Atmospheric reactions Cl+CH3-(CH2)n-OH (n=0-4): a kinetic and theoretical study

The reactions of Cl with a series of linear alcohols: methanol (k1), ethanol (k2), 1-propanol (k3), 1-butanol (k4), and 1-pentanol (k5) were investigated as a function of temperature in the range of 264-382 K by laser photolysis-resonance fluorescence. The obtained kinetic data were used to derive the following Arrhenius expressions: k1=(3.55+/-0.22)x10(-10) exp[-(559+/-40)T], k2=(5.25+/-0.52)x10(-11) exp[(190+/-68)T], k3=(2.63+/-0.21)x10(-11) exp[(525+/-51)T], k4=(3.12+/-0.31)x10(-11) exp[(548+/-65)T], and k5=(3.97+/-0.48)x10(-11) exp[(533+/-77)T] (in units of cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)). To our knowledge, these are the first absolute kinetic data reported for 1-butanol and 1-pentanol and also the first kinetic study as a function of temperature for these two compounds. Results, mechanism, and tropospheric implications are discussed and compared with the reported reactivity with OH radicals. Moreover, a theoretical insight into the mechanisms of these reactions has also been pursued through ab initio M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation treatment calculations with 6-311G** basis sets. Optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies have been obtained for transition states and molecular complexes appearing along the different reaction pathways. Furthermore, molecular energies have been calculated at quadratic configuration interaction with single, double, and triple excitations level in order to get an estimation of the activation energies.     

The role of molecular rotation in activated dissociative adsorption on metal surfaces

The role of molecular rotation in dissociative adsorption of H2 on the activated NiAl(110) metal surface is systematically investigated by means of classical dynamics calculations performed on ab initio six-dimensional potential energy surfaces. The calculations show that molecules rotate abruptly when they are close to the surface and that this rotation allows the molecules to adopt the orientation that is more convenient for dissociation (i.e., nearly parallel to the surface). Also, in reactive sectors of the NiAl(110) unit cell, there is an "angular threshold" below which molecules cannot dissociate. This angular threshold goes down as the incidence energy increases, which explains the rise of the dissociation probability and the fact that it reaches a value close to 1 at incidence energies of the order of 2 eV. The fact that switching on molecular rotation favors dissociation establishes a competition between dissociation and rotational excitation of reflected molecules above the dissociation threshold. Measurements on rotational excitation might thus bring indirect evidence on the dissociation dynamics. Sample calculations for nonactivated Pd(111) and activated Cu(110) metal surfaces suggest that some of these conclusions may be of general validity.     

Analysis of polymeric phenolics in red wines using different techniques combined with gel permeation chromatography fractionation

A multiple-step analytical method was developed to improve the analysis of polymeric phenolics in red wines. With a common initial step based on the fractionation of wine phenolics by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), different analytical techniques were used: high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and spectrophotometry. This method proved to be valid for analyzing different families of phenolic compounds, such as monomeric phenolics and their derivatives, polymeric pigments and proanthocyanidins. The analytical characteristics of fractionation by GPC were studied and the method was fully validated, yielding satisfactory statistical results. GPC fractionation substantially improved the analysis of polymeric pigments by CZE, in terms of response, repeatability and reproducibility. It also represented an improvement in the traditional vanillin assay used for proanthocyanidin (PA) quantification. Astringent proanthocyanidins were also analyzed using a simple combined method that allowed these compounds, for which only general indexes were available, to be quantified.     

Confirmatory and quantitative analysis using experimental design for the extraction and liquid chromatography-UV, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry determination of quinolones in turkey muscle

The aim of this work is to established methods for determination of quinolones (ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, difloxacin and flumequine), regulated by European Union, and sarafloxacin in turkey muscle. An experimental design has been applied for the optimization of the factors that influence the extraction of quinolones from turkey muscle in order to determine the experimental conditions for their extraction with high recoveries. Liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (LC-UV), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) have been used for the simultaneous quantification of quinolones antibiotics in turkey muscle. The proposed methods have been validated according to the Food Drugs Administration guideline and presents the limit of quantification below the maximum residue limits established by the European Union for quinolones in turkey muscle. The methods developed have been applied to quantification of enrofloxacin and its main metabolite ciprofloxacin in samples of turkey muscle obtained from animals treated with enrofloxacin.     

Determination of a series of quinolones in pig plasma using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection Application to pharmacokinetic studies

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography (LC) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight quinolones in pig plasma samples. The following two methods of detection were used: ultraviolet (UV) and mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI/MS). Sample preparation consisted of solid-phase extraction (SPE) on Strata X cartridges prior to the analysis by LC/UV or LC/ESI/MS. The recovery, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), precision and accuracy of the method were evaluated using spiked pig plasma samples. The suitability of the method for pharmacokinetic studies was evaluated by determining the concentrations of enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) also in pig plasma, after administration of 200mg of enrofloxacin per kilogram of fodder during 5 consecutive days.     

