Flow injection analysis: Rayleigh light scattering technique for total protein determination

A novel flow injection analysis (FIA) method with Rayleigh light scattering (RLS) detection was developed for the determination of total protein concentrations. This method is based on the weak intensity of RLS of bromothymol blue (BB) (3',3"-dibromothymolsulfonephthalein) which can be enhanced by the addition of protein in weakly acidic solution. A common spectrofluorimeter was used as a detector. It was proved that the application of this method to quantify the total proteins in real samples by using bovine serum albumin was possible. The RLS signal was detected at lambda(ex)= lambda(em)=572 nm. The linear range was 7.0-70.0 microg mL(-1), the detection limit was 3.75 microg mL(-1), the reproducibility was 5.5% (n=7), and the sample throughput was 26 h(-1).     

A sensitive spectrophotometric method for lead determination by flow injection analysis with on-line preconcentration

A new flow injection (FI) system for the determination of Pb(II) at trace level with a preconcentration step and spectrophotometric detection is proposed. It is based on preconcentration of lead ions on chitosan and dithizone-lead complex formation in aqueous medium (pH 9). The chemicals and FIA variables influencing the performance of the system were optimized and applied to the determination of lead in natural, well, and drinking water samples. It is a simple, highly sensitive, and low cost alternative methodology. The method provided a linear rage between 25 and 250 μg l⁻¹, a detection limit of 5.0 ng ml⁻¹ and a sample throughput of 15 h⁻¹. The obtained results of spiked samples are in good agreement between the proposed method and ICP-AES.     

Trans-cis octahedral interconversion pathway in diorganotin compounds

Using structural data from bis(bidentate)diorganotin compounds in the Cambridge Structural Database a potential pathway for trans-cis interconversion is envisaged with nondissociative Sn-donor bonds and retaining metal coordination number 6. C-Sn-C bond angles in the range 180-145° correspond to skewed trapezoid bipyramidal geometry for 6- and 5-membered O,O′ chelates; geometries that resemble the transition state of the trans-cis pathway starts forming at about C-Sn-C 134°. cis-Diorganotins explored in this work have C-Sn-C bond angles in the range 102-110°; it is the statistically favored configuration for diphenyltins. The proposed trans-cis conversion pathway is deduced from a series of geometries associated with decreasing the C-Sn-C bond angle and shows 2 weakly (secondary) bound chelating atoms lengthening their bonds until near the transition state and later strengthening; they end up cis to each other and opposite to the organic groups. Conversely, the other 2 (primary) donors shorten their bonds until the transition state is reached and later lengthen; they end up trans to each other. The entire transformation from trans to cis configuration occurs with relative rotation of 3 bonds.     

Progress in the realisation of an autonomous environmental monitoring device for ammonia

Progress in the development of a micro-fluidic system for colorimetric monitoring of ammonia in drinking and wastewater is described. The ultimate goal is to have a miniaturised instrument that can produce accurate, reliable measurements, is easy to operate, has minimal power consumption, and can operate autonomously for a year. In this study, the indophenol reaction is incorporated into a simple, reliable analytical micro-fluidic system. Absorbance measurements for the blue ammonia-indophenol complex formed in the micro-fluidic system are shown. A key issue is the limiting stability of hypochlorite, a reagent used in the assay. The effects of hypochlorite concentration and impurities on the stability of hypochlorite are investigated and discussed. Decomposition is shown to be very dependent on the presence of heavy-metal impurities. With low levels of these catalytic metals and careful storage, hypochlorite has been shown to be stable for over a year.     

Synthesis and structures of monomeric magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium amides involving the N,N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)(trimethylsilyl)amido ligand

An extended family of aryl-substituted alkaline earth metal silylamides M{N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)(SiMe3)}donor(n) was prepared using alkane elimination (Mg), salt elimination (Ca, Sr, Ba), and direct metalation (Sr, Ba). Three different donors, THF, TMEDA (TMEDA = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine), and PMDTA (PMDTA = N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) were employed to study their influence on the coordination chemistry of the target compounds, producing monomeric species with the composition M{N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)(SiMe3)}2(THF)2 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba), M{N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)(SiMe3)}2TMEDA (M = Ca, Ba), and M{N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)(SiMe3)}2PMDTA (M = Sr, Ba). For the heavier metal analogues, varying degrees of agostic interactions are completing the coordination sphere of the metals. Compounds were characterized using IR and NMR spectroscopy in addition to X-ray crystallography.     

