Sesquiterpenoids from the Rhizome of Ligularia virgaurea

Two novel sesquiterpene dimers, compounds 1 and 2 , were isolated from the rhizome of Ligularia virgaurea, together with the six known sesquiterpenoids 3 – 8 . Their structures were established by physico‐chemical and spectroscopic methods, especially by means of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR as well as HR‐MS analyses. A mechanism based on a classical Diels–Alder cyclization is proposed for the formation of the dimer 1 from the precursors 8 and the quinone form of 6 (Scheme).     

Photocurrent generation in multilayer self-assembly films fabricated from water-soluble poly(phenylene vinylene)

A novel, water-soluble, cationic PPV derivative poly[(2,5-bis(3-bromotrimethylammoniopropoxy)-phenylene-1,4-divinylene)-alt-1,4-(2,5-bis(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy))phenylene vinylene] (BH-PPV) has been synthesized by a Heck coupling reaction. Multilayered assemblies of the BH-PPV and the sodium salt of hexa(sulfobutyl)fullerenes (C(60)-HS) were fabricated successfully by an alternate deposition technique. The multilayer structures were studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy, small angle X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The photoinduced charge transfer property of the self-assembled multilayer film was also measured by a three-electrode cell technique. A steady and rapid cathodic 5.5 microA cm(-2) photocurrent response was measured as the irradiation of the multilayer film was switched on and off. Importantly, the response of on/off cycling is prompt and reproducible. A possible mechanism for the electron-transfer process is proposed.     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the hydride-transfer cycles for 1-aryl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and its 1,2-dihydroisomer

Five 1-(p-substituted phenyl)-1,4-dihydronicotinamides (GPNAH-1,4-H(2)) and five 1-(p-substituted phenyl)-1,2-dihydronicotinamides (GPNAH-1,2-H(2)) were synthesized, which were used to mimic NAD(P)H coenzyme and its 1,2-dihydroisomer reductions, respectively. When the 1,4-dihydropyridine (GPNAH-1,4-H(2)) and the 1,2-dihydroisomer (GPNAH-1,2-H(2)) were treated with p-trifluoromethylbenzylidenemalononitrile (S) as a hydride acceptor, both reactions gave the same products: pyridinium derivative (GPNA(+)) and carbanion SH(-) by a hydride one-step transfer. Thermodynamic analysis on the two reactions shows that the hydride transfer from the 1,2-dihydropyridine is much more favorable than the hydride transfer from the corresponding 1,4-dihydroisomer, but the kinetic examination displays that the former reaction is remarkably slower than the latter reaction, which is mainly due to much more negative activation entropy for the former reaction. When the formed pyridinium derivative (GPNA(+)) was treated with SH(-), the major reduced product was the corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridine along with a trace of the 1,2-dihydroisomer. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses on the hydride transfer from SH(-) to GPNA(+) all suggest that the 4-position on the pyridinium ring in GPNA(+) is much easier to accept the hydride than the 2-position, which indicates that when the 1,4-dihydropyridine is used the hydride donor to react with S, the formed pyridinium derivative GPNA(+) may return to the 1,4-dihydropyridine by a hydride transfer cycle; but when the 1,2-dihydropyridine is used as the hydride donor, the formed pyridinium derivative can not return to the 1,2-dihydropyridine by the hydride reverse transfer from SH(-) to GPNA(+). These results clearly show that the hydride-transfer cycle is favorable for the 1,4-dihydronicotinamides, but unfavorable for the corresponding 1,2-dihydroisomers.     

Stereoelectronic control in the base catalyzed hydrolysis of five-membered ring cyclic phosphonamidates

The base catalyzed hydrolysis of 2-phenyl-2-oxo-3-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,2-oxazaphospholidine, $\text{6}$, and 2-phenyl-2-oxo-3-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,3,2-oxazaphospholidine, $\text{7}$, yields ring opened products involving 95% and 100% P-O cleavage, respectively.     

Fabrication and performance of a three-dimensionally adjustable device for the amperometric detection of microchip capillary electrophoresis

A microchip CE-amperometric detection (AD) system has been fabricated by integrating a two-dimensionally adjustable CE microchip and an AD cell containing a one-dimensionally adjustable disk detection electrode in a Plexiglas holder. It facilitates the precise 3-D alignment between the channel outlet and the detection electrode without a complicated 3-D manipulator. The performance of this unique system was demonstrated by separating five aromatic amines (1,4-phenyldiamine, aniline, 2-methylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, and 1-naphthylamine) of environmental concern. Factors influencing their separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. The five analytes have been well separated within 140 s in a 74 cm long separation channel at a separation voltage of +2500 V using a 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.5). Highly linear response is obtained for the five analytes over the range 20-200 microM with the detection limits ranging from 0.46 to 1.44 microM, respectively. The present system demonstrated long-term stability and reproducibility with RSDs of less than 5% for the peak current (n = 9). The new approach for the microchannel-electrode alignment should find a wide range of applications in CE, flowing injection analysis, and other microfluidic analysis systems.     

