Microanalysis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Water Samples – Methods and Instruments

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), due to their toxicity and persistence in the environment, are particularly important pollutants. Some of these compounds are mutagens, teratogens or carcinogens, while others are responsible for the degradation of organoleptic parameters such as taste and odour of water. This review focuses on a number of key procedural steps in the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water samples. A wide spectrum of techniques for the isolation and preconcentration of the aforementioned pollutants for trace organic analysis by gas chromatography are presented and discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are discussed and novel developments are also taken into consideration.     

Some Gauge-natural operators on linear connections

We determine explicitly all geometrical operators transforming a linear connection on a vector bundle :EM and a classical linear connection on the base manifoldM into a classical linear connection on the total spaceE.     

Cauchy boundary andb-incompleteness of space-time

It is shown that if a space-time (M, g) is time-orientable and its Levi-Civita connection [in the bundle of orthonormal frames over (M, g)] is reducible to anO(3) structure, one can naturally select a nonvanishing timelike vector field and a Riemann metricg ⁺ onM. The Cauchy boundary of the Riemann space (M, g ⁺) consists of endpoints ofb-incomplete curves in (M, g); we call it theCauchy singular boundary. We use the space-time of a cosmic string with a conic singularity to test our method. The Cauchy singular boundary of this space-time is explicitly constructed. It turns out to consist of what should be expected.     

Unusual solid-state conformation of D-glucitol hexa(p-chlorobenzoate)

The carbon atom chain in the molecule ofd-glucitol hexa (p-chlorobenzoate) adopts a planar, zigzag conformation in the solid state, as determined by X-ray crystallography. The preference for such conformation in the crystal can be ascribed to the stacking interactions in which an infinite number of p-chlorobenzoyloxy substituents is involved.     

Syntheses with organoboranes. IX. Vinyl- and 1-alkenyldichloroboranes as ethylene and 1-alkene equivalents for the Diels–Alder reaction

Vinyl- and 1-alkenyldichloroboranes were used as dienophiles for the Diels–Alder reaction with representative aliphatic and cyclic 1,3-dienes. The organoborane adducts were transformed into the corresponding olefins either by protonolysis or by oxidation–mesylation–reduction. Direct protonolysis of the adducts gave in most cases mixtures of olefins whereas the reduction of mesylates with lithium triethylborohydride produced pure olefins in good yields.     

Orthorhombic polymorphs of two trans‐4‐aminoazoxybenzenes

The two isomeric compounds 4‐amino‐ONN‐azoxy­benzene [or 1‐(4‐amino­phenyl)‐2‐phenyl­diazene 2‐oxide], i.e. the α isomer, and 4‐amino‐NNO‐azoxy­benzene [or 2‐(4‐amino­phenyl)‐1‐phenyl­diazene 2‐oxide], i.e. the β isomer, both C₁₂H₁₁N₃O, crystallized from a polar solvent in orthorhombic space groups, and their crystal and molecular structures have been determined using X‐ray diffraction. There are no significant differences in the bond lengths and valence angles in the two isomers, in comparison with their monoclinic polymorphs. However, the conformations of the mol­ecules are different due to rotation along the Ar—N bonds. In the α isomer, the benzene rings are twisted by 31.5 (2) and 14.4 (2)° towards the plane of the azoxy group; the torsion angles along the Ar—N bond in the β isomer are 24.3 (3) and 23.5 (3)°. Quantum‐mechanical calculations indicate that planar conformations are energetically favourable for both isomers. The N—H?O hydrogen bonds observed in both networks may be responsible for the deformation of these flexible mol­ecules.     

Thermolytic carbonates for potential 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides

Thermolytic groups structurally related to well-studied heat-sensitive phosphate/thiophosphate protecting groups have been evaluated for 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides as carbonates and for potential use in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The spatial arrangement of selected functional groups forming an asymmetric nucleosidic 5'-O-carbonic acid ester has been designed to enable heat-induced cyclodecarbonation reactions, which would result in the release of carbon dioxide and the generation of a nucleosidic 5'-hydroxyl group. The nucleosidic 5'-O-carbonates 3-8, 10-15, and 19-21 were prepared and were isolated in yields ranging from 45 to 83%. Thermolytic deprotection of these carbonates is preferably performed in aqueous organic solvent at 90 degrees C under near neutral conditions. The rates of carbonate deprotection are dependent on the nucleophilicity of the functional group involved in the postulated cyclodecarbonation reaction and on solvent polarity. Deprotection kinetics increase according to the following order: 4 < 5 < 10 < 6 < 12 < 7 < 13 < 8 < 14 congruent with 19-21 and CCl4 < dioxane < MeCN < t-BuOH < MeCN:phosphate buffer (3:1 v/v, pH 7.0) < EtOH:phosphate buffer (1:1 v/v, pH 7.0). Complete thermolytic deprotection of carbonates 7, 8, 13, and 14 is achieved within 20 min to 2 h under optimal conditions in phosphate buffer-MeCN. The 2-(2-pyridyl)amino-1-phenylethyl and 2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)]aminoethyl groups are particularly promising for 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides as thermolytic carbonates.     

Metal complexes of porphycene,corrphycene, and hemiporphycene: stability and coordination chemistry

Porphyrin (P), porphycene (Pc), corrphycene (Cn), and hemiporphycene (Hpc) represent a series of well defined "4-N in" constitutional porphyrin isomers. These isomers, in the form of their octaethyl derivatives, represent a congruent set of porphyrinoids whose properties can be compared. In this study we report how variations in electronic structure and nitrogen-core size in the free-base forms of these four systems are reflected in the properties of their corresponding metal complexes. Specifically, the effects that these differences have on the axial ligation properties of the Zn(II), Mg(II), Ni(II), and Co(II) complexes of P, Pc, Cn, and Hpc in toluene using pyridine as the axial ligand are detailed. Also reported are the relative stabilities of these complexes under acidic conditions. It is shown that for the zinc, magnesium, and cobalt complexes, there are distinct differences in the ability to maintain four-, five-, or six-coordinate geometries in the presence of similar concentrations of pyridine. By contrast, no apparent differences in axial ligand binding affinity are seen for the four nickel complexes. Little difference in stability was likewise seen when these same complexes were subject to acid-mediated demetallation, with all four falling into stability class II, according to the accepted porphyrin stability ranking system. High stabilities were also seen in the case of the cobalt complexes, with the Pc and Cn complexes being of stability class III and the P and Hpc derivatives falling into stability class II. The Zn(II) and Mg(II) complexes were all far less stable than the corresponding Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes. In this case, semiquantitative analyses of the rate of acid-induced decomposition revealed the following stability sequence P>Cn>Hpc>Pc for both the Zn(II) and Mg(II) complexes. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction structures were solved for the Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ni(II) complexes of the octaethyl derivatives of Hpc, Cn, and Pc as well as a Co(II) octamethylcorrphycene and are reported as part of this study. These solid-state structures confirm four-coordinate species for the Ni(II) complexes, four- and five-coordinate species for the Mg(II) and Zn(II) complexes, and a six-coordinate species for the lone Co(II) complex.     

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.     

Syntheses and spectroscopic studies on zinc(II) and mercury(II) complexes of isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone

Zinc(II) and mercury(II) complexes were prepared by reacting isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone (ISTSCH) with zinc(II) acetate or mercury(II) bromide. The complexes were characterized by IR, Raman, diffuse reflectance, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra and elemental analysis. Tetrahedral structures for Zn(ISTSC)₂ and Hg(ISTSCH)Br₂ are suggested.