Model complexes for metallated polythiophenes: gold(I) and palladium(II) complexes of bis(diphenylphosphino)oligothiophenes

The preparations of two new phosphinothiophene ligands, 3,3'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,2'-bithiophene (dppbt; 1) and 3,3' "-dihexyl-3',3' '-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,5':2',2' ':5' ',2' "-quaterthiophene (hdppqt; 2) are reported. Oxidation of 1 gives 3,3'-bis(diphenylphosphine oxide)-2,2'-bithiophene (3), and the crystal structure of this compound was determined. Pd(II) and Au(I) complexes of these ligands have been synthesized and characterized. Crystal structures of [(dppbt)PdCl(2)] (1-Pd), [(hdppqt)PdCl(2)] (2-Pd), [(dppbt)(AuCl)(2)] (1-Au), and [(hdppqt)(AuCl)(2)] (2-Au) were obtained. [(dppbt)(AuCl)(2)] crystallized in two solid-state forms; crystals grown from CH(2)Cl(2)/Et(2)O show a gold-gold interaction of 3.3221(4) A, but from CH(2)Cl(2)/toluene, the molecule crystallizes as a toluene adduct (1-Au-tol) and does not show any gold-gold interaction. All the complexes were characterized via UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, and the effect of the metal on the energy of the pi-pi transition and oxidation potential was determined. These data are correlated to the interannular torsion angles in the oligothienyl groups from the crystal structure studies.     

Quantitation of SR 27417 in human plasma using electrospray liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: A study of ion suppression

The effect of coeluting matrix compounds on the quantitation of SR 27417 in human plasma using electrospray liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has been examined. During the method development stage of this assay, plasma samples spiked with the analyte at 100 pg/mL were extracted using three different procedures: a hexane liquid-liquid extraction, an ethyl acetate back-extraction, and a solid phase extraction. Ion intensity of the analyte was found to be related inversely to the percent ionization of coeluting matrix components as evidenced by full scan spectra. The ethyl acetate back-extraction, which contained the fewest coeluting components, resulted in the highest ion intensity for the analyte. An assay comparison was done by using the liquid-liquid hexane and the ethyl acetate back-extractions for sample preparation. Replicate 1-mL samples (n=5) at 11 concentrations from 5 to 2000 pg/mL were extracted and analyzed. The results for the ethyl acetate back-extracted samples were acceptable from 2000 to 5 pg/mL with accuracy ranging from ?11.6 to 2.61% of the nominal concentrations. In contrast, the hexane liquid-liquid method had poor accuracy and precision below 20 pg/mL. The difference is explained by suppression of analyte ion intensity. These results are consistent with the current theory of electrospray ionization.     

Detection of genetically modified corn (Bt176) in spiked cow blood samples by polymerase chain reaction and immunoassay methods

The fate of DNA and protein transgenic sequences in products derived from animals fed transgenic crops has recently raised public interest. Sensitive molecular tests targeting the Bt176 genetic construct and the transgenic Cry1Ab protein were developed to determine whether plant sequences, especially transgenic sequences, are present in animal products. A protocol for total DNA extraction and purification from cow whole blood samples was first drawn up and assessed by spiking with known amounts of DNA from Bt176 maize. The limit of detection for transgenic sequences (35S promoter and Bt176-specific junction sequence) was determined by both the polymerase chain reaction-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA) and the 5'-nuclease PCR assay. Four additional PCR systems were built to substantiate the results. The first detects a mono-copy maize-specific sequence (ADH promoter). Two others target multi-copy sequences from plant nucleus (26S rRNA gene) and chloroplast (psaB gene). The last one, used as a positive control, targets a mono-copy animal sequence (alpha(s1)-casein gene). Both methods detected a minimum spiking at 25 copies of Bt176 maize/mL in 10 mL whole blood samples. The sandwich ELISA kit used detected down to 1 ng transgenic Cry1Ab protein/mL spiked whole blood.     

The use of nonpolar matrices for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric analysis of high boiling crude oil fractions

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) with nonpolar matrices has been investigated for its applicability to the characterization of atmospheric resid crude oil fractions. The data obtained by use of nonpolar matrices was compared with that from polar matrices as well as from direct LDI-MS and field ionization mass spectrometry. Nonpolar matrices, such as anthracene or 9-cyanoanthracene, yield only a single radical molecular cation upon LDI. Thus, no interfering matrix-related ions are present during the MALDI-TOFMS analysis of the crude oil sample. Nonpolar matrices yield molecular mass distributions from linear mode MALDI-TOFMS that are comparable to distributions found with LDI-MS. An advantage of nonpolar matrices is the increased production of analyte ions, which allows reflectron mode MALDI-TOFMS to be performed. Nonpolar matrices are also shown to be less sensitive to solvent and sample preparation conditions than conventional polar matrices. These results suggest that nonpolar matrices may be favorable alternatives to more traditional polar or acidic matrices commonly used in the MALDI mass spectral characterization of crude oil related samples.     

