A new route to (±)-erythro-roccellic acid and chaetomellic anhydride C through functional rearrangement, promoted by n-propylamine or CH3ONa/CH3OH, of N-propyl-3-chloro-4-dichloromethyl-3-dodecylpyrrolidin-2-one

The rearrangement of a trichloro-pyrrolidin-2-one, prepared by the CuCl-TMEDA catalyzed atom transfer radical cyclization of N-alkyl-N-(3-chloro-2-propenyl)-2,2-dichloromyristamide, with n-propylamine or CH₃ONa/CH₃OH, is the key step of a new, short and inexpensive route to chaetomellic anhydride C and (±)-erythro-roccellic acid.     

Chlorination of N-Methylacetamide: A kinetic study

In the pH range 4.3–13, the reaction between N-methylacetamide (NMA) and sodium hypochlorite in dilute aqueous solution to give N-chloro-N-methylacetamide (CINMA) was found to be far slower than analogous reactions affording N-chloramines or N-chloroamino acids. The rate expression for chlorination was first-order each in [NMA] and [Cl_tot] (the total concentration of chlorinating species). A rate constant calculated for chlorination by each chlorinating species indicated that the order of increasing reactivity was HClO < ClO^? < Cl₂ < CH₃COOCl (formed in the presence of acetic/acetate buffer). At pH > 7 the reaction rate was unaffected by variations in [Cl^?] or pH, but under acidic conditions the rate increased with [Cl^?] and decreasing pH. Regardless of pH, the reaction rate was not affected by changes in ionic strength. The influence of temperature on the reaction rate was also studied which allowed calculation of thermodynamic activation parameters for the N-chlorination reaction. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Simple and practical method for selective acylation of primary hydroxy group catalyzed by N-methyl-2-phenylimidazole (Ph-NMI) or 2-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles (Ph-IBT)

N-Methyl-2-phenylimidazole (Ph-NMI) and 2-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles (Ph-IBT) catalyzed selective acylation of primary alcohols using acid anhydrides. The Ph-NMI- or Ph-IBT-catalyzed reaction using (PhCO)₂O as an acylating agent could particularly acylate the primary hydroxy group of 1,n-diols (n ⩾ 3) with a high, synthetically useful selectivity.     

Synthesis of polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 and the selective separation of cyclohexane/cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol mixture through its membranes

A polymer membrane having polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 was prepared by reacting of nylon 6 and ethylene oxide. The chemical compositions of the polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 were determined by ¹H NMR. Degree of substitution for amide group, x, and degree of polymerization for polyoxyethylene, n, in bulk polymerization at 80°C for 4–9.5 h were evaluated: x = 0.32 ± 0.01–0.56 ± 0.02 and n = 2.8 ± 0.1–6.0 ± 0.3. The polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 membrane showed a selective separation of cyclohexanol from a cyclohexane/cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol mixture by a pervaporation technique. The FTIR and flux analyses verified that the selectivity for cyclohexanol was attributed to the hydrogen-bonding interaction between hydroxyl group in cyclohexanol and the hydroxyl group in polyoxyethylene grafting chain. The pervaporation and an adsorption experiment of cyclohexanol through the present membrane showed that hydroxyl group in graft chain acted as a carrier for cyclohexanol.     

Ionic liquid immobilization on carbon nanofibers and zeolites: Catalyst design for the liquid-phase toluene chlorination

The environmental-friendly chlorination reaction of toluene by trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA, C₃N₃O₃Cl₃) was investigated applying immobilized ionic liquids (ILs) on different supports. Ionic liquids were grafted either on carbon nanofibers (CNF) or encapsulated in zeolites. Their influence on the chlorination activity as well as on the selectivity in different chlorinated products was studied. An unusually high selectivity toward meta-chlorotoluene was achieved, up to 36%. Hence, the selectivity could be tuned to produce either expected ortho-/para-chlorotoluene or meta-chlorotoluene with a proper support choice.     

