Development and validation of a liquid chromatography-ultraviolet absorbance detection assay using derivatisation for the novel marine anticancer agent ES-285 x HCl [(2S,3R)-2-amino-3-octadecanol hydrochloride] and its pharmaceutical dosage form

ES-285 x HCl [(2S,3R)-2-amino-3-octadecanol hydrochloride] is a novel investigational anticancer agent, which has shown in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic activity against various tumor cell lines with selectivity for certain solid tumors. The pharmaceutical development of ES-285 x HCl warranted the availability of an assay for the quantification and purity determination of ES-285 x HCl active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and its pharmaceutical dosage form. A liquid chromatographic method (LC) comprising of derivatisation of ES-285 x HCl with phenylisothiocyanate and UV-detection was developed. The method was found to be linear, precise and accurate. The assay also proved selectivity as determined by analysing ES-285 x HCl in combination with 15 analogues and in combination with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, the excipient used in the lyophilised pharmaceutical dosage form. Stress testing showed that the degradation products were separated from the parent compound, confirming its stability indicating capacity. The method was found robust as determined with design of experiments (DoE), which made it possible to predict system suitability responses in worst case experimental conditions and to define criteria for system suitability testing.     

Fragmentation of carbohydrate anomeric alkoxyl radicals. Synthesis of highly functionalized chiral vinyl sulfones

The reaction of derivatives of 3-acetyl-d-glucal, 3-acetyl-l-rhamnal, 3-acetyl-d-galactal, and 3-acetyl-d-lactal with sodium benzenesulfinate in acid medium catalyzed by HgSO₄ afforded diastereoisomeric mixtures of the corresponding 2,3-dideoxy-3-(phenylsulfonyl)-hexopyranoses through a Ferrier rearrangement. The anomeric alkoxyl radical fragmentation of these γ-hydroxy sulfones using the system (diacetoxyiodo)benzene and iodine gave vinyl sulfones with structures of 1,2-dideoxy-4-O-formyl-2-(phenylsulfonyl)-pent-1-enitol and configurations d-erythro, l-erythro, and d-threo at the two stereogenic centers.     

A short synthesis of the erythrina skeleton and of (+/-)-alpha-lycorane

[reaction: see text] A new nonchain 5-endo radical cyclization starting with xanthates was exploited in a short synthesis of (+/-)-alpha-lycorane and the erythrina ring system.     

Cycloaddition reaction of 2-azadienes derived from beta-amino acids with electron-rich and electron-deficient alkenes and carbonyl compounds. Synthesis of pyridine and 1,3-oxazine derivatives

Functionalized keto-enamines 6 were obtained by nucleophilic addition of enol ethers to the imine moiety of 2-azadienes derived from dehydroaspartic esters 4. Reactions of 2-azadiene 4c containing three electron-withdrawing substituents (CO(2)R) with enol ethers 5 in the presence of lithium perchlorate led to the formation of tetrahydropyridine derivatives 7 in a regio- and stereoselective fashion. 2H-[1,3]-oxazines 10 and pyridine derivatives 12 and 13 were obtained by heterocycloaddition reactions of electron-poor azadienes 4d-g containing two electron-withdrawing substituents (4-O(2)N-C(6)H(4), CO(2)R) in positions 1 and 4 with carbonyl derivatives (ethyl glyoxalate 9a and diethyl ketomalonate 9b) and the electron-deficient olefin tetracyanoethylene 11.     

Determination of fungicide residues in fruits by coupled-column liquid chromatography

Coupled-column liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was applied to the determination of o-phenylphenol and bitertanol residues in orange and banana fruits. After extraction with a mixture of acetone, dichloromethane-petroleum ether, and ethyl acetate, an extract aliquot of 100 microL was injected directly without any additional clean-up into the chromatographic system using two reversed phase C18 coupled columns. The LC-LC approach allowed automated sample clean up of the vegetal extracts, leading to a simple and rapid analytical procedure, with limits of quantification between 0.01 and 0.05 mg kg(-1). Recovery experiments performed on orange and banana samples fortified at different concentrations (0.01 - 4 mg kg(-1)) gave average recoveries between 70 and 113% with relative standard deviations lower than 15%. The procedure developed was finally applied to orange and banana samples from different geographical locations and the results were confirmed by GC-MS.     

