Ternary-column system for high-throughput direct-injection bioanalysis by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

As a continuation of our efforts to improve our high-flow on-line bioanalytical approach for high-throughput quantitation of drugs and metabolites in biological matrices by high-performance liquid chromatography (LC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), we have developed a ternary-column on-line LC/MS/MS system with dual extraction columns used in parallel for purification and an analytical column for analysis. The advantage of the dual extraction column system is that sample analysis can take place in one of the extraction columns while the other column is being equilibrated. Thus, the equilibration time does not add to the run time, hence shortening the injection cycle time and increasing the sample throughput. Moreover, the use of two extraction columns in parallel increases the number of samples that can be injected before the system fails due to an overused extraction column. Such a system has successfully been used to develop and validate a positive ion electrospray LC/MS/MS bioanalytical method for the quantitative determination of a guanidine-containing drug candidate in rat plasma. The system used for this work utilized two Oasis HLB extraction columns (1 x 50 mm, 30 microm), one C18 analytical column (3.9 x 50 mm, 5 microm), a ten-port switching value and a tandem mass spectrometer. The on-line analysis was accomplished by the direct injection of 10 microL of the sample, obtained by mixing a rat plasma sample 1:1 with an aqueous internal standard solution. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) was utilized for the detection of the analyte and internal standard. The standard curve range was 1.00-200 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were within 6.6%. The on-line purification step lasted for only 0.3 min and total run time was only 1.6 min.     

The building block approach to extended solids: 3,5-pyrazoledicarboxylate coordination compounds of increasing dimensionality

A series of M(II) complexes with the ligand 3,5-pyrazoledicarboxylic acid (H3dcp) has been synthesised mainly via hydrothermal reactions and their structures have been characterised. Simple mononuclear [Ni(Hdcp)(H2O)4] (1), Na2(mu-H2O)2(H2O)8[Ni(Hdcp)2(H2O)2] (2), [M(H2dcp)2(H2O)2] x 2H2O [M = Co (3), Zn (4) and Cu (5)] and dinuclear (Et3NH)2[Cu2(dcp)2(H2O)2] (9) building blocks have been isolated and subsequently linked into 1-D chains [Mn(Hdcp)(H2O)2]infinity (6), [[Mn(H2O)4][Mn(Hdcp)2(H2O)2] x 4H2O]infinity (7), [Ni2(Hdcp)2(mu-H2O)2(H2O)2]infinity (8), [[Ni(H2O)4][Ni2(dcp)2(H2O)4]]infinity (11), or 3-D arrays [[Na2(mu-H2O)2][Cu2(dcp)2]]infinity (10), [Cu3(dcp)2(H2O)4]infinity (12), utilising novel bridging modes of the H3dcp ligand. In the unprecedented 1-D Ni(II) chain 8, rarely reported double aqua-bridges link the Ni(II) ions to form an inter-linked double stranded chain. The magnetic properties of these compounds have been measured and reveal a variety of antiferromagnetic coupling behaviours induced by the ligand bridging modes.     

Diene and dienyl complexes of transition elements: VII. Carbonylchlorobis(dimethylphenylphosphine)-(η3-pentadienyl)ruthenium

The reaction between [{Ru(CO)Cl₂(PMe₂Ph)₂}₂] and SnBu₃(C₅H₇) in chloroform yields the η³-pentadienyl complex [Ru(CO)Cl(η³-C₅H₇)(PMe₂Ph)₂]. The ¹H NMR spectra are reported and discussed.     

Electrospray sample deposition for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and atmospheric pressure MALDI mass spectrometry with attomole detection limits

Electrospray sample deposition was explored for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). In this method, nanoliter volumes of matrix/analyte mixture were electrosprayed from a high voltage biased (1-2 kV) fused-silica capillary onto a grounded MALDI plate mounted 100-500 microm from the capillary outlet. Electrospray deposition with these conditions produced sample spots 200-300 microm in diameter thus matching the laser spot size. Varying spray voltage and distance resulted in different crystal sizes and volatilization rates for alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid matrix. Best results were obtained when the sample was deposited as wet droplets as opposed to deposition as dried solid. Under 'wet-spray' conditions, 2-4 microm diameter crystals were formed and detection limits for several neuropeptides were 0.7-25 amol. Samples could be pre-concentrated on the plate by spraying continuously and allowing sample to evaporate in a small spot. Sample volumes as large as 580 nL were deposited yielding a detection limit of 35 pM for neurotensin 1-11. Electrospray sample deposition yielded similar results when using atmospheric pressure-MALDI coupled with a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer, except that the sensitivity was approximately seven-fold worse.     

