Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyridazines

We have developed an efficient procedure for the easy and straightforward preparation of functionalized dihydropyridazines as highly enantiopure materials by reaction of pyruvaldehyde 2-tosyl hydrazone with a variety of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes using a chiral secondary amine as catalyst. The overall process consists of a cascade reaction involving an initial aza-Michael reaction, in which the stereocentre is installed, followed by an intramolecular aldol reaction/dehydration step.     

Molecularly imprinted SPE and MEKC with in-capillary sample preconcentration for the determination of digoxin in human urine

Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) combined with MEKC was used for clean-up, preconcentration and determination of digoxin in the presence of its aglycon digoxin (digoxigenin) in human urine samples. In addition, the use of an in-capillary sample concentration electrophoretic technique by sweeping was investigated to enhance the concentration sensitivity in MEKC. The highly selective, fast and effective sample pretreatment by MISPE along with the preconcentration by sweeping could overcome the low sensitivity of the highly efficient capillary electrophoresis separation with UV detection. The optimization of the variables affecting the separation as well as MISPE conditions procedure was carried out to select the best conditions of selectivity and sensitivity to determine digoxin at low concentration levels in urine. To demonstrate the suitability of the developed method several analytical characteristics (selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and LOD) were evaluated. Satisfactory results were obtained in terms of linearity (r > 0.99), recovery (95.4-96.5% with RSD from 1.3% to 2.6%), precision (RSD from 0.3% to 1.7% for migration times and from 2.1% to 7.3% for corrected peak areas), and sensitivity (LODs of 6 μg/L with 5 mL of sample or 1.2 μg/L with 25 mL). The proposed MISPE-MEKC method was satisfactorily applied to the analysis of spiked human urine samples achieving a concentration factor up to 7500-fold.     

Formation of Pegylated polyurethane and Lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles obtained from O/W nano-emulsions

The present work describes the formation of Pegylated polyurethane and Lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles obtained from O/W nano-emulsions via an interfacial polycondensation process in the aqueous solution/polysorbate 80/diisocyanate/medium chain triglyceride systems. The initial nano-emulsions were prepared using the phase inversion composition (PIC) method. Dynamic light scattering studies revealed the changes in the particle size occurring during the process of nanoparticle formation. Well-defined polymeric nanoparticles with a small particle diameter (below 80 nm) and low polydispersity index were obtained using a highly hydrophilic component (polyethylene glycol or lysine) and an aliphatic diisocyante monomer. FT-IR and AFM studies showed that the polymeric matrix of nanoparticles was built by copolymers derived from reaction between the diisocyanate and the hydroxyl groups of both nonionic surfactant and the highly hydrophilic component. Pegylated-polyurethane and lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles designed in this study are promising tools for future applications in biomedical sciences.     

A Combined Kinetic and Thermodynamic Approach for the Interpretation of Continuous‐Flow Heterogeneous Catalytic Processes

The heterogeneous proline‐catalyzed aldol reaction was investigated under continuous‐flow conditions by means of a packed‐bed microreactor. Reaction‐progress kinetic analysis (RPKA) was used in combination with nonlinear chromatography for the interpretation, under synthetically relevant conditions, of important mechanistic aspects of the heterogeneous catalytic process at a molecular level. The information gathered by RPKA and nonlinear chromatography proved to be highly complementary and allowed for the assessment of optimal operating variables. In particular, the determination of the rate‐determining step was pivotal for optimizing the feed composition. On the other hand, the competitive product inhibition was responsible for the unexpected decrease in the reaction yield following an apparently obvious variation in the feed composition. The study was facilitated by a suitable 2D instrumental arrangement for simultaneous flow reaction and online flow‐injection analysis.     

