Evaluation of the disintegration time of rapidly disintegrating tablets via a novel method utilizing a CCD camera

Many kinds of rapidly disintegrating or oral disintegrating tablets (RDT) have been developed to improve the ease of tablet administration, especially for elderly and pediatric patients. In these cases, knowledge regarding disintegration behavior appears important with respect to the development of such a novel tablet. Ordinary disintegration testing, such as the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) method, faces limitations with respect to the evaluation of rapid disintegration due to strong agitation. Therefore, we have developed a novel apparatus and method to determine the dissolution of the RDT. The novel device consists of a disintegrating bath and CCD camera interfaced with a personal computer equipped with motion capture and image analysis software. A newly developed RDT containing various types of binder was evaluated with this protocol. In this method, disintegration occurs in a mildly agitated medium, which allows differentiation of minor distinctions among RDTs of different formulations. Simultaneously, we were also able to detect qualitative information, i.e., morphological changes in the tablet during disintegration. This method is useful for the evaluation of the disintegration of RDT during pharmaceutical development, and also for quality control during production.     

NMR and MO Studies on the Molecular Structure of a Fluoranthene-Benzene Complex

Fluoranthene (FA) forms a 1:1 van der Waals complex with benzene in cyclohexane. The ¹H NMR spectrum of this complex shows that the FA moiety in the complex state has five kinds of hydrogen atoms and that the ¹H NMR peaks assigned to the protons attached to the naphthalene skeleton are largely shifted to higher magnetic field on complex formation with benzene. These observations indicate that the complex takes the structure of C_S symmetry, in which the benzene molecule mainly interacts with the electronic system localized on the naphthalene moiety of FA. The present ab initio calculations reproduce well the ¹H NMR spectral shifts mentioned above and the experimentally predicted C_S structure of the complex. According to the PPP calculations for the electronic absorption spectral changes on the complex formation, the FA-benzene complex is considered to take a sandwich type structure.     

Novel approach to arylhydrazones, the precursor for Fischer indole synthesis, via diazo esters derived from α-amino acid esters

A novel method for synthesizing arylhydrazones, the precursor for Fischer indole synthesis, using aryllithium reagents and α-diazo esters that are easily obtained from α-amino acid esters, is described.     

Chromatography in silico, quantitative analysis of retention of aromatic acid derivatives

A quantitative analysis of the retention of aromatic acid derivatives in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) is conducted using a molecular mechanics calculation in the CAChe program. The molecular interaction energy value is calculated by subtracting the energy value of the complex from the sum of energy values of a model phase and an analyte. Several model phases are constructed, and the feasibility of applying the method to a variety of compounds is examined based on improving the contact surface area and the capability of computer software and hardware. Interaction energy values are calculated for both molecular and ionic forms. The predicted retention factors of partially ionized acids obtained using a combination of dissociation constants correlated well with the values measured by RPLC with pH-controlled eluents.     

New procedure to mask the 2,3-pi bond of the indole nucleus and its application to the preparation of potent opioid receptor agonists with a Corynanthe skeleton

Treatment of indole alkaloids with hypervalent iodine in the presence of ethylene glycol provides 2,3-ethylene glycol bridged adducts that could be converted into the original indoles under mild reductive conditions. This procedure, which involves masking of the reactivity of the indole nucleus at the beta-position, was utilized for the modification of the benzene ring of the indoline derivative and was applied to the preparation of potent opioid receptor agonists with the Corynanthe skeleton. [reaction: see text]     

Ratiometric direct detection of nitric oxide based on a novel signal-switching mechanism

A novel fluorescent probe, which could be the first example of a ratiometric molecular probe for direct monitoring of NO production, has been developed using a 'spin-exchange' mechanism.     

Palladium(0)/PAr3‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Amination of C(sp3)H Bonds: Synthesis of β‐Amino Acids

An intermolecular C(sp³)? H amination using a Pd⁰/PAr₃ catalyst was developed. The reaction begins with oxidative addition of R₂N? OBz to a Pd⁰/PAr₃ catalyst and subsequent cleavage of a C(sp³)? H bond by the generated Pd? NR₂ intermediate. The catalytic cycle proceeds without the need for external oxidants in a similar manner to the extensively studied palladium(0)‐catalyzed C? H arylation reactions. The electron‐deficient triarylphosphine ligand is crucial for this C(sp³)? H amination reaction to occur.     

Application of simplified desorption method to study on sorption of americium(III) on bentonite

To elucidate the sorption behavior of americium(III) on bentonite, which is a mixture of montmorillonite clay, quartz and other minerals, simplified desorption experiments were applied to the solid phases collected after the sorption experiments. The sorption–desorption behavior was examined in the final pH range from 2 to 8. The desorption experiments revealed that most of the Am was sorbed on the montmorillonite moiety of the bentonite. The sorption of Am on montmorillonite was divided into two types: one was the “exchangeable” sorption, in which the sorbed Am was desorbed with a 1 M KCl aqueous solution, and the rest was the “unexchangeable” sorption. The exchangeable sorption was ion exchange of mostly Am³⁺. The unexchangeable sorption was the strong sorption of Am hydroxides. An accessory iron mineral, pyrite, might be involved in the Am sorption on bentonite at neutral pH.