Non-destructive bone aluminum assay by neutron activation analysis

A non-destructive method based on instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for the assay of aluminum in bone samples is described. The²⁸Al signal obtained upon neutron irradiation includes contributions from both the reaction²⁷Al(n,)²⁸Al and³¹P(n,)²⁸Al. The first reaction is with the thermal neutrons and the second one is with the fast neutrons. The contribution from the³¹P reaction is calculated from the fact that Ca/P ratio in bone mineral is constant and the amount of calcium can be measured from the thermal reaction⁴⁸Ca(n, )⁴⁹Ca. The aluminum values obtained by the INAA procedure agreed within 10% of those obtained by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. With this assay the levels of aluminum in normal bones (<70 g g^–1 apatite) cannot be determined reliably but higher aluminum levles in bone biopsies associated with Al toxicity, e.g. some patients with renal osteodystrophy, can be determined with a precision of ±10%.     

Diaryl sulphones : a synthesis from arylthalliums

2,4-dimethyl-, 2,4,6-trimethyl- and 4-chloro- phenylthallium bis (trifluoracetate) separately react with cupric benzenesulphinate to give unsymmetrical sulphones. An explanation for the requirement of Cu²⁺ in the reaction is given.     

Comparison of ultra-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of priority pesticides in baby foods by tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry

Determination of 16 priority pesticides and transformation products specified in the EU Baby Food Directive 2003/13/EC has been compared using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Prior to analysis, co-extractives were removed from acetonitrile extracts using dispersive solid-phase extraction (SPE) with primary secondary amine (50 mg). Extracts spiked with pesticides at 1 microg kg(-1) yielded average recoveries in the range 85-119%, with relative standard deviations less than 17%. The HPLC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS multi-residue methods developed are simple, rapid and suitable for the quantification and confirmation of the 16 priority pesticides in fruit-, potato- and cereal-based baby food at 1 microg kg(-1). The major advantages of UPLC, using 1.7 microm particles, over HPLC are the speed of analysis, the narrower peaks (giving increased signal-to-noise ratio) and improved confirmation for the targeted pesticides in the analyses of baby foods.     

Hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl acetate by a (N2S(thiolate))zinc hydroxide complex: a model of the catalytically active intermediate for the zinc form of peptide deformylase

A novel zinc(II) hydroxide complex with a rare alkylthiolate donor in the coordination sphere is formed in aqueous solution from the dissolution of the zinc alkyl precursor complex (PATH)ZnCH(3) (PATH = 2-methyl-1-[methyl(2-pyridin-2-ylethyl)amino]propane-2-thiolate) in H(2)O and protonolysis of the Zn-C bond to give (PATH)ZnOH (1). The (PATH)ZnOH complex has been shown to promote the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl acetate (4-NA) by a detailed kinetic study and is the first functional model for the zinc form of the enzyme peptide deformylase. From a fit of the sigmoidal pH-rate profile a kinetic pK(a) of 8.05(5) and a pH-independent second-order rate constant (k" max)) of 0.089(3) M(-1) s(-1) have been obtained. The kinetic pK(a) is similar to the pK(a) of 7.7(1) determined by a potentiometric study (25 degrees C, I = 0.1 (NaNO3)). Observation of both rate enhancement and turnover shows that 1 acts as a catalyst for the hydrolysis of 4-NA, although the turnovers are modest. Activation parameters have been obtained from a temperature-dependence study of the rate constants (E(a) = 54.8 kJ mol(-1), DeltaH++ = 52.4 kJ mol(-1), and DeltaS++ = -90.0 J mol(-1) K(-1)), and support a reaction mechanism which depends on nucleophilic attack of 1 in the rate-determining step. This is the first kinetic and thermodynamic study of a 4-coordinate zinc hydroxide complex containing a thiolate donor. In addition it is only the second time that a complete set of activation parameters have been obtained for the zinc-promoted hydrolysis of a carboxylic ester. This study puts the basicity and nucleophilicity of a (N(2)S)ZnOH complex in context with those of other L(n)()ZnOH complexes and enzymes.     

