Color and Chemical Reactions of Selected Sesquiterpene Lactones and Ecdysones from Asteraceae on TLC Plates

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC -     

DBD Dyes as Fluorescence Lifetime Probes to Study Conformational Changes in Proteins

Previously, [1,3]dioxolo[4,5‐f][1,3]benzodioxole (DBD)‐based fluorophores used as highly sensitive fluorescence lifetime probes reporting on their microenvironmental polarity have been described. Now, a new generation of DBD dyes has been developed. Although they are still sensitive to polarity, in contrast to the former DBD dyes, they have extraordinary spectroscopic properties even in aqueous surroundings. They are characterized by long fluorescence lifetimes (10–20 ns), large Stokes shifts (≈100 nm), high photostabilities, and high quantum yields (>0.56). Here, the spectroscopic properties and synthesis of functionalized derivatives for labeling biological targets are described. Furthermore, thio‐reactive maleimido derivatives of both DBD generations show strong intramolecular fluorescence quenching. This mechanism has been investigated and is found to undergo a photoelectron transfer (PET) process. After reaction with a thiol group, this fluorescence quenching is prevented, indicating successful bonding. Being sensitive to their environmental polarity, these compounds have been used as powerful fluorescence lifetime probes for the investigation of conformational changes in the maltose ATP‐binding cassette transporter through fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy. The differing tendencies of the fluorescence lifetime change for both DBD dye generations promote their combination as a powerful toolkit for studying microenvironments in proteins.     

Influence of relative humidity on the properties of examined materials by means of inverse gas chromatography

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) at infinite dilution was applied to evaluate the surface properties of sorbents and the effect of different carrier gas humidity. They were stored in different environmental humidity – 29%, 40%, and 80%. The dispersive components of the surface free energy of the zeolites and perlite were determined by Schulz-Lavielle method, whereas their tendency to undergo specific interactions was estimated basing on the electron donor–acceptor approach presented by Flour and Papirer. Surface parameters were used to monitor the changes of the properties caused by the humidity of the storage environment as well as of RH of carrier gas. The increase of humidity of storage environment caused a decrease of sorbents surface activity and increase the ability to specific interaction.     

Easy Access to cis-3-(Benzoxazol-2-yl)cyclopentanecarboxylic Acids from Camphorquinone and o-Aminophenols via an Unexpected Opening of Camphor Ring

An unexpected formation of cis-1,2,2-trimethyl-3-(benzoxazol-2-yl)cyclopenta-necarboxylic acids was observed as the result of an oxidative C-C bond cleavage of the camphor ring in the intermediate imine during the condensation reactions between camphoroquinone and o-aminophenols conducted under open air conditions.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file.     

Comprehensive Assessment of Flow and Other Analytical Methods Dedicated to the Determination of Zinc in Water

An original strategy to evaluate analytical procedures is proposed and applied to verify if the flow-based methods, generally favorable in terms of green chemistry, are competitive when their evaluation also relies on other criteria. To this end, eight methods for the determination of zinc in waters, including four flow-based ones, were compared and the Red–Green–Blue (RGB) model was exploited. This model takes into account several features related to the general quality of an analytical method, namely, its analytical efficiency, compliance with the green analytical chemistry, as well as practical and economic usefulness. Amongst the investigated methods, the best was the flow-based spectrofluorimetric one, and a negative example was that one involving a flow module, ICP ionization and MS detection, which was very good in analytical terms, but worse in relation to other aspects, which significantly limits its overall potential. Good assessments were also noted for non-flow electrochemical methods, which attract attention with a high degree of balance of features and, therefore, high versatility. The original attempt to confront several worldwide accepted analytical strategies, although to some extent subjective and with limitations, provides interesting information and indications, establishing a novel direction towards the development and evaluation of analytical methods.     

Lower rim substituted p-tert-butyl-calix[4]arene. Part 16. Synthesis of 25,26,27,28-tetrakis(piperidinylthiocarbonylmethylene)-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene and its interaction with metal ions

The synthesis, characterisation and X-ray crystal structures of p-tert-butyl-calix[4]arene-thioamide L and its complex with lead L-Pb²⁺ is reported. The cation-binding properties in solution have been assessed by liquid-liquid extraction of the metal picrates from water into dichloromethane and by stability constants determination in acetonitrile using UV-absorption spectrophotometry or potentiometry. The compound was used as active material in Pb-ion-selective membrane electrodes. The characteristics of these electrodes as well as the selectivity coefficients for Pb²⁺ cation versus many metal ions tested were obtained. Complex formation constants within the electrode membranes were determined using the sandwich membrane method and were compared to those obtained in acetonitrile. The lead concentration in the scrap-lead was determined with the use of electrodes incorporating the ligand studied.     

Pt(II) and Pt(IV) amido, aryloxide, and hydrocarbyl complexes: synthesis, characterization, and reaction with dihydrogen and substrates that possess C-H bonds

