Selective Halogen-Lithium Exchange Reaction of Bromine-Substituted 25,26,27,28-Tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene

Methods are described for the selective bromine-lithium exchange reaction of bromine-substituted calix[4]arenes with either n-BuLi or t-BuLi in THF. Quenching of the lithiated calix[4]arenes with MeOH, D(2)O, CH(3)SSCH(3), B(OCH(3))(3), DMF, or CO(2) as electrophiles resulted in 5-monosubstituted, 5,17-disubstituted, or 5,11,17,23-tetrasubstituted calix[4]arenes with H, D, SCH(3), B(OH)(2), CHO, or COOH functionalities.     

Adsorption of the Ternary Liquid Mixture Ethanol/n-Octane/n-Hexadecane onto Activated Carbon: I. The Adsorption Excess of the Ternary Mixture and of Its Binary Combinations

The adsorption isotherms of the binary mixtures of ethanol/n-Octane, ethanol/n-hexadecane and n-octane/n-hexadecane onto the activated carbon TA 95 were measured at 278 K, 288 K, 298 K and 308 K and described with mathematical functions. About 300 experimental values of the adsorption excess of the ternary mixture ethanol/n-octane/n-hexadecane onto activated carbon TA 95 at 298 K were measured by gas chromatography inside the ternary triangle. The ternary miscibility gap was determined at three temperatures. A good representation of the ternary data and the calculated activity coefficients (using the UNIFAC model) in three-dimensional space was possible with the help of transformation of coordinates. It was possible, too, by utilization of the conception of the quasi two-component representation of the mole fractions with and without miscibility gap. Several influencing factors on ternary adsorption isotherms were discussed for the system ethanol/n-octane/n-hexadecane/TA 95.     

f-Element disiloxanediolates: novel Si-O-based inorganic heterocycles

The preparation and structural characterization of scandium and f-element complexes derived from the disiloxanediolate dianion, [(Ph2SiO)2O]2-, are reported. Reactions of in situ prepared Ln[N(SiMe3)2]3 (Ln = Eu, Sm, Gd) with (Ph2SiOH)2O in different stoichiometries afforded the lanthanide disiloxanediolates [Eu[[(Ph2SiO)2O]Li(Et2O)]3] (1), [[[(Ph2SiO)2O]Li(dme)]2SmCl(dme)] (2), and [[[((Ph2SiO)2O]Li(thf)2]2GdN(SiMe3)2] (3). In situ formed (Ph2SiOLi)2O reacted with anhydrous NdBr3 (molar ratio 3:1) to give polymeric [[Nd[(Ph2SiO)2O]3[mu-Li(thf)]2[mu2LiBrLi(thf)(Et2O)]]n] (4). Treatment of 3 with Ph2Si(OH)2 in the presence of acetonitrile yielded the dilithium trisiloxanediolate derivative [[Ph2Si(OSiPh2O)2][Li(MeCN)]2]2 (5), which according to an X-ray analysis displays an Li4O4 heterocubane structure. The trinuclear scandium complex [[[(Ph2SiO)2O]Sc(acac)2]2Sc(acac)] (6) was obtained by reaction of [(C5Me5)Sc(acac)2] (C5Me5 = eta5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) with (Ph2SiOH)2O in a 3:2 molar ratio. Selective formation of the colorless uranium(VI) derivative [U[Ph2Si(OSiPh20)2]2[(Ph2SiO)2O]] (7) was observed when uranocene, U(eta8-C8H8)2, was allowed to react with (Ph2SiOH)2O. An X-ray diffraction study of the solvated derivative [U[Ph2Si(OSiPh2O)2]2[(Ph2SiO)2O]].Et2O.TMEDA (TMEDA= N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-ethylenediamine) (7a) revealed the presence of both the original [(Ph2SiO)2O]2- dianion as well as the ring-enlarged [Ph2Si(OSiPh2O)2]2- ligand in the same molecule.     

Impact of the computational method on the geometric and electronic properties of oligo(phenylene vinylene) radical cations

We report on a quantum-chemical study of the electronic and optical properties of unsubstituted oligo(phenylene vinylene) (OPV) radical cations. Our goal is to distinguish the impact of the choice of molecular geometry from the impact of the choice of quantum-chemical method, on the calculated optical transition energies. The geometry modifications upon ionization of the OPV chains are found to depend critically on the theoretical formalism: Hartree-Fock (HF) geometry optimizations lead to self-localization of the charged defects while pure density functional theory (DFT) results in a complete delocalization of the geometric modifications over the whole conjugated backbone. The electronic structure and vertical transition energy associated with the lowest excited state of the radical cations have been calculated at the post-Hartree-Fock level within a configuration interaction (HF-CI) scheme and using the time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) formalism for different radical cation geometries. Interestingly, the changes in the calculated optical properties obtained when using different geometric structures are less important within a given method than the differences between methods for a given structure. The optical excitation is localized with HF-CI and delocalized with TD-DFT, almost irrespective of the molecular geometry; as a result, HF-CI excitation energies tend to saturate as the chain length increases, in contrast to the results from TD-DFT.     

