Development of a multiresidue method for analysis of major Fusarium mycotoxins in corn meal using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and reliable liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method has been developed to determine, in a single run, eight trichothecenes, three fumonisins, zearalenone and alpha-zearalenol, in corn meal samples. LC and MS conditions were varied to find the best compromise in terms of sensitivity and separation. An acceptable compromise was obtained using a C18 column thermostatted at 45 degrees C and a mobile phase gradient of methanol/water with 10 mmol/L formate buffer (pH 3.8). A multiple reaction monitoring program, in which fumonisins and trichothecenes (except nivalenol and deoxynivalenol) are acquired in positive ESI as [M+H]+ or [M+NH4]+, and all other compounds in negative ESI, was developed to match appropriate retention time windows. Sample preparation used a simple homogenization of the corn meal sample with acetonitrile/water (75:25, v/v) followed by extraction on a C18 cartridge and clean-up on a cartridge containing graphitized carbon black. Method detection limits were in the range 2-14 ng/g, with the exception of nivalenol (27 ng/g), deoxynivalenol (40 ng/g) and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (30 ng/g). Good accuracy (recoveries 81-104%) and precision (RSD 4-11%) were obtained by performing calibration using a spiked analyte-free extract.     

Dynamic study of homoleptic bimetallic platinum(II) complexes bridged by fluorinated benzenethiolates

A variable-temperature (19)F NMR study of the homoleptic bimetallic anionic complexes X(2)[Pt(2)(mu-SC(6)F(5))(2)(SC(6)F(5))(4)] (X = K(+), 1a; Bu(4)N(+), 1b), X(2)[Pt(2)(mu-p-SC(6)HF(4))(2)(p-SC(6)HF(4))(4)] (X = K(+), 2a; Bu(4)N(+), 2b), and X(2)[Pt(2)(mu-p-SC(6)F(4)(CF(3)))(2)(p-SC(6)F(4)(CF(3)))(4)] (X = K(+), 3a; Bu(4)N(+), 3b) demonstrates the occurrence of dynamic processes that give rise to several stereoisomeric species in solution. Experimental evidence suggests that both inversion of configuration at the sulfur bridging atoms and hindered rotation about the carbon-sulfur bond are involved in generating the observed isomers. The solid-state X-ray diffraction structures of compounds 1b, 2b, and 3b show that all three complexes contain planar [Pt(2)(mu-S)(2)] rings with an anti configuration.     

Cyclometalated Ruthenium Pincer Complexes as Catalysts for the α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols

Ruthenium PNP pincer complexes bearing supplementary cyclometalated C,N-bound ligands have been prepared and fully characterized for the first time. By replacing CO and H⁻ as ancillary ligands in such complexes, additional electronic and steric modifications of this topical class of catalysts are possible. The advantages of the new catalysts are demonstrated in the general α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols following a hydrogen autotransfer protocol. Herein, various aliphatic and benzylic alcohols were applied as green alkylating agents for ketones bearing aromatic, heteroaromatic or aliphatic substituents as well as cyclic ones. Mechanistic investigations revealed that during catalysis, Ru carboxylate complexes are predominantly formed whereas neither the PNP nor the CN ligand are released from the catalyst in significant amounts.