Continuous flow thin layer headspace (TLHS) analysis

Summary The paper presents a new method of a continuous isolation and determination of volatile organic halogens (VOX) in drinking waters based on so-called thin layer headspace (TLHS) isolation technique. The liberated volatile compounds are mineralized in an empty quartz tube at 850°C and absorbed in a buffered washing solution. After separation of air the halogen ions are determined potentiometrically in a flow-through cell using a silver/silver choride indicating electrode. The potential of the electrode is a linear function of the halogen ion concentration in the washing solution within the VOX concentration range usually encountered in drinking waters. The estimated detection limit of the method is ca. 0.1 g/l VOX and can be further improved by increasing the concentration factor. The theory of the TLHS isolation method has been further developed and verified. The derived dependences enable a simultaneous determination of the effective partition coefficients in the system, thus enabling calculation of the optimal gas flow rate.Part I and II, see [1, 2]     

Wannier-Stark effect on surface states

A recursive Green-function (RGF) technique is used to study the surface states of an electrified solid. The concatenating nature of the method leads to a continued-fraction form of the RGF, which can be expressed as a ratio of Bessel functions. The surface density of states (SDOS), derived from the RGF, reveals a quasi-Stark-ladder distribution of the energy levels at the surface atom. The dependence of the SDOS on the applied field and surface perturbation parameters is discussed.     

Phosphinofenchol or metastable phosphorane? Phosphorus derivatives of fenchol

Not the expected phosphinofenchol 1 but phosphorane 2 is obtained after reaction of 2-lithio(diphenylphosphino)benzene with (-)-fenchone. Surprisingly, ONIOM(B3LYP/6-31G*:UFF) computations of 1 and 2 as well as B3LYP analyses of smaller model systems point to a lower thermodynamic stability of phosphoranes relative to their isomeric alkoxyphosphines. An analogue inherent instability is computed for the methylphosphorane 10, which is also synthesized and characterized by X-ray analysis. Decreasing ring size in cyclic phosphoranes, that is, from five- to four-membered ring systems, destabilizes cyclic phosphoranes even more. This computational prediction is verified experimentally by reaction of lithiomethyl(diphenylphosphine) with (-)-fenchone and subsequent isolation of the corresponding phosphinofenchol. Protonation or alkylation of phosphoranide intermediates can account for the formation of metastable phosphoranes.     

Studies in polyphenol chemistry and bioactivity. 4.(1) Synthesis of trimeric,tetrameric, pentameric,and higher oligomeric epicatechin-derived procyanidins having all-4beta,8-interflavan connectivity and their inhibition of cancer cell growth through cell cycle arrest

We report an improved synthesis of bis(5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl)epicatechin 4beta,8-dimer (3) from 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (1) and 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl-4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)epicatechin (2) by replacing the previously employed Lewis acid, titanium tetrachloride, with the clay mineral Bentonite K-10. Under the same conditions, the benzyl-protected all-4beta,8-trimer, -tetramer, and -pentamer were obtained regioselectively from their lower homologues, albeit in rapidly decreasing yields. Reaction of 2 with an organoaluminum thiolate generated from 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and trimethylaluminum followed by acetylation produced 3-O-acetyl-4-[(2-benzothiazolyl)thio]-5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (12). Medium-sized protected oligomers with 4beta,8-interflavan linkages are obtained in improved yields by using this compound as the electrophile and silver tetrafluoroborate as activator and are isolated by reversed-phase HPLC. Their deprotection by ester saponification followed by hydrogenolysis yielded the free procyanidins, which were characterized as their peracetates. The synthetic procyanidins are identical by normal-phase HPLC with fractions isolated from cocoa. The principle of chain extension by two members was demonstrated using a dimeric electrophile obtained by self-condensation of compound 12. Both the synthetic and natural pentamer 32 inhibit the growth of several breast cancer cell lines. Using the MDA MB 231 line, it was established that this outcome is based on the induction of cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Subsequent cell death is more likely necrotic rather than apoptotic. Control experiments demonstrate that the polyphenol itself, rather than hydrogen peroxide potentially formed by its autoxidation, is the causative agent.     

Optical electron transfer processes. The dependence of intervalence line shape and transition energy on chromophore concentration

Optical electron transfer in the mixed-valence cation of biferrocenylacetylene (BF⁺) has been examined in CD₂Cl₂ solvent. The intervalence absorption line shape is relatively narrow at both low and high chromophore concentrations, but broader at intermediate concentrations. The transition energy for metal-to-metal charge transfer increases from ≈4440 cm⁻¹ at infinite dilution to 5995 cm⁻¹ for 3.8 mM BF⁺. Related effects exist due to added electrolyte. Neither the electrolyte nor chromophore concentration effects are expected from a simple reading of electron transfer theories. Nevertheless, both phenomena can be understood and within the context of theory upon careful consideration of the effects of ion-pairing (and tripling) equilibria upon electron-transfer energetics.     

Determination of nitric acid concentration by using europium ion fluorescence

A method is presented for the determination of 2-10M nitric acid based on the fact that the presence of high nitric acid concentration causes an enhancement of the intensity of some bands in the fluorescence spectra of rare earth ions in solution. The 616-nm band of Eu(3+) shows the most dramatic intensity enhancement with increasing nitric acid concentration. The present method, based on the measurement of the ratio of Eu(3+) fluorescent band intensities is shown to be independent of Eu(3+) concentration and relatively free of interference. This robust method allows the presence of an interferent to be determined from the experimental data.     

Elaboration of a programmed,semi-automated radiochemical processing system for neutron activation analysis of some volatile elements

Based on the method of SAMSAHL a programmed, semi-automated processing system has been developed and tested for the neutron activation analysis of the following elements: As, Se, Sb, Br, Sn and Te. The main characteristics of the procedure are the following: wet ashing of the sample (by means of digestion in a mixture of concentrated sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide), bromination, and chlorination. The procedure is controlled via the appropriate dosage of the reagents and a carefully managed thermal balance. The chemical yield and its reproducibility were determined by tracer techniques using exactly the same parameters as for the active runs. According to the results the method can be used for the routine determination of the given elements except antimony. Presented at the 4th Symposium on the Recent Developments in Neutron Activation Analysis, 1975, Cambridge.     

Oxidation with Fremy's salt—VIII : Peri-effect of a group located at the C5 position of 1-naphthol and related compounds

It has been shown by a series of experiments on 5-alkyl, 5-halo-, and other 5-substituted 1-naphthol derivatives that the product ratio of the ortho- and para-naphthoquinones formed on oxidation with Fremy's salt is controlled by the bulkiness of the C₅-substituent.     

Vapor-phase raman spectrum and ring-puckering vibration of cyclopentene

The vapor-phase Raman spectrum of cyclopentene has been recorded and eleven lines corresponding to the Δν=2 transitions of the ring-puckering have been observed. A difference band sequence with 3070.4cm⁻¹ as the reference band has also been observed.