Preconcentration and Separation Procedures for the Spectrochemical Determination of Platinum and Palladium

Low concentrations of Pt and Pd in industrial (µgg^–1 level) and environmental samples (ngg^–1 level) together with the complexity of the matrix causing many interferences during the determination of noble metals often require elaboration and application of pre-concentration/matrix separation procedures before detection of the analyte. Different pre-concentration/matrix separation procedures applied prior to the determination of Pt and Pd by atomic spectrometric techniques are reviewed and critically compared taking into account potential interferences. The methods studied are divided into 5 groups including precipitation and coprecipitation, liquid–liquid extraction, solid phase extraction, electrochemical pre-concentration and biosorption. The main analytical problems occuring during sample preparation and storage are discussed.     

The design, synthesis, and application of a chiral coupling reagent derived from strychnine for the enantioselective activation of a carboxylic group

The concept of a chiral coupling reagent for the enantioselective synthesis of peptides with a predictable configuration and enantiomeric purity from racemic substrates is presented. The reagent was prepared by treatment of strychninium tetrafluoroborate with 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine in the presence of sodium bicarbonate yielding N-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)strychninium tetrafluoroborate in high yield, which is stable at room temperature, and in a broad range of solvents gave enriched Z-Ala-Phe-OMe (dr from 95/5 to 60/40) in high yield with d-configuration on the alanine residue starting from rac-Z-Ala-OH.     

Studies on the mechanism of decomposition of 1-methyl-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl hydroperoxides to 2-(1-naphthyloxy)propenes

Abstract  

Thermal decomposition of 1-methyl-1-(4-methyl-1-naphthyl)ethyl hydroperoxide under gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) conditions gives 2-((4-methyl-1-naphthyl)oxy)propene as the main product (50.5%), without any detectable traces of the isomeric 2-((5-methyl-1-naphthyl)oxy)propene. This finding excludes the rearrangement pathway of 1-methyl-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl hydroperoxides to the corresponding 2-(1-naphthyloxy)propenes, which involves formation of a naphthofuran derivative as an intermediate and transfer of the isopropenyloxy group to the 8 position. This result, as well as our previous density functional theory (DFT) calculations, points to the rearrangement pathway involving an oxirane-type intermediate as the most plausible pathway to 2-(1-naphthyloxy)propenes. This rearrangement is responsible for the unusual inhibition effects of 1-methyl-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl hydroperoxide on the liquid-phase oxidation of isopropylarenes with oxygen.     

Thermodynamic and transport properties of (1,2-ethanediol + 1-nonanol) at temperatures from (298.15 to 313.15) K

Densities and kinematic viscosities have been measured for (1,2-ethanediol + 1-nonanol) over the temperature range from (298.15 to 313.15) K. The speeds of sound in those mixtures within the temperature range from (293.15 to 313.15) K have been measured as well. Using the measurement results, the molar volumes, isentropic compressibility coefficients, molar isentropic compressibilities, and the corresponding excess and deviation values (excess molar volumes, excess isentropic compressibility coefficients, excess molar isentropic compressibilities, differently defined deviations of the speed of sound, and dynamic viscosity deviations) were calculated. The excess Gibbs free energies estimated by the use of the UNIQUAC model are also reported. The excess molar volumes and Gibbs free energies are positive, whereas the compressibility excesses are s-shaped. The excess and deviation values are expressed by Redlich–Kister polynomials and discussed in terms of variations of the structure of the system caused by the participation of two different alcohol molecules in the dynamic intermolecular association process through hydrogen bonding. The effect of temperature is discussed. The predictive abilities of the McAllister equation for viscosities of the mixtures under test have also been examined.     

Spectrochemical and Thermal Behaviour of the 5-chloro-2-nitrobenzoates of Rare Earth Elements

The conditions of the formation of yttrium and lanthanide 5-chloro-2-nitrobenzoates were studied and their quantitative composition and solubilities in water at 298 K were determined. They are anhydrous or hydrated complexes and their solubilities are of the order of 10-3 mol dm-3. The IR and X-ray spectra for the complexes were recorded. All complexes are crystalline compounds. Their thermal decomposition was studied. It was found that on heating above 523 K the complexes decompose explosively. Therefore their thermal decomposition was carried out in the temperature range 273-523 K. Hydrated complexes lose crystallization water molecules in one step. From the results it appeared that during dehydration process no transformation of nitro group to nitrito took place. Some of physico-chemical properties of rare earth element 5-chloro-2-nitrobenzoates were compared with 2-nitro- and 3-chlorobenzoates of those elements. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Crystallographic evidence of Gly‐d,l‐Met oxidation to its sulfoxide in the presence of gold(III): solid solution of the racemic mixture of two diastereoisomers

Crystallographic analysis of a solid solution of two diastereoisomers, i.e. ({(1S,R)‐1‐carboxy‐3‐[(R,S)‐methylsulfinyl]propyl}aminocarbonyl)methanaminium tetrachloridoaurate(III) and ({(1S,R)‐1‐carboxy‐3‐[(S,R)‐methylsulfinyl]propyl}aminocarbonyl)methanaminium tetrachloridoaurate(III), (C₇H₁₅N₂O₄S)[AuCl₄], has shown that in the presence of gold(III), the methionine part of the Gly‐d ,l ‐Met dipeptide is oxidized to sulfoxide, and no coordination to the Au^III cation through the S atom of the sulfoxide is observed. In view of our observation, literature reports that methionine acts as an N,S‐bidentate donor ligand forming stable gold(III) complexes require verification. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that crystallization of the oxidation product leads to a substantial 77:23 excess of both S‐methionine/R‐sulfoxide and R‐methionine/S‐sulfoxide over S‐methionine/S‐sulfoxide and R‐methionine/R‐sulfoxide. The presence of two different diastereoisomers at the same crystallographic site is a source of static disorder at this site.     

Synthesis of corroles bearing up to three different meso substituents

[reaction: see text] We have developed a new method that affords regioisomerically pure corroles possessing up to three different substituents at the meso positions. The corrole formation reaction involves the acid-catalyzed condensation of a dipyrromethane-dicarbinol with pyrrole followed by oxidation with DDQ. ABC-Type corroles were synthesized for the first time according to this procedure.     

Sensitised decomposition of microcystin-LR using UV radiation

UV radiation was applied to degrade cyanobacterial hepatotoxin, microcystin-LR in the presence of phycocyanin as a model natural sensitiser. The concentrations of both the toxin and the pigment used in the experiments were higher by several orders of magnitude than found in the environment. The photoreaction parameters were optimised. The process was found to be of limited use for water treatment due to its low efficacy. Additionally, pronounced UV-induced bleaching of the pigment significantly reducing the photoreaction rates of the toxin was observed for the highest UV radiation intensities applied.     

Raman spectroscopy and imaging: applications in human breast cancer diagnosis

The applications of spectroscopic methods in cancer detection open new possibilities in early stage diagnostics. Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging represent novel and rapidly developing tools in cancer diagnosis. In the study described in this paper Raman spectroscopy has been employed to examine noncancerous and cancerous human breast tissues of the same patient. The most significant differences between noncancerous and cancerous tissues were found in regions characteristic for the vibrations of carotenoids, lipids and proteins. Particular attention was paid to the role played by unsaturated fatty acids in the differentiation between the noncancerous and the cancerous tissues. Comparison of Raman spectra of the noncancerous and the cancerous tissues with the spectra of oleic, linoleic, α-linolenic, γ-linolenic, docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids has been presented. The role of sample preparation in the determination of cancer markers is also discussed in this study.