Characterization of antithrombin III from human plasma by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and capillary electrophoretic methods

The isoforms distribution of the glycoprotein antithrombin III (ATIII) derived from human plasma was investigated by means of isoelectric focusing (IEF) in polyacrylamide gels with immobilized pH gradients (IPG) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) as well as capillary electrophoretic methods. It turned out that the presence of high concentrations of chaotropics (urea, thiourea) and zwitterionic detergents (3-[(3-cholamidepropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS)) was decisive for attaining good resolution of the protein isoforms. Resolution by IPG-IEF was obtained with excellent reproducibility and pI differences down to 0.01 pH units could be distinguished. ATIII-alpha and ATIII-beta-fractions preseparated by heparin affinity chromatography showed an analogous but shifted spot pattern consisting each of one major and three minor isoforms. The main isoforms of ATIII-alpha and ATIII-beta exhibit pI values of 5.18 and 5.32, respectively, both values determined in the presence of high concentrations of urea. The pI difference of 0.14 pH units correspond to the effect of two sialic acids absent in ATIII-beta. The formation and occurrence of ATIII dimers and trimers turned out to be dependent on the sample preparation. The results obtained by 2-DE were compared with those of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and capillary IEF (CIEF). Quantitative analysis regarding the CZE separated isoforms of plasma derived ATIII yielded a content of about 70% ATIII-alpha main isoform and about 6.6% of ATIII-beta. The pI values of ATIII determined by CIEF with internal calibration were in fair agreement with the pI values of the main isoforms achieved with 2-DE.     

Highly substituted azulene dyes as multifunctional NLO and electron-transfer compounds

Two highly substituted azulene derivatives were synthesised by Pd-mediated dimerisation from the corresponding tolan species. One azulene derivative (2) has donor functionalities (dianisylaminophenyl and dianisylamino) in the 1-, 2-, 3- and 6-positions, while the other (1) has donors (dianisylaminophenyl) in the 2- and 6-positions and acceptors (nitrophenyl) in the 1- and 3-positions. Each azulene derivative shows strong bond length alternation in the solid state, determined by X-ray crystal analysis, and an intense CT band around 450-500 nm in its UV/Vis spectrum. The first-order hyperpolarisability of 1 and of 2 was measured by hyper-Rayleigh scattering and is about that of disperse red DR1. Both azulene derivatives show multiple oxidation processes. The intramolecular adiabatic ET behaviour of the mixed valence radical cations of 1 and of 2 was investigated by UV/Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemistry. The intervalence-CT band of 1(+) could be analysed by the Generalised Mulliken-Hush theory, which yields an electronic coupling V=1140 cm(-1) for the optically induced adiabatic hole transfer.     

The conformation of amine- and amide-terminated poly(propylene imine) dendrimers as investigated by molecular simulation methods

The parameters that influence the conformation of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers were investigated by molecular simulations using molecular mechanics and simulated annealing methods. Dendrimers with two types of peripheral units able to communicate via hydrogen bonding-amine and amide moieties-were considered in order to study the role that secondary interactions among the end groups have in the spatial organization of the dendritic branches. Radial atomic density profiles and radial atomic probability distributions were used to extract global properties, such as the degree of packing of the branches, the distribution of the monomers throughout the molecular volume, and the extent and characteristics of the surface region. Information was also obtained about the nature, location, and extent of formation of the hydrogen bonds, as well as their evolution with dendrimer generation and their assembly into networks. The analyses were supported by a detailed investigation of the first two generations, with an emphasis on the relationship between hydrogen bonding and the compactness and stability of the molecules; this allowed us to account for the generational evolution of hydrogen bonding that is experimentally observed in several poly(propylene imine) dendrimers.     

Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments for two new monodesmoside saponins from Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze

A detailed NMR study and full assignments of the 1H and 13C spectral data for two novel triterpenoid saponins isolated from the stem bark of Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze are described. Their structures were established using a combination of 1D and 2D NMR techniques including 1H,1H-COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, gs-HMQC and gs-HMBC, and also electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and chemical methods. The structures were established as 3beta-O-([O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)])-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylhederagenin (1) and 3beta-O-)[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)])-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid (2).     

HPLC Method for Determination of Rosiglitazone in Plasma

A fast and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography method for quantitative determination of rosiglitazone in human plasma has been developed. The extraction from plasma was performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) on C4 silica (100 mg) disposable extraction cartridges (DEC). The separation of rosiglitazone and two metabolites was achieved on a Phenomenex® Synergi 4 µm MAX-RP (150 × 4.6 mm) column, protected by a guard column. The mobile phase was 0.01 M ammonium acetate, pH 7.0 - acetonitrile (65:35, v/v). (3S)-3-OH-quinidine was used as internal standard. The analytes were detected using fluorescence detection. The method was validated. The limit of quantitation was 1 ng mL⁻¹ and the detection limit was 0.25 ng mL⁻¹ for rosiglitazone in human plasma. The recovery was 90% for rosiglitazone. Linearity was observed over a range of 1-1000 ng mL⁻¹ (r²=0.9959). The intra- and inter-day precision (C.V.) did not exceed 8.7 %. Applicability of the method was demonstrated by a clinical pharmacokinetic study. A healthy volunteer received in two separate phases 4 mg and 8 mg rosiglitazone maleate as a single oral dose. Plasma concentrations were measured for 24 h in both phases.