Challenges encountered in extending the sensitivity of US Environmental Protection Agency Method 314.0 for perchlorate in drinking water

Concerns about the potential adverse health effects of perchlorate at concentrations below the minimum reporting level (MRL) of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 314.0 (generally recognized as 4.0 microg/l) have led to an interest in increasing the sensitivity of the method. This work describes the use of 2 mm columns with a large-loop direct injection method, a column concentration technique and this concentration technique with a background reduction step, to increase the sensitivity for the analysis of trace levels of perchlorate in high ionic strength matrices. The concentrator columns studied were the Dionex TAC LP-1 and a new Dionex high capacity Cryptand concentrator column. The use of a surrogate to monitor trapping efficiency for the concentration technique and the use of confirmational columns to minimize the potential for false positives are also discussed. The large-loop direct injection method and the column concentration methods provided acceptable data when the samples were pre-treated with solid phase pretreatment cartridges. The background reduction technique did not provide acceptable data with either of the concentrator columns evaluated.     

Electronic states and nature of bonding of the molecule NiSi by all electron ab initio HF-CI and CASSCF calculations

All electron ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF), configuration interaction (CI) and multiconfiguration self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations have been applied to investigate the low-lying electronic states of the NiSi molecule. The ground state of the NiSi molecule is predicted to be¹Σ⁺. The chemical bond in the¹Σ⁺ ground state is a double bond composed of one σ and one π bond. The σ bond is due to a delocalized molecular orbital formed by combining the Ni 4s and the Si 3pσ orbitals. The π bond is a partly delocalized valence bond, originating from the coupling of the 3dπ hole on Ni with the 3pπ electron on Si. Withing the energy range 1 eV 18 electronic states have been identified. The lowest lying electronic states have been characterized as having a hole in either the 3dπ or the 3dδ orbital of Ni, and the respective final states are formed when either of these holes are coupled to the 3pπ valence electron of Si.     

Reactivity of an anionic Pd(II) metallacycle with CH2X2 (X=Cl, Br, I): formal insertion of methylene into a Pd-C(aryl) bond

Whereas the reaction of the anionic palladium metallacycle [K[Pd(CH2CMe2-o-C6H4)(kappa2-Tp)]] with CH2Cl2 leads to the isolation of the stable Pd(IV) chloromethyl complex [Pd(CH2CMe2-o-C6H4)(kappa3-Tp)(CH2Cl)], the analogous reactions with CH2Br2 and CH2I2 give rise to the six membered metallacycles [Pd(CH2CMe2-o-C6H4(CH2))(kappa3-Tp)X](X = Br or I), as a result of the formal insertion of CH2 into the Pd-C(aryl) bond.     

Synthesis and characterization of cyclopentadienyl/alkoxo titanium dichlorides: structural analysis of monocyclopentadienyl titanium dichlorides with ligands derived from menthol and borneol

A variety of monocyclopentadienyl alkoxo titanium dichloride and bisalkoxo titanium dichloride complexes have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The titanium derivatives containing both cyclopentadienyl and various alkoxo ligands [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)(OR)Cl₂] (1-5) have been synthesized from the reaction of [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl₃] with 1 equivalent of the corresponding alcohol in THF in the presence of triethylamine (ROH = Adamantanol, 1R,2S,5R-(−)-menthol, 1S-endo-(−)-borneol, cis-1,3-(−)-benzylideneglycerol, 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranose). The bisalkoxo titanium dichloride derivatives [TiCl₂(OR)₂] (6-10) have been prepared by a redistribution reaction between Ti(OR)₄ and TiCl₄ compounds 6-8 (OR = Adamantanoxy, (1R,2S,5R)-(−)menthoxy, (1S-endo)-(−)-borneoxy) and by reaction of [Ti(OR)₂(OPrⁱ)₂]₂ with CH₃COCl compounds 9 and 10 (OR = 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranoxy, and 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranoxy). The molecular structures of 2 and 3 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

