Crystal structures, EPR and magnetic properties of 2-ClC6H4CNSSN˙ and 2,5-Cl2C6H3CNSSN˙

The β-sheet structure associated with chlorinated aromatics (d(Cl···Cl)≈ 4.0 ?) has been implemented to drive formation of π-stacked structures of dithiadiazolyl radicals. Both title compounds exhibit an increase in paramagnetism above 150 K but solid-state EPR studies indicate that the origin of the paramagnetism in these two systems is different.     

Ion‐Transfer Electrochemistry of Rat Amylin at the Water–Organogel Microinterface Array and Its Selective Detection in a Protein Mixture

The behavior of proteins and polypeptides at electrified aqueous–organic interfaces is of benefit in label‐free detection strategies. In this work, rat amylin (or islet amyloid polypeptide) was studied at the interface formed between aqueous liquid and gelled organic phases. Amylin is a polypeptide that is co‐secreted with insulin from islet beta‐cells and is implicated in fibril formation. In this study, rat amylin was used, which does not undergo aggregation. The polypeptide underwent an interfacial transfer process, from water to the gelled organic phase, under applied potential stimulation. Cyclic voltammetry revealed steady‐state forward and peak‐shaped reverse voltammograms, which were consistent with diffusion‐controlled water‐to‐organic transfer and thin‐film stripping or desorptive back‐transfer. The diffusion‐controlled forward current was greater when amylin was present in an acidic aqueous phase than when it was present in an aqueous phase at physiological pH; this reflects the greater charge on the polypeptide under acidic conditions. The amylin transfer current was concentration dependent over the range 2–10 μM , at both acidic and physiological pH. At physiological pH, amylin was selectively detected in the presence of a protein mixture, which illustrated the bioanalytical possibilities for this electrochemical behavior.     

Memory of chirality in cascade rearrangements of enediynes

The cascade rearrangement of chiral enediynes 1c-e, involving successively 1,3-proton shift, Saito-Myers cyclization, 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer, and intramolecular coupling of the resulting biradical, proceeded at 80 °C to form tri- and tetracyclic heterocycles possessing a quaternary stereogenic center with a very high level of memory of chirality.     

Π‐Stacking Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes through Micelle Swelling

We report on a new, original and efficient method for π‐stacking functionalization of single‐wall carbon nanotubes. This method is applied to the synthesis of a high‐yield light‐harvesting system combining single‐wall carbon nanotubes and porphyrin molecules. We developed a micelle‐swelling technique that leads to controlled and stable complexes presenting an efficient energy transfer. We demonstrate the key role of the organic solvent in the functionalization mechanism. By swelling the micelles, the solvent helps the non‐water‐soluble porphyrins to reach the micelle core and allows a strong enhancement of the interaction between porphyrins and nanotubes. This technique opens new avenues for the functionalization of carbon nanostructures.     

An APCI LC‐MS/MS method for routine determination of capecitabine and its metabolites in human plasma

The anticancer drug capecitabine and its metabolites [including the active metabolite 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU)] display high pharmacokinetic inter‐patient variability. Such variability, which may lead to treatment failure or toxicity, could need drug concentration measurement to individualize dosing regimen. However, usual assay methods are often long and fastidious. A simultaneous and cost‐effective method was thus developed for the determination of the concentrations of these compounds in human plasma. Compounds were extracted via a classic liquid–liquid extraction. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a C18 reverse phase column with detection by atmosphere pressure chemical ionization LC‐MS/MS. Our method allows a good chromatographic separation of the compounds and was fully validated following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendations (good selectivity, no carry‐over, linearity of the calibration curves without weighting, deviations from nominal concentrations of standard samples lower than 15%, intra‐ and inter‐assay precision and accuracy lower than 15%). Recovery and stability were also acceptable following the FDA guidelines. A matrix effect impairing the determination of 5‐FU was avoided by using a stable isotopic derivative of 5‐FU as internal standard. Interestingly, this method allows detection of TetraHydroUridine, an inhibitor of ex vivo degradation of metabolites, which is essential for the stability, the adequate conditioning of blood samples and for good laboratory practice, essential in routine determination. This method seems usable to routinely determine concentrations of capecitabine and its metabolites in blood and may be helpful in further studies aiming at performing therapeutic drug monitoring. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrochemical approach to detect the presence of peroxynitrite in aerobic neutral solution

