Multielemental analysis of food and agricultural matrixes by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

The suitability of quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for multielemental analysis of food following microwave closed vessel digestion of samples was evaluated in relation to analytical challenges presented by some major food and agricultural matrixes. Fifteen key analytes (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V, Zn) were determined in 9 reference materials representative of 3 major groups of staple foods (cereals, seafood, and meat). For all measurements, the method of external calibration was used and Rh was selected as internal standard. Matrix-induced interferences were evaluated for each material, and suitable methods to overcome them were applied. Spectral interferences caused by C, Cl, and Ca content of digestates were quantitated and corrected by entering a simple system of mathematical correction equations into the instrument software before each analytical run. Full mastering of interferences together with adoption of a series of measures to control the reliability of analytical measurements produced accurate results for all the analytes. A standard analytical protocol is outlined for the benefit of both research and routine high-throughput laboratories that perform ICP-MS analyses of food.     

Synthesis of 1,2-cis-Configurated Glycosylphosphonates

A synthesis of 1,2-cis-configurated, non-isosteric phosphonate analogues of aldose-1-phosphates is described. Treatment of 1-O-acyl-glycoses 1 , 7 , 13 , and 19 with trialkyl phosphite in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate gave the 1,2-cis-configurated glycosylphosphonates 2 , 4 , 8 , 10 , 14 , 16 , 20 , and 22 as the major anomers and the 1,2-trans-configurated glycosylphosphonates 3 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 15 , 17 , 21 , and 23 as the minor anomers. The 1,2-cis-configurated phosphonates 4 , 10 , 16 , and 22 were deprotected to give the (β-D -glucopyranosyl)phosphonate 6 , the (β-D -mannopyranosyl)phosphonate 12 , the (β-D -ribofuranosyl)phosphonate 18 , and the (β-D -arabinofuranosyl)phosphonate 24 , respectively, in high yields. The preferred formation of 1,2-cis-configurated phosphonates is explained by postulating an equilibrium between the anomeric phosphonium-salt intermediates (such as 25 and 26 ) and a stabilization of the cis-configurated salts through formation of a pentacoordinated species (such as 28 ).     

A convenient protocol for selective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides. Application to semisynthesis of the cyclic heptapeptide aza HUN-7293

A two-step protocol for the first chemoselective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides has been developed. Mesylation of the model substrate 2-(hydroxypropionylamino)-4-methylpentanoic acid methyl ester (11) followed by treatment with N-ethylthiourea (13) allows cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides under smooth conditions. Successful application of this methodology to the open-chain transesterification product 15 (methylester) of the cyclic heptadepsipeptide HUN-7293, a potent inhibitor of inducible cell adhesion molecule expression, delivered the corresponding hexapeptide 18 with unprotected N-terminus in 70-75% yield. This result demonstrates that the protocol developed even works in the presence of an ester and several methylated and unmethylated amide bonds. Finally, a sequence of ligation of methyl D-dehydroglutaminate (20) to the C-terminus of the saponification product 21, followed by the degradation protocol and ring closure, allowed chemical "point mutation" at the DGCN site affording the aza analogue of HUN-7293 (24) in 15% overall yield. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on chemoselective cleavage of 2-hydroxy acid amides.     

Di- and trinuclear Zn2+ complexes of calix[4]arene based ligands as catalysts of acyl and phosphoryl transfer reactions

The calix[4]arene scaffold, blocked in the cone conformation by proper alkylation of the lower rim hydroxyls, was used as a convenient molecular platform for the design of bi- and trimetallic Zn2+ catalysts. The catalytic activity of the Zn2+ complexes of calix[4]arenes decorated at the 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,2,3-positions of the upper rim with 2,6-bis[(dimethylamino)methyl]pyridine units were investigated in the cleavage of ester 6 and of the RNA model compound HPNP. High rate enhancements, up to 4 orders of magnitude, were observed in a number of catalyst-substrate combinations. Interestingly the order of catalytic efficiency among regioisomeric dinuclear complexes in the cleavage of ester 6 is 1,2-vicinal > 1,3-distal, but it is reversed in the reaction of HPNP. The higher efficiency of trinuclear compared to dinuclear complexes provides an indication of the cooperation of three Zn2+ ions in the catalytic mechanism.     

Nanoscale borromeates

[Structure: See text] In addition to a parent zinc(II) Borromean ring (BR) complex, the preparation and characterization of two hexasubstituted BR complexes with either 4-acetoxymethylphenyl or 4-methylthiophenyl substituents associated in turn with all six pyridyl rings has been achieved convergently in good yields by appealing to the dynamic features of the reactions between primary amino groups in a preformed acyclic ligand and 2,6-diformylpyridine. Two molecules of the acyclic ligands react with two molecules of 2,6-diformylpyridine to form a cyclic [2 + 2] tetraimine in the presence of Zn(II) ions as templates in 2-propanol at 70 degrees C. The successful preparation of the two derivatives by convergent template-directed syntheses opens up opportunities to self-assemble, under equilibrium control, numerous nanoscale metallo-organic particles with potentially useful properties.     

