The detection of various opiates and benzodiazepines by comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

A technique using comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOFMS) is applied to qualitative and quantitative drug testing. Human serum was ‘spiked’ with known quantities of benzodiazepines and a ‘street heroin’ mixture including some of the major metabolites and impurities. The sample components were extracted from the matrix by solid‐phase extraction (SPE). Constituents containing polar hydroxyl and/or secondary amine groups were derivatised with N‐methyl‐N‐(tert‐butyldimethyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) to improve the chromatographic performance. An orthogonal separation of the matrix constituents was achieved by coupling a DB‐5ms (5% phenyl) to a BPX50 (50% phenyl) GC column. The eluant was focused onto the second column by a twin‐stage cryo‐modulator. Rapid 6 s modulation times were achieved by transfer from a 30 m × 0.25 mm (length × internal diameter) to a 2 m × 0.1 mm column. TOFMS with rapid spectral acquisition (≤500 spectra/s) was employed in the mass range m/z 40–650. A clean mass spectrum was obtained for each analyte using mass spectral deconvolution software. The sensitivity and repeatability of the method were evaluated by the preparation of calibration standards for two benzodiazepines, flunitrazepam and its major metabolite 7‐aminoflunitrazepam (7‐amino‐FN), in the concentration range 5–1000 ng/mL. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs), calculated by repeat injections (×10) of the lowest standard, were 1.6 and 5.4 ng/mL (flunitrazepam); 2.5 and 8.5 ng/mL (7‐amino‐FN), respectively. There is scope to extend this protocol to screen a large number of drugs and metabolites stored in a library database. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel soluble triphenylamine‐containing aromatic polyamides based on N,N′‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)‐N,N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine

A new triphenylamine‐containing aromatic diamine, N, N′‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)‐N, N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine, was prepared by the condensation of N,N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine with 4‐fluoronitrobenzene, followed by catalytic reduction. A series of novel aromatic polyamides with triphenylamine units were prepared from the diamine and various aromatic dicarboxylic acids or their diacid chlorides via the direct phosphorylation polycondensation or low‐temperature solution polycondensation. All the polyamides were amorphous and readily soluble in many organic solvents such as N, N‐dimethylacetamide and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone. These polymers could be solution cast into transparent, tough, and flexible films with good mechanical properties. They had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high glass‐transition temperatures (257–287 °C), 10% weight‐loss temperatures in excess of 550 °C, and char yields at 800 °C in nitrogen higher than 72%. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2810–2818, 2002     

A Novel Al(III)‐Selective Electrochemical Sensor Based on N,N′‐Bis(salicylidene)‐1,2‐phenylenediamine Complexes

A polyvinylchloride membrane sensor based on N,N′‐bis(salecylidene)‐1,2‐phenylenediamine (salophen) as membrane carrier was prepared and investigated as a Al³⁺‐selective electrode. The sensor exhibits a Nernstian response toward Al(III) over a wide concentration range (8.0×10^?7–3.0×10^?2 M), with a detection limit of 6.0×10^?7 M. The potentiometric response of the sensor is independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 3.2–4.5. The electrode possesses advantages of very fast response and high selectivity for Al³⁺ in comparison with alkali, alkaline earth and some heavy metal ions. The sensor was used as an indicator electrode, in the potentiometric titration of aluminum ion and in determination of Al³⁺ contents in drug, water and waste water samples.     

Synthesis and properties of new soluble aromatic polyamides and polyimides on the basis of N,N′‐bis(3‐aminobenzoyl)‐N,N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine

A new N‐phenylated amide (N‐phenylamide) unit containing aromatic diamine, N,N′‐bis(3‐aminobenzoyl)‐N,N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine, was prepared by the condensation of N,N′‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine with 3‐nitrobenzoyl chloride, followed by catalytic reduction. Two series of organosoluble aromatic poly(N‐phenylamide‐imide)s and poly(N‐phenylamide‐amide)s with inherent viscosities of 0.58–0.82 and 0.56–1.21 dL/g were prepared by a conventional two‐stage method and the direct phosphorylation polycondensation, respectively, from the diamine with various aromatic dianhydrides and aromatic dicarboxylic acids. All polyimides and polyamides are amorphous and readily soluble in many organic solvents such as N,N‐dimethylacetamide and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone. These polymers could be solution cast into transparent, tough, and flexible films with high tensile strengths. These polyimides and polyamides had glass‐transition temperatures in the ranges of 230–258 and 196–229 °C, respectively. Decomposition temperatures of the polyimides for 10% weight loss all occurred above 500 °C in both nitrogen and air atmospheres. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2564–2574, 2002     

