Development of an HPLC method with electrochemical detection of femtomoles of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine in the presence of uric acid

A selective method based on high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) was developed to enable simultaneous detection of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), products of DNA oxidative damage, in the presence of uric acid (UA), a strong interferent in their electrochemical detection. The method developed consists of HPLC isocratic elution with amperometric detection on a glassy carbon electrode, enabling a detection limit for 8-oxoGua and 8-oxodGuo lower than 1 nM in standard mixtures. Detection of low concentrations up to 25 nM of 8-oxoGua and 8-oxodGuo in the presence of UA in a 10⁴-fold higher concentration was achieved after one-step solid phase extraction (SPE). The method was tested with urine samples and it was possible to detect and quantify the presence of 8-oxoGua, and to confirm that UA was eliminated after uricase degradation and SPE. The LOD found in urine samples was about 80 nM, a value higher than in standard mixtures, due to the increase of background current in the urine matrix. The results presented here contribute to the development of a methodological approach to simultaneous determination of 8-oxoGua and 8-oxodGuo in urine samples.     

Synthesis and coordinating ability of an anionic cobaltabisdicarbollide ligand geometrically analogous to BINAP

The anionic chelating ligand [1,1'-(PPh2)2-3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H10)2]- has been synthesized from [3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]- in very good yield in a one-pot process with an easy work-up procedure. The coordinating ability of this ligand has been studied with Group 11 metal ions (Ag, Au) and with transition-metal ions (Pd, Rh). The two dicarbollide halves of the [1,1'-(PPh2)2-3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H10)2]- ligand can swing about one axis in a manner analogous to the constituent parts of BINAP and ferrocenyl phosphine derivatives. All these ligands function as hinges, with the most important property in relation to the coordination requirements of the metal being the PP distance. [1,1'-(PPh2)2-3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H10)2]-, BINAP, ferrocenyl phosphine derivatives, and other hinge ligands present a range of different PP separations, and consequently different coordination spheres and dispositions around metal cations. To account for these differences, the equation Dphi2 = D02 + 4 R2cos2(90-phi/2) has been developed. It relates the PP distance (Dphi) in a complex with the minimum PP distance (D0) that is characteristic of the hinge-type ligand.     

Formation of bridging alkene and conjugated dialkenes exclusively generated from alkynes on the [3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]- platform. The unique hydroboration role of [3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]-

The unprecedented metal-mediated transformation of an alkyne into a B,B' bridging alkene is reported. Also, the unprecedented synthesis of a conjugated dialkene derivative of [3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]- generated only from an alkyne, contrary to the usual case where an alkyne and an alkene are needed, is described. This has been possible through the singular capacity of a B-H to produce hydroboration.     

Control of the Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized by CVD for Application in Electrochemical Biosensors

Interest in carbon nanotubes (CNT) has grown at a very rapid rate in the last decade. Their interesting physical and chemical properties open attractive possibilities in many application areas. These properties depend on the process conditions during synthesis and on subsequent purification steps. Recent studies have demonstrated that CNT can promote the electron transfer of biomolecules. These exceptional properties make them attractive for use in electrochemical biosensors. Multi walled nanotubes have been synthesized by the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method using methane as a carbon source and Ni–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ as the catalyst. The influence of the variation of certain reaction parameters such as feed gas composition, catalyst mass, temperature and reaction time in the yield of the CVD process has been established. In addition, the structural and chemical characteristics of the CNTs have been studied and a purification process to eliminate the catalyst and amorphous carbon has been developed that involves a gaseous oxidative process and acid treatment. The efficiency of the purification step has been determined by analytical techniques. Atomic force microscopy, Raman scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic spectroscopy are the characterization techniques employed in this work.     

Synthesis of new isoxazoles derivatives attached to sugar moieties

This work reports the synthesis of isoxazoles linked to sugar derivatives in different positions of furanosidic rings, by intramolecular oxidative cyclization of α,β‐unsaturated oximes with iodine, potassium iodide and sodium hydrogen carbonate. These oximes were obtained from aldehyde‐sugar derivatives.     

Cyclodextrin effects on physical–chemical properties of novocaine

The UV-vis absorption and the fluorescence emission spectra of novocaine were analysed in aqueous cyclodextrin (CD) solutions. Either the absorbance read at λ_max 290 nm or the fluorescence emission intensity at λ_ems 346 nm increase in the presence of both α- and β-CD due to the formation of 1:1 inclusion complexes. The lower polarity of the CD-cavity sensed by the included drug enhances the emitted fluorescence; in fact, the same effect was observed in aqueous mixtures of acetonitrile, dioxane, or dimethylsulfoxide. The inclusion complex formation between the monocation of novocaine and CDs diminishes the electrical conductance of aqueous solutions of novocaine hydrochloride (NoHCl). Both the nitrosation reaction in aqueous acid medium and the ester hydrolysis in alkaline medium are retarded in the presence of CDs. The strongest effect was observed with β-CD as a consequence of the higher stability inclusion complex.     