The Pt(II) amido and phenoxide complexes ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(X), ((t)bpy)Pt(X)(2), and [((t)bpy)Pt(X)(py)][BAr'(4)] (X = NHPh, OPh; py = pyridine) have been synthesized and characterized. To test the feasibility of accessing Pt(IV) complexes by oxidizing their Pt(II) precursors, the previously reported ((t)bpy)Pt(R)(2) (R = Me and Ph) systems were oxidized with I(2) to yield ((t)bpy)Pt(R)(2)(I)(2). The analogous reaction with ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NHPh) and MeI yields the corresponding ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(2)(NHPh)(I) complex. Reaction of ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NHPh) and phenylacetylene at 80 °C results in the formation of the Pt(II) phenylacetylide complex ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(C≡CPh). Kinetic studies indicate that the reaction of ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NHPh) and phenylacetylene occurs via a pathway that involves [((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NH(2)Ph)][TFA] as a catalyst. The reaction of H(2) with ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NHPh) ultimately produces aniline, methane, (t)bpy, and elemental Pt. For this reaction, mechanistic studies reveal that 1,2-addition of dihydrogen across the Pt-NHPh bond to initially produce ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(H) and free aniline is catalyzed by elemental Pt. Heating the cationic complexes [((t)bpy)Pt(NHPh)(py)][BAr'(4)] and [((t)bpy)Pt(OPh)(py)][BAr'(4)] in C(6)D(6) does not result in the production of aniline and phenol, respectively. Attempted synthesis of a cationic system analogous to [((t)bpy)Pt(NHPh)(py)][BAr'(4)] with ligands that are more labile than pyridine (e.g., NC(5)F(5)) results in the formation of the dimer [((t)bpy)Pt(μ-NHPh)](2)[BAr'(4)](2). Solid-state X-ray diffraction studies of the complexes ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(NHPh), [((t)bpy)Pt(NH(2)Ph)(2)][OTf](2), ((t)bpy)Pt(NHPh)(2), ((t)bpy)Pt(OPh)(2), ((t)bpy)Pt(Me)(2)(I)(2), and ((t)bpy)Pt(Ph)(2)(I)(2) are reported.     

Apparent molar volumes and compressibilities of tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide in organic solvents

The densities of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide in 1-propanol, 1-butanol, acetone at (288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 323.15) K and sound velocities at 298.15 K have been measured. From these data apparent molar volumes V_Φ at (288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 323.15) K and the apparent molar isenotropic compressibility K_S,Φ, at T = 298.15 K of tetrabutylammonium bromide in nonaqueous solvents have been determined. The apparent molar volumes and the apparent molar isenotropic compressibilities were fitted to the Redlich, Rosenfeld, and Mayer equation as well as to the Pitzer equation yielding infinite dilution data, which were compared to the similar quantities for tetrabutylphosphonium bromide. Moreover, the acoustical parameters such as intermolecular free length (L_f), relative association (R_A), Rao’s molar sound function (R_m), and salvation number (S_n) were calculated using the experimental data of density and sound velocity at T = 298.15 K for ammonium and phosphonium bromides. The obtained data suggest the penetration of the acetone molecule within the intraionic free space of the tetrabutyl-ammonium and phosphonium cations.     

Chemical speciation of adsorbed glycine on metal surfaces

Experimental studies have reported that glycine is adsorbed on the Cu(110) and Cu(100) surfaces in its deprotonated form at room temperature, but in its zwitterionic form on Pd(111) and Pt(111). In contrast, recent density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the deprotonated molecules are thermodynamically favored on Cu(110), Cu(100), and Pd(111). To explore the source of this disagreement, we have tested three possible hypotheses. Using DFT calculations, we first show that the kinetic barrier for the deprotonation reaction of glycine on Pd(111) is larger than on Cu(110) or Cu(100). We then report that the presence of excess hydrogen would have little influence on the experimentally observed results, especially for Pd(111). Lastly, we perform Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that the aggregates of zwitterionic species on Pt(111) are energetically preferred to those of neutral species. Our results strongly suggest that the formation of aggregates with relatively large numbers of adsorbed molecules is favored under experimentally relevant conditions and that the adsorbate-adsorbate interactions in these aggregates stabilize the zwitterionic species.     

Base hydrolysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">mer</Emphasis>-trispicolinatoruthenium(III): kinetics and mechanism

The mer-[Ru(pic)₃] isomer, where pic is 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid, undergoes base hydrolysis at pH > 12. The reaction was monitored spectrophotometrically within the UV–Vis spectral range. The product of the reaction, the [Ru(pic)₂(OH)₂]⁻ ion, is formed via a consecutive two-stage process. The chelate ring opening is proceeded by the nucleophilic attack of OH⁻ ion at the carbon atom of the carboxylic group and the deprotonation of the attached hydroxo group. In the second stage, the fast deprotonation of the coordinated OH⁻ ligand leads to liberation of the monodentato bonded picolinate. The dependence of the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant on [OH⁻] is given by k_\textobs1 = \frack ₊ k₁ [\textOH ^- ] + k ₊ k₂ K₁ [\textOH ^- ]² k _- + k₁ + ( k ₊ + k₂ K₁ )[\textOH ^- ] + k ₊ K₁ [\textOH ^- ]² k_{{{\text{obs}}1}} = \frac{{k_{ + } k_{1} [{\text{OH}}^{ - } ] + k_{ + } k_{2} K_{1} [{\text{OH}}^{ - } ]^{2} }}{{k_{ - } + k_{1} + \left( {k_{ + } + k_{2} K_{1} } \right)[{\text{OH}}^{ - } ] + k{}_{ + }K_{1} [{\text{OH}}^{ - } ]^{2} }} and ( k_\textobs2 = \frack_ca + k_cb K₂ [\textOH ^- ]1 + K₂ [\textOH ^- ] ) \left( {k_{{{\text{obs}}2}} = \frac{{k_{ca} + k_{cb} K_{2} [{\text{OH}}^{ - } ]}}{{1 + K_{2} [{\text{OH}}^{ - } ]}}} \right) for the first and the second stage, respectively, where k ₁, k ₂, k _-, k _ca , k _cb are the first-order rate constants and k ₊ is the second-order one, K ₁ and K ₂ are the protolytic equilibria constants.