Proton-coupled electron transfer of flavodoxin immobilized on nanostructured tin dioxide electrodes: thermodynamics versus kinetics control of protein redox function

In this paper, we report a spectroelectrochemical investigation of proton-coupled electron transfer in flavodoxin D. vulgaris Hildenborough (Fld). Poly-L-lysine is used to promote the binding of Fld to the nanocrystalline, mesoporous SnO(2) electrodes. Two reversible redox couples of the immobilized Fld are observed electrochemically and are assigned by spectroelectrochemistry to the quinone/semiquinone and semiquinone/hydroquinone couples of the protein's flavin mononucleotide (FMN) redox cofactor. Comparison with control data for free FMN indicates no contamination of the Fld data by dissociated FMN. The quinone/semiquinone and semiquinone/hydroquinone midpoint potentials (E(q/sq) and E(sq/hq)) at pH 7 were determined to be -340 and -585 mV vs Ag/AgCl, in good agreement with the literature. E(q/sq) exhibited a pH dependence of 51 mV/pH. The kinetics of these redox couples were studied using cyclic voltammetry, cyclic voltabsorptometry, and chronoabsorptometry. The semiquinone/quinone reoxidation is found to exhibit slow, potential-independent but pH-sensitive kinetics with a reoxidation rate constant varying from 1.56 s(-)(1) at pH 10 to 0.0074 s(-)(1) at pH 5. The slow kinetics are discussed in terms of a simple kinetics model and are assigned to the reoxidation process being rate limited by semiquinone deprotonation. It is proposed that this slow deprotonation step has the physiological benefit of preventing the undesirable loss of reducing equivalents which results from semiquinone oxidation to quinone.     

Use of headspace capillary GC to study the development of volatile compounds in fresh fruit

The composition of volatile compounds produced by fruit during growth and post-harvest storage and ripening has been studied and the different headspace methods compared. Static and dynamic headspace sampling have been compared and evaluated according to their capacity to collect and concentrate volatiles from the atmosphere surrounding the fruits, and FID, MSD, and organoleptic detection have been compared. The results emphasize that the headspace sampling procedure selected is crucial to the performance of subsequent analysis.     

Partial Synthesis and Characterization of the Mono-and Diepoxides of β-Cryptoxanthin

β-Cryptoxanthin ( 1 ) was acetylated and then epoxidized with monoperoxyphthalic acid. After hydrolysis, repeated chromatography, and crystallization, (3S,5R,6S)-5,6-epoxy-β-cryptoxanthin ( 3 ), (3S,5S,6R)-5,6-epoxy-β-cryptoxanthin ( 4 ), (3R,5′R,6′R)-5′,6′-epoxy-β-cryptoxanthin ( 5 ), (3S,5R,6S,5′R,6′S)-5,6:5′,6′-diepoxy-β-cryp-toxanthin ( 6 ), and (3S,5S,6R,5′S,6′R)-5,6:5′,6′-diepoxy-β-cryptoxanthin ( 7 ) were isolated as main products and characterized by their UV/VIS, CD, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, and mass spectra. The comparison of the carotenoid isolated from yellow, tomato-shaped paprika (Capsicum annuum var. lycopersiciforme flavum) with 3–5 strongly supports the structure of 3 for the natural product.     

Determination of the Insect Repellent Bayrepel® in Pool and Lake Water by Gas Chromatography after Preconcentration with Solid-Phase Extraction and Stir-Bar-Sorptive Extraction

A method for the determination of the new insect repellent Bayrepel in bathing lakes and public pools is presented. Sample preconcentration is performed either by solid-phase extraction (SPE) or stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE). Analysis of the enriched analyte using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) led to almost identical limits of detection (LOD) of 25ngL^–1 for Bayrepel with both extraction methods. Because of the slightly reduced handling effort involved, the method based on preconcentration by SBSE was finally chosen for the analysis of real samples.     

Probing the Conformational Changes in the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of 2‐Acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐β‐D‐glucopyranosides

The isoquinuclidines 7 and 8 were synthesised and tested as inhibitors of hexosaminidases from jack beans and from bovine kidney. These isoquinuclidines mimick the ^1,4B‐conformer of a N‐acetyl‐glucosamine‐derived β‐d‐ glucopyranoside; they are competitive inhibitors with K_i values from 0.014 to 0.30 μM . The strong inhibition of these enzymes agrees with the hypothesis that the enzymatic hydrolysis of 2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosides proceeds via a boat‐like conformer with a pseudo‐axial scissile glycosidic bond and a pseudo‐axial acetamido substituent optimally oriented to effect an intramolecular substitution of the aglycon.