Monitoring dediazoniation product formation by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization

A derivatization protocol that exploits the rapid reaction between arenediazonium ions and a suitable coupling agent followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analyses of the reaction mixture was employed to determine the product distribution, the rate constants for product formation and the association constant of 4-nitrobenzenediazonium, PNBD, ion with beta-cyclodextrin, beta-CD. The derivatization of PNBD with the coupling agent leads to the formation of a stable azo dye that prevents by-side reactions of PNBD with the solvents of the mobile phase, including water, or the metallic parts of the chromatographic system that would eventually lead to erroneous identification and quantification of dediazoniation products. The results show that in the presence of beta-CD, nitrobenzene is formed at the expense of 4-nitrophenol, which is the major product in its absence. The observed rate constants for the interaction between PNBD and beta-CD increase upon increasing [beta-CD] showing a saturation profile indicative of the formation of an inclusion complex between PNBD and beta-CD. By fitting the experimental data to a simplified Lineaweaver-Burk equation, the corresponding association constant and the maximum acceleration rate of beta-CD towards PNBD were estimated. The protocol is applicable under a variety of experimental conditions provided that the rate of the coupling reaction is much faster than that of dediazoniation.     

A general method for C3 reductive alkylation of indoles

General indole C₃ reductive alkylation conditions have been developed. The scope of this reaction includes C₂ unsubstituted indoles, aryl and alkyl aldehydes, as well as N-H and N-alkyl indole substrates.     

Use of chromatographic pre-concentration for routine uranium bioassay analysis by ICP-MS

Routine monitoring of urine is an effective way to detect occupational intake of radioactive material. Historically, determinations of uranium isotopic ratios have been performed by radiochemical separation followed by alpha spectrometry. With recent advancements in technology, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has become widely available for the determination of trace metals as well as radioactive nuclides with long half-lives, such as ²³⁸U in urine. Furthermore, ICP-MS measurements of ²³⁸U do not require radiochemical separation since the number of atoms in the sample is determined instead of the number of alpha particles emitted. However, this method does not provide good sensitivity for the determination of ²³⁵U due to its shorter half-life. An improved procedure using pre-concentration of uranium and determination by ICP-MS decreases the detection limit by a factor of ten or greater with only slight increase in total analysis time. The method also has the capability of accurately determining the isotopic ratio of the sample, which is very important in cases where enriched or depleted uranium is involved.     

Critical evaluation of the potential of radiofrequency pulsed glow discharge–time-of-flight mass spectrometry for depth-profile analysis of innovative materials

The combination of radiofrequency pulsed glow discharge (RF-PGD) analytical plasmas with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) has promoted the applicability of this ion source to direct analysis of innovative materials. In this sense, this emerging technique enables multi-elemental depth profiling with high depth resolution and sensitivity, and simultaneous production of elemental, structural, and molecular information. The analytical potential and trends of this technique are critically presented, including comparison with other complementary and well-established techniques (e.g. SIMS, GD–OES, etc.). An overview of recent applications of RF-PGD–TOFMS is given, including analysis of nano-structured materials, coated-glasses, photovoltaic materials, and polymer coatings     

Mechanism insights into an unexpected isomerisation reaction observed during conversion of N-benzyl piperazinones to corresponding N-benzyl thio-piperazinones

An interesting and surprising rearrangement was observed during the reaction of 4-N-benzyl piperazinone derivatives with Lawesson’s reagent as a thionating agent. Investigation into the possible mechanism responsible for these results is reported herein.     

ITQ-12: a new microporous silica polymorph potentially useful for light hydrocarbon separations

The new synthetic form of microporous crystalline silica, denoted as ITQ-12, shows a high potential for the separation of propane and propene from its mixtures.     

Synthesis and structure of [(Sn(mu-PCy))3(Na x PMDETA)2], containing an electron-deficient [(Sn(mu-PCy))3]2- dianion

The reaction of CyPHNa with Sn(NMe2)2 in the presence of PMDETA (= (Me2NCH2CH2)2NMe) gives the title compound [(Sn(mu-PCy))3(Na x PMDETA)2] (1), containing an electron-deficient [(Sn(mu-PCy))]3(2-) dianion with a novel two-electron, three centre (2e-3c) bonding arrangement.     

Kaurenoic acid extracted from Sphagneticola trilobata reduces acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity through inhibition of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in mice

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug that is safe at therapeutic doses. However, acetaminophen overdose can be fatal. Currently, the only treatment available is the N-acetyl cysteine. The diterpene kaurenoic acid (ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, KA) is the major constituent of Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski. KA presents anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive and antioxidant properties. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of KA in a model of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. KA increased, in a dose-dependent manner, the survival rate after acetaminophen overdose. KA reduced acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis and ALT and AST levels. KA decreased acetaminophen-induced neutrophil and macrophage recruitment, oxidative stress and the production of IL-33, TNF-α and IL-1β, alongside with normalisation of IL-10 levels in the liver. Therefore, KA showed preclinical efficacy in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity and lethality.     

Electrochemical Approach for the Production of Layered Double Hydroxides with a Well-Defined Co/MeIII Ratio

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely studied for their plethora of fascinating features and applications. The potentiostatic electrodeposition of LDHs has been extensively applied in the literature as a fast and direct method to substitute classical chemical routes. However, the electrochemical approach does not usually allow for a fine control of the M^II/M^III ratio in the synthesized material. By employing a recently proposed potentiodynamic method, LDH films of controlled composition are herein prepared with good reproducibility, using different ratios of the trivalent (Fe or Al) to bivalent (Co) cations in the electrolytic solution. All the obtained materials are shown to be effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, and are thoroughly characterized by a multi-technique approach, including FE-SEM, XRD, Raman, AES and a wide range of electrochemical procedures.     

Consecutive Supramolecular Polymerization of a Rylene-Based Twistacene

The synthesis and self-assembling features of twistacene 1 are reported. The supramolecular polymerization of 1 displays a consecutive pathway to afford slipped ( AggI ) and rotationally displaced ( AggII ) aggregates conditioned by the formation of intramolecularly H-bonded pseudocycles. In methylcyclohexane, both AggI and AggII are highly stable and the interconversion of the kinetically controlled AggI into the thermodynamically controlled AggII takes several weeks to occur. The utilization of toluene as solvent changes the energetic level for both aggregates and favors a faster conversion of AggI into AggII within a period of minutes. This conversion can be accelerated by the addition of seeds. Furthermore, concentration dependent kinetic studies demonstrate the consecutive character of the supramolecular polymerization of 1 .