Comparison between Abel test stability and thermal decomposition behavior of nitrocellulose

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Nitrocellulose (NC) is prone to spontaneous decomposition with exothermic heat release and thus is generally evaluated for stability during the storage...     

Method development for the determination of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in human plasma without derivatization by high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mode

We developed a highly sensitive and specific high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface to determine 24S‐hydroxycholesterol, a major metabolite of cholesterol formed by cytochrome P450 family 46A1, in human plasma without any derivatization step. Phosphate buffered saline including 1% Tween 80 was used as the surrogate matrix for preparation of calibration curves and quality control samples. The saponification process to convert esterified 24S‐hydroxycholesterol to free sterols was optimized, followed by liquid–liquid extraction using hexane. Chromatographic separation of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol from other isobaric endogenous oxysterols was successfully achieved with gradient mobile phase comprised of 0.1% propionic acid and acetonitrile using L‐column2 ODS (2 μm, 2.1 mm id × 150 mm). This assay was capable of determining 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in human plasma (200 μL) ranging from 1 to 100 ng/mL with acceptable intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy. The potential risk of in vitro formation of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol by oxidation from endogenous cholesterol in human plasma was found to be negligible. The stability of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in relevant solvents and human plasma was confirmed. This method was successfully applied to quantify the plasma concentrations of 24S‐hydroxycholesterol in male and female volunteers.     

Swelling–shrinking behavior of hydrated noncross‐linked copolymer films in response to photoreversible isomerizaton and metal complexation of spiropyran units of the copolymers

The copolymer of hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) and photochromic spiropyran methacrylate (SPMA) has been synthesized. The films of the copolymer (P(HPMA‐SPMA)) in a hydrated state showed reversible swelling–shrinking behavior in response to photoreversible isomerization and metal complexation of SPMA units in spite of covalently noncross‐linked copolymers. In addition, the protonated open form of the SPMA units of the copolymer was possibly stabilized thermodynamically by the HPMA units from ultraviolet–visible absorption measurement of the hydrated P(HPMA‐SPMA) film. On the other hand, the difference in color of the hydrated films between P(HPMA‐AABMA) and P(NIPMA‐AABMA), which was a copolymer of N‐isopropyl methacryl amide (NIPMA) and azobenzene methacrylate (AABMA) as a pH indicator, was suggestive of the interference of the proximal hydroxyl groups of the immobilized HPMA units with protonation of the AABMA units. The HPMA units of the copolymers also contributed to improvement of thermodynamic stability of the metal complexes with the SPMA units. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Excited state intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer of phenylethynyl-substituted 2′-hydroxychalcones

(E)-1-[2-Hydroxy-4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl]-3-[4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one (1), (E)-1-[2-hydroxy-4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl]-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (2), and (E)-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-[4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one (3), which belong to a new class of 2′-hydroxychalcones with phenylethynyl group(s) at the para position of the phenyl ring, were synthesized, and their photochemical properties were investigated. The lowest energy absorption band of 1 peaks at a longer wavelength (383 nm) with a much larger molar extinction coefficient (5.0 × 10⁴ M ^?1 cm^?1) than that of the parent 2′-hydroxychalcone (2′HC) (2.0 × 10⁴ M ^?1 cm^?1 at 318 nm). Upon photoexcitation, all three compounds underwent excited-state intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (ESIHT) to produce an excited tautomer that emitted fluorescence with a large Stokes shift in the longer wavelength region at 600–700 nm. The quantum yield of the tautomer fluorescence of 1 was not high at 298 K (Φ _f = 9.1 × 10^?5), but was highest among 2′HC and its analogues. The Φ _f values of 1–3 increased 10–30 fold upon reducing the temperature from 298 to 77 K.     