The preparation of covalent triazine‐based framework via Friedel‐Crafts reaction of 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine with N,N′‐diphenyl‐N,N′‐di(m‐tolyl)benzidine for capturing and sensing to iodine

The covalent triazine‐based framework (TDPDB) has been prepared by Friedel‐Crafts polymerization reaction of N,N′‐diphenyl‐N,N′‐di(m‐tolyl)benzidine (DPDB) with 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine (TCT) catalyzed by methanesulfonic acid. The yield of the reaction (94.85%) is very high. TDPDB was provided with Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller specific surface area of 592.18 m² g^?1 and pore volume of 0.5241 cm³ g^?1. TDPDB demonstrated an excellent capacity for capturing iodine (3.93 g g^?1) and an outstanding ability to fluorescent sensing to iodine with Ksv of 5.83 × 10⁴ L mol^?1. It also showed high fluorescent sensing sensitivity to picric acid.     

A Copper(II) Ion‐Selective Potentiometric Sensor Based on N,N′,N″,N′′′‐Tetrakis(2‐pyridylmethyl)‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane in PVC Matrix

The simple PVC‐based membrane containing N,N′,N″,N′′′‐tetrakis(2‐pyridylmethyl)‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane (tpmc) as an ionophore and dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer, directly coated on a glassy carbon electrode was examined as a new sensor for Cu²⁺ ions. The potential response was linear within the concentration range of 1.0×10^?1–1.0×10^?6 M with a Nernstian slope of 28.8 mV/decade and detection limit of 7.0×10^?7 M. The electrode was used in aqueous solutions over a wide pH range (1.3–6). The sensor exhibited excellent selectivity for Cu²⁺ ion over a number of cations and was successfully used in its determination in real samples.     

[N,N′‐Bis(5‐bromo­salicyl­idene)‐1,3‐di­amino­propane]­nickel(II) and [N,N′‐­bis(5‐chloro­salicyl­idene)‐1,3‐­di­amino­propane]copper(II)

The title compounds, {4,4′‐di­bromo‐2,2′‐[1,3‐propane­diyl­bis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne‐N)]­diphenolato‐O,O′}nickel(II), [Ni(C₁₇­H₁₄­Br₂­N₂O₂)], and {4,4′‐di­chloro‐2,2′‐[1,3‐pro­pane­diyl­bis­(ni­trilo­methyl­idyne‐N)]­di­phen­ol­ato‐O,O′}­copper(II), [Cu­(C₁₇­H₁₄­Cl₂­N₂O₂)], lie on crystallographic twofold axes. In both structures, the metal coordination sphere is a tetrahedrally distorted square plane formed by the four‐coordinate N₂O₂ donor set of the Schiff base imine–phenol ligands. In the Ni compound, the Ni—O and Ni—N distances are 1.908 (3) and 1.959 (4) Å, respectively, while in the Cu compound, the Cu—O and Cu—N distances are 1.907 (2) and 1.960 (2) Å, respectively. The two Schiff base moieties, which themselves are nearly planar, are inclined at an angle of 29.26 (7)° for the Ni compound and 29.26 (5)° for the Cu compound.     

Hydrogen‐bonded supramolecule of N,N′‐bis(4‐pyridylmethyl)oxalamide and a zigzag chain structure of catena‐poly[[[dichloridocobalt(II)]‐μ‐N,N′‐bis(4‐pyridylmethyl)oxalamide‐κ2N4:N4′] hemihydrate]

N,N′‐Bis(4‐pyridylmethyl)oxalamide, C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂, exists as a dimer which is extended into a two‐dimensional network with other dimers through pyridine–amide hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure of the title coordination polymer, {[CoCl₂(C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂)]·0.5H₂O}_n, features a one‐dimensional zigzag chain, in which the cobalt ion sits at a twofold symmetry position and adopts a tetrahedral geometry, and the bridging ligand lies on an inversion center and connects to Co^II ions in a bis‐monodentate mode. Furthermore, two interwoven chains create a cavity of ca 8.6 × 8.6 Å, which produces a three‐dimensional channel. Water molecules are held in the channel by hydrogen bonds.     

