A gas chromatographic determination of residues of eleven insecticides and two metabolites on olive tree leaves

A gas chromatographic (GC) method was developed and statistically validated for the simultaneous determination of residues of pyrethroid, endosulfan, and organophosphorus insecticides and some of their metabolites on olive tree leaves. Pesticide residues were extracted by static extraction with acetone-dichloromethane. After evaporation of the extract to dryness and redissolution in acetone, the organophosphorus insecticides were determined by GC with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Another portion of the extract, after solvent change to acetonitrile, was cleaned up on an Alumina-N cartridge and analyzed for insecticides sensitive to electron-capture detection (ECD), i.e., pyrethroids and endosulfan and its metabolite. Recoveries of the organophosphorus insecticides ranged from 80.7 to 93.3% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of < or = 7.2%; recoveries of the ECD-sensitive insecticides ranged from 71.6 to 89.5% with RSDs of < or = 11.6%. The method was used to analyze 26 samples of olive tree leaves from organic olive groves all over Greece, and the results confirmed the viability of the method for routine analysis. Residues of fenthion and fenthion sulfoxide were found in one and 3 samples, respectively, and their identities were confirmed by GC with mass spectrometry.     

Layer-by-layer assembly of nacre-like nanostructured composites with antimicrobial properties

In a recent report, we have presented the layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of a biomimetic nanostructured composite from Na(+)-montmorillonite clay nanosheets and poly(diallylmethylammonium chloride) (Tang, Z.; Kotov, N.; Magonov, S.; Ozturk, B. Nat. Mater. 2003, 2, 413). The structure, deformation mechanism, and mechanical properties of the material are very similar to those of natural nacre and lamellar bones. This fact prompts further investigation of these composites as potential bone implants. LBL assembly affords preparation of multifunctional composites, and here we demonstrate that not only mechanical strength, but also antibacterial activity, can be introduced in these implantable materials by alternating clay layers with starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles. The resulting composite showed excellent structural stability with no detectable levels of silver lost over a 1 month period. Evaluation of the antibacterial properties showed almost complete growth inhibition of E. coli over an 18 h period. The amount of silver eluted from the LBL composite over a 1 month period was determined to be only 0.5-3.0 microg/L. This concentration of silver did not prevent the growth of the mammalian tissue cultures. The LBL composite has shown biocompatibility with the human osteoblast cell line.     

A simple and versatile method for the synthesis of acetals from aldehydes and ketones using bismuth triflate

Acetals are obtained in good yields by treatment of aldehydes and ketones with trialkyl orthoformate and the corresponding alcohol in the presence of 0.1 mol % Bi(OTf)3.4H2O. A simple procedure for the formation of acetals of diaryl ketones has also been developed. The conversion of carbonyl compounds to the corresponding 1,3-dioxolane using ethylene glycol is also catalyzed by Bi(OTf)3.4H2O (1 mol %). Two methods, both of which avoid the use of benzene, have been developed.     

Physicochemical measurements by the reversed-flow version of inverse gas chromatography

Since the first publication on the method, reversed-flow gas chromatography has been used to "separate" physicochemical quantities by measuring the value of one in the presence of another. The experimental arrangement consists of a small modification of a commercial gas chromatograph, so that it includes a four- or six-port gas sampling valve, and a simple cell placed inside the chromatographic oven. This cell suppresses the effects of the carrier gas flow on the physicochemical phenomena taking place in the stationary phase. These phenomena pertain to chemical kinetics, diffusion in gases, liquids and surfaces, mass transfer across gas-liquid and gas-solid boundaries, local adsorption on heterogeneous solid surfaces, etc.     

A strain-promoted [3 + 2] azide-alkyne cycloaddition for covalent modification of biomolecules in living systems

Selective chemical reactions that are orthogonal to the diverse functionality of biological systems have become important tools in the field of chemical biology. Two notable examples are the Staudinger ligation of azides and phosphines and the Cu(I)-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azides and alkynes ("click chemistry"). The Staudinger ligation has sufficient biocompatibility for performance in living animals but suffers from phosphine oxidation and synthetic challenges. Click chemistry obviates the requirement of phosphines, but the Cu(I) catalyst is toxic to cells, thereby precluding in vivo applications. Here we present a strain-promoted [3 + 2] cycloaddition between cyclooctynes and azides that proceeds under physiological conditions without the need for a catalyst. The utility of the reaction was demonstrated by selective modification of biomolecules in vitro and on living cells, with no apparent toxicity.     

Conformational changes of pyrene-labeled polyelectrolytes with pH: effect of hydrophobic modifications

Structural changes of pyrene-labeled and unlabeled poly(maleic acid/octyl vinyl ether) (PMAOVE) and poly(maleic acid/methyl vinyl ether) (PMAMVE) with changes in pH have been investigated in this study. The changes in the photophysical properties of pyrene are interpreted to investigate uncoiling or swelling of the polymeric chains with pH. The vibrational fine structure of the pyrene fluorescence (I(3)/I(1)) and the ratio between excimer and monomer fluorescence (I(e)/I(m)) of both pyrene-labeled and unlabeled PMAMVE and PMAOVE suggest that, at pH 4, the polymers are in the coiled form and PMAOVE forms hydrophobic nanodomains. An increase in pH ionizes a number of COOH groups on both PMAMVE and PMAOVE, which leads to the stretching or swelling of the polymers.     

Determination of boron in nickel-base alloys by the dianthrimide method

The dianthrimide method for the determination of boron in iron and low-alloy steels may be applied to nickel-base materials. The sample is dissolved, without any loss of boron, by hydrochloric and sulphuric acids and the resulting boric acid determined spectrophotometrically with dianthrimide. Background corrections are necessary to compensate for the absorbance from ions such as nickel and iron.     

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of E-1,3-enynes via coupling of nucleophiles with 1-[(alkynyl) dicobalt hexacarbonyl]allyl cations

Reactions of the title complexes with the nucleophiles anisole, allyl silanes, isopropenyl acetate, and ethanol have been examined. The carbon nucleophiles react regio- and stereoselectively to give $\text{E}$-1,3-enyne derivatives.     

Diethyl benzoylphosphonate as a ligand

Summary Complexes (2 : 1) of diethyl benzoylphosphonate (debp) with 3d metal perchlorates were synthesized and characterized by means of i.r. and electronic spectral, magnetic susceptibility and conductance measurements. In new complexes of the types [M(debp)₂(OClO₃)(OH₂)](ClO₄) (M = Fe, Co, Zn) and [Fe(debp)₂(OClO₃)(OH₂)](ClO₄)₂, both debp ligands function as bidentate chelating agents, coordinating through the P=O and C=O oxygens. In contrast, in the manganese(II) and nickel(II) complexes, which are of the [M(debp)₂(OClO₃)(OH₂)₂](ClO₄) type, one debp acts as a bidentate chelating ligand, while the second debp is unidentate, coordinating only through the P=O oxygen. Hexacoordination in the new cationic complexes is completed by coordination of aqua and unidentate perchlorato ligands, which are in competition for sites in the inner coordination sphere of the central metal ion with the weak debp ligand. On the other hand, debp, owing to its bulkiness, and especially the presence of the benzoyl substituent, introduces sufficiently severe steric hindrance during coordination. As a result of this, the formation of [M(debp)₃]ⁿ⁺ tris-chelate cationic complexes with the 3 d metal ions under study does not seem to be possible.