Development of a simple and reliable accurate mass liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method for high-resolution accurate mass determinations of new drug entities on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

Accurate mass measurements are used to determine the elemental composition and formulae of molecules to confirm their identity or to assist in their characterization. Currently, the most widely used techniques for measuring exact masses employ magnetic sector instruments, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers and lower resolution instruments such as time-of-flight (TOF) and quadrupole-TOF. This paper reports the accurate mass measurement using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Indeed, the recently introduced triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, with unique enhanced mass-resolution capability, has demonstrated simple data acquisition methods and requires few experiments to measure exact masses with accuracy and determines elemental compositions of both protonated and deprotonated molecules. All the accurate mass measurements were performed using both positive and negative electrospray ionization in enhanced mass-resolution mode (peak width of 0.1 Th FWMH). Several new drug entities were investigated as simulated unknowns and analyzed by means of an accurate mass liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (AM-LC/ESI-MS) method. The accurate mass measurements resulted in only one proposed elemental composition for all tested compounds, using reasonable elemental limits and mass tolerance for the calculation. Moreover, all the experimentally determined accurate mass measurements gave satisfactory results in terms of accuracy (lower than 5 ppm).     

Carbamoylation of B6 vitamins

The reaction of B₆ vitamins 1–3 with cyanate, in the presence of equivalent amounts of hydrochloric acid, yields different adducts according to the structure of the starting material. Regiospecific attack on the amino group or the phenolic hydroxy group was found for 2a,b and 3a,b , respectively. From the aldehydes 1a,b , the 2H-pyrido[3,4-e]-1,3-oxazin-2-ones 7a,b were obtained through an attack on both the phenolic and aldehyde group.     

Group contributions to the infinite dilution partial molar volumes of alkanes, alcohols, and glycols in polar organic solvents

Densities of binary mixtures of polar organic solvents with alcohols were measured at 25‡C. The solvents studied were N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and formamide while alcohols were butanol, pentanol, hexanol, and 1,4-butanediol. Density measurements of hydrocarbons (from pentane to dodecane and some heptane isomers) + N,N-dimethylformamide were also performed. From these data the apparent molar volumes of alcohols and hydrocarbons as functions of concentration were calculated. The standard partial molar volumes were obtained by extrapolation to infinite dilution and are discussed in terms of group contributions.     

New phosphorylating reagents for deoxyribonucleosides and oligonucleotides

New phosphorylating reagents 1 and 2 were prepared in three steps from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. They showed good efficiency in the solid phase synthesis of 5′-phosphate monoester nucleosides. End-phosphate DNA sequence synthesis demonstrated the efficiency of the new reagents (1 and 2) according to the general procedure of automated DNA synthesis. The oxidation of P(III) to P(V) and the removal of benzyl protecting groups were achieved in a single step by treatment with a 0.02 M I₂/pyridine/H₂O solution. Due to this one-pot treatment, it is possible to use the phosphorylating reagents (1 and 2) for the synthesis of base-sensitive ODNs. The reagents 1 and 2 are unique among phosphorylating reagents.     

Field-induced π-polarization in barrelene derivatives: a computational study based on structural variation

Barrelene, H–C(CH=CH)₃C–H, is an unsaturated polycyclic hydrocarbon containing three isolated double bonds in a non-planar arrangement. We have studied the transmission of field effects through the barrelene framework by analyzing the small structural changes occurring in the phenyl group of many Ph–C(CH=CH)₃C–X molecules, where X is a variable substituent. Molecular geometries have been determined by quantum chemical calculations at the HF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-311++G** levels of theory. Comparison with the results obtained for the corresponding saturated molecules, the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives Ph–C(CH₂–CH₂)₃C–X, reveals a small, but significant, field-induced π-polarization of the barrelene cage, especially when the remote substituent is a charged group. Additional evidence of π-polarization is obtained by comparing the electric dipole moments of the two sets of uncharged molecules. The structural variation of the barrelene cage caused by the variable substituent in Ph–C(CH=CH)₃C–X molecules has also been investigated. It is much larger than that of the phenyl group and depends primarily on the electronegativity of the substituent. Particularly pronounced is the concerted variation of the non-bonded distance between the bridgehead carbons of the cage, r(C···C) ₁ ^BARR , and the average of the three C–C–C angles at the cage carbon bonded to the variable substituent, α ₁ ^BARR . A scattergram of r(C···C) ₁ ^BARR versus the corresponding parameter for bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives, r(C···C) ₁ ^BCO , shows that the variation of r(C···C) ₁ ^BARR becomes gradually less pronounced than that of r(C···C) ₁ ^BCO as the electronegativity of the substituent increases.     