The correct assignment of stereochemistry in di‐μ‐dichlorido‐bis{bis[2‐(5‐benzylsulfonyl)‐3‐fluoro‐2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)phenyl‐κ2N,C1]iridium(III)} toluene monosolvate

The title complex, [Ir₂(C₁₈H₁₃FNO₂S)₄Cl₂]·C₇H₈, was crystallized from dichloromethane solution under a toluene atmosphere. It is a dimeric complex in which each of the two Ir^III centres is octahedrally coordinated by two bridging chloride ligands and by two chelating cyclometalated 2‐(4‐benzylsulfonyl‐2‐fluorophenyl)pyridine ligands. The crystal structure analysis unequivocally establishes the trans disposition of the two cyclometalated ligands bound to each Ir^III centre, contrary to our previous hypothesis of a cis disposition. The latter was based on the ¹H NMR spectra of a series of dimeric benzylsulfonyl‐functionalized dichloride‐bridged iridium complexes, including the compound described in the present work [Ragni et al. (2009). Chem. Eur. J. 15 , 136–148]. The toluene solvent molecules, embedded in cavities in the crystal structure, are highly disordered and could not be modelled successfully; their contribution was removed from the refinement using the SQUEEZE routine in the program PLATON [Spek (2009). Acta Cryst. D 65 , 148–155].     

Invertomers at nitrogen in aziridine carboxylates by mltltinuclear (1H,13C,17O,and15N) NMR study

A confrgurational and conformational study of NH, N-acetyl- and N-sulfonylaziridine carboxylates is performed by¹H ,¹³C,¹⁷O, and¹⁵N NMR spectroscopy. The presence of acetyl and su fonyl groups on the ring nitrogen atom seems to reduce greatly the configurational stability at nitrogen.Published in Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1226–1234, September, 1995.     

Assembling a Phthalocyanine and Perylenediimide Donor–Acceptor Hybrid through a Platinum(II) Diacetylide Linker

In a novel electron‐donor–acceptor conjugate, phthalocyanine (Pc) and perylenediimide (PDI) are connected through a trans‐platinum(II) diacetylide linker to yield Pc‐Pt‐PDI 1 . In the ground state, the presence of Pt^II disrupts the electronic communication between the two electroactive components, as revealed by UV/Vis spectroscopy and electrochemical studies. The photophysical behavior of 1 is compared with that of the corresponding Pc‐PDI electron‐donor–acceptor conjugate 2 in terms of charge separation and charge recombination. The insertion of Pt^II between Pc and PDI impacts the results in a longer‐lived Pc ^{. +}/PDI ^{. ?} radical ion‐pair state. In addition, the intermediately formed Pc triplet excited state is formed with higher quantum yields in 1 than in 2 .     

Mass spectrometry of 3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-ones of pharmaceutical interest. Part 3 . Electron ionization mass spectra of 2-substituted-3-(5′-pyrazolyl)-4(3H)-quinazolinones

The fragmentation reactions induced by electron impact of eighteen title compounds has been investigated with the aid of low beam energy spectra (14 eV, nom. value), metastable ion detection, high resolution measurements and labelling experiments. The loss of the 4-carbonyl oxygen together with the 3-substituent, which constitutes a characteristic fragmentation route of 3-aryl and 3-heteroaromatic substituted-4(3H)-quinazolinones, is again observed, but the presence of a carboxyethyl group at the 4′-position of the pyrazole ring is responsible of an anomalous loss of 47 daltons from the molecular ion. Lastly, a comparison with the previously described behaviour of 3-(5′-isoxazolyl) derivatives was carried out.     

Controllable Intramolecular Motions That Generate Fluorescent Signals for a Metal Scorpionate Complex

Simply by changing the pH value, the side chain of complex 1 can be reversibly moved between two positions. Coordination to the metal center through the nitrogen atom of the side chain at moderate pH values is accompanied by a decrease in fluorescence intensity (from I_F=100% to I_F=60%). A further decrease is observed upon deprotonation of the bound water molecule at higher pH (I_F≤2%). Therefore, 1 can be seen as a molecular three-position switch.     

Optimization of carbohydrate silylation for gas chromatography

We developed and optimized a new carbohydrate mono- and disaccharides silylation reaction, replacing pyridine and requiring lower reaction temperature and less time. Our method consists of three basic steps. The first one is oxime formation, the second one silylate derivative and the last one gas chromatography separation and quantification with an internal standard. We evaluated several solvents, including acetonitrile, hydroxylamine and aniline. We found aniline to be the best reaction media for oxime formation with hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Among silylation agents we found N,O-bis(trimethyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) was the most efficient. Together these reagents favored both a short analysis time and fewer by-products. We evaluated the method with model solutions containing: arabinose and co-eluting xylose, fructose, glucose, sucrose and salicin (internal standard) and found it suitable for processed food analysis.