Microwave‐assisted nucleophilic cleavage of 5,7‐dimethyl‐2‐phenyl‐1‐oxo‐lH‐pyrazolo[ 1,2‐a]pyrazol‐4‐ylium‐3‐olate to α‐phenylmalonamides

Three α‐phenylmalonamides have been prepared by the selective nucleophilic cleavage of 5,7‐dimethyl‐2‐phenyl‐1‐oxo‐1H‐pyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazol‐4‐ylium‐3‐olate in solventless microwave syntheses. The three weak nucleophiles employed were aniline, p‐chloroaniline and m‐toluidine. The α‐phenylmalonamides of these three aniline derivatives could not be prepared using the previously reported solvent syntheses via 3‐oxopyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazol‐8‐ylium‐1‐olates. All products were characterised using, infrared spectroscopy, ¹H nmr and electrospray mass spectrometry. The single crystal X‐ray structures of the starting pyrazolo‐[1,2‐a]pyrazole and α‐phenylmalon‐m‐toluidide are also reported.     

A Novel Dimeric Eremophilane from Ligularia virgaurea spp. oligocephala

A novel dimeric eremophilane, ligulolide B, was isolated from the alcoholic extract of the whole plant of Ligularia virgaurea spp. oligocephala. The structure was elucidated by various spectroscopic methods including intensive 2D NMR techniques （^1H-^1H COSY, gHMQC, gHMBC and ^1H-^1H NOESY） and HR-ESI-MS.     

THz spectroscopic investigation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene

We have investigated the terahertz (THz) spectrum of 2,4-DNT by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the 0.2–19.5 THz region. We also examined low-frequency intermolecular or phonon modes between 0.2 and 1.8 THz via THz time-domain spectroscopy. The extracted absorption coefficient and refractive index of an intermolecular band at 1.08 THz are 110 cm⁻¹ and 1.67, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) was applied to obtain structure and vibrational frequencies of 2,4-DNT. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental data. Observed vibrational frequencies have been interpreted using DFT. Two intermolecular or phonon modes were identified at 1.08 and 2.52 THz.     

Extraction of capsaicins in aerosol defense sprays from fabrics

The use of aerosol defense sprays has increased as a means of self-defense and as a weapon in the commission of a crime. The residue of these sprays is often left behind as physical evidence on a victim's clothing or personal belongings. As the popularity of self-defense weaponry increases, so does the likelihood that it will be encountered in forensic casework. The extraction, recovery from fabrics, and identification of residue from defense sprays is described. The commonly used extraction method of liquid-liquid extraction is compared to solid phase microextraction (SPME) to recover capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin from cotton swabs. The use of SPME resulted in lower limits of detection and greater recovery efficiency when compared to solvent extraction. SPME also provided more consistent recovery and less variability when compared to solvent extraction. The effect of use of various types of evidence packages on the preservation of this type of evidence is also reported. The collection and analysis of hand swabs after normal discharge of pepper spray canisters was studied indicating the low persistence of these compounds on the hands of the person conducting the spraying. Finally, the results of a real case whereby solvent-solvent extraction did not provide the necessary sensitivity for extracting the capsaicin compounds on the garments of a victim of an alleged spraying and the SPME extraction provided the recovery and identification of the compounds is also presented.