Sample enrichment by using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn liquid chromatography

An on-line sample enrichment system was designed using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn LC. The monolithic ODS capillary columns were prepared via in situ sol-gel processes. The enrichment efficiency of the monolithic columns was tested by using phthalates as the analytes. The relative standard deviations (n = 6) for the retention time, peak area and peak height were between 0.4 and 1.2%, 0.9 and 5.5% and 0.4 and 3.9%, respectively. The system was linear (R2 > 0.99) within the working sample concentration and sample volume ranges. Comparing to 0.2 microl injection with a typical sample injector, the theoretical plate number of a same separation column was increased by 3-6-fold when the precolumn unit was used for sample injection. The recoveries of the analytes were between 88 and 120%, and the sample volume that could be injected into the system was increased up to 5000-fold. The limits of detection were improved by more than 2000-fold and were between 0.21 and 0.87 ng ml(-1) even with a UV absorbance detector. This system was applied to the determination of phthalates contained in laboratory distilled water and tap water samples.     

Stereoselective synthesis of procyanidin B3-3-O-gallate and 3,3″-di-O-gallate, and their abilities as antioxidant and DNA polymerase inhibitor

A simple method for the synthesis of procyanidin B3 substituted with a galloyl group at the 3 and 3″ position is described. Condensation of a benzylated catechin-3-O-gallate electrophile with a nucleophile, catechin and catechin-3-O-gallate, proceeded smoothly and stereoselectively to afford the corresponding dimer gallates, procyanidin B3-3-O-gallate and procyanidin B3-3,3″-di-O-gallate, in good yields. Further, their antioxidant activities on UV-induced lipid peroxide formation, DPPH radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of DNA polymerase were also investigated. Among three procyanidin B3 congeners (procyanidin B3, 3-O-gallate and 3,3″-di-O-gallate), the 3,3″-di-O-gallate derivative showed the strongest antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. Interestingly, the 3-O-gallate derivative was the strongest inhibitor of mammalian DNA polymerase with IC₅₀ value of 0.26 μM, although it showed the weakest antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. It became apparent that the presence of a galloyl group at the C-3 position in the proanthocyanidin oligomer was very important for biological activity, however, the antioxidant activity of these compounds was not parallel to the DNA polymerase inhibitory activity.     

One-pot synthesis of N-acyl-substituted sulfamides from chlorosulfonyl isocyanate via the Burgess-type intermediates

The title N-alkoxycarbonyl- or N-aryloxycarbonyl-substituted sulfamides were synthesised in one-pot in efficient yields from chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI), alcohols and aqueous (or dry) amines via the corresponding water-resistant intermediates, carboxysulfamoylammonium salts (Burgess-type reagents), which were generated in situ by the deactivation of the corresponding water-sensitive N-(chlorosulfonyl)carbamates with tertiary amines.     

Chromatographic molecular recognition for catechol-related compounds using thiacalix[4]arene as an effective selector

Thiacalix[4]arene (5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxy-2,8,14,20-tetrathiacalix[4]arene) is an amphiphilic molecule comprising four p-tert-butylphenol-like groups ortho-linked by single sulfur atoms. This molecule has a high electron density area owing to the close proximity of the hydroxyl groups and sulfur atoms. We studied the applicability of this interesting compound as a selector for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) thereby presumably exploiting this feature. Firstly, uniformly sized polymer particles were prepared by using a multi-step swelling and polymerization method with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker. Methacrylic acid (MAA) was introduced onto the surface of the resulting polymer particles through a new modification method. Thiacalix[4]arene was chemically bonded through the MAA group by using 1,4-dibromobutane as a spacer to reduce steric hindrance around the MAA and the polymer particle itself. The performance of the prepared polymer-based thiacalix[4]arene-modified stationary phase was evaluated with HPLC. Specific chromatographic retention behavior was observed for catechol relative to positional isomers of xylene, cresol, and benzene-diol. Catecholamine and catechol showed specific chromatographic retention behavior.     

Palladium(0) complexes coordinated with substituted olefins and tertiary phosphine ligands

New palladium(0) complexes with a variety of coordinated olefins [Pd(olefin)(PMePh₂)₂] (II) (olefin = styrene, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, methacrylonitrile, and dimethyl maleate), were prepared by the reactions of [PdEt₂(PMePh₂)₂] (I) with corresponding olefins in toluene. These complexes were characterized by means of elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and the chemical reactions. The dissociation of the coordinated olefin from complex II in solution was confirmed by spectroscopic studies of [Pd(mma)(PMePh₂)₂] (mma = methyl methacrylate). From the variable temperature NMR study, kinetic parameters for the dissociation process were determined as E_a = 7 kcal/mol, and ΔS³ (293 K) = -30 cal/deg · mol. Some new hydrido complexes, [Pd(H)ClL₂] (IV) (L = PMePh₂, PEtPh₂ and PEt₂Ph), were prepared by the reactions of [Pd(olefin)L₂] with dry HCl.     

Theoretical Study of Clathrate Hydrates with Multiple Occupation

In this work, the electronic, structural, dynamic andthermodynamic properties of structure II, H and tetragonalAr clathrate hydrates have been calculated and the effectof multiple occupancy on their stability has been examinedusing first-principles and lattice dynamics calculations.The dynamic properties of these clathrates have beeninvestigated depending on the number of guest moleculesin a clathrate cage. It has been found that selectedhydrate structures are dynamically stable. The calculatedcell parameters are in agreement with experimental data.We also report the results of a systematic investigationof cage-like water structures using first-principles calculations. Ithas been observed that Ar clusters can be stabilized indifferent water cages and the stability is strongly dependenton the number of argon atoms inside the cages.     