High‐Pressure Synthesis of Metal–Inorganic Frameworks Hf4N20⋅N2, WN8⋅N2, and Os5N28⋅3 N2 with Polymeric Nitrogen Linkers

Polynitrides are intrinsically thermodynamically unstable at ambient conditions and require peculiar synthetic approaches. Now, a one‐step synthesis of metal–inorganic frameworks Hf₄N₂₀?N₂, WN₈?N₂, and Os₅N₂₈?3 N₂ via direct reactions between elements in a diamond anvil cell at pressures exceeding 100 GPa is reported. The porous frameworks (Hf₄N₂₀, WN₈, and Os₅N₂₈) are built from transition‐metal atoms linked either by polymeric polydiazenediyl (polyacetylene‐like) nitrogen chains or through dinitrogen units. Triply bound dinitrogen molecules occupy channels of these frameworks. Owing to conjugated polydiazenediyl chains, these compounds exhibit metallic properties. The high‐pressure reaction between Hf and N₂ also leads to a non‐centrosymmetric polynitride Hf₂N₁₁ that features double‐helix catena‐poly[tetraz‐1‐ene‐1,4‐diyl] nitrogen chains [?N?N?N=N?]_∞.     

Polymeric Membrane Lanthanum(III)‐Selective Electrode Based on N,N′‐Adipylbis(5‐phenylazo salicylaldehyde hydrazone)

A recently synthesized azao‐containing Schiff's base N,N′‐adipylbis(5‐phenylazo salicylaldehyde hydrazone) was used as a suitable neutral ion carrier in construction of a highly selective La³⁺‐PVC membrane electrode. The electrode exhibits a Nernstian response with a slope of 19.4 mV decade^?1 over a wide concentration range (1.0×10^?6–1.0×10^?2 M) and a limit of detection of 4.0×10^?7 M (0.05 ppm). The electrode possesses a fast response time of ca. 10 s and can be used for at least 3 months without observing any deviation. The proposed electrode revealed excellent selectivity for La³⁺ over a wide variety of alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions and could be used in a pH range of 4.0–8.0. The practical utility of the electrode has been demonstrated by its use as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of La³⁺ ions with EDTA and in determination of F^? ion in some pharmaceutical preparations.     

N,N′‐Bis(2‐methoxy­benzyl­idene) adducts of ethane‐1,2‐di­amine,propane‐1,3‐di­amine and butane‐1,4‐di­amine

We have isolated and crystallographically characterized the three homologous compounds N,N′‐bis(2‐methoxy­benzyl­idene)­ethane‐1,2‐di­amine (MeSalen), C₁₈H₂₀N₂O₂, N,N′‐bis(2‐methoxy­benzyl­idene)­propane‐1,3‐di­amine (MeSalpr), C₁₉H₂₂N₂O₂, and N,N′‐bis(2‐methoxy­benzyl­idene)­butane‐1,4‐di­amine (MeSalbu), C₂₀H₂₄N₂O₂. In contrast with MeSalpr, the mol­ecules of MeSalen and MeSalbu, which have an even number of methyl­ene units, have crystallographic symmetry. Comparing these methoxy‐substituted species with their hydroxy equivalents shows that the aryl rings rotate upon removal of the O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. The packing of MeSalen and MeSalpr is controlled by C—H⋯π interactions, whereas that of MeSalbu has only van der Waals contacts.     

Study of Six Green Insensitive High Energetic Coordination Polymers Based on Alkali/Alkali‐Earth Metals and 4,5‐Bis(tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2 H‐1,2,3‐triazole

Constructing insensitive high‐performance energetic coordination polymers (ECPs) with alkali/alkali‐earth metal ions and a nitrogen‐rich organic backbone has been proved to be a feasible strategy in this work. Six diverse dimensional novel ECPs (compounds 1 – 6 ) were successfully synthesized from Na^I, Cs^I, Ca^II, Sr^II, Ba^II ions and a nitrogen‐rich triheterocyclic 4,5‐bis(tetrazol‐5‐yl)‐2 H ‐1,2,3‐triazole (H₃BTT). All compounds show outstanding stability and low sensitivity, the thermal stability of these ECPs are significantly improved as the structural reinforcement increases from 1D to 3D, in which the decomposition temperature of 3D Ba^II based compound 6 is as high as 397 °C. Long‐term storage experiments show that compounds 5 and 6 are stable enough at high temperature. Moreover, the six compounds hold considerable detonation performances, in which Ca^II based compound 5 possesses the detonation velocity of 9.12 km s⁻¹, along with the detonation pressure of 34.51 GPa, exceeding those of most energetic coordination polymers. Burn tests further certify that the six compounds can be versatile pyrotechnics.     

