Flow-injection determination of total organic fluorine with off-line defluorination reaction on a solid sorbent bed

Considering recent reports on widespread occurrence and concerns about perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental and biological systems, analysis of these compounds have gained much attention in recent years. Majority of analyte-specific methods are based on a LC/MS/MS or a GC/MS detection, however many environmental or biological studies would benefit from a total organic fluorine (TOF) determination. Presented work was aimed at developing a method for TOF determination. TOF is determined as an amount of inorganic fluoride obtained after defluorination reaction conducted off-line using sodium biphenyl reagent directly on the sorbent without elution of retained analytes. Recovered fluoride was analyzed using flow-injection system with either fluorimetric or potentiometric detection. The TOF method was tested using perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as model compounds. Considering low concentrations of PFAS in natural samples, solid-phase extraction as a preconcentration procedure was evaluated. Several carbon-based sorbents were tested, namely multi-wall carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres and activated carbon. Good sorption of all analytes was achieved and defluorination reaction was possible to carry out directly on a sorbent bed. Recoveries obtained for PFCAs, adsorbed on an activated carbon sorbent, and measured as TOF, were 99.5 ± 1.7, 110 ± 9.4, 95 ± 26, 120 ± 32, 110 ± 12 for C4, C6, C8, C10 and C12-PFCA, respectively. Two flow systems that would enable the defluorination reaction and fluoride determination in a single system were designed and tested.     

Spatial structure of β-substituted alkoxyvinyl trifluoromethyl ketones

Spatial structure of six β-substituted enones, with common structure R₁O–CR₂CH–COCF₃, were R₁ = C₂H₅, R₂ = H (ETBO); R₁ = R₂ = CH₃ (TMPO); R₁ = C₂H₅, R₂ = C₆H₅ (ETPO); R₁ = C₂H₅, R₂ = 4- O₂NC₆H₄ (ETNO); R₁ = C₂H₅, R₂ = C(CH₃)₃ (ETDO) were investigated by ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR, infrared spectroscopy and AM1 calculations. NMR spectra revealed that enones (MBO), (ETBO) and (TMPO) are exclusively (3E) isomers, whereas in (ETPO), (ETNO) and especially in (ETDO) the percentage of (3Z) isomers is significant and depends on the nature of solvents. Conformational behaviour of studied enones are determined by the rotation around of CC double bond, C–C and C–O single bonds (correspondingly trifluoroacetyl and alkoxy groups), and (EZZ) conformer being the most stable in all cases. IR spectra revealed that with the exception of (ETDO) (EZZ) conformer is most populated in all cases. Bulky substituents like phenyl or tert-butyl group at β-position of enone result in the equilibrium mainly between (EZZ) and (ZZZ) forms, whereas β-hydrogen and β-methyl substituents determine the equilibrium between (EZZ) and (EEZ) or (EZE) conformers.     

Development in Synthesis,Electrochemistry, LB Moieties of Phenothiazine Based Units

A convenient and higher yielding synthetic route to N‐alkyl‐bis(thiophene)phenothiazine derivatives is reported and their aggregation, electrochemical properties and polymerization are characterized. The key step in the synthesis of this group of compounds has been the Stille type coupling reaction between the N‐alkyldibromophenothiazine and tin derivatives of thiophene as the best way for preparation of conjugated N‐alkylphenothiazine derivatives. For this group of compounds we also present an electrochemical polymerization effect and widely adopted approach to prepare structurally ordered thin, electroconducting films by Langmuir–Blodgett technique.     

Imaging of tautomerism in a single molecule

Fluorescence imaging is used to visualize directly the transfer of two inner hydrogen atoms in single porphycene molecules. This reaction leads to a chemically equivalent but differently oriented structure and hence results in a rotation of the transition dipole moments. By probing single immobilized molecules with an azimuthally polarized laser beam in the focal spot of a confocal microscope we observe ring-like emission patterns, possible only for a chromophore with two nearly orthogonal transition dipole moments. Numerical simulations of the observed emission patterns yield a value of 72 degrees for the angle between the S0-S1 transition moments in the two tautomeric forms.     

Tetra­kis(1‐eth­yl‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐κN4)bis­(nitrato‐κO)copper(II) and bis­(nitrato‐κO)tetra­kis­(1‐prop­yl‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐κN4)copper(II)

The copper(II) environments for tetra­kis­(1‐eth­yl‐1,2,4‐triaz­ole)­dinitratocopper(II), [Cu(NO₃)₂(C₄H₇N₃)₄], and tetrakis­(1‐prop­yl‐1,2,4‐triazole)dinitratocopper(II), [Cu(NO₃)₂(C₅H₉N₃)₄], are distorted square bipyramidal. Both structures are centrosymmetric, with the copper(II) ions located at inversion centers coordinated by four N atoms of four triazole mol­ecules and by two O atoms of two nitrate ions in an elongated octa­hedral geometry. This elongation is a result of the Jahn–Teller effect. The largest distortion is that of the N—Cu—O angles, which differ from 90° by 5.68 (10)° in the eth­yl and 5.59 (8)° in the prop­yl derivative.     

Effect of crown-ether surfactants on flame atomic absorption and flame emission signals of some monovalent cations

Two surface-active and one surface-inactive 18-crown-6 derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their abilities to enhance flame atomic absorption and flame emission signals of monovalent cations. Enhancement of potassium signals were noted for the surface-active compounds but not for the surface-inactive compound. The critical micelle concentration was determined and compared to the degree of enhancement. Surfactant-induced signal enhancements are not due to the slight or moderate decrease in the size of the aerosol first produced in the nebulizing chamber. Additional mechanistic considerations are discussed.     

Stoffwechselprodukte von Mikroorganismen. 237. Mitteilung. (2S, 3R, 4R, 6R)-2,3,4-Trihydroxy-6-methylcyclohexanon aus zwei Actinomyceten-Stämmen

(2S, 3R, 4R, 6R)-2,3,4-Trihydroxy-6-methylcyclohexanone from Two Strains of Actinomycetes A tetrazolium-blue positive compound was isolated from two strains of acinomycetes. Its constitution and relative configuration 1 were determined by spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configuration by degradation to (+)-(R)-methylsuccinic acid.