New Developments in Multidimensional Chromatography of Complex Polymers

Summary: Complex polymers are distributed in more than one direction of molecular heterogeneity. In addition to the molar mass distribution, they are frequently distributed with respect to chemical composition, functionality, and molecular heterogeneity. One approach for the analysis of the heterogeneity of complex polymers is their chromatographic separation by combining different separation mechanisms. A typical experimental protocol includes the separation of the sample according to composition to yield fractions that are chemically homogeneous. These fractions are transferred to a size‐selective separation method and analyzed with respect to molar mass. As a result of this two‐dimensional (2D) separation, information on both types of molecular heterogeneity is obtained. So far, 2D chromatography has been applied mostly to polymers that are soluble in organic solvents. There are several problems related to the use of aqueous mobile phases in polymer chromatography. These problems relate to the very polar or ionic character of the polymers and the experimental conditions, including the use of salt‐containing eluents. The present paper addresses the different parameters that influence the chromatographic experiments. For a model polymer system resulting from the grafting of methacrylic acid (MAA) onto poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), i.e., PEG‐g‐PMAA, it will be shown that different chromatographic techniques including SEC, LC‐CC, and 2D chromatography, as well as coupled LC‐CC/FT‐IR can be used to analyze the molecular complexity of the copolymers.

LC‐CC/FT‐IR spectra of a PEG‐g‐PMAA sample as function of the elution volume.     

Metal ion separations with proton-ionizable crown ethers and their polymers

Abstract

Lipophilic crown ethers with pendent proton-ionizable groups are novel complexing agents for use in metal ion separations by solvent extraction. For a series of structurally related, lipophilic dibenzocrown ether carboxylic acids, the efficiency and selectivity of competitive alkali metal cation extraction for aqueous solution into chloroform is found to be strongly influenced by the crown ether ring size and the lipophilic group attachment site. Reaction of dibenzocrown ether carboxylic acids with formaldehyde in formic acid produces condensation polymers which possess both ion-exchange and cyclic polyether binding sites for metal ion complexation. These resins exhibit excellent exchange kinetics for competitive alkali metal cation sorption from aqueous solution and subsequent stripping and may be used in concentrator columns for the recovery of these metal ions from very dilute aqueous solution. Cation selectivity in the sorption and stripping steps is controlled by the structure of the crown ether monomer unit.     

Triphospha-Ferrocenes as Ligands. Crystal Structures of [Fe(η5-C5Me5)(η5-C2 TBu2P3)M(CO)5)], (M= Cr,MO, W) and the Novel ruthenium and Nickel Complexes [Fe(η5-C5Me5) (η5-C2 TBu2P3)Ru3(CO)9] and [Fe(η5-C5Me5)(η5-C2 tBu2P3)Ni(Co)2]2

Abstract

Syntheses and structures of penta- and hexaphosphorus analogues of ferrocene have been described recently¹. Unlike their simple ferrocene analogues, these complexes have further ligating potential towards other transition metal centres by virtue of the availability of the ring phosphorus lone-pair electrons that are not involved in the η⁵-coordination. We now describe the first examples of coordination compounds of the triphospha-ferrocene [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅) (η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃]. In the ruthenium complex [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃) Ru₃(CO)₉] ² two adjacent phosphorus atoms of the η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃ ring are interlinked by a ruthenium carbonyl cluster in which all three ruthenium atoms interact with the phosphorus atoms. The tetrametallic nickel complex [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃)Ni(CO)₂]₂ ³ represents the first example of intermolecular interlinkage of two phospha-ferrocene systems by two metal centres.     

Synthesis of a Calix[4]crown‐6 Cone Conformer‐Based Oligomer and its Metal Cation Extraction Abilities

A new calixcrown‐6 oligomer 5 was synthesized by reacting a 1,3‐distal di‐amino derivative of cone p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]crown‐6 with malonyl dichloride. Extraction studies with precursor monomers 2 and 3 and oligomer 5 showed differences in their metal cation extraction behavior and selectivity. Precursors monomers 2 and 3 were selective for Hg²⁺; whereas, oligomer 5 showed high affinity towards both alkali (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and Cs⁺) and heavy metal cations (Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺).     

Targeted Metabolomics of Dried Blood Spot Extracts

Dried blood spot (DBS) samples are already successfully used in newborn screening and pharmacological analyses. The application of DBS matrix to further metabolomic methods will considerably extend the analytical options for the diagnostics of metabolic diseases. We present an MS/MS based method for the simultaneous extraction and quantification of 188 metabolites from dried blood spots. We provide a sensitive and reproducible method that adapts the AbsoluteIDQ? p180 kit of Biocrates to the DBS matrix for the quantification of metabolites of different substance classes including amino acids, biogenic amines, free carnitine, acylcarnitines, hexoses, glycerophospholipids, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingolipids.     

Antioxidant activity,lipophilicity and extractability of polyphenols from pig skin – development of analytical methods for skin permeation studies

Permeation of polyphenols through the stratum corneum barrier is a precondition for the protective action of polyphenols against oxidative skin damage. Prior to in vitro skin permeation experiments, we developed a method for the quantification of polyphenols in pig skin, including organic solvent extraction and HPLC analysis. Catechine hydrate, epigallocatechin gallate, trans‐resveratrol, quercetin, rutin and protocatechuic acid were chosen for this study as representatives of phenolics with different lipophilicity and molecular weight. The antioxidative activities of polyphenols as well as their octanol–water partition coefficients at different pH values were determined. Extraction of polyphenols from pig skin was optimized by variation of solvent composition, homogenization intensity and time, as well as partial exclusion of oxygen during extraction. The highest recovery rates could be reached by extraction with the methanol–water mixture (90:10, v/v), containing 0.2 g/L l ‐ascorbic acid, after the cryo‐milling for 4 min. Recoveries of 72% for total phenolics, 96% for quercetin and protocatechuic acid, 90% for rutin and 74% for trans‐resveratrol, were achieved. These extraction parameters will be selected for the polyphenol extraction from pig skin for further in vitro drug permeation studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.