A new synthetic route to bulky "second generation" tris(imidazol-2-ylidene)borate ligands: synthesis of a four coordinate iron(II) complex

A bulky tripodal tris(carbene)borate ligand, prepared from 1-tert-butylimidazole, is cleanly transferred to iron(II) by a magnesium reagent.     

Effects of palmitic acid and cholesterol on proton transport across black lipid membranes

We studied the effect of palmitic acid (PA) and cholesterol (approximately 17 wt.%) on proton translocation across asolectin (charged) and diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine (DPhPC, neutral) black lipid membranes (BLMs). Potential difference (PD), short circuit current (SCC), and conductance (G(total)) were measured with a digital electrometer. Membranes were exposed to pH gradients (0.4-2.0 units), followed by PA addition to bath (symmetrically, 40-65 microM). The membrane conductive pathway was subdivided into an unspecific and a proton-related routes. A computer program estimated the conductances (G(un) and G(H)) of the two pathways from the measured parameters. No significant differences in proton selectivity were found between DPhPC membranes and DPhPC/cholesterol membranes. By contrast, cholesterol incorporation into asolectin increases membranes selectivity to proton. Cholesterol dramatically reduced G(un) reflecting, probably, its ability of inducing order in lipid chains. In asolectin membranes, PA increases proton selectivity, probably by acting as a proton shuttle according to the model proposed by Kamp and et al. [Biochemistry 34 (1995) 11928]. Cholesterol incorporation into asolectin membranes eliminates the PA-induced increase in proton selectivity. In DPhPC and DPhPC/cholesterol membranes, PA does not affect proton selectivity. These results are discussed in terms of the presence of cardiolipin (CL) in asolectin, cholesterol/PA interactions, and cholesterol order-inducing effects on acyl-chains.     

Binuclear Cu2+ complex mediated discrimination between L-glutamate and L-aspartate in water

L-glutamate and L-aspartate selectivity is achieved by the action of two Cu2+ metal ions rightly disposed in a cyclophane-type macrocyclic framework; electrochemical sensing of glutamate has been achieved by adsorption of the copper complexes on graphite electrodes.     

Development and validation of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of phenothiazines in human urine in the low nanogram per milliliter concentration range using field-amplified sample injection

A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method with ultraviolet-visible detection has been established and validated for the determination of five phenothiazines: thiazinamium methylsulfate, promazine hydrochloride, chlorpromazine hydrochloride, thioridazine hydrochloride, and promethazine hydrochloride in human urine. Optimum separation was obtained on a 64.5 cm x 75 microm bubble cell capillary using a buffer containing 150 mM tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and 25% acetonitrile at pH 8.2, with temperature and voltage of 25 degrees C and 20 kV, respectively. Naphazoline hydrochloride was used as an internal standard. Field-amplified sample injection (FASI) has been applied to improve the sensitivity of the detection. Considering the influence of parameters affecting the on-line preconcentration (nature of preinjection plug, sample solvent composition, injection times, and injection voltage) and due to the significant interactions among them, in this paper we propose for the first time the application of a multivariate approach to carry out the study. The optimized conditions were as follows: preinjection plug of water for 7 s at 50 mbar, electrokinetic injection for 40 s at 6.2 kV, and 32 microm of H3PO4 in the sample solvent. Also, a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure is developed to obtain low detection limits and an adequate selectivity for urine samples. The combination of SPE and FASI-CZE-UV allows adequate linearities and recoveries, low detection limits (from 2 to 5 ng/mL), and satisfactory precisions (3.0-7.2% for an intermediate RSD %).     

Titanosilicates as Supports for an Enzymatic Alcoholysis Reaction

Novel [Cr^III(amp)(bipy)(Cl)] (1) (H₂amp = N-(hydroxyphenyl)salicyldimine; bipy = 2,2-bipyridyl) and [Cr^III(app)(bipy)(Cl)]⁺ (2) (H₂app = N-(hydroxyphenyl)pyridine-2-carboxaldimine; bipy = 2,2-bipyridyl) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical methods. Complexes 1 and 2 have been employed as catalysts in the oxidation of both saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons using tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BuOOH). The significance of the results with respect to oxo-functionalization of C-H bonds both in unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons is noted.