A novel approach to the quantification of urinary aryl-propionamide-derived SARMs by UHPLC–MS/MS

A simple and sensitive procedure for the quantification of two commonly abused aryl-propionamide-derived selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), namely S-4 (GTx-007, andarine) and S-22 (GTx-024, MK-2866, ostarine, enobosarm), has been described. Urine samples were prepared for analysis by means of a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using methanol and chloroform as dispersive and extracting solvents, respectively. Factors that might influence the extraction process as well as their optimum conditions were evaluated by Box–Benken and central composite designs. After extraction, the analytes were quantified by UHPLC–MS/MS. The proposed procedure was validated on human urine samples. As a result, for both SARMs the detection limits were observed at 0.05 ng/mL and calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 0.25–50 ng/mL with the coefficient of determination of 0.998.     

Nonlinear optical and structural properties of langmuir-blodgett films of thiohelicenebisquinones

We provide a detailed investigation of the second-order nonlinear optical and structural properties of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of nonracemic thiohelicenebisquinone (THBQ). We prepare both X- and Y-type films of different thicknesses and characterize them using optical second-harmonic generation and atomic-force microscopy (AFM). We find that the overall nonlinear properties of the samples are essentially independent of the film thickness and the deposition type and arise from susceptibility tensor components associated with chirality. Both X- and Y-type films can be described by D2 symmetry, which is a higher symmetry than the previously assumed C2 of LB films of THBQ and a similar helicenebisquinone (HBQ). However, the two types of films are shown to differ significantly with respect to the orientation of the in-plane axis. For Y type, the axis follows the direction of vertical sample deposition, but for X type, the direction of the axis varies randomly and significantly between different samples. The Y-type samples are therefore more ordered than the X-type samples. This was confirmed by AFM measurements in which the Y type exhibits uniform ordering into columnar structures. Similar structures in X type, on the other hand, are shorter and more randomly oriented, like those earlier observed for racemic samples of HBQ [Verbiest, T., et al. Science 1998, 282, 913]. The common nonlinear properties and different high-level ordering observed here for two different types of nonracemic samples reinforces that the nonlinearity of THBQ (and probably HBQ, as well) originates from the low-level columnar aggregation of the molecules with the higher-level structures playing a lesser role. In addition, within the columns, the molecules likely assume fairly random azimuthal orientations so that the columns themselves exhibit approximate Dinfinity symmetry.     

Multi-technique surface characterization of bio-based films from sisal cellulose and its esters: a FE-SEM, μ-XPS and ToF-SIMS approach

Bio-based films were prepared from LiCl/DMAc solutions containing sisal cellulose esters (acetates, butyrates and hexanoates) with different degrees of substitution (DS 0.7–1.8) and solutions prepared with the cellulose esters and 20 wt% sisal cellulose. A novel approach for characterizing the surface morphology utilized field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and contact angle analysis. XPS and ToF-SIMS were a powerful combination while investigating both the ester group distribution on the surface and effects of cellulose content on the film. The surface coverage by ester aliphatic chains was estimated using XPS measurements. Fibrous structures were observed in the FE-SEM images of the cellulose and bio-based films, most likely because the sisal cellulose chains aggregated during dissolution in LiCl/DMAc. Therefore, the cellulose aggregates remained after the formation of the films and removal of the solvent. The XPS results indicated that the cellulose loading on the longer chain cellulose esters films (DS 1.8) increased the surface coverage by ester aliphatic chains (8.2 % for butyrate and 45 % for hexanoate). However, for the shortest ester chains, the surface coverage decreased (acetate, 42 %). The ToF-SIMS analyses of cellulose acetate and cellulose hexanoate films (DS 1.8) revealed that the cellulose ester groups were evenly distributed across the surface of the films.     

Noncovalent Axial I⋅⋅⋅Pt⋅⋅⋅I Interactions in Platinum(II) Complexes Strengthen in the Excited State

Coordination compounds of platinum(II) participate in various noncovalent axial interactions involving metal center. Weakly bound axial ligands can be electrophilic or nucleophilic; however, interactions with nucleophiles are compromised by electron density clashing. Consequently, simultaneous axial interaction of platinum(II) with two nucleophilic ligands is almost unprecedented. Herein, we report structural and computational study of a platinum(II) complex possessing such intramolecular noncovalent I⋅⋅⋅Pt⋅⋅⋅I interactions. Structural analysis indicates that the two iodine atoms approach the platinum(II) center in a “side-on” fashion and act as nucleophilic ligands. According to computational studies, the interactions are dispersive, weak and anti-cooperative in the ground electronic state, but strengthen substantially and become partially covalent and cooperative in the lowest excited state. Strengthening of I⋅⋅⋅Pt⋅⋅⋅I contacts in the excited state is also predicted for the sole previously reported complex with analogous axial interactions.     

