Determination of lead in seawater by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after separation and pre-concentration with cocrystallized naphthalene alizarin

An analytical method for separation and pre-concentration of lead in seawater for determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry has been investigated. Lead was retained in the solid phase (0.5 g) composed of co-precipitated naphthalene and alizarin red. The solid phase quantitatively sorbs Pb(II) at pH 8–9, and the metal was eluted using 5.0 ml of 2 mol l⁻¹ nitric acid. The effect of NaCl, KCl, BaCl₂, CaCl₂, Na₂SO₄, MgCl₂ and Na₃PO₄ on the sorption of Pb(II) in the solid phase was studied. A set of solutions containing varying amounts of electrolytes (0.5; 1.0; 3.0 and 5.0% m/v) with Pb (50 μg) was prepared and the recommended procedure applied. The Na₃PO₄ was found to interfere; the other electrolytes did not interfere up to 5% m/v. A pre-concentration factor of 40 was obtained in this analytical procedure. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for Pb(II) were 53 and 176 μg l⁻¹, respectively. Lead was determined in seawater samples collected in Salvador city, Bahia, Brazil. The precision, expressed as R.S.D., was 1.8–4.6%, and the recovery of lead added to seawater samples was 95–97%.     

Nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure in the microwave spectrum of HCl-N2O: electric field gradient perturbation of N2O by HCl

The microwave spectra of six isotopomers of HCl-N(2)O have been obtained in the 7-19 GHz region with a pulsed molecular beam, Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure due to all quadrupolar nuclei is resolved and the spectra are analyzed using the Watson S-reduced Hamiltonian with the inclusion of nuclear quadrupole coupling interactions. The spectroscopic constants determined include rotational constants, quartic and sextic centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for each quadrupolar nucleus. Due to correlations of the structural parameters, the effective structure of the complex cannot be obtained by fitting to the spectroscopic constants of the six isotopomers. Instead, the parameters for each isotopomer are calculated from the A and C rotational constants and the chlorine nuclear quadrupole coupling constant along the a-axis, chi(aa). There are two possible structures; the one in which hydrogen of HCl interacts with the more electronegative oxygen of N(2)O is taken to represent the complex. The two subunits are approximately slipped parallel. For H (35)Cl-(14)N(2)O, the distance between the central nitrogen and chlorine is 3.5153 A and the N(2)O and HCl subunits form angles of 72.30 degrees and 119.44 degrees with this N-Cl axis, respectively. The chlorine and oxygen atoms occupy the opposite, obtuse vertices of the quadrilateral formed by O, central N, Cl, and H. Nuclear quadrupole coupling constants show that while the electric field gradient of the HCl subunit remains essentially unchanged upon complexation, there is electronic rearrangement about the two nitrogen nuclei in N(2)O.     

Aggregation of [Cu(II)4] building blocks into [Cu(II)8] clusters or a [Cu(II)4]infinity chain through subtle chemical control

Coordination complexes of the ligand H3L [1,3-bis(3-oxo-3-phenylpropionyl)-2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzene] with Cu(II) are reported. Clusters showing various nuclearities or modes of supramolecular organization have been prepared by slightly changing the reaction conditions and have been crystallographically characterized. The reaction of H3L with one equivalent of Cu(OAc)2 in DMF yields the dinuclear complex [Cu2(HL)2(dmf)2] (1). Reaction in MeOH of H3L with an increased amount of metal, in the form of Cu(NO3)2, and excess strong base (nBu4NOH) affords the cluster [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8(NO3)2] (2). Complex 2 is a dimer of two linear [Cu4] arrays bridged by methoxide ligands, where the polynucleating ligand is fully deprotonated. The [Cu4]2 clusters are linked to each other by NO3- bridges to form one-dimensional coordination polymers. The link between [Cu8] units and their relative spatial positioning can be modified by changing the anion of the Cu(II) salt, as demonstrated by the synthesis of the cluster polymers [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8Cl2] (3) and [Cu8(L)(OMe)7.86Br2.14] (4), where only NO3- has been replaced by Cl- or Br-, respectively. Similarly, when ClO4- is used, compound [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8(ClO4)2(MeOH)4] (5) can be isolated. It contains independent [Cu8] units. A slight change in the stoichiometry of the reaction leading to 2 affords the related complex catena-[Cu4(L)(OMe)3(NO3)2(H2O)0.36] (6). This polymer contains essentially the same [Cu4] moiety as 2, albeit organized in a completely different arrangement. Each [Cu4] unit in 6 is linked by OMe- ligands to two such equivalent groups to form an infinite chain. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal weak antiferromagnetic exchange between Cu(II) centers in 1 (J = -0.73 cm(-1)) and strong antiferromagnetic coupling within [Cu4] chains in 2, 5, and 6 (most negative J values of -113.8 and -177.3 cm(-1) for 2 and 6, respectively).     