Synthesis of N,N,N-4,4＂-Di-（4-methylphenyl）-2,2＇：6＇,2＂- terpyridine-N,N,N-tris（isothiocyanato） Ruthenium（Ⅱ） and Application to Colorimetric Hg^2＋ Sensor

A terpyridine derivative DPTP [di-（4-methylphenyl）-2,2＇：6＇,2＂-terpyridine] was conveniently synthesized from 2-bromopyridine via halogen-dance reaction, Kharash coupling and Stille coupling reaction. Then its corresponding ruthenium complex Ru-DPTP [N,N,N-4,4＇＇-di-（4-methy,phenyl）-2,2＇：6＇,2＂-terpyridine-N,N,N-tris（is,-thi,cyanat,）- ruthenium（H） ammonium] was obtained and fully characterized by IR, UV-Vis, ESI MS and elemental analysis. The MLCT absorption band of Ru-DPTP was blue-shifted from 570 to 500 nm upon addition of Hg^2＋. Among a series of surveyed metal ions, the complex showed a unique recognition to Hg^2＋, indicating that it can be used as a selective colorimetric sensor for Hg^2＋.     

Simultaneous determination of ascaridole,p‐cymene and α‐terpinene in rat plasma after oral administration of Chenopodium ambrosioides L. by GC‐MS

A sensitive and reliable GC‐MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of ascaridole, p‐cymene and α‐terpinene in rat plasma using naphthalene as internal standard. The plasma samples were extracted with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a HP‐5MS capillary analytical column (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.25 µm) and detection was performed on a quadrupole mass spectrometer detector operated under selected ion monitoring mode. The method showed excellent linearity over the investigated concentration range (r > 0.99) with the limit of quantitation down to 50, 10 and 5 ng/mL for ascaridole, p‐cymene and α‐terpinene, respectively. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions (RSD) were <11.3%, and the accuracy was between 90.7 and 113.8%. The method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of Chenopodium ambrosioides L. following oral administration to rats. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Four cytotoxic N4‐substituted thiosemicarbazones derived from 2‐hydroxynaphthalene‐1‐carboxaldehyde

The X‐ray crystal structures are reported of four novel and potentially O,N,S‐tridentate donor ligands that demonstrate antitumour activity. These ligands are 1‐[(4‐methyl­thio­semicarbazono)methyl]‐2‐naphthol, C₁₃H₁₃N₃OS, (III), 1‐[(4‐ethylthio­semicarbazono)­methyl]‐2‐naphthol, C₁₄H₁₅N₃OS, (IV), 1‐[(4‐phenyl­thio­semicarbazono)­methyl]‐2‐naphthol, C₁₈H₁₅N₃OS, (V), and 1‐[(4,4‐di­methyl­thio­semicarbazono)­methyl]‐2‐naphthol di­methyl sulfoxide solvate, C₁₄H₁₅N₃OS·C₂H₆OS, (VI). These chelators are N4‐substituted thio­semicarbazones, each based on the same parent aldehyde, namely 2‐­zhydroxynaphthalene‐1‐carboxaldehyde isonicotinoylhydrazone. Conformational variations within this series are discussed in relation to the optimum conformation for metal‐ion binding.     