Enantioselective α-chlorination of β-keto esters and amides catalyzed by chiral imidodiphosphoric acids

Chiral imidodiphosphoric acids were employed as catalysts for the enantioselective α-chlorination of β-keto esters and amides using NCS as the chlorine source, providing a series of optically active products with good to high enantioselectivities (74–95% ee) and excellent yields (92–99%). This represents the first report of the Brønsted acid catalyzed enantioselective α-chlorination of cyclic β-keto derivatives.     

New microdialysis-electrochemical device for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in rat striatum

A new device combining microdialysis with electrochemical microsensor was developed. It can be applied to monitor the biomolecules in the brain for biological and pharmaceutical research. In this paper, the device was applied to simultaneously determine ascorbic acid (AA) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) in rat striatum. The microsensor used for the device was poly (sulphosalicylic acid) microsensor, which exhibited a good electrocatalytic effect on oxidization of AA and 5-HIAA. The oxidation currents measured by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were linear for AA in the range of 0.02-1.0 mmol l⁻¹, and for 5-HIAA from 0.5 to 10.0 μmol l⁻¹ (r=0.9998 and 0.9991, respectively). The detection limits were calculated to be 0.01 mmol l⁻¹ for AA and 0.25 μmol l⁻¹for 5-HIAA (S/N=3). Studies also showed that co-existing substances in biological fluids did not interfere with AA and 5-HIAA determination when using this microsensor. Since, the substances in the microdialysate are easily oxidized by air, the microdialysate in this device was under the protection of N₂. It was found that the concentrations of AA and 5-HIAA in rat striatum were 215±5 and 6.21±0.61 μmol l⁻¹ (mean±S.E.M., n=7), respectively with this device under the protection of N₂. In addition, the effect of the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), on 5-HIAA in the rat striatum was investigated. It was found that a high concentration of SNP (1.0 mmol l⁻¹) resulted in a 34% increase in 5-HIAA level.     

Reactivity ratios in conventional and nickel-mediated radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and functionalized methacrylate monomers

Copolymerization of an excess of methyl methacrylate (MMA) relative to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was carried out in toluene at 80 °C according to both conventional and controlled Ni-mediated radical polymerizations. Reactivity ratios were derived from the copolymerization kinetics using the Jaacks method for MMA and integrated conversion equation for HEMA (r_MMA = 0.62 ± 0.04; r_HEMA = 2.03 ± 0.74). Poly(ethylene glycol) α-methyl ether, ω-methacrylate (PEGMA, M_n = 475 g mol⁻¹) was substituted for HEMA in the copolymerization experiments and reactivity ratios were also determined (r_MMA = 0.75 ± 0.07; r_PEGMA ∼ 1.33). Both the functionalized comonomers were consumed more rapidly than MMA indicating the preferred formation of heterogeneous bottle-brush copolymer structures with bristles constituted by the hydrophilic (macro)monomers. Reactivity ratios for nickel-mediated living radical polymerization were comparable with those obtained by conventional free radical copolymerization. Interactions between functional monomers and the catalyst (NiBr₂(PPh₃)₂) were observed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Facile air-oxidation of N-homopiperonyl-5,6-dimethoxyhomophthalimide: simple and efficient access to nuevamine

A facile six-step synthesis of naturally occurring (±)-nuevamine with 55% overall yield has been described, starting from methyl 2-(6-formyl-2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)acetate via the quantitative benzylic air-oxidation of the corresponding N-homopiperonyl-5,6-dimethoxyhomophthalimide to N-homopiperonyl-5,6-dimethoxyisoquinoline-1,3,4-trione as the key reaction, followed by base catalyzed regioselective alcoholysis of the trione with ring contraction, acid catalyzed dehydrative ring closure of the formed lactamol and decarboxylation pathway.     

