Ni(III) vs. Ni(II)-thiyl radical: charge-delocalisation in a binuclear Ni(III)Ni(II)-dithiolate complex

Multi-frequency EPR spectroscopy on 61Ni-labelled samples of [Ni2(L)]3+ confirms extensive charge-delocalisation between the Ni(III) centre and thiolate donors in the Ni(II)Ni(III) complex.     

Quantification of clenbuterol in equine plasma,urine and tissue by liquid chromatography coupled on-line with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Clenbuterol (CBL) is a potent beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonist used for the management of respiratory disorders in the horse. The detection and quantification of CBL can pose a problem due to its potency, the relatively low dose administered to the horse, its slow clearance and low plasma concentrations. Thus, a sensitive method for the quantification and confirmation of CBL in racehorses is required to study its distribution and elimination. A sensitive and fast method was developed for quantification and confirmation of the presence of CBL in equine plasma, urine and tissue samples. The method involved liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), separation by liquid chromatography (LC) on a short cyano column, and pseudo multiple reaction monitoring (pseudo-MRM) by electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). At very low concentrations (picograms of CBL/mL), LLE produced better extraction efficiency and calibration curves than solid-phase extraction (SPE). The operating parameters for electrospray QTOF and yield of the product ion in MRM were optimized to enhance sensitivity for the detection and quantification of CBL. The quantification range of the method was 0.013-10 ng of CBL/mL plasma, 0.05-20 ng/0.1 mL of urine, and 0.025-10 ng/g tissue. The detection limit of the method was 13 pg/mL of plasma, 50 pg/0.1 mL of urine, and 25 pg/g of tissue. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of CBL in plasma, urine and various tissue samples, and in pharmacokinetic (PK) studies of CBL in the horse. CBL was quantified for 96 h in plasma and 288 h in urine post-administration of CLB (1.6 micro g/kg, 2 x daily x 7 days). This method is useful for the detection and quantification of very low concentrations of CBL in urine, plasma and tissue samples.     

Hydration state of nonionic surfactant monolayers at the liquid/vapor interface: structure determination by vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy

The OH stretching region of water molecules in the vicinity of nonionic surfactant monolayers has been investigated using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) under the polarization combinations ssp, ppp, and sps. The surface sensitivity of the VSFS technique has allowed targeting the few water molecules present at the surface with a net orientation and, in particular, the hydration shell around alcohol, sugar, and poly(ethylene oxide) headgroups. Dramatic differences in the hydration shell of the uncharged headgroups were observed, both in comparison to each another and in comparison to the pure water surface. The water molecules around the rigid glucoside and maltoside sugar rings were found to form strong hydrogen bonds, similar to those observed in tetrahedrally coordinated water in ice. In the case of the poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant monolayer a significant ordering of both strongly and weakly hydrogen bonded water was observed. Moreover, a band common to all the surfactants studied, clearly detected at relatively high frequencies in the polarization combinations ppp and sps, was assigned to water species located in proximity to the surfactant hydrocarbon tail phase, with both hydrogen atoms free from hydrogen bonds. An orientational analysis provided additional information on the water species responsible for this band.     

Cyclo­decyl 4‐nitro­phenyl­acetate

Cyclodecyl 4‐nitrophenylacetate, C₁₈H₂₅NO₄, has its ten‐membered ring in the expected diamond‐lattice boat–chair–boat [2323] conformation, with the substituent 4‐nitro­phenyl­acet­oxy group in the BCB IIIe position. The ester unit has the expected Z conformation, with an O=C—O—C torsion angle of −0.3 (3)°, and the connection to the benzene ring is nearly perpendicular to the ester, with an O=C—C—C torsion angle of 85.5 (2)°. An inter­molecular contact exists between the ester C atom and a nitro O atom, having a C⋯O distance of 2.909 (2) Å.     

Structure and Thermodynamics of NaF-AlF(3) Melts with Addition of CaF(2) and MgF(2)

