ASV determination of cadmium complexation in seawater. Methodology evaluation

The methodology for using DPASV to study cadmium complexation in seawater is evaluated using EDTA as a model ligand and by analysing natural samples. The results show that the methodology gives an accurate evaluation of metal complexation when inert complexes are studied, both as regards the ligand concentration and the conditional stability constant; the error for both the parameters is lower than 10% at a ligand concentration of about 10(-8) M and a conditional stability constant of 10(9) M-1. Cadmium complexes with ligands present in natural seawater show an evident kinetic lability that may lead to underestimation of the conditional stability constant when a working electrode characterised by a very thick diffusion layer is used. The conditional stability constant in one water sample of the Adriatic coast ranged between 0.14 and 1.4 l/nmol using a rotating disk electrode at rotation rates of 300 and 6000 rpm. The results of cadmium complexation obtained for samples collected in coastal seawater show that the ligands present low specificity for the metal.     

Analysis of human brain tissue, brain tumors and tumor cells by infrared spectroscopic mapping

This study uses infrared (IR) spectroscopic, point detection, mapping procedures to examine tissue samples from normal brain specimens and from astrocytic gliomas, the most frequent human brain tumors. Model systems were derived from cultured glioma cell lines. IR spectra of normal tissue sections distinguished white matter from gray matter by increased spectral contributions from lipids and cholesterol. Qualitatively the same differences were found in IR spectra of low and high grade glioma tissue sections pointing to a significant reduction of brain lipids with increasing malignancy. Whereas spectral contributions of proteins and lipids were similar in IR spectra of glioma cells and tissues, nucleic acid bands were more intense for cells suggesting higher proliferative activities. For statistical analyses of IR spectroscopic maps from 71 samples, a parameter for the lipid to protein ratio was introduced involving the CH(2) symmetric stretch band with lipids as main contributors and the amide I band of proteins. As this parameter correlated with the grade of gliomas obtained from standard histopathological examination, it was applied to classify brain tissue sections based on IR spectroscopic mapping.     

Near infrared Raman spectroscopic mapping of native brain tissue and intracranial tumors

This study assessed the diagnostic potential of Raman spectroscopic mapping by evaluating its ability to distinguish between normal brain tissue and the human intracranial tumors gliomas and meningeomas. Seven Raman maps of native specimens were collected ex vivo by a Raman spectrometer with 785 nm excitation coupled to a microscope with a motorized stage. Variations within each Raman map were analyzed by cluster analysis. The dependence of tissue composition on the tissue type in cluster averaged Raman spectra was shown by linear combinations of reference spectra. Normal brain tissue was found to contain higher levels of lipids, intracranial tumors have more hemoglobin and lower lipid to protein ratios, meningeomas contain more collagen with maximum collagen content in normal meninges. One sample was studied without freezing. Whereas tumor regions did not change significantly, spectral changes were observed in the hemoglobin component after snap freezing and thawing to room temperature. The results constitute a basis for subsequent Raman studies to develop classification models for diagnosis of brain tissue.     

Fluorescent polymer cubosomes and hexosomes with aggregation-induced emission

Fluorescent polymer cubosomes and hexosomes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) were prepared from amphiphilic block copolymers PEG-b-PTPEMA where the hydrophobic block PTPEMA was a polymethacrylate with tetraphenylethene (TPE) as the AIE side group. Four highly asymmetric block copolymers with hydrophilic block weight ratio f_PEG ≤ 20% were synthesized. Cubosomes and hexosomes with strong fluorescence emission were obtained by nanoprecipitation of polymers with f_PEG < 9% in dioxane/water and THF/water systems. Their ordered internal structures were studied by electron microscopy (cryo-EM, SEM and TEM) and the X-ray scattering technique (SAXS). To elucidate the formation mechanisms of these inverted colloids, other parameters influencing the morphologies, like the water content during self-assembly and the organic solvent composition, were also investigated. This study not only inspires people to design novel building blocks for the preparation of functional cubosomes and hexosomes, but also presents the first AIE fluorescent polymer cubosome and hexosome with potential applications in bio-related fields.

Fluorescent Im$\bar{3}$m cubosome and P6mm hexosome with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) were reported, which were formed by amphiphilic block copolymers PEG-b-PTPEMA. The length of hydrophobic block PTPEMA was adjusted to control morphology formation.     

