Comparison of two dosage regimens of the substrate for the [13C]methacetin breath test

The [¹³C]methacetin breath test ([¹³C]MBT) – a valuable non-invasive tool dedicated to the assessment of the liver metabolic capacity – still needs standardisation. The aim of this study was to check whether currently used dosage regimens of [¹³C]methacetin provide concordant [¹³C]MBT results in subjects with an atypical body constitution. Healthy volunteers: low body mass<55 kg (eight women), and high body mass>95 kg (eight large body frame men) were recruited. They underwent [¹³C]MBT on separate days, taking in random order [¹³C]methacetin: a fixed 75 mg dose (FX75), or a 1 mg kg^?1 body mass-adjusted dose (BMAD). Samples of expiratory air for ¹³CO₂ measurement were collected over 3 h. The maximum momentary ¹³C elimination in breath air occurred earlier and was higher following BMAD than with FX75 in the low body mass females (T _max 14.6±1.0 min vs. 22.1±2.4 min, p=0.019; D _max 41.9±2.9 % dose h^?1 vs. 36.6±3.6 % dose h^?1, p=0.071). In the high body mass men, T _max remained unchanged, whereas D _max was slightly higher with BMAD compared to FX75 (21.5±3.2 min vs. 23.0±3.0 min; 38.5±2.9 % dose h^?1 vs. 32.3±2.5 % dose h^?1). It is concluded that in subjects with a body constitution outside the general population average, the dosage of the substrate may affect some results of the [¹³C]MBT. The dosage-related differences appear, however, to be insignificant if the result of the [¹³C]MBT is reported as a cumulative ¹³C recovery in breath air.     

Synthesis of trans-A2B2-porphyrins bearing phenylethynyl substituents

Efficient and convenient conditions for the preparation of trans-A(2)B(2)-porphyrins bearing two phenylethynyl moieties directly from phenylpropargyl aldehydes and dipyrromethanes of diversified lipophilicity and reactivity have been developed. This new procedure allows the preparation of a library of porphyrins of this architecture with a wide range of substituents. Thanks to the identification of the reagent solubility as one of the key factors influencing the yield of the porphyrinogens, we were able to improve yields to ca. 30%. The scope and limitations of two sets of conditions have been explored. The methodological advantage of this approach is its straightforward access to building blocks and the formation of the porphyrin core in the last step without the need for deprotection of the triple bond or bromination and consecutive coupling reaction, which often demands copper salts to proceed smoothly, especially with electron-deficient alkyne partners. Therefore, it prevents undesired copper porphyrin formation, as well as the need for utilizing expensive alkynes. A two-step method for the preparation of phenylpropargyl aldehydes has also been refined.     

Products of the reactions of sparteine-2-thione with CuBr2 in protic and aprotic solvents

Reactions of copper(II) bromide with racemic sparteine-2-thione (SSp) in a 1:1 M ratio yielded two new complexes, whose structures depend on the solvent used. In acetonitrile, the reaction product is a sulfur-bridged dinuclear [CuBr₂(μ-SSp)]₂ complex (1) in which sparteine-2-thione acts as a bridging S-ligand, while in methanol it is a CuBr₂ complex (2) with sparteine deprived of the A-ring. Compound 1 crystallizes as an acetonitrile solvate in a 1:2 ratio and constitutes one of a few Cu(II) doubly bridged heterocyclic thionato complexes. The disorder of the C/D bisquinolizidine fragment in the crystal of 1 reflects the ease of the conversion from the common trans boat-chair to the unprecedented cis chair-boat stereoisomer. Obtained in methanol, the sparteine surrogate (Sp(surr)), is equally effective as a chelating ligand as sparteine and its isomers, and thus can be used as an alternative diamine ligand in metal complexation. Metal coordination with Sp(surr) brings the diamine nitrogens much closer together than in any other sparteine metal complexes.     

From four to five and six coordinated sparteine and α-isosparteine mononuclear Cu(II) complexes through the carboxylate donors

Cu[(C₁₅H₂₆N₂)(OCOR)₂] complexes, where OCO is a fragment of either formato or acetato group and C₁₅H₂₆N₂ is sparteine or α-isosparteine have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The bis-formato complexes (1 and 2) display a distorted 4 + 1 coordination resulting from variable metal binding stereochemistry and function of the two formato units. The syn formato group acts as a pseudochelating bidentate while the anti conformer as a monodentate ligand. This inequivalence of the two formate ligands seems deliberate for it allows formation of the stabilizing intramolecular hydrogen bond between the CH donor belonging to the monodentate formate ligand and equatorially coordinated oxygen atom belonging to the pseudo-chelating formate ligand. At variance, the C₂ symmetrical bis-acetato complex (3) displays tetragonally elongated octahedral geometry of the CuN₂O₂O′O′ with long off-axis coordination of the second O atom from each acetate ligand in the axial position.Complexes 1-3 have been also characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis and MS spectroscopy.     

