Ni speciation in tea infusions by monolithic chromatography—ICP-MS and Q-TOF-MS

For humans, Ni is not considered to be an essential trace element. Its compounds, at levels present in foodstuffs and drinks, are generally considered to be safe for consumption, but for individuals who already suffer from contact allergy to Ni and may be subject to develop systemic reactions from its dietary ingestion, dietary exposure to Ni must be kept under control. Being the second most popular beverage, tea is a potential source of dietary Ni. Present knowledge on its speciation in tea infusions is poor. Therefore, complete speciation analysis, consisting of separation by liquid chromatography using a weak CIM DEAE-1 monolithic column, “on-line” detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and “off-line” identification of ligands by hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS), was implemented for the first time to study Ni speciation in tea infusions. Total concentrations of Ni in dry leaves of white, green, oolong and black tea (Camellia sinensis) and flowers of herbal chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) tea were determined after microwave digestion by ICP-MS. They lay between 1.21 and 14.4 mg?kg^?1. Good agreement between the determined and the certified values of the Ni content in the standard reference material SRM 1573a tomato leaves confirmed the accuracy of the total Ni determination. During the infusion process, up to 85 % of Ni was extracted from tea leaves or flowers. Separation of Ni species was completed in 10 min by applying aqueous linear gradient elution with 0.6 mol?L^?1 NH₄NO₃. Ni was found to be present in the chromatographic fraction in which quinic acid was identified by Q-TOF in all the tea infusions analysed, which had pH values between 5.6 and 6.0. The only exception was the infusion of hibiscus tea with a pH of 2.7, where results of speciation analysis showed that Ni is present in its divalent ionic form.     

Drug–tea polyphenol interaction

Propericiazine (PCZ) is an antipsychotic agent used for the treatment and the prevention of relapse of schizophrenia. We found that when an oral solution containing PCZ was mixed with a green tea drink, the residual content of PCZ was reduced by forming an insoluble complex between PCZ and tea polyphenol. In this study, the mechanism underlying the incompatibility of PCZ with green tea polyphenol (GTP) in the solution was clarified by isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC). Both solutions of 27.4 mM PCZ and 2.2 mM (?)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), which is a main ingredient of GTP, were mixed and then PCZ in the filtrate was reduced to approximately 60 %. According to measurement at 298 K by ITC, PCZ formed an insoluble complex with EGCg at an associate constant (K) of 4.75 × 10² M^?1 exothermically, ΔH = ?40.0 kJ mol^?1. When (?)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) was used as the GTP, PCZ interacted with ECg with K and ΔH values of 3.74 × 10² M^?1 and ?22.1 kJ mol^?1, respectively. On the other hand, little heat of the reaction between PCZ and (?)-epigallocatechin or (?)-epicatechin was observed. The results indicated that the main reason for this incompatibility was the formation of an insoluble complex by PCZ and a gallate-type GTP such as EGCg and ECg in the aqueous solution.     

Characterization of the chemical differences between solvent extracts from Pu-erh tea and Dian Hong black tea by CP–Py–GC/MS

Solvent extracts from a type of Pu-erh tea and Dian Hong black tea were characterized by Curie-point pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (CP–Py–GC/MS). The ethyl-acetate extracts from both teas showed similar CP–Py–GC/MS results, with main pyrolytic products of carbon dioxide, caffeine, o-phenols, and phthalate esters. During pyrolysis, the n-butanol extract from Pu-erh tea formed carbon dioxide (38.92% of total pyrolytic products), alkaloids (49.7%), and nitrogen oxides (8.38%), as well as a small fraction of esters. The n-butanol extract from Dian Hong tea formed mainly alcohols, amines, esters, phenols, carboxylic acids, and alkaloids. The raw theabrownin extracts (ethanol precipitates) from the two teas produced substantially different CP–Py–GC/MS results. The raw theabrownin extract from Pu-erh tea formed mostly carbon dioxide during pyrolysis, whereas the counterpart extract from Dian Hong tea formed mainly carbon dioxide (48.23%) and nitrogen oxides (35.39%). The 3.5–100 kDa fractions separated from the theabrownin extracts of the two teas showed similar CP–Py–GC/MS results, whereas the fractions <3.5 kDa and >100 kDa formed substantially different pyrolytic products. These results showed that solvent extracts from Pu-erh tea and Dian Hong tea had substantially different chemical compositions and structures. The study suggested that CP–Py–GC/MS can be used to effectively identify chemical differences between tea extracts.     

