Limited flexibility of lactose detected from residual dipolar couplings using molecular dynamics simulations and steric alignment methods

The conformational flexibility of lactose in solution has been investigated by residual dipolar couplings (RDCs). One-bond carbon-proton and proton-proton coupling constants have been measured in two oriented media and interpreted in combination with molecular dynamics simulations (MD). Two different approaches, known as PALES (Zweckstetter et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 3791-3792) and TRAMITE (Azurmendi et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 2426-2427), have been used to determine the alignment tensor from a shape-induced alignment model with the oriented medium. The steric alignment of the structures from several MD trajectories has provided ensemble averaged RDCs that have been compared with the experimental ones. The obtained results reveal the almost exclusive presence of a major low energy region defined as syn-phi/syn-psi (> 97%), for which sampling occurs in a dynamic manner. This result satisfactorily agrees with that determined by standard NOE-based methods.     

Ru(IV)-catalyzed isomerization of allylamines in water: a highly efficient procedure for the deprotection of N-allylic amines

A general and efficient method for the deprotection of N-allylic substrates in aqueous media, using catalytic amounts of the bis(allyl)-ruthenium(IV) complexes [Ru(eta3:eta2:eta3-C12H18)Cl2] and [{Ru(eta3:eta3-C10H16)(micro-Cl)Cl}2], has been developed.     

Iron(III)-catalyzed Prins-type cyclization using homopropargylic alcohol: a method for the synthesis of 2-alkyl-4-halo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans

[reaction: see text] A new Prins-type cyclization between homopropargylic alcohol and aldehydes in the presence of FeX(3) to obtain 2-alkyl-4-halo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans in good yield is described. Osmium-catalyzed cis dihydroxylation provided direct access to trans-2-alkyl-3-hydroxy-tetrahydro-pyran-4-ones. Anhydrous ferric halides are also shown to be excellent catalysts for the standard Prins cyclization using homoallylic alcohol. Isolation of an intermediate acetal provides substantiation of a proposed mechanism.     

Capillary zone electrophoretic determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin in urine

Summary A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoretic method with UV detection has been developed for determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin. The separation was performed in fused-silica capillaries (57 cm length × 75μm i.d.); the running buffer was 35mm borate + 35mm phosphate buffer solution, pH 8.6, containing 6% (v/v) acetonitrile. The applied potential was 15 kV, the temperature 30°C, and detection was at 262 nm. Piromidic acid was used as the internal standard. Response was linearly dependent on concentration in the range 1.0–120.0 μg mL⁻¹ and the detection limit was 0.2 μg mL⁻¹ for both compounds. The analysis was highly reproducible (RSD between 3.41 and 1.25%). The method was applied to the determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin in human and rat urine. The method was validated by using HPLC as a reference method. Recovery was between 96.8 and 102%.     

New dirhenium(III) compounds bridged by carboxylate ligands: N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] and Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2)

The solvothermal reaction of (N(C(4)H(9))(4))(2)[Re(2)Cl(8)] with trifluoroacetic acid and acetic anhydride leads to the new rhenium trifluoroacetate dimer N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] (1) and to the rhenium carbonyl dimer Re(2)(mu(2)-Cl)(2)(CO)(8) as the rhenium-reduced byproduct. The reaction of the precursor complex, N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] (1), with the organometallic carboxylic acid (CO)(6)Co(2)HCCCOOH leads to the cluster of clusters compound Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2), which has the dimer structure of Re(2)(OOCR)(4)Cl(2). Cyclic voltammetric measurements show that Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2) has one reduction centered on the dirhenium core and a reduction centered on the cobalt atoms. DFT calculations have been used to rationalize the observed displacements of the voltammetric signals in Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2) compared to the parent ligand (CO)(6)Co(2)HCCCOOH and rhenium pivalate.     

