Microdetermination of oxygen at traces level in organic sulfur compounds

We have described an original method allowing us to determine traces of oxygen in organic compounds such as polymers modified through grafting of functions containing oxygen.The method allows us to obtain oxygen contents included between a few hundred ppm and 7 to 8%. It consists in the pyrolysis of the sample, the reduction of oxygen to carbon monoxide and, finally the detection of the latter in an infrared analyzer.     

β-Cleavage of Bis(homoallylic) Potassium Alkoxides. Two-Step Preparation of Propenyl Ketones from Carboxylic Esters. Synthesis of ar-Turmerone, α-Damascone, β-Damascone,and β-Damascenone

The transformation of 36 bis(homoallylic) alcohols VII to alkenones IX and X via β-cleavage of their potassium alkoxides VIIa in HMPA has been investigated (cf. Scheme 2). These studies have established an order of β-cleavage for 2-propenyl, 1-methyl-2propenyl, 2-methyl-2-propenyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2propenyl, and benzyl groups in alkoxides 49a – 56a and have allowed a comparison between the β-cleavege reaction and the oxy-Cope rearrangement in alkoxides 74a – 83a . As illustrative syntheti applications, a two-step preparatio of propenyl ketones 15 – 42 from carboxylic esters is described, together with syntheses of ar-turmerone ( 48 ), α-damascone ((E)- 71 ), β-damascone ((E)- 109 ), and β-damascenone ((E)- 111 ).     

Influence of bulky N-substituents on the formation of lanthanide triple helical complexes with a ligand derived from bis(benzimidazole)pyridine: structural and thermodynamic evidence

The planar aromatic tridentate ligand 2,6-bis(1-S-neopentylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (L(11)) reacts with Ln(III) (Ln = La-Lu) in acetonitrile to give the successive complexes [Ln(L(11))(n)](3+) (n = 1-3). However, stability constants determined by spectrophotometry and NMR titrations show that formation of the tris complexes is not favored, log K(3) being around 1 for La(III) and Eu(III), while no such species could be evidenced for the smaller Lu(III) ion. The X-ray structures of L(11) (monoclinic, P2(1), a = 13.4850(12) A, b = 12.0243(11) A, c = 16.4239(14) A, beta = 103.747(7) degrees ), [La(ClO(4))(2)(L(11))(2)](3)[La(ClO(4))(2)(H(2)O)(L(11))(2)](ClO(4))(4).15MeCN (1a, monoclinic, P2(1), a = 21.765(4) A, b = 30.769(6) A, c = 21.541(5) A, beta = 116.01(3) degrees ), and [Eu(L(11))(3)](ClO(4))(3).4.28MeCN (5a, monoclinic, P1, a = 14.166(3) A, b = 19.212(4) A, c = 21.099(4) A, alpha = 108.91(3) degrees, beta = 98.22(3) degrees, gamma = 108.40(3) degrees ) have been solved. In 1a, two different types of complex cations are evidenced, both containing 10-coordinate La(III) ions. In the first type, both perchlorate anions are bidentate, while in the second type, one perchlorate is monodentate, the 10th coordination position being occupied by a water molecule. In 5a the three ligands are not equivalent. Ligands A and B are wrapped in a helical way and are mirror images of each other, while ligand C lies almost perpendicular to the two other ones. This stems from the steric hindrance generated by the bulky neopentyl groups with the consecutive loss of any stabilizing interstrand pi-stacking interactions. This explains the low stability of the tris complexes and the difficulty of isolating them and points to the importance of the steric factors in the design of self-assembled triple helical lanthanide-containing functional edifices [Ln(L(i))(3)](3+).     