Gold-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkynyl-phenylamines with alpha,beta-enones

[reaction: see text] The gold-catalyzed reaction of 2-alkynyl-phenylamines with alpha,beta-enones represents a new general one-pot entry into C-3-alkyl-indoles by sequential reactions. Gold-catalyzed sequential cyclization/alkylation, N-alkylation/cyclization, or N-alkylation/cyclization/alkylation reactions leading to different indoles can be directed by changing the 2-alkynyl-phenylamine 1/alpha,beta-enone 3 ratio and the reaction temperature. Unusual gold-catalyzed rearrangement reaction of indoles are observed at 140 degrees C. New gold-catalyzed formation of propargyl-alkyl ether under mild conditions and the hydration reaction of N-acetyl-2-ethynyl-phenylamine are reported.     

New halogenated furanones from the marine alga delisea pulchra (cf. fimbriata)

An investigation of the natural products chemistry of the red alga Delisea pulchra, collected from the Cape Banks, New South Wales, Australia, yielded eight new polyhalogenated furanones (1–7) and the previously reported metabolites 8–24). The structures of 1–8 were determined from the interpretation of their 1D and 2D NMR, UV, IR and mass spectral data. For the first time, complete ¹H and ¹³C NMR data for compounds 14, 18, and 20-23 are reported.     

New taxane derivatives: synthesis of baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one nucleus and its condensation with the norstatine side chain

New taxanes 15 and 18, containing the unsaturated and saturated baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one nucleus, respectively, were prepared starting from the readily available 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin III (3). Sequential formation of the enolate of 3 and reaction with ethyl glyoxylate gave the 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin[14,1-d]-3,4-dehydrofuran-2-one 4. The reduction of 4 can result in the formation of a mixture of compounds corresponding to 13-hydroxy alcohol 5 and 13-enol derivative 6. Both 5 and 6 were transformed into 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one 8 by treatment with a base. Further reduction of 8 gave 13-hydroxy compound 9. Esterification of 6 and 9 with N,O-protected norstatine 12, followed by deprotection, gave the new promising anticancer taxanes 15 and 18, respectively.     

Delayed fluorescence from the lowest 1B+3u state of anthracene,due to hetero-triplet—triplet annihilation of 3anthracene* and 3xanthone*

The P-type delayed fluorescence (DF) S_i→S_o of aromatic compounds results from the population of excited singlet states S_i by triplet—triplet annihillation (TTA) of molecules in their lowest and metastable triplet state T₁ : T₁ + T₁

S_i + S_o; S_i may be any excited singlet state whose excitation energy E(S_i ? 2 E(T₁). TTA of unlike molecules A and B (hetero-TTA) may lead to excited singlet states either of A or of B. In particular, if E(T_A¹) < E(T₁^B), hetero-TTA may lead to excited singlet states S_k^A which are not accessible by TTA of 2 T₁^A. In the present paper we report the first example of the detection of the DF from a very short-lived upper excited singlet state S_k^A which has been populated by hetero-TTA. The systems investigated are liquid solutions of A = anthracene-h₁₀ or anthracene-d₁₀ or 9,10-dimethylanthracene and B = xanthone in 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane at 243 K. S_k^A is the lowest ¹B_3U⁺ state (B_b state) of anthracene.     

2,3,5,6‐Tetrakis[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]‐2,5‐bis(dimethylamino)2,3,5,6‐tetrabora‐1,4‐dioxane diethyl ether 0.667‐solvate

The title compound, C₃₆H₂₆B₄F₂₄N₂O₆·0.667C₄H₁₀O, has centrosymmetric tetraboradioxane molecules, half each of three of these comprising the asymmetric unit together with a molecule of diethyl ether. Disorder affects most of the CF₃ groups and one ethyl group of the solvent molecule. The B₄O₂ rings are approximately planar and contain two B atoms with trigonal geometry and two with distorted tetrahedral geometry, the B—O bonds for the four‐coordinate B atoms being longer than those for the three‐coordinate B atoms. N—H...O hydrogen bonds link two of the crystallographically independent molecules together in chains, while the third molecule forms discrete trimolecular clusters with two solvent molecules via N—H...O hydrogen bonds. This is the first crystallographically characterized example of a tetrabora‐dioxane molecule containing both four‐ and three‐coordinate B atoms.     

Discovery of an all-donor aromatic [2]catenane

We report herein the first all-donor aromatic [2]catenane formed through dynamic combinatorial chemistry, using single component libraries. The building block is a benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene derivative, a π-donor molecule, with cysteine appendages that allow for disulfide exchange. The hydrophobic effect plays an essential role in the formation of the all-donor [2]catenane. The design of the building block allows the formation of a quasi-fused pentacyclic core, which enhances the stacking interactions between the cores. The [2]catenane has chiro-optical and fluorescent properties, being also the first known DCC-disulphide-based interlocked molecule to be fluorescent.

An all-donor [2]catenane has been synthesised via dynamic combinatorial chemistry. It features stacked benzodithiophenes which are quasi-pentacyclic through hydrogen bonding.