Electrolysis of Nitric Acid by Using a Glassy Carbon Fiber Column Electrode System

The electrochemical redox behavior of nitric acid was studied using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system, and its reaction mechanism was suggested and confirmed in several ways. Electrochemical reactions in less than 2.0M nitric acid was not observed. However, in more than 2.0M nitric acid, the reduction of nitric acid to nitrous acid occurred and the reduction rate was slow so that the nitric acid solution had to be in contact with an electrode for a period of time long enough for an apparent reduction current of nitric acid to nitrous acid to be observed. The nitrous acid generated in more than 2.0M nitric acid was rapidly and easily reduced to nitric oxide by an autocatalytic reaction. Sulfamic acid was confirmed to be effective to destroy the nitrous acid. At least 0.05M sulfamic acid was necessary to scavenge the nitrous acid generated in 3.5M nitric acid.     

Synthesis of gallic acid: Cu(2+)-mediated oxidation of 3-dehydroshikimic acid

With the elaboration of high-yielding, high-titer syntheses of 3-dehydroshikimic acid from glucose using recombinant Escherichia coli, oxidation of this hydroaromatic becomes a potential route for synthesis of gallic acid. Conversion of 3-dehydroshikimic acid into gallic acid likely proceeds via initial enolization of an alpha-hydroxycarbonyl and oxidation of the resulting enediol. 3-Dehydroshikimate enolization in water was catalyzed by inorganic phosphate while Zn(2+) was used to catalyze enolization in acetic acid. Enediol oxidation employed Cu(2+) as either the stoichiometric oxidant or as a catalyst in the presence of a cooxidant. Gallic acid was produced in a yield of 36% when 3-dehydroshikimic acid in phosphate-buffered water reacted for 35 h with H2O2 and catalytic amounts of CuSO(4). 3-Dehydroshikimate-containing, phosphate-buffered culture supernatants reacted with stoichiometric amounts of CuCO(3)Cu(OH)(2) and Cu(x)(H(3-x)(PO4)(2) to give gallic acid in yields of 51% in 5 h and 43% in 12 h, respectively. Solutions of 3-dehydroshikimic acid in acetic acid reacted with stoichiometric amounts of Cu(OAc)(2) to afford a 74% yield of gallic acid in 36 h. Acetic acid solutions of 3-dehydroshikimic acid could also be oxidized by air using catalytic quantities of Cu(OAc)(2). ZnO accelerated these oxidations leading to a 67% yield of gallic acid in 4 h when an acetic acid solution of 3-dehydroshikimic acid was reacted with O(2) and a catalytic amount of Cu(OAc)(2).     

Hydroaromatic equilibration during biosynthesis of shikimic acid

The expense and limited availability of shikimic acid isolated from plants has impeded utilization of this hydroaromatic as a synthetic starting material. Although recombinant Escherichia coli catalysts have been constructed that synthesize shikimic acid from glucose, the yield, titer, and purity of shikimic acid are reduced by the sizable concentrations of quinic acid and 3-dehydroshikimic acid that are formed as byproducts. The 28.0 g/L of shikimic acid synthesized in 14% yield by E. coli SP1.1/pKD12.138 in 48 h as a 1.6:1.0:0.65 (mol/mol/mol) shikimate/quinate/dehydroshikimate mixture is typical of synthesized product mixtures. Quinic acid formation results from the reduction of 3-dehydroquinic acid catalyzed by aroE-encoded shikimate dehydrogenase. Is quinic acid derived from reduction of 3-dehydroquinic acid prior to synthesis of shikimic acid? Alternatively, does quinic acid result from a microbe-catalyzed equilibration involving transport of initially synthesized shikimic acid back into the cytoplasm and operation of the common pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in the reverse of its normal biosynthetic direction? E. coli SP1.1/pSC5.214A, a construct incapable of de novo synthesis of shikimic acid, catalyzed the conversion of shikimic acid added to its culture medium into a 1.1:1.0:0.70 molar ratio of shikimate/quinate/dehydroshikimate within 36 h. Further mechanistic insights were afforded by elaborating the relationship between transport of shikimic acid and formation of quinic acid. These experiments indicate that formation of quinic acid during biosynthesis of shikimic acid results from a microbe-catalyzed equilibration of initially synthesized shikimic acid. By apparently repressing shikimate transport, the aforementioned E. coli SP1.1/pKD12.138 synthesized 52 g/L of shikimic acid in 18% yield from glucose as a 14:1.0:3.0 shikimate/quinate/dehydroshikimate mixture.     

