Quantification of Transformation Products of Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine in Water Using SPME and GC-MS

Quantification of trace concentrations of transformation products of rocket fuel unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) in water requires complex analytical instrumentation and tedious sample preparation. The goal of this research was to develop a simple and automated method for sensitive quantification of UDMH transformation products in water using headspace (HS) solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with GC-MS and GC-MS/MS. HS SPME is based on extraction of analytes from a gas phase above samples by a micro polymer coating followed by a thermal desorption of analytes in a GC inlet. Extraction by 85 µm Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber at 50 °C during 60 min provides the best combination of sensitivity and precision. Tandem mass spectrometric detection with positive chemical ionization improves method accuracy and selectivity. Detection limits of twelve analytes by GC-MS/MS with chemical ionization are about 10 ng L^?1. GC-MS provides similar detection limits for five studied analytes; however, the list of analytes detected by this method can be further expanded. Accuracies determined by GC-MS were in the range of 75–125% for six analytes. Compared to other available methods based on non-SPME sample preparation approaches (e.g., liquid–liquid and solid-phase extraction), the developed method is simpler, automated and provides lower detection limits. It covers more UDMH transformation products than available SPME-based methods. The list of analytes could be further expanded if new standards become available. The developed method is recommended for assessing water quality in the territories affected by space activities and other related studies.     

3,4,5,6-Tetrafluoro-1,2-dehydrobenzene in reactions with 1,2,4-triazines

Tetrafluoro-substituted aryne, 3,4,5,6-tetrafluoro-1,2-dehydrobenzene, has been generated in situ from 2-amino-3,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoic acid, and its reactivity in reactions with 1,2,4-triazines as dienes has been studied. In these reactions, the corresponding azine ring transformation products, i.e., 1,2,3,4-tetrafluoro-10-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)pyrido[1,2-a]indoles, have been obtained, in the case of triazines activated by the presence of electron-withdrawing groups, such as 6-aryl-3-(2-pyridyl)-5-cyano-1,2,4-triazines. The crystal structure of the obtained products was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Complexation of trivalent lanthanoid ions with 4-benzoyl-3-phenyl-5-isoxazolone and p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene fitted with phosphinoyl pendant arms in solution during synergistic solvent extraction and structural study of solid complexes by IR and NMR

The liquid extraction of 14 lanthanoids with a 4-benzoyl-3-phenyl-5-isoxazolone (HPBI) alone in CHCl₃ as a diluent from perchlorate medium at constant ionic strength μ = 0.1 is investigated. The synergistic solvent extraction of five selected lanthanoid ions (La³⁺, Nd³⁺, Eu³⁺, Ho³⁺ and Lu³⁺) with 4-benzoyl-3-phenyl-5-isoxazolone (HPBI) and 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrakis-(dimethylphosphinoylmethoxy)calix[4]arene, (S) in CHCl₃ has been studied too. The stoichiometry of the extracted species was characterised by a classical log–log plot analysis. It was found that the composition of the extracted species with HPBI are Ln(PBI)₃ and in the presence of the phosphorus-containing calix[4]arene the lanthanoid ions have been extracted as [Ln(PBI)₃S₂]. The values of the equilibrium constants and the separation factors have been calculated. The influence of the synergistic agent on the extraction process has been discussed.     

Mononuclear copper(II) complexes of the macrolide antibiotics tylosin and tilmicosin

Transition Metal Chemistry - The 16-membered macrolide antibiotics tylosin (HTyl) and tilmicosin (HTilm) react with Cu(II) to form isostructural mononuclear complexes of composition [CuL2]...     

Total Synthesis of Indole‐Derived Allocolchicine Analogues Exhibiting Strong Apoptosis‐Inducing Activity

A series of novel pyrrolo‐allocolchicine derivatives (containing a 1‐methyl‐1H‐indol‐5‐yl moiety replacing ring C) was synthesized. The tetracyclic ring system was constructed by Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling of a 1‐methylindole‐5‐boronate with an ortho‐iodo‐dihydrocinnamic acid derivative and subsequent intramolecular Friedel–Crafts acylation. After reduction of the resulting ketone, the nitrogen functionality was introduced in a Mitsunobu‐type reaction by using zinc azide followed by LiAlH₄ reduction. Structural assignments were supported by X‐ray crystallography. The compounds synthesized were then tested against BJAB tumor cells and found to exhibit pronounced cytotoxic activity (proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction). The ketone 24 b was even active at sub‐nanomolar concentration. In addition, the antitumor potential of the compounds was confirmed by using B lymphoid cell lines.     

Tuning of the charge and energy transfer in ternary CdSe/poly(3-methylthiophene)/poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanocomposite system

Composite CdSe:poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT) nanoparticles have been synthesized via polymerization of 3-methylthiophene (3MT) in the presence of CdSe particles of nanorod or dot-like morphology and dispersed in the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) matrix. The effect of the P3MT layer to mediate charge and energy transfer between CdSe and P3HT in the ternary nanocomposite system has been studied using electronic absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and current–voltage measurements. The energy level diagram of the composite system has been deduced based on optical and electrochemical data of the separate components of the system. The contribution of the low- and high-molecular fractions of P3MT to control the charge transfer in order to optimize the intermediary role of P3MT is analyzed. Particularly, it was shown that excitation of the low-molecular P3MT leads to energy transfer to both CdSe and P3HT components, and it also serves as a barrier against recombination of electrons and holes separated at CdSe and P3HT, respectively. Thus, the role of the P3MT interlayer in assisting the charge separation and increasing an open-circuit voltage in the photovoltaic cell based on the ternary system is demonstrated.     

Exhaustive de novo design of low-molecular-weight fragments against the ATP-binding site of DNA-gyrase

We present a de novo design approach to generating small fragments in the DNA-gyrase ATP-binding site using the computational drug design platform SkelGen. We have generated an exhaustive number of structural possibilities, which were subsequently filtered for site complementarity and synthetic tractability. A number of known active fragments are found, but most of the species created are potentially novel and could be valuable for further elaboration and development into lead-like structures.     

Bounds for steady water waves with vorticity

The two-dimensional free-boundary problem describing steady gravity waves with vorticity on water of finite depth is considered. Bounds on the free-surface profiles and on the total head are obtained under minimal assumptions about properties of solutions to the problem and the vorticity distribution.     

A Domain with Non-plurisubharmonic Squeezing Function

We construct a strictly pseudoconvex domain with smooth boundary whose squeezing function is not plurisubharmonic.