Antimycobacterial activity of mixed-ligand copper quinolone complexes

New mixed-ligand Cu^II, complexes: [Cu(cf)(phen)Cl)](BF₄) · 4H₂O (3), [Cu(cf)(bipy)(Cl)](BF₄) · 2H₂O (4) and [Cu(cf)(dafone)(Cl)](BF₄) · 2H₂O (5) (cf = ciprofloxacin, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bipy = 2,2-bipyridine and dafone = 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one) have been isolated and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r., u.v.–vis. spectra, magnetic susceptibility and cyclic voltammetry. Complex (4) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 13.8919(13) Å, b = 14.5718(13) Å, c = 14.0725(13) Å, = 95.150(2)°, V=2837.2(5) ų. All complexes possess square-pyramidal geometry. The antimycobacterial activity of ciprofloxacin and complexes (3–5) has been evaluated against Mycobacterium smegmatis, which shows clear enhancement in the antitubercular activity upon copper complexation with N—N donors.     

Conformation and vibrational spectra of 1-bromo-1,5-hexadiyne (bromobipropargyl)

The IR spectra of 1-bromo-1,5-hexadiyne (bromobipropargyl) as a vapour, liquid and crystalline solid and in several solvents have been recorded. Raman spectra were obtained for the liquid (including polarization measurements) and the crystal.The data were interpreted in terms of two conformers, trans and gauche, in the vapour and liquid states and one, trans, in the crystal. The conclusion that the trans conformer was the one present in the crystal was based on several independent pieces of evidence. Vibrational assignments were made, supported by normal coordinate calculations.     

Trithiacyclononane as a ligand for potential technetium and rhenium radiopharmaceuticals: synthesis of [M(9S3)(SC2H4SC2H4S)][BF4] (M = 99Tc, Re, 188Re) via C-S bond cleavage

Chemical or electrochemical reduction of the 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane (9S3) complexes [MII(9S3)2][BF4]2 (M = Re (3a) or Tc (3b)) results in instantaneous C-S bond cleavage to yield ethene and the stable MIII thiolate complexes [MIII(9S3)L][BF4] (M = Re (4a) or Tc (4b), L = SCH2CH2SCH2CH2S). Compounds 4 have been characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the pseudo-octahedral geometry of 4b has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Upon electrochemical reduction 4a loses ethene, while 4b can be reversibly reduced to [TcII(9S3)L], which is then further reduced to Tc(I) with loss of ethene. Successive ethene loss is observed in the mass spectra of compounds 3 and 4. The radiosynthesis of 4a with 188Re can be comfortably completed within 10 min starting with 188ReO4- from a 188W/188Re generator, with a radiochemical yield in excess of 90%, and thus represents a practical approach to the preparation of stable 188Re (and 99mTc) thioether complex derivatives/conjugates for clinical use. Crystal data: 4b, C10H20S6Tc, orthorhombic Pbca, a = 12.233(2) A, b = 14.341(2) A, c = 20.726(3) A, Z = 8.     

Practical synthesis of 1-aryl-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ketopiperazines via a 6-exo amide-epoxide cyclization

[reaction: see text] Chiral 1-aryl-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ketopiperazines can be prepared via an operationally simple, 6-exo epoxide ring-opening cyclization to form the ketopiperazine C6-N1 bond in high yields and with excellent enantiomeric purity.     

Hydrogenation of

The course of the hydrogenation of [5]- and [6]metacyclophane (1b and 1c) and their thermochemistry is described. Both compounds are hydrogenated rapidly (within 10 s) to furnish the bridgehead olefins 13b and 12c. The accompanying hydrogenation enthalpies are -220 and -141 kJmol(-1), respectively. Strain energies (SE) and olefinic strains (OS) of a number of bridgehead olefins have been evaluated by DFT calculations; it was concluded that 13b belongs to the class of hyperstable olefins which correlates nicely with its reluctance to undergo hydrogenation. By combining experimental hydrogenation enthalpies and DFT calculations, SE of 187 and 121 kJmol(-1) were derived for 1b and 1c.     

Organometallic complexes for nonlinear optics: Part 32: Synthesis, optical spectroscopy and theoretical studies of some osmium alkynyl complexes

The complexes trans-[Os(CCPh)Cl(dppe)₂] (1), trans-[Os(4-CCC₆H₄CCPh)Cl(dppe)₂] (2), and 1,3,5-{trans-[OsCl(dppe)₂(4-CCC₆H₄CC)]}₃C₆H₃ (3) have been prepared. Cyclic voltammetric studies reveal a quasi-reversible oxidation process for each complex at 0.36–0.39 V (with respect to the ferrocene/ferrocenium couple at 0.56 V), assigned to the Os^II/III couple. In situ oxidation of 1–3 using an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical (OTTLE) cell affords the UV–Vis–NIR spectra of the corresponding cationic complexes 1⁺–3⁺; a low-energy band is observed in the near-IR region (11 000–14 000 cm⁻¹) in each case, in contrast to the neutral complexes 1–3 which are optically transparent below 20 000 cm⁻¹. Density functional theory calculations on the model compounds trans-[Os(CCPh)Cl(PH₃)₄] and trans-[Os(4-CCC₆H₄CCPh)Cl(PH₃)₄] have been used to rationalize the observed optical spectra and suggest that the low-energy bands in the spectra of the cationic complexes can be assigned to transitions involving orbitals delocalized over the metal, chloro and alkynyl ligands. These intense bands have potential utility in switching nonlinear optical response, of interest in optical technology.