Highly stereoselective Friedel-Crafts type cyclization. Facile access to enantiopure 1,4-dihydro-4-phenyl isoquinolinones

The present report describes a stereoselective synthesis of 1,4-dihydro-4-phenyl isoquinolinones 5 based on a stereoselective Friedel-Crafts type cyclization. Cyclization precursors 1 were prepared in two steps, from the readily available (S)-mandelic acid, in 60-80% overall yield. The stereoselective electrophilic cyclization was accomplished in 20-86% yield and with 20-97% ee. In the course of this work, the presence of the amide carbonyl was found to be particularly important to guarantee a stereospecific process during the electrophilic aromatic substitution.     

Analysis of organic acids in wines by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been a major point of development in many wine laboratories in recent years. It enables almost instant analysis of several properties of wine, usually with very good precision and accurate results. Nevertheless, validation procedures should not be forgotten and should be fully performed. Recovery experiments were performed by spiking wine samples with different amounts of organic acids (tartaric, malic, lactic, acetic and citric—the most prominent in wines). After FTIR analysis of the total acidity and of each organic acid concentration, recoveries were calculated. For total acidity recovery results were, in general, good and very close to 100% (64–111%). On the other hand, for individual organic acid concentrations, the recovery results were lower than 100% (11–73%) for all spiking additions. These results could be explained by spectroscopic interferences between the organic acids. Because they have similar infrared spectra, it is not easy to distinguish between them and, therefore, to achieve accurate calibration. When total acidity, with a different infrared spectrum from the other abundant compounds in the wine, was taken as a single property the recovery results were acceptable.     

A universal temperature controlled membrane interface for the analysis of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds

A universal temperature controlled membrane interface (TCMI) has been constructed for hollow-fibre membranes. The membrane temperature is controllable in the range -70 to 250 degrees C using an electric heater and a flow of cooled nitrogen or helium gas. Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds may be detected either by continuous diffusion across the membrane or by in-membrane pre-concentration followed by thermal desorption into the detector. The TCMI interface is demonstrated in combination with mass spectrometry and GC-MS, for the determination of VOCs and SVOCs in aqueous and air samples and for the on-line monitoring of a bioreactor.     

Synthesis of functionally diverse bicyclic sulfonamides as constrained proline analogues and application to the design of potential thrombin inhibitors

Bicyclic sulfonamides were synthesized from 4-alkenyl N-alkenylsulfonyl l-prolines using a ring-closure metathesis reaction. Three types of bicyclic sulfonamides varying in the size of the second ring (5,5; 5,6; 5,7) were synthesized. A sulfonamide counterpart of an indolizidinone 2-carboxylic acid was synthesized and evaluated for its activity against the enzyme thrombin.     

