A structural study of new tetrakis(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methanes

Tetrakis(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methanes are very rare compounds of which only two are known: the unsubstituted 1 obtained classically by Hückel in 1937 from carbon tetrachloride and prepared again several times and the 3,5-dimethyl substituted 2 obtained serendipitously by Pombeiro in 2009. We have now extended this group to include four new derivatives 8, 9, 11 and 12 bearing methyl groups. The X-ray crystal structure of the four compounds has been determined. They have been studied by NMR both in solution (¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N) and in the solid state (¹³C and ¹⁵N). DFT calculations of the six compounds (geometries, energies and absolute shieldings) have been used to discuss the experimental observations.     

Critical evaluation of microextraction pretreatment techniques – Part 1: Single drop and sorbent‐based techniques

Sample pretreatment techniques or preconcentration constitute a very important step before the analysis of environmental, clinical, pharmaceutical, and other complex samples. Thanks to extraction techniques it is possible to achieve higher method sensitivities and selectivities. Miniaturization microextraction methods make them more environmentally friendly and only small amounts of samples are required. In the past 30 years, a number of microextraction methods have been developed and used and are documented in thousands of articles. Many reviews have been written focusing on their use in specified professional fields or on the latest trends. Unfortunately, no uniform nomenclature has been introduced for these methods. Therefore, this review attempts to classify all the essential microextraction techniques and describes their advantages, disadvantages, and the latest innovations. The methods are divided into two main groups: single drop and sorbent‐based techniques according to the type of extraction phase.     

Synthesis of alpha-galactosyl ceramide,a potent immunostimulatory agent

Alpha-galactosyl ceramide has been identified to be a potent stimulatory agent for a novel immunological process, mediated by CD1 molecules. This paper describes a short and efficient synthesis of alpha-galactosyl ceramide. Starting from commercially available 2-deoxy galactose, a suitable sphingosine derivative was obtained in nine steps and 36% overall yield, which was subsequently glycosylated to give the target molecule. This flexible route will provide various glycolipids for further exploration of this interesting biological process.     

Calorimetric study of room temperature adsorption of N2O and CO on Cu(II)-exchanged ZSM5 zeolites

Copper ion-exchanged ZSM5 zeolites have been prepared with different cooper loadings from under- to over-exchanged levels. The adsorptions of N₂O and CO at 303 K have been studied using calorimetric method and infrared spectroscopy. The samples were additionally characterised by ammonia adsorption at 423 K. The active sites for both N₂O and CO are Cu(I) ions, which were formed as a result of pre-treatment in vacuum at 673 K.

Room temperature adsorption of nitrous oxide at low equilibrium pressures (up to 66.7 Pa) resulted in small amounts of chemisorbed N₂O (<0.2 molecule per one Cu ion). Differential heats of N₂O adsorption between 80 and 30 kJ/mol were obtained. Differential heats of CO adsorption between 140 and 40 kJ/mol were obtained. The obtained amounts of chemisorbed species in the investigated systems and the values of differential heats of both nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide demonstrate the dependence on the copper content.     

Topographical properties of polymer films deposited in capillaries for electrophoretic separations of large organic molecules

Topography and thickness of hydrophilic polymer coatings of fused-silica capillaries for capillary electrophoresis (CE) were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and profilometry. Three hydrogels, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA)], poly(diethylene glycol monomethacrylate) [poly(DEGMA)], and poly(triethylene glycol monomethacrylate) [poly(TEGMA)], were deposited using two procedures, either by simple physical sorption of the polymers, or by derivatization of the capillary wall surface with glycidyl methacrylate (EPMA) followed by polymerization of the appropriate monomers. The performance of the modified capillaries was tested under CE conditions (decrease in the electroosmotic flow, EOF dependence on pH, separation of milk and standard proteins). It has been found that the most important property of the polymer coating is its thickness, whereas its topography and the degree of its hydrophobicity are less significant. Film deposition by physical adsorption is preferable to polymerization on the derivatized surface.     

Characterization of three agave species by gas chromatography and solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Steam distillation (SD) extraction-solid-phase microextraction coupled to GC-MS was developed for the determination of terpenes and Bligh-Dyer extraction-derivatization coupled with GC for the determination of fatty acids such as ethyl esters were used. It was found that the three different Agave species have the same profile of fatty acids; the quantity of these compounds is different in each Agave variety. On the other hand, different terpenes were identified in the three Agave plants studied: nine in A. salmiana, eight in A. angustifolia and 32 in A. tequilana Weber var. azul.     

Asymmetric Diels–Alder cycloadditions of d-erythrose 1,3-butadienes to achiral t-butyl 2H-azirine 3-carboxylate

Two d-erythrose 1,3-butadienes were reacted with electrophilic achiral t-butyl 2H-azirine 3-carboxylate giving cycloadducts with good yields and moderate selectivity. The isomers could be separated to give the major (R)-isomers at C-2 in approximately 50% yield in both cases. Alternatively LACASA-DA methodology was applied to one of the reactions leading to homochiral (R)- and (S)-products by changing the chiral nature of an extra chiral BINOL inductor used.     

UPTAKE KINETICS AND INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF HYPOCRELLIN PHOTOSENSITIZERS FOR PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY: A CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY STUDY

Hypocrellins are naturally occurring compounds with photosensitizing properties in biological systems. We have prepared synthetic derivatives of hypocrellin B, which have promise as photosensitizers in the clinical application of photodynamic therapy. The intracellular localization and uptake kinetics of hypocrellin B and several selected hypocrellin congeners were determined semiquantitatively by fluorescence confocal microscopy in monolayer cultures of EMT6/Ed murine tumor cells. Each compound had unique uptake kinetics. Although no compound tested to date has demonstrated nuclear labeling, most could be detected in lysosomes, Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum and, to a minor extent, in cellular membranes. No two compounds gave identical labeling distributions. The differences are assumed to originate in physicochemical properties characteristic of each compound, which may ultimately impact upon the primary modality of phototoxicity.     

Synthesis of dibromo ketones by the reaction of the environmentally benign H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>-HBr system with oximes

It was found that oximes undergo deoximation in the presence of the H₂O_2aq-HBr_aq system to form ketones and bromo ketones. This reaction provided the basis for the synthesis of dibromo ketones in yields varying from 40% to 94%. This method is environmentally friendly, sustainable, and easy to perform. The results of this investigation extend the potential of the use of oximes for the protection of carbonyl group, thus offering the ability to perform not only conventional deoximation but also the subsequent bromination of ketones. The reaction is easily scaled up and dibromo ketones can be prepared in gram amounts.      

Sulfur Compounds. 183. A Derivative of Perthiocarbonic Acid H2CS4: X-ray structural analysis of bis(triphenylmethyl) perthiocarbonate (Ph3C)2CS4

The molecular structure of Ph₃CSSC(S)SCPh₃ · CS₂ has been determined by X-ray structural analysis. The substance crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system [a = 884.9(2) pm, b = 1 039.5(2) pm, c = 2 064.6(3) pm, α = 75.86(1)°, β = 79.83(2)°, γ = 77.31(5)°, Z = 2, space group P1 ]. The CS₃ group is planar; the S? S-bond (201.4 pm) forms an angle of 5.7° with the CS₃ plane. The torsional angle CSSC equals 96.3°. (Ph₃C)₂CS₄ was obtained by reaction of TosNSCl₂ (Tos = p-MeC₆H₄SO₂) with Ph₃CSH in CS₂ in the presence of triethylamine. The reaction mechanism is discussed.