Powder‐XRD and 14N magic angle‐spinning solid‐state NMR spectroscopy of some metal nitrides

Some metal nitrides (TiN, ZrN, InN, GaN, Ca₃N₂, Mg₃N₂, and Ge₃N₄) have been studied by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and ¹⁴N magic angle‐spinning (MAS) solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. For Ca₃N₂, Mg₃N₂, and Ge₃N₄, no ¹⁴N NMR signal was observed. Low speed (ν_r = 2 kHz for TiN, ZrN, and GaN; ν_r = 1 kHz for InN) and ‘high speed’ (ν_r = 15 kHz for TiN; ν_r = 5 kHz for ZrN; ν_r = 10 kHz for InN and GaN) MAS NMR experiments were performed. For TiN, ZrN, InN, and GaN, powder‐XRD was used to identify the phases present in each sample. The number of peaks observed for each sample in their ¹⁴N MAS solid‐state NMR spectrum matches perfectly well with the number of nitrogen‐containing phases identified by powder‐XRD. The ¹⁴N MAS solid‐state NMR spectra are symmetric and dominated by the quadrupolar interaction. The envelopes of the spinning sidebands manifold are Lorentzian, and it is concluded that there is a distribution of the quadrupolar coupling constants Q_cc's arising from structural defects in the compounds studied. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Benign Approaches for the Microwave‐assisted Synthesis of Five‐membered 1,2‐N,N‐heterocycles

The development of new strategies for the synthesis of small‐sized heterocycles has remained a highly attractive but challenging proposition. An overview of the application of microwave irradiation in the synthesis of two nitrogen atoms containing five‐membered heterocyclic compounds is presented, focusing on the developments in the last 5–10 years. This contribution covers the literature concerning the total synthesis of five‐membered 1,2‐N,N‐heterocycles.     

Di‐μ‐bromo‐bis[bromo(di‐2‐pyridylmethanediol‐N,O,N′)­cadmium(II)] trihydrate

Di‐2‐pyridyl ketone reacts with CdBr₂ in water to form the title centrosymmetric dinuclear complex, [Cd₂Br₄(C₁₁H₁₀­N₂O₂)₂]·3H₂O, in which each metal atom is coordinated by an N,O,N′‐chelated di‐2‐pyridyl­methanediol ligand, two bridging bromo ligands and one terminal bromo ligand in a distorted octahedral geometry.     

Two (Z)‐N‐aryl‐3‐benzylideneisoindolin‐1‐ones

Two isoindolin‐1‐one derivatives, (Z)‐3‐benzyl­idene‐N‐phenyl­isoindolin‐1‐one, C₂₁H₁₅NO, (II), and (Z)‐3‐benzyl­idene‐N‐(4‐methoxy­phenyl)­isoindolin‐1‐one, C₂₂H₁₇NO₂, (III), were synthesized by the palladium‐catalysed heteroannulation. The mol­ecules of both compounds have a Z configuration. The interplanar angles between the five‐ and six‐membered rings of the isoindolinone moiety in (II) and (III) are 1.66 (11) and 2.26 (7)°, respectively. The phenyl rings at the N‐position in (II) and (III) are twisted out of the C₄N ring plane by 62.77 (11) and 67.10 (7)°, respectively. The substitutions at the N and C‐3 positions of the isoindolinone system have little influence on the molecular dimensions of the resulting compounds.     

Tris(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)iron(II) bis(2,4,5‐tricarboxybenzoate) monohydrate and tris(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ2N,N′)iron(II) 2,5‐dicarboxybenzene‐1,4‐dicarboxylate–benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid–water (1/1/2)

The title compounds, tris(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ²N,N′)iron(II) bis(2,4,5‐tricarboxybenzoate) monohydrate, [Fe(C₁₂H₈N₂)₃](C₁₀H₅O₈)₂·H₂O, (I), and tris(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ²N,N′)iron(II) 2,5‐dicarboxybenzene‐1,4‐dicarboxylate–benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid–water (1/1/2), [Fe(C₁₀H₈N₂)₃](C₁₀H₄O₈)·C₁₀H₆O₈·2H₂O, (II), were obtained during an attempt to synthesize a mixed‐ligand complex of Fe^II with an N‐containing ligand and benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid via a solvothermal reaction. In both mononuclear complexes, each Fe^II metal ion is six‐coordinated in a distorted octahedral manner by six N atoms from three chelating 1,10‐phenanthroline or 2,2′‐bipyridine ligands. In compound (I), the Fe^II atom lies on a twofold axis in the space group C2/c, whereas (II) crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n. In both compounds, the uncoordinated carboxylate anions and water molecules are linked by typical O—H...O hydrogen bonds, generating extensive three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bond networks which surround the cations.