Potential Mitigation of Smoke Taint in Wines by Post-Harvest Ozone Treatment of Grapes

When bushfires occur near grape growing regions, vineyards can be exposed to smoke, and depending on the timing and duration of grapevine smoke exposure, fruit can become tainted. Smoke-derived volatile compounds, including volatile phenols, can impart unpleasant smoky, ashy characters to wines made from smoke-affected grapes, leading to substantial revenue losses where wines are perceivably tainted. This study investigated the potential for post-harvest ozone treatment of smoke-affected grapes to mitigate the intensity of smoke taint in wine. Merlot grapevines were exposed to smoke at ~7 days post-veraison and at harvest grapes were treated with 1 or 3 ppm of gaseous ozone (for 24 or 12 h, respectively), prior to winemaking. The concentrations of smoke taint marker compounds (i.e., free and glycosylated volatile phenols) were measured in grapes and wines to determine to what extent ozonation could mitigate the effects of grapevine exposure to smoke. The 24 h 1 ppm ozone treatment not only gave significantly lower volatile phenol and volatile phenol glycoside concentrations but also diminished the sensory perception of smoke taint in wine. Post-harvest smoke and ozone treatment of grapes suggests that ozone works more effectively when smoke-derived volatile phenols are in their free (aglycone) form, rather than glycosylated forms. Nevertheless, the collective results demonstrate the efficacy of post-harvest ozone treatment as a strategy for mitigation of smoke taint in wine.     

Valorization of Apple Peels through the Study of the Effects on the Amyloid Aggregation Process of κ-Casein

Waste valorization represents one of the main social challenges when promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability. Here, we evaluated the effect of the polyphenols extracted from apple peels, normally disposed of as waste, on the amyloid aggregation process of κ-casein from bovine milk, a well-used amyloidogenic model system. The effect of the apple peel extract on protein aggregation was examined using a thioflavin T fluorescence assay, Congo red binding assay, circular dichroism, light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. We found that the phenolic extract from the peel of apples of the cultivar “Fuji”, cultivated in Sicily (Caltavuturo, Italy), inhibited κ-casein fibril formation in a dose-dependent way. In particular, we found that the extract significantly reduced the protein aggregation rate and inhibited the secondary structure reorganization that accompanies κ-casein amyloid formation. Protein-aggregated species resulting from the incubation of κ-casein in the presence of polyphenols under amyloid aggregation conditions were reduced in number and different in morphology.     

Yield,Characterization, and Possible Exploitation of Cannabis Sativa L. Roots Grown under Aeroponics Cultivation

Cannabis sativa L. has been used for a long time to obtain food, fiber, and as a medicinal and psychoactive plant. Today, the nutraceutical potential of C. sativa is being increasingly reappraised; however, C. sativa roots remain poorly studied, despite citations in the scientific literature. In this direction, we identified and quantified the presence of valuable bioactives (namely, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, friedelin, and epi-friedelanol) in the root extracts of C. sativa, a finding which might pave the way to the exploitation of the therapeutic potential of all parts of the C. sativa plant. To facilitate root harvesting and processing, aeroponic (AP) and aeroponic-elicited cultures (AEP) were established and compared to soil-cultivated plants (SP). Interestingly, considerably increased plant growth—particularly of the roots—and a significant increase (up to 20-fold in the case of β-sitosterol) in the total content of the aforementioned roots’ bioactive molecules were observed in AP and AEP. In conclusion, aeroponics, an easy, standardized, contaminant-free cultivation technique, facilitates the harvesting/processing of roots along with a greater production of their secondary bioactive metabolites, which could be utilized in the formulation of health-promoting and health-care products.     

Synthesis of Tailored Perfluoro Unsaturated Monomers for Potential Applications in Proton Exchange Membrane Preparation

The aim of the present work is the synthesis and characterization of new perfluorinated monomers bearing, similarly to Nafion^®, acidic groups for proton transport for potential and future applications in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. To this end, we focused our attention on the synthesis of various molecules with (i) sufficient volatility to be used in vacuum polymerization techniques (e.g., PECVD)), (ii) sulfonic, phosphonic, or carboxylic acid functionalities for proton transport capacity of the resulting membrane, (iii) both aliphatic and aromatic perfluorinated tags to diversify the membrane polarity with respect to Nafion^®, and (iv) a double bond to facilitate the polymerization under vacuum giving a preferential way for the chain growth of the polymer. A retrosynthetic approach persuaded us to attempt three main synthetic strategies: (a) organometallic Heck-type cross-coupling, (b) nucleophilic displacement, and (c) Wittig–Horner reaction (carbanion approach). Preliminary results on the plasma deposition of a polymeric film are also presented. The variation of plasma conditions allowed us to point out that the film prepared in the mildest settings (20 W) shows the maximum monomer retention in its structure. In this condition, plasma polymerization likely occurs mainly by rupture of the π bond in the monomer molecule.     

Experimental and Theoretical DFT Investigations in the [2,3]-Wittig-Type Rearrangement of Propargyl/Allyl-Oxy-Pyrazolones

Here we report the synthesis of interesting 3-alkyl-4-hydroxy-1-aryl-4-(propa-1,2-dienyl)1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones and 9-alkyl-7-aryl-1-oxa-7,8-diazaspiro[4.4]nona-3,8-dien-6-ones, starting from 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs) and propargyl alcohol. The reaction proceeds through a sequence Michael-type nucleophilic attack/cyclization/[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement. In the same way, the reaction between the aforementioned DDs and allyl alcohol furnished 4-allyl-4-hydroxy-3-alkyl-1-aryl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones. A DFT study was also carried out, in order to have decisive clarifications about the mechanism.