Interference of ascorbic acid in the sensitive detection of dopamine by a nonoxidative sensing approach

The electrochemistry of a poly(anilineboronic acid)/carbon nanotube composite was studied in the presence of dopamine and ascorbic acid. To understand the binding affinity of dopamine and ascorbic acid to the boronic acid functional groups in the composite, the association constants between the diol groups in dopamine and ascorbic acid and the boronic acid were experimentally determined using a fluorescence-based binding assay. The results demonstrate that ascorbic acid could severely interfere with the detection of dopamine in nonoxidative boronic acid-binding approaches: Ascorbic acid was able to electrocatalytically reduce the fully oxidized polyaniline backbone during the electrochemical oxidation process; similarly to dopamine, ascorbic acid was also able to bind to the boronic acid groups through its planar diol group even though the binding affinity is much lower. The examination of the dopamine transduction mechanism and ascorbic acid interference mechanism in this nonoxidative approach will benefit the design of future boronic acid-based sensors.     

Synthesis and Hepatic Metabolism of Xanthobilirubinic Acid Regioisomers

Summary.  A set of four regioisomeric dipyrrinone propionic acids has been synthesized and their hepatic metabolism examined in rats: xanthobilirubinic acid and pseudo-xanthobilirubinic acid each with a propionic acid on a pyrrole ring; exo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid and endo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid, each with a propionic acid transposed to a lactam ring. After intravenous injection all four isomers were excreted to some degree in unchanged form in bile in normal rats. Xanthobilirubinic acid, the structurally closest dipyrrinone to bilirubin, and exo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid were excreted almost entirely in unchanged form. However, a small fraction of xanthobilirubinic acid acyl glucuronide was also detected. More extensive acyl glucuronidation was observed for pseudo-xanthobilirubinic acid, and endo-ψ-xanthobilirubinic acid underwent slow metabolism to unidentified more polar products that did not seem to be glucuronides.     

Spectrophotometric Evidence for the Formation of a Mixed Bismuth-Phosphorus Heteropoly Acid

Abstract

Spectrophotometric evidence is presented to show that bismuth interacts with phosphate and molybdate in acid solution to form a mixed bismuth-phosphorus heteropoly acid. The complex is similar to 12-molybdophosphoric acid by virtue of its degree of dissociation in both concentrated and dilute acid solutions. The complex is more stable than 12-molybdophosphoric acid because it is formed when bismuth is added to a solution of 12-molybdophosphoric acid. The proposed bismuth-phosphorus compound is reduced much more readily to a heteropoly blue than is 12-molybdophosphoric acid, a fact that has contributed to a false belief that the bismuth may have been acting catalytically in the reduction of 12-molybdophosphoric acid.     

酸洗预处理对纤维素热裂解的影响研究

为获得液体产量的最大化和提高产物中糖类的质量分数，采用盐酸（3%、5%、7%）、磷酸（7%）和硫酸（7%）对纤维素进行酸洗预处理。不同酸洗预处理下纤维素的微观结构和聚合度变化表明，酸处理损坏了纤维素的物理结构，并使聚合度大幅度降低。在“┣”形石英玻璃反应器的快速热裂解试验装置上进行了不同酸处理前后的纤维素热裂解试验，发现酸浸泡处理后，生物油产率下降，相应的气体和焦炭产率提高，并且随着酸浓度的提高，该趋势逐渐增强。与盐酸和磷酸相比，硫酸对生物油的生成具有更强的抑制作用，这表明，酸对纤维素交联和脱水反应的催化效果。通过GC-MS色质联机分析技术对生物油成分进行分析，发现酸的存在并没有改变生物油成分的种类，但使化合物之间的相对质量分数发生了变化。左旋葡聚糖的质量分数随稀酸溶液浓度的增加呈下降趋势，原因是残留在物料中的微量酸以催化脱水和交联反应的方式，对其生成起抑制作用。     

