Micro-phase sorbent extraction for trace analysis via in situ sorbent formation: application to the spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in environmental waters.

A micro-phase sorbent in situ formation from an aqueous solution was proposed for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in environmental waters. Nitrite in a 10 mL sample solution was converted into a cationic azo dye by the reaction with 4-trifluoromethylanilinium ion and N-1-naphthylethylenediammonium ion in an acidic medium. Addition of dodecylbenzenesulfonate ion caused the formation of a suspension of ion associate in the solution. Centrifugation of the solution led to the isolation of a liquid organic phase that extracted the azo dye at the bottom of the centrifuge tube. The volume of the new phase was ca. 5 microL. After the aqueous phase was discarded, the organic phase was dissolved with 1 mL of 2-methoxyethanol to measure the absorbance. Nitrogen as NO2- at concentrations from 1.5 to 30 microg L(-1) was determined with sufficient precision. When 0.2 mL of 2-methoxyethanol was applied to dissolve the organic phase, 0.3-4.8 microg NO2--N L(-1) was determined. The recovery tests for nitrite added to some river water and seawater were satisfactory. This method is very simple and rapid. It takes only 30 min from the dye formation to the measurement of the absorbance.     

Dielectric relaxation and aging effect in interpenetrating network polymers of poly(urethane)-poly(methyl methacrylate)

The permittivity and loss of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) network crosslinked with trimethylol-1,1,1 propane and its interpenetrating network polymers with 10, 34, and 50% (by weight) poly(urethane) have been measured from 100 to 400 K over a frequency range of 12 to 1 × 10⁵ Hz. Two relaxation processes, γ and β, are observed in the PMMA network, and a third process, α_pu, in the 10% poly(urethane) IPN. At higher concentrations of poly(urethane), the γ process is removed from the temperature-frequency range of our study. Crosslinking in pure PMMA slows the segmental motions involved in the β process and raises its activation energy. Physical aging of the 10 wt% poly(urethane)-PMMA causes its γ process to become indiscernible and the α_pu process to become better resolved. A discussion of these results in terms of local regions of segmental motion is provided.     

Lewis acid promoted reactions of γ,γ-dialkoxyallylic zirconium species with various carbonyl compounds

The reactions of γ,γ-dialkoxyallylic zirconium species with carbonyl compounds in the presence of Lewis acid are reported. The reactivity of γ,γ-dialkoxyallylic zirconium species and reaction pathway were strongly dependent on the structure and electrostatic nature of the carbonyl compounds.     

Action of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus thuringiensis is significantly influenced by coexisting lipids in substrate-detergent micelles.

The effects of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SM), and cholesterol on the activity of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) from Bacillus thuringiensis were studied in detail in phosphatidylinositol (PI)/detergent mixed micelles. By addition of PC, the enzymatic hydrolysis of PI was significantly stimulated in PI/Triton X-100 as well as PI/sodium deoxycholate (SDC) mixed micelles. SM stimulated enzyme activity toward PI/Triton X-100 micelles at a lower molar ratio of SM to PI, but was rather inhibitory at a ratio higher than 2.0. The enzyme activity became significantly lower with an increase of PE or cholesterol in PI/Triton X-100 micelles. Actually, both PE and cholesterol were intensively inhibitory when added at a higher molar ratio to PI in Triton X-100-containing micelles. In the system of PI/SDC mixed micelles, not only PC but also SM, PE and cholesterol enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis of PI. The difference between PI/Triton X-100 and PI/SDC micelles regarding the effects of these lipids on PI-PLC action, must be dependent on the physical state of micelles formed by these detergents and lipids.     

Bismuth compounds in organic synthesis. A one-pot synthesis of homoallyl ethers and homoallyl acetates from aldehydes catalyzed by bismuth triflate

[reaction: see text] Three one-pot methods for the conversion of aldehydes to homoallyl ethers catalyzed by Bi(OTf)(3).xH(2)O (1 < x < 4) have been developed. The one-pot synthesis of homoallyl ethers can be achieved either by in situ generation of the acetal followed by its reaction with allyltrialkylsilane or by a three-component synthesis in which the aldehyde, trimethylorthoformate or an alkoxytrimethylsilane and allyltrimethylsilane are mixed together in the presence of bismuth triflate (0.1-1.0 mol %). In addition, a three-component synthesis of homoallyl acetates, which is achieved by reacting the aldehyde, acetic anhydride, and allyltrimethylsilane in the presence of bismuth triflate (3.0-5.0 mol %), has been developed. The use of a relatively nontoxic, easy to handle, and inexpensive catalyst adds to the versatility of these methods.     

Insecticidal Activity and Free Radical Scavenging Properties of Isolated Phytoconstituents from the Saudi Plant Nuxia oppositifolia (Hochst.)