Streamlining sample preparation and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of multiple pesticide residues in tea

In this work, a new rapid method for the determination of 135 pesticide residues in green and black dry tea leaves and stalks employing gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) with a triple quadrupole was developed and validated. A substantial simplification of sample processing prior to the quantification step was achieved: after addition of water to a homogenised sample, transfer of analytes into an acetonitrile layer was aided by the addition of inorganic salts. Bulk co-extracts, contained in the crude organic extract obtained by partition, were subsequently removed by liquid–liquid extraction using hexane with the assistance of added 20% (w/w) aqueous NaCl solution. The importance of matrix hydration prior to the extraction for achieving good recoveries was demonstrated on tea samples with incurred pesticide residues. For most of the analytes, recoveries in the acceptable range of 70–120% and repeatabilities (relative standard deviations, RSDs) ≤20% were achieved for both matrices at spiking levels of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg kg⁻¹. Under optimised GC–MS/MS conditions, most of the analytes gave lowest calibration level ≤0.01 mg kg⁻¹, permitting the control at the maximum residue levels (MRLs) laid down in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of pesticide residues in real tea samples.     

Preconcentration and determination of low amounts of cobalt in black tea,paprika and marjoram using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) method for separation/preconcentration of ultra trace amounts of Co(II) and its determination with FAAS was developed. The DLLME behavior of Co(II) using Aliquat 336-chloride as ion pairing agent was systematically investigated. The factors influencing the ion pair formation and extraction by DLLME method were optimized. Under the optimized conditions for 150 µL of extraction solvent (carbon tetrachloride), 1.5 mL disperser solvent (acetonitrile) and 5 mL of sample, the enrichment factor was 30. The detection limit was 5.6 µg L^?1 and the RSD for replicate measurements of 1 mg L^?1 was 1.32 %. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for cobalt was linear from 40 to 400 µg L^?1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The proposed method was successfully applied for determination of cobalt in black tea, paprika and marjoram real samples.     

Speciation of aluminium in tea infusions by use of SEC and FPLC with ICP–OES and ES–MS–MS detection

Speciation of Al in tea infusions was studied by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and anion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Fractions were collected throughout the chromatographic separations and Al was determined “off line” by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP–OES). Black, green, and red tea samples were investigated. The total concentration of Al in tea infusions was determined by ICP–OES and ranged between 0.5 and 4 mg dm⁻³. The pH of tea infusions ranged between 5.3 and 5.5. Data from SEC–ICP–OES analysis indicated that 10–35% of total Al in tea infusions was eluted at a retention volume corresponding to a molecular mass of approximately 3800 Da. The remaining Al was adsorbed on the column resin. The same tea infusions were also analysed by anion-exchange FPLC–ICP–OES. It was found experimentally that the same percentage of total Al as from the SEC column was eluted at a retention volume that corresponded to negatively charged Al-citrate. The remaining Al was adsorbed on the column resin. Identification of Al-binding ligands eluting under the chromatographic peak was performed by electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ES–MS–MS) analysis. It was proven that ionic Al species in tea infusions (10–35% of the total Al) corresponded to negatively charged Al-citrate. The remaining species that was adsorbed on the SEC or FPLC columns was most probably bound to phenolic compounds. Speciation of Al in tea with milk or lemon was also studied. Results for tea with milk indicated that Al-citrate was not transformed and that approximately 60% of total Al was transformed into high-molecular-mass Al species. This fraction was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfonate polyacryl gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). The results indicated that Al was occluded by milk proteins (mostly caseins). When citric acid was added to tea infusions the percentage of negatively charged Al-citrate remained either the same or increased to 40% of total Al.     