A theoretical approach of the measurement of osmotic fragility of erythrocytes by optical transmission

The osmotic fragility of the erythrocyte membrane to hypotonic solutions is investigated theoretically. The fragility curves exhibit a strong transmittance rise. This variation is assumed to result from changes in the scattering properties of erythrocytes under dialysis resulting from swelling and hemolysis. The refractive indices of erythrocytes are obtained through the Lorentz-Lorenz relation based on hemoglobin and water contents. The scattering cross sections (needed to calculate the collimated transmittance) and the forward scattered intensity (needed to calculate the incoherent transmittance) are expressed according to the simple algebraic relations of the anomalous diffraction approximation. It is shown that swelling (or shrinking) has no influence on the collimated transmittance. Hemolysis alone causes the abrupt sigmoidal increase of the collimated transmittance with time. The possible transmittance increase (decrease) observed during swelling (shrinking) is due to incoherent transmittance and depends on the detecting solid angle value of the experimental setup.     

β-Cleavage of Bis(homoallylic) Potassium Alkoxides. Preparation of 3-Hydroxypropyl and 4-Hydroxybutyl Propenyl Ketones from γ- and δ-Lactones. Synthesis of (±)-Rose oxide

Starting from γ- and δ-lactones 1 – 3 , a two-step preparation of 3-hydroxypropyl and 4- hydroxybutyl propenyl ketones 10 – 18 is described, involving as the key step the β-cleavage of the bis(homoallylic) potassium alkoxides 4a – 9a . The novel methodology is illustrated by a short synthesis of (±)-rose oxide( 20 ).     

Synthèse et structure cristalline d'un nouvel oxyde mixte FeV2O6H0.5 relation avec la structure type diaspore

Single crystals of a new compound, FeV₂O₆H_0.5, have been obtained by hydrothermal synthesis at 650°C and 2 kbar. An electron microprobe analysis indicated that the chemical formula is FeV₂O₆. This compound has an orthorhombic symmetry, space group P2₁2₁2₁ with Z = 4. The unit cell dimensions are

$\text{a = 4.891}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 9.553}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 8.786}\text{A}\text{?}$

These parameters are related to a′, b′, c′ of the diaspore-type VO₂ by the relations: $\text{a ? a′, b ? b′, c ? 3c′}$. The structure, based on single crystal data, has been determined from Patterson and Fourier syntheses. A structural refinement gave a final R-factor of 2.4%. The new structure can be deduced from that of the diaspore-type VO₂, by displacement of one third of the cations from an octahedral site to an adjacent unoccupied tetrahedral site, which is located in a channel parallel to the c axis. The calculation of the cation and oxygen valences indicated that some O^2? were in fact OH^?. This conjecture was supported by thermogravimetric analysis. The chemical formula was indeed Fe³⁺₂V³⁺V⁴⁺V⁵⁺₂O₁₁(OH). Some intensities of the powder diffraction lines changed strongly when the preparation temperature was reduced from 650°C to 300°C. This was explained by an increase of the hydrogen ratio in the formula FeV₂O₆H_x, which implies a structural change. The different phases FeV₂O₆H_x can be considered as solid solutions between two extreme phases with different structure: one with the present one and the other with a diaspore-type structure.     

Effect of polyion conformation on dye binding. I. Fluorescence of acridine orange in the presence of synthetic polyacids

The interaction between polyelectrolytes and Acridine Orange (AO) has been investigated in the case of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA), and a polycondensate between 1,3-benzene disulfonyl chloride and L -lysine (PLL) by visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The influence of both polymer ionization and polymer/dye ratio (P/D) on the spectral behavior of the bound dye has been studied. The stacking tendency of AO is found lower in the presence of PLL under compact conformation (in an ionization range depending on the nature of the counterion) with correlated enhancement of the green fluorescence of the monomeric species of the bound dye. The disappearance of the green fluorescence and the dimerization of bound AO are directly related to the increased flexibility of polyion chains upon ionization. Some analogy is found between the behavior of bound AO in the presence of very compact PLL chains and that reported for AO in the presence of native DNA, which might be due to specific interactions responsible for a kind of “intercalation” of the monomeric bound dye.     

PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY OF MALIGNANT PRIMARY BRAIN TUMOURS: CLINICAL EFFECTS, POSTOPERATIVE ICP, and LIGHT PENETRATION OF THE BRAIN

Abstract We are reporting our experience with intraoperative PDT in 32 patients with malignant supratentorial gliomas; in 19 cases the tumour was recurrent. There were 20 males and 12 females with an age range of 17-73 (mean = 45) yr. The first 8 patients in this series received HpD (Photofrin I) and the next 24 received DHE (Photofrin II). A photo-illuminating device, of the author's design, was coupled to an argon dye pump laser in order to deliver light at 630 nm to a tumour cavity created by radical tumour resection and/or tumour cyst drainage. The total light energy delivered ranged from 440 to 3888 J and the light energy density ranged from 8 to 68 J cm^?2. There were two post-operative deaths as the consequence of hematoma accumulation in an extensive tumour resection cavity. In two patients neurological function was worse post-operatively and did not recover. Post-operative cerebral edema was pronounced in eight cases and required emergency craniotomy in two patients (the histology from both showed hemorrhagic necrosis of residual tumour). We have fashioned continuous post-operative ICP measurements in the last 15 patients treated with PDT and compared the values to those obtained from cases with malignant gliomas who did not have PDT; the mean ICP was significantly greater in the PDT group. Four patients developed wound infections; two of these required surgical treatment. Four patients, two of whom were hemiparetic, developed deep vein thrombosis and required anticoagulant therapy. There were no adverse systemic reactions to the administration of either photosensitizer and only 3 skin photosensitivity reactions. Follow up has ranged from 1 to 26 months at the time of writing; 38% were still alive; in the interval between PDT and death, the deaths per observation year was 1.11 for the whole group and 1.00 when the two post-operative deaths are excluded. In the interval between first diagnosis and death the rate was 0.45 deaths per observation year. Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumours using surface or cavitary photo-illumination can be carried out with acceptable risk. In eight patients we determined the penetration depth of light in brain tissue in vivo by reading the detected light flux from a fiber passed radially into the brain towards the centre of the irradiation volume. The optical fiber consisted of a single 400 μ.m, cleaved fiber fixed in a 17-gauge biopsy needle coupled to a photometer. The light penetration depth ranged from 0.8 to 4.9. The mean PD values in the‘tumour’group and the‘brain’group was 2.9 ± 1.5 and 1.5 ± 0.43, respectively. We attribute this significant difference to the differences in the absorption and scattering properties of brain and tumour.     

Ionisation Energies and the Electronic Structures of the N-oxides of diazabenzenes

The ionisation energies and the HeI photoelectron spectra of the N-oxides of diazabenzenes are presented. The valence electronic structures of the N-oxides are discussed in view of the ionisation energies, and the profiles, of the bands. The interpreted data are compared to calculations which are in good agreement. The results are correlated to the physicochemical studies, and particularly to the electronic absorption spectroscopy, of the N-oxides. The assignment of the photoelectron spectra of the azabenzenes are considered with reference to the spectra of their N-oxides.     

Investigation of non-covalent interactions between paramagnetic complexes and human serum albumin by electrospray mass spectrometry

Stable gadolinium(III) chelates are nowadays routinely used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their non-covalent binding to human serum albumin (HSA) has shown to improve their efficacy. Non-covalent interactions lead to complex formation that can be quantified by several techniques that are mostly tedious and time-consuming. In this study, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used to investigate the interaction between HSA and several gadolinium(III) complexes. The results were compared with those obtained in the liquid phase. Four gadolinium complexes were investigated: Gd-DTPA 1, Gd-C(4)Me-DTPA 2, Gd-EOB-DTPA 3, and MP-2269 4. Relaxometry studies show that complexes 1 and 2 have no significant affinity for HSA, while complexes 3 and 4 have increasing affinities for the protein. 1:1 and 1:2 complexes between HSA and MP-2269 were detected by ESI-MS for a twofold excess of the contrast agent, whereas a ligand/protein molar ratio of 4:1 was necessary to observe a 1:1 stoichiometry for Gd-EOB-DTPA, an observation that is in good agreement with the known weaker affinity of the contrast agent for the protein. At a fourfold molar excess, no supramolecular complex was observed for Gd-DTPA 1 and Gd-C(4)Me-DTPA 2; a tenfold molar excess was necessary to detect a 1:1 complex, confirming the very weak affinity of these contrast agents for HSA.