New halogenated furanones from the marine alga delisea pulchra (cf. fimbriata)

An investigation of the natural products chemistry of the red alga Delisea pulchra, collected from the Cape Banks, New South Wales, Australia, yielded eight new polyhalogenated furanones (1–7) and the previously reported metabolites 8–24). The structures of 1–8 were determined from the interpretation of their 1D and 2D NMR, UV, IR and mass spectral data. For the first time, complete ¹H and ¹³C NMR data for compounds 14, 18, and 20-23 are reported.     

Background airborne radioactivity in an equatorial Brazilian town

The aim of this work was to determine the background airbome radioactivity in the town of Natal, Brazil. Indoor radon concentrations were measured inside 24 buildings using solid state nuclear track detectors which were exposed for a period of about 180 days. The average indoor radon level resulted to be 15.4±10.6 Bq·m^–3. Measurements of gross - and -activities were performed at six different sites for airbome particulate samples collected over cellulose nitrate filters. Mean values of 0.15±0.06 mBq·m^–3 and 0.42±0.10 mBq·m^–3 were obtained for the gross -and gross -activity, respectively.     

Heterocyclic N-glycosyl derivatives. XIV. Preparation of some N-(2,3-dideoxyglycopyranosyl)benzotriazoles by hydrogenation of N-(pent- and hex-2-enopyranosyl)benzotriazoles

Catalytic hydrogenation of a series of N-(pent- and hex-2-enopyranosyl)benzotriazoles afforded the corresponding saturated N-glycosyl derivatives having the same anomeric configuration as the starting compounds. The conformations of all compounds obtained were determined by nmr spectroscopy. The hexopyranosyl nucleosides in solution adopt the Cl conformation. On the other hand, pentopyranosyl nucleosides exist as a mixture of the two chair conformers in equilibrium, with the IC or CI ( L ) form predominating.     

Liquid-Phase Selective Oxidation of Propane on Silica-Supported Nafion Catalysts

The liquid-phase partial oxidation of propane in the presence of the Fen+/H2O2 Fenton system at 70℃ and 1.4 atm on silica supported Nafion catalysts has been investigated. The reaction proceeds via a radical reaction path the efficiency of which is improved by silica-supported Nafion catalysts. Because of the direct relationship between reaction rate and concentration of sulphonic acid sites of Nafion catalysts, it is inferred that the active phase enahnces the kinetics of propane conversion by promoting the rate of active radicals generation.     

Bioanalysis of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine

(E)-5-(2-Bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine is an antiviral drug that is experimentally used for modulation of the antitumour effect of fluoropyrimidines, such as ftorafur and 5-fluorouracil. The isolation of the analyte, in the presence of 5-fluorouracil, from the matrix is performed either by means of a simple protein precipitation (plasma) or by means of a liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate (urine). Following pretreatment, the analyte is analysed by reversed-phase chromatography and quantified by absorbance detection at 307 nm. The minimum detectable concentration in plasma and urine samples is ca. 6 ng/ml. The recovery after deproteination of plasma samples is 75%, while after liquid-liquid extraction of urine the recovery amounts 92%. The degree of protein binding of the analyte, measured by ultrafiltration, is found to be 97%. These data allow the bioanalysis of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine for pharmacokinetic studies.     

Ferrocene incorporating host-guest dyads with electrochemically controlled three-pole hydrogen bonding properties

We describe the electrochemically controlled hydrogen bonding interactions between the isobutyl flavin/2,6-diferrocenylamidopyridine (2·5) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone/1-ferrocenyl-3-hexylurea (4·6) dyads. Cyclic and square wave voltammetry studies have shown that the binding efficiencies between these moieties can be electrochemically actuated in non-polar (CH₂Cl₂ for 2·5) or polar (DMF for 4·6) organic solvents between three distinct states.     

Determination of trace levels of mercury in water samples based on room temperature phosphorescence energy transfer

A novel method has been developed for the sensitive determination of mercury in aqueous media by room temperature phosphorescence (RTP). The measurement principle is based on the energy transfer (ET) from a phosphor molecule (acting as a donor) to a Hg-sensitive dye (acceptor). To our acknowledgment this is the first RTP method for mercury measurement developed so far. α-Bromonaphthalene (BrN) was selected as the phosphorescent donor molecule (BrN can produce significant RTP emission in aqueous media in a β-cyclodextrin rigid microenvironment without deoxygenation).The absorption spectrum of the complex formed between mercury and the dithizone dye possesses a desirable spectral overlap with the RTP emission spectrum of the donor (BrN), giving rise to a nonradiative ET from the phosphor molecules to the mercury complex. An increase in the concentration of Hg(II) causes an increase on the concentration of the dithizone complex (acceptor) with the subsequent increase of the absorbance and, therefore, resulting in a decrease of the RTP emission. Both, RTP intensities and triplet lifetimes of the BrN decreased with increases on the Hg(II) concentration.Possible interferences present in natural waters, including different cations and anions, which could affect the analytical response, were evaluated and the analytical performance characteristics investigated. The use of phosphorescence measurements (low background noise signals) resulted in an improvement on the sensitivity of the Hg(II) detection higher than five times as compared to the molecular absorption spectrophotometric method for Hg(II) detection based on dithizone as Hg-indicator. A detection limit (D.L.) of 14 ng ml⁻¹ of Hg(II) was obtained by RTP with a precision of ±4.8% for five replicates of 300 ng ml⁻¹ of Hg(II). The usefulness of the method was successfully evaluated by the determination of Hg(II) in spiked natural water samples.     

Phase transitions in the tantalum-hydrogen system observed by PAC

The perturbation felt by¹⁸¹Hf probes in a¹⁸¹HfTa lattice loaded with 30 at% hydrogen was observed by PAC as a function of temperature. Three different interactions were identified: 1) Ν_Q1=433 (6) MHz, η=0.45 2) Ν_Q2=142 (9) MHz, η=0.9, and 3) Ν_Q?0, σ=4–14 Μ^?1 which are attributed to the Β^?, ε^? and α-phase in TaH system, respectively.     

Analysis of anthracycline antitumour drugs in tissues and body fluids using liquid chromatography

Anthracyclines, with doxorubicin as the major representative, are amongst the most important chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer therapy. In order to reduce the severe side effects associated with their use, and to increase therapeutic efficacy, analogue development still continues, and analytical requirements change concomitantly. The available methods for bioanalysis of anthracyclines are summarized, with emphasis on high-performance liquid chromatography. Attention is paid to sample pretreatment, the possibilities of liquid—liquid and solid-phase extraction, and the chromatographic behaviour of the anthracyclines.