Structural studies of transition metal complexes with 4,5-bis(2-pyridylmethylsulfanyl)-4',5'-ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene: probing their potential for the construction of multifunctional molecular assemblies

Three divalent transition metal complexes of 4,5-bis(2-pyridylmethylsulfanyl)-4',5'-ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene have been prepared and crystallographically characterized. The isostructural Co(II) and the Ni(II) complexes show octahedral geometries around the metal ions with the coordination sites occupied by the pyridyl nitrogen atoms and the thioether sulfur atoms of the ligand and cis coordination of the halide ions. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that the complexation leads to a small anodic shift in the first oxidation potential of the TTF system.     

Kinetic investigation of the reactions of S-4-nitrophenyl 4-substituted thiobenzoates with secondary alicyclic amines in aqueous ethanol

The reactions of S-4-nitrophenyl 4-X-substituted thiobenzoates (X = H, Cl, and NO(2): 1, 2, and 3, respectively) with a series of secondary alicyclic amines (SAA) were subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt % ethanol-water, at 25.0 degrees C and an ionic strength of 0.2 M (KCl). The reactions were followed spectrophotometrically by monitoring the release of 4-nitrobenzenethiolate anion at 420-425 nm. Under excess amine, pseudo-first-order rate constants (k(obsd)) are obtained for all reactions. The plots of k(obsd) vs [SAA] at constant pH are linear with the slope (k(N)) independent of pH. The statistically corrected Br?nsted-type plots (log k(N)/q vs pK(a) + log p/q) for the reactions of 1 and 2 are nonlinear with slopes at high pK(a), beta(1) = 0.27 and 0.10, respectively, and slopes at low pK(a), beta(2) = 0.86 and 0.84, respectively. The Br?nsted curvature is centered at pK(a) (pK(a)(0)) 10.0 and 10.4, respectively. The reactions of SAA with 3 exhibit a linear Br?nsted-type plot of slope 0.81. These results are consistent with a stepwise mechanism, through a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T(+/-)). For the reactions of 1 and 2, there is a change in rate-determining step with amine basicity, from T(+/-) breakdown to products at low pK(a), to T(+/-) formation at high pK(a). For the reactions of 3, breakdown to products of T(+/-) is rate limiting for all the SAA series (pK(a)(0) > 11). The increasing pK(a)(0) value as the substituent in the acyl group becomes more electron withdrawing is attributed to an increasing nucleofugality of SAA from T(+/-). The greater pK(a)(0) value for the reactions of SAA with 1, relative to that found in the pyridinolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl benzoate (pK(a)(0) = 9.5), is explained by the greater nucleofugality from T(+/-) of the former amines, compared to isobasic pyridines, and the greater leaving ability from T(+/-) of 2,4-dinitrophenoxide relative to 4-nitrobenzenethiolate.     

A systematic study of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) interactions by surface tension and small angle X-ray scattering

Classical parameters obtained from surface tension technique coupled to small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements gave support to investigate conformational changes in the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) complexes, as well as the size of the micelle-like clusters distributed along the polypeptide chain. The studied systems were composed of 1 wt% of BSA in the absence and presence of increasing SDS molar concentration up to 80 mM, under experimental conditions of low ionic strength and pH 5.40. At SDS concentrations below the critical aggregation concentration (cac) of 2.2 mM, SAXS results indicate that the detergent does not modify the native protein conformation. However, the beginning of protein unfolding, evidenced by SAXS through an increase in the values of radius of gyration Rg and protein maximum dimension Dmax, is coincident with the onset of SDS cooperative binding to BSA identified by the first breakpoint in the surface tension-SDS profile. Further SDS addition leads to the formation of micelle-like aggregates randomly distributed along the unfolded polypeptide chain, consistent to a necklace and bead model. The SAXS data also demonstrate that the SDS micelles grow in size up to 50 mM detergent. At 50 mM surfactant, the micelles stop growing. This concentration is near the BSA saturation binding by SDS measured by dialyzes and indicated by the second breakpoint in surface tension-SDS profile. The SAXS and surface tension data are also consistent with the formation of free micelles in equilibrium with BSA-SDS complexes for surfactant amount above the saturation.