Flow injection determination of anisidine value in palm oil samples using a triiodide potentiometric detector

A flow injection analysis (FIA) procedure for the determination of anisidine value (AV) in palm olein using a triiodide detector is described. Undiluted oil sample and chloramine-T reagent were added to a reaction chamber, and reaction was accelerated by applying a short vortex action (typically for 30 s). After allowing the emulsified oil phase to be separated from the aqueous phase (bottom layer), an aliquot of the aqueous phase (containing unreacted chloramine-T) was aspirated into a carrier stream that contained I⁻ where the chloramine-T oxidized the I⁻ to form I₃⁻ which was finally detected by a flow-through triiodide potentiometric detector. Variables that affect the FIA signals such as size of the reaction chamber, oil and reagent flow rates, chloramine-T concentration, vortex time, time for phase separation, carrier stream pH and injected volume were studied. The optimized FIA procedure is linear over 1.0-23.0 AV. The method exhibits good repeatabililty (R.S.D. of ±3.16% (n = 4) for the determination of 5.0 AV) and a sampling rate of 40 samples per hour was achieved. Good correlation (r² = 0.996 (n = 4)) between the proposed method and the manual American Oil Chemists’ Society procedure was found when applied to the determination of twenty different types of palm olein samples.     

Improved method for the determination of kynurenic acid in rat plasma by column-switching HPLC with post-column fluorescence detection

Kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous antagonist of ionotropic glutamate and α7 nicotinic receptors, was fluorometrically determined by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The HPLC system consists of two octadecyl silica (ODS) columns, both of which are connected with an anion-exchange column (trapping column). Following sample injection onto the HPLC column, KYNA was separated on the first ODS column with a mobile phase of H₂O/acetonitrile (95/5) containing 0.1% acetic acid. The peak fraction of KYNA was trapped on the anion-exchange column by changing the position of a six-port valve and then introduced into the second ODS column. Subsequently, KYNA was detected fluorometrically as a fluorescence complex formed with zinc ion which was pumped constantly. Instrumental limit of detection was approximately 0.16 nM, which corresponded to 8.0 fmol (per 50 μl injection, signal to noise ratio 3), and the limit of quantification was 0.53 nM (signal to noise ratio 10). Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were 1.1-3.9% (n = 3) and 3.0-5.3% (n = 3), respectively. The peak of KYNA in rat plasma was clearly detected by the proposed column-switching HPLC system after a facile pretreatment procedure. Intra- and inter-day relative mean errors were −1.6-1.4% (n = 3) and −2.4 to −0.4% (n = 3), respectively, with a satisfactory precision (within 5.0%). A calibration curve for the determination of KYNA showed a good linearity (r² > 0.999) in the range of 25-200 nM. The KYNA concentrations in the plasma of male Sprague-Dawley rats (8-week-old) were 44 ± 5.5 nM (mean ± S.E., n = 5). In ketamine-treated rats, which are animal models of schizophrenia, the plasma KYNA concentrations were significantly increased compared with those in the control rats (p < 0.05).     

Highly selective flow injection spectrophotometric determination of gold based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of variamine blue by potassium iodate in aqueous N,N-dimethylformamide medium

A highly selective and simple flow injection method is reported for the determination of Au(III) in jewel samples. The method is based on the catalytic effect of Au(III) on the oxidation of 4-amino-4′-methoxydiphenylamine hydrochloride (Variamine Blue B base, VB) by KIO₃. The colored reaction product was monitored spectrophotometrically at 546 nm. A volume fraction of 40% N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) greatly enhances the selectivity of the method. The chemical (pH and concentrations of reagents) and instrumental variables (sample injection volume, reagents flow rates, reaction coil length) affecting the determination were studied and optimized. Under the selected values, the analyte could be determined in the range of 0.1-12.0 mg L⁻¹ (r = 0.9997), at a sampling rate of 120 h⁻¹. The proposed assay was precise (s_r = 0.8% at 5.0 mg L⁻¹ Au(III), n = 12) and adequately sensitive with a 3σ limit of detection of 0.03 mg L⁻¹. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of jewel samples. The obtained results were favorably compared to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) used as a reference method.     

