Study of the reaction of polyester resins with magnesium oxide

The reaction of polyester resin and magnesium oxide, which is the basis of the thickening process of sheet-molding compound technology, has been characterized in a systematic study. The effect of reactant equivalency ratios, temperature, and added water on viscosity development have been determined. Excess amounts of magnesium oxide are necessary for thickening. Water increases the initial rate of thickening but reduces the overall level attained. A new thickening mechanism is proposed on the basis of a model study with polyester resin and sodium hydroxide.     

The synthesis of polymethylquinolines and 1,10-phenanthrolines

Several polymethyl-1,10-phenanthrolines were synthesized by the use of 3-methyl-3-penten-2-one in Skraup reactions. The behavior of this ketone as well as that of 4-hydroxy-2-pentanone and 4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-bulanone with various substituted anilines was studied.     

Reaction mechanisms in peptide synthesis. Part 2. Tautomerism of the peptide bond

Summary We had concluded in previous work that ring opening of a 2-alkyl-5(4H)-oxazolone by water or ammonia leads to transient high-energy imidol intermediates which instantly tautomerize to the native amides. Using the MOPAC molecular orbital program, detailed geometric and energetic characteristics of the tautomerism of a peptide bond have been determined on the AM1 level. The results demonstrate that tautomerism of a peptide bond comprises a three-stage process involving three successive transition states and a bimolecular mechanism: (i) EZ peptide bond isomerization followed by dimerization, (ii) concerted double-hydrogen exchange leading to an -hydroxyimine (imidic acid) followed by splitting of the dimer, and (iii) ZE N-methylimine inversion. While pathway (iiiiii) is predicted as a feasible route terminating in the formation of a peptide bond, the inverse route (iiiiii) is excluded as a possible initial step in the generation of a 5(4H)-oxazolone intermediate.     

ortho-Lithiation of S-tert-butyl-S-phenylsulfoximines. New route to enantiopure sulfinamides via a de-tert-butylation reaction

The sulfoximine group proved to be an excellent ortho-directing group in lithiation reactions. Several electrophiles were used to afford the corresponding ortho-functionalized aryl sulfoximines in good yields. The use of prochiral electrophiles lead to modest to good diastereoselectivities up to 95%. During this study, we observed a side reaction due to a S-de-tert-butylation. After optimization of this S-de-tert-butylation reaction, the corresponding enantiopure sulfinamides could be obtained in good yields.     

Synthesis of perfragilin A, B and some analogues

Synthesis of the cytotoxic isoquinoline quinone perfragilin A, an improved synthesis of perfragilin B and preparation of some analogues of both these compounds are described. Cytotoxicity evaluation of a number of the products is reported. The regioselectivity in Diels-Alder reactions of differently substituted benzoquinones with 2-aza-1,3-bis(t-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadiene is described.     

Production of antibodies and development of highly sensitive formats of enzyme immunoassay for saxitoxin analysis

In this paper the production of antibodies against saxitoxin (STX) is described, as is the optimization and comparison of two competitive ELISA formats (direct and indirect) for the detection of this toxin. Tests were performed in a 96-well microplate using the toxin-specific polyclonal antibodies produced in our laboratory, obtained from rabbits immunized with saxitoxin-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (STX-KLH). In indirect ELISA format saxitoxin, conjugated to bovine serum albumin (STX-BSA) was coated onto the microtitre plate and incubated with standard toxin and anti-STX antibody. A goat anti-rabbit IgG Peroxidase conjugate was used to enable detection. In the direct ELISA format, STX standard, STX conjugate to horseradish peroxidase (STX-HRP), and enzyme substrate/chromogen solution were sequentially added to the microplate after antibody coating.Results showed the saxitoxin detection limit to be 3 and 10 pg mL(-1) for direct and indirect ELISA formats, respectively.The suitability of the assay for quantification of saxitoxin in mussels was also studied. Samples were spiked with saxitoxin before and after sample treatment to study the extraction efficiency and matrix effect, respectively. After treatment, samples were analysed at 1:1000 v/v dilution in PBS to minimize the matrix effect and to detect the regulatory limit of 40-80 micro g saxitoxin per 100 g mussels as stipulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficiency of extraction of saxitoxin was from 72 to 102%. These data were confirmed by liquid chromatography coupled with fluorimetric detection, the technique currently used for quantitative determination of toxins in seafood.     

