Water solubility and octanol/water-partitioning of hydrophobic chlorinated organic substances determined by using SPME/GC

The critical step in the determination of water solubilitiy (S _w) and octanol-water partition coefficient (K _ow) of hydrophobic organic chemicals by using the generator-column technique and the slow-stirring procedure, respectively, is the exact quantification of the low water-phase concentrations of the substances under investigation. We have tested the applicability of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography with seven chlorinated organic compounds. The substances cover a S _w range from 500 mg/L to 7 ng/L and a log K _ow range from 3 to 8. The results show that SPME can be a valuable alternative to common preconcentration techniques in the quantification of hydrophobic organics in pure and octanol-saturated water. The apparent SPME distribution constants K _SPME (obtained with the 100 μm-PDMS fiber for analyte’s partitioning between fiber coating and aqueous sample) do not correlate directly with octanol/water partition coefficients and thus cannot be recommended as a surrogate parameter for K _ow. Received: 15 January 1997 / Revised: 2 May 1997 / Accepted: 8 May 1997     

Heteroelectrocyclic reactions of 3-acyl-4-azido heterocycles: ab initio and density functional calculations on 3-azido-propenal as a model system

 Concerted as well as stepwise reaction pathways for cyclization of 3-azido-propenal to isoxazole have been investigated by density functional (B3LYP) and ab initio methods up to CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ methods. These calculations clearly establish the pathway with concerted albeit asynchronous nitrogen extrusion and ring closure as the most feasible mechanism. Barriers for cyclization increase in the order Hartree–Fock<B3LYP<ACPF<CCSD(T). According to the geometrical parameters and the electronic structure of the TS as evidenced by natural bond order analysis this cyclization can be interpreted as a pseudopericyclic (heteroelectrocyclic) reaction. Received: 26 May 2002 / Accepted: 18 June 2002 / Published online: 14 February 2003     

Enantioselectivity of epoxide hydrolase catalysed oxirane ring opening: a 3D QSAR study

A 3D QSAR analysis (quantitative structure activity relationships) of a set of 2,2-disubstituted epoxides, substrates for epoxide hydrolases originating from four different organisms, was conducted by CoMFA (comparative molecular field analysis) and CoMSIA (comparative molecular similarity indices analysis), with respect to the enantioselective ring opening to the corresponding vicinal diol. Structural variations of the substrates include alkyl chains of different lengths, unsaturated moieties ((E)- and (Z)-alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl) and electronegative groups (ether oxygens, halogen atoms) at different locations within the 2-substituent group. Generally, all four organisms, namely Rhodococcus ruber NCIMB 11216, Rhodococcus ruber DSM 43338, Rhodococcus ruber DSM 44540 and Rhodococcus ruber DSM 44539, preferentially react with the (S)-enantiomer of the epoxide. Enantioselectivities (enantiomeric ratio, lnE values) show a rather large variation, ranging from almost no (lnE<1) to nearly complete selectivity (lnE>5.3). In addition, the response of the epoxide hydrolases stemming from the four organisms towards structural modifications of the substrate is different. Models for the enantioselectivity (enantiomeric ratio, ln E values) obtained by CoMFA and CoMSIA are of different but reasonable predictive power, e.g., q² _CV=0.701 and r²=0.937 for the CoMFA model of Rhodococcus ruber DSM 43338. Enantiomeric ratios for the test molecules can be well predicted. Plots of steric and electrostatic CoMFA (CoMSIA) fields allow conclusions to be drawn for the choice of the most suitable organism for a specific type of substrate.     

Methyl Substitution as a Probe for π-Spin Distribution in the Radical Anion of 1,6-Methano[10]annulene

ESR. and ENDOR. spectra are reported for the radical anion of the 2-methyl derivative (III) of 1,6-methano[10]annulene (I). Comparison of the hyperfine data for I·? and III·? with those for the radical anions of naphthalene (II) and its 1-methyl derivative (IV), respectively, confirms the suggestion that – despite the vastly different α-proton coupling constants – the π-spin distributions should be similar in the two series. This result provides further support for the view that the π-spin distribution, in particular, and the cyclic π-delocalisation, in general, are not seriously perturbed by moderate deviations of the π-perimeter from planarity.     

ESR.-Studies of Nonalternant Radicals Structurally Related to Phenalenyl

The radical anion and the radical cation of azuleno[1,2,3-cd]phenalene (III) have been investigated by ESR. spectroscopy, along with the radical anion of 2-phenylazulene (IV). Also studied has been the neutral radical obtained by one-electron reduction of cyclohepta[cd]phenalenium-cation (VI^⊕). Assignment of the proton coupling constants for the radical ions III. ·?, III ·⊕ and IV·⊕, and the radical VI · is supported by comparison with the ESR. spectra of specifically deuteriated derivatives III-d₅ ·?, III-d₅ ·⊕, IV-d₂ ·? and VI-d₁′. The experimental results are in full accord with qualitative topological arguments and predictions of HMO models. Whereas the radical anion III ·? exhibits α-spin distribution similar to that of IV ·?the corresponding radical cation III ·⊕ and the neutral radical VI · are related in this respect to phenalenyl (V·). It is noteworthy that oxidation of III by conc. H₂SO₄ yields a paramagnetic species (IIIa ·⊕) which has a similar – but not an identical – structure as the radical cation III ·⊕ produced from III with AlCl₃ in CH₃NO₂.     

The Radical Cation of Cyclobutene and its Photoproduct. Preliminary communication

The hitherto unknown radical cation of cyclobutene ( 2 ) has been generated in a CFCl₃ matrix by γ rays at 77 K. The coupling constants, as determined from the ESR spectrum of 2 ⁺, are 2.80 and 1.11 mT for the four CH₂ and the two CH = protons, respectively. Photo-induced ring opening of 2 ⁺ yields a radical cation which exhibits the same ESR and ENDOR spectra as those observed upon direct ionization of s-trans-buta-1, 3-diene (s-trans -1 ). The radical cation s-trans -1 ⁺, should, therefore, be the final product of this conversion.     

Synthesis of 1,3‐Amino Alcohols by Hydroxy‐Directed Aziridination and Aziridine Hydrosilylation

We describe an approach to N‐tosyl 1,3‐amino alcohols that consists of a diastereoselective aziridination reaction of acyclic allylic alcohols and an unprecedented regioselective hydrosilylation of α‐hydroxy aziridines. The products contain up to three contiguous stereocenters. Computational studies outline key aspects of the aziridination mechanism, which is different and more intricate than anticipated.     

A new solvent system for gel-permeation chromatography of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A new solvent system comprising a mixture of nitrobenzene and tetrachloroethane has been developed for determining the molecular size distribution of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC). Unlike hot m-cresol, which until now has been the standard GPC solvent for PET, the nitrobenzene–tetrachloroethane mixture can be used at room temperature and thus minimizes polymer degradation and distribution equilibration. Results with this new system reveal reproducibly discernible differences between PET samples prepared by melt and solid-state polymerization, differences not previously noted in GPC reports based on the use of m-cresol.