High facial diastereoselectivity in intra- and intermolecular reactions of chiral benzylic cations

Chiral carbenium ions can be attacked by arene nucleophiles with high facial diastereoselectivity (dr >/= 94/6). Benzylic cations, such as 2, were generated under acidic conditions and reacted with arenes in intra- and intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. The depicted reaction 1 --> 3 represents one example for the unprecedented, highly diastereoselective intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions which were observed in this study.     

Chemical behavior of the biradicaloid (HO...ONO) singlet states of peroxynitrous acid. The oxidation of hydrocarbons, sulfides, and selenides

Various high levels of theory have been applied to the characterization of two higher lying biradicaloid metastable singlet states of peroxynitrous acid. A singlet minimum (cis-2) was located that had an elongated O-O distance (2.17 A) and was only 12.2 kcal/mol [UB3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)+ZPVE] higher in energy than its ground-state precursor. A trans-metastable singlet (trans-2) was 10.9 kcal/mol higher in energy than ground-state HO-ONO. CASSCF(12,10)/6-311+G(d,p) calculations predict the optimized geometries of these cis- and trans-metastable singlets to be close to those obtained with DFT. Optimization of cis- and trans-2 within the COSMO solvent model suggests that both exist as energy minima in polar media. Both cis- and trans-2 exist as hydrogen bonded complexes with several water molecules. These collective data suggest that solvated forms of cis-2.3H(2)O and trans-2.3H(2)O represent the elusive higher lying biradicaloid minima that were recently (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 16204) advocated as the metastable forms of peroxynitrous acid (HOONO). The involvement of metastable trans-2 in the gas phase oxidation of methane and isobutane is firmly established to take place on the unrestricted [UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)] potential energy surface (PES) with classical activations barriers for the hydrogen abstraction step that are 15.7 and 5.9 kcal/mol lower than the corresponding activation energies for producing products methanol and tert-butyl alcohol formed on the restricted PES. The oxidation of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl selenide, two-electron oxidations, proceeds by an S(N)2-like attack of the heteroatom lone pair on the O-O bond of ground-state peroxynitrous acid. No involvement of metastable forms of HO-ONO was discernible.     

Dimethylformamide as a carbon monoxide source in fast palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylations of aryl bromides

Dimethylformamide (DMF) acts as an efficient source of carbon monoxide and dimethylamine in the palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation (Heck carbonylation) of p-tolyl bromide to provide the dimethylamide. Addition of amines to the reaction mixture in excess delivers the corresponding aryl amides in good yields. The amines employed, benzylamine, morpholine, and aniline, all constitute good reaction partners. The reaction proceeds smoothly with bromobenzene and more electron-rich aryl bromides, but electron-deficient aryl bromides fail to undergo aminocarbonylation. The reactions are conducted at 180-190 degrees C for 15-20 min with microwave heating in a reaction mixture containing imidazole and potassium tert-butoxide: the latter is required to promote decomposition of the DMF solvent at a suitable rate. The beneficial effects of controlled microwave irradiation as an energy source for the rapid heating of the carbonylation reaction mixture are demonstrated. The carbonylation procedure reported herein, which relies on the in situ generation of carbon monoxide, serves as a convenient alternative to other carbonylation methods and is particularly applicable to small-scale reactions where short reaction times are desired and the direct use of carbon monoxide gas is impractical.     

A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantification of specific organophosphorus pesticide biomarkers in human urine

Organophosphorus pesticides are commonly used in both agricultural and residential settings. The widespread use of these chemicals makes it almost impossible for humans to avoid exposure. In order to determine background human exposure, there is a need for fast, reliable, and sensitive analytical methods. We have developed a sensitive method to quantify specific biomarkers of the organophosphorus pesticides acephate, azinphos, chlorpyrifos, coumaphos, diazinon, isazofos, malathion, methamidophos, parathion and pirimiphos or their O,O-dimethyl analogues in human urine, as their selective metabolites or as the intact pesticide. Isotopically labeled internal standards were used for eight of the analytes. The use of labeled internal standards in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry provided a high degree of specificity. Repeated analysis of urine samples fortified with high and low concentrations of the analytes gave relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 10% for the analytes with an isotopically labeled standard. Analytes without isotopically labeled standards had higher RSD. For all compounds except methamidophos and acephate, the recoveries were greater than 70%. The limits of quantification for most of the analytes were in the range of 0.1 to 1 ng/mL. We detected concentrations of most of these pesticides and/or their metabolites in urine samples from non-occupationally exposed persons using our method. Our frequencies of detection for the analytes measured ranged from 1% to 98%.     

