Investigation of reaction routes for direct conversion of glycerol over zirconia?Ciron oxide catalyst

Conversion of glycerol to useful chemicals was examined using a zirconia?Ciron oxide catalyst. An aqueous glycerol solution was used as feedstock, and the catalytic reaction was carried out in a fixed-bed flow reactor at 623?K under atmospheric pressure. Useful chemicals, for example propylene, allyl alcohol, carboxylic acids, and ketones, were obtained from the aqueous glycerol solution. The reaction was found to involve a series of consecutive reactions, with allyl alcohol and carboxylic acids as reaction intermediates which were converted to propylene and ketones, respectively. Moreover, the catalyst had high and stable activity in the reaction of a 50 wt% glycerol solution.     

On-line solid-phase extraction LC-MS/MS for the determination of Ac-SDKP peptide in human plasma from hemodialysis patients

We developed a high-throughput method based on on-line solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS) to determine N-terminal thymosin-β fragment peptide (N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline, Ac-SDKP) in human plasma samples. Quantification of Ac-SDKP was performed using direct injection for on-line SPE based on C(18), reversed-phase LC separation and stable isotope dilution electrospray ionization-MS/MS in multiple reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode. The Ac-SDKP-(13)C(6), (15)N(2) (m/z 496 → 137) was synthesized for the internal standard. The MRM ion for Ac-SDKP was m/z 488 → 129 (quantitative ion)/226. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantitation were 0.05 and 0.1 ng/mL in standard solution, respectively. Recovery values were 98.3-100.4% with inter-day (relative standard deviation, RSD, 0.4-14.1%) and intra-day (RSD, 0.8-19.7%) assays. This method was applied to the measurement of Ac-SDKP levels in plasma from hemodialyzed subjects. Concentrations were 0.59 ± 0.23 ng/mL (pre-hemodialyzed subjects, n = 9) and 0.44 ± 0.19 ng/mL (post-hemodialyzed subjects, n = 9). All plasma Ac-SDKP levels were decreased by dialysis. Thus, plasma Ac-SDKP was decreased through dialysis in chronic kidney disease. The findings in this study will be useful for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease with dialysis.     

Micro-Scale Extraction and Analysis of Intact Carboxylesterase after Trapping on an Immunoaffinity Membrane Surface

Porcine liver carboxylesterase was captured using an immunoaffinity membrane, which was prepared by separating an anti-porcine esterase antibody using non-denaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis, followed by transfer to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and staining. The activity of this esterase was 0.008 units after it was captured in the tiny spaces (4 mm²) of this membrane and eluted by rinsing with 5 μL of aspartic acid solution. The molecular mass of the eluted esterase was m/z 61,885 according to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry after the purification of this enzyme from the porcine liver cytosol. The purified enzyme’s activity was inhibited by 6,9-diamino-2-ethoxyacridine, and this inhibition was retained even after extracting the enzyme from the immunoaffinity membrane. These results indicate that micro-scale extraction and analysis of a carboxylesterase are possible when the enzyme is trapped using an immunoaffinity membrane and eluted with aspartic acid.     

A Core‐Expanded Subphthalocyanine Analogue with a Significantly Distorted Conjugated Surface and Unprecedented Properties

The introduction of a seven‐membered‐ring unit in the place of a five‐membered‐ring unit in the structure of subphthalocyanine resulted in significant distortion of the bowl‐shaped structure of the conjugated molecule as well as the following unprecedented properties: the preferential formation of the axially fluoro substituted species, the fluttering‐dynamic‐motion‐induced rapid exchange of P and M enantiomers, markedly split Q‐band absorption, and a clear difference in the ring‐current effects arising from the convex and concave surfaces.     

Synthesis of a hexacationic cyclophane and formation of EDA-type host–guest complexes

A polycationic cyclophane with six cationic sites (three 4,4′-bipyridinium cation units) supported by a rigid cyclic skeleton was synthesized. It formed electron donor–acceptor complexes with electron-rich compounds, and their inclusion properties with pyrene and calixresorcin[4]arene were studied.     

Quinolone analogues 8 [1‐6]. Synthesis of 3‐aminopyridazino‐[3,4‐b]quinoxalin‐4(lH)‐one

The 3‐amino‐1‐methylpyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxalin‐4(1H)‐one 6 and N‐(1,4‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐4‐oxopyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxalin‐3‐yl)carbamates 17a,b were synthesized from the 1,4‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐4‐oxopyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxa‐line‐3‐carboxylate 1b via the 1,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐1‐methylpyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3‐carbohydrazide 13b and then 1,4‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐4‐oxopyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3‐carboxazide 8 . Heating of compound 13b and arylalde‐hydes afforded the 1,4‐dihydro‐1‐methyl‐4‐oxopyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3‐carbo(2‐arylmethylene)hydrazides 14a‐d.     

Enhancement in the catalytic activity of Pd/USY in the heck reaction induced by H2 bubbling

Pd was loaded on ultra stable Y (USY) zeolites prepared by steaming NH(4)-Y zeolite under different conditions. Heck reactions were carried out over the prepared Pd/USY. We found that H? bubbling was effective in improving not only the catalytic activity of Pd/USY, but also that of other supported Pd catalysts and Pd(OAc)?. Moreover, the catalytic activity of Pd/USY could be optimized by choosing appropriate steaming conditions for the preparation of the USY zeolites; Pd loaded on USY prepared at 873 K with 100% H?O gave the highest activity (TOF = 61,000 h?1), which was higher than that of Pd loaded on other kinds of supports. The prepared Pd/USY catalysts were applicable to the Heck reactions using various kinds of substrates including bromo- and chloro-substituted aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds. Characterization of the acid properties of the USY zeolites revealed that the strong acid site (OH(strong)) generated as a result of steaming had a profound effect on the catalytic activity of Pd.