Solvent dependence of charge-transfer transitions in binary aqueous mixtures

Summary Charge-transfer transitions of Ru(bipy) ₃ ²⁺ , Fe(bipy) ₃ ²⁺ , Fe(CN) ₆ ^3- , and free bipy (bipy=2,2-bipyridine) are solvent dependent. Evidence is presented that dielectric continuum theory provides a reasonable basis for interpreting medium effects on the electronic transition energies in binary solvent mixtures as well as in pure solvents.     

Composition Modulation in Low Temperature Growth of InGaAs/GaAs System: Influence on Plastic Relaxation

This work focuses on the characteristics of composition modulation in InGaAs/GaAs layers grown by ALMBE at 200°C, and its influence on the degree of plastic relaxation that these layers achieve. The asymmetry in the composition modulation for both directions lying in the (001) growth plane observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy is proposed to explain the asymmetry enhancement in misfit dislocations density, as has been found in these structures. Internal stresses in the material associated with this phase separation could be responsible for the hardening of these low temperature grown InGaAs layers.     

Photoinduced energy- and electron-transfer processes within dynamic self-assembled donor-acceptor arrays

The synthesis and the photophysical properties of a series of noncovalently assembled donor-acceptor systems, dyads, is reported. The presented approach uses an "innocent" coordination compound, a scandium(III) acetyl acetonate derivative, as core and promotor of the dyad formation. Intercomponent photoinduced energy transfer or electron transfer within the dynamic assembly, which yields to a statistical library of donor-acceptor systems, is reported. The assemblies for energy-transfer processes are constituted by an energy donor, Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-based component (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), and by an energy-acceptor moiety, anthracene-based unit, both substituted with a chelating ligand, acetyl acetone, that via coordination with a scandium ion will ensure the formation of the dyad. If N,N,N'N'-tetramethyl-2,5-diaminobenzyl-substituted acetyl acetonate ligands are used in the place of 9-acyl-anthracene, intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from the amino derivative (electron donor) to the Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-unit was detected upon self-assembly, mediated by the scandium complex. The photophysical processes can be studied on the lifetime of the kinetically labile complexes.     

Radical Sequential Processes Promoted by 1,5-Radical Translocation Reaction: Formation and [3 + 2] Anulation of Alkenesulfanyl Radicals

Radical addition of 2-substituted ethanethiols 1-5 to alkyl-, dialkyl-, and phenylacetylenes affords the corresponding beta-sulfanylalkenyl radicals, which can undergo 1,5-radical translocation (RT reaction) in competition with intermolecular hydrogen abstraction (HA reaction). The RT reaction is the first step of a sequential radical process leading to alkenesulfanyl radicals through an "intermolecular sulfanyl radical transaddition" from an alkene to an alkyne molecule. Alkenesulfanyl radicals can undergo a regioselective [3 + 2] anulation reaction with a CC triple bond, eventually leading to thiophene products through 5-endo cyclization of vinyl radicals onto CC double bond. The effect of the nature of ethanethiol and alkyne substituents on the RT/HA ratio has been investigated, and results will be discussed.     

The need for reference materials when monitoring nitrate intake

Whether dietary exposure to nitrate metabolites is detrimental or beneficial to human health has long been a matter of controversy. In spite of no consistent epidemiological evidence, nitrate metabolites are associated with the formation of carcinogenic-nitrosamines and gastric cancer. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrate that ingested nitrate plays a role in host defence against gastrointestinal pathogenic bacteria. Analytical values of nitrate content in foods are essential for estimating nitrate intake. The analytical process is of paramount importance for assessing human nitrate exposure and for establishing a link between these exposures and the current and future observed health effects. Therefore, the quality assurance of the measurement process is crucial to obtaining reliability, comparability and traceability of results. Certified Reference Materials (CRM) should play a role in the consistency of the measurement process. However, the availability of nitrate CRMs is still poor. When food monitoring is demanded, an approach could be to use In House Reference Materials (IHRM), prepared at a high metrological level, and all preparation steps should be quality driven. IHRMs were prepared, and available CRMs were used to provide traceability of the process. The homogeneity of IHRM was evaluated using an appropriate statistical design. The stability was monitored using an isochronous method. The material shelf life and storage conditions are presented.HPLC was optimised for the determination of nitrates in four vegetable categories. When a suite of IHRMs were used, the response of the HPLC system was linear over the range 1 to 8 mg L^–1. The detection limit for these compounds was 0.2 g L^–1 and the determination limit 1.2 g L^–1.The relationship between measurement uncertainty and critical points of the analytical process is presented. The differences in observed relative uncertainty between food categories could reflect current limitations in the food matrix reference materials.     

