SPE–HPLC–MS/MS method for the trace analysis of tobacco‐specific N‐nitrosamines and 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanol in rabbit plasma using tetraazacalix[2]arene[2]triazine‐modified silica as a sorbent

Tobacco‐specific N‐nitrosamines (TSNAs), including N′‐nitrosonornicotine, 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanone, N′‐nitrosoanatabine, and N′‐nitrosoanabasine, have been implicated as a source of carcinogenicity in tobacco and cigarette smoke. We present a rapid and effective method comprising SPE based on tetraazacalix[2]arene[2]triazine‐modified silica as sorbent and analysis with HPLC–MS/MS for the determination of TSNAs and 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanol (NNAL), a metabolite of 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanone, in rabbit plasma. The linear dynamic ranges were 10–2000 pg/mL for NNAL and 4–2000 pg/mL for the four TSNAs with good correlation coefficients (>0.9965). The LODs were in the range of 0.9–3.7 pg/mL, and the LOQs were between 2.9 and 12.3 pg/mL. The accuracies of the method were also evaluated and found to be in the range of 90.1–113.3%. This method is promising to be applied to the preconcentration and determination of TSNAs and NNAL in smoke and human body fluids.     

Liquid crystalline behaviour of hydrazide derivatives containing alkoxyazobenzene

Two series of dissymmetric hydrazide derivatives containing alkoxyazobenzene with nitro terminal group and octyloxy terminal group, N-4-alkoxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-nitrophenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (Bn-NO₂, n indicates the number of carbon atoms) and N-4-octyloxyphenyl-N′-4-((4-octyloxyphenyl)azophenyl) benzohydrazide (B8-B8), were designed and synthesised, and their liquid crystalline properties were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, polarised optical microscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. It was found that B8-B8 with octyloxy terminal chains displayed monolayer smectic C phase, whereas Bn-NO₂ with nitro terminal group displayed SmA_d phase, and intermolecular hydrogen bonding was confirmed as the driving force. In addition, the effect of hydrogen bonding, dipole–dipole interactions and steric hindrance effect on the liquid crystalline structures were also discussed.     

Butterfly‐Shaped Pentanuclear Dysprosium Single‐Molecule Magnets

Two new “butterfly‐shaped” pentanuclear dysprosium(III) clusters, [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(opch)₆(H₂O)₃] ? 3 MeOH ? 9 H₂O ( 1 ) and [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(Hopch)₂(opch)₄(MeOH)(H₂O)₂] ? (ClO₄)₂ ? 6 MeOH ? 4 H₂O ( 2 ), which were based on the heterodonor‐chelating ligand o‐vanillin pyrazine acylhydrazone (H₂opch), have been successfully synthesized by applying different reaction conditions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the butterfly‐shaped cores in both compounds were comparable. However, their magnetic properties were drastically different. Indeed, compound 1 showed dual slow‐relaxation processes with a transition between them that corresponded to energy gaps (Δ) of 8.1 and 37.9 K and pre‐exponential factors (τ₀) of 1.7×10^?5 and 9.7×10^?8 s for the low‐ and high‐temperature domains, respectively, whilst only a single relaxation process was noted for compound 2 (Δ=197 K, τ₀=3.2×10^?9 s). These significant disparities are most likely due to the versatile coordination of the H₂opch ligands with particular keto–enol tautomerism, which alters the strength of the local crystal field and, hence, the nature or direction of the easy axes of anisotropic dysprosium ions.     

The BIOREMA project—part 3: International interlaboratory comparison for bio-ethanol test methods

The main objective of the reference materials for biofuel specifications (BIOREMA) project is the development of two test materials (one bio-ethanol material and one biodiesel material) with well-established reference values. Of a series of three papers, this part describes the material preparation, homogeneity study, stability study, and characterisation of the bio-ethanol material. The test material thus obtained was used in an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) to assess current practices and comparability amongst laboratories providing bio-ethanol testing services. Only 13 participants provided data, resulting in a small dataset for evaluation. Further, it appeared that for a number of laboratories, there was not sufficient material for the determination of all requested parameters. In most cases, as far as the data permit, it can be concluded that the consensus values (based on participant’s results) are in good agreement with the reference or the BIOREMA values (obtained by NMIs participating in the project). For three parameters, namely ethanol content, water content, and density, there is good agreement between the reference and consensus values. For these parameters, the reproducibility standard deviation is close to, or even smaller than, the expanded uncertainty associated with the reference value. A number of parameters show very poor reproducibility, for example, pH_e, electrolytic conductivity, and acidity. The same applies to sodium and copper content, which are very low and therefore challenging parameters to measure accurately. The results of the ILC underpin the need for certified reference materials and demonstrate the requirement for more robust quality control to improve the precision and trueness of the results from testing laboratories.     

水分子对α相CL-20热分解机理影响的分子动力学研究

研究六硝基六氮杂异伍兹烷(CL-20)晶体不同晶型在不同温度下的反应机理, 对于深入认识含能材料在极端条件下的冲击起爆、冲击点火和爆轰过程等具有重要意义. 基于反应力场, 研究水分子在纯α相CL-20及其水合物的晶体结构中数量随时间的变换, 分析水分子对两种体系的初始分解和第二阶段的分解路径的影响. 计算结果表明: CL-20 分子的初始分解路径与水分子无关, 第二阶段的分解反应与水分子有关. 在低温(T<1500 K)下, 水分子对两种体系没有影响, 二者的初始分解路径均为N-NO₂键生成NO₂自由基; 在1500 K≤T≤2500 K时, 水分子作为反应物或与NO₂、、OH自由基等组成催化体系, 生成O₂、H₂O₂等产物, 加速水合物体系在高温下的第二阶段反应, 使得高温下水合物体系的化学反应速率和反应生成的NO₂自由基的数量比纯CL-20体系的化学反应速率和反应生成的NO₂自由基的数量大; 在T>2500 K时, 水分子的催化反应抑制CL-20初始分解反应, 使得在3000 K时纯CL-20体系的反应速率大于水合物体系中CL-20的反应速率.     

Synthesis of 1,4-diarylsubstituted 1,3-diynes through ligand-free copper-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylative homocoupling of aryl propiolic acids

An efficient method of ligand-free Cu-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylative homocoupling of aryl propiolic acids was developed. When CuI was employed as the catalyst and I₂ as the oxidant, the decarboxylative homocoupling reaction for C_sp–C_sp bond formation in DMSO underwent smoothly to afford the corresponding 1,4-disubstituted 1,3-dialkynes in good to excellent yields without any organic ligands. This catalytic system was applicable to aryl propiolic acids bearing different steric, electronic, and functional groups.     

An efficient synthesis of 3-(N-piperidinemethyl)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxy-3-pyrroline,a promising radioprotector for cancer radiotherapy

Nitroxides can ameliorate the toxic effects of radiation during cancer therapy. Nitroxides are paramagnetic and can be used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) to monitor in vivo oxidative stress status. Compound 5 (3-(N-piperidinemethyl)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxy-3-pyrroline) was found to be the most effective nitroxide radioprotector. An efficient synthesis for this promising radioprotector was developed.