Effects of hydrophobic chain length on the characteristics of the micelles of octaoxyethylene tetradecyl C(14)E(8), hexadecyl C(16)E(8), and octadecyl C(18)E(8) ethers

Size, shape, and flexibility of micelles of octaoxyethylene tetradecyl C(14)E(8), hexadecyl C(16)E(8), and octadecyl C(18)E(8) ethers in dilute aqueous solutions were determined at finite surfactant concentrations c by static light scattering (SLS) and dynamic light scattering experiments at several temperatures T below the critical points. The SLS results were successfully analyzed with the aid of the thermodynamic theory formulated with wormlike spherocylinder model for SLS of micelle solutions. The analysis yielded the molar mass M(w) of the micelles as a function of c and the cross-sectional diameter d. The hydrodynamic radius R(H) and the radius of gyration S(2)(1/2) of the micelles as functions of M(w) were found to be also well-described by the corresponding theories for the wormlike spherocylinder or wormlike chain models. The results of the stiffness parameter lambda(-1) have revealed that the micelles are far from rigid rods but rather stiff compared with typical flexible polymers and they grow in size with increasing T to greater length for longer hydrophobic chains, i.e., alkyl groups of the surfactants. As the alkyl group becomes longer, the d value increased, while the spacings s between adjacent hexaoxyethylene chains on the micellar surface were found to remain substantially constant.     

Theoretical calculation of the steric effects of ortho substituents by the AM1 method

The AM1 calculation was done for ortho-substituted toluenes (o-X-C₆H₄-CH₃) and ortho-substituted tert-butylbenzenes (o-X-C₆H₄-t-Bu). The difference in the calculated heat of formation between o-X-C₆H₄-CH₃ and o-X-C₆H₄-t-Bu was used as a theoretical steric index for ortho-X. The correlation of this theoretical steric index with the empirical steric parameter sets such as our recently defined E_s(AMD) and the Taft–Kutter–Hansch (TKH) E_s was examined. In spite of the simplicity of the model system, the theoretical index was linear with the E_s(AMD) constant with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.972 for 17 substituents of various structures. Including the phenyl group, the correlation with the TKH E_s constant was r = 0.948. The theoretically calculated index was shown to serve as a measure of the ortho steric effect.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of silanethiolato complexes having tert-butyldimethylsilyl and trimethylsilyl groups

Treatment of cyclotrisilathiane (Me2SiS)3 with 3 equiv. of RLi (R = Me, But) in hexane-Et2O afforded the lithium silanethiolates LiSSiMe2R, and the tmeda adduct [(tmeda)LiSSiMe2But]2 1 (tmeda =N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) was isolated in the case of R = But. Reaction of Fe(CH3CN)2(CF3SO3)2, CoCl2, and [Cu(CH3CN)4](PF6) with 1 gave rise to the silanethiolato complexes M(SSiMe2But)2(tmeda)(M = Fe 2, Co 3), and [Cu(SSiMe2But)]4 4, respectively. Complexes (C5H5)2Ti(SSiMe2R)2(R = Me 5, But 6) and Ni(SSiMe2R)2(dppe)[R = Me 7, But 8; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] were prepared from treatments of (C5H5)2TiCl2 and NiCl2(dppe) with the corresponding lithium silanethiolates. Complex 7 readily reacted with (C5H5)TiCl3 to produce the Ti-Ni heterobimetallic compound (C5H5)TiCl(mu-S)2Ni(dppe) 9, in which silicon-sulfur bond cleavage took place. Characterization of all compounds through spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses are also described. X-Ray structural data for compounds 1 and 3-9 are reported.     

Preparation of Titania from Tetrakis(diethylamino)titanium via Hydrolysis

The conversion of tetrakis(diethylamino)titanium (Ti(NEt₂)₄) into titania via either a combination of hydrolysis (Ti(NEt₂)₄ : THF : H₂O = 1 : 10 : x, x = 2, 4, 10) at ambient conditions and calcination (method A) or hydrolysis in a water-tetrahydrofuran (THF) mixture (Ti(NEt₂)₄ : THF : H₂O = 1 : 10 : 100) at reflux (method B) was investigated. Titanium tertiary butoxide (Ti(O ^t Bu)₄) was also used as a substitute for Ti(NEt₂)₄. The hydrolysis via method A resulted in the formation of amorphous solids containing organics. Thermal analyses showed that the hydrolysis products showed mass losses up to 500°C probably due to the presence of diethylamine (Et₂NH) formed via the hydrolysis of Ti(NEt₂)₄ in the hydrolysis products, while a mass loss of the hydrolysis product from Ti(O ^t Bu)₄ was completed up to about 200°C. After calcination at 600°C, anatase or a mixture of anatase and rutile was obtained. The crystallization behavior of the hydrolysis products from Ti(NEt₂)₄ was different from that of the hydrolysis product from Ti(O ^t Bu)₄. The hydrolysis via method B gave only an amorphous material from Ti(NEt₂)₄, while a crystalline titania (anatase and brookite) formed from Ti(O ^t Bu)₄.