Bia-amperometric quantification of salbutamol in pharmaceutical products

This paper presents a simple, rapid and reproducible method of analysis of salbutamol in pharmaceutical products, utilizing batch injection analysis (BIA) associated with amperometric detection. A study of salbutamol oxidation demonstrated a strong dependence between electrode fouling and pH. All determinations were done utilizing a glassy carbon electrode in presence of 3.0 mol l⁻¹ NaOH. A large linear dynamic range from 8×10⁻⁷ to 2×10⁻⁴ mol l⁻¹ was obtained by using an injected volume of 100 μl with a detection limit of 2.5×10⁻⁷ mol l⁻¹. R.S.D. of 0.92% for 50 successive injections of 4×10⁻⁶ mol l⁻¹ of salbutamol and a sample throughput of 60 samples per hour were achieved. The method was applied for salbutamol quantification in syrups.     

Multilayer sol-gel membranes for optical sensing applications: single layer pH and dual layer CO(2) and NH(3) sensors

Organo-silica sol-gel membranes have been prepared and demonstrated in a single layer format for pH measurement and multiple-layer format for both carbon dioxide and ammonia. The sensors are simple and versatile since the same chemistry and membranes are used for each sensor. The sensors use hydroxypyrenetrisulfonic acid (HPTS) as the indicator immobilized in a base-catalyzed sol-gel containing poly(dimethyl)siloxane, aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). This indicator gel is over coated with a hydrophobic sol-gel to reduce cross reactivity to pH when either CO(2) or NH(3) are examined. The gels are very stable and the sensors retain response up to a 12-month period. Sensors can be stored in buffer or dry without loss of function and have response times to that are comparable to literature values.     

Selenium speciation by coupling vesicle mediated HPLC with off-line ETAAS and on-line focused microwave digestion HG-AAS detection

A novel High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method for the separation of selenium species with specific detection by off-line Electrothermal Atomization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (ETAAS) or on-line focused microwave digestion (MW) Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HG-AAS) is described. Vesicular mobile phases of the cationic surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) have been evaluated for the liquid chromatographic separation of inorganic selenium (selenite and selenate) and different selenoaminoacids (selenocystine, selenomethionine and selenoethionine) on a C(18) reversed-phase column modified by DDAB molecules. The effects of different parameters (pH, buffer and vesicle concentrations) of the mobile phase on the retention times have been determined. The detection limit for selenium with the proposed off-line HPLC-ETAAS method has been found to be 5 microg/L of Se. The detection limit using HPLC-"on line" focused microwave digestion-HG-AAS has been found to be 1 microg/L of Se, with a precision (repeatability) better than +/- 5%. The latter proved to be an exceptional on-line real-time chromatographic detector for selenium speciation purposes.     

Separation of organoselenium compounds and their electrochemical detection

A simplified procedure based on ion-exchange separation of selenourea (Se-U) and selenocystamine (Se-CM), which have very close half-wave potential when they are simultaneously analyzed by voltammetric techniques, has been developed and optimized. Thus, selenocystamine remains in the cation exchanger Purolite C 100 H, whereas selenourea is found in the effluent and is determined by square wave cathodic stripping voltammetry using Na₂CO₃ as electrolyte. Selenocystamine is then eluted from the cation exchanger using 4 M HCl and analyzed by square wave cathodic stripping voltammetry in the HCl solution. For each voltammetric determination the corresponding parameters were investigated and optimized; the obtained detection limits were 0.3 ng Se mL^–1 for Se-CM and 2 ng Se mL^–1 for Se-U. A flow sheet for the separation of inorganic (Se(IV) and Se(VI)) and organoselenium compounds (Se-U, Se-CM, (CH₃)₂Se₂, and (CH₃)₂Se) developed for their electrochemical detection is presented and it was successfully applied to a certified reference material, an environmental soil sample, and a urine sample.     

Highly stereoselective addition of stannylcuprates to alkynones

The addition of stannylcuprate reagents such as (Bu3Sn)(PhS)CuLi to alkynones has been found to proceed in high yield and with excellent stereoselectivity for the Z isomer of the product (>95%). The behavior of the stannylcuprates is thus very different from that of their "carbocuprate" counterparts such as Me2CuLi or Me2Cu(CN)Li2 which are nonstereoselective. Furthermore, in contrast to the reactions of (R3Sn)(PhS)CuLi with the corresponding alkynoates, the presence of a proton source in the reaction medium has no effect on the stereoselectivity of the reaction of alkynones.     

Sensitized photoconduction in a polydiacetylene crystal (DCHD)

The photoconductivity of DCHD displays a maximum near 3.6 eV coinciding with the maximum of the S_o → S₁ absorption of the carbazole group. It is attributed to a sensitization involving charge transfer from the excited chromophore to the chain. The rate constant for non-radiative decay of the carbazole singlet due to energy transfer to the chain is 1.6 × 10¹³ s^?1, and for charge transfer ≈ 3 × 10¹¹ s^?1.     

THE 'OPSIN SHIFT' IN BACTERIORHODOPSIN: STUDIES WITH ARTIFICIAL BACTERIORHODOPSINS

Abstract— The difference (in cm⁻¹) in absorption maxima between the protonated Schiff base of retinals and the pigment derived therefrom has been defined as the opsin shift. It represents the influence of the opsin binding site on the chromophore. The analysis of the opsin shifts of a series of dihydrobacteriorhodopsins has led to the external point-charge model, which in addition to a counter anion near the Schiff base ammonium, carries another negative charge in the vicinity of the β-ionone ring. This is in striking contrast to the external point-charge model proposed earlier for the bovine visual pigment. The absorption maxima of rhodopsins formed from bromo- and phenyl retinals support the two models. A retinal carrying a photoaffinity label has yielded a nonbleachable bacteriorhodopsin.     

3′-Methylsulfinyl-3,4′-diquinolinyl sulfides

Reactions of 4-methoxy- or 1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3′-methylthio-3,4′-diquinolinyl sulfides 1 and 7 with a nitrating mixture ran as the 3′-methylthio group 5-mono-oxidation followed by C₆- and C₈-nitration and led to the mixture composed of products 3, 4, 5 and 6 (in the case of substrate 1 ) or compounds 5 and 6 (for substrate 7 ). In the reaction with hydrochloric acid 4-methoxy-3′-methylsulfinyl-3,4′-diquinolinyl sulfides 3 and 4 could be hydrolysed to 3′-methylsulfinyl-4(1H)-quinolinones 5 or 6 respectively, the methylsulfinyl group remaining unaffected.