Simultaneous Determination of Uric Acid and Ascorbic Acid Using Edge Plane Pyrolytic Graphite Electrodes

Edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes have been applied for the determination of uric acid and ascorbic acid. The separate determination of uric acid was found to produce three linear ranges from 100 nM to 3400 μM with a detection limit of 30 nM found to be possible. Uric acid detection was also explored in the presence of 200 μM ascorbic acid where a detection limit of 52 nM was found to be possible. The detection of ascorbic acid in the presence of uric acid was also explored over three linear ranges of ascorbic acid with a limit of detection of 80 nM. Last the simultaneous determination of both uric acid and ascorbic acid is investigated over the range 100 nM to 1000 μM where detection limits of 50 nM and 120 nM were obtained respectively. Analysis of uric acid in a growth tissue medium was found to be successful, confirming the applicability of the methodology to real matrices. This protocol is shown to provide low detection limits, easy handling (no electrode modification), good voltammetric peak separation of uric acid and ascorbic acid and a wide linear dynamic range.     

Assay of free ferulic acid and total ferulic acid for quality assessment of Angelica sinensis

Activity of Chinese Danggui (DG), the processed root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, is linked to the ferulic acid content but the stability of ferulic acid during extraction for medicinal use is not known. The stabilities of ferulic acid and coniferyl ferulate were evaluated in the extracts of DG using a variety of extraction solvents. These included various combinations and proportions of methanol, water, formic acid, 1 M aqueous hydrochloric acid and 2% sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) in water. Coniferyl ferulate was found liable to hydrolyze into ferulic acid in neutral, strongly acidic and basic solvents, where heat and water could facilitate this hydrolysis. However, the hydrolysis was relatively resisted in weakly organic acid. Based on the stability evaluation, two new terms, namely: free ferulic acid and total ferulic acid, were suggested and defined. Free ferulic acid refers to the natural content of ferulic acid in herbs. Total ferulic acid means the sum of free ferulic acid plus the amount of related hydrolyzed components. Meanwhile, the high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed to assay free ferulic acid and total ferulic acid in DG using methanol-formic acid (95:5) and methanol-2% NaHCO3 in water (95:5) as extraction solvents, respectively. Ten DG samples were investigated on their contents of free and total ferulic acid. The results indicated that the amount variety of free ferulic acid was larger than that of their counterparts, and the ratio of total ferulic acid to free ferulic acid was 4.07 +/- 2.73 (mean +/- SD, n = 10). The chemical assay of DG using total ferulic acid content would be a better choice to assess the herbal quality and was recommended.     

Electrochemical oxidation of barbituric acids at low pH in the presence of chloride ion

Barbituric acid, 1-methylbarbituric acid and 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid are electrochemically oxidized at the pyrolytic graphite electrode by way of a single voltammetric peak at pH 1 in the presence of chloride ion. At least four products are formed as a result of the reaction, the three major products, accounting for more than 80–90% of the oxidized barbituric acid, are the appropriately N-methylated 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acids, 5,5-dichlorobarbituric acids and alloxans. The mechanism appears to proceed by an initial potential-controlling 1e/1H⁺ oxidation of the barbituric acids to give a barbituric acid radical. This can dimerize to hydurilic acid, which is then further electrochemically oxidized. However, this appears to be a minor route. The barbituric acid radical appears to be mainly further electrooxidized (1e) to a carbonium ion which further reacts with nucleophiles such as chloride ion to give 5-chlorobarbituric acid, or with water to give dialuric acid. Further electrochemical oxidation and chemical reactions of the latter species results in formation of the ultimate products.     

Production of D-lactic acid by bacterial fermentation of rice starch

D-Lactic acid was synthesized by the fermentation of rice starch using microorganisms. Two species: Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Sporolactobacillus inulinus were found to be active in producing D-lactic acid of high optical purity after an intensive screening test for D-lactic acid bacteria using glucose as substrate. Rice powder used as the starch source was hydrolyzed with a combination of enzymes: alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and pullulanase to obtain rice saccharificate consisting of maltose as the main component. Its average gross yield was 82.5%. Of the discovered D-lactic acid bacteria, only Lactobacillus delbrueckii could ferment both maltose and the rice saccharificate. After optimizing the fermentation of the rice saccharificate using this bacterium, pilot scale fermentation was conducted to convert the rice saccharificate into D-lactic acid with a D-content higher than 97.5% in a yield of 70%. With this yield, the total yield of D-lactic acid from brown rice was estimated to be 47%, which is almost equal to the L-lactic acid yield from corn. The efficient synthesis of D-lactic acid can open a way to the large scale application of high-melting poly(lactic acid) that is a stereocomplex of poly(L-lactide) and poly(D-lactide). Schematic representation of the production of D-lactic acid starting from brown rice as described here.     

