A LabVIEW®-based software for the control of the AUTORAD platform: a fully automated multisequential flow injection analysis Lab-on-Valve (MSFIA-LOV) system for radiochemical analysis

A LabVIEW^®-based software for the control of the fully automated multi-sequential flow injection analysis Lab-on-Valve (MSFIA-LOV) platform AutoRAD performing radiochemical analysis is described. The analytical platform interfaces an Arduino^®-based device triggering multiple detectors providing a flexible and fit for purpose choice of detection systems. The different analytical devices are interfaced to the PC running LabVIEW^®VI software using USB and RS232 interfaces, both for sending commands and receiving confirmation or error responses. The AUTORAD platform has been successfully applied for the chemical separation and determination of Sr, an important fission product pertinent to nuclear waste.

     

A 'Sleeping Trojan Horse' which transports metal ions into cells, localises in nucleoli, and has potential for bimodal fluorescence/PET imaging

A rhenium polypyridine-based molecular vessel is membrane impermeant when empty, but, upon loading with metal ions, the cationic form is taken up by MCF-7 cells, localising in nucleoli. The luminescence of the vessel and its copper binding ability suggest potential as a bimodal fluorescence/PET imaging agent.     

Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclization of Allylic Tosylcarbamates: Scope,Derivatization, and Mechanistic Aspects

A highly selective oxidative palladium(II)‐catalyzed (Wacker‐type) cyclization of readily available allylic tosylcarbamates is reported. This operationally simple catalytic reaction furnishes tosyl‐protected vinyl‐oxazolidinones, common precursors to syn‐1,2‐amino alcohols, in high yield and excellent diasteroselectivity (>20:1). It is demonstrated that both stoichiometric amounts of benzoquinone (BQ) as well as aerobic reoxidation (molecular oxygen) is suitable for this transformation. The title reaction is shown to proceed through overall trans‐amidopalladation of the olefin followed by β‐hydride elimination. This process is scalable and the products are suitable for a range of subsequent transformations such as: kinetic resolution (KR) and oxidative Heck‐, Wacker‐, and metathesis reactions.     

Microwave-mediated synthesis and manipulation of a 2-substituted-5-aminooxazole-4-carbonitrile library

A 2-substituted-5-aminooxazole-4-carbonitrile library has been synthesised and modified via microwave-mediated and flow chemistries. One synthesised compound, 5-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-4-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2-(thien-2-yl)oxazole, contains three distinct heterocycles attached to the central oxazole core, highlighting the structural diversity of this approach. Three oxazoles had micromolar k_i values against cannabinoid (CB1/CB2) receptors.     

Copper-catalyzed desymmetrization of oxabenzonorbornadienes with aluminum reagents

The desymmetrization of oxabenzonorbornadienes with aluminum reagents and SimplePhos as chiral ligand is described. The corresponding homoallylic alcohols are obtained in high yield, diastereoselectivity, and enantiomeric excess. Furthermore the first anti enantioselective desymmetrization with aromatic nucleophiles is reported.     

Flexibility of solid-phase microextraction for passive sampling of atmospheric pesticides

For low volatile pesticides, the applications of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) as an air sampler were reported with sampling time chosen in the linear stage of the sorption kinetics because of long equilibrium time. In these pre-equilibrium conditions, sampling rates (SRs) expressed as the volume of air sampled by the SPME sampler per unit of time, were used to estimate analytes concentrations in air. In the present study, to achieve good extraction performance and accurate calibration, the sorption kinetics of several pesticides with SPME were investigated in detail, with a focus on parameters influencing SRs. Linear air velocity was found to be the main parameter affecting SRs. For exposed fibers, with air velocities below 20–25 cm s⁻¹, SRs increased with increasing air velocity. When linear air velocity was equal to or greater than 25–30 cm s⁻¹, it had little effect on SRs. To improve the flexibility of SPME, different configurations of SPME were compared, i.e. different lengths of fibers exposed, retracted fibers, exposed fibers with grids. SRs were linearly proportional to exposed lengths of fibers. Using grids, lower SRs and wider calibration time range were achieved. SRs for retracted fibers were the lowest among the different experimented configurations. The accuracy of calibration was improved and more flexibility of SPME was provided.     

g-factor of magnesium particles of diameter between 10 and 30 Å

ESR measurements of Mg particles smaller than about 40 Å show evidence for a quantum size effect on the g-value. The large g-shift of our bulk Mg has allowed us to follow the evolution of the g-factor as a function of particle size. The theoretical model of Myles and Buttet, which predicts a gradual change from the bulk g-value to the free electron g-value when the size decreases is in qualitative agreement with the experimental data.     

Chiral discrimination of dansyl-amino-acid enantiomers on teicoplanin phase: sucrose-perchlorate anion dependence

The chiral recognition mechanism for a series of d,l-dansyl-amino-acids (test solutes) on a teicoplanin stationary phase was investigated in reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The effect of both a surface tension modifier (sucrose) and a chaotropic agent (perchlorate anion) on the enantiomeric separation was studied by varying their concentration, c, in the mobile phase. The thermodynamic data supported the fact that the sucrose molecule acted only on the hydrophobic part of the interaction teicoplanin/dansyl-amino-acid and not on the specific chiral part. It was demonstrated that the enhancement of the separation factor observed as the perchlorate salt concentration increased in the mobile phase was enthalpically controlled owing to stereoselective bonding interactions. Such behavior was used to optimize the chromatographic conditions for separation of dansyl-amino-acids on teicoplanin.