Investigation of {1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane-P,P′}-(dithiocarbonato-S,S′)-nickel(II)

Summary The reaction of bis(iso-propylxanthato)nickel(II) with 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) in a 11 molar ratio affords [Ni(S₂CO)(dppe)], which, on the basis of its magneto-chemical and spectral properties, has been characterized as a square-planar Ni complex. The complex was one-electron irreversibly oxidized at a potential of 0.673 V versus s.c.e. The crystal and molecular structure of a twinned crystal of the complex has been elucidated, and consists of two crystallographically independent molecules in which each Ni atom is coordinated by two S atoms from the dithiocarbonate ligand and two P atoms from the dppe ligand in an approximately square-planar arrangement.     

Bioactivity Performance of Pure Mg after Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation in Silicate-Based Solutions

The biodegradable metals, including magnesium (Mg), are a convenient alternative to permanent metals but fast uncontrolled corrosion limited wide clinical application. Formation of a barrier coating on Mg alloys could be a successful strategy for the production of a stable external layer that prevents fast corrosion. Our research was aimed to develop an Mg stable oxide coating using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in silicate-based solutions. 99.9% pure Mg alloy was anodized in electrolytes contained mixtures of sodium silicate and sodium fluoride, calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), contact angle (CA), Photoluminescence analysis and immersion tests were performed to assess structural and long-term corrosion properties of the new coating. Biocompatibility and antibacterial potential of the new coating were evaluated using U2OS cell culture and the gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, strain B 918). PEO provided the formation of a porous oxide layer with relatively high roughness. It was shown that Ca(OH)₂ was a crucial compound for oxidation and surface modification of Mg implants, treated with the PEO method. The addition of Ca²⁺ ions resulted in more intense oxidation of the Mg surface and growth of the oxide layer with a higher active surface area. Cell culture experiments demonstrated appropriate cell adhesion to all investigated coatings with a significantly better proliferation rate for the samples treated in Ca(OH)₂-containing electrolyte. In contrast, NaOH-based electrolyte provided more relevant antibacterial effects but did not support cell proliferation. In conclusion, it should be noted that PEO of Mg alloy in silicate baths containing Ca(OH)₂ provided the formation of stable biocompatible oxide coatings that could be used in the development of commercial degradable implants.     

Novel synthesis of α-nitroalkenes from nitroalkanes via halogenation of intermediate N,N-bis(silyloxy)enamines

An approach to conjugated nitroalkenes via oxidation of N,N-bis(silyloxy)enamines with bromine or iodine in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium acetate is described. The acetate ion plays a key role by acting as a mild desilylating reagent. This new strategy allows the synthesis of α-nitroalkenes from the corresponding nitroalkanes.     

On interpretation of a missing spectral band; IR spectra of acidic salts of benzohydroxamic acid

Using solid benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) as a model compound for its salts, a broad absorption at 2730 cm(-1) was generally agreed to represent the nu(OH) band of the OH... ON bonds. The absence of nu(OH) band in the IR region 3600-1700 cm(-1) was taken to indicate the absence of OH groups in the solid salts. The same argument and conclusion was erroneously accepted for lithium (LiBHA) and potassium (KBHA) salts of BHA which are not "normal" but acid salts and do contain OH groups. X-ray diffraction results allow explanation of this discrepancy. The lithium and potassium acid salts have much shorter OH... ON bridges (O...O distances of 247 and 245 pm, respectively) than the model compound (258 pm). Accordingly, the nu(OH...O) bands in the acidic salts are shifted into the crowded 1600-700 cm(-1) interval. Obviously, interpretation of a missing spectral band in terms of molecular structure can be misleading when the models do not include all possible structural variations.     

Synthesis and structure investigation of the Pb3V(PO4)3 eulytite

Lead vanadium phosphate Pb₃V(PO₄)₃ was synthesized by solid state reaction and characterized by X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction, electron microscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The crystal structure model of Pb₃V(PO₄)₃ was refined using X-ray single crystal data (a=10.127(1)Å, S.G. Z=4). The compound has an eulytite-like structure and its average structure model may be presented as a three-dimensional network formed by strongly distorted mixed (Pb/V^III) metal-oxygen octahedra connected by edge sharing and forming corrugated chains. The octahedra are additionally linked by tetrahedral phosphate groups via corner sharing. Lead and vanadium atoms randomly occupy two close positions in the octahedra. The electron microscopy study revealed the presence of a rhombohedral superstructure with and indicating ordering in the structure. The same type of superstructure was found by us for two another lead-containing eulytite Pb₃Fe(PO₄)₃ where Fe⁺³ has an ionic radius close to that of V⁺³. Magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed Curie-Weiss behavior for the Pb₃V(PO₄)₃ compound.     

