Determination of microgram quantities of tin(IV) by a combined ion-exchange/X-ray fluorescence technique

A method is described for the analysis of microgram quantities of tin in dilute hydrofluoric acid. The tin is extracted onto anion-exchange resin loaded paper discs by a very simple technique and the papers are examined by X-ray fluorescence spectrography. The solutions are obtained by the dissolution of tin-containing glasses, and the normal glass-forming elements do not interfere. The method is intended for the determination of 1-20 mug of tin but may be used for up to at least 250 mug; 5 mug can be determined with a precision of +/- 10%.     

Synthesis,purification and spectroscopic characterization of potential impurities of hexamethylmelamine

The syntheses and spectroscopic properties (ir, ¹H nmr, ¹³C nmr, uv and ms) of pure samples of 2-chloro-4,6-bis(dimethylamino)-s-triazine 1 , 4,6-dichloro-2-dimethylamino-s-triazine 2 , 4,6-bis(dimethylamino)-s-triazin-2(lH)-one 3 , 4-chloro-6-dimethylamino-s-triazin-2(1H)-one 4 , 6-dimethylamino-s-triazine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione 5 , and 2,4,6-tris(dimethylamino)-s-triazine (altretamine, HMM) are reported. Evidence for enol-keto equilibria are also presented for 3 , in which the enol form exhibits as an H-bonded dimer structure similar to the dimer of organic carboxylic acids.     

Differential expression of the skeletal muscle proteome in mdx mice at different ages

The mdx mouse is the most commonly used animal model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disease caused by the absence of dystrophin. Although much has been done to elucidate the structure and function of dystrophin and the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DGC), little is known about the cascade of molecular events triggered by the absence of dystrophin that lead to muscle degeneration. To study the molecular basis of DMD, we decided to systematically study the skeletal muscle proteome in mdx mice at different ages. By using two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis, we defined changes in the protein expression pattern between mdx and control muscles. Approximately 46 differentially expressed proteins from the cytosolic fraction of mdx hindlimb muscles at three months of age were detected by 2-D gel analysis, of which 24 were identified by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization- mass spectrometry. Most of the proteins fell into five groups of functionally related proteins. These functional categories are (i) metabolism and energy production, (ii) serine protease inhibitor family, (iii) growth and differentiation, (iv) calcium homeostasis, and (v) cytoskeletal reorganization and biogenesis. The potential roles of the differentially expressed proteins are discussed in the context of the mdx phenotype. Finally, we analyzed alterations of protein expression in mdx mice at one and six months of age to determine how protein expression changes with disease progression.     

Synthesis of carbazole,acridine, phenazine, 4H‐benzo[def]carbazole and their derivatives by thermal cyclization reaction of aromatic amines

A variety of nitrogen‐containing heterocycles were synthesized by passing vapors of aromatic amines over calcium oxide at 450–650 °C under nitrogen carrier gas. Reaction of 2‐aminobiphenyl 3a at 560 °C gave carbazole 4 in 80% yield. Reaction of 2, 2′‐diaminobiphenyl 3b afforded a mixture of carbazole 4 and 4‐aminocarbozole 6b. In the case of 2‐amino‐2′‐nitrobiphenyl 3c, benzo[c]cinnoline 7 was obtained along with carbazole 4. Reaction of 2‐amino‐2′‐methoxybiphenyl 3d gave four products of carbazole 4,4‐hydroxycarbazole 6e, phenanthridine 8 and dibenzofuran 9. Reaction of 2‐aminodiphenylmethane 5a afforded acridine 10. In the case of 2‐aminobenzophenone 5b, acridone 11 was obtained as a major product. Reaction of 2‐aminobenzhydrol 5c gave acridine 10. When 2‐aminodiphenylamine 5d was reacted, phenazine 12 was obtained in good yield. In contrast, reaction of 2‐aminodiphenyl ether 5e produced only 2‐hydroxydiphenylamine 13. Reaction of 4‐aminophenanthrene 14 produced 4H‐benzo[def]carbazole 15 in 61% yield.     

