Trace lead measurement and on-line removal of matrix interference in seawater by isotope dilution coupled with flow injection and ICP-MS

Isotope dilution analysis method coupled with flow injection and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-FI-ICP-MS), enabled trace lead concentration in seawater to be determined and the high salt concentration in the matrix, such as Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, to be removed on-line. The operational parameters of the FI system including pH for the chelating reaction, concentration of 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (8-HQS), sample loading time and injection speed, washing time and speed, eluting acid concentration and eluting speed, and instrumental parameters for ICP-MS were optimized and selected. Accurate results could be achieved because the isotope ratios required can be precisely measured in the range of the eluting peak by means of ID-FI-ICP-MS. The 3σ detection limit was 0.204 ng ml⁻¹. The trace lead concentration of seawater in south Xiamen, China was 0.988 ± 0.039 ng ml⁻¹. The recoveries of spiked Pb standard in seawater and standard reference water (GBW 08607) were 97.9 and 101.0%, respectively, with a relative standard deviation of 0.98%. This method can be used to determine trace lead concentration in high salt matrix samples, and is especially useful when the eluting peaks do not have a Gaussian-distribution.     

Investigation of the Electrochemical Reduction of Benzophenone in Aprotic Solvents Using the Method of Cyclic Voltammetry

The reduction of benzophenone (Bzph) in 3-pentanone (PEN), acetone (ACE), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetonitrile (ACN) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with n-tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAPF₆) as background electrolyte was studied using the technique of cyclic voltammetry at the temperature of 263.15 K. The half-wave potentials (E _1/2) were extracted. The reduction of Bzph occurs in two successive one-electron steps to produce first the free radical anion Bzph⁻ and then the dianion Bzph²⁻. The results indicated that the radical anion Bzph⁻ is reoxidized to Bzph in all investigated solvent media whereas the dianion Bzph²⁻ is reoxidized to Bzph⁻ only in THF. The heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants (k _s ) were evaluated by employing the electrochemical rate equation proposed by Nicholson. The rate of electron transfer for the Bzph/Bzph⁻ couple was found to be relatively slow in all investigated solvent media. Consequently, the electron-transfer processes can be recognized as quasi-reversible. The diffusion coefficients (D) of Bzph in the investigated solvent media have been calculated using the modified Randles-Sevcik equation. The effect of the physical and chemical properties of the solvent medium on the electrochemical behavior of Bzph has been examined.     

Monte Carlo simulation of adsorption of binary and quaternary alkane isomers mixtures in zeolites: Effect of pore size and structure

Grand canonical Monte Carlo and configurational bias Monte Carlo techniques were employed to simulate the adsorption of binary mixtures of butane isomers and quaternary mixtures in nine zeolites at 300 K. For binary mixtures the results show there is a critical pore size, which is 10-membered-ring about 5.6 Å. The channel sizes of BEA, ISV, MOR and CFI are larger than this critical pore size, they prefer i-butane than n-butane, whereas TON with smaller channel size than critical pore size prefers n-butane than i-butane, but its selectivity decreases with pressure increasing. MFI, MEL and TER prefer i-butane than n-butane at low pressure, but with pressure increasing, the selectivity is reversed. BOG prefers i-butane than n-butane but the selectivity decreased with pressure increasing. It demonstrates that the adsorption and selectivity are controlled by both pore size and pore structure. The n-butane–i-butane–n-pentane–2-methylbutane quaternary mixtures adsorbed in these nine zeolites were studied, and the results show alkane chain length dependence at low pressure, but the adsorption is controlled by pore size and structure with pressure increasing in all the zeolites except for TON and BOG.     

Nucleophilic addition of bifunctional sulfimidosulfides to platinum(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">IV</Emphasis>)-coordinated nitriles

Reactions of the platinum(IV) nitrile complexes [PtCl₄(RCN)₂] (R = Me, CH₂Ph, Ph) with 1,2- and 1,4-PhS(=NH)C₆H₄SPh in CH₂Cl₂ afforded addition products of sulfimides and coordinated nitriles, viz., the [PtCl₄{NH=C(R)N=S(Ph)(C₆H₄SPh)}₂] complexes. The latter were isolated in 75—90% yields and characterized by elemental analysis, positive-ion FAB mass spectrometry, IR spectroscopy, and ¹H and ¹³C¹H NMR spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the ¹H NMR spectra of the model [PtCl₄{NH=C(R)N=SPh₂}₂] complexes (R = Me, Et) in CD₂Cl₂ studied in a temperature range from +40 to -70 °C demonstrated that E—Z isomerization of the ligands is a dynamic process in a range from +40 to -10 °C. The activation free energy of this process was calculated.Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1618–1622, August, 2004.     

Synthesis and optical resolution of a series of inherently chiral calix[4]crowns with cone and partial cone conformations

A series of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes with cone and partial cone conformations and with crown ether moieties of variable size have been readily synthesized. By taking advantage of the carboxy appendage on the lower rim, these were condensed with the chiral auxiliary (S)-BINOL to form diastereomers which, in most cases, could be separated by preparative TLC, or more desirably, by column chromatography on silica gel (diastereomeric excess >99 % based on HPLC analysis). Seven enantiopure antipodes of inherently chiral calix[4]crowns were obtained after hydrolysis. It has been found that both the size of the crown moiety and alkylation of the last phenolic hydroxy group (accompanied with or without a change in the conformation) affect the separation of the diastereomers.     

