Quantitative determination of oxygen in silicon by combination of FTIR-spectroscopy,inert gas fusion analysis and secondary ion mass spectroscopy

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry - VLSI devices are almost exclusively fabricated on Czochralski (CZ) silicon containing high concentrations of interstitially dissolved oxygen ([Oi] ∼...     

Optical sensors for determination of heavy metal ions

A review is given on optical means for single shot testing (probing) as well as continuous monitoring (sensing) of heavy metal ions (HMs). Following an introduction into indicator based approaches, we discuss the types of indicator dyes and polymeric supports used, as well as existing sensing schemes for HMs. The wealth of information is compiled in the form of tables and critically reviewed. Notwithstanding the tremendous work performed so far, it is obvious that still severe limitations do exist in terms of selectivity, limits of detection, dynamic ranges, applicability to specific problems, and reversibility. On the other hand, such sensors have found — and will find — their application whenever rapid and cost-effective testing is required, where personnel is scarce or unskilled, and in field tests. Despite their limitations, the number of such sensors (and of irreversible probes) for HMs is likely to increase in future.     

Synthesis of the Bretonins,Polyolefinic Esterified Glyceryl Ethers of an Unidentified Sponge from the North-Brittany Sea: Absolute Configuration and Novel Structure Assignment

The absolute configurations of acetylated bretonin A (= (+}-( R )-1-[(acetoxy)methyl]-2-{[(4E,6E,8E)-dodeca-4,6,8-trienyl]oxy}ethyl 4-acetoxybenzoate; (?)- 1b ) and isobretonin A (= (+)-(S)-3-{[(4E,6E,8E)-do-deca-4,6,8-trienyl]oxy}-2-hydroxypropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate; (+)-2), previously isolated from an undetermined sponge of the North Brittany sea, were established by comparison with synthetic (+)- lb and (+)- 2 , obtained from the condensation of commerical (?)-(R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl p-toluenesuifonate ((?)-(R)- 15 ) with a mixture of (4E,6E,8E)- ( 14e ) and (4E,6Z,8E)-dodeca-4,6,8-trien-1-ol ( 14z ). This also allowed confirming the structure and configuration of bretonin B (= (S)-2-{[(4E,6Z,8E)-dodeca-4,6,8-trienyl]oxy}-1-(hydroxy-methyl)ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate; 3 ) which was also isolated from the same sponge, albeit in a too small amount for a complete study. As concerns the glyceryl ethers precursors of the bretonins, co-occurrence of the usual (S)-con-figuration (from 1a ) with the unusual (R)-configuration (from (+)- 2 )) poses intriguing biogenetic problems.     

A novel approach to modelling counter-current chromatography

Literature lists a number of counter-current chromatography (CCC) models that can predict the retention time and to a certain extent the peak width of a solute eluting from a CCC column. The approach described in this paper distinguishes itself from previous reports by relating all model parameters directly to column dimensions and experimental settings. Most importantly, this model can predict a chromatogram from scratch without resorting to traditional calibration using empirical values. The model validation with experimental results obtained across a range of CCC instruments demonstrated that the solute retention time, peak width, and peak resolution could be predicted within reasonable accuracy. Additionally, the effect of several process parameters, such as mobile phase flow rate, rotational speed of the column or β-value, showed that the model is robust and applicable to a wide range of CCC instruments. Overall, this model proved to be a useful tool for parameter estimation and, most significantly, separation optimisation.     

Raspailynes,Novel Long-Chain Acetylenic Enol Ethers of Glycerol from the Marine Sponges Raspailia pumila and Raspailia ramosa

The sponges Raspailia pumila and ramosa (Demospongiae, Tetractinomorpha, Axinellida) from the North-East Atlantic are shown to contain a series of novel long-chain enol ethers of glycerol where the enol ether C?C bond is conjugated, in sequence, to both an acetylenic and an olefinic bond. Polar extracts give raspailynes hydroxylated at their (1Z5Z)-1,5-alkadien-3-ynyl chain, like raspailyne Al ( = (+)-(S)-3-[((1Z,5Z)-16-hydroxy-hexadeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; (+ 2 ) and isoraspailyne A ( = (+)-3-[((1Z,5Z)-17-hydroxyocta-deca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-[propanediol; (+)- 3 ). Less polar extracts give 3 different types of raspailynes not hydroxylated at the chain. Raspailynes of the first type have either the (1Z,5Z)-configuration in a linear chain such as raspailyne B2 (( = (?)-(s)-3-[((1Z,5Z)-trideca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; (?)-4), raspailyne Bl ( = (?)-3-[((1Z,5Z)-tetradeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol;(?)- 5 ), and raspailyne B ( = 3-[((1Z,5Z)-pentadeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 6 ) or the (1Z,5Z)-pentadeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 6 )or the (1Z,5Z)-configuration in a chain ending with an isopropyl group, like isoraspailyne Bl ( = 3-[((1Z,5Z)-12-methyltrideca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 7 ) and isoraspailyne B ( = 3-[((1Z,5Z)-13-methyltetradeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 8 ). Raspailynes of the second type have the (1Z,5E)-configuration, like isoraspailyne Bla ( =3-[((1Z,5E)-tetradeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 9 ) and isoraspailyne Ba ( = 3-[((1Z,5E)-13-methyltetradeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2-propanediol; 10 ). Raspailynes of the third type have the (1E,5Z)-configuration, like isoraspailyne Blb ( = 3-[((1E,5Z)-tetradeca-1,5-dien-3-ynyl)oxy]-1,2,-propanediol; 11 ). The (S)-configuration for (+)- 1 ,((+)- 2 , and (?)- 4 is derived from chemical correlations.     