Chromatographic purification of the alcoholic extract from the aerial parts of the Saudi plant Nuxia oppositifolia (Hochst.), Benth., resulted in five isolated phenolic compounds. Two flavones, hispidulin (1) and jaceosidin (2), and the phenylethanoid glycosides, verbascoside (3), isoverbascoside (4), and conandroside (5), were identified and their chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses. The insecticidal activity of compounds 1 and 2, in addition to 11 compounds isolated in a previous research (6–16), was evaluated against the Yellow Fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Four compounds displayed adulticidal activity with LD₅₀ values of 2–2.3 μg/mosquito. Free radical scavenging properties of the plant extracts and compounds (1–5) were evaluated by measuring the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate radical cation (ABTS^•+) scavenging activity. All compounds exhibited notable activity, compared with the positive control, l-Ascorbic acid. This study suggests that N. oppositifolia could be a promising source of secondary metabolites, some with lethal adulticidal effect against Ae. aegypti.     

Rapid ruthenium-catalyzed synthesis of pyranopyrandiones by reconstructive carbonylation of cyclopropenones involving C[bond]C bond cleavage

Pyranopyrandiones were prepared by a novel ruthenium-catalyzed carbonylative dimerization of cyclopropenones via C-C bond cleavage. For example, treatment of dipropylcyclopropenone with a catalytic amount of Ru3(CO)12 and NEt3 in THF under 15 atm of carbon monoxide at 140 degrees C for 20 h gave a novel functional monomer, 3,4,7,8-tetrapropylpyrano[6,5-e]pyran-2,6-dione, in an isolated yield of 81%. Unsymmetrically substituted pyranopyrandiones were also obtained by ruthenium-catalyzed carbonylative coupling of cyclopropenones with alkynes under similar reaction conditions.     

Phosphanimin- und Phosphaniminato-Komplexe von Eisen. Die Kristallstrukturen von [FeCl3(Me3SiNPEt3)], [FeCl2(Me3SiNPEt3)]2, [FeCl2(NPEt3)]2 und [Fe(O2C?CH3)2(NPEt3)]2

Phosphanimine and Phosphoraneiminato Complexes of Iron. The Crystal Structures of [FeCl₃(Me₃SiNPEt₃)], [FeCl₂(Me₃SiNPEt₃)]₂, [FeCl₂(NPEt₃)]₂, and [Fe(O₂C? CH₃)₂(NPEt₃)]₂ The phosphanimine complexes [FeCl₃(Me₃SiNPEt₃)] (red-orange) and [FeCl₂(Me₃SiNPEt₃)]₂ (colourless) have been prepared by reactions of Me₃SiNPEt₃ with FeCl₃ and FeCl₂, respectively, in CH₂Cl₂ suspensions. Thermal decomposition of these donor-acceptor complexes in boiling toluene leads to the phosphoraneiminato complex [FeCl₂(NPEt₃)]₂ (black), whereas [Fe(O₂C? CH₃)₂(NPEt₃)]₂ (brown) is formed from iron(II) acetate and Me₃SiNPEt₃ in boiling acetonitrile. The complexes are characterized by IR spectroscopy and by crystal structure determinations. [FeCl₃(Me₃SiNPEt₃)] (1) : Space group P2₁/c, Z = 8, structure determination with 4 673 unique reflections, R = 0.033. Lattice dimensions at ?15°C: a = 1 607.8, b = 1 602.0, c = 1 417.2 pm, β = 106.56°. 1 forms monomeric molecules with tetrahedrally coordinated iron atoms. Bond lengths in average: Fe? N = 196.9 pm, Fe? Cl = 219.7 pm. [FeCl₂(Me₃SiNPEt₃)]₂ (2) : Space group P2₁/c, Z = 4, structure determination with 4 992 unique reflections, R = 0.048. Lattice dimensions at 20°C: a = 1 457.9, b = 1 685.4, c = 1 507.3 pm, β = 116.74°. 2 forms dimeric molecules, which are associated by chloro bridges. The iron atoms are tetrahedrally coordinated with trans positions of the phosphanimine ligands. Both lengths in average: Fe? N = 202.2 pm, Fe? Cl_terminal = 224.7 pm, Fe? Cl bridge = 241.0 pm. [FeCl₂(NPEt₃)]2 (3): Space group P2₁/n, Z = 2, structure determination with 2763 unique reflections, R = 0.039. Lattice dimensions at ?70°C: a = 799.1, b = 1009.0, c = 1441.9 pm, β = 93.45°. 3 forms centrosymmetric dimeric molecules, in which the tetrahedrally coordinated iron atoms are associated by the nitrogen atoms of the phosphoraneiminato ligands. Bond lengths in average: Fe? N = 191.4 pm, Fe? Cl = 222.7 pm. [Fe(O₂C? CH₃)₂(NPEt₃]2 (4): Space group P2₁/n, Z = 2, structure determination with 3005 observed unique reflections, R = 0.034. Lattice dimensions at -65°C: a = 886.4, b = 1444.6 pm, β = 90.60°. 4 forms centrosymmetric dimeric molecules, in which the octahedrally coordinated iron atoms are associated by the nitrogen atoms of the phosphoraneiminato ligands with bond lengths Fe? N of 191.9 and 195.0 pm. The acetate groups are coordinated in a chelating fashion.