed by HPLC separation and quantitation. HPLC was carried out using three different columns and eluting conditions. Standard calibration curves were linear for all the analytes over the concentration range 0.5–100 μg mL^?1. UV measurements were carried out at 280, 300, 310 or 360 nm with the aid of a diode array detector in dependence on the maximum absorption of each filter. Quantitative recoveries were obtained for all sunscreen compounds determined in homemade formulations. The proposed analytical procedure has been successfully applied for the analysis of commercial samples in order to check the presence of UV filters and to determine their concentration.