Determination of benzyl alcohol and its metabolite in plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A study undertaken following recent reports of deaths in neonatal children associated with the use of benzyl alcohol resulted in the development of a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of benzyl alcohol in plasma using benzocaine as internal standard. Thawed plasma samples were diluted and subjected to solid-phase extraction using Extrelut and eluted with ethyl acetate. The evaporated eluate was reconstituted with mobile phase and chromatographed on a C18 column with water-acetonitrile-glacial acetic acid as mobile phase and detection at 254 nm. Baseline separation was achieved within 12 min for benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, hippuric acid and benzocaine. Peak-height ratios were linear over 80-640 ng of benzyl alcohol injected (r = 0.998) and over 10-80 ng of benzoic acid injected (r = 0.999). Benzaldehyde and hippuric acid were not quantitated because these compounds were not detectable in actual dog plasma. Validation studies by spiking dog plasma with benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid gave overall percent recoveries (+/- relative standard deviation, n = 4) of 98.3 +/- 3.0 and 101.4 +/- 7.6%, respectively. The method was applied to the assay of actual plasma samples. Since benzyl alcohol is very susceptible to oxidation to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, its purity in bulk liquid samples can be determined by this method.     

The reactions of [Fe2(η-Cp)2(CNAr)4] complexes with halogens and tin(II) halides

Summary [Fe₂(-Cp)₂(CNAr)₄] (2) (540-01, C₆H₄Me-2, C₆H₄Et-2, C₆H₃Me₂-2,4, C₆H₃Me₂-2,6, C₆H₃(Me)Et-2,6, C₆H₃Et₂-2,6 or C₆H₃ i-Pr₂-2,6) react with I₂ to give [Fe(-Cp)(CNAr)₂I], but with Br₂[Fe(-Cp) (CNAr)₃]⁺ salts are the only products; IBr gives a mixture of the two. With SnX₂ (X = F, Cl, Br or I) in refluxing n-butanol, (2) gives isolable [{Fe(-Cp)(CNAr)₂}₂SnX₂] only when the CNAr ligands have two ortho substituents, otherwise decomposition occurred. When X = F, [Fe(-Cp) (CNAr)₂SnF₃] was also obtained from this reaction. Attempts to prepare [Fe(-Cp)(CNAr)₂X] (X = Cl or Br) by reaction of (2) with HX in the presence of air gave rather unstable products which with SnX₂ formed [Fe(-C₅H₅)-(CNAr)₂SnX₃]. Similar compounds, [Fe(-Cp) (CNAr)₂ SnX₂I], were obtained from [Fe(-Cp)-(CNAr)₂I] and SnX₂ (X = Cl or Br but not I). All of these complexes are much less stable than their Fe(-Cp)(CO)₂ counterparts; all decompose in solution to [Fe(-Cp)(CNAr)₃]⁺ which then break down to unidentified species. X-ray diffraction studies show that in [Fe(-Cp)(CNC₆H₃-i-Pr₂-2,6)₂I] and [{Fe(-Cp)(CNC₆H₃Me₂-2,6)₂}₂SnBr₂] there is pseudo-octahedral coordination about Fe. In the latter there is also distorted tetrahedral coordination about Sn so that its structure is very similar to that of [{Fe(-Cp)(CO)₂}₂SnCl₂]. Spectroscopic studies show that in all complexes rotation of the aryl rings of the CNAr ligands cannot be slowed in solution, and that there is free rotation about all 540-02 bonds.     

Where does all the helium that we use come from?

Helium occurs naturally in association with geological fluids and is regarded by economists as a mineral commodity. Commercially, helium is obtained as a by-product from natural gas reservoirs that typically have concentrations of up to 1% He by volume (STP). Existing sources of helium within the USA are expected to decline in parallel with declining natural gas production. Huge reserves of helium occur in Algeria, Qatar and Russia, which are likely to dominate production for the next several decades. In this context, political and economic factors that affect hydrocarbon gas production may influence the availability and price of helium.     

Common homoclinic points of commuting toral automorphisms

The points homoclinic to 0 under a hyperbolic toral automorphism form the intersection of the stable and unstable manifolds of 0. This is a subgroup isomorphic to the fundamental group of the torus. Suppose that two hyperbolic toral automorphisms commute so that they determine a ℤ²-action, which we assume is irreducible. We show, by an algebraic investigation of their eigenspaces, that they either have exactly the same homoclinic points or have no homoclinic point in common except 0 itself. We prove the corresponding result for a compact connected abelian group, and compare the two proofs. The second author would like to thank the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society for partial support while this work was done.     

C−H Functionalization of Commodity Polymers

Synthetic manipulation of polymer substrates is one of the oldest and most reliable methods to increase the functional diversity of soft materials. Modifying the chemical structure of polymers that are already produced on a commodity scale leverages the current high‐volume and low‐cost production of commodity plastics for the discovery of modern materials. A myriad of polymer C?H functionalization methods have been developed which enable the modification of material properties on both a laboratory and industrial scale. More recently, driven by advances in C?H activation, photoredox catalysis, and radical chemistry, chemoselective approaches have emerged as a means to impart precise functionality onto commodity polymer substrates. This Review discusses the historical significance of and contemporary advances in the C?H functionalization of commodity polymers. The conceptual approach outlined herein presents exciting new directions for the field, including increasing the value of otherwise pervasive materials, uncovering entirely new material properties, and a viable path to upcycle post‐consumer plastic waste.     

Zur Erzielung hoher Vakua im Exsikkator

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Bioinspired synthesis as a potential green method for the preparation of nanomaterials: Opportunities and challenges

1. Download : Download high-res image (205KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image