Characterization of lipids in complex samples using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Most lipids are a complex mixture of classes of compounds such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols, diols, sterols and hydroxy acids. In this study, the suitability of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-light mass spectrometer is studied for lipid characterization in complex samples. With lanolin, a refined wool wax, as test sample, it is demonstrated that combined methylation plus silylation is the preferred derivatization procedure to achieve (i) high-quality GC x GC separation and (ii) easily recognizable ordered structures in lipid analysis. Optimization of the GC x GC column combination, the influence of the temperature programme on the quality of the separation, and the potential and limitations of automated TOF-MS-based identification are discussed. The combined power of a 2D separation, ordered structures and MS detection is illustrated by the identification of several minor sample constituents.     

Local thermal equilibrium and ideal gas Stephani universes

The Stephani universes that can be interpreted as an ideal gas evolving in local thermal equilibrium are determined. Five classes of thermodynamic schemes are admissible, which give rise to five classes of regular models and three classes of singular models. No Stephani universes exist representing an exact solution to a classical ideal gas (one for which the internal energy is proportional to the temperature). But some Stephani universes may approximate a classical ideal gas at first order in the temperature: all of them are obtained. Finally, some features about the physical behavior of the models are pointed out.This revised version was published online in April 2005. The publishing date was inserted.     

Intramolecular Pd-mediated processes of amino-tethered aryl halides and ketones: insight into the ketone alpha-arylation and carbonyl-addition dichotomy. A new class of four-membered azapalladacycles

An exploration of the scope and limitations of Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular coupling reactions of amino-tethered aryl halides and ketones has been conducted. Two different and competitive reaction pathways starting from omega-(2-haloanilino) alkanones, enolate arylation and addition to the carbonyl group, have been observed, while omega-(2-halobenzylamino) alkanones exclusively underwent the enolate arylation process. The dichotomy between ketone alpha-arylation and carbonyl-addition in the reactions of omega-(2-haloanilino) alkanones has been rationalized by the intermediacy of unprecedented four-membered azapalladacycles, from which X-ray data and chemical behavior are reported.     

C2-Symmetric enantiopure ethanotethered bis(alpha,beta-butenolides) as templates for asymmetric synthesis. Application to the synthesis of (+)-grandisol

Starting from D-mannitol, we have prepared several C(2)-symmetric ethanotethered bis(alpha,beta-butenolides) and studied their [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction with ethylene. The protective groups of the central diol unit have a noticeable influence on the facial selectivity of the cycloaddition, the bis(trimethylsilyloxy) derivatives showing the highest diastereoselectivity. A theoretical conformational analysis of the substrates in the ground state is in good agreement with the diastereofacial selectivity experimentally observed. The bis(photocycloadducts) have been converted into the enantiopure cyclobutanes formally derived from the photoreaction of ethylene with gamma-hydroxymethyl-alpha,beta-butenolide, in which only a moderate facial selectivity had been previously found. As an application of these studies, we have developed a highly efficient and stereoselective synthesis of (+)-grandisol.     

Synthesis of (-)-nakamurol A and assignment of absolute configuration of diterpenoid (+)-nakamurol A

The total synthesis of the enantiomer of the marine sponge diterpenoid nakamurol A and determination of the absolute configuration of this natural product are reported. This first synthetic entry to thelepogane-type diterpenoids involves the use of the bicyclic enone (-)-3, which after a tandem difunctionalization process and elongation of the side chain leads to the formation of the ketone (-)-13. From (-)-13, two approaches to ent-nakamurol A (1) are reported: the straightforward but nonselective way, by reaction with vinylmagnesium bromide, and a longer but stereocontrolled route, through the primary allylic alcohol 20, which is submitted to a Sharpless epoxidation followed by a tellurium-promoted reductive-epoxide ring-opening cascade reaction.     

Nitrogen heterocycles by palladium-catalyzed cyclization of amino-tethered vinyl halides and ketone enolates

The scope and limitations of Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular coupling of amino-tethered vinyl halides and ketone enolates as a methodology for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles have been studied. This reaction constitutes a synthetic procedure to obtain bridged, condensed, and monocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds.     

Four-stranded DNA structure stabilized by a novel G:C:A:T tetrad

The solution structure of a cyclic oligonucleotide d has been determined by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and restrained molecular dynamics. Under the appropriate experimental conditions, this molecule self-associates, forming a symmetric dimer stabilized by four intermolecular Watson-Crick base pairs. The resulting four-stranded structure consists of two G:C:A:T tetrads, formed by facing the minor groove side of the Watson-Crick base-pairs. Most probably, the association of the base-pairs is stabilized by coordinating a Na(+) cation. This is the first time that this novel G:C:A:T tetrad has been found in an oligonucleotide structure. This observation increases considerably the number of sequences that may adopt a four-stranded architecture. Overall, the three-dimensional structure is similar to those observed previously in other quadruplexes formed by minor groove alignment of Watson-Crick base pairs. This resemblance strongly suggests that we may be observing a general motif for DNA-DNA recognition.     

Vibrational Stark effect: Theoretical determination through the semiempirical AM1 method

The vibrational Stark effect of a series of small molecules has been calculated by means of the semiempirical AM1 method through addition of the electron–field interaction term in the one-electron Hamiltonian. Optimized geometrical parameters along with harmonic frequencies and line intensities are determined for different strengths of the applied uniform electric field. The perturbed spectra are compared with theoretical studies carried out at the ab initio level and with experimental results. The vibrational Stark effect of the retinal molecule is also computed, showing that this kind of study is feasible in systems of biochemical interest. © 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Stereoselective |2+2| photocycloaddition of chiral 2(5H)-furanones to alkenes

The steric and stereoelectronic dependence of the diastereoselectivity in the photochemical |2+2| cycloaddition of chiral 2(5H)-furanones to alkenes is investigated to prepare eventually cyclobutanic natural products. It is shown that the alkenes approach to different chiral 5-substituted 2(5H)-furanones mainly by the less hindered side.