The influence of activated carbon on the thermal decomposition of sodium ethyl xanthate

The thermal decomposition of SEX in a nitrogen atmosphere was studied by coupled thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), and by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS). The TG curve exhibited two discrete mass losses of 45.8% and 17.8% respectively, at 200 and 257–364°C. The evolved gases identified as a result of the first mass loss were carbonyl sulfide (COS), ethanol (C₂H₅OH), ethanethiol (C₂H₅SH), carbon disulfide (CS₂), diethyl sulfide ((C₂H₅)₂S), diethyl carbonate ((C₂H₅O)₂CO), diethyl disulfide ((C₂H₅)₂S₂), and carbonothioic acid, O, S, diethyl ester ((C₂H₅S)(C₂H₅O)CO). The gases identified as a result of the second mass loss were carbonyl sulfide, ethanethiol, and carbon disulfide. Hydrogen sulfide was detected in both mass losses by py-GC-MS, but not detected by FTIR. The solid residue was sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaSH).SEX was adsorbed onto activated carbon, and heated in nitrogen. Two discrete mass losses were still observed, but in the temperature ranges 100–186°C (7.8%) and 186–279°C (11.8%). Carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide were now the dominant gases evolved in each of the mass losses, and the other gaseous products were relatively minor. It was demonstrated that water adsorbed on the carbon hydrolysed the xanthate to cause the first mass loss, and any unhydrolysed material decomposed to give the second mass loss.Mr. N. G. Fisher would like to thank the A. J. Parker CRC for Hydrometallurgy for the provision of a PhD scholarship.     

Capillary electrochromatography-applicability to the analysis of pesticides and compounds of environmental concern and the theory of electroosmosis

Summary The applicability of capillary electrochromatography to the automated analysis of pesticides and phthalate esters that are of environmental concern was assessed. Reversed phase packing materials were compared. Column to column and run to run reproducibility was established. Peak height with an internal standard gave the best reproducibility. Faster analysis than alternative HPLC methods was demonstrated for a mixture of the insecticide pirimicarb and related pyrimidines. The relationship between the concentration of an analyte in a sample and at the detector was determined by the use of radio-labelled¹⁴C-pirimicarb. The volume fraction of the liquid zone was 0.64. The possibility of electroosmosis through the pores is discussed with reference to the Rice-Whitehead model for electroosmotic flow in a capillary. A new parameter, the effective pore size is used in equations for electroosmosis through porous packings.     

Liquid chromatographic analysis of vitamin B6 in reconstituted infant formula: collaborative study

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was validated for the determination of total vitamin B6 in infant formula. Total vitamin B6 was quantified by converting the phosphorylated and free vitamers into pyridoxine. Pyridoxine was determined by ion pair reversed-phase LC with fluorescence detection. The method was subjected to an AOAC collaborative study involving a factory-manufactured, milk- and soy-based infant formula. Each was spiked at 3 concentrations in the range of 0-1 microg/g and sent as blind duplicate to participant laboratories. Nine laboratories returned valid data which were statistically analyzed for outliers and precision parameters. The repeatability relative standard deviation (RSD(r)) ranges were 2.0-4.0 and 3.5-5.9% for fortified milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. The reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD(R)) ranges were 8.2-8.4 and 6.7-11.2% for fortified milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. HORRAT values ranged from 0.42 to 0.53, indicating that the precision of the method is acceptable. The mean RSD(r):RSD(R) values were 0.60 and 0.55 for milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. As expected, RSDs for the unfortified samples were higher, but their HORRAT values (0.81 and 2.06) helped define a realistic limit of quantitation as 0.05 microg/g. Recovery data were quantitative and varied between 81.4 and 98.0% (mean = 89.8%) for each of 6 spiked materials.     

Cloning, sequencing, analysis, and heterologous expression of the fredericamycin biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptomyces griseus

Fredericamycin (FDM) A, a pentadecaketide featuring two sets of peri-hydroxy tricyclic aromatic moieties connected through a unique chiral spiro carbon center, exhibits potent cytotoxicity and has been studied as a new type of anticancer drug lead because of its novel molecular architecture. The fdm gene cluster was localized to 33-kb DNA segment of Streptomyces griseus ATCC 49344, and its involvement in FDM A biosynthesis was proven by gene inactivation, complementation, and heterologous expression experiments. The fdm cluster consists of 28 open reading frames (ORFs), encoding a type II polyketide synthase (PKS) and tailoring enzymes as well as several regulatory and resistance proteins. The FDM PKS features a KSalpha subunit with heretofore unseen tandem cysteines at its active site, a KSbeta subunit that is distinct phylogenetically from KSbeta of hexa-, octa-, or decaketide PKSs, and a dedicated phosphopantetheinyl transferase. Further study of the FDM PKS could provide new insight into how a type II PKS controls chain length in aromatic polyketide biosynthesis. The availability of the fdm genes, in vivo characterization of the fdm cluster in S. griseus, and heterologous expression of the fdm cluster in Streptomyces albus set the stage to investigate FDM A biosynthesis and engineer the FDM biosynthetic machinery for the production of novel FDM A analogues.