Comparative study of electrochemically directed assembly versus conventional self-assembly of thioacetyl-terminated oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s on gold and platinum surfaces

The assembly of thioacetyl-terminated oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s (OPEs) on Au and Pt surfaces under an electric potential (electrochemical assembly, EA) was compared to assembly at an open circuit (conventional self-assembly, CSA). Cyclic voltammetry and ellipsometry were used to characterize the adsorption kinetics of self-assembled monolayers formed by these two techniques. The adsorption rate of the EA was remarkably faster at positive potentials but slower at negative potentials than that of the CSA, The EA at 400 mV proceeded about 800 times faster than the CSA when exposed to the same solution concentrations. The adsorption rates of both EA and CSA were found to be dependent on the molecular structures of OPEs. OPEs containing electron-donating groups assemble faster than those with electron-withdrawing groups. The amount of time that the thioacetyl-terminated OPE is in the presence of the base, for removal of the acetyl group to generate the thiolate, is called the deprotection time. Deprotection times play a critical role in achieving the maximum difference in adsorption rates between the EA and the CSA. The assembly must be initiated no later than 5 min after the basic deprotection is commenced so that the thiolate concentration remains low. The difference in the adsorption rates between EA and CSA might enable selective deposition of certain OPEs onto specific electrodes.     

Efficient alkene hydrosilation with bis(8-quinolyl)phosphine (NPN) nickel catalysts. The dominant role of silyl-over hydrido-nickel catalytic intermediates

A cationic nickel complex of the bis(8-quinolyl)(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phosphine (NPN) ligand, [(NPN)NiCl]⁺, is a precursor to efficient catalysts for the hydrosilation of alkenes with a variety of hydrosilanes under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings. DFT studies reveal the presence of two coupled catalytic cycles based on [(NPN)NiH]⁺ and [(NPN)NiSiR₃]⁺ active species, with the latter being more efficient for producing the product. The preferred silyl-based catalysis is not due to a more facile insertion of alkene into the Ni–Si (vs. Ni–H) bond, but by consistent and efficient conversions of the hydride to the silyl complex.

A cationic nickel complex of the bis(8-quinolyl)(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phosphine (NPN) ligand, [(NPN)NiCl]⁺, is a precursor to efficient catalysts for the hydrosilation of alkenes with hydrosilanes under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings.     

Direct determination of estriol 3- and 16-glucuronides in pregnancy urine by column-switching liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Using column-switching liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we developed an improved analytical method of urinary estriol glucuronides. This new method is derived predominantly from maternal and fetal precursors in pregnancy. We used in the following procedure: first, we filtered urine samples with a membrane filter. Next, we directly injected the 50 microL aliquot of urine samples onto a pre-column. Then, after activating the column-switching valve, we backflushed the loaded samples onto the C(18) analytical column. Urine samples can be assayed within 20 min without any sample preparation steps. We monitored separated estriol glucuronides by negative electrospray ionization (ESI) and selected-reaction monitoring (SRM). The calibration range of estriol-3-glucuronide (E3-3G) and estriol-16-glucuronide (E3-16G) was 0.1-20 microg/mL and the linearity of the method was 0.9984 for E3-3G and 0.9987 for E3-16G. The limits of detection at a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3 were 10 ng/mL (E3-3G) and 5 ng/mL (E3-16G). The analytical recovery was over 85% and, in general, inter-day and intra-day variability for precision and accuracy were less than 10%. When applied to a pregnancy urine sample to biomedical monitoring of the function of the maternal/fetal unit, the proposed method allowed rapid and sensitive screening for the detection of E3-3G and E3-16G.     

Probing the intrinsic electronic structure of the cubane [4Fe-4S] cluster: nature's favorite cluster for electron transfer and storage

The cubane [4Fe-4S] is the most common multinuclear metal center in nature for electron transfer and storage. Using electrospray, we produced a series of gaseous doubly charged cubane-type complexes, [Fe4S4L4]2- (L = -SC2H5, -SH, -Cl, -Br, -I) and the Se-analogues [Fe4Se4L4]2- (L = -SC2H5, -Cl), and probed their electronic structures with photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional calculations. The photoelectron spectral features are similar among all the seven species investigated, revealing a weak threshold feature due to the minority spins on the Fe centers and confirming the low-spin two-layer model for the [4Fe-4S](2+) core and its "inverted level scheme". The measured adiabatic detachment energies, which are sensitive to the terminal ligand substitution, provide the intrinsic oxidation potentials of the [Fe4S4L4]2- complexes. The calculations revealed a simple correlation between the electron donor property of the terminal thiolate as well as the bridging sulfide with the variation of the intrinsic redox potentials. Our data provide intrinsic electronic structure information of the [4Fe-4S] cluster and the molecular basis for understanding the protein and solvent effects on the redox properties of the [4Fe-4S] active sites.