Study of the nucleophilic substitution reactions of 2,4,10-trichloropyrimido[5,4-b]quinoline

A number of pyrimido[5,4-b]quinoline derivatives were synthesized. It is shown that in the reaction of 2,4,10-trichloropyrimido[5,4-b]quinoline (II) with strong nucleophilic reagents (OCH₃ and SH) both of the halogens of the pyrimidine ring are replaced, while with amines substitution of the halogens of the pyrimidine ring proceeds successively; under more severe conditions, all three halogen atoms of II are replaced by amine residues.     

Quinoxaline N-oxide ion radicals. 2. Structures of anion radicals of N-oxides of hydroxymethyl derivatives of quinoxaline and products of their electrochemical reduction

The redox properties of 1,4-dioxides of hydroxymethyl and formyl derivatives of quinoxaline were studied by means of EPR spectroscopy and polarography. The electrochemical reduction of the 1,4-dioxides proceeds in several steps with successive deoxidation and the formation of dianions of substituted quinoxalines and is also accompanied by an intramolecular redox process. The experimentally observed hfs constants in the EPR spectra of the anion radicals formed in the reduction are in agreement with the corresponding values calculated by the INDO method.See [1] for communication 1.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 10, pp. 1412–1416, October, 1985.The authors thank I. A. Abronin for his assistance in performing the quantum-chemical calculations.     

Parallel screening of homogeneous copper catalysts for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols with molecular oxygen in aqueous solutions

A simple and efficient parallel screening method to evaluate the catalytic activities of homogeneous copper complexes for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols in aqueous solutions with molecular oxygen is reported. Copper(II) sulfate was treated in situ with 22 nitrogen donor ligands, and the catalytic activities of these combinations were studied at four different pH values with two substrates (benzyl alcohol and 3,4-dimethoxy benzyl alcohol (veratryl alcohol)), resulting in 176 oxidation experiments in the primary screening stage. Copper complexes based on N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl ethylenediamine (TMEDA), 9,10-diaminephenanthrene (DAPHEN), and 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (DACH) were determined to be the most active catalysts. In the second screenings, the influence of reaction conditions on Cu(DACH)-, Cu(TMEDA)-, and Cu(DAPHEN)-catalyzed reactions were investigated in more detail. It was found that highly basic reaction conditions favor the reaction with the exception of Cu(TMEDA), which is active at a lower pH range. Under optimized conditions, Cu(DAPHEN) catalyzes the transformation of veratryl alcohol to the corresponding aldehyde with 100% conversion.     

Structure of a styrylbenzoselenazole platinum(II) complex: [NEt4][Pt(nsbse)Br3]

Tetraethylammonium tribromo[2-(2-chloro-5-nitrostyryl)benzoselenazole] platinate (II), [(C₂H₅)₄N][PtBr₃(C₁₅H₉ClN₂O₂Se)], is monoclinic, in space groupP2₁/c, witha=9.496(2),b=20.321(7),c=15.166(3)Å,=100.18(1)°,V=2880(2)ų,M _r =928.72,Z=4,D _x =2.141 g cm^–3, (MoK)=0.71073 Å,=104.1 cm^–1,F(000)=1752,T=298 K. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined toR=0.032 for 2626 unique observed reflections withI>3(I). The [Pt(nsbse)Br₃)] unit has square-planar geometry about the Pt atom, with the nsbse coordinated to the Pt through the N of the selenazole ring. The ligand molecule is non-planar, with a dihedral angle of 61.6(2)° between the benzoselenazole and phenyl rings. The dihedral angles between the PtBr₃ plane and the benzoselenazole and phenyl planes are 105.2(1) and 80.7(1)°, respectively.     

Synthesis and properties of some pyrimido[5,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives

A method for the preparation of 2,4,8-trioxo-6-methyl derivatives of pyrimido[5,4-d]pyrimidine with various alkyl residues in the 7 position is described. It is shown that the chlorine in the 4 position of the 2,4-dichloro derivative of pyrimido[5,4-d]pyrimidine is the most labile in nucleophilic substitution reactions.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 517–520, April, 1977.