A peroxide-bridged imidazole dimer formed from a photochromic naphthalene-bridged imidazole dimer

2,4,5-Triphenylimidazole (lophine) is known as the first chemiluminescence substrate, and its oxidized derivative, the 2,4,5-triphenylimidazolyl radical, corresponds to the coloured species in the photochromic reaction of hexaarylbiimidazole (HABI). We report the first direct observation of the O(2) adduct of the imidazolyl radical that forms the end-on peroxide-bridged imidazole dimer. The ring-opening reaction of the peroxide-bridged imidazole dimer leading to the formation of an N-benzoylbenzamidine derivative supports the presence of the 4,5-epidioxide of lophine as a reaction intermediate of its chemiluminescence.     

Effect of particle size of drug on conversion of crystals to an amorphous state in a solid dispersion with crospovidone

The effect of particle size on amorphization of drugs in a solid dispersion (SD) was investigated for two drugs, indomethacin (IM) and nifedipine (NP). The SD of drugs were prepared in a mixture with crospovidone by a variety of mechanical methods, and their properties investigated by particle sizing, thermal analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction. IM, which had an initial particle size of 1 μm and tends to aggregate, was forced through a sieve to break up the particles. NP, which had a large initial particle size, was jet-milled. In both cases, reduction of the particle size of the drugs enabled transition to an amorphous state below the melting point of the drug. The reduction in particle size is considered to enable increased contact between the crospovidone and drug particles, increasing interactions between the two compounds.     

Weak acids enhance halogen activation on atmospheric water's surfaces

We report that rates of I(2)(g) emissions, measured via cavity ring-down spectroscopy, during the heterogeneous ozonation of interfacial iodide: I(-)(surface, s) + O(3)(g) + H(+)(s) →→ I(2)(g), are enhanced several-fold, whereas those of IO·(g) are unaffected, by the presence of undissociated alkanoic acids on water. The amphiphilic weak carboxylic acids appear to promote I(2)(g) emissions by supplying the requisite interfacial protons H(+)(s) more efficiently than water itself, at pH values representative of submicrometer marine aerosol particles. We infer that the organic acids coating aerosol particles ejected from ocean's topmost films should enhance I(2)(g) production in marine boundary layers.     

Production and degradation mechanism of theacitrin C, a black tea pigment derived from epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate via a bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-type intermediate

Black tea is rich in polyphenols and has been shown to have various health benefits; however, its components have not yet been clarified in detail. Enzymatic oxidation of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, the most abundant polyphenol in tea, is thought to contribute significantly to the production of black tea polyphenols. We identified theacitrin C, an unstable black tea pigment, as an enzymatic oxidation product of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate. Degradation of theacitrin C afforded theacitrinin A and 2,3,5,7-tetrahydroxychroman-3-O-gallate. Furthermore, theacitrinin B, which was isolated from black tea, is deduced to be a degradation product of theacitrin A, the desgalloyl analogue of theacitrin C. The structures of theacitrinins A and B were elucidated based on spectroscopic data. This is the first time that a degradation product of theacitrin has been isolated from black tea. We also examined the influence of esterification of the epigallocatechin C-3 hydroxyl group on the decomposition of bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-type intermediates.     

Daily variation in cellular content of UV-absorbing compounds mycosporine-like amino acids in the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sweeneyae

Sudden exposure experiments to high PAR (photosynthetically available radiation) or high PAR+UVR (ultraviolet radiation) were conducted for the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sweeneyae acclimated to either low PAR or high PAR to determine the induction of cellular mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA) in relation to photosynthesis status. When the exposure to high PAR (30.8 Wm(-2)) was provided at different time in the light period for S. sweeneyae acclimated to low PAR (7.7 Wm(-2)) which suppressed photosynthesis, S. sweeneyae could enhance the induction of MAA but it only occurred in the first half of the light period. When UVR exposure was provided for the culture acclimated to high PAR which enhanced photosynthesis, cellular MAA content did not increase during the entire light period, but displayed daily variation similar to the control for two and half days. Daily variation of cellular MAA content did not synchronized with that of cell volume and cellular chlorophyll a content. The individual MAAs also revealed similar daily variations with different phase, which increased for a few hours in the beginning of the light period, except for cellular palythine content. Thus the total cellular MAA content revealed daily variation with changing the relative composition within a few hours. As one of the biological protective strategies against harmful UVR in sunlight, the daily vertical migration in the bloom forming dinoflagellates might be accompanied by the daily variation of cellular MAA content for a photosynthesis at daytime.     

Field survey of Glycyrrhiza plants in Central Asia (3). Chemical characterization of G. glabra collected in Uzbekistan

The chemical characteristics of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. were investigated at a habitat in Uzbekistan. HPLC analysis of the underground parts indicated that glycyrrhizin contents varied from 3.3 to 6.1% of dry weight, and that glabridin, a species-specific flavonoid for G. glabra, was detected in all underground samples (0.08-0.35% of dry weight). HPLC analysis of the leaves indicated that G. glabra plants collected in the present study could be divided into two types, RT-type and IQ-type, according to their major flavonol glycosides, rutin or isoquercitrin, respectively.     

Flow-through micro sensor using immobilized peroxidase with chemiluminometric FIA system for determining hydrogen peroxide.

A micromachined flow cell (overall size; 25 x 25 x 1 mm3) was designed for the fast determination of hydrogen peroxide, based on a luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction catalyzed by immobilized peroxidase (POD). The flow cell consisted of a sandwich of anisotropically etched silicon and glass chips and contained a spiral channel (20 turns, 50 cm long, 150 microm wide, 20 microm depth, channel volume 1.4 microl) and two holes (1 mm diameter). POD was covalently immobilized with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldietylenetriamine and glutaraldehyde on the inner surface of the channel. The chip was placed in front of a window of a photomultiplier tube and used as a flow cell in a single-line flow-injection analysis system using a luminol solution as a carrier solution. The sample volume for one measurement was 0.2 microl. The maximal sampling rate was 315 h(-1) at a carrier solution flow rate of 10 microl min(-1). A calibration graph for H2O2 was linear for 5 nM - 5 microM; the detection limit (signal-to-noise = 3) was 1 nM (7 fg in 0.2 microl injection). The H2O2 concentration in rainwater was determined using this sensor system.     

Synthesis of the C42-C52 part of ciguatoxin CTX3C

The C42-C52 part of ciguatoxin CTX3C (1) was synthesized from tri-O-acetyl d-glucal. The synthetic segment had a tetrahydropyran ring corresponding to the ‘C49-reduced’ L-ring of 1, designed to avoid side reactions due to acid-labile C49 acetal carbon during acidic reductive conditions planned in further synthesis toward 1. The vicinal dimethyl part at C47-C48 was constructed by a stepwise conjugate addition/methylation procedure. The C50-C52 unit was installed by Grignard addition of the C₃ unit followed by spirocyclization and reductive cleavage of the spirocyclic acetal. Stereoselective assembly of the C42-C44 part was achieved by Brown’s asymmetric crotylboration.     

Water sorption,glass transition,and freeze-concentrated glass-like transition properties of calcium maltobionate–maltose mixtures

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The water sorption, glass transition, and freeze-concentrated thermal transition properties of calcium maltobionate (MBCa)–maltose mixtures were...