A versatile synthesis of benzothieno-annelated 1,2-dihydropyridine and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridine derivatives: the effect of the structure of benzothieno-annelated pyridinium salts on their reduction by sodium borohydride

Abstract  

Benzothieno[2,3-c]pyridinium and benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolinium salts were synthesized either by quaternization of benzothieno[2,3-c]pyridines, or recyclization of benzothieno[2,3-c]pyrylium salts with primary amines. One-pot synthesis of benzothieno[3,2-g]indolizinium salts from 1-(3-chloropropyl)-benzothieno[2,3-c]pyrylium included consequent recyclization of the pyrylium core by ammonia into a pyridine intermediate and its further intramolecular quaternization reaction. Depending on the structure of benzothieno-annelated pyridinium salts, their reaction with sodium borohydride in methanol results in reduction of the pyridine core into tetrahydropyridine or dihydropyridine derivatives. Whereas reduction of benzothieno[2,3-c]pyridinium and benzothieno[3,2-g]indolizinium salts readily yields benzothieno-annelated tetrahydropyridines as a complex mixture of stereoisomers, reduction of benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolinium salts results in dihydropyridine derivatives. The structure of the latter, in particular, was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Challenges in the accurate speciation analysis of selenium in humans: first report on indicative levels of selenoproteins in a serum certified reference material for total selenium (BCR-637)

Se is one of the most investigated essential trace elements in the past years, mostly due to its cancer prevention properties. Nevertheless, the accurate determination of its biologically active species, such as the selenoproteins (SeProt) in human serum, is currently a challenging task. This is because of the lack of appropriate quantification standards, certified reference materials (CRMs), and/or reference measurement methods. Additionally, most of the methods developed so far for the determination of SeProt were applied to the analysis of control (volunteers) serums, which are not available to other laboratories, therefore making methods inter-comparison virtually impossible. We present here for the first time indicative levels of SeProt in a commercially available human serum, namely the BCR-637 CRM with certified level of total Se. The concentrations of selenium associated with glutathione peroxidase (GPx), selenoprotein P (SelP) and selenoalbumin (SeAlb) in this serum were calculated using the results obtained by 13 different analytical methods (literature and non-published data) on the basis of (affinity) high-performance liquid chromatography (AF-HPLC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The indicative levels of SeProt in the BCR-637 serum can be used for validation of methods dealing with the determination of these proteins in human serum.     

Lipids ofGlycyrrhiza glabra roots

A petroleum ether extract ofGlycyrrhiza glabra L. roots was investigated. The extract contains 70% neutral lipids and 30% polar lipids. Hydrocarbons, sterols esters, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, free sterols, and diacylglycerols were identified. The fatty acid contents of all of the acyl-containing lipids were determined. Fourteen fatty acids were identified; the 18 2 fatty acid prevails among the unsaturated acids, and the 16 0 acid prevails among the saturated acids.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 367–370, February, 1995.     

Substrate modulation of the properties and reactivity of the oxy-ferrous and hydroperoxo-ferric intermediates of cytochrome P450cam as shown by cryoreduction-EPR/ENDOR spectroscopy

EPR/ENDOR studies have been carried out on oxyferrous cytochrome P450cam one-electron cryoreduced by gamma-irradiation at 77 K in the absence of substrate and in the presence of a variety of substrates including its native hydroxylation substrate, camphor (a), and the alternate substrates, 5-methylenyl-camphor (b), 5,5-difluorocamphor (c), norcamphor (d), and adamantanone (e); the equivalent experiments have been performed on the T252A mutant complexed with a and b. The present study shows that the properties and reactivity of the oxyheme and of both the primary and the annealed intermediates are modulated by a bound substrate. This includes alterations in the properties of the heme center itself (g tensor; (14)N, (1)H, hyperfine couplings). It also includes dramatic changes in reactivity: the presence of any substrate increases the lifetime of hydroperoxoferri-P450cam (2) no less than ca. 20-fold. Among the substrates, b stands out as having an exceptionally strong influence on the properties and reactivity of the P450cam intermediates, especially in the T252A mutant. The intermediate, 2(T252A)-b, does not lose H(2)O(2), as occurs with 2(T252A)-a, but decays with formation of the epoxide of b. Thus, these observations show that substrate can modulate the properties of both the monoxygenase active-oxygen intermediates and the proton-delivery network that encompasses them.