Evaluation of γ-radiation on oolong tea odor volatiles

The aim of this study was to evaluate the gamma radiation effects on odor volatiles in oolong tea at doses of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 kGy. The volatile organic compounds were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The irradiation has a large influence on oolong tea odor profile, once it was identified 40% of new compounds after this process, the 5 kGy and 20 kGy were the doses that degraded more volatiles found naturally in this kind of tea and the dose of 10 kGy was the dose that formed more new compounds. Statistical difference was found between the 5 kGy and 15 kGy volatile profiles, however the sensorial analysis showed that the irradiation at dose up 20 kGy did not interfere on consumer perception.     

Inhibition of gut bacterial β-glucuronidase by chemical components from black tea: Inhibition interactions and molecular mechanism

Gut bacterial β-glucuronidase is regarded as an important molecular target for several therapeutic applications. Inhibitors of β-glucuronidase can effectively alleviate the drug-induced gastrointestinal tract toxicity. In this study, the ethanol extracts of black tea was found to display significant inhibitory activities against Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase (EcGUS), and seven polyphenols including catechins and theaflavins were identified as the key components responsible for the strong inhibitory potency of black tea towards EcGUS. Among these seven identified naturally occurring inhibitors, (−)-catechin gallate (CG), theaflavin-3-monogallate (TF-3-G), theaflavin-3′-monogallate (TF-3′-G) and theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TFDG) were more potent inhibitors of EcGUS compared with (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (−)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG), and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Furthermore, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation results further indicated that TFDG could bind in the cavity of EcGUS and interacted with key residues Ser360, Glu413 and Ile560 of EcGUS through hydrogen bonds. Taken together, these data offer important information for efficient development of black tea and its catechins and theaflavins constituents for treating drug-induced enteropathy.     

Detection of systemic pesticide residues in tea products at trace level based on SERS and verified by GC–MS

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry - Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has the potential to detect pesticide residues in agricultural products. However, some systemic pesticides, such...     

Phenolic antioxidants identified by ESI-MS from Yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) and green tea (Camelia sinensis) extracts

Aqueous extracts of green yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) are good sources of phenolic antioxidants, as already described in the literature. The subject of this study were organic extracts from yerba maté, both green and roasted, and from green tea. Their phenolic profiles were characterized by direct infusion electrospray insertion mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and their free radical scavenging activity was determined by the DPPH assay. Organic extracts containing phenolic antioxidants might be used as natural antioxidants by the food industry, replacing the synthetic phenolic additives used nowadays. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts from green yerba maté, roasted yerba maté and green tea showed excellent DPPH scavenging activity (>89%). The ether extracts from green and roasted yerba maté displayed a weak scavenging activity, different from the behavior observed for the green tea ether extract. The main phenolic compounds identified in green yerba maté water and ethanolic extracts were: caffeic acid, quinic acid, caffeoyl glucose, caffeoylquinic acid, feruloylquinic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid and rutin. After the roasting process two new compounds were formed: caffeoylshikimic acid and dicaffeoylshikimic acid. The ethanolic extracts from yerba maté, both roasted and green, with lower content of phenolic compounds (3.80 and 2.83 mg/mL) presented high antioxidant activity and even at very low phenolic concentrations, ether extract from GT (0.07 mg/mL) inhibited DPPH over 90%.     

Development of a simple combining apparatus to perform a magnetic stirring-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and its application for the analysis of carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides in tea drinks