The HPTLC separation of malondialdehyde from peroxidised linoleic acid

Peroxidised linoleic acid reacts with acidified thiobarbituric acid to give a chromogen absorbing maximally at 532 nm. This TBA reactant is chromatographically identical to the TBA-MDA adduct formed from linolenic acid and a pure MDA standard. Considerably less MDA is produced by peroxidised linoleic acid compared to that formed from linolenic acid. In this respect the type of acid used for the colour reaction appears to be important.     

Optimization of the process of chemical hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose

We studied the acid hydrolysis of cellulose in an aqueous medium with the aim of maximizing glucose yield and minimizing the formation of by-products. The influence of reaction parameters such as temperature, acid concentration, acid strength and type of cellulose precursor on glucose yield was investigated. We observed that moderate reaction temperature and low acid concentration resulted in the highest glucose yield with little formation of levulinic acid. Strong acid (pKa < 0) is required to achieve high glucose yield. The crystallite size of the cellulose also affects its reactivity; cellulose with higher crystallite size is more resistant to hydrolysis catalyzed by acid. The highest selectivity for glucose over levulinic acid was recorded at a reaction temperature of 413 K and a sulfuric acid concentration in the range of 0.2–0.5 mol/L. Under these reaction conditions, no levulinic acid was detected, but the glucose yield reached 20 % in only 2 h.     

Frontal Polymerization of Deep Eutectic Solvents Composed of Acrylic and Methacrylic Acids

Frontal polymerization of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) made with acrylic or methacrylic acid as the monomer and hydrogen bond donor was studied. Fronts with acrylic acid and choline chloride propagated more uniformly than with pure acrylic acid, so an exploration into how the DES affected frontal polymerization was performed. The hydrogen bond acceptor of the DES was replaced by several analogs to determine the effect on the DES front behavior. The analogs used were talc, DMSO, lauric acid, and stearic acid, which acted as a heat sink, inert diluent, hydrogen bonding diluent, and inert phase change material, respectively. None of the methacrylic acid‐analog systems were able to sustain a front. While the acrylic acid‐analog systems did sustain a front (with the exception of stearic acid), none of the fronts replicated the acrylic acid DES behavior. The acrylic acid–talc sample behaved more violently—like pure acrylic acid polymerization—than the acrylic acid DES, and the DMSO and lauric acid samples produced slower fronts than that of the acrylic acid DES. We propose that the reactivity of the acrylic acid and methacrylic acid is enhanced in the DES. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 4046–4050     

Raman spectroscopic study of the conformation of dicarboxylic acid salts in aqueous solutions

It is already known that the molecules of long chain monocarboxylic acid salts have a tendency to form micelles in aqueous solutions, the molecular chain taking the all-trans zigzag structure. However it is considered difficult for dicarboxylic acid salts to adopt the same structure as the monocarboxylic acid salts as they have two carboxyl groups, one on each end of the molecular chain. Therefore, a special structure is expected to exist for dicarboxylic acid salts in aqueous solution. In order to examine this, Raman spectra of suberic acid salt and azelaic acid salt in aqueous solution were measured and the normal vibrational calculation carried out, showing that dicarboxylic acid salts have a helical structure in aqueous solution.     

Stability of 5-aminosalicylic acid and its metabolites in plasma at -20 degrees C. Formation of N-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-5-aminosalicylic acid.

