Therapeutic monitoring of imipramine and desipramine by micellar liquid chromatography with direct injection and electrochemical detection

A micellar liquid chromatographic (MLC) procedure was developed for the clinical monitoring of imipramine and its active metabolite, desipramine. The determination of these highly hydrophobic substances was carried out after direct injection of the serum samples using a mobile phase composed of 0.15 m SDS--6% (v/v) pentanol buffered at pH 7, pumped at 1.5 mL/min into a C(18) column (250 x 4.6 mm), and electrochemical detection at 650 mV. Using this MLC method, calibration was linear (r > 0.995) and the limits of detection (ng/mL) were 0.34 and 0.24 for imipramine and desipramine, respectively. Repeatabilities and intermediate precision were tested at three different concentrations in the calibration range and a CV (%) below 2.2 was obtained. In this MLC procedure, the serum is determined without treatment, thus allowing repeated serial injections without changes in retention factors, and reducing the time and consumables required to carry out the pretreatment process. The assay method can be applied to the routine determination of serum imipramine and its metabolite in therapeutic drug monitoring.     

Optimisation of stir bar sorptive extraction for the analysis of volatile phenols in wines

An easy, fast and reliable analytical method is proposed for the determination of the concentration of volatile phenols (ethyl- and vinylphenols) in wines. The novel stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technique is employed, following a simple and fast procedure that allows 15 samples to be extracted simultaneously using very small sample volume. Extracts are desorbed in a thermodesorption system (TDS) coupled on-line to a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry system. The SBSE offers better recovery and linear regression coefficient (r2) for the four volatile phenols than solid-phase extraction (SPE). The mass spectrometric detection in selected ion monitoring mode contributes to the lower detection limit and good sensibility obtained with this method.     

Pentacoordinate nickel(II) complexes double bridged by phosphate ester or phosphinate ligands: spectroscopic, structural, kinetic, and magnetic studies

The bis(phosphatediester)-bridged complexes [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-O(2)P(OR)(2))](2)](PF(6))(2) [[12]aneN(3)=Me(3)[12]aneN(3), 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene; R=Me (1), Bu (2), Ph (3), Ph-4-NO(2) (4); [12]aneN(3)=Me(4)[12]aneN(3), 2,4,4,9-tetramethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene; R=Me (5), Bu (6), Ph (7), Ph-4-NO(2) (8)] were prepared by hydrolysis of the phosphate triester with the hydroxo complex [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-OH)](2)](PF(6))(2) or by acid-base reaction of the dialkyl or diaryl phosphoric acid and the above hydroxo complex. The acid-base reaction was also used to synthesise the phosphinate-bridged complexes [[Ni([12]aneN(3))(mu-O(2)PR(2))](2)](PF(6))(2) [[12]aneN(3)=Me(3)[12]aneN(3), R=Me (9), Ph (10); [12]aneN(3)=Me(4)[12]aneN(3), R=Me (11), Ph (12)]. The molecular structures of complexes 2, 3 and 12 were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The eight-membered rings defined by the nickel atoms and the bridging ligands show distorted twist-boat, chair and boat-boat conformations in 2, 3 and 12, respectively. The experimental susceptibility data for compounds 2, 3 and 12 were fitted by least-squares methods to the analytical expression given by Ginsberg. The best fit was obtained with values of J=-0.11 cm(-1), D=-9.5 cm(-1) and g=2.20 for 2; J=-0.97 cm(-1), D=-9.3 cm(-1) and g=2.21 for 3; and J=-0.14 cm(-1), D=-11.9 cm(-1) and g=2.195 for 12. The magnetic-exchange pathways must involve the phosphate/phosphinate bridges, because these favour antiferromagnetic interactions. The observation of a higher exchange parameter for compound 3 is a consequence of a favourable disposition of the O-P-O bridges. The kinetics for the hydrolysis of TNP (tris(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate) with the dinuclear nickel(II) hydroxo complex [[Ni(Me(3)[12]aneN(3))(mu-OH)](2)](PF(6))(2) was studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. The proposed mechanism for TNP-promoted hydrolysis can be described as one-substrate/two-product, and can be fitted to a Michaelis-Menten equation.     

