Comparative Evaluation of CE and HPLC for Determination of Cotinine in Human Urine

Two rapid and popular methods—capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been compared for analysis of cotinine in human urine. Cotinine was analyzed in less than 7 min, with detection limits of 5 and 3.2 ng mL⁻¹ for CE and HPLC, respectively. The performance of the methods was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, and limits of detection and quantification. Calibration plots were linear in the range 50–4,000 ng mL⁻¹, at least, and mean recoveries were satisfactory for both techniques. The methods were successfully used for quantification of cotinine in urine.     

Sparsely substituted chlorins as core constructs in chlorophyll analogue chemistry. II. Derivatization

Stable chlorins bearing few or no substituents have been subjected to a variety of reactions including demetalation, magnesium insertion, oxochlorin formation, and bromination followed by Suzuki coupling. The kinetics of deuteration also have been determined for two oxochlorins and a series of chlorins bearing 0, 1, 2, or 3 meso-aryl substituents.     

Ca(2.5)Sr(0.5)GaMn2O8: diamagnetic Ga in control of the structural and electronic properties of a bilayered manganate

The temperature dependence of the crystal structure and electronic properties of brownmillerite-like Ca(2.5)Sr(0.5)GaMn(2)O(8) has been studied by neutron powder diffraction and muSR spectroscopy. The results show that short-range 2D magnetic order begins to develop within the perovskite-like bilayers of MnO(6) octahedra approximately 50 K above the 3D Néel temperature of approximately 150 K. The bilayers show a structural response to the onset of magnetism throughout this temperature range whereas the GaO(4) layers that separate the bilayers only respond below the 3D ordering temperature. XANES spectroscopy shows that the sample contains Mn(3+) and Mn(4+) cations in a 1:1 ratio, and the behavior in the region of the Néel transition is interpreted as a local charge ordering. Electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy have been used to show that the local microstructure is more complex than the average structure revealed by neutron diffraction, and that microdomains exist in which the GaO(4) tetrahedra show different orientations. It is argued that the bonding requirements of diamagnetic gallium control the electronic behavior within the perovskite-like bilayers.     

X‐ray investigations of bicyclic α‐methylene‐δ‐valerolactones. V. (4aS,7R,8aR)‐7‐Isopropenyl‐4a‐methyl‐3‐methyleneperhydrochromen‐2‐one

The title compound, C₁₄H₂₀O₂, adopts a conformation in which the δ‐valerolactone and cyclohexane rings are almost coplanar with one another. The γ‐methyl substituent occupies an axial position with respect to the cyclohexane ring. The δ‐valerolactone moiety adopts an envelope arrangement, while the cyclohexane ring exists in a chair conformation.     

On the spectrum of the sum of generators for a finitely generated group

Let Γ be a finitely generated group. In the group algebra ℂ[Γ], form the averageh of a finite setS of generators of Γ. Given a unitary representation π of Γ, we relate spectral properties of the operator π(h) to properties of Γ and π. For the universal representationπ _un of Γ, we prove in particular the following results. First, the spectrum Sp(π _un (h)) contains the complex numberz of modulus one iff Sp(π _un (h)) is invariant under multiplication byz, iff there exists a character such that η(S)={z}. Second, forS ⁻¹=S, the group Γ has Kazhdan’s property (T) if and only if 1 is isolated in Sp(π _un (h)); in this case, the distance between 1 and other points of the spectrum gives a lower bound on the Kazhdan constants. Numerous examples illustrate the results.     

Interplanar torsion in the S1<--S0 electronic spectrum of jet cooled 1-phenylimidazole

The S(1)<--S(0) transition of 1-phenylimidazole (1PI) has been studied in a supersonic jet expansion by resonant two-photon ionization. The origin band at 36 075 cm(-1) is accompanied by a low frequency progression associated with torsion about the bond connecting phenyl and imidazole groups. Torsional potentials have been determined for both states. In S(0), phi(min)=37.2+/-0.5 degrees and the planar barrier is 339+/-20 cm(-1), while in S(1), phi(min)=17.6+/-0.5 degrees and the planar barrier is 57+/-2 cm(-1). The transition moment alignment is observed to be consistent with an excited state of L(b) character, in spite of the "off-axis" conjugation provided by the imidazole ring. These results are compared with ab initio calculations on both states, performed using Hartree-Fock, M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation, density functional theory with the Becke3-Lee-Yang-Parr functional, time-dependent density functional theory, configuration interaction singles, and complete active space self-consistent field methods. Solution-phase UV spectra of neutral and protonated 1PI are also reported.     

Closest packing in dense oxides: The structure of a polymorph of Co3(AsO4)2

Crystals of Co₃(AsO₄)₂ were grown from the melt of a mixture of Co₂As₂O₇ and As₂O₅. The crystals are isostructural with Mg₃(AsO₄)₂ and are tetragonal with a = 6.858(2), c = 18.872(5) Å, Z = 6, and space group $\text{I}\text{4}\text{2d}$. A total of 1048 independent reflections were measured by diffractometer and used in the full-matrix refinement to a final R value of 0.069. The structure contains two distinct AsO₄ groups. Two of the cobalt ions are octahedrally coordinated and a third occupies a $\text{4}$ site with four short and four long CoO distances. The crystal structure of Co₃ (AsO₄)₂ is not based on the continuous three-dimensional closest packing of oxygen atoms. Nevertheless the number of oxygen atoms per cubic centimeter is 5.4 × 10²², which falls in the range of values for hexagonal and cubic closest packed structures. A better measure of the degree to which closest packing is achieved by a structure is suggested. It is based on an analysis of the polyhedra of oxygen atoms which surround each of the oxygen atoms in a structure and their relation to the polyhedra in ideally closest packed structures. In order to facilitate the analysis, polytopes of 11- and 12-vertex polyhedra were studied. A new decahexahedral 11-vertex polyhedron was found.     

The photochemical reactions of α,β,γ,δ -unsaturated diazo compounds at low temperature

The α,β:γ,δ-unsaturated tosylhydrazone lithium salts (4) undergo photolysis at ?60°C to give vinylcyclopropenes (10) and [l,2]diazeto[l,4-a] pyrroles (11) and/or (12). The formation of (11, X=H) establishes the intermediacy of (8, X=H) in the formation of the 3$\text{H}$-1,2-diazepine (9). The diazoalkene (5, X=Me) showed opposite electrocyclisation periselectivity to its thermal cyclisation and gave (11, X=Me) $\text{via}$ (8, X=Me), rather than the pyrazoles (2) and (3).