Noncommutative baby Skyrmions

We subject the baby Skyrme model to a Moyal deformation, for unitary or Grassmannian target spaces and without a potential term. In the Abelian case, the radial BPS configurations of the ordinary noncommutative sigma model also solve the baby Skyrme equation of motion. This gives a class of exact analytic noncommutative baby Skyrmions, which have a singular commutative limit but are stable against scaling due to the noncommutativity. We compute their energies, investigate their stability and determine the asymptotic two-Skyrmion interaction.     

Matrices for capillary gel electrophoresis--a brief overview of uncommon gels

This article gives an overview of uncommon replaceable matrices (gels) for capillary gel electrophoresis. This electrophoretic technique is useful mainly for the separation and analysis of biopolymers-nucleic acids and their fragments, and proteins/peptides. Commonly used gels are not reviewed. Those mentioned and discussed here are gels containing saccharides, newly developed acrylamide-based gels and thermoadjustable viscosity polymers, namely triblock copolymers and grafted polyacrylamide.     

Rapid analysis of caffeine in various coffee samples employing direct analysis in real-time ionization–high-resolution mass spectrometry

The development and use of a fast method employing a direct analysis in real time (DART) ion source coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) for the quantitative analysis of caffeine in various coffee samples has been demonstrated in this study. A simple sample extraction procedure employing hot water was followed by direct, high-throughput (<1 min per run) examination of the extracts spread on a glass rod under optimized conditions of ambient mass spectrometry, without any prior chromatographic separation. For quantification of caffeine using DART-TOFMS, an external calibration was used. Isotopically labeled caffeine was used to compensate for the variations of the ion intensities of caffeine signal. Recoveries of the DART-TOFMS method were 97% for instant coffee at the spiking levels of 20 and 60 mg/g, respectively, while for roasted ground coffee, the obtained values were 106% and 107% at the spiking levels of 10 and 30 mg/g, respectively. The repeatability of the whole analytical procedure (expressed as relative standard deviation, RSD, %) was <5% for all tested spiking levels and matrices. Since the linearity range of the method was relatively narrow (two orders of magnitude), an optimization of sample dilution prior the DART-TOFMS measurement to avoid saturation of the detector was needed.     

Novel approaches to analysis of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol esters in vegetable oils

A sensitive and accurate method utilizing ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (U-HPLC) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry based on orbitrap technology (orbitrapMS) for the analysis of nine 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) diesters in vegetable oils was developed. To remove the interfering triacylglycerols that induce strong matrix effects, a clean-up step on silica gel column was used. The quantitative analysis was performed with the use of deuterium-labeled internal standards. The lowest calibration levels estimated for the respective analytes ranged from 2 to 5 μg kg⁻¹. Good recovery values (89–120%) and repeatability (RSD 5–9%) was obtained at spiking levels of 2 and 10 mg kg⁻¹. As an alternative, a novel ambient desorption ionization technique, direct analysis in real time (DART), hyphenated with orbitrapMS, was employed for no separation, high-throughput, semi-quantitative screening of 3-MCPD diesters in samples obtained by chromatographic fractionation. Additionally, the levels of 3-MCPD diesters measured in real-life vegetable oil samples (palm oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil) using both methods are reported. Relatively good agreement of the data generated by U-HPLC-orbitrapMS and DART-orbitrapMS were observed. With regard to a low ionization yield achieved for 3-MCPD monoesters, the methods presented in this paper were not yet applicable for the analysis of these contaminants at the naturally occurring levels.     

Orbital-resolved partial charge transfer from the methoxy groups of substituted pyrenes in complexes with tetracyanoquinodimethane--a NEXAFS study

It is demonstrated that the near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) provides a powerful local probe of functional groups in novel charge transfer (CT) compounds and their electronic properties. Microcrystals of tetra-/hexamethoxypyrene as donors with the strong acceptor tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TMP/HMP-TCNQ) were grown by vapor diffusion. The oxygen and nitrogen K-edge spectra are spectroscopic fingerprints of the functional groups in the donor and acceptor moieties, respectively. The orbital selectivity of the NEXAFS pre-edge resonances allows us to precisely elucidate the participation of specific orbitals in the charge transfer process. Upon complex formation, the intensities of several resonances change substantially and a new resonance occurs in the oxygen K-edge spectrum. This gives evidence of a corresponding change of hybridization of specific orbitals in the functional groups of the donor (those derived from the frontier orbitals 2e and 6a(1) of the isolated methoxy group) and acceptor (orbitals b(3g), a(u), b(1g), and b(2u), all located at the cyano group) with π*-orbitals of the ring systems. Along with this intensity effect, the resonance positions associated with the oxygen K-edge (donor) and nitrogen K-edge (acceptor) shift to higher and lower photon energies in the complex, respectively. A calculation based on density functional theory qualitatively explains the experimental results. NEXAFS measurements shine light on the action of the functional groups and elucidate charge transfer on a submolecular level.     

Substitution at C-4 in 3,5-disubstituted 4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ones

3,5-Diaryl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ones react with NaBH₄ to give the 3,5-diaryl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ols and with MeLi to give 4-methyl-3,5-diaryl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ols. The latter dehydrate with p-toluenesulfonic acid to give (3,5-diarylthiadiazin-4-ylidene)methanes. (3,5-Diphenyl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ylidene)methane 15 suffers mono bromination with NBS to give bromo(3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ylidene)methane 17. Dichloro- and dibromo(3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ylidene)methanes 18 and 19 are formed directly from the 3,5-diphenylthiadiazin-4-one 9 via the Appel reaction using Ph₃P and CCl₄ or CBr₄, respectively. 3,5-Diarylthiadiazin-4-ones treated with P₂S₅ give 3,5-diarylthiadiazine-4-thiones that react with tetracyanoethylene oxide to give the (thiadiazin-4-ylidene)malononitriles. Finally, the 3,5-diphenylthiadiazine-4-thione 20 reacts with ethyl diazoacetate to give ethyl 2-(3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ylidene)acetate 26. The above reactions show that a variety of substitutions at C-4 of 3,5-diaryl substituted 1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-ones can be achieved, which extends the potential applications of this heterocycle. All compounds are fully characterized and a brief comparison of their spectroscopic properties is given.     

A simple method for the preparation of 5-alkylsulfinyl-1-aryltetrazoles

A simple method is suggested for the preparation of 5-alkylsulfinyl-1-aryltetrazoles via oxidation of 5-alkylsulfanyltetrazoles with 34% peracetic acid in high yields under mild conditions.