Stereochemistry of photoinitiated emulsion polymerization

The tacticity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) samples made by emulsion polymerization (EP) has been determined by NMR spectroscopy at higher resolution than any previous study. When photoinitiation is employed at room temperature, the polymer obtained is highly syndiotactic and more stereoregular than that obtained in homogeneous radical polymerization under the same conditions. The percentage of racemic dyads and the length of racemic sequences vary significantly with the degree of conversion and the temperature, but not with variation of the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic part of the detergent molecules. A magnetic field of 5 kG or less accelerates the polymerization reaction and increases the polymer molecular weight when dibenzyl ketone is employed as oil-soluble photoinitiator, and has an indirect influence on the polymer tacticity. From measurements of the temperature dependence of the polymer steric composition, the difference of activation enthalphy and entropy of the meso and racemic additions have been calculated. The values do not follow the correlations from precedent literature for radical polymerization in solution if the reaction is considered a first-order Markov process. The persistence ratio p depends on the detergent and the temperature of the EP; in some cases its difference from unity exceeds the experimental error. These results are interpreted as a conformational effect of the locus of the polymerization in the first stage of the EP (when micelles are present) that favors the racemic addition more than is expected in a homologous solvent such as an alkane, e.g., at the same temperature.     

3-MCPD in food other than soy sauce or hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP)

This review gives an overview of current knowledge about 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) formation and detection. Although 3-MCPD is often mentioned with regard to soy sauce and acid-hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), and much research has been done in that area, the emphasis here is placed on other foods. This contaminant can be found in a great variety of foodstuffs and is difficult to avoid in our daily nutrition. Despite its low concentration in most foods, its carcinogenic properties are of general concern. Its formation is a multivariate problem influenced by factors such as heat, moisture and sugar/lipid content, depending on the type of food and respective processing employed. Understanding the formation of this contaminant in food is fundamental to not only preventing or reducing it, but also developing efficient analytical methods of detecting it. Considering the differences between 3-MCPD-containing foods, and the need to test for the contaminant at different levels of food processing, one would expect a variety of analytical approaches. In this review, an attempt is made to provide an up-to-date list of available analytical methods and to highlight the differences among these techniques. Finally, the emergence of 3-MCPD esters and analytical techniques for them are also discussed here, although they are not the main focus of this review.     

Characterization of two major urinary metabolites of the PPARδ-agonist GW1516 and implementation of the drug in routine doping controls

Since January 2009, the list of prohibited substances and methods of doping as established by the World Anti-Doping Agency includes new therapeutics such as the peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-delta agonist GW1516, which is categorized as a gene doping substance. GW1516 has completed phase II and IV clinical trials regarding dyslipidemia and the regulation of the lipoprotein transport in metabolic syndrome conditions; however, its potential to also improve athletic performance due to the upregulation of genes associated with oxidative metabolism and a modified substrate preference that shifted from carbohydrate to lipid consumption has led to a ban of this compound in elite sport. In a recent report, two presumably mono-oxygenated and bisoxygenated urinary metabolites of GW1516 were presented, which could serve as target analytes for doping control purposes after full characterization. Hence, in the present study, phase I metabolism was simulated by in vitro assays employing human liver microsomal fractions yielding the same oxygenation products, followed by chemical synthesis of the assumed structures of the two abundant metabolic reaction products. These allowed the identification and characterization of mono-oxygenated and bisoxygenated metabolites (sulfoxide and sulfone, respectively) as supported by high-resolution/high-accuracy mass spectrometry with higher-energy collision-induced dissociation, tandem mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Since urine samples have been the preferred matrix for doping control purposes, a method to detect the new target GW1516 in sports drug testing samples was developed in accordance to conventional screening procedures based on enzymatic hydrolysis and liquid–liquid extraction followed by liquid chromatography, electrospray ionization, and tandem mass spectrometry. Validation was performed for specificity, limit of detection (0.1 ng/ml), recovery (72%), intraday and interday precisions (7.7–15.1%), and ion suppression/enhancement effects (<10%).     

Catalytic activity of halohydrin dehalogenases towards spiroepoxides

A novel activity of halohydrin dehalogenases towards spiroepoxides has been found. The enzyme from Arthrobacter sp. (HheA) catalysed highly regioselective azidolysis of spiroepoxides containing 5, 6 and 7-membered cycloalkane rings, while the enzyme from Agrobacterium radiobacter (HheC), besides high regioselectivity, also displayed moderate to high enantioselectivity (E up to >200) that can be applied for the kinetic resolution of chiral spiroepoxides. The orientations of spiroepoxides in the active site of halohydrin dehalogenases were studied by quantum-chemical calculations and docking simulations. Analyses of the complexes obtained revealed the origins of diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity of the investigated biotransformations.     

Conductance in homomorphous solvents: Tetrabutylammonium salts and alkali picrates in butyrolactone-sulfolane mixtures

Conductance measurements are reported for LiPi, NaPi, KPi, RbPi, CsPi, Bu₄NPi, Bu₄NBr, Bu₄NClO₄, Bu₄NNO₃, and Bu₄NBBu₄ at 25°C in -butyrolactone-sulfolane mixtures. In these mixtures of solvents that are practically homomorphous, isodielectic and with comparable dipole moments, the ion pair association and ionic mobilities of large ions conform to the expectations of the primitive model. Electrolytes containing lithium or sodium ions show anomalies indicating that other factors besides shape, dipole moment, and polarizability of the solvent molecules are involved in the association and transport processes of these ions.