Observation of the enhancement in enantioselectivity with conversion for the aziridination of styrene using copper bis(oxazoline) complexes

During the aziridination of styrene using copper bis(oxazoline) complexes the ee increases with conversion due to further reactions of the product.     

Effects of steric constraint on chromium(III) complexes of tetraazamacrocycles, 2. Comparison of the chemistry and photobehavior of the trans-dichloro- and trans-dicyano- complexes of cyclam, 1,4-C2-cyclam, and 1,11-C3-cyclam

The synthesis and characterization of several Cr(III) complexes of the constrained macrocyclic ligand 1,11-C3-cyclam (1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[9.3.3]heptadecane) is reported. Only trans complexes are formed, and the structure of trans-[Cr(1,11-C3-cyclam)Cl2]PF6 is presented. The chemical and photophysical behavior of the 1,11-C3-cyclam complexes are compared with those of the corresponding cyclam (1,4,8,11 tetraazacyclotetradecane) and 1,4-C2-cyclam (1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[10.2.2]hexadecane) complexes. The aquation rate of trans-[Cr(1,11-C3-cyclam)Cl2]+ is similar to that of the corresponding 1,4-C2-cyclam complex and is more than 5 orders of magnitude faster than the cyclam counterpart. A monotonic increase in the extinction coefficient is observed on going from the cyclam complexes to the 1,11-C3-cyclam complexes to the 1,4-C2-cyclam complexes, and this is related to the degree of centrosymmetry in each complex. The trans-[Cr(1,11-C3-cyclam)(CN)2]+ complex is a weak emitter in aqueous solution with a room-temperature emission maximum at 724 nm (tau=23 micros). Like the corresponding 1,4-C2-cyclam complex (tau=0.24 micros), the 1,11-C3-cyclam complex shows no deuterium-isotope effect in room-temperature solution. This is in marked contrast to the corresponding cyclam complex which has an emission lifetime of 335 micros and a significant deuterium isotope effect in room-temperature solution. Low temperature (77K) data are also presented in an attempt to understand the differences in photophysical behavior.     

π-Interaction in metal Β-ketoenolates

The available data (supplemented where necessary) on the electronic, nuclear magnetic resonance and vibrational spectra of metal -ketoenolates has been analysed to assess the relative contributions of donor and acceptor metal-ligand -bonding in the first transition period metal (III) -ketoenolates. The effects of the metal ion and the ligand substituent on the -interaction in the -ketoenolate ring are discussed in terms of established theoretical concepts.

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Zusammenfassung Die bekannten Daten (ergÄnzt, falls notwendig) der elektronischen und kernmagnetischen Resonanz sowie der Schwingungsspektren von Metall--ketoenolaten wurden analysiert, um die relativen BeitrÄge von Donor- und Akzeptor (Metall-Ligand) -Bindung in Metall(III)ketoenoIaten der ersten übergangsperiode zu ermitteln. Die Einwirkung des Metallions und des Ligandsubstituenten auf die -Bindung im -Ketoenolatring werden diskutiert auf der Grundlage von bekannten theoretischen Prinzipien.

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Résumé L'examen des résultats antérieurement publiés (supplementés ou nécessaire) des spectres électroniques, résonance nucléaire magnétiques et vibrationnel nous a amenés à préciser les contributions relatifs de liaison- donneur et accepteur entre métal et ligand de la première période transitionelle métal(III) -kétoénolates. Les effects de l'ion métallique et du ligand substituent exercés sur l'interaction- dans le noyau -kétoénolate sont discutés selon les idées théoriques déjà établies.

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This work was supported by University of Cape Town and C.S.I.R. Research Grants. We thank the National Institute for Metallurgy for a bursary (to R.D.H.).