Synthesis and characterization of layered double hydroxides (LDH) intercalated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with the hydrotalcite type structure and a Mg:Al ratio of two have been prepared, with salicylate or naproxen in the interlayer. Two synthetic routes have been used: reconstruction from a mildly calcined hydrotalcite-CO₃ precursor, and a coprecipitation method with chlorides of the metals. The solids have been characterized using several physicochemical techniques, i.e., powder X-ray diffraction, FTIR and ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopies and thermal analysis (thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses). The gallery height determined is in all cases larger than the size of the drug, 11.5 Å for salicylate and 15.8 and 16.6 Å for naproxen, depending on the specific synthesis route followed. Experimental data suggest the anion molecules form a tilted bilayer, with the carboxylate groups pointing towards the brucite-like layers. The solids are stable up to 230 °C and their evolution from 350 °C upwards is very similar to that observed for a carbonate-containing hydrotalcite, forming mostly amorphous solids with a large specific surface area.     

Homoleptic carbene complexes VI. Bis{1,1′-methylene-3,3′-dialkyl-diimidazolin-2,2′-diylidene}palladium chelate complexes by the free carbene route

1,1′-Methylene-3,3′-dialkyldiimidazolium salts have been deprotonated with n-butylithium in the presence of palladium(II) iodide to give the percarbene complexes 1 (alkyl=Me) and 2 (alkyl=Et), each containing two bidentate 1,1′-methylene-3,3′-dialkyldiimidazolin-2,2′-diylidene chelate ligands. The X-ray structure analysis of 1 reveals a stereochemistry in which the two spiro-linked six-membered metallacycles adopt boat-like conformations strongly bending out of the PdC₄ coordination plane in opposite directions. The carbenoid imidazole rings, which are rotated by +42 and −43°, respectively, relative to this plane, break down into two tightly bound π-systems (N=4C=4N,= C=C) connected by long C---N bonds.     

Efficient resolution of 2,2'-dihydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyl by inclusion complexation with chiral N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride

The complete resolution of 2,2[prime or minute]-dihydroxy-1,1[prime or minute]-binaphthyl into its enantiomers by inclusion complexation with a commercially available derivative of choline, is reported. The two enantiomers are recovered in >99% ee from the inclusion complexes by simple dissolution in a diethyl ether-water medium and the resolving agent can be recycled.     

Foot and mouth disease virus concentration and purification by affinity chromatography

Foot and mouth disease virus, (FMDV) from a crude cell lysate was purified in a single step by affinity chromatography with heparin as a ligand. The virus eluted from an Heparin-Ultrogel A₄R column at 1M sodium chloride in 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, while most cell protein and albumin did so at lower concentrations of sodium chloride in the same buffer. Purity of the eluted fraction containing the virus was assessed by SDS-PAGE, HPLC, ultracentrifugation, and UV absorption spectrum. With this method, intact viral particles are recovered in high yield (over 90%) and specific virus purity increases nearly 1000-fold. The capacity of the Chromatographic matrix for the virus was found to be 1.1 mg viral mass per mL of hydrated gel.     

Adsorptive stripping behaviour of mitoxantrone on carbon paste electrodes

The electrooxidation of mitoxantrone (MXT) on carbon paste electrodes was studied using voltammetric techniques in adsorption conditions. The analyte was accumulated at the working electrode (a carbon paste electrode) under precisely controlled mass-transport conditions and stripped electrochemically in the same solution. An electrode pretreatment is proposed which shows good reproducibility of the analytical signal (0.81%). The stripping step was studied with alternating current voltammetry providing a linear response in the concentration range 5 x 10(-11) to 7 x 10(-10)M in aqueous samples. Finally, a method using the medium exchange and AC phase-selective adsorptive stripping voltammetry technique was proposed for MXT analysis in urine samples.     

Synthese und Kristallstruktur von [N(Hex)4][Cu2(CN)3]

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of [N(Hex)₄] [Cu₂(CN)₃] [N(Hex)₄][Cu₂(CN)₃] has been prepared by solvothermal reaction of CuCN with Tetra‐n‐hexylammoniumiodide in acetone. The crystal structure is built up by condensed (CuCN)₆ and (CuCN)₇ rings, forming a zeolith type cyanocuprate(I) framework [Cu₂(CN)₃^—]. Space group R3; α = 44.482(6), c = 21.283(4) Å, V = 36471(9) ų; Z = 9.