Study of occupational health impact of atmospheric pollution on exposed workers at an iron and steel complex by using neutron activation analysis of scalp hair

The occupational health impact of atmospheric pollution on exposed workers at one iron and steel complex was studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis of workers' hair samples and medical examination. The experimental results indicate that there is a positive correlation between the high inhalation amounts of iron and other trace elements by the exposed workers and the symptom of their high blood pressure and hypoglycemia, which implies that the atmospheric environment polluted by iron and steel industry has an adverse health impact on the exposed workers. The measures to relieve and abate the occupational diseases caused by air-borne particulate matter should be taken     

Regiospecifically controlled formation of tetrasubstituted tributyltin ketone enolates catalyzed by a palladium complex

The palladium-catalyzed hydrostannolysis of α-disubstituted allyl β-keto esters yields the corresponding tributyltin β-keto carboxylates which loose carbon dioxide at very moderate temperature, thus leading to the regiospecific formation of tributyltin tetrasubstituted enolates.     

Asymmetric synthesis of cis-5-tert-butylproline with metal carbenoid NH insertion

The highly stereoselective intramolecular metal carbenoid insertion reaction of sulfinimine-derived delta-amino alpha-diazoesters is used to prepare cis-5-tert-butylproline. A concerted or nearly concerted metal carbenoid N-H insertion reaction mechanism is proposed.     

NMR determination of absolute site-specific natural isotope ratios of hydrogen in organic molecules. Analytical and mechanistic applications

It has been shown that the “internal” isotope distribution within a given molecular species at the natural abundance level is accessible by a new method, SNIF-NMR, which is based on deuterium NMR. Relative internal factors, R_i/j,have been defined which enable the isotope content of a given site, i, to be compared to that of another molecular site, j, taken as the reference. Several referencing methods intended to provide direct access to relative $\text{externals}$, T_i , and $\text{absolute}$, (D/H)_i , site-specific parameters, are now discussed from both the theoretical and the experimental points of view. In the $\text{intramolecular referencing method}$, which involves a time-consuming chemical transformation of the sample, the risk exists of more or leas systematic errors resulting from discriminating fractionation effects. However this technique offers, conversely, an interesting way of investigating kinetic isotope effects without the need for specific labelling. In spite of its lower spectral precision the $\text{external referencing method}$ has the advantage of being fast and less sensitive to systematic errois and may be used for direct rough routine determinations of the site-specific isotope contents. More precise results can be obtained, at the price of contaminating the sample, when an $\text{intermolecular reference}$ is added and signal heights are used, remembering however that the intensity parameters then have no strict physical meaning in terms of absolute isotope contents. The site-specific parameters, T_i and (D/H)_i thus accessible, provide new information on the mechanisms of the fractionation effects occurring in natural conditions and examples are considered.     

Preparation of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) by using a SbF5-attached catalyst

In this report, a simple process for preparing HFC-245fa through the reaction of 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (PCP) and anhydrous HF via two-step vapor-phase catalytic fluorination is described. The antimony pentafluoride catalyst was supported on inert porous materials to improve the catalytic activity. The resulting process catalyst not only exhibited high catalytic activity and excellent thermo-stability, but also improved the performance of SbF₅, in terms of hygroscopicity and corrosion.     

Tandem mass spectrum of a farnesyl transferase inhibitor--gas-phase rearrangements involving imidazole

Compound 1 (1-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-[1-(4-cyanobenzyl)imidazolylmethyl]-2-piperazinone hydrochloride) is a farnesyl transferase inhibitor intended for treatment of cancer. A detailed analysis of the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry data of protonated 1 shows that in the gas phase, upon collision-induced dissociation, this ion undergoes complicated rearrangement and fragmentation. These processes include a novel two-step rearrangement. The first step involves a gas-phase intramolecular S(N)2 reaction that forms an intermediate. The second step consists of three competitive rearrangement/fragmentation pathways of the intermediate, giving rise to protonated 2, protonated methylene-imidazole, and a distonic methylimidazole radical cation. Deuterated 1 was studied under the same experimental conditions, and the results strongly support the proposed two-step rearrangement process. It is noted that the unique structure of 1, especially the imidazole ring of 1, plays a critical role in the rearrangement of protonated 1.     

Heck-reaction on alpha-C-p-bromophenyl delta2-glycopyranodise: an easy access to functionalized C-aryl glycoside

Palladium-catalyzed Heck condensation of C-p-bromophenyl delta2-glycopyranoside with methyl vinyl ketone, methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, or N-acetyldehydroalanine methyl ester occurred in quite good yields (60-82%).     

Flow injection spectrofluorimetric determination of reserpine in tablets by on-line acetone sensitized photochemical reaction

On-line photochemical reaction of reserpine in the presence of acetone was investigated. Acetone was found to speed up the on-line photochemical conversion of reserpine into an intensively fluorescent compound. Not only reaction acidity but also the acetate buffer concentration affected the on-line photochemical induced fluorescence signal. Based on the observation an automated flow injection photochemical fluorimetric approach was developed. An injected sample zone was carried by a water stream to be merged with a acetate buffer (pH 3.4) solution containing 0.02% acetone in a knotted PTFE reactor (KR), which was freely coiled around a 6-W low pressure mercury lamp. While passing the KR, reserpine was transformed into an intensively fluorescent compound. It was on-line detected in a flow-through cell at the emission wavelength of 490 nm and excitation wavelength of 386 nm. At optimized conditions, a detection limit 0.45 mug l(-1) was achieved at a sampling rate of 90 h(-1). Eleven determinations of a 0.5 mg l(-1) reserpine standard solution gave a R.S.D. of 0.3%. The linear dynamic range of reserpine calibration curve was 0.01-0.75 mg l(-1). The proposed method was applied to assay the reserpine content in tablets and to monitor the dissolution profile of reserpine tablets. Satisfactory results were obtained for both the assays and dissolution studies.     

The uranium-Xylidyl Blue I complex and its application in linear sweep polarography

The linear sweep polarographic wave of the uranium-Xylidyl Blue I complex in ethylenediamine-1,10-phenanthroline-hydrochloric acid medium has been studied. The complex, corresponding to UO(2)(XBI)(2-)(2) with log beta' = 9.09 (by polarography), 8.81 (by spectrophotometry), is strongly adsorbed on the surface of the mercury electrode. The polarographic wave is attributed to the reduction of Xylidyl Blue I in the complex. The method is very sensitive with a detection limit of 3 x 10(-8)M. The wave height is proportional to the concentration of uranium over the range 8 x 10(-8)-7 x 10(-6)M. Solvent extraction is used to separate possible interferences. The recommended procedure has been applied to the determination of trace amounts of uranium in ores.