Gas phase chemistry of the 2-tert-butyl-3-phenylphosphirenylium cation: novel onium ions by nucleophilic attack at phosphorus and de novo P-spiro bicyclic phosphonium ions via [4 + 2+] cycloaddition with dienes

The 2-tert-butyl-3-phenylphosphirenylium ion 13 is formed in abundance in the gas phase from 1-chloro-1H-phosphirene 6 upon 70 eV electron ionization. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) and ion-molecule reactions followed by CID of the product ions were performed via pentaquadrupole mass spectrometry to probe the structure and reactivity of 13 towards representative nucleophiles and dienes. Under CID conditions, 13 produces a variety of fragment ions mainly via dissociation processes that are preceded by isomerizations. In ion-molecule reactions, 13 reacts readily with ethers, sulfides, pyridine and aniline to form hitherto unknown oxonium, sulfonium and azonium ions via nucleophilic attack at phosphorus. With butadiene, isoprene, 1-acetoxybutadiene, and with Danishefsky's diene (1-methoxy-3-silyloxybuta-1,3-diene), 13 undergoes [4 + 2+] cycloaddition at phosphorus to generate novel P-spiro bicyclic phosphonium ions. With butadiene and isoprene, a second [4 + 2] cycloaddition occurs which generates P-spiro tricyclic phosphonium ions. Whereas 13 also reacts readily with 1-acetoxybutadiene via[4 + 2+] cycloaddition, most of the nascent P-spiro cycloadducts are unstable and dissociate by the loss of either a neutral ketene or acetic acid molecule. B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations were performed to gain insight into the structures of the product ions. The present study constitutes the first successful attempt to unravel the chemistry of 13, a unique 2 pi-Hückel phosphirenylium ion for which no direct solution chemical reactivity data are as yet available. The present findings also create a parallel with the solution reactivity of 1-halo-1H-phosphirenes and 1-triflato-1H-phosphirenes as precursors to phosphirenylium ions.     

Synthesis and Structural Studies of 4-Thioxopyrimidines with Antimicrobial Activities

Summary. This work describes a two-step, one-pot synthetic method for the formal aza-[3 + 3] cycloaddition between N-alkyl substituted enaminones and benzoyl isothiocyanate, which afforded 4-thioxopyrimidines in reasonable yields. Reaction of acyclic enaminone with a sterically hindered group attached to the nitrogen atom afforded pyridine-2-thione, yet in low yield. The antibacterial, antifungal, and trypanocidal activities of the thioxopyrimidines were evaluated and five compounds exhibited moderate activity against Candida albicans, Micrococcus luteus, and Trypanosoma cruzi. The solid state structures of a thioxopyrimidine, an organic disulfide, and a 1,2,4-triazole were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Sensor film for Vitamin C determination based on absorption properties of polyaniline

An analytical method based on the absorption changes of chemically polymerised polyaniline at 700 nm is proposed for the determination of Vitamin C. Vitamin C produces a polyaniline film reduction, originating changes in its absorbance proportional to the Vitamin C concentration. The optimum reaction conditions and the analytical characteristics have been studied. The linear response of the method ranged from 0.10 to 1.0 mg l⁻¹ for a 6 min reaction time and from 1.0 to 8.0 mg l⁻¹ for a 2 min reaction time. Reproducibility, expressed as the coefficient of variation, was 0.8% (6 min reaction time) and 2.3% (2 min reaction time) (n = 10). The method has been applied to Vitamin C determination in pharmaceutical preparations and commercial fruit juices. The results were compared with those obtained by the 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol titration method (the AOAC Official Method) and no systematic errors were observed.     

Application of new high-performance liquid chromatography and solid-phase extraction materials to the analysis of pesticides in human urine

A method for the simultaneous determination of diuron and linuron pesticides in human urine was developed, using both solid-phase extraction (SPE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) phases made in our own laboratory. These materials were prepared by sorption of polysiloxanes onto a silica surface, followed by immobilization. The HPLC columns were prepared from poly(methyloctylsiloxane), PMOS, immobilized onto silica with microwave radiation while the SPE cartridges where made with poly(methyloctadecylsiloxane), immobilized thermally. Method validation was performed for diuron and linuron for three fortification levels. The recoveries obtained were 85-103%, the inter- and intra-assay precisions were less than 1.6 and 1.8%, respectively. The limits of quantitation and detection for diuron were 2.4 and 8.0 microg/l and for linuron were 5.0 and 12 microg/l, respectively.     