Application of pressurized fluid extraction to determine cadmium and zinc in plants

A procedure for the determination of Cd and Zn in plants is proposed. The metals are extracted by pressurized fluid extraction (PFE). Operational conditions are: pressure 1500 psi, temperature 75 °C, static time 5 min, flush volume 35%, purge time 60 s, cycles 1 and 1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (CDTA) 0.01 M at pH 4.5 as extracting solution. Determination of Zn is carried out by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and depending on the concentration level, Cd content is determined by flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy. Certified samples of Virginia tobacco leaves, tea leaves, spinach leaves, poplar leaves, a commercial spinach sample (Spinacea oleracea) and genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana were analysed by the proposed procedure and also by microwave acid digestion and extraction with HCl-Triton X-100. Confidence intervals for Cd and Zn content obtained by the proposed procedure overlap with the certified values. The other procedures, however, provide inaccurate results for Cd. Recoveries obtained for a confidence level of 95% are 96 ± 6% and 95 ± 5% for Zn and Cd, respectively. Reproducibility of Zn by the proposed procedure is 7% (n = 8), similar to the other tests and the detection limit is 2.6 μg. For Cd reproducibility is 8.5% (n = 8), better than with HCl-Triton X-100 and similar to acid digestion, the detection limit is 3.5 ng of Cd.     

Rapid amidic hydrolysis: a competitive reaction pathway under basic conditions for N-(hydroxymethyl)benzamide derivatives bearing electron-donating groups

Studies of N-(hydroxymethyl)benzamide derivatives have concluded that the hydroxide-dependent reaction occurs via a specific-base catalyzed deprotonation of the hydroxyl group followed by rate-determining loss of the benzamidate and generation of the aldehyde. The 3-methyl, 4-methyl, and 4-methoxy-N-(hydroxymethyl)benzamide reaction mechanism deviates at higher [HO⁻] with amidic hydrolysis becoming competitive and having reaction half-lives of ∼17 s, in 1 M KOH, I = 1.0 M (KCl), 25 °C. An intramolecular general-base catalyzed mechanism has been suggested for the amidic hydrolysis reaction.     

The application of conducting polymer nanoparticle electrodes to the sensing of ascorbic acid

An ascorbic acid sensor was fabricated via the drop-casting of dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (DBSA)-doped polyaniline nanoparticles onto a screen-printed carbon-paste electrode. The modified electrode was characterised with respect to the numbers of drop cast layers, optimum potential and operating pH. The sensor was found to be optimal at neutral pH and at 0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Under these conditions, the sensor showed good selectivity and sensitivity in that it did not respond to a range of common interferents such as dopamine, acetaminophen, uric acid and citric acid, but was capable of the detection of ascorbic acid at a sensitivity of 0.76 μA mM⁻¹ or 10.75 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² across a range from 0.5 to 8 mM (r² = 0.996, n = 6), and a limit of detection of 8.3 μM (S/N = 3). The sensor was compared to a range of other conducting polymer-based ascorbate sensors and found to be comparable or superior in terms of analytical performance.     

Enantioselective chlorination of β-keto esters and amides catalyzed by chiral copper（Ⅱ） complexes of squaramide-linked bisoxazoline ligand

Enantioselective chlorination of b-keto esters and amides catalyzed by squaramide-linked bisoxazoline ligand–Cu（OAc）2complexes was investigated. The corresponding chlorinated products were obtained in excellent yields with moderate enantioselectivities. The effect of solvent, temperature, Lewis acid, and ligand structure on the reaction is discussed. This was the first investigation of catalytic asymmetric achlorination of b-keto amides. This study has highlighted that a simple chiral squaramide–oxazoline with cheap Cu（OAc）2 H2 O complexes can catalyze this chlorination.     