Electron ionization mass spectral study of oxo- and thio derivatives of minor tobacco alkaloids

The electron-ionization mass spectra (EI-MS) of oxo- and thio-derivatives of minor tobacco alkaloids and structurally similar piperidine alkaloids, i.e. thiocotinine (1), 2'-oxo-N-methylanabasine (2), 2'-thio-N- methylanabasine (3), 2'-oxoanabasamine (4) and 2'-thioanabasamine (5) are discussed and general fragmentation routes of their molecular cations are proposed. Comparison of the data obtained for 1 with the EI-MS data of metameric metabolites of nicotine: 3'-hydroxycotinine, (A) and 5'-hydroxycotinine, (B) allows a differentiation between these metamers. The data will be useful for the identification of metabolites of alkaloids of these types in biological matrices.     

Oxidation of 2-methoxy-6-(1-methylethyl)naphthalene with oxygen

Abstract  

Aerobic oxidation of 2-methoxy-6-(1-methylethyl)naphthalene to hydroperoxide, alcohol, and ketone, is reported. These compounds, particularly 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, are important intermediates in naproxen synthesis. N-Hydroxyphthalimide is shown here to be an efficient catalyst for oxidation to the hydroperoxide, 2-methoxy-6-(1-hydroperoxy-1-methylethyl)naphthalene, with a yield of 87%. However, the ketone and alcohol were obtained with lower yields, with a maximum yield of 13% for the ketone and 27% for the alcohol, using N-hydroxyphthalimide and Cu(II) acetylacetonate as a catalyst. The synthesis of the products 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene and 2-methoxy-6-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)naphthalene via an initial oxidation step to the hydroperoxide followed by a hydroperoxide decomposition step is shown to be more efficient; the ketone and alcohol were obtained from 2-methoxy-6-(1-methylethyl)naphthalene with yields of 40 and 56%, respectively.     

Properties of LiNiO2 cathode and graphite anode in N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide

Electrochemical properties of LiNiO₂|Li and LiNiO₂|graphite cells were analysed in ionic liquid electrolyte [Li⁺][MePrPyrr⁺][NTf₂^-] (based on N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide, [MePrPyrr⁺][NTf₂^-]) using impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic techniques. The ionic liquid is incapable of protective solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formation on metallic lithium or lithiated graphite. However, after addition of VC, the protective coating is formed, facilitating a proper work of the Li-ion cell. Scanning electron microscopy images of pristine electrodes and those taken after electrochemical cycling showed changes which may be interpreted as a result of SEI formation. The charging/discharging capacity of the LiNiO₂ cathode is between 195 and 170 mAh g⁻¹, depending on the rate. The charging/discharging efficiency of the graphite anode drops after 50 cycles from an initial value of ca. 360 mAh g⁻¹ to stabilise at 340 mAh g⁻¹. The replacement of a classical electrolyte in molecular liquids (cyclic carbonates) with an electrolyte based on the MePrPyrrNTf₂ ionic liquid highly increases in the cathode/electrolyte non-flammability.     

Imino- and aminomethylphenylboronic acids: stabilizing effect of hydrogen bonds

ortho-Iminomethylphenylboronic acids were synthesized from the reaction of 2-formyl–phenylboronic acid with primary aromatic amines. Reduction of these compounds yielded the corresponding aminomethylphenylboronic acids. For both types of the compounds, the crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. Hydrogen-bonded dimers with an additional intramolecular B–O–H…N hydrogen bond have been observed. Calculations at MP2/6–31+G** level proved that the most stable form is that with the above-mentioned intramolecular hydrogen bond while the form with dative N→B bond is less favoured. Since the calculated energy difference is small, the competition between possible forms was analyzed in terms of substituent effect stabilization energy (SESE). In the case of p-iminomethylphenylboronic acid, both hydroxyl groups are engaged in intermolecular O–H…O interactions resulting in a supramolecular ribbon motif.     

Mass Spectrometry of Bis-quinolizidine Alkaloids: Differentiation of Stereoisomers and Metamers Using ESI and FAB Mass Spectrometry

The ESI and FAB mass spectral fragmentations of seven bis-quinolizidine alkaloids were investigated. Fragmentation pathways, elucidation of which was assisted by FAB/CID mass spectra measurements, are discussed. The data create the basis for distinguishing stereoisomers and metamers.