Stereoselective synthesis of the enantiomer of the key fragment of crocacin

A novel, stereoselective synthesis of the enantiomer of alcohol 5 is disclosed. The key steps of the synthesis include mercuric trifluoroacetate promoted regio- and stereoselective hydration of an α,β-unsaturated ester, Frater-alkylation and use of morpholine derived amide for acylation.     

Design and Development of Imprinted Polymer Inclusion Membrane‐Based Field Monitoring Device for Trace Determination of Phorate (O,O‐Diethyl S‐Ethyl Thiomethyl Phophorodithioate) in Natural Waters

A biomimetic potentiometric field monitoring device was developed for the trace determination of phorate (O,O‐diethyl S‐ethyl thiomethyl phophorodithioate) in natural waters. The sensing element was fabricated by the inclusion of phorate imprinted polymer materials in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. The sensor surface can be reused without conditioning unlike most other conventional sensors. Operational parameters such as amount and nature of plasticizers sensing material, pH and response time were optimized. The response characteristics of the non‐imprinted (NIPIM) and imprinted polymer inclusion membrane (IPIM) sensors for phorate were compared under optimum conditions. The IPIM sensor responds linearly to phorate in the concentration in the ranges 1×10^?9 to 1×10^?6 M and 1×10^?6 to 1×10^?5 M of different slopes with a detection limit of 1×10^?9 M. The selectivity was tested with various common organophosphorous (OP) pesticides and herbicides. In addition to superior sensitivity and selectivity of IPIM over NIPIM‐based sensor, IPIM‐based phorate sensor was found to be stable for 3 months and can be used for more than 40 times without any loss in sensitivity. The applicability for analyzing ground, river and tap‐water samples was successfully demonstrated via recovery studies.     

Ambidenticity of a tridentate oxygen-nitrogen donor towards bivalent and trivalent transition metal ions

Summary N-salicylidene anthranilamide (H₂SAA) and its Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III, Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II complexes were prepared and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic data. H₂SAA enolizes to give a dibasic ONO donor set in the divalent metal complexes. It also binds to the trivalent metal ions in a nonenolized form using a monobasic ONN donor set. Co^II is oxidized to Co^III during complexation. Octahedral geometries are proposed for Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III and Co^III complexes, while square planar geometries are suggested for the Ni^II and Cu^II complexes. Phenoxide bridging in the Cr^III and Fe^III complexes and enoxide bridging in the Ni^II and Cu^II complexes is proposed.     

Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method for the quantification of valproic acid in human plasma

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of valproic acid, an antiepileptic drug, in human plasma using benzoic acid as internal standard (IS). Following solid-phase extraction, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reversed-phase C18 column and analyzed by MS in the single ion monitoring mode using the respective [M-H]- ions, m/z 143 for valproic acid and m/z 121 for the IS. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.5-60 microg/mL for valproic acid in human plasma. The lower limit of quantification was 500 ng/mL with a relative standard deviation of less than 10%. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range. The average absolute recoveries of valproic acid and the IS from spiked plasma samples were 96.1+/-4.2 and 95.6+/-2.7%, respectively. A run time of 4.5 min for each sample made it possible to analyze more than 250 human plasma samples per day. The validated method has been successfully used to analyze human plasma samples for application in pharmacokinetic, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies.     

Validation and application of a high-performance liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry assay for mosapride in human plasma

A simple, rapid, sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantification of mosapride (I), a novel and potent gastroprokinetic agent that enhances the upper gastrointestinal motility by stimulating 5-HT(4) receptor. The analyte and internal standard, tamsulosin (II), were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether-dichloromethane (70:30, v/v) using a Glas-Col Multi-Pulse Vortexer. The chromatographic separation was performed on a reversed-phase Waters symmetry C(18) column with a mobile phase of 0.03% formic acid-acetonitrile (10:90, v/v). The protonated analyte was quantitated in positive ionization by multiple reaction monitoring with a mass spectrometer. The mass transitions m/z 422.3 -->198.3 and m/z 409.1 -->228.1 were used to measure I and II, respectively. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.5-100.0 ng/mL for mosapride in human plasma. The lower limit of quantitation was 500 pg/mL with a relative standard deviation of less than 15%. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve ranges. A run time of 2.0 min for each sample made it possible to analyze a throughput of more than 400 human plasma samples per day. The validated method has been successfully used to analyze human plasma samples for application in pharmacokinetic, bioavailability or bioequivalence studies.     

