New trans–β–bergamotene derivatives in the root and the flower essential oils of Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H. Rob. from Côte d’Ivoire

Root and flower essential oils of Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H. Rob. (Synonym Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.) (Asteraceae) collected in Southern Côte d’Ivoire was investigated using a combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The root oil composition was dominated by trans–β–bergamotene (20.7%), β–elemene (19.0%), cyperene (10.6%), germacrene A (7.1%) and β–pinene (3.8%), whereas γ–humulene (31.0%), (E)–β–caryophyllene (17.0%), trans–β–bergamotene (7.7%), β–pinene (7.5%) and (E)–β–farnesene (6.0%) were the major components of flower oil. Two new compounds bearing the trans–β–bergamotene framework were identified: trans–β–bergamotenone and (E)–trans–β–bergamotenol.     

Carbon-13 Chemical Shift Assignment of β-Cedrene and Some Derivatives

Carbon-13 NMR spectral assignments have been obtained for β-cedrene and three derivatives: β-cedren-9-ol, its acetate and β-cedren-9-one, by combination of two-dimensional NMR techniques and shift reagent experiment.     

A New Route for the Synthesis of Alkali Polyphosphate from Economical Starting Materials: Preparation and Characterization of Sodium Cyclotriphosphate

Abstract

Thermal synthesis of sodium cyclotriphosphate (SCTP) – Na₃P₃O₉ was investigated in the temperature range of 150 °C to 750 °C using sodium chloride (NaCl) and 85 wt% orthophosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) as economical starting materials. Reaction temperature had a crucial impact on the chloride elimination rate and the formation of SCTP. The best result was obtained at 600 °C with 96% of elimination of the initial chloride as hydrochloric acid and 84% of selectivity in SCTP. At lower temperatures, residual chloride contents were high. At higher temperatures (650 °C and 750 °C), SCTP was melted and transformed into glassy products.     

A New Route for the Synthesis of Alkali Polyphosphate from Economical Starting Materials: Part II—Influence of Reaction Conditions

Abstract

Direct synthesis of sodium cyclotriphosphate, Na₃P₃O₉ (SCTP), from sodium chloride and orthophosphoric acid as economical starting materials was investigated. Reaction conditions including the heating rate, reaction plateau time, air flow rate, and Na/P molar ratio were found to be key parameters for the elimination of chloride and for the selectivity in SCTP. High yields in SCTP (94–99%) were obtained. The results are very interesting with respect to a potential industrial application for the synthesis of SCTP from point of view of the low cost of the starting materials.     

Identification and quantitative determination of lignans in Cedrus atlantica resins using 13C NMR spectroscopy

Identification and quantitative determination of individual components of resin collected on the trunk of 28 Cedrus atlantica trees, grown in Corsica, has been carried out using 13C NMR spectroscopy. Eight resin acids bearing either the pimarane or abietane skeleton, two monoterpene hydrocarbons and four oxygenated neutral diterpenes have been identified, as well as three lignans, scarcely found in resins. Three groups could be distinguished within the 28 resin samples. The nine samples of Group I had their composition dominated by diterpene acids (33.7-45.8%), with abietic acid (6.2-18.7%) and isopimaric acid (5.1-12.6%) being the major components. The four samples of Group II contained resin acids (main components) and lignans in moderate amounts (up to 10.3%). Conversely, lignans (38.8-63.8%) were by far the major components of the 15 samples of Group III. Depending on the sample, the major component was pinoresinol (18.1-38.9%), lariciresinol (17.2-33.7%) or lariciresinol 9'-acetate (16.9-29.1%). Finally, due to the high biological interest in lignans, a rapid procedure, based on 1H NMR spectroscopy, was developed for quantification of lignans in resins of C. atlantica.     

Chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial parts of two Malagasy endemic species (Apiaceae): Billburttia capensoides Sales & Hedge and Billburttia vaginoides Sales & Hedge

The chemical composition of twenty-five essential oil samples from the aerial parts of two Malagasy endemic species Billburttia capensoides Sales & Hedge and B. vaginoides Sales & Hedge, were investigated for the first time. Based on chromatographic profiles, three selected samples were investigated using GC(RI), GC-MS and ¹³C NMR. The content of the main components varied drastically from sample to sample: p-mentha-1,3,8-triene (0.2–52.7%), terpinolene (2.8–40.7%) and dill apiole (0.0–22.2%). Statistical analysis of the 25 oil compositions allowed the distinction of two well-differentiated groups. Samples of group I contained mainly p-mentha-1,3,8-triene while the Group II was dominated by terpinolene and dill apiole.     

Capillary electrophoresis,high‐performance liquid chromatography,and thin‐layer chromatography analyses of phenolic compounds from rapeseed plants and evaluation of their antioxidant activity

Rapeseed plants, known for oil production, are also known to contain phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, with potential antioxidant and anticancer activities. The separation and identification of 11 phenolic acids in rapeseed extracts (including leaves, flowers, Chinese seeds, Belgian seeds, and cake) by capillary electrophoresis were investigated. The results were compared with those obtained with high‐performance liquid chromatography and thin‐layer chromatography and showed that the capillary electrophoresis technique offers several advantages for the identification of phenolic compounds in various rapeseed extracts. The antioxidant activity of rapeseed extracts and reference compounds was evaluated using four different approaches, namely, 2,2′‐azinobis‐ (3‐ethylbenzohiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid assay, free radical 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assay, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and the measurement of the total polyphenol content. The contents of total polyphenols in the tested extracts were ranging between 5.4 and 21.1% m/m and ranked as follows: Chinese seeds ? Belgian seeds ? Flowers ? Cake ? Leaves.     

Backward supercontinuum emission from a filament generated by ultrashort laser pulses in air

Backward emission of the supercontinuum from a light filament induced by high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses propagating in air has been observed to be enhanced compared with linear Rayleigh-Mie scattering. This enhancement is interpreted as a nonlinear scattering process onto longitudinal refractive-index changes induced by the laser pulse itself. The spectral dependence of the supercontinuum angular distribution is also investigated.     

Quantification of taxanes in a leaf and twig extract from Taxus baccata L. using 13C NMR spectroscopy

In the course of our ongoing work on the chemical characterization of Taxus baccata L. growing wild in Corsica, we have developed and validated a method for direct quantification of taxane derivatives by ¹³C NMR using 10‐deacetylbaccatin III as reference compound and 1,6‐hexanediol as internal standard. We have observed good accuracy (relative errors between 0.3% and 3.5%), linearity (R² = 0.999) and precision (reproducibility 8.5 mg ± 1.1%) of the measurements. The experimental procedure was applied to the quantification of six identified taxanes in a fraction of chromatography of a methanol extract of T. baccata leaves. This method can be applied to other compounds bearing the taxane skeleton. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.