Oxazolidine ring opening and isomerization to (E)-imines. Asymmetric synthesis of aryl-alpha-fluoroalkyl amino alcohols

[reaction: see text] A base-induced ring opening/imine isomerization/diastereoselective organometallic addition sequence on 4-substituted 2-perfluoroalkyl-1,3-oxazolidines has been developed for the asymmetric synthesis of aryl alpha-perfluoroalkylamine derivatives. This practical method provides chiral amino alcohols in 60-95% yield with uniformely high diastereoselectivities ranging from 35:1 to >100:1.     

Anion-enhanced excited state charge separation in a spiro-locked N-heterocycle-fused push-pull zinc porphyrin

A new type of push–pull charge transfer complex, viz., a spiro-locked N-heterocycle-fused zinc porphyrin, ZnP-SQ, is shown to undergo excited state charge separation, which is enhanced by axial F⁻ binding to the Zn center. In this push–pull design, the spiro-quinone group acts as a ‘lock’ promoting charge transfer interactions by constraining mutual coplanarity of the meso-phenol-substituted electron-rich Zn(ii) porphyrin and an electron deficient N-heterocycle, as revealed by electrochemical and computational studies. Spectroelectrochemical studies have been used to identify the spectra of charge separated states, and charge separation upon photoexcitation of ZnP has been unequivocally established by using transient absorption spectroscopic techniques covering wide spatial and temporal regions. Further, global target analysis of the transient data using GloTarAn software is used to obtain the lifetimes of different photochemical events and reveal that fluoride anion complexation stabilizes the charge separated state to an appreciable extent.

A new type of push–pull charge transfer complex, viz., a spiro-locked N-heterocycle-fused zinc porphyrin, ZnP-SQ, is shown to undergo excited state charge separation, which is enhanced by axial F⁻ binding to the Zn center.     

Capacitive Sensing of Amino Acids Using Caliraxene‐Coated Silicon Transducers

The possibility of using capacitance and flat band voltage as measurable quantities for determining amino acids that are neither electroactive nor with strong UV‐vis absorption has been explored. The sensors were fabricated by immobilizing calixarene derivatives on Si/SiO₂/Si₃N₄ transducers. The measurements were made in sulfuric acid media of ca. pH 1 and in physiological buffer of pH 7.4. The different calixarene derivatives showed varying sensitivities to the amino acids ranging from 8 to 137 mV/decade.     

Negative chemical ionization mass spectra of polycyclic chlorinated insecticides

Negative ion mass spectra obtained under chemical ionization conditions (NCI) employing methane, isobutane or methylene chloride as the enhancement gas are presented for a series of chlorinated polycyclic insecticides. All of the compounds examined except 1-hydroxychlordene yielded molecular anions of substantial relative abundance (6 to 39%). The most significant features of the spectra are the prominent peaks at masses greater than that of the molecule ion formed via ionmolecule association reactions. Peaks representing association of the parent molecule with ionic species such as H?, O?, OH?, Cl?, H₂OCl?, HCl₂?, ClO? and Cl₃? were observed in some cases. The base peak in all spectra was associated with the isotopic group of the [M + Cl]? on if contributions from other negative, even electron ions of low mass values present in high concentrations (Cl?, H₂OCl? Cl₂? and HCl₂?) are neglected. Fragmentation processes were limited to elimination reactions involving loss of combinations of the even electron neutral species H, Cl and HCl. In addition, fragmentation resulting from a nucleophilic radical displacement of Cl by O? from the parent molecule was observed in all cases except 1-hydroxychlordene when the source was modestly wet (methane as reactant gas). NCI mass spectra of polycyclic chlorinated pesticides are reproducible, intense, interpretable in terms of classical carbanion chemistry and thus may have important analytical utility, particularly when used in conjunction with positive electron-impact and chemical ionization mass spectral methods and selective use of different enhancement gases.