The speciation of rhodium(III) in hydrochloric acid media by capillary zone electrophoresis

A fast and effective method to study the aquation of rhodium(III) chlorocomplex in hydrochloric solutions using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is developed. At least five species, some of which seem to be oligomeric, are formed in solution during the aquation process at pH>1. The fast hydration of RhCl₆³⁻ makes this species impossible to detect. The first species detected in the optimised conditions is RhCl₅(H₂O)²⁻ although RhCl₄(H₂O)₂⁻ is the main species during the first stage of the aquation process. When equilibrium is reached either RhCl₃(H₂O)₃ or a cationic complex, RhCl₂(H₂O)₄⁺, is formed as the main species. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is used as a novel technique to elucidate the structure of the rhodium aqua/chloro complexes formed in solution. Results obtained by CZE are confirmed by spectrophotometry.     

Solid-state fermentation for production of phytase by Rhizopus oligosporus

Solid-state fermentation of coconut oil cake has been carried out with Rhizopus oligosporus for the production of phytase. Phytase is used commercially in the animal feed industry to improve animal performance because there is a substantial and growing interest among swine and poultry producers in the application of phytase to improve the nutritional quality in animal feeds. Demonstrated benefits include improved feed yield ratios and reduction in the environmental costs associated with the disposal of animal wastes. We report the production of extracellular phytase by R. oligosporus under solid-state fermentation using coconut oil cake as substrate. Maximal enzyme production (14.29 U/g of dry substrate) occurred at pH 5.3, 30°C, and 54.5% moisture content after 96 h of incubation. The addition of extra nutrients to the substrate resulted in inhibition of product formation. The results indicate the scope for production of phytase using coconut oil cake as solid substrate without additional nutrients.     

Fluorescence lifetimes of some Harmala and Rauwolfia alkaloids

Quantum yields and lifetimes of several derivatives of the Peganum Harmala and Rauwolfia alkaloids have been measured. The natural lifetimes of these alkaloids have been calculated from a modified form of the Strickler—Berg equation and the results are compared with the observed lifetimes.     

Synthesis of some 2-(heteroarylamino)benzimidazoles and their cyclization with phosgene

2-(Benzimidazol-2-ylamino)pyridine (4a) , 2-(benzimidazol-2-ylamino)pyrazine (4b) , and 2-(benzimidazol-2-ylamino)thiazole (4c) underwent a ring-closure reaction on treatment with phosgene affording 6H-pyrimido-[1′,2′:5,4][1,3,5]triazino[1,2-a]benzimidazol-6-one (1a) , 6H-pyrazino[1′,2′:5,4][1,3,5]triazino[1,2-a]benzimidazol-6-one (1b) , and 5H-thiazolo[2′,3′:4,5][1,3,5]triazino[1,2-a]benzimidazol-5-one (1c) respectively. The structure of these hitherto unknown heterocyclic systems was confirmed by their ir and mass spectra.     

Formal total synthesis of β-pipitzol

(±)-$\text{O}$-methylperezone ($\text{1b}$) was obtained by selective oxidative demethylation of (±)-leucoperezone trimethyl ether ($\text{4a}$). Compound ($\text{4a}$) was prepared by condensation of 2,3,5-trimethoxytoluene ($\text{5e}$) with 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, followed by reductive removal of the tertiary alcohol. The aromatic precursor $\text{5e}$ was prepared in four steps from 2,3-dimethoxytoluene ($\text{5a}$) and, alternatively, in three steps from 5-bromoveratraldehyde ($\text{6a}$). Racemic $\text{1b}$ and $\text{4a}$ were directly compared with the optically active molecules prepared from natural R(-)-perezone ($\text{1a}$).     

Highly polar carbohydrates stack onto DNA duplexes via CH/π interactions

Carbohydrate-nucleic acid contacts are known to be a fundamental part of some drug-DNA recognition processes. Most of these interactions occur through the minor groove of DNA, such as in the calicheamicin or anthracycline families, or through both minor and major groove binders such as in the pluramycins. Here, we demonstrate that carbohydrate-DNA interactions are also possible through sugar capping of a DNA double helix. Highly polar mono- and disaccharides are capable of CH/π stacking onto the terminal DNA base pair of a duplex as shown by NMR spectroscopy. The energetics of the carbohydrate-DNA interactions vary depending on the stereochemistry, polarity, and contact surface of the sugar involved and also on the terminal base pair. These results reveal carbohydrate-DNA base stacking as a potential recognition motif to be used in drug design, supramolecular chemistry, or biobased nanomaterials.     

Synthesis and application of imprinted polyvinylimidazole-silica hybrid copolymer for Pb determination by flow-injection thermospray flame furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A novel ion imprinted polyvinylimidazole-silica hybrid copolymer (IIHC) was synthesized and used as a selective solid sorbent for Pb²⁺ ions preconcentration using an on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) system coupled to TS-FF-AAS. The ionic hybrid sorbent was prepared using 1-vinylimidazole and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate as monomers, Pb²⁺ ions as template, tetraethoxysilane as reticulating agent and 2,2′-azobis-isobutyronitrile as initiator. The best on-line SPE conditions concerning sorption behavior, including sample pH (6.46), buffer concentration (9.0 mmol L⁻¹), eluent (HNO₃) concentration (0.5 mol L⁻¹) and preconcentration flow rate (4.0 mL min⁻¹), were optimized by means of full factorial design and Doehlert matrix. The analytical curve ranged from 2.5 to 65.0 μg L⁻¹ (r = 0.999) with limit of detection of 0.75 μg L⁻¹; the precision (repeatability) calculated as relative standard deviation (n = 10) was 5.0 and 3.6% for Pb²⁺ concentration of 10.0 and 60.0 μg L⁻¹, respectively. From on-line breakthrough curve, column capacity was 3.5 mg g⁻¹. Preconcentration factor (PF), consumptive index (CI) and concentration efficiency (CE) were 128.0, 0.16 mL and 25.6 min⁻¹, respectively. The selective performance of the sorbent, based on relative selectivity coefficient, was compared to NIC (non imprinted copolymer) for the binary mixture Pb²⁺/Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺/Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺/Zn²⁺. The results showed that ion imprinted polyvinylimidazole-silica hybrid polymer had higher selectivity for Pb²⁺ than NIC at 64.9, 16.0 and 8.8 folds. The developed method was successfully applied for highly sensitive and selective Pb²⁺ determination in different kinds of water samples, parenteral solutions and urine. Accuracy was also assessed by analyzing certified reference fish protein (DORM-3) and marine sediment (MESS-3 and PACS-2) with satisfactory results.     

1‐(9H‐Carbazol‐4‐yloxy)‐3‐{[2‐(2‐methoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino}propan‐2‐ol hemihydrate: a carvedilol solvatomorph

In the title racemic hemihydrated solvatomorph of carvedilol (carv), C₂₄H₂₆N₂O₄·0.5H₂O, the asymmetric unit contains two independent organic moieties and one water molecule. Within this 2(carv)·H₂O unit, the molecular components are strongly linked by hydrogen bonds and the unit acts as the basic building block for the crystal structure. Interactions parallel to (10) generate hydrogen‐bonded layers which are further linked by much weaker C—H...N/O interactions. The conformations of the organic molecules, as well as the hydrogen‐bonding interactions connecting them, are compared with other related structures in the literature.