Voltammetric determination of isoprenaline in pharmaceutical preparations using a copper(II) hexacyanoferrate(III) modified carbon paste electrode

The electroanalytical determination of isoprenaline in pharmaceutical preparations of a homemade carbon paste electrode modified with copper(II) hexacyanoferrate(III) (CuHCF) was studied by cyclic voltammetry. Several parameters were studied for the optimization of the sensor such as electrode composition, electrolytic solution, pH effect, potential scan rate and interferences in potential. The optimum conditions were found in an electrode composition (in mass) of 15% CuHCF, 60% graphite and 25% mineral oil in 0.5 mol l⁻¹ acetate buffer solution at pH 6.0. The analytical curve for isoprenaline was linear in the concentration range from 1.96×10⁻⁴ to 1.07×10⁻³ mol l⁻¹ with a detection limit of 8.0×10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹. The relative standard deviation was 1.2% for 1.96×10⁻⁴ mol l⁻¹ isoprenaline solution (n=5). The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of isoprenaline in pharmaceutical preparations; the CuHCF modified carbon paste electrode gave comparable results to those results obtained using a UV spectrophotometric method.     

New evidence on the regiochemistry of the tert-butyldiphenylsilylcupration of allene using the silylcuprate or silylcopper reagent

The regiochemistry in the tert-butyldiphenylsilylcupration of the allene depends on the temperature and also on the nature of the electrophile. Thus, the intermediate generated by addition of the silylcuprate at −78°C reacted with electrophiles to give allylsilanes, except with oxo compounds which afforded vinylsilanes. On the other hand, the silylcopper reagent was added at −40°C leading, in all cases, to the corresponding allylsilanes. When enones were used as electrophile the vinylsilanes were the 1,2-addition products and the allylsilanes those from 1,4-addition. These functionalized vinyl or allyl tert-butyldiphenylsilanes are interesting synthons for the preparation of conjugated tert-butyldiphenylsilyltrienes and functionalized exocyclic alkylidenecyclopentenes.     

Pungency evaluation of onion cultivars from the Venezuelan West-Center region by flow injection analysis-UV-visible spectroscopy pyruvate determination

A flow injection analysis (FIA) method was developed for the determination of pyruvate in onion cultivars (Allium cepa L.) from the West-Center region of Venezuela. The reference Schwimmer and Weston (1961) (J. Agric. Food Chem. 9 (1961) 301) Batch method was modified and adapted to FIA conditions. The formation kinetic of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)–pyruvate complex was evaluated at room temperature and at 37 °C. It was demonstrated the suitability of the chromopher formation at room temperature. The optimal values for the FIA parameters were: sample injection volume 3 mL, flow rate 6 mL min⁻¹, reactor length 1.5 m, sodium hydroxide concentration 1.0 mol L⁻¹ and hydrochloric acid concentration 0.5 mol L⁻¹. The working calibration range was extended from 80 mg L⁻¹ (Batch method) to 700 mg L⁻¹ with the FIA set up. The sample dilution step is thus avoided, simplifying the whole analysis process. The pungency in representative samples of the cultivars Yellow granex 438, Ultra Hybrid and Red onion “Sangre de Toro” was evaluated by the flow injection analysis (FIA)–pyruvate method and the results were compared to the reference Batch pyruvate method and to the taste panel test. Non-significant differences were found at the 95% of confidence level between the FIA method and the Batch reference method. Correlation coefficient when comparing the FIA results to the taste panel test was r² = 0.8353. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in the pungency of the cultivars, the Ultra Hybrid having the highest pungency. The pungency order from minor to major was: Red onion, Texas Grano 438 and Ultra Hybrid.     

Formation of substituted N-oxide hydroxyquinolines from o-nitrophenyl Baylis-Hillman adduct: a new key intermediate intercepted by ESI-(+)-MS(/MS) monitoring

A new mechanistic proposal on the formation of N-oxide hydroxyquinolines from BH adducts based on the interception by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of a new key o-trifluoroacetylated intermediate.     

Energy decompositions according to physical space partitioning schemes

This work describes simple decompositions of the energy of molecular systems according to schemes that partition the three-dimensional space. The components of those decompositions depend on one and two atomic domains thus providing a meaningful chemical information about the nature of different bondings among the atoms which compose the system. Our algorithms can be applied at any level of theory (correlated or uncorrelated wave functions). The results reported here, obtained at the Hartree-Fock level in selected molecules, show a good agreement with the chemical picture of molecules and require a low computational cost in comparison with other previously reported decompositions.     

Templated conversion of a crown ether-containing macrobicycle into [2]rotaxanes

A crown ether-containing macrobicycle was used as the wheel component in a templated synthesis of a [2]rotaxane with an acetal-containing axle. The molecular structures of the macrobicycle and the [2]rotaxane were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The chloride-binding ability of the macrobicycle, either free in solution or when it is part of a [2]rotaxane, is quite weak as determined by NMR titration experiments. A second analogous [2]rotaxane, with a longer axle, was synthesized, and its solvent-dependent co-conformation was characterized by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The position of the wheel along the axle can be controlled by the solvent polarity, however, attempts to use metal cations such as Na(+), K(+), Ba(2+), and Ag(+) to switch the wheel position in polar solvents were unsuccessful.