Lead tetraacetate-iodine oxidation of 23-spirostanols

Reactions of 23R- and 23S-23-spirostanols in the 25R and 25S series with lead tetraacetate-iodine were studied. The reactions carried out at low temperature afforded d-seco-iododialdehydes and C₂₂ lactones, while similar reactions performed in refluxing tetrachloromethane yielded 20-chlorolactones and their 21-acetoxy derivatives irrespective of the hydroxyl group configuration at C-23. The reaction mechanisms are discussed.     

Two new standard reference materials for the determination of drugs of abuse in human hair

Two new standard reference materials (SRM) for drugs of abuse in human hair have been developed. SRM 2379 consists of hair spiked with cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene, phencyclidine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. SRM 2380 consists of hair spiked with codeine, morphine, monoacetylmorphine, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The SRMs were prepared by soaking the hair in a solution of the target analytes in water-dimethylsulfoxide. The concentration of each analyte was determined using two methods, one based upon gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and one based upon liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Both methods used 0.1 M HCl for extraction of all the analytes from the hair, except for THC, which was extracted with 1 M NaOH. For isolation of the analytes from the extracts, the GC/MS-based methods used different clean-up procedures from those used for the LC/MS-based methods. The results from the two methods were in good agreement with mean differences for the analytes ranging from 4% to 16%. These materials will enable laboratories performing analyses of hair for drugs of abuse to test the accuracy of their methods.     

Evaluation of the redox properties and anti/pro-oxidant effects of selected flavonoids by means of a DNA-based electrochemical biosensor

Quercetin and rutin as well as catechin and epigallocatechin gallate were investigated, as widely distributed representatives of flavonols and flavanols, respectively, regarding their anti/pro-oxidant properties. The flavonoids are irreversibly oxidized at a dsDNA-modified screen-printed electrode within 0.368 to 0.449 V vs. SHE without binding to DNA. Using the DNA biosensor the detection scheme of a DNA prevention/degradation exploits the [Co(phen)(3)](3+) complex as an electrochemical DNA marker. Antioxidant activity of flavonoids was tested in a model cleavage mixture composed of 5 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) as the catalyst, 1 x 10(-3) mol L(-1) ascorbic acid as the chemical reductant and atmospheric oxygen as the natural oxidant where reactive oxygen radicals are generated. The antioxidant activity increases with the concentration of flavonoids reaching a maximum where pro-oxidative behaviour becomes of importance. The pro-oxidant potency of flavonoids depends on the presence of atmospheric oxygen and follows the order quercetin>rutin>epigallocatechin gallate>catechin.     

On the Importance of H-Bonding Interactions in Organic Ammonium Tetrathiotungstates

Four new organic ammonium tetrathiotungstates (N–Me–enH₂)[WS₄] (1), (N,N′-dm-1,3-pnH₂)[WS₄] (2), (1,4-bnH₂)[WS₄] (3), and (mipaH)₂[WS₄] (4), (N–Me–enH₂ = N-methylethylenediammonium, N,N′-dm-1,3-pnH₂ = N,N′-dimethyl-1,3-propanediammonium, 1,4-bnH₂ = 1,4-butanediammonium, and mipaH = monoisopropylammonium) were synthesized by the base promoted cation exchange reaction and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, Raman