The formyloxyl radical: electrophilicity,C–H bond activation and anti-Markovnikov selectivity in the oxidation of aliphatic alkenes

In the past the formyloxyl radical, HC(O)O˙, had only been rarely experimentally observed, and those studies were theoretical-spectroscopic in the context of electronic structure. The absence of a convenient method for the preparation of the formyloxyl radical has precluded investigations into its reactivity towards organic substrates. Very recently, we discovered that HC(O)O˙ is formed in the anodic electrochemical oxidation of formic acid/lithium formate. Using a [Co^IIIW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanion catalyst, this led to the formation of phenyl formate from benzene. Here, we present our studies into the reactivity of electrochemically in situ generated HC(O)O˙ with organic substrates. Reactions with benzene and a selection of substituted derivatives showed that HC(O)O˙ is mildly electrophilic according to both experimentally and computationally derived Hammett linear free energy relationships. The reactions of HC(O)O˙ with terminal alkenes significantly favor anti-Markovnikov oxidations yielding the corresponding aldehyde as the major product as well as further oxidation products. Analysis of plausible reaction pathways using 1-hexene as a representative substrate favored the likelihood of hydrogen abstraction from the allylic C–H bond forming a hexallyl radical followed by strongly preferred further attack of a second HC(O)O˙ radical at the C1 position. Further oxidation products are surmised to be mostly a result of two consecutive addition reactions of HC(O)O˙ to the C C double bond. An outer-sphere electron transfer between the formyloxyl radical donor and the [Co^IIIW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanion acceptor forming a donor–acceptor [D⁺–A⁻] complex is proposed to induce the observed anti-Markovnikov selectivity. Finally, the overall reactivity of HC(O)O˙ towards hydrogen abstraction was evaluated using additional substrates. Alkanes were only slightly reactive, while the reactions of alkylarenes showed that aromatic substitution on the ring competes with C–H bond activation at the benzylic position. C–H bonds with bond dissociation energies (BDE) ≤ 85 kcal mol⁻¹ are easily attacked by HC(O)O˙ and reactivity appears to be significant for C–H bonds with a BDE of up to 90 kcal mol⁻¹. In summary, this research identifies the reactivity of HC(O)O˙ towards radical electrophilic substitution of arenes, anti-Markovnikov type oxidation of terminal alkenes, and indirectly defines the activity of HC(O)O˙ towards C–H bond activation.

The formyloxyl radical, formed electrochemically, is electrophilic, yields anti-Markovnikov oxidation products from alkenes, and is effective for C–H bond activation.     

Investigation of the electrocatalytic oxidation of formate and ethanol at platinum black under microbial fuel cell conditions

In this communication, we discuss the electro-oxidation of the fermentation products formate and ethanol at platinum black modified electrodes under microbial fuel cell conditions, i.e., at neutral pH, room temperature, and in microbial culture solutions. The electrocatalytic oxidation was studied using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and potentiostatic coulometry. Current densities up to 6 mA cm⁻² at 0.2 V oxidation potential and 97% coulombic efficiency were observed for the electro-oxidation of 100 mM solutions of formate in pH 7 buffer solution. Electrode deactivation could be successfully prevented using an oxidative potential reactivation procedure. Polymer coating, however, fully stopped the formate oxidation. As expected, the electro-oxidation of ethanol was less efficient—with a limiting current density being 600 μA cm⁻².Dedicated to Professor Dr. Alan M. Bond on the occasion of this 60th birthday.     

Synthesis and pharmacological activity of 4-(4'-(chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine) derivatives

A new series of 4-(4'-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine derivatives (2-5), substituted at nitrogen, were synthesized and tested as potential analgesic compounds as well as evaluated for their effect on hypotensive activity. Results showed that all the derivatives exhibit significant analgesic activity in male Wistar rats at a dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight after intramuscular injection, when tested by thermal stimuli (tail flick test). Pethidine was used as reference drug. Compounds 2, 3 and 5 produced reduction in blood pressure in normotensive rat.     

Efficient syntheses of new chiral peptidomimetic macrocycles through a configurationally driven preorganization

A new family of 32-membered ring peptidomimetic macrocycles has been efficiently obtained in a simple one-pot two-step reductive amination reaction, from easily prepared precursors. The structural and stereochemical variables have been explored in order to rationalize the obtained selectivity. The formation of the [2A+2B] tetraimine intermediate has been explained in terms of a very favorable configurationally driven preorganization as detected by NMR, CD and molecular modeling.