Formation of ionic liquid submicron particles. 1H and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies

We prepared novel ionic liquid submicron particles (ILSPs) in water by emulsifying the ionic liquid (IL) N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Pyr_12O1TFSI), which is immiscible with water, with the nonionic surfactants Tween 20 and Span 80. The mean particle size and zeta potential of the ILSPs were about 580?nm and ?30?mV, respectively. The ILSPs were characterized using ¹H and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods. The chemical shifts of the Pyr_12O1⁺ cation and TFSI^? anion in the ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectra of the ILSP suspension were consistent with those corresponding to pure Pyr_12O1TFSI. This indicated that most of the Pyr_12O1TFSI was still in the IL state in the ILSP suspension. In addition, ¹H–¹H nuclear Overhauser effect correlated spectroscopic measurements showed that the ILSP droplets contained Pyr_12O1TFSI in the neat IL steric state even in the ILSP suspension, and Pyr_12O1TFSI species localized in the droplet surfaces interacted with the hydrophobic acyl side chains of the surfactants. These NMR spectroscopic results show that the ILSPs formed an IL-in-water microemulsion in which droplets of neat Pyr_12O1TFSI were surrounded by the two surfactants, that is, Tween 20 and Span 80.     

Acetylated triterpene saponins from the Thai medicinal plant, Sapindus emarginatus

From the pericarps of Sapindus emarginatus (Sapindaceae), three new acetylated triterpene saponins were isolated together with hederagenin and five known triterpene saponins, as well as one known sweet acyclic sesquiterpene glycoside, mukurozioside IIb. The structures of new compounds were elucidated as hederagenin 3-O-(2-O-acetyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, 23-O-acetyl-hederagenin 3-O-(4-O-acetyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside and oleanolic acid 3-O-(4-O-acetyl-beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside by chemical and spectroscopic data.     

Non‐target environmental analysis by liquid chromatography/high‐resolution mass spectrometry with a product ion and neutral loss database

Despite the increasing detection of emerging substances in the environment, the identity of most are left unknown due to the lack of efficient identification methods. We developed a non‐target analysis method for identifying unknown substances in the environment by liquid chromatography/high‐resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) with a product ion and neutral loss database (PNDB). The present analysis describes an elucidation method with elemental compositions of the molecules, product ions, and corresponding neutral losses of the unknown substance: (1) with the molecular formula, possible molecular structures are retrieved from two chemical structure databases (PubChem and ChemSpider); then (2) with the elemental compositions of product ions and neutral losses, possible partial structures are retrieved from the PNDB; and finally, (3) molecular structures that match the possible partial structures are listed in order of number of hits. A molecular structure with a higher number of hits is more similar to the structure of the analyzed substance. The performance of the non‐target method was evaluated by simulated analysis of 150 LC/HRMS spectra registered in MassBank. First, all substances of the same mass data (41/41) and 68% (39/57) of the mass data of the same substances not registered in the PNDB were elucidated. It was demonstrated that 14% (7/52) and 31% (16/52) of the substances with no mass spectral data registered in the PNDB were obtained at the first and within the fifth place, respectively. Owing to the fact that 10 of the total hits occurred in product ions and neutral losses, almost 50% of the substances evaluated with this method were placed at the top 4 positions in the similarity ranking. Importantly, the proposed method is effective for analyzing mass spectral data that has not been registered in the PNDB and thus is expected to be used for a variety of non‐target analyses.     

480—Redox and adsorption behaviour of some redox coenzymes involved in an electron-transport chain studied by the electro-optical technique

The redox and adsorption behaviour of some redox coenzymes involved in an electron-transport chain, i.e. ubiquinone-10 (CoQ), flavocoenzymes [flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)] and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), has been studied at a gold electrode by cyclic voltammetry and specular reflectivity measurement. All the coenzymes investigated were found to participate in electron transport in adsorbed states on the electrode surface. Adsorbed CoQ and flavocoenzymes are reduced and the resulting products remain adsorbed at the surface. Contrary to them, adsorbed NAD⁺ is reduced and then desorbed immediately. Possible models for the surface orientation of adsorbed molecules were proposed based on the experimental data.Some analogies can be noted between the interfacial behaviour of these coenzymes at the electrode and that in mitochondria.     

Stabilization of lysozyme-incorporated polyion complex micelles by the omega-end derivatization of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(alpha,beta-aspartic acid) block copolymers with hydrophobic groups

To improve the stability of lysozyme-incorporated polyion complex (PIC) micelles in physiological condition, three types of hydrophobic groups, including phenyl (Phe), naphthyl (Nap), and pyrenyl (Py) terminal groups, were separately introduced to the omega-end of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(alpha,beta-aspartic acid) block copolymers (PEG-P(Asp)). The goal was to enhance association forces between the enzyme, lysozyme, and PEG-P(Asp) carriers. Introduction of these hydrophobic groups significantly decreases micellar critical association concentration and increases the micellar tolerability against increasing NaCl concentrations. Particularly, PIC micelles formed from PEG-P(Asp) with Py groups was most stable against increasing NaCl concentrations up to 0.1 M. Significant deviation from a spherical shape for the micelles was also observed for the PEG-P(Asp)-Py system, consistent with an increased association number.     

Aqua[N-(6-carboxylato-κO-pyridine-2-carbonyl-κN)-l-histidinato-κ2N,N′]copper(II)

The title compound, [Cu(C₁₃H₁₀N₄O₅)(H₂O)], is an asymmetric and pentacoordinated square-pyramidal copper(II) complex, with a water mol­ecule occupying an apical position. It consists of syn and anti isomers of the apical water mol­ecule with respect to the metal-free carboxyl group on the equatorial ligand. The crystal structure of this complex is a rare example of conformational isomerization, in which the two isomers cocrystallize in a 1:3 ratio of syn to anti mol­ecules in the same lattice.     

Classification of Japanese Pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.) from Different Growing Regions Based on Analysis of Volatile Compounds and Sensory Evaluation

The Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.) is an attractive plant that is highly palatable and benefits human health. There are several lineages of pepper plants in Japan. However, the classification of each lineage by analyzing its volatile compounds and studies on the effects of differences in volatile compounds on human flavor perception have not been performed in detail. Herein, we conducted gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of volatile compounds and sensory evaluation of flavor by an analytical panel using 10 commercially available dry powdered Japanese pepper products from different regions. GC and GC/MS analysis detected limonene, β-phellandrene, citronellal, and geranyl acetate as the major volatile compounds of Japanese peppers. The composition of volatile compounds showed different characteristics depending on the growing regions, and cluster analysis of composition classified the products into five groups. The sensory evaluation classified the products into four groups, and the results of both classifications were in good agreement. Our results provide an important basis for proposing cooking and utilization methods that take advantage of the unique characteristics of each lineage based on scientific evidence.     

Matrix polycondensation through hydrogen bonding interaction

Polycondensation of diesters having hydroxyl or pyridine groups was carried out with hexamethylenediamine (HMD) in the presence of (vinyl alcohol/vinyl acetate) copolymers as a matrix polymer. Apparent rates of the polycondensation of dimethyl tartrate (DMT) with HMD increased with increasing contents of PVA units in the copolymers and a strong entanglement between growing polyamide chains and PVA copolymers took place through the adsorption of HMD and DMT on the matrix copolymers. 2,6-Dimethyl pyridine dicarboxylate (2,6-DMP) reacted with HMD in the presence of the PVA copolymers or polysaccharide, while the rate enhancement effect of the matrix polymers was not significantly observed, as in the case of DMT. The effect of the matrix polymers on the polycondensation was discussed in terms of hydrogen bonding interactions.