PCB separation by HRGC-MS. Fourier analysis for characterizing Aroclor chromatograms

Aroclor and Aroclor mixture chromatograms obtained using temperature programmed high resolution capillary GC coupled with mass spectrometric selective detection have been investigated by Fourier analysis developed for the study of multicomponent chromatograms. The experimental autocorrelation function (EACF), i.e. peak shape and position correlation, showed a retention - structure pattern which could be associated with both the type of Aroclor and the ion used for selective ion monitoring (m/z value). In particular, o-m and m-m isomerization effects were singled out by EACF analysis. By fitting EACF with previously developed theoretical models, it was possible to characterize a specific Aroclor in terms of the number of PCB congeners present in it. The results obtained agreed closely with the typical Aroclor content. For the Aroclor mixture, the distribution of inter-distance between successive peaks was derived. The two first distribution moments obtained agreed with those derived from retention data reported in the literature. The consequences on the separation performance, i.e. the number of singlets, doublets, etc. in the chromatogram, are discussed.     

Variation in the accumulation levels of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in micropropagated trees and in in vitro cultures of Mimosa tenuiflora

The present article reports the accumulation of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and its metabolic precursors (tryptophan, tryptamine) in different organs of micropropagated Mimosa tenuiflora trees (leaves, flowers and bark) subjected to seasonal variations (January and June), as well as in in vitro cultures (plantlets and calluses) of this plant species. The accumulation of all the tested compounds varied according to the organ, the month of collection, and age of the plant material. In all cases, the neurotoxic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) was detected with the lowest concentration 0.01% dry weight (DW) in flowers, and the highest 0.33% DW in bark. For the in vitro cultures, DMT was present in high yields in plantlets (0.1-0.2% DW), while in calluses this compound was initially detected but its concentration decreased significantly in the subsequent subcultures.     

Reaction of 2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with dinucleophiles. III. Synthesis of 5-acylpyrimidines and 7,8-dihydroquinazolin-5(6H)-ones

The reaction of open-chain and cyclohexane sym-2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with amidines and guanidine in refluxing ethanol gave, generally in good yields, a series of 5-acylpyrimidines and 7,8-dihydroquinazolin-5(6H)-ones, respectively. With formamidine (and in part acetamidine), 2-formylimino-1,3-diones were formed in general, as sole products or mixtures with the corresponding pyrimidines or dihydroquinazolinones.     

Reaction of 2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with dinucleophiles. VIII. Synthesis of ethyl and methyl 2,4-disubstituted 5-pyrimidinecarboxylates

Reaction of ethyl or methyl 2-dimethylaminomethylene-3-oxoalkanoates with N-C-N dinucleophiles such as guanidine, acetamidine or benzamidine afforded in high yields the relative esters of 4-substituted 2-amino-, 2-methyl- or 2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylic acids, respectively. These esters were hydrolyzed to the corresponding carboxylic acids, which were converted by heating to 4-substituted 2-pyrimidinamines, 2-methyl or 2-phenylpyrimidines, respectively, generally in excellent yields. The 4-unsubstituted ethyl 2-amino-, 2-methyl- and 2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylates were obtained in moderate yields by reaction of the above dinucleophiles with ethyl 2,2-diformylacetate. These esters were hydrolyzed and the corresponding acids (with the exception of the 2-methyl derivative) were decarboxylated to give 2-pyrimidinamine and 2-phenylpyrimidine in satisfactory yields.     

8-Methoxypsoralen and long-wave ultraviolet A inhibit the release of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines from human Fc epsilon RI+ cells: an in vitro study

The in vitro effects of 8-MOP (concentrations of 20, 100 and 500 ng/ml) alone or in combination with UVA on mediator release from human basophils and skin mast cells (HSMC), activated with immunological and non-immunological stimuli, were investigated. With respect to basophils activated with anti-IgE serum, the results of this study show that: (i) 8-MOP alone inhibits histamine, LTC(4), IL-4 and IL-13 release concentration dependently with a maximal effect at 500 ng/ml (a concentration not reached in vivo); and (ii) UVA irradiation (5 J/cm(2)), after 8-MOP incubation, enhances this inhibitory effect on all released mediators, but for IL-4 and IL-13 the percentage inhibition is also significant for the 8-MOP concentrations (20-100 ng/ml) employed in vivo during PUVA treatment. Moreover, histamine release from basophils activated with non-immunological stimuli (FMLP and A23187) is inhibited by 8-MOP, alone or in combination with UVA. With respect to the HSMC activated with anti-IgE serum, the results show that: (i) 8-MOP alone reduces histamine release concentration dependently; and (ii) this inhibitory effect is enhanced by UVA irradiation (5 J/cm(2)). Histamine release from HSMC activated with A23187 is not modified either by 8-MOP alone or by 8-MOP plus UVA.