Synthetic studies directed towards asmarines; construction of the tetrahydrodiazepinopurine moiety by ring closing metathesis

Asmarines are tetrahydro[1,4]diazepino[1,2,3-g,h]purine derivatives isolated from marine sponges (Raspailia sp). They possess profound cytotoxic activity towards cancer cell lines, and are thus attractive synthetic targets. The tetrahydrodiazepinopurine ring skeleton has been prepared employing the RCM reaction on Boc-protected 6-allylamino-7-(propen-1-yl)purine as the key step for the construction of the seven-membered ring. 7-(Propen-1-yl)purines were formed by a novel rearrangement of 7-allylpurines under basic conditions. Boc-protected N⁶,7-diallylpurine also participated in RCM to give the eight-membered ring analog of the diazepinopurine.     

Resolution of seven-coordinate complexes

The crystal structures of [Pr(dbm)3H2O] (1), [Sm(dbm)3H2O] (2), and [Er(dbm)3H2O] (3) have been determined (dbm=dibenzoylmethane). They display seven-coordinate propeller-shaped molecules, which are chiral and crystallize as conglomerates in space group R3. Analysis of the crystal structures reveals supramolecular interactions, including formation of a quadruple helix, which explain how stereochemical information can be transferred between stacks of molecules. A method to quantify the ee in bulk samples of stereochemically labile compounds by using solid-state CD spectroscopy is described. Using this method, it has been shown that compounds 1-3 undergo total spontaneous resolution directly after synthesis, forming a microcrystalline reaction product that is essentially enantiopure. The resolution of bulk quantities of seven-coordinate complexes (without chiral or polydentate ligands) is thus reported for the first time. Because the crystallization starts without seeding, the overall preparation may be regarded as absolute asymmetric synthesis.     

Evaluations of solid electrodes for use in voltammetric monitoring of heavy metals in samples from metallurgical nickel industry

Evaluation of different solid electrode systems for detection of zinc, lead, cobalt, and nickel in process water from metallurgical nickel industry with use of differential pulse stripping voltammetry has been performed. Zinc was detected by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) on a dental amalgam electrode as intermetallic Ni–Zn compound after dilution in ammonium buffer solution. The intermetallic compound was observed at –375 mV, and a linear response was found in the range 0.2–1.2 mg L^–1 (r²=0.98) for 60 s deposition time. Simultaneous detection of nickel and cobalt in the low g L^–1 range was successfully performed by use of adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) of dimethylglyoxime complexes on a silver–bismuth alloy electrode, and a good correlation was found with corresponding AAS results (r²=0.999 for nickel and 0.965 for cobalt). Analyses of lead in the g L^–1 range in nickel-plating solution were performed with good sensitivity and stability by DPASV, using a working electrode of silver together with a glassy carbon counter electrode in samples diluted 1:3 with distilled water and acidified with H₂SO₄ to pH 2. A new commercial automatic at-line system was tested, and the results were found to be in agreement with an older mercury drop system. The stability of the solid electrode systems was found to be from one to several days without any maintenance needed.     

Advances in 14 MeV neutron activation analysis by means of a new intense neutron source

A new intense 14 MeV neutron generator with cylindrical acceleration structure has been put in operation at the GKSS Research Center Geesthacht. The sealed neutron tube is combined with a fast pneumatic rabbit system with particular capabilities for neutron activation analysis involving shortlived reaction products. The sample transfer time is less than 140 ms. The maximum neutron flux available for activation is 5.2·10¹⁰ n/cm²s. Theoretical sensitivity predictions made in a previous study have been verified for some important trace elements. As a first application, samples of freeze-dried suspended matter and fishes of the Elbe river were analyzed.     

Enhanced selectivity in Novozym 435 catalyzed kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols and butanoates caused by the (R)-alcohols

In esterifications of secondary alcohols catalyzed by immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (Novozym 435) the E-values decreased during the reaction. Hydrolysis of the corresponding butanoates showed the opposite effect. When an enantiopure (R)-alcohol, related but different, was added to the transesterification reaction, the E-value was significantly enhanced.     

On-line coupling of supercritical fluid extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of explosives in vapour phases

An investigation into the selectivity of an iminodiacetic acid (IDA) modified silica gel column for transition and heavy metal ions using non-chelating inorganic eluents has been carried out. A number of eluent parameters were investigated to determine the exact retention mechanism taking place and to control selectivity. The parameters studied were eluent ionic strength and the nature of the inorganic salt used, eluent pH and eluent temperature. The results obtained showed how despite certain metal ions exhibiting similar stability constants with the bonded IDA groups, careful control of each of the above parameters, in particular eluent chloride ion concentration and eluent temperature, could result in large changes in selectivity. Optimal conditions for the isocratic and gradient separation of Mg(II), Ca(II), Mn(II), Cd(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) were determined. An isocratic method using a 0.035 M KCl, 0.065 M KNO3 (pH 2.5) eluent was successfully applied to the determination of Mn(II), Cd(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) at concentrations between 20 and 121 microg/l in a freshwater certified reference material (NIST 1640).