Determination of the enantiomeric composition of guest molecules by chemometric analysis of the UV-visible spectra of cyclodextrin guest-host complexes

Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to the UV spectra of a series of solutions at pH 12 containing a fixed concentration (30 mM) of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and a fixed concentration (15 mM) of 2-phenylglycine (phi-Gly) with various known enantiomeric compositions. Multivariate correlation of the spectral data for the solutions containing the phi-Gly/beta-CD guest-host complexes with the known enantiomeric composition of the phi-Gly samples was accomplished by partial-least-squares regression. When the multivariate model was used to predict the enantiomeric purity of a test set of samples over the mol fraction range of 0.5-0.9 R-phi-Gly, the average magnitude of the relative errors in the mol fraction determination of enantiomeric composition was 3%. A plot of the enantiomeric composition predicted by the model versus the known enantiomeric composition of the calibration set gave a straight line with a correlation coefficient of 0.955, a slope of 1.05, and an offset of 5.61 x 10-4.     

A comparative XAS and X-ray diffraction study of new binuclear Mn(III) complexes with catalase activity. indirect effect of the counteranion on magnetic properties

Four new binuclear Mn(III) complexes with carboxylate bridges have been synthesized: [[Mn(nn)(H(2)O)](2)(mu-ClCH(2)COO)(2)(mu-O)](ClO(4))(2) with nn = bpy (1) or phen (2) and [[Mn(bpy)(H(2)O)](2)(mu-RCOO)(2)(mu-O)](NO(3))(2) with RCOO = ClCH(2)COO (3) or CH(3)COO (4). The characterization by X-ray diffraction (1 and 3) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) (1-4) displays the relevance of this spectroscopy to the elucidation of the structural environment of the manganese ions in this kind of compound. Magnetic susceptibility data show an antiferromagnetic coupling for all the compounds: J = -2.89 cm(-1) (for 1), -8.16 cm(-1) (for 2), -0.68 cm(-1) (for 3), and -2.34 cm(-1) (for 4). Compounds 1 and 3 have the same cation complex [[Mn(bpy)(H(2)O)](2)(mu-ClCH(2)COO)(2)(mu-O)](2+), but, while 1 shows an antiferromagnetic coupling, for 3 the magnetic interaction between Mn(III) ions is very weak. The four compounds show catalase activity, and when the reaction stopped, Mn(II) compounds with different nuclearity could be obtained: binuclear [[Mn(phen)(2)](mu-ClCH(2)COO)(2)](ClO(4))(2), trinuclear [Mn(3)(bpy)(2)(mu-ClCH(2)COO)(6)], or mononuclear complexes without carboxylate. Two Mn(II) compounds without carboxylate have been characterized by X-ray diffraction: [Mn(NO(3))(2)(bpy)(2)][Mn(NO(3))(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)]NO(3) (5) and [Mn(bpy)(3)](ClO(4))(2).0.5 C(6)H(4)-1,2-(COOEt)(2).0.5H(2)O (8).     

Attempts at stepwise reduction of the carbon-nitrogen triple bond of a nitrile at two metal centres: study of the reactivity of [(CO)(PPh3)2Re( (μ-NCHPh)Ru(PPh3) 2(PhCN)] towards tetrafluoroboric acid and dihydrogen

The reaction of [(CO)PPh₃)₂Re(μ-H)₂(μ-NCHPh)Ru(PPh₃)₂(PhCN)] (2) with HBF₄-Me₂O generates [(CO)PPh₃)₂Re(μ- H)₂(μ,η¹,η²HNCHPh)Ru(PPh₃)₂(PhCN)][BF₄] (3). Monitoring the reaction by NMR spectroscopy shows the intermediate formation of [(CO)(PPh₃)₂ HRe(μ-H)₂(μ-NCHPh)Ru(PPh₃)₂(PhCN)][BF₄] (4). Attempted reduction of the imine ligand by a nucleophile (H⁻ or CN⁻) failed, regenerating 2. Under dihydrogen at 50 atm, 3 is slowly transformed into [(CO)(PPh₃)₂HRe(μ-H)₃Ru(PPh₃)₂(PhCN)][BF₄] (5) with liberation of benzyl amine.     

Interaction of antimicrobial arginine-based cationic surfactants with liposomes and lipid monolayers

The present work examines the relationship between the antimicrobial activity of novel arginine-based cationic surfactants and the physicochemical process involved in the perturbation of the cell membrane. To this end, the interaction of these surfactants with two biomembrane models, namely, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) multilamellar lipid vesicles (MLVs) and monolayers of DPPC, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] sodium salt (DPPG), and Escherichia coli total lipid extract, was investigated. For the sake of comparison, this study included two commercial antimicrobial agents, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride. Changes in the thermotropic phase transition parameters of DPPC MLVs in the presence of the compounds were studied by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The results show that variations in both the transition temperature (Tm) and the transition width at half-height of the heat absorption peak (deltaT1/2) were consistent with the antimicrobial activity of the compounds. Penetration kinetics and compression isotherm studies performed with DPPC, DPPG, and E. coli total lipid extract monolayers indicated that both steric hindrance effects and electrostatic forces explained the antimicrobial agent-lipid interaction. Overall, in DPPC monolayers single-chain surfactants had the highest penetration capacity, whereas gemini surfactants were the most active in DPPG systems. The compression isotherms showed an expansion of the monolayers compared with that of pure lipids, indicating an insertion of the compounds into the lipid molecules. Owing to their cationic character, they are incorporated better into the negatively charged DPPG than into zwitterionic DPPC lipid monolayers.