Composition of the black crusts from the Saint Denis Basilica, France, as revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The organic fraction of black crusts from Saint Denis Basilica, France, is composed of a complex mixture of aliphatic and aromatic compounds. These compounds were studied by two different analytical approaches: tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and solvent extraction, fractionation by silica column, and identification of the fraction components by GC-MS. The first approach, feasible at the microscale level, is able to supply fairly general information on a wide range of compounds. Using the second approach, we were able to separate the complex mixture of compounds into four fractions, enabling a better identification of the extractable compounds. These compounds belong to different classes: aliphatic hydrocarbons (nalkanes, n-alkenes), aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids (n-fatty acids, alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acids, and benzenecarboxylic acids), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and molecular biomarkers (isoprenoid hydrocarbons, diterpenoids, and triterpenoids). With each approach, similar classes of compounds were identified, although TMAH thermochemolysis failed to identify compounds present at low concentrations in black crusts. The two proposed methodological approaches are complementary, particularly in the study of polar fractions.     

Synthesis,structural characterization and in vitro cytotoxic activity of novel polymeric triorganotin(IV) complexes of urocanic acid

Two novel triorganotin carboxylate complexes of the biologically active urocanic acid have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis, melting point, spectroscopic techniques – IR, ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR – mass spectrometry and X‐ray diffraction studies have been used for structural characterization. Crystal structures of the tin(IV) derivatives show that urocanic acid acts as a bridging bidentate ligand through its imidazole nitrogen atom and its carboxylic group, producing a polymeric one‐dimensional chain. The molecular structures of the complexes, catena‐poly‐tri(n‐butyl)tin(IV) 3‐(3H‐imidazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐enoate (1) and catena‐poly‐triphenyltin(IV) 3‐(3H‐imidazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐enoate (2), present a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal configuration. This is further confirmed by ¹¹⁹Sn NMR in the solid state. The tin(IV) derivatives form double‐stranded ribbons via N―H^…O―H bonds. Nevertheless, the compounds are essentially monomeric in solution, with a tetrahedral configuration as observed by ¹¹⁹Sn NMR in solution. The cytotoxic activity of the titled compounds has been tested against six human cell lines and the corresponding IC₅₀ values are reported. Both tin(IV) compounds have a high to very high in vitro cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell lines K562, HCT‐15 and MCF‐7. Compound 1 is 86 times more active than cisplatin in the HTC‐15 cell line. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observation of electroluminescence at room temperature from a ruthenium(II) bis-terpyridine complex and its use for preparing light-emitting electrochemical cells

A terpyridine ruthenium (II) complex containing a substituted and an unsubstituted terpyridine ligand was synthesized, and its luminescence properties were studied in a solid-state single-layer light-emitting electrochemical cell. The obtained devices emitted light of a very deep red color (CIE, x = 0.717 y = 0.282) at low external applied bias. It is the first example of an electroluminescence device based on a bis-chelated ruthenium complex. Its ambient atmosphere decay is remarkably different from analogous devices using tris-chelated ruthenium complexes.     

Optical mercury sensing using a benzothiazolium hemicyanine dye

[structure: see text] The selectivity and sensitivity of a benzothiazolium hemicyanine dye toward mercury(II) in aqueous solutions are described. Mercury ions coordinate to the dye forming a 1:1 complex. This interaction induces a color change in the dye at micromolar concentrations of mercury. Furthermore, the color change and quenching of the dye emission are selective for mercury when compared with other ions such as lead(II), cadmium(II), zinc(II), or iron(II).     

Synthesis of azanucleosides through regioselective ring-opening of epoxides catalyzed by sulphated zirconia under microwave and solvent-free conditions

New azanucleosides were obtained using sulphated zirconia (ZS) as catalyst in the nucleophilic oxirane ring opening reaction of 1-allyl-3-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl) pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione and 1-allyl-5-methyl-3-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione, with (S)-prolinol. The new templates were obtained with good yields following a route which exploits the reactivity of epoxides in the presence of sulphated zirconia as catalyst. The key step was carried out using microwave and solvent-free conditions and proceeds with high selectivity.     

Nanosensor for Sensitive Detection of the New Psychedelic Drug 25I-NBOMe

This work reports the synthesis, characterization, and sensing behavior of a hybrid nanodevice for the detection of the potent abuse drug 25I-NBOMe. The system is based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles, loaded with a fluorescent dye, functionalized with a serotonin derivative and capped with the 5-HT_2A receptor antibody. In the presence of 25I-NBOMe the capping antibody is displaced, leading to pore opening and rhodamine B release. This delivery was ascribed to 5-HT_2A receptor antibody detachment from the surface due to its stronger coordination with 25I-NBOMe present in the solution. The prepared nanodevice allowed the sensitive (limit of detection of 0.6 μm ) and selective recognition of the 25I-NBOMe drug (cocaine, heroin, mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, MDMA, and morphine were unable to induce pore opening and rhodamine B release). This nanodevice acts as a highly sensitive and selective fluorometric probe for the 25I-NBOMe illicit drug in artificial saliva and in sweets.     

X-ray crystal structure and1H-NMR chiral shift reagent study of a crown trimer

3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzyl alcohol was cyclooligomerized with a bentonite clay used as a catalyst. Results of the crystal structure analysis of the racemic (±) nonamethoxy[1,1,1]orthocyclophane trimer, C₃₀H₃₆O₉, are described. The structure was determined by X-ray diffraction at 293 K and shown to belong to the triclinic space group P . The compound possesses a distorted crown conformation with unusual C–H...O intermolecular interactions, and with a crystal packing not observed before in other related derivatives. The racemic mixture was also discriminated in its two enantiomeric isomers, using proton NMR and Eu(III) as a chiral shift reagent.     

The stereochemistry of some new chiral brominated compounds with a 2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecanic skeleton

Summary New compounds containing the 2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecanic skeleton, substituted with brominated groups, have been synthesized by a regioselective radicalic bromination reaction. The stereochemistry of the compounds was studied by high resolution NMR methods. The anancomericity or the flipping of the rings was inferred from the conformational analysis. The chirality of the spiranic skeleton was investigated by means of the diastereotopicity of hydrogen and carbon atoms.On leave from Organic Chemistry Department, Babes-Bolyai University, RO-3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania     

Efficient Desilylation of some Nucleoside Derivatives with Potassium tert-Butoxide in Dimethylformamide

A new method for deprotecting silyl ethers of nucleosides has been established by using potassium tert-butoxide in dimethylformamide at room temperature.