The NaF-AlF(3) system with additions of CaF(2) and MgF(2) has been studied with Raman and vapor pressure measurements for 3 >/= CR (NaF/AlF(3) molar ratio) >/= 1 and up to 50 mol % additive. The results show that the binary melt can be described using the two equilibria AlF(6)(3)(-) = AlF(6)(2)(-) + F(-) and AlF(5)(2)(-) = AlF(4)(-) + F(-) with equilibrium constants 0.25 and 0.05, respectively, at 1293 K. Both reactions have positive reaction enthalpies. The first equilibrium is strongly shifted to the right resulting in a melt mixture with very low AlF(6)(3)(-) concentrations even at the Na(3)AlF(6) composition. Evidence for nonideal mixing of anions was found. For the ternaries, models based on Raman data are presented and compared with vapor pressure measurements. Good agreement is observed when association between the additives, CaF(2) or MgF(2), with the AlF(5)(2)(-) ions in the melt was considered. This association could be experimentally observed through a band broadening and a slight shift in the AlF(5)(2)(-) band frequency. Our vapor pressures and Raman data both indicate that MgF(2) clearly acts as an acid when added to NaF-AlF(3) melts of any composition. When CaF(2) is added, a slight decrease of vapor pressure occurs. Raman data indicate a decrease of AlF(4)(-) concentration, corresponding to a dissociation of CaF(2) with liberation of F(-) ions. All these results are, however, very much dependent on the initial melt composition. These data are explained in terms of acid-base, dilution, and association reactions of the solute with the solvent.     

Organotransition-Metal Metallacarboranes. 46. Multidecker Sandwiches of the Cobalt Group Metals(,)(1)

The double-decker sandwich complex CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(4)) (1a) was prepared via deprotonation of nido-2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(6) to its mono- or dianion and reaction with (CpIrCl(2))(2) in THF and isolated as a colorless air-stable solid; the B(4)-chloro derivative 1b was also obtained. Decapitation of 1a and 1b with TMEDA afforded colorless nido-CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(5)) (2a) and its 4-chloro derivative 2b. Chlorination of 1a by Cl(2) or N-chlorosuccinimide gave the symmetrical species CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-5-Cl) (1c), which was decapped to yield nido-CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(4)-5-Cl) (2c). The triple-decker complexes CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)-4[6]-Cl)IrCp (3), an orange solid, and dark green CpIr(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)-4[6]-Cl)CoCp (5) were prepared from 2a and nido-CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(5)) (4a), respectively, by deprotonation and reaction with (CpIrCl(2))(2) in THF. Reaction of the 2c(-) anion with Rh(MeCN)(3)Cl(3) gave the dark green tetradecker complex [CpIr(Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)-5-Cl)](2)RhH (6). In an attempt to prepare a heterotrimetallic Co-Rh-Ir tetradecker sandwich, a three-way reaction involving the deprotonated anions derived from CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(4)-5-Cl) (4b) and 2c with Rh(MeCN)(3)Cl(3) was conducted. The desired species CpCo(Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)Cl)RhH(Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)Cl)IrCp (7) and the tetradeckers [CpCo(Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(2)Cl)](2)RhH (8) and 6 were isolated in small quantities from the product mixture; many other apparent triple-decker and tetradecker products were detected via mass spectroscopy but were not characterized. All new compounds were isolated via column or plate chromatography and characterized via NMR, UV-visible, and mass spectroscopy and by X-ray crystal structure determinations of 1a and 3. Crystal data for 1a: space group C2/c; a = 28.890(5) ?, b = 8.511(2) ?, c = 15.698(4) ?, beta = 107.61(2) degrees; Z = 8; R = 0.049 for 1404 independent reflections having I > 3sigma(I). Crystal data for 3: space group P2(1)/c; a = 11.775(4) ?, b = 15.546(5) ?, c = 15.500(5) ?, beta = 103.16(3) degrees; Z = 4; R = 0.066 for 2635 independent reflections having I > 3sigma(I).     

Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterization of Ru(2)(4+) and Ru(2)(3+) complexes under a CO atmosphere

Eleven different Ru(2)(4+) and Ru(2)(3+) derivatives are characterized by thin-layer FTIR and UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry under a CO atmosphere. These compounds, which were in-situ electrogenerated from substituted anilinopyridine complexes with a Ru(2)(5+) core, are represented as Ru(2)(L)(4)Cl where L = 2-CH(3)ap, ap, 2-Fap, 2,3-F(2)ap, 2,4-F(2)ap, 2,5-F(2)ap, 3,4-F(2)ap, 3,5-F(2)ap, 2,4,6-F(3)ap, or F(5)ap. The Ru(2)(5+) complexes do not axially bind CO while mono- and bis-CO axial adducts are formed for the Ru(2)(4+) and Ru(2)(3+) derivatives, respectively. Six of the eleven investigated compounds exist in a (4,0) isomeric form while five adopt a (3,1) geometric conformation. These two series of compounds thus provide a large enough number of derivatives to examine trends and differences in the spectroscopic data of the two types of isomers in their lower Ru(2)(4+) and Ru(2)(3+) oxidation states. UV-visible spectra of the Ru(2)(4+) derivatives and IR spectra of the Ru(2)(3+) complexes under CO are both isomer dependent, thus suggesting that these data can be used to reliably predict the isomeric form, i.e., (3,1) or (4,0), of diruthenium complexes containing four unsymmetrical substituted anilinopyridinate bridging ligands; this was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic data for seven compounds whose structures were available.     