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography for the determination of Viagra and its metabolite (UK-103,320) in human serum

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) was investigated for the determination of Viagra (sildenafil citrate, SC) and its metabolite (UK-103,320) in human serum in a concentration range of clinical interest. For MEKC, human serum samples spiked with SC and UK were obtained directly after elution with methanol from a tC18 cartridge. The extract was evaporated and regenerated in a solution 1 mM of phosphate buffer (pH 12.3) which contained a methanol percentage of 20% that was analyzed using phosphate buffer (pH 12.3, 10 mM) containing 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as separation electrolyte and a fused-silica capillary. This method gave satisfactory interday precision with respect to migration times relative standard deviation (RSD < 1%) and linear responses for the concentration ranges investigated (0.50-3.50 mg L(-1) for the compound SC and 0.90-4.60 mg L(-1) for UK). An intraday RSD (n = 5 graphs) between the slopes of the calibration graphs was acceptable (6.40%) for SC and (3.37%) for UK. A satisfactory interday precision between slopes was also obtained (RSD 4.10% for SC and a RSD 2.72% for UK) which demonstrated the ruggedness of this method. Detection limits (S/N = 3) were about 200 ng/mL for both compounds in human serum. MEKC was shown as a good method with regards to simplicity, precision and sensitivity.     

Lanthanum chromites partially substituted by calcium,strontium and barium synthesized by urea combustion

Because of their electrical, magnetic and catalytic properties rare earth and transition metal mixed oxides are important compounds. Lanthanum chromites have been extensively used as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) interconnect materials. In this work, lanthanum chromites partially substituted by alkaline earth metals were synthesized by the urea combustion process. TG and DSC techniques were used to evaluate the presence of the organic material in the powder after reaction on the hot plate. The powders were calcinated at 900°C and characterized by XRD and SEM. The results show that the particles have nanometric dimensions and the perovskite structure was formed.     

Temperature Dependence of the Solubility of Acetaminophen in Propylene Glycol + Ethanol Mixtures

The thermodynamic functions Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of solution, mixing and solvation of acetaminophen in propylene glycol (PG) + ethanol (EtOH) cosolvent mixtures were evaluated from solubility data measured at several temperatures, using the van't Hoff and Gibbs equations. The solubility was greater at 50% m/m of PG at 20.0^C, while it was greater at 80% of PG at 40.0 ^C where m/m refers to mass percent. The solvation of this drug is appreciably greater in the mixtures than in the pure solvents. By means of an enthalpy–entropy compensation analysis, complex behavior was found for the solution. From 0 up to 20% of PG and from 60 up to 100% of PG the solution process is enthalpy driven, whereas from 20 up to 60% of PG it is entropy driven. These facts can be explained in terms of a decrease in the energy required for cavity formation in the solvent for mixtures containing 20–60% of PG.     

Highly diastereoselective cyanation of methyl ketimines obtained from (R)-glyceraldehyde

[reaction: see text] Addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to ketimines derived from (R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl methyl ketone to generate a quaternary stereocenter has been achieved with high yields and excellent diastereoselectivity. The stereoselectivity was found to be temperature and solvent dependent. The beta-hydroxy-alpha-amino nitrile of syn configuration was the major compound in kinetically controlled reactions, whereas the anti stereoisomer was obtained in excess in thermodynamically controlled reactions. Double stereodifferentiation under kinetic control conditions was successful, and the cyanation reaction occurred with complete syn diastereoselectivity using the matched pair. The versatility of the resulting amino nitrile as a synthetic intermediate was tested by performing the synthesis of orthogonally protected (R)-(2-aminomethyl)alanine.     

Application of matrix solid-phase dispersion to the determination of a new generation of fungicides in fruits and vegetables

A method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and gas chromatography to determine eight fungicides in fruits and vegetables is described. Fungicide residues were identified and quantified using nitrogen-phosphorus detection and electron-capture detection connected in parallel and confirmed by mass spectrometric detection. The method required 0.5 g of sample, C18 bonded silica as dispersant sorbent, silica as clean-up sorbent and ethyl acetate as eluting solvent. Recoveries from spiked orange, apple, tomato, artichoke, carrot and courgette samples ranged from 62 to 102% and relative standard deviations were less than 15% in the concentration range 0.05-10 mg kg(-1). Detection and quantitation limits ranged 3-30 microg kg(-1) and 10-100 microg kg(-1), respectively, with linear calibration curves up to 10 mg kg(-1). The analytical characteristics of MSPD compared very favourably with the results of a classical multiresidue method, which uses ethyl acetate and anhydrous sodium sulphate for the extraction.