High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of molecular species of neutral phospholipids.

Molecular species of neutral phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), were resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using mobile phases of acetonitrile-methanol-water containing tetraalkylammonium phosphates (TAAPs). Competitive interactions of TAAPs and analyte solutes with a reversed-phase HPLC column resulted in reduced retention of PC or PE with concomitant increase in detection sensitivity. The chromatographic data for PC and PE were distinctly different from those for negatively charged phospholipids where ion-pair retention mechanisms prevailed. While PC (or PE) components eluted at longer retention times with a larger size of TAAP, an increase in the TAAP concentration invariably caused a decrease in phospholipid retention times. Optimization of HPLC conditions by using high concentrations (25-100 mM) of tetramethylammonium phosphate in acetonitrile-methanol-water (70:22:8) facilitated elution of components with improved peak symmetry. HPLC separations of neutral phospholipids derived from animal sources were more complex than those from soybeans.     

Characterization of Primary Action Mode of Eight Essential Oils and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Effect against Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Escherichia coli Inoculated in Turkey Meat

The current study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of eight essential oils (EOs) against multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains, producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes and isolated from foods. Disc-diffusion assay showed that the inhibition diameters generated by EOs varied significantly among the tested EOs and strains. In fact, EOs extracted from Thymus capitaus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Trachyspermum ammi and Mentha pulegium exerted an important antimicrobial effect against tested strains, with the diameters of inhibition zones varied between 20 and 27 mm. Moreover, minimal inhibition and bactericidal concentration (MIC and MBC) values demonstrated that T. capitatus EOs generate the most important inhibitory effect against E. coli strains, with MIC values ranging from 0.02 to 0.78%. Concerning the mode of action of T. capitatus EO, the obtained data showed that treatment with this EO at its MIC reduced the viability of E. coli strains, their tolerance to NaCl and promoted the loss of 260-nm-absorbing material. In addition, in the presence of T. capitatus EO, cells became disproportionately sensitive to subsequent autolysis. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of T. capitatus was evaluated against two E. coli strains, experimentally inoculated (10⁵ CFU/g) in minced turkey meat, in the presence of two different concentrations of EO (MIC and 2 × MIC), and stored for 15 days. In both samples, EO exerted a bacteriostatic effect in the presence of concentrations equal to MIC. Interestingly, at 2 × CMI concentration, the bactericidal activity was pronounced after 15 days of storage. Our results highlighted that the use of essential oils, specially of T. capitatus, to inhibit or prevent the growth of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli in food, may be a promising alternative to chemicals.     

Synthesis and binding properties of calix[4]arenes with [2 + 2'] mixed ligating functional groups

A series of mixed [2 + 2'] p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene have been synthesised by selective 1,3-dialkylation of phenolic groups using various alkylating agents such as benzyl bromide, methyl iodide, ethyl bromoacetate, and 2-methoxyethyl tosylate. The extraction and complexation properties of the synthesized calixarenes towards alkali and alkaline earth metal cations have been investigated in acetonitrile by means of UV spectrophotometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results show the formation of ML and/or ML2 species depending on the ligand and the cation. The enthalpies and entropies of complexation of alkali metal cations by a tetraglycol, diglycol-dibenzyl and diglycol-diester derivatives have been obtained from calorimetric measurements. The results revealed that the formation of ML species is controlled by enthalpy while the formation of ML2 from ML is entropy driven.     

Et3B-mediated palladium-catalyzed direct allylic substitution reactions of Morita–Baylis–Hillman alcohols with aromatic amines

An efficient, direct allylic amination of both cyclic and acyclic Morita–Baylis–Hillman alcohols with aromatic amines, in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at room temperature, catalyzed by Pd(0)/Et₃B, is reported herein. The corresponding amines are obtained with a high α -regioselectivity in 65–87% yields.     

Structure, thermal behavior, and IR investigations of (C6H9N2)H2PO4

Chemical preparation, X-ray single-crystal, thermal behavior, and IR spectroscopy studies of a new dihydrogenmonophosphate associated to an organic cation, the 3-(ammoniummethyl)pyridine dihydrogenmonophosphate (denoted as AMPP) are described. The AMPP crystallizes in the monoclinic system with P2₁/c space group. The unit cell dimensions are a = 5.8465(2) Å, b = 19.9776(9) Å, c = 7.3103(3) Å, = 90.848(3)° with V = 853.74(4) ų and Z = 4. The structure has been solved using direct method and refined to a reliability R factor of 0.0393. The structure of AMPP includes three types of hydrogen bonds. The first one, O H O, links the H₂PO₄ groups to form infinite inorganic chains [H₂PO₄]n ^n–, parallel to the c axis. The two other types, O H N and N H O assemble inorganic chains so as to build up a three-dimensional arrangement.     

Synthesis and Complexing Properties of Four New Tetraamido-type p-tert-Butyl Calix[4]arenes Presenting Two Proximal Binding Subunits

The synthesis of four new tetraamido-type p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenes presenting two proximal binding subunits is reported. Complexation of alkalimetals and zinc picrates with these ligands have been carried out and monitored by ¹H-NMR inCDCl₃. It is shown that hard cations are included in the tetraamido cavity while thezinc cation is chelated to the pyridine rings of one of the ligands. The formation of a 1:1:1heterobinuclear complex is also described     

Synthesis, 1H-NMR conformational analysis and complexation studies of two di-imidazolyl acetamido p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenes

The synthesis of a new di-imidazolyl-di-methoxy acetamido p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene 4 is reported. 4 has been prepared by reacting the corresponding di-methyl ester di-methoxy derivative with histamine in 1:1 mixture of methanol: toluene. The binding properties of 4 towards alkali, alkaline earth, transition (Zn²⁺, Co²⁺) and heavy (Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺) metals have been investigated along with the complexes stoichiometries. The ¹H-NMR spectra of complexes show the location of cations in receptor 4. Partial cone conformation is observed only with strontium and calcium whereas the cone conformation is detected with most of the cations. Comparison of the complexation results with those obtained for di-imidazolyl acetamido p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene 3 missing the methyl groups is also reported.     

Multi-calixarenes with multidentate coordination sites

Hyperbranched molecules, 4–8, based on calixarenes attached to newly synthesised cores 2 and 3 have been prepared. Preliminary complexation studies of the complexation of Zn(Pic)₂ by 8 showed that the ligand prefers to bind the picrate anions.     

Alkali metal ion complexes of functionalised calixarenes--competition between pendent arm and anion bonding to sodium

Determination of the crystal structure of the acetonitrile inclusate of the complex formed between sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate, CF3SO3-) and the narrow-rim functionalised calix[4]arene, 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di(phenylmethoxy)-26,28-di(2'-methoxyethoxy)calix[4]arene, has shown, somewhat unexpectedly, that the diether pendent arms do not chelate the sodium cation, although coordination of all four phenolic oxygen atoms does draw the calixarene into a nearly symmetrical cone form, consistent with conclusions drawn earlier from solution 1H NMR data. Crystals of C64H80O6.NaO3S.CF3.CH3CN obtained from acetonitrile solvent are monoclinic, C2/c, a structure determination at 'low' temperature (153 K) resolving several difficulties encountered in earlier attempts to analyse data acquired at approximately 295 K, and indicative of an interesting temperature dependence of substituent and anion orientations.