This work describes the conditions of use of bare gold electrode to detect electrochemically the presence of peroxynitrite ONOO^? in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.1. As ONOO^? is extremely unstable in neutral solution, current–potential curve was reconstructed between ?0.5 and 0.7 V vs SCE by amperometry experiments at rotating disk electrode at different potentials. Comparison of this reconstructed curve with voltammograms of the common interfering species (dopamine, hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, ascorbic acid and glutamate) shows that the presence of ONOO^? can be selectively determined at ?0.1 V vs SCE. This detection occurs through the electrochemical reduction of peroxynitrous acid ONOOH, the conjugated acid of ONOO^?. Detection of ONOO^? produced in situ by the reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide was also achieved.     

Kinetic (T = 201-298 K) and equilibrium (T = 320-420 K) measurements of the C3H5 + O2 ⇆ C3H5O2 reaction

The kinetics and equilibrium of the allyl radical reaction with molecular oxygen have been studied in direct measurements using temperature-controlled tubular flow reactor coupled to a laser photolysis/photoionization mass spectrometer. In low-temperature experiments (T = 201-298 K), association kinetics were observed, and the measured time-resolved C(3)H(5) radical signals decayed exponentially to the signal background. In this range, the determined rate coefficients exhibited a negative temperature dependence and were observed to depend on the carrier-gas (He) pressure {p = 0.4-36 Torr, [He] = (1.7-118.0) × 10(16) cm(-3)}. The bimolecular rate coefficients obtained vary in the range (0.88-11.6) × 10(-13) cm(3) s(-1). In higher-temperature experiments (T = 320-420 K), the C(3)H(5) radical signal did not decay to the signal background, indicating equilibration of the reaction. By measuring the radical decay rate under these conditions as a function of temperature and following typical second- and third-law procedures, plotting the resulting ln K(p) values versus 1/T in a modified van't Hoff plot, the thermochemical parameters of the reaction were extracted. The second-law treatment resulted in values of ΔH(298)° = -78.3 ± 1.1 kJ mol(-1) and ΔS(298)° = -129.9 ± 3.1 J mol(-1) K(-1), with the uncertainties given as one standard error. When results from a previous investigation were taken into account and the third-law method was applied, the reaction enthalpy was determined as ΔH(298)° = -75.6 ± 2.3 kJ mol(-1).     

The application of an in vitro gastrointestinal extraction to assess the oral bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from a former industrial site

The total and bioaccessible concentration of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from a former industrial site was investigated. Typical total concentrations across the sampling sites ranged from 1.5 mg kg⁻¹ for acenaphthylene up to 243 mg kg⁻¹ for fluoranthene. The oral bioaccessibility of PAHs in soil was assessed using an in vitro gastrointestinal extraction (Fed Organic Estimation human Simulation Test, FOREhST method). The oral bioaccessibility data indicated that fluorene, phenanthrene, chrysene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene had the highest % bioaccessible fraction (based on their upper 75th percentile values being >60%) while the other PAHs had lower % bioaccessible fractions (means ranging between 35 and 59%). Significantly lower bioaccessibilities were determined for naphthalene. With respect to method validation and inter-laboratory comparison, the total and bioaccessible concentrations of benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene was compared to published data derived using the same samples. The total PAH concentrations at the site were compared with generic assessment criteria (GAC) using the residential land use scenario (with plant uptake at 6% soil organic matter). Concentrations of 7 of the PAHs investigated within the soils could lead to an unacceptable risk to human health at this site.