Vanadium in Italian waters: monitoring and speciation of V(IV) and V(V)

In this work, a highly sensitive method was developed to separate vanadium (IV) from vanadium (V), which are both contained in water at trace levels. A suitable strong anionic exchange column (SAX) loaded with disodium ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (Na₂EDTA) was used to trap both vanadium species dissolved in 10–100 ml of water at pH 3. The vanadyl ion was selectively eluted by means of 15 ml of an aqueous solution containing Na₂EDTA, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA⁺OH⁻), and isopropanol (ⁱPr-OH) and was subsequently determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy with electrothermal atomization. The concentration of vanadate ion was calculated by subtracting the vanadyl concentration from the total concentration of vanadium. The optimal conditions for a selective elution were evaluated. The recovery of vanadium (IV) was 95% or better. The proposed method provides a simple procedure for the speciation of vanadium in aqueous matrices. The collection of the two forms could easily be carried out at the sampling site. Therefore, the risk of changing the concentration ratio between vanadium species was widely reduced. The detection limits were 1 μg/l for both species, when a 10-ml sample was eluted through the column. The method was applied successfully to vanadium speciation on different kinds of Italian volcanic water: Mount Etna (Sicily), Lake Bracciano and Castelli Romani (Latium).     

Metal-metabolomics of microalga Chlorella sorokiniana growing in selenium- and iodine-enriched media

The microalga Chlorella sorokiniana has been used to accumulate selenium and iodine from culture media enriched with these elements as a first stage in the production of supplemented foods. The microalgal colony was grown in a conventional culture medium containing iodine (KI) at concentrations in the range of 150?C4000 ??g mL^?1. Similar experiments were performed with selenium (SeO ₄ ^2? ) at concentrations in the range of 20?C500 ??g mL^?1. The concentration of iodine and selenium in the culture medium was analytically monitored daily and the viability of the colony was checked by biomass concentration measurement and by evaluation of the total content of chlorophyll and carotenoids. In addition, photosynthetic activity and the number of cells were also monitored. Iodine accumulation in the algal biomass increased rapidly with time and reached a steady state after 4 h of exposure. With Se exposure the colony viability decreased, although the culture grew well with concentrations of the element of 50 ??g mL^?1 in the culture medium; this experiment produced Se-enrichment in the alga (3 ??g g^?1) within 100 h. Sequential extraction of an algal pellet was performed in order to separate Se compounds according to their affinity with the following solvents: hot water to recover low molecular mass Se species, enzymatic extraction with driselase for species associated with the cell wall, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) for water insoluble selenoproteins and, finally, enzymolysis with lipase and pronase that release and fragment residual selenoproteinsproducing compounds with low molecular mass. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with an ICP-MS detector showed the preponderance of Se-containing molecules with low molecular mass, possibly seleno-amino acids. Only a peak of low intensity located at 10 min was observed in the SDS extract that could be associated with a protein with molecular mass of 67 kDa. Finally, analysis of the aqueous extract of alga by reverse-phase chromatography with inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (RPC-ICP-MS) detection revealed the presence of selenocysteine (SeCys₂), selenomethylselenocysteine (SeMetSeCys), selenomethionine (SeMet), and Se(VI), particularly the last two species.     

New tin templates for the synthesis of macrocyclic polythiaether-polythiaester ligands

The preparation of new tin templates, stannathianes 1-3 is described. New templates have been successfully applied to the synthesis of macrocyclic polythialactones 4-9 by cyclization of corresponding stannathianes 1-3 with pimeloyl dichloride.     

New 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium alkaloids (phloeodictynes) from the New Caledonian shallow-water haplosclerid sponge Oceanapia fistulosa. Structural elucidation from mainly LC-tandem-MS-soft-ionization techniques and discovery of antiplasmodial activity

We report here on new 6-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium alkaloids, belonging to the phloeodictyne family, isolated from the haplosclerid sponge Oceanapia[=Phloeodictyon]fistulosa(Bowerbank, 1873) from New Caledonian shallow waters. Online LC-ESI-MS analysis, coupled to tandem fragmentation experiments on the crude alkaloid mixture, allowed us to clarify their flat structures, including structural isomers. At least 25 different components, of which 17 are new members with variable terminus and length chains, were characterised, besides less abundant analogues bearing a thioethylguanidine side chain. Crude mixtures and HPLC enriched fractions proved active against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.6 to 6 microM, while cytotoxicity against human A-549 cell line was low. This makes these alkaloids a good prospect as leads for novel antimalarial agents.     