This study introduced a simple combining apparatus for performing a magnetic stirring-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (MSA-DLLME) for the detection of trace carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides in tea drinks coupled with high performance liquid chromatography. The simple combining apparatus was made up of a sample vial and a cut plastic dropper. The bulb end of the cut plastic dropper was inserted into the neck of the sample vial and the open tip end of the plastic dropper was then cut to an appropriate length. The combining apparatus made was then used to perform the MSA-DLLME. In this experiment, 1-octanol was injected into the tea drink sample solution and the extraction process accelerated by magnetic agitation. The sample solution turned clear and separated into two layers after leaving it alone for several minutes. The cut plastic dropper was gently put down into the sample vial, and then the liquid level of the sample solution elevated up to the tip of the plastic dropper for the collection of low-density extractant. Finally, the collected extractant was drawn out by a microsyringe and injected into the high performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detector for analysis. A series of extraction parameters were investigated and optimized. Under the most favorable conditions, high enrichment factors were obtained for carbofuran, carbaryl and isocarbophos (between 130 and 185). The limits of detection (S/N = 3) were in the range of 0.13–0.61 μg L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation varied below 7.8% (n = 5). Additionally, good recoveries were obtained between 79.4% and 114.4% in the three tea drinks. The simple combining apparatus utilized in this MSA-DLLME method was shown to be economical, fast, and convenient for the collection of low density extractant.     

Solidified floating organic drop microextraction–electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for ultra trace determination of antimony species in tea, basil and water samples

Solidified floating organic drop microextraction was applied as a separation/preconcentration step prior to the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric (ETAAS) determination of ultra trace of antimony species. The method was based on the formation of an extractable complex between Sb(III) and ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate at pH ~ 5, while Sb(V) was remained in the aqueous phase. The antimony extracted into 1-undecanol was determined by ETAAS. Total antimony was determined after the reduction of Sb(V) to Sb(III) with potassium iodide and ascorbic acid. The amount of Sb(V) was determined from the difference of concentration of total antimony and Sb(III). Under the optimum conditions an enhancement factor of 437.5 and a detection limit of 5.0 ng L^?1for the preconcentration of 25 mL of sample was achieved. The relative standard deviation at 300 ng L^?1 of antimony was found to be 3.5 % (n = 6). The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of antimony in tea, basil and natural water samples.     

Extractability of radiocesium from processed green tea leaves with hot water: the first emergent tea leaves harvested after the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

In some tea tree planting areas within 300 km from the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), it was found that newly emerged tea plant leaves for green tea contained two radiocesium species (cesium-134 and cesium-137). In this study, using processed green tea leaves for drinking, extraction ratios of radiocesium under several brew conditions were observed. When 90 °C water was used, 50–70% of radiocesium was extracted into the water, while 54–60% of radiocesium was extracted with 60 °C water. A part of radiocesium would be removed from leaves if the leaves were washed with 20 and 60 °C water before brewing, and the efficiencies were 11 and 32%, respectively. Newly emerged camellia leaves were used to simulate the radiocesium removal ratio from raw tea leaves by washing and boiling; radioactivity concentration was decreased to 60% of the original concentration with washing and 10 min boiling. From these results, it was found that almost half of the radiocesium would not be removed from raw or processed tea leaves. The values obtained in the present study could be used for internal radiation dose estimation from tea leaves.     

Poly(aquachlorobis(1,10–phenanthroline)copper(II)iodidemonohydrate)/GCE for simultaneous determination of caffeine and theophylline in human serum,tea, and tablet samples

This paper presents metal complex based polymer film modified electrode for simultaneous determination of caffeine, and theophylline. Potentiodynamic fabrication of poly(aquachlorobis(1,10– phenanthroline)copper(II)iodidemonohydrate) modified glassy carbon electrode (poly(ACP₂CuIH)/GCE) was verified using cyclic voltammetric and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic techniques. In contrast to the unmodified glassy carbon electrode, the poly(ACP₂CuIH)/GCE in equi-molar mixture of theophylline and caffeine revealed sufficiently separated oxidative peaks with much enhanced peak current showing electrocatalytic property of the polymer film towards the oxidation of theophylline and caffeine. Under optimized solution pH and square wave voltammetric parameters, oxidative peak current response of poly(ACP₂CuIH)/GCE showed linear dependence on the concentration of caffeine and theophylline in the concentration range 1.0–200.0 µM with limit of detection 8.92 × 10^-3 µM for theophylline, and 1.02 × 10^{-2 µ}M for caffeine. Spike recovery in the range 97.0-102.4% for theophylline, and 95.4-100.0% for caffeine, interference recovery in the range 96.0–101.0% for theophylline, and 95.7–104.3% for caffeine, agreement of the detected amounts of theophylline and caffeine in tablet samples with the nominal values, and stability of the modified electrode all validated the developed method for simultaneous determination of theophylline and caffeine in wide range of real samples. The method was applied for simultaneous determination of both theophylline and caffeine in three tea brands (Black lion, Addis, and Wush wush), pharmaceutical tablet brands (Panadol extra, and Theodrine), and human blood serum samples making the method an excellent candidate.     