Kinetics of the dissociation of tris(1,10-phenanthroline) iron(III) complex ion in aqueous acid solutions. A mechanistic model for product specificity

Summary The natural decay of Fe(phen) _f3 ^p3+ , where no Ce^IV is employed for scavenging the side reaction product, Fe(phen) _f3 ^p2+ , is now treated as a complex reaction involving two parallel processes, and the experimental kinetics are consistent with the rate laws derived from a mechanism that simultaneously explains the composition of the products as a function of acidity. In terms of the proposed mechanism the dissociation rate of the complex ion in acid solutions containing Ce^IV as scavenging agent is to be regarded as a Ce^IV retarded aquation rate, and OH^– is to be assigned a catalytic role in the kinetics of basic reduction.     

Simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma using its structural analogue, amlodipine, as internal standard (IS). The method involves a simple single-step liquid-liquid extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether. The analyte was chromatographed on an Xterra MS C(18) reversed-phase chromatographic column by isocratic elution with 20 mM ammonium acetate buffer-acetonitrile (10:90, v/v; pH 6) and analyzed by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 456.4 --> 354.4 and m/z 409.3 --> 238.3 were used to measure the analyte and the I.S., respectively. The chromatographic run time was 1.5 min and the weighted (1/x(2)) calibration curves were linear over the range 0.1-25 ng ml(-1). Lacidipine was sensitive to temperature in addition to light. The method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision, absolute recovery, freeze-thaw stability, bench-top stability and re-injection reproducibility. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantification in human plasma were 50 and 100 pg ml(-1), respectively. The within- and between-batch accuracy and precision were found to be well within acceptable limits (<15%). The analyte was stable after three freeze-thaw cycles (deviation <15%). The average absolute recoveries of lacidipine and amlodipine (IS) from spiked plasma samples were 51.1 +/- 1.3 and 50.3 +/- 4.9%, respectively. The assay method described here could be applied to study the pharmacokinetics of lacidipine.     

Strongly coupled ruthenium-polypyridyl complexes for efficient electron injection in dye-sensitized semiconductor nanoparticles

Dynamics of interfacial electron transfer (ET) in the ruthenium-polypyridyl complex [{bis(2,2'-bpy)-(4-[2-(4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridinyl-4-yl)vinyl]benzene-1,2-diol)} ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate] (Ru-cat)-sensitized TiO(2) nanoparticles has been investigated using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy detecting in the visible and near-infrared region. It has been observed that Ru-cat is coupled strongly with the TiO(2) nanoparticles through its pendant catechol moiety. Electron injection has been confirmed by direct detection of electrons in the conduction band, cation radical of the adsorbed dye, and a bleach of the dye in real time as monitored by transient absorption spectroscopy. A single-exponential and pulse width limited (<100 fs) electron injection has been observed, and the origin of it might have been from the nonthermalized excited states of the Ru-cat molecule. The result gave a strong indication that the electron injection competes with the thermalization of the photoexcited states due to large coupling elements for the forward ET reaction. Back-ET dynamics has been determined by monitoring the decay kinetics of the cation radical and injected electron and also from recovery kinetics of the bleach of the adsorbed dye. It has been fit with a multiexponential function, where approximately 30% of the injected electrons are recombined with a time constant of <2 ps, again indicating large coupling elements for the charge recombination reaction. However, our results have shown relatively long-lived charge separation in the Ru-cat/TiO(2) system as compared to other organic dye-sensitized TiO(2) nanoparticles with similar interactions.     

Concentration with Selective Acid Removal from Americium Solutions Using Ion Exchange Membranes

Donnan dialysis and diffusion dialysis techniques are investigated for deacidification and possible concentration of actinide bearing acidic streams. Cation and anion exchange membranes are used in a two compartment dialysis cell to selectively remove acid from americium solutions. Acid concentrations, as high as 8.0M HNO₃ are used and the stability of membranes are ascertained. Possibility of simultaneous deacidification and concentration of acidic americium solutions are indicated by combining simple osmosis with diffusion dialysis. All the experiments are carried out under non stirring conditions at room temperature.     

Photon interaction cross sections for some amino acids in the range 30–385 keV

Total attenuation cross sections for several amino acids have been measured for Ba¹³³ photons in a narrow beam good geometry setup, using a hyper pure germanium detector. These values are compared with the values calculated using the mixture rule based on the data of Hubbell for the individual elements and found to be in good agreement.