Selectivity features of molecularly imprinted polymers recognising the carbamate group

The molecular recognition properties of molecular imprinted polymers which bind the carbamate function were studied. Functional monomers potentially able to form non-covalent interactions with the model molecule N,O-dibenzylcarbamate were selected on the basis of a computational approach describing possible interactions between the template and a small library of vinylic monomers. These results were in accordance with N,O-dibenzylcarbamate batch-rebinding measurements performed on several miniMIPs prepared with the same library. From these preliminary results, four polymers were prepared by thermoinduced radical polymerization, using ethylene dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, chloroform (MIP1, MIP3) or acetonitrile (MIP2, MIP4) as porogens and methacrylic acid (MIP1, MIP2) or acrylamide (MIP3, MIP4) as functional monomers. Molecular recognition features of these materials were studied by high-performance liquid chromatography. In this manner selectivity was evaluated by considering the column retention of a library of sixteen structural analogues of dibenzylcarbamate, characterized by the transformation of the carbamate into a related function, or by the alteration of the molecular structure.The experimental results show that methacrylic acid is more efficient than acrylamide as a functional monomer (imprinting factors: MIP1 = 24.1, MIP2 = 25.6, MIP3 = 13.3, MIP4 = 2.44), and that chloroform enhances polymer selectivity. As regards structural motifs which conditionate the selectivity, the carbamate function strictly controls the presence/absence of molecular recognition, while shape and dimension of the substituents modulate the recognition itself. In particular, a marked recognition for analogs which were slightly bigger than the template was observed (N-benzyl-O-phenethylcarbamate: MIP1 α = 1.13, MIP2 α = 1.41, MIP3 α = 0.97; N-phenethyl-N-benzylcarbamate: MIP1 α = 1.61, MIP2 α = 1.17, MIP3 α = 0.81; N,O-diphenethylcarbamate: MIP1 α = 0.89, MIP2 α = 1.20, MIP3 α = 0.55).     

A new and effective route to (±)-botryodiplodin and (±)-epi-botryodiplodin acetates using a halogen atom transfer Ueno-Stork cyclization

(±)-Botryodiplodin and (±)-epi-botryodiplodin acetates were prepared in good yields following a practical four step route. The method, for the construction of the strategic tetrahydrofuran ring, hinged on an unprecedented halogen atom transfer Ueno-Stork cyclization of an O-allyl α,α-dihalohemiacetal acetate, catalyzed by the redox complex CuCl/N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine.     

Highly sensitive method for determination of N-nitrosamines using high-performance liquid chromatography with online UV irradiation and luminol chemiluminescence detection

A new method for the measurement of N-nitrosamines in part-per-trillion concentrations from water samples without preconcentration steps has been developed. This method is based on online UV irradiation after high-performance liquid chromatographic separation and subsequent luminol chemiluminescence detection without addition of an oxidant. It was confirmed that N-nitrosamines in basic aqueous solution were transformed to peroxynitrite by UV irradiation. The detection limits for this method were 1.5 ng/L, 2.9 ng/L, 3.0 ng/L, and 2.7 ng/L for N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosomorpholine, N-nitrosomethylethylamine, and N-nitrosopyrrolidine, respectively, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 5–1000 ng/L for these N-nitrosamines. This method was used for the determination of N-nitrosamines in tap water, river water, and industrial plant effluent samples. The recoveries of N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosomorpholine, N-nitrosomethylethylamine, and N-nitrosopyrrolidine present in tap water sample at a concentration of 10 ng/L (mean ± standard deviation, n = 4) were (94.8 ± 2.7)%, (102.0 ± 6.9)%, (99.3 ± 3.9)%, and (102.8 ± 2.5)%, respectively. These results indicate that our proposed method can be applied satisfactorily to the determination of N-nitrosamines in water samples.     

The anionic bulk polymerization of α-methylstyrene-II. Kinetic study of the propagation

A kinetic study of the anionic bulk polymerization of α-methylstyrene initiated with tert-butyllithium (t-BuLi) in presence of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) has been performed. Kinetic measurements have been carried out using dilatometry at 25° and 40° up to 37% conversion. The reactivity of the system is found to be a function of the ratio r = [TMEDA]/[t-BuLi]. The apparent rate constant decreases with increasing values of r for r < 1 and increases for r > 1. The results are explained by the presence of three different active species, viz. contact ion-pairs contact ion-pairs stretched solvated with a TMEDA molecule, ion-pairs stretched by nTMEDA molecules. When the temperature is raised to 62°, the active centres become unstable and cyclic oligomers are formed.