DNA aggregation and cleavage in CGE induced by high electric field in aqueous solution accompanying electrokinetic sample injection

The phenomenon of peak area decrease due to high injection voltage (V_inj, e.g. 10–30 kV, 200–600 V/cm in the 50 cm capillary) was found in the analysis of very dilute DNA fragments (<0.2 mg/L) by using high‐sensitive electrokinetic supercharging‐CGE. The possibility of DNA cleavage in aqueous solution was suggested, in addition to the aggregation phenomenon that is already known. The analysis of intentionally voltage‐affected fragments (at 200 V/cm) also showed decreased peak areas depending on the time of the voltage being applied. Computer simulation suggested that a high electric field (a few kV/cm or more) could be generated partly between the electrode and the capillary end during electrokinetic injection (EKI) process. After thorough experimental verification, it was found that the factors affecting the damage during EKI were the magnitude of electric field, the distance between tips of electrode and capillary (D_e/c), sample concentration and traveling time during EKI in sample vials. Furthermore, these factors are correlating with each other. A low conductivity of diluted sample would cause a high electric field (over a few hundred volts per centimeter), while the longer D_e/c results in a longer traveling time during EKI, which may cause a larger degree of damage (aggregation and cleavage) on the DNA fragments. As an important practical implication of this study, when the dilute DNA fragments (sub mg/L) are to be analyzed by CGE using EKI, injection voltage should be kept as low as possible.     

Highly efficient selective monohydrolysis of dialkyl malonates and their derivatives

The highly efficient selective monohydrolysis of symmetric diesters has been applied to monohydrolysis of several dialkyl malonates and their derivatives. The best conditions apply 0.8-1.2 equiv of aqueous KOH with a co-solvent, THF or acetonitrile, at 0 °C. The procedure is highly practical, yielding the corresponding half-esters in high yields in a straightforward manner, without inducing decarboxylation. It was found that the selectivity tends to become higher with increased hydrophobicity.     

6‐Di­methoxy­methyl‐1‐methoxy­carbonyl­bi­cyclo­[3.1.0]­hex‐2‐ene‐2‐carboxyl­ic acid

The title compound, C₁₂H₁₆O₆, prepared by a standard synthetic method, was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography to exist with a cyclo­propane ring fused to a cyclo­pentene ring. Comparison of the unit‐cell dimensions and space group of this material with those of a crystal of the same material prepared using a route involving pig liver esterase hydro­lysis shows them to be identical.     

Chemical synthesis and application of C-terminally 5-carboxyfluorescein-labelled thymopentin as a fluorescent probe for thymopoietin receptor.

Thymopentin (TP5) is a synthetic pentapeptide fragment, which corresponds to position 32 - 36 of thymic polypeptide thymopoietin. Thymopoietin and TP5 display a variety of biological functions, including phenotypic differentiation of T cells and the regulation of immune systems. Previous chemical modification experiments suggested that there was an absolute requirement for N-terminal amino acids to maintain the biological activity of TP5. On the basis of this structure-activity relationship, we designed and synthesized the C-terminally 5-carboxyfluorescein-coupled TP5 (TP5-FAM) as a fluorescent probe for thymopoietin receptor. TP5-FAM could bind to the membrane of human lymphoid cell lines, MOLT-4 cells, in which the thymopoietin receptor is expressed. The binding is specific and saturable (K(d) = 33 microM). TP5 and human splenopentin are nearly equipotent inhibitors of TP5-FAM binding to the thymopoietin receptor, but porcine secretin did not show any significant inhibition of TP5-FAM binding to MOLT-4 cells. Thus, TP5-FAM is suggested to be a potent and biologically active ligand that would be useful for studying the binding and functional characteristics of the human thymopoietin receptor.     

Kinetics of hydrogen bonding between anthracene urea derivatives and anions in the excited state

Urea compounds are useful anion sensors due to their hydrogen-bonding capabilities. We investigated the emissive properties of complexes consisting of urea-anthracene (nPUA, n = 1, 2) host compounds and acetate anions held as guests through intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The kinetics of a new emission band formed by conformational changes in the excited singlet state were revealed. The new band is thought to arise from a charge-transfer interaction between the anthracene and urea moieties after intermolecular hydrogen-bond reconfiguration in the excited state, with rate constants of 2.4 × 10(9) and 4.0 × 10(7) s(-1) for 1PUA and 2PUA, respectively.