Synthesis and reactions of some heterocyclic azacyanines

The one-step reaction of some amino-substituted heterocycles with diiodomethane to give azacyanines is reported. This useful reaction is of wider application than initially reported and includes the synthesis of new substituted pyrido-, isoquino-, benzimadazo-, and benzothiazoazacyanines 7. Furthermore, treatment of these azacyanines with base generally affects a facile opening of the dihydrotriazinium ring resulting in the formation of new heterocycles 10, 11, and 12, which would be difficult to prepare by other means. This reaction takes an additional direction in the case of halo-substituted azacyanines 7b/c/d where treatment with base gives rise to new interesting derivatives of dipyridotriazines 14b/c/d.     

Novel vanadium(V) compounds with a layer structure: synthesis,crystal structures,and solid state NMR spectroscopy of [(VO(2))(2)(4,4'-bpy)(0.5)(4,4'-Hbpy)(XO(4))] x H(2)O (X = P and As)

A novel vanadium(V) phosphate and the arsenate analogue, [(VO(2))(2)(4,4'-bpy)(0.5)(4,4'-Hbpy)(XO(4))].H(2)O (X = P, As; bpy = bipyridine), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They are the first structurally characterized compounds in the vanadium(V)/4,4'-bpy/phosphate (or arsenate) systems. The two compounds are isostructural and crystallize in the triclinic space group P macro (No. 2) with a = 7.9063(3) A, b = 10.2201(4) A, c = 12.1336(5) A, alpha = 113.4652(7) degrees, beta = 95.7231(7) degrees, gamma = 94.4447(7) degrees, and Z = 2 for the phosphate, and a = 7.8843(6) A, b = 10.3686(7) A, c = 12.2606(9) A, alpha = 113.464(1) degrees, beta = 95.560(1) degrees, gamma = 94.585(1) degrees, and Z = 2 for the arsenate. The structure consists of phosphate-bridged vanadium(V) double chains linked through 4,4'-bpy ligands to form a sheet with the monoprotonated 4,4'-Hbpy(+) ligand being coordinated to the metal atom as a pendent group. The (1)H MAS NMR spectrum exhibits four resonances at 14.2, 9.5, 7.2, and 3.7 ppm with an intensity ratio close to 1:6:6:2, corresponding to three different types of protons in 4,4'-bpy and 4,4'-Hbpy(+) and one type of protons in H(2)O. The peak at 14.2 ppm can be assigned to the proton bonded to the pyridine nitrogen atom, which confirms the presence of 4,4'-Hbpy(+).     

Studies on the reactions of silyl enol ether with perfluoroorganic compounds1 III. Synthesis of perfluoroalkylated α, β-unsaturated aldehydes and their derivatives

Per- and poly-fluoroalkylated α, β-unsaturated alkenals were synthesized by the reaction of silyl enol ether of alkanals with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl iodide initiated by Na₂S₂O₄ conveniently in high yield. Their corresponding alkenol and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone were also synthesized.     

Increased throughput in quantitative bioanalysis using parallel-column liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection

The feasibility of quantitative bioanalysis by parallel-column liquid chromatography in conjunction with a conventional single-source electrospray mass spectrometer has been investigated using plasma samples containing a drug and its three metabolites. Within a single chromatographic run time, sample injections were made alternately onto each of two analytical columns in parallel at specified intervals, with a mass spectrometer data file opened at every injection. Thus, the mass spectrometer collected data from two sample injections into separate data files within a single chromatographic run time. Therefore, without sacrificing the chromatographic separation or the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) dwell time, the sample throughput was increased by a factor of two. Comparing the method validation results obtained using the two-column system with those obtained using the corresponding conventional single-column approach, the methods on the two systems were found to be equivalent in terms of accuracy and precision. The parallel-column system is simple and can be implemented using existing laboratory equipment with no additional capital outlays. A parallel-column system configured in this manner can be used not only for the within-a-run analysis of two samples containing two different sets of chemical entities, but also for the within-a-run analysis of two samples containing the same set of chemical entities.     

New layered materials: syntheses, structures, and optical properties of K(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiaAg(2)S(4), Cs(2)TiAg(2)sS(4), and Cs(2)TiCu(2)Se(4)

The new compounds K(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiAg(2)S(4), Cs(2)TiAg(2)S(4), and Cs(2)TiCu(2)Se(4) have been synthesized by the reactions of A(2)Q(3) (A = K, Rb, Cs; Q = S, Se) with Ti, M (M = Cu or Ag), and Q at 823 K. The compounds Rb(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Cs(2)TiAg(2)S(4), and Cs(2)TiCu(2)Se(4) are isostructural. They crystallize with two formula units in space group P4(2)/mcm of the tetragonal system in cells of dimensions a = 5.6046(4) A, c = 13.154(1) A for Rb(2)TiCu(2)S(4), a =6.024(1) A, c = 13.566(4) A for Cs(2)TiAg(2)S(4), and a =5.852(2) A, c =14.234(5) A for Cs(2)TiCu(2)Se(4) at 153 K. Their structure is closely related to that of Cs(2)ZrAg(2)Te(4) and comprises [TiM(2)Q(4)(2)(-)] layers, which are separated by alkali metal atoms. The [TiM(2)Q(4)(2)(-)] layer is anti-fluorite-like with both Ti and M atoms tetrahedrally coordinated to Q atoms. Tetrahedral coordination of Ti(4+) is rare in the solid state. On the basis of unit cell and space group determinations, the compounds K(2)TiCu(2)S(4) and Rb(2)TiAg(2)S(4) are isostructural with the above compounds. The band gaps of K(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiCu(2)S(4), Rb(2)TiAg(2)S(4), and Cs(2)TiAg(2)S(4) are 2.04, 2.19, 2.33, and 2.44 eV, respectively, as derived from optical measurements. From band-structure calculations, the optical absorption for an A(2)TiM(2)Q(4) compound is assigned to a transition from an M d and Q p valence band (HOMO) to a Ti 3d conduction band.