The rhodium complex of a tris(bipyridine) ligand—Its electrochemical behaviour and function as mediator for the regeneration of NADH from NAD+

The tris-bipyridine ligand3a and its stoichiometric Rh³⁺ complex have been prepared. Cyclovoltammograms of the complex at pH 7.4 using a glassy carbon disk electrode reveal a strong reduction peak at –620 mV and two weak reduction peaks at more negative voltage. The reduction potential of the new complex is shifted by 300 mV to more positive values as compared to [Rh(bipy)₃]³⁺. There is no reversible reoxidation peak of the Rh(I) complex formed due to the decomplexation of one of the three bipyridine units in the course of the transition Rh(III)Rh(I). The Rh(III) complex of3a was also studied with respect to its function as a possible redox mediator for the electrochemical regeneration of NADH from NAD⁺. The preparative electrolysis of the Rh³⁺ complex of3a in the presence of NAD⁺ yields a selective formation of NADH, whereas NAD dimers were not detected. On the other hand, a significant acceleration of this reaction compared to [Rh(bipy)₃]³⁺ was not observed.     

ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF MEROCYANINE 540

Abstract Simultaneous exposure to the lipophilic dye merocyanine 540 (MC 540) and white light inactivates several enveloped viruses. The same treatment appears to have little or no effect on pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells, mature red cells, and mature leukocytes. At least some components of the clotting system are spared, too. The molecular basis of the virucidal effect of MC 540 and light is not yet completely understood. Based on what is known about the interactions of MC 540 with cells and artificial membranes, it seems likely that MC 540 binds to and damages the viral envelope. MC 540-mediated photosensitization may have implications for the sterilization of bone marrow and blood products, the preparation of vaccines, and selected areas of antiviral therapy.     

Single-column method of ion chromatography for the determination of common cations and some transition metals

A single-column method for the simultaneous determination of common cations and transition metals in real samples is proposed in this paper. Eleven cations (copper, lithium, sodium, ammonium, potassium, cobalt, nickel, magnesium, calcium, strontium and zinc) were separated and analyzed by means of ion chromatography using an isocratic elution with 2.5 mM methane sulfonic acid and 0.8 mM oxalic acid as mobile phase, IonPac SCS1 (250 mm x 4 mm I.D.) as the separation column and non-suppressed conductor detection. Optimized analytical conditions were further validated in terms of accuracy, precision and total uncertainty and the results showed the reliability of the IC method. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the retention time and peak area were less than 0.04 and 1.30%, respectively. The coefficients of determination for cations ranged from 0.9988 to 1.000. The method developed was successfully applied to determination of cations in samples of beer and bottled mineral water. The spiked recoveries for the cations were 94-106%. The method was applied to beer and beverage without interferences.     

Development of Sustainable Chemistry in Madagascar: Example of the Valuation of CNSL and the Use of Chromones as an Attractant for Mosquitoes

This article describes a part of the results obtained from the cooperation between the University of Lyon1 (France) and the University of Antananarivo (Madagascar). It shows (among others) that useful research can be carried out in developing countries of the tropics if their social, technical, and economic conditions are taken into account. The concepts and methods associated with so-called “green chemistry” are particularly appropriated for this purpose. To illustrate this approach, two examples are shown. The first deals with industrial ecology and concerns waste transformation from the production of cashew nut into an amphiphilic product, oxyacetic derivatives. This product was obtained with a high yield and in a single step reaction. It exhibited an important surfactant property similar to those of the main fossil-based ones but with a much lower ecological impact. The second talks about chemical ecology as an alternative to insecticides and used to control dangerous mosquito populations. New substituted chromones were synthesized and showed biological activities toward Aedes albopictus mosquito species. Strong repellent properties were recorded for some alkoxylated products if others had a significant attractant effect (Kairomone) depending on their stereochemistry and the length of the alkyl chain.     

Gold internal standard correction for elemental imaging of soft tissue sections by LA-ICP-MS: element distribution in eye microstructures

Laser ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been developed for the elemental imaging of Mg, Fe and Cu distribution in histological tissue sections of fixed eyes, embedded in paraffin, from human donors (cadavers). This work presents the development of a novel internal standard correction methodology based on the deposition of a homogeneous thin gold film on the tissue surface and the use of the ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ signal as internal standard. Sample preparation (tissue section thickness) and laser conditions were carefully optimized, and internal normalisation using ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ was compared with ¹³C⁺ correction for imaging applications. ²⁴Mg⁺, ⁵⁶Fe⁺ and ⁶³Cu⁺ distributions were investigated in histological sections of the anterior segment of the eye (including the iris, ciliary body, cornea and trabecular meshwork) and were shown to be heterogeneously distributed along those tissue structures. Reproducibility was assessed by imaging different human eye sections from the same donor and from ten different eyes from adult normal donors, which showed that similar spatial maps were obtained and therefore demonstrate the analytical potential of using ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ as internal standard. The proposed analytical approach could offer a robust tool with great practical interest for clinical studies, e.g. to investigate trace element distribution of metals and their alterations in ocular diseases.

Activation of Hydrogen Peroxide by Ionic Liquids: Mechanistic Studies and Application in the Epoxidation of Olefins

Imidazolium‐based ionic liquids that contain perrhenate anions are very efficient reaction media for the epoxidation of olefins with H₂O₂ as an oxidant, thus affording cyclooctene in almost quantitative yields. The mechanism of this reaction does not follow the usual pathway through peroxo complexes, as is the case with long‐known molecular transition‐metal catalysts. By using in situ Raman, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations, we have shown that the formation of hydrogen bonds between the oxidant and perrhenate activates the oxidant, thereby leading to the transfer of an oxygen atom onto the olefin demonstrating the special features of an ionic liquid as a reaction environment. The influence of the imidazolium cation and the oxidant (aqueous H₂O₂, urea hydrogen peroxide, and tert‐butyl hydrogen peroxide) on the efficiency of the epoxidation of cis‐cyclooctene were examined. Other olefinic substrates were also used in this study and they exhibited good yields of the corresponding epoxides. This report shows the potential of using simple complexes or salts for the activation of hydrogen peroxide, owing to the interactions between the solvent medium and the active complex.     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyzed (5+1) Annulations Exploiting a Vinyl Dianion Synthon Strategy

Direct polarity inversion of conjugate acceptors provides a valuable entry to homoenolates. N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed reactions, in which β‐unsubstituted conjugate acceptors undergo homoenolate formation and C?C bond formation twice, have been developed. Specifically, the all‐carbon (5+1) annulations give a range of mono‐ and bicyclic cyclohexanones (31 examples). In the first family of annulations, β‐unsubstituted acrylates tethered to a divinyl ketone undergo cycloisomerization, providing hexahydroindenes and tetralins. In the second, partially untethered substrates undergo an intermolecular (5+1) annulation involving dimerization followed by cycloisomerization. While enantioselectivity was not possible with the former, the latter proved viable, allowing cyclohexanones to be produced with high levels of enantiopurity (most >95:5 e.r.) and exclusive diastereoselectivity (>20:1 d.r.). Derivatizations and mechanistic studies are also reported.