Enantioseparations of polyhalogenated 4,4’-bipyridines on polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases and molecular dynamics simulations of selector–selectand interactions

2’-(4-Pyridyl)- and 2’-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-TCIBPs (TCIBP = 3,3’,5,5’-tetrachloro-2-iodo-4,4’-bipyridyl) are chiral compounds that showed interesting inhibition activity against transthyretin fibrillation in vitro. We became interested in their enantioseparation since we noticed that the M-stereoisomer is more effective than the P-enantiomer. Based thereon, we recently reported the enantioseparation of 2’-substituted TCIBP derivatives with amylose-based chiral columns. Following this study, herein we describe the comparative enantioseparation of both 2’-(4-pyridyl)- and 2’-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-TCIBPs on four cellulose phenylcarbamate-based chiral columns aiming to explore the effect of the polymer backbone, as well as the nature and position of substituents on the side groups on the enantioseparability of these compounds. In the frame of this project, the impact of subtle variations of analyte and polysaccharide structures, and mobile phase (MP) polarity on retention and selectivity was evaluated. The effect of temperature on retention and selectivity was also considered, and overall thermodynamic parameters associated with the analyte adsorption onto the CSP surface were derived from van ’t Hoff plots. Interesting cases of enantiomer elution order (EEO) reversal were observed. In particular, the EEO was shown to be dependent on polysaccharide backbone, the elution sequence of the two analytes being P-M and M-P on cellulose and amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), respectively. In this regard, a theoretical investigation based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was performed by using amylose and cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) nonamers as virtual models of the polysaccharide-based selectors. This exploration at the molecular level shed light on the origin of the enantiodiscrimination processes.     

Synthesis and applications of C2-symmetric guanidine bases

The preparation of the tetracyclic C₂-symmetric guanidinium salts 5 and 11-13 is reported together with their application to enantioselective transformations.     

Investigation of methods suitable for the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric analysis of proteins from ribonucleoprotein complexes

A variety of protein isolation and purification techniques for ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes were investigated for their compatibility with downstream analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Ribosomal proteins from Escherichia coli 70S ribosomes were obtained using methods such as phenol extraction and precipitation by organic solvents or acids. Under optimal conditions, more than 90% of the expected ribosomal proteins were detected in a single MALDI-MS experiment. The most effective approach combined ribosome denaturation by buffer exchange with acid precipitation of the ribosomal ribonucleic acids. An improved acid precipitation approach, involving the sequential additions of acetic and trifluoroacetic acid, yielded more complete protein coverage while minimizing loss of ion signal from lower molecular weight proteins. With phenol extraction, substantial gains in ion abundance of higher molecular weight proteins are noted, although some of the lower molecular weight proteins were not efficiently extracted. These results illustrate several effective approaches for protein isolation from protein complexes such as RNPs that are MALDI-MS compatible, and these approaches should extend the use of MALDI-MS for proteomics-based analyses of other protein-nucleic acid complexes.     

Electrochemical templating of metal nanoparticles and nanowires on single-walled carbon nanotube networks

The use of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) networks as templates for the electrodeposition of metal (Ag and Pt) nanostructures is described. Pristine SWNTs, grown on insulating SiO2 surfaces using catalyzed chemical vapor deposition, served as the working electrode. In the simplest case, electrical contact was made by depositing a gold strip on the SWNT substrate (device 1). Deposition of Ag and Pt over extensive periods (30 s) resulted in a high density of particles on the SWNTs, with almost contiguous nanowire formation from the Au/SWNT boundary moving to isolated nanoparticles at further distances from the contact. For direct electrochemical studies of Ag and Pt nucleation, the assembly was coated in a resist layer and a small window opened up to expose only the electrically connected SWNTs to solution (device 2). In this case, the electrochemical signature in voltammetric and amperometric studies of metal deposition was due solely to processes at the SWNTs. Coupled with high-resolution microscopy measurements (atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy), this approach provided detail on the nucleation and growth mechanisms of Ag and Pt on SWNTs under electrochemical control. In particular, Ag growth was found to be rapid and progressive with an increasing nanoparticle density with time, whereas Pt deposition was characterized by lower nucleation densities and slower growth rates with a tendency for larger particles to be produced over long times.     

Probing the electronic structures of ternary perovskite and pyrochlore oxides containing Sn(4+) or Sb(5+)

Experimental and computational studies were performed to understand the electronic structure of ternary perovskites (ASnO(3), A = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd), pyrochlores (RE(2)Sn(2)O(7), RE = Y, La, Lu; Cd(2)Sb(2)O(7)), and defect pyrochlore oxides (Ag(2)Sb(2)O(6)) containing the main group ions Sn(4+) and Sb(5+). In all compounds, the lowest energy states in the conduction band arise primarily from the antibonding Sn/Sb 5s-O 2p interaction. In the alkaline-earth stannate perovskites (BaSnO(3), SrSnO(3), and CaSnO(3)) the conduction bandwidth decreases strongly in response to the octahedral tilting distortion triggered by the decreasing size of the alkaline-earth cation. This in turn leads to a corresponding increase in the band gap from 3.1 eV in BaSnO(3) to 4.4 eV in CaSnO(3). The band gap of CdSnO(3) is relatively small (3.0 eV) considering the large octahedral tilting distortion. The origin of this apparent anomaly is the mixing between the empty Cd 5s orbitals and the antibonding Sn 5s-O 2p states. This mixing leads to a widening of the conduction band and a corresponding decrease in the band gap. The participation of the normally inert A-site cation in the electronic structure near the Fermi level can be considered an inductive effect, as it utilizes substitution on the A-site to directly modify the electronic structure of the SnO(3)(2)(-) framework. While the pyrochlore structure is more complicated, the energy level and width of the lowest energy conduction band can be analyzed in a manner similar to that utilized on the perovskite structure. The Sn-O-Sn and Sb-O-Sb bonds are highly distorted from linear geometry in pyrochlore, leading to a relatively narrow conduction band and a wide band gap. In Cd(2)Sb(2)O(7) and Ag(2)Sb(2)O(6) the Cd(2+) and Ag(+) ions exhibit a strong inductive effect that widens the conduction band and lowers the band gap significantly, very similar to the effect observed in the perovskite form of CdSnO(3).