Studies on steroids. CC. Determination of 17-ketosteroid sulphates in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using pre-column derivatization

A new sensitive method is described for the determination of 17-ketosteroid sulphates, particularly dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The 17-ketosteroid sulphates in serum were extracted with acetonitrile and derivatized with p- nitrophenylhydrazine in trichloroacetic acid--benzene solution. The p- nitrophenylhydrazones were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on a mu Bondapak C18 column using methanol--0.5% ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (8:3) as a mobile phase. The proposed method proved to be applicable to the quantitation of 17-ketosteroid sulphates with satisfactory sensitivity and reliability, providing a quantitation limit of 80 ng/ml and coefficient of variation of 4%. A good correlation was observed between the values obtained by the present method and radioimmunoassay for dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in serum.     

Molluscicidal triterpenoidal saponin from Lysimachia sikokiana

The main molluscicidal activity of the methanol extract of Lysimachia sikokiana is due to several triterpenic saponins called sakuraso-saponins. The most active component was isolated from the aerial parts and elucidated as 3-O-beta-xylopyranosyl-(1----2)-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1----4)- [beta-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)]-alpha-arabinopyranosyl protoprimulagenin A, named lysikoianoside 1, on the basis of 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectral data and methylation analysis results.     

Alternating copolymerization of isoprene and butadiene with acrylonitrile

Copolymerizations of acrylonitrile and isoprene or butadiene were carried out in the presence of a new catalytic system containing Cr(O-tert-Bu)₄ and AlEtCl₂. It was found that the copolymer compositions have a highly alternating structure, even with varying feed ratios of monomer. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the copolymers obtained with this catalytic system were observed and are discussed in terms of the alternation.     

Crystal habit of fcc metal particles controlled by electrode potential in solution

The crystal habit of fcc metal particles formed on an amorphous carbon film electrode in solution at different electrode potentials is discussed. The fcc metal particles have different crystallographic habits depending on applied electrode potential; that is, icosahedral and/or decahedral particles are formed at lower potentials, and fcc single-crystalline or polycrystalline particles at higher potentials. It was found that decahedra and icosahedra of Cu-Au alloy particles are formed in the potential region of underpotential deposition (UPD) of Cu at which only fcc Au single-crystalline particles and Au polycrystalline particles appear. This is attributed to the charge transfer from the UPD Cu ions to the Au overlayer of Cu-Au alloy particles. The formation of decahedral and icosahedral Cu-Au alloy particles depends on the composition of the Cu-Au alloy. On the basis of these results it was deduced that the contraction of the surface lattice of the growing particles is responsible for the formation of icosahedral and decahedral particles. Received: 25 February 1997 / Accepted: 21 April 1997     

A New Approach to the Construction of BEDT-TTF Derivatives Condensed with Heterocycles via BF3-promoted Reactions of Organotin Thiolates

The synthesis of BEDT-TTF derivatives fused with heterocycles (3–7) has been accomplished via the BF₃-promoted reaction of organotin thiolates (8 and 9) with electrophiles (10 and 11). Electrical conductivities of radical cation salts derived from some of them were also investigated.     

Structure of a 1:1 molecular complex of trans-9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-diphenyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene with ethanol

X-ray analysis of the title complex revealed hydrogen-bonded chains comprising two crystallographically independent types of $\text{trans}$-9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-diphenyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene molecules, in which the central 1,4-cyclohexadiene rings are respectively flat and very slightly puckered, with the ethanol molecules attached exclusively to the latter type.     

Elongation and contraction of molecular springs. Synthesis, structures, and properties of bridged [7]thiaheterohelicenes

A series of bridged [7]thiaheterohelicenes 3a-c and 4 with a variety of helical pitches have been prepared from racemic and optical pure 2,13-bis(hydroxymethyl)dithieno[3,2-e:3',2'-e']benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b']bis[1]benzothiophene (1) in order to investigate the helical structures in solution. Recrystallizations of (PM)-3a, (PM)-3b, (PM)-3c, and (P)-4 from hexane-dichloromethane gave crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography, while recrystallization of (PM)-4 with benzene gave an inclusion complex with a stoichiometry of (PM-4)(4).(C(6)H(6)). X-ray analyses of (PM)-3a-c, (PM-4)(4).(C(6)H(6)), and (P)-4 indicate that the dihedral angles between terminal thiophene rings of the helical framework significantly vary from 22 degrees for 4 to 59 degrees for 3c. This represents as increase of 37 degrees or 168%. Although the (13)C NMR and UV absorption spectra of bridged helicenes 3a-c and unbridged helicene 5 are essentially the same, the molar rotation of 5 is very large compared with those of 3a-c and 4. A red shift (15 nm) in the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum is observed for 4, suggesting that this compound is more planar than 3a-c in solution. In the series of [7]thiaheterohelicenes studied, the minimum helical pitch is 2.70 A for 4.     

Loss and recovery in hydrophobicity of silicone rubber exposed to corona discharge

This paper describes the loss and recovery in the hydrophobicity of unfilled high temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (HTV-SR) resulting from corona discharge. In this study, HTV-SR specimens were exposed to corona stress generated by a parallel needle-plane electrode system, and physicochemical analyses on the surface layer of SR before and after corona discharge treatment were carried out by using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is demonstrated that hydrophilic OH groups that are by-products of ageing can be formed instead of hydrophobic CH₃ groups on the surface of aged SR and the corona discharge plays an important role on the temporary loss of hydrophobicity. After a substantial period of ‘rest’, the hydrophobic recovery of SR results from the diffusion of low-molecular weight (LMW) silicone fluid from the bulk onto the aged layer.     

Constituents of Crinoidea, 4. Isolation and structure of ceramides and glucocerebrosides from the feather star Comanthus japonica

Five ceramides, JC-1-JC-5, and four glucocerebrosides, JCer-1-JCer-4, have been isolated from their parent ceramide and glucocerebroside molecular species JC and JCer obtained from the less polar lipid fraction of the chloroform/methanol extract of the feather star Comanthus japonica. The structures of these sphingolipids have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Reversed-phase HPLC was effective at isolating these sphingolipids, revealing very close resemblance in their structures. JC-1, JC-3, JC-4, JC-5 and JCer-2, JCer-4 are newly found ceramides and glucocerebrosides, respectively.     

Studies on furan derivatives. XII. Nucleophilic substitution of methyl 5-nitro-2-furancarboxylate. Preparation of methyl 5-phenoxy-2-furancarboxylates

Twenty one methyl 5-phenoxy-2-furancarboxylates prepared from the reaction of methyl 5-nitro-2-furan-carboxylate with phenoxides via displacement of the nitro group. In the reaction of potassium 2-nitrophen-oxide with methyl 5-nitro-2-furancarboxylate at 110°-120°, 2,2′-dinitrodiphenyl ether was obtained as a main product.