Reactions of tea polyphenol four constituents with hydroxyl radical: A pulse radiolytic study

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Curie-point pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectroscopic analysis of theabrownins from fermented Zijuan tea

Zijuan tea theabrownins (ZTTBs) was extracted from a type of fermented Zijuan tea and separated into fractions according to molecular weight. The extract was found to contain predominantly two fractions: <3.5 kDa and >100 kDa. These two fractions were analyzed for chemical composition, structural characteristics by Curie-point pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (CP-Py–GC/MS). The affects of pyrolysis temperature on pyrolytic products were also investigated. The fraction >100 kDa produced 50 GC/MS peaks during pyrolysis at 280 °C, 70 peaks at 386 °C, and 134 peaks at 485 °C. Fourteen of the products formed at 280 °C, 12 of those formed at 386 °C, and 21 of those formed at 485 °C were identified with match qualities of greater than 80%. The fraction <3.5 kDa gave 51 peaks during pyrolysis at 280 °C, 99 peaks at 386 °C, and 257 peaks at 485 °C. Six products formed at 280 °C, four products formed at 386 °C, and 61 products formed at 485 °C were identified with match qualities of greater than 80%. Pyrolysis temperatures of 485 °C and 386 °C were found suitable for the two fractions respectively. CP-Py–GC/MS revealed that, the fraction >100 kDa mainly consisted of phenolic pigments, esters, proteins, and polysaccharides, while the fraction <3.5 kDa contained no polysaccharide. CP-Py–GC/MS is an effective tool for the composition difference and structural characteristics of ZTTBs as well as other complex macromolecular plant pigments.     

Full 1H and 13C NMR spectral assignment of conjugated valerolactone metabolites isolated from urine of black tea consumers by means of SPE-prepLC–MS–LC–MS-NMR

The health benefits of black tea have been linked to polyphenol metabolites that target specific modes of action in the human body. A major bottleneck in unravelling the underlying mechanisms is the preparative isolation of these metabolites, which hampers their structural elucidation and assessment of in vitro bioactivity. A solid phase extraction (SPE)-preparative liquid chromatography (prepLC)–MS–LC–MS-NMR workflow was implemented for preparative isolation of conjugated valerolactone metabolites of catechin-based polyphenols from urine of black tea consumers. First, the urine was cleaned and preconcentrated using an SPE method. Subsequently, the clean urine concentrate was injected on a preparative LC column, and conjugated valerolactones were obtained by MS-guided collection. Reconstituted fractions were further separated on an analytical LC column, and valerolactone fractions were collected in an MS-guided manner. These were reconstituted in methanol-d₄ and identified and quantified using 1D and 2D homo- and hetereonuclear NMR experiments (at a field strength of 14.1 T), in combination with mass spectrometry. This resulted in the full spectral ¹H and ¹³C NMR assignments of five conjugated valerolactones. These metabolites were collected in quantities of 8–160 μg and purities of 70–91%. The SPE-prepLC–MS–LC–MS-NMR workflow is suitable for isolating metabolites that occur at sub-μM concentrations in a complex biofluid such as urine. The workflow also provides an alternative for cumbersome and expensive de novo synthesis of tea metabolites for testing in bioactivity assays or for use as authentic analytical standards for quantification by mass spectrometry.     

