Enantioseparations on amylose tris(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) in nano-liquid chromatography and capillary electrochromatography

Amylose tris(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) was coated onto native and aminopropylsilanized silica in order to prepare chiral stationary phases (CSP) for enantioseparations using nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The effect of the nature of silica, the particle size and pore diameter, the chiral selector loading onto silica, the mobile phase composition and pH, as well as separation variables such as a linear flow rate of the mobile phase, applied voltage in CEC, etc. on the separation of enantiomers was studied. It was found that CSPs based on amylose tris(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) can be used for preparation of stable capillary columns for enantioseparations by nano-LC and CEC in combination with polar organic and aqueous–organic mobile phases. Higher peak efficiency was observed in CEC than in nano-LC.     

Fluorescence response of human HER2+ cancer- and MCF-12F normal cells to 200MHz ultrasound microbeam stimulation: a preliminary study of membrane permeability variation

Targeted mechanical cell stimulation has been extensively studied for a better understanding of its effect on cellular mechanotransduction signaling pathways and structures by utilizing a variety of mechanical sources. In this work, an ultrasound-driven single cell stimulation method is thus proposed, and a preliminary study is carried out by comparing the fluorescence intensities representing a change in cell membrane permeability between MDA-MB-435 human HER2+ cancer cells (∼40-50 μm in diameter) and MCF-12F normal cells (∼50-60 μm) in the presence of ultrasound. A 200 MHz single element zinc oxide (ZnO) transducer is employed to generate ultrasound microbeam (UM) whose beamwidth and depth of focus are 9.5 and 60 μm, comparable to typical cell size. The cells in tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) are interrogated with 200 MHz sinusoidal bursts. The number of cycles per burst is 5 and the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) is 1 kHz. The temporal variation of fluorescence intensity in each cell is measured as a function of input voltage to the transducer (16, 32, and 47 V), and its corresponding fluorescence images are obtained via a confocal microscope. A systematic method for visualizing UM’s focus by adding Rhodamine B to the immersion medium is also proposed to enhance the precision in aiming the beam at an individual cell.Both types of cells exhibit a decrease in the intensity upon UM irradiation. In particular, normal cells show more fluorescence reduction (down to 0.7 in normalized intensity) than cancer cells (∼0.9) under the same excitation condition of the transducer. With UM being turned off, the normalized intensity level in normal cells is slowly increased to 1.1. The cell images taken before and after UM exposure indicate that the intensity reduction is more pronounced in those cells after exposure. Hence the results show the potential of UM as a non-invasive in vitro stimulation tool for facilitating targeted drug delivery and gene transfection as well as for studying cellular mechanotransduction.     

Selector-selectand interactions in chiral capillary electrophoresis.

This review discusses selected aspects of selector-select and interactions in chiral capillary electrophoresis (CE). Studies performed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS) and X-ray crystallography for a better understanding of chiral recognition mechanisms in CE are summarized. The theoretical background of chiral CE in general, mathematical models, method development and optimization strategies, etc., are not covered. A general overview on the most recent developments in chiral CE is presented in this volume in the review paper by Bocek [1].     

Comparative NMR and MS studies on the mechanism of enantioseparation of propranolol with heptakis(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfo)-β-cyclodextrin in capillary electrophoresis with aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes

In our recent studies, the reversal of the enantiomer migration order (EMO) was observed with heptakis (2,3-dimethyl-6-sulfo)-β-CD (HDMS-β-CD) when aqueous electrolyte was changed with nonaqueous electrolyte in CE. One-dimensional rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy experiments prevailed that an inclusion complex was formed between the analyte and the chiral selector in the aqueous buffer, whereas an external complex resulted when a methanolic electrolyte was employed. In the case of the similarly substituted heptakis (2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfo)-β-CD (HDAS-β-CD), the external complex was observed in the aqueous buffer but an inclusion complex was formed in methanolic electrolyte. In contrast to heptakis (2,3-dimethyl-6-sulfo)-β-CD, no reversal of the enantiomer migration order was observed with HDAS-β-CD. In the present study, further mechanisms of enantioselective recognition and separation of propranolol enantiomers with HDAS-β-CD were investigated by using different techniques of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. To the best of our knowledge, enantioselective nuclear Overhauser effect was observed for the first time in this study.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparations on monolithic silica columns containing a covalently attached 3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate derivative of cellulose

Covalent immobilization of 3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate derivative of cellulose was performed in situ onto native silica monoliths cladded in a 50 mm x 4.6 mm polyether ether ketone high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) column. The covalent attachment of cellulose derivative in the range of 16-19% (w/w) was performed via an epoxide moiety. The column obtained by this technique combines the high enantiomer-resolving ability of the polysaccharide derivative with favourable dynamic properties of monolithic HPLC columns. The covalent attachment of the cellulose derivative enables this column to be used in combination with the mobile phases which are incompatible with coated-type polysaccharide columns due to solubility of chiral selector in some organic solvents.     

Mechanistic study of opposite migration order of dimethindene enantiomers in capillary electrophoresis in the presence of native beta-cyclodextrin and heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin

The possible mechanisms of the opposite affinity pattern of the enantiomers of dimethindene [(R,S)-N,N-dimethyl-3[1(2-pyridyl)ethyl]indene-2-ethylamine] (DIM) towards native beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-)-beta-CD (TM-beta-CD) were studied using capillary electrophoresis (CE), NMR spectrometry, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and X-ray crystallography. NMR spectrometry allowed to estimate the stoichiometry of the complex and to determine the binding constants. As found using ESI-MS, together with more abundant 1:1 complex, a complex with 1:2 stoichiometry may also be present in a rather small amount in a solution of DIM and beta-CD. One-dimensional ROESY experiments indicated that the geometry of the complexes of DIM with native beta-CD depends on the ratio of the components in the solution. In the 1:1 solution of DIM and beta-CD the complex may be formed by inclusion of the indene moiety of DIM into the cavity of beta-CD on the primary side and into the cavity of TM-beta-CD into the secondary side. The most likely structural reason for lower affinity of the enantiomers of DIM towards the cavity of TM-beta-CD compared to native beta-CD could be elucidated. The indene moiety does not enter the cavity of TM-beta-CD as deeply as the cavity of beta-CD. This may be the most likely explanation of significantly higher affinity constants of DIM enantiomers towards the latter CD compared to the former one. The marked difference between the structure of the complexes may also be responsible for the opposite affinity pattern of the DIM enantiomers towards beta-CD and TM-beta-CD.     

Rewritable Optical Storage with a Spiropyran Doped Liquid Crystal Polymer Film

Rewritable optical storage has been obtained in a spiropyran doped liquid crystal polymer films. Pictures can be recorded on films upon irradiation with UV light passing through a grayscale mask and they can be rapidly erased using visible light. Films present improved photosensitivity and optical contrast, good resistance to photofatigue, and high spatial resolution. These photochromic films work as a multifunctional, dynamic photosensitive material with a real‐time image recording feature.