State-of-the-art in organic elemental micro and ultramicro analysis

Summary Nernst developed a quartz torsion microbalance in 1903. In consequence of this pioneering work, Emich in the Technical University of Graz, Austria, had systematized a series of chemical operations in microscale as well as a microchemical analysis. Further advances in technique and method of organic microanalysis had been accomplished by Pregl in Graz in 1912. His work had been strongly supported by a new microbalance which was known as Kuhlmann microbalance. Pregl's original methods of analysis were arranged and published in 1916 as Die quantitative organische Mikroanalyse. It is still noteable that the Nobel prize of 1933 had been presented to Dr. Pregl. In accordance with a combination of electronic microbalance and computer techniques, organic elemental microanalysis has grown to include advanced instrumentation and on-line computation. Successful adaptation of microchemical analysis has expanded today not only to pure organic compounds, but on industrial intermediates, polymers, food additives and many other compositions. The paper includes a discussion of the relative merits of traditional and modern analytical techniques together with the progression of microbalances. Recent developments in organic micro and ultramicro analysis in Japan are also described.     

Synthesis of Glycocinnasperimicin D

The first total synthesis of amino sugar antibiotic glycocinnasperimicin D ( 1 ) has been achieved by a convergent, three‐component coupling strategy. The key steps involve the Heck–Mizoroki reaction by using the iodophenyl glycoside 50 and acryl amide 32 to furnish the right core structure of 1 , and the construction of the urea glycoside employing the reaction of glycosyl isocyanate 8 with amino sugar 9 . Glycosyl isocyanate 8 was prepared by the oxidation of isonitrile 10 , which displayed excellent reactivity in the coupling event. Synthetic roadblocks, encountered during this synthetic effort, have led to the development of the α‐selective, Lewis acid catalyzed phenyl glycosylation process with 2‐amino‐hexopyranose and a procedure for acetonide deprotection without affecting the silyl ethers.     

In situ observation of water distribution and behaviour in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by synchrotron X‐ray imaging

In situ visualization of the distribution and behaviour of water in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell during power generation has been demonstrated using a synchrotron X‐ray imaging technique. Images were recorded using a CCD detector combined with a scintillator (Gd₂O₂S:Tb) and relay lens system, which were placed at 2.0 m or 2.5 m from the fuel cell. The images were measured continuously before and during power generation, and data on cell performance was recorded. The change of water distribution during power generation was obtained from X‐ray images normalized with the initial state of the fuel cell. Compared with other techniques for visualizing the water in fuel cells, this technique enables the water distribution and behaviour in the fuel cell to be visualized during power generation with high spatial resolution. In particular, the effects of the specifications of the gas diffusion layer on the cathode side of the fuel cell on the distribution of water were efficiently identified. This is a very powerful technique for investigating the mechanism of water flow within the fuel cell and the relationship between water behaviour and cell performance.     

Discrete Burgers’ Equation, Binomial Coefficients and Mandala

In discrete Burgers’ equation, time is discretized but space remains continuous. Reduction modulo 2 of discrete Burgers’ equation discretizes also space. This dynamical system generates an elegant pattern known since long time ago. We also propose to show that the Galois groups of particular solutions of Burgers’ equation are abelian. It would imply that the dynamical systems are integrable.     

Why is the order reversed? peroxyl‐scavenging activity and fats‐and‐oils protecting activity of vitamin E

The orders of relative tocopherol biopotency, scavenging activity of lipid peroxyl radicals, and quenching activity of singlet oxygen are as follows: jalpha‐tocopherol > β‐tocopherol ? γ‐tocopherol > δ‐tocopherol. However, the reverse is the case for the activity to protect fats and oils from oxidation: jalpha‐tocopherol < β‐tocopherol < γ‐tocopherol δ‐tocopherol. The reason for this reverse has been studied by measuring weight gains of solutions including methyl linoleate and various antioxidants at daily intervals. Antioxidant activity is expressed as an induction period in days. Induction periods are compared with the second‐order rate constants for scavenging of an aroxyl radical by the antioxidants. A plot of the logarithm of the second‐order rate constant vs. the induction period is found to give a good linear fit, and the slope is negative. From these results, it is considered that the larger the peroxyl‐radical‐scavenging activity of a tocopherol, the more favorable the production of the tocopheroxyl radical, and thus the more efficient the oxidation of fats and oils by the tocopheroxyl radical. This is not the case for tocopherols in vivo, because vitamin C and ubiquinol reduce tocopheroxyl radicals formed from tocopherols. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 605–610, 2005     

Stereospecific synthesis of urea-tethered neoglycoconjugates starting from glucopyranosyl carbamates

Silyl-assisted elimination reaction of glucopyranosyl carbamates has been established for the synthesis of α- and β-d-glucopyranosyl isocyanates and ureas. This method proved to be useful for the synthesis of urea-tethered neoglycoconjugates.     

Gas chromatography of aliphatic lactones on high-resolution glass capillary columns

Summary Long wall-coated open-tubular glass columns coated with polar or non-polar partition liquids have been used for separation of mixtures of 30 aliphatic lactones. The method developed has been applied to analysis of an aroma fraction from the fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and 18 lactones have been identified in it.

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Gaschromatographie aliphatischer Laktone auf Hochleistungssäulen aus Glaskapillaren

Zusammenfassung Lange dickwandige Glassäulen behandelt mit polaren oder unpolaren Flüssigkeiten wurden für die Trennung von Gemischen aus 30 aliphatischen Laktonen verwendet. Die damit ausgearbeitete Methodik wurde zur Analyse einer Aromafraktion aus den Früchten der Dattelpalme (Phoenix dactylifera) angewendet, wobei 18 Laktone identifiziert wurden.

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Presented at the 8th International Microchemical Symposium, Graz, August 25–30, 1980.     

Indium‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Keto Esters from Cyclic 1,3‐Diketones and Alcohols and Application to the Synthesis of Seratrodast

Esterification reactions from cyclic 1,3‐diketones and alcohols are carried out in the presence of several Lewis acids. In particular, indium(III) triflate, In(OTf)₃, iron(III) triflate, Fe(OTf)₃, copper(II) triflate, Cu(OTf)₂, and silver(I) triflate, AgOTf, show high catalytic activities. These reactions proceed through the carbon–carbon bond cleavage by a retro‐aldol reaction and were found to be highly regioselective even in the presence of other functional groups. This type of reaction can also be applied to the preparation of the keto esters during the synthesis of seratrodast, which is an antiasthmatic and eicosanoid antagonist.