Accurate intermolecular ground state potential of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex

From an accurate ground state intermolecular potential energy surface we evaluate the rovibrational spectrum of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex. The intermolecular potential is obtained by fitting a considerable number of interaction energies obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles including connected triple excitations level and with the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence quintuple zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. This basis set is selected after a systematic basis set study carried out at geometries close to those of the three main surface stationary points. The surface is characterized by two linear minima, i.e. Ne-ClH and Ne-HCl, with distances from the Ne atom to the HCl center of mass of 3.398 and 3.833 angstroms, respectively; and binding energies of -65.10 and -66.85 cm(-1), respectively. These results agree well with the experimental data available in contrast to previous theoretical results. The rovibrational spectra calculated for the different isotopic species are also compared to the experiments.     

Immunosuppressive ent‐Kaurene Diterpenoids from Isodon serra

Three new enmein‐type ent‐kaurenoids, i.e., the two pairs 1 and 2 of 20‐epimers and the (20R)‐isomer 3 , besides the seven known diterpenoids 4 – 10 , were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon serra. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques and X‐ray diffraction. The immunosuppressive effect for T‐lymphocytes proliferation induced by Con A in BALB/c mouse was evaluated for the isolates 1 – 10 . They all displayed a remarkable inhibitory effect, with multi‐glycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii as positive reference substance (Table 3).     

Interaction of Fluorocarbon Containing Hydrophobically Mdified Polyelectrolyte with Nonionic Surfactants

The interaction of fluorocarbon containing hydrophobically modified polyelectrolyte(FMPAANa) with two kinds of nonionic surfactants(hydrogenated and fluorinated)in a semidilute (0.5wt%) aqueous solution had been studied by rheological measurements,Association behavior was found in both systems.The hydrophobic interaction of FMPAANa with fluorinated surfactant(FC171) is much stronger than that with hydrogenated surfactant(NP7.5) at low surfactoant concentrations.The interaction is strengthened by surfactants being added for the density of active junctions increased.Whereas distinct phenomena for FC171 and NP7.5 start to be found as the surfactants added over their respective certain concentration.The interaction of polyelectrolyte with fluorinated surfactant increases dramatical ly while that with hydrogenated surfactant decreases.     

Tetra‐μ‐acetato‐κ2O:O′‐bis[(4‐phenylpyridine‐κN)copper(II)]

The title compound, [Cu₂(C₂H₃O₂)₄(C₁₁H₉N)₂] or [Cu₂(MeCO₂)₄(phpy)₂] (phpy is 4‐phenyl­pyridine), consists of centrosymmetric dimers in which the Cu^II atoms display a square‐pyramidal CuO₄N coordination, with four acetate O atoms in the basal plane [Cu—O 1.975 (3)–1.987 (3) Å] and the phpy N atom in the apical position [Cu—N 2.150 (3) Å]. The Cu atoms are 2.654 (1) Å apart and are bridged by four acetate groups. The discrete dimers are extended into a three‐dimensional supramolecular array through intermolecular π–π‐stacking interactions.     

Backbone rearrangements of methyl (-)-kaur-9(11)-en-19-oate and its epoxide: structures of two diterpenes of a new skeletal type

cleavage of the epoxide ($\text{2}$) of methyl (-)-kaur-9(11)-en-19-oate ($\text{1b}$) with boron trifluoride-ether in benzene and in acetic anhydride yielded ($\text{3a}$) and ($\text{3b}$), respectively. On epoxidation with $\text{m}$-chloroperbenzoic acid in the presence of $\text{N}$-nitrosomethyl urea, ($\text{1b}$) suffered a backbone rearrangement to form ($\text{6}$).     

Determination of lead in natural waters using flow injection with on-line preconcentration and flame AAS detection

A rapid and sensitive method has been developed for the determination of lead in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry using on-line preconcentration on a microcolumn packed with silica gel treated with a mixture of Aliquat 336 and nitroso-R-salt. The lead is retained at pH 5.5. The preconcentrated lead is directly eluted from the column to the nebulizer-burner system using 150 L of 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid. The optimum preconcentration conditions are given and the retention efficiency achieved is higher than 80%. The enrichment factor is 37 and 100 for sample volumes of 5 and 30 mL, respectively. The limits of detection are 10.0, 6.0 and 4.0 ng/mL when 5, 10 and 30 mL of water is preconcentrated.