The stability of 5-aminosalicylic acid and its metabolites has been investigated when stored frozen. N-beta-D-Glucopyranosyl-5-aminosalicylic acid was formed in considerable amounts concomitant with a decrease in 5-aminosalicylic acid in plasma samples spiked with 5-aminosalicylic acid as well as in standard solutions of 5-aminosalicylic acid buffered with potassium phosphate between pH 5.5 and pH 8.0 with 4.0 mM glucose added and stored at -20 degrees C. Thus N-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-5-aminosalicylic acid might not, as previously described, be a metabolite of 5-aminosalicylic acid but an artifact formed during storage of plasma samples. The N-glucoside formed could be quantitatively degraded to 5-aminosalicylic acid and glucose by adding 0.2 M potassium phosphate buffer pH 3.0 to the sample prior to the analysis. The metabolites of 5-aminosalicylic acid (N-formyl-5-aminosalicylic acid, N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid and N-butyryl-5-aminosalicylic acid) were found to be stable in plasma stored at -20 degrees C for at least eight months.     

Phototoxic potential of quinolones.

The photohaemolytic potentials of the quinolones oxolinic acid, pipemidic acid, rosoxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and M-193324 (synthesis intermediary) were evaluated and compared with the photohaemolysis induced by nalidixic acid. Quinolones with a piperazine group in position 7 (pipemidic acid, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin) did not induce photohaemolysis. However, oxolinic acid, rosoxacin and M-193324 produced a concentration- and oxygen-dependent photohaemolysis. Ascorbic acid, histidine and thiourea inhibited the photohaemolysis induced by oxolinic acid, rosoxacin and M-193324, suggesting a photodynamic mechanism similar to that found with nalidixic acid. In addition, deuterium oxide increased the photohaemolysis induced by photohaemolytic quinolones, indicating that this process is mediated by singlet oxygen.     

Use of Trifluoromethanesulfonic Acid in Fischer Glycosylations

Abstract

The Fischer glycosylation₁ is one of the standard reactions in carbohydrate chemistry, in which a reducing sugar is reacted under acid catalysis with a simple alcohol to give a glycoside. Hydrochloric acid is the classical catalyst, but other proton, Lewis acid, or acid form ion echange resins have also been used. Now, the use of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (triflic acid) as a catalyst is communicated.     

Selective Determination of Uric Acid in Presence of Ascorbic Acid and Dopamine at Neutral pH Using Exfoliated Graphite Electrodes

Exfoliated graphite electrodes have been used to detect uric acid at neutral pHs, by following its oxidation. A linear range of 5–53 μM and a detection limit of 5 μM are observed at a pH of 7.0. Uric acid was found to be selectively adsorbed on exfoliated graphite surface in the presence of excess ascorbic acid. This leads to its selective determination in the presence of ascorbic acid. Simultaneous detection of uric acid, dopamine and ascorbic acid has also been demonstrated on exfoliated graphite electrodes in a pH 7 buffer.     

Synthesis and Anticoagulant Activity of Bioisosteric Sulfonic‐Acid Analogues of the Antithrombin‐Binding Pentasaccharide Domain of Heparin

Two pentasaccharide sulfonic acids that were related to the antithrombin‐binding domain of heparin were prepared, in which two or three primary sulfate esters were replaced by sodium‐sulfonatomethyl moieties. The sulfonic‐acid groups were formed on a monosaccharide level and the obtained carbohydrate sulfonic‐acid esters were found to be excellent donors and acceptors in the glycosylation reactions. Throughout the synthesis, the hydroxy groups to be methylated were masked in the form of acetates and the hydroxy groups to be sulfated were masked with benzyl groups. The disulfonic‐acid analogue was prepared in a [2+3] block synthesis by using a trisaccharide disulfonic acid as an acceptor and a glucuronide disaccharide as a donor. For the synthesis of the pentasaccharide trisulfonic acid, a more‐efficient approach, which involved elongation of the trisaccharide acceptor with a non‐oxidized precursor of the glucuronic acid followed by post‐glycosidation oxidation at the tetrasaccharide level and a subsequent [1+4] coupling reaction, was elaborated. In vitro evaluation of the anticoagulant activity of these new sulfonic‐acid derivatives revealed that the disulfonate analogue inhibited the blood‐coagulation‐proteinase factor Xa with outstanding efficacy; however, the introduction of the third sulfonic‐acid moiety resulted in a notable decrease in the anti‐Xa activity. The difference in the biological activity of the disulfonic‐ and trisulfonic‐acid counterparts could be explained by the different conformation of their L ‐iduronic‐acid residues.