SNAr reactions of β-substituted porphyrins and the synthesis of meso substituted tetrabenzoporphyrins

Reaction of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin with LiR reagents containing functional groups readily yields meso substituted derivatives suitable for further transformations with residues such as -p-C₆H₅Br, -p-C₆H₅-CCH, -p-C₆H₅-NH₂ or -(CH₂)₃-CHCH₂. Similar reactions of tetrabenzoporphyrin with alkyllithium reagents afforded the first entry into meso mono- and dialkylsubstituted tetrabenzoporphyrins while reaction of bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-type masked isoindole precursors with LiR followed by in situ retro-Diels-Alder reaction also afforded the 5-phenyl and 5,10-diphenyltetrabenzoporphyrins in high purity.     

Binäre Lanthan‐Stannide mit Sn:La‐Verhältnissen nahe 1:1 – Synthesen,Kristallstrukturen, Chemische Bindung

Four binary lanthanum stannides close to the 1:1 ratio of Sn:La were synthesized from mixtures of the elements. The structures of the compounds have been determined by means of single‐crystal X‐ray data. The low temperature (α) form of LaSn (CrB‐type, orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, a = 476.33(6), b = 1191.1(2), c = 440.89(6) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0247), crystallizes with the CrB‐type. The structure exhibits planar tin zigzag chains with a Sn–Sn bond length of 299.1 pm. In contrast to the electron precise Zintl compounds of the alkaline earth elements, additional La–Sn bonding contributions become apparent from the results of band structure calculations. In the somewhat tin‐richer region, the new compound La₃Sn₄ (orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, a = 451.45(4), b = 1190.44(9), c = 1583.8(2) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0674), crystallizing with the Er₃Ge₄ structure type, exhibits Sn₃ segments of the zigzag chains of α‐LaSn together with a further Sn atom in a square planar Sn coordination with increased Sn–Sn bond lengths. In the Lanthanum‐richer region, La₁₁Sn₁₀ (tetragonal, space group I4/mmm, a = 1208.98(5), c = 1816.60(9) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0325) forms the undistorted tetragonal Ho₁₁Ge₁₀ structure type. Its structure, which contains isolated Sn atoms, [Sn₂] dumbbells and planar [Sn₄] rings is related to the high temperature (β) form of LaSn. The structure of β‐LaSn (space group Cmmm, a = 1766.97(6), b = 1768.28(5), c = 1194.32(3) pm, Z = 60, R1 = 0.0453), which forms a singular structure type, can be derived from that of La₁₁Sn₁₀ by the removal of thin slabs. Due to the different stacking of the remaining layers, planar [Sn₄] chain segments and linear [Sn–Sn–Sn] anions are formed as additional structural elements. The chemical bonding (Sn–Sn covalent bonding, Sn–La contributions) is discussed on the basis of the simple Zintl concept and the results of FP‐LAPW calculations (density of states, band structure, valence electron densities and electron localization function).     

Structural Aspects of Copper‐Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization with a Novel Tetradentate Bisguanidine Ligand

This contribution reports the synthesis of the novel tetradentate bisguanidine ligand 2′,2′‐[ethane‐1, 2‐diylbis(methylazanediyl)]bis(ethane‐2, 1‐diyl)bis(1, 1, 3, 3‐tetramethylguanidine) ( L1 , TMG₂dmtrien), which combines two weak amine and two strong guanidine donor functions. Two new copper(II) complexes were isolated and structurally characterized as complexes [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)][Br]₂ · 3MeCN ( C1 [Br]₂ · 3MeCN) and [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)][Cl]₂ · 3MeCN ( C2 [Cl]₂ · 3MeCN). The cations C1 and C2 [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)]²⁺ show a square‐planar coordination environment and are chiral with both enantiomers being observed in the unit cell. We investigated the application of L1 in copper‐mediated styrene ATRP. L1 shows with CuBr and PEBr as initiator a high polymerization activity according to the polymerization rate. First order kinetics confirm the living character of the polymerization. However, the deviation of molecular weights from theoretical molecular weights and the broad molecular weight distributions hint for a low controlled ATRP. The ATRP with further copper(I) salts {CuCl, [Cu(MeCN)₄]BF₄ and [Cu(MeCN)₄]PF₆} and PECl and PEBr as initiators were investigated as well. Herein the use of [Cu(MeCN)₄]PF₆ with PECl led to promising results.     