Proteome analyses using accurate mass and elution time peptide tags with capillary LC time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We describe the application of capillary liquid chromatography (LC) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometric instrumentation for the rapid characterization of microbial proteomes. Previously (Lipton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2002, 99, 11049) the peptides from a series of growth conditions of Deinococcus radiodurans have been characterized using capillary LC MS/MS and accurate mass measurements which are captured as an accurate mass and time (AMT) tag database. Using this AMT tag database, detected peptides can be assigned using measurements obtained on a TOF due to the additional use of elution time data as a constraint. When peptide matches are obtained using AMT tags (i.e., using both constraints) unique matches of a mass spectral peak occurs 88% of the time. Not only are AMT tag matches unique in most cases, the coverage of the proteome is high; approximately 3500 unique peptide AMT tags are found on average per capillary LC run. From the results of the AMT tag database search, approximately 900 ORFs detected using LC-TOFMS, with approximately 500 ORFs covered by at least two AMT tags. These results indicate that AMT database searches with modest mass and elution time criteria can provide proteomic information for approximately one thousand proteins in a single run of <3 h. The advantage of this method over using MS/MS based techniques is the large number of identifications that occur in a single experiment as well as the basis for improved quantitation. For MS/MS experiments, the number of peptide identifications is severely restricted because of the time required to dissociate the peptides individually. These results demonstrate the utility of the AMT tag approach using capillary LC-TOF MS instruments, and also show that AMT tags developed using other instrumentation can be effectively utilized.     

Relaxation processes in semidilute solutions of polymers in liquid crystal solvents

We investigate the relaxation phenomena in a polymer (polystyrene)/liquid crystal (4-cyano-4'-n-octyl-biphenyl) system, in its homogeneous isotropic phase near the isotropic-isotropic, isotropic-nematic, and isotropic-smectic coexistence curve, using both polarized and depolarized photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). We study this system for different polystyrene molecular weights (4750, 12 500, and 65 000 g/mol), different compositions (50, 40, 30, and 10% polystyrene (PS) by weight), and different temperatures close to phase boundaries. First of all, we determine the phase diagrams of this system for the different molecular weights. The shape of the phase diagrams strongly depends on the molecular weight. However, in all cases, at low temperatures, these systems separate into an almost pure liquid crystalline (LC) phase and polystyrene-rich phase. PCS measurements show that the relaxation processes in the homogeneous phase are not affected by the proximity of the nematic, or smectic, boundaries (even at a temperature of 0.1 degrees C above the phase separation in two phases). In polarized PCS experiments, we always see three relaxation processes well separated in time: one, very fast, with a relaxation time of the order of 10(-5) s; a second one with a relaxation time within the range 10(-2)-10(-3) s; and a last one, very slow, with a relaxation time of the order of 1 s. Both the fast and slow modes are independent of the wave vector magnitude, while the intermediate relaxation process is diffusive. In depolarized PCS experiments, the intermediate mode disappears and only the fast and slow relaxation processes remain, and they are independent of the magnitude of the wave vector. The diffusive mode is the classical diffusive mode, which is associated with the diffusion of polymer chains in all polymer solutions. The fast mode is due to the rotational diffusion of 4-cyano-4'-n-octyl-biphenyl (8CB) molecules close to polystyrene chains (transient network). Finally, we assign the slowest mode to reorientational processes of small aggregates of PS chains that are not dissolved in 8CB.     

Metabolite profiling in rat urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry. Application to the study of heavy metal toxicity

This work reports the use of reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ion trap (QIT) mass spectrometry for the analysis of the metabolome in rat urine. An injection of 20 microL of urine into the chromatographic system is followed by a slow gradient elution and mass spectrometric detection in the scanning mode from m/z 100-1000 in both positive and negative modes. Over a time scale of 90 min, 30 and 20 resolved peaks were observed in the positive and the negative modes, respectively, corresponding to the presence of a few hundred m/z ratios. By using a QIT analyzer, data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry of selected m/z ratios identified several compounds in rat urine and characterized various chemical families, including carboxylic acids, amines, sulfated compounds, glucuronides and glycosides, by the observation of characteristic fragment ions or neutral losses. The method has been applied to the investigation of the chronic toxicity of heavy metals in rat urine. A few tens of m/z ratios, differing in intensity more than threefold from control values, were observed in both positive and negative modes. The time variations for some selected ions suggest that LC/ESI-MS could allow selective characterization of biomarkers in response to specific toxic compounds.