A new cation induced chain-like complex [Cu(H2tea)(H2O)(imi)][Cu(H3tea)(imi)][Na{Mo8O26}] · 4H2O

A new complex [Cu(H₂tea)(H₂O)(imi)][Cu(H₃tea)(imi)][Na{Mo₈O₂₆}] · 4H₂O (H₃tea =triethanolamine, imi = imidazole) has been synthesized in aqueous solution and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction reveals that β-[Mo₈O₂₆]^4? polyanions are linked by sodium ions to form a chain. The coppers are five- and six-coordinate for [Cu(H₃tea)(imi)]²⁺ and [Cu(H₂O)(H₂tea)(imi)]⁺, respectively. Crystal packing is due to hydrogen bonds and π ··· π stacking interactions, giving a 3-D polymeric network. The magnetic properties of the title compound are also presented.     

How can (-)-epigallocatechin gallate from green tea prevent HIV-1 infection? Mechanistic insights from computational modeling and the implication for rational design of anti-HIV-1 entry inhibitors

Possible inhibitors preventing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry into the cells are recognized as hopeful next-generation anti-HIV-1 drugs. It is highly desirable to develop a potent inhibitor blocking binding of glycoprotein CD4 of the cell with glycoprotein gp120 of HIV-1, because the gp120-CD4 binding is the initial step of HIV-1 entry into the cells. It has been recently reported that (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea is an inhibitor blocking gp120-CD4 binding. But the inhibitory mechanism remains unknown. For understanding the inhibitory mechanism, extensive molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free-energy calculations have been performed in this study to predict the most favorable structures of CD4-EGCG, gp120-CD4, and gp120-CD4-EGCG binding complexes in water. The results reveal that EGCG binds with CD4 in such a way that the calculated binding affinity of gp120 with the CD4-EGCG complex is negligible. So, the favorable binding of EGCG with CD4 can effectively block gp120-CD4 binding. The calculated CD4-EGCG binding affinity (DeltaG(bind) = -5.5 kcal/mol, K(d) = 94 microM) is in excellent agreement with available experimental data suggesting IC(50) approximately 100 microM for EGCG-blocking CD4-gp120 binding. These results and insights provide a rational basis for future design of novel, more potent inhibitors to block gp120-CD4 binding.     

Synthesis and characterization of di- and trivalent pyrazolylborate β-diketonates and cyanometalates

The syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of a series of di- and trivalent hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate (Tp*) cyanomanganates are described. Treatment of tris(acetylacetonate)manganese(III) [Mn(acac)(3)] with KTp* and tetra(ethyl)ammonium cyanide affords [NEt(4)][(Tp*)Mn(II)(κ(2)-acac)(CN)] (1), as the first monocyanomanganate(II) complex; attempted oxidation of 1 with iodine affords {(Tp*)Mn(II)(κ(2)-acac(3-CN))}(n) (2) as a one-dimensional chain and bimetallic {[NEt(4)][(Tp*)Mn(II)(κ(2)-acac(3-CN))](2)(μ-CN) (3) as the major and minor products, respectively. A fourth complex, [NEt(4)][(Tp*)Mn(II)(η(2)-acac(3-CN))(η(1)-NC-acac)] (4), is obtained via treatment of Mn(acac(3-CN))(3) with KTp* and [NEt(4)]CN, while [NEt(4)](2)[Mn(II)(CN)(4)] (5) was prepared from manganese(II) trifluoromethanesulfonate and excess [NEt(4)]CN. Tricyanomanganate(III) complexes, [cat][(Tp*)Mn(III)(CN)(3)] [cat = NEt(4)(+), 7; PPN(+), 8], are prepared via sequential treatment of Mn(acac(3-CN))(3) with KTp*, followed by [NEt(4)]CN, or [cat](3)[Mn(III)(CN)(6)] with (Tp*)SnBu(2)Cl. Magnetic measurements indicate that 1, 2, and 4 contain isotropic Mn(II) (S = (5)/(2); g = 2.00) centers, and no long-range magnetic ordering is found above 1.8 K. Compounds 7 and 8 contain S = 1 Mn(III) centers that adopt singly degenerate spin ground states without orbital contributions to their magnetic moments.