Synthesis of Chiral Cyclohexenones from α-Campholenic,Fencholenic, and β-Campholenic Derivatives

Summary. Optically active dimethylcyclohexenones, potential building blocks for enantioselective syntheses of various naturally active substances, were prepared. These compounds were obtained by oxidation with KMnO₄/Pb(OAc)₄ or ozonolysis of the corresponding cyclopentenic precursors, followed by aldol condensation. During the course of the preparation intermediate diols and chiral polyfunctional carbonyl derivatives were separated and identified analytically.     

Configuration,Conformation, and Reactivity of Highly Functionalized Eunicellane Diterpenes Isolated from the Gorgonians Eunicella cavolinii and Eunicella singularis from Marseille

Eunicellane diterpenes with a C(7)=C(16) (Δ^7,16; see 17 – 19 ), (Z)‐C(7)=C(8) ((7Z)Δ^7,8; see 20 – 23 ), and (Z)‐C(6)=C(7) ((6Z)Δ^6,7; see 10 ) bond, an uncommon feature in the case of extensive functionalization at the cyclohexane ring and the latter exhibiting uncommon configurations, were isolated from the gorgonian Eunicella cavolinii from Marseille (Figs. 5 and 2). The gorgonian Eunicella singularis (=Eunicella stricta) from the same area gave (7Z)Δ^7,8, Δ^7,16, and (6E)Δ^6,7 analogs 24 , 25 , and 13 , respectively (Fig. 5 and Scheme). The (6E)Δ^6,7 moiety of 13 – characterized by a slow 180° conformational flipping (Fig. 3) that results in broadening of NMR signals – makes the macrocycle highly strained. This may explain the spontaneous conversion of 13 to the 6‐methoxy‐7‐hydroxy derivative 14 in the presence of MeOH at −20° in the dark (Scheme). The isomeric, deacylated analogue 10 showed only little broadening of NMR signals and proved stable, in accordance with the less strained nature of this compound (Fig. 4).     

Quantitative HPLC-MS analysis of nucleotide sugars in plant cells following off-line SPE sample preparation

An analytical workflow was developed for the absolute quantification of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-sugars in plant material in order to compare their metabolism both in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and mutated plants (ugd2,3) possessing genetic alterations within the UDP-glucose dehydrogenase genes involved in UDP-sugar metabolism. UDP-sugars were extracted from fresh plant material by chloroform-methanol-water extraction and further purified by solid-phase extraction with a porous graphitic carbon adsorbent with extraction efficiencies between 80?±?5 % and 90?±?5 %. Quantitative determination of the UDP-sugars was accomplished through HPLC separation with a porous graphitic carbon column (Hypercarb^TM) which was interfaced to electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The problem of instable retention times due to redox processes on the stationary phase were circumvented by grounding of the column effluent and incorporation of a column regeneration procedure using acetonitrile-water containing 0.10 % trifluoroacetic acid. The method was calibrated using external calibration and UDP as internal standard. Calibration functions were approximated by first- or second-order regression analysis for concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude. Upon injecting sample volumes of 2.65 μL, the limits of detection for the UDP-sugars were in the 70 nmol L^?1 range. Six different UDP-sugars, including UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, UDP-arabinose, UDP-xylose, UDP-glucuronic acid, and UDP-galacturonic acid were found in concentrations of 0.4 to 38 μg/g plant material. Data evaluation by analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed statistically significant differences in UDP-sugar concentrations between wild-type and mutant plants, which were found to conclusively mirror the impaired metabolic pathways in the mutant plants.