Use of an on-line imprinted polymer pre-column, for the liquid chromatographic-UV absorbance determination of carbaryl and its metabolite in complex matrices

A carbaryl and 1-naphtol molecular imprinted polymers (MIP1 and MIP 2, respectively) were prepared using suspension polymerization and tested for selective and reversible binding to carbaryl and 1-naphtol, respectively. In the suspension polymerization technique used, polymers of methacrylic acid (MAA), highly cross-linked with ethylene dimethacrylate, provide a specific binding sites for the carbaryl molecule and its metabolite when using it as a template to be removed after polymerization. The molecular imprinted polymer with a particle size of approximately 5 microm were isolated and packed into a pre-column (50 mm x 4.6 mm id) that was used to isolate carbaryl and its metabolite from complex matrices injected on a high performance liquid chromatography system using ultra-violet detection without extensive sample preparation and clean up. The HPLC method had a detection limit of 1.00 ng/mL and a linear response (r2 > 0.98) over the concentration range of 1.00-10.0 ng/mL.     

Determination of benzimidazole fungicides in soil samples using microwave-assisted micellar extraction and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and fast analytical method was developed for the determination of benzimidazole fungicides (benomyl, carbendazim, thiabendazole, and fuberidazole) in soil samples. The analytes were extracted from the soil samples by means of conventional microwave-assisted extraction, using the non-ionic surfactants polyoxyethylene 10 lauryl ether (POLE) and oligoethylene glycol monooalkyl ether (Genapol X-080) as extractants. Determinations were made by using liquid chromatography with direct fluorescence detection. The use of an analytical column Symmetry C-18 offered short retention times of analytes without the need of any pH regulators with mobile phase methanol-water (50 + 50, v/v). The best results were obtained using 5% (v/v) POLE as extractant with recoveries of the fungicides in spiked soil samples between 71 and 105%. The results were compared with those obtained when Soxhlet extraction was applied to the same soil samples.     

A general strategy for creating "inactive-conformation" abl inhibitors

Kinase inhibitors that bind to the ATP cleft can be broadly classified into two groups: those that bind exclusively to the ATP site with the kinase assuming a conformation otherwise conducive to phosphotransfer (type I), and those that exploit a hydrophobic site immediately adjacent to the ATP pocket made accessible by a conformational rearrangement of the activation loop (type II). To date, all type II inhibitors were discovered by using structure-activity-guided optimization strategies. Here, we describe a general pharmacophore model of type II inhibition that enables a rational "hybrid-design" approach whereby a 3-trifluoromethylbenzamide functionality is appended to four distinct type I scaffolds in order to convert them into their corresponding type II counterparts. We demonstrate that the designed compounds function as type II inhibitors by using biochemical and cellular kinase assays and by cocrystallography with Abl.     

Study of phytochelatins and other related thiols as complexing biomolecules of As and Cd in wild type and genetically modified Brassica juncea plants

The accumulation of As and Cd in Brassica juncea plants and the formation of complexes of these elements with bioligands such as glutathione and/or phytochelatins (PCs) is studied. The genetic manipulation of these plants to induce higher As and Cd accumulation has been achieved by overexpressing the genes encoding for gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (gamma-ECS) and glutathione synthetase (GS). These two enzymes are responsible for glutathione (GSH) formation in plants, which is the first step in the production of PCs. The biomass produced in both the wild type and the genetically modified plants, has been evaluated. Additionally, the total Cd and As concentration accumulated in the plant tissues was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after extraction. Speciation studies on the extracts were conducted using size exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) coupled online with ICP-MS to monitor As, Cd and S. For further purification of the As fractions, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was used. Structural elucidation of the PCs and other thiols, as well as their complexes with As and Cd, was performed by electrospray-quadrupole-time-of-flight (ESI-Q-TOF). In both the Cd and As exposed plants it was possible to observe the presence of oxidized PC2 ([M + H]+, m/z 538), GS-PC2(-Glu) ([M + H]+, m/z 716) as well as reduced GSH ([M + H]+, m/z 308) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ([M + H]+, m/z 613). However, only the GS plants exhibited the presence of As(GS)3 complex ([M + H]+, m/z 994) that was further confirmed by MS/MS. This species is reported for the first time in B. juncea plant tissues.     

Direct reaction of dibromoacetic acid with aldehydes promoted by samarium diiodide: an easy, efficient, and rapid synthesis of (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids with total stereoselectivity

A promoted SmI2 direct reaction of dibromoacetic acid with different aldehydes, followed by an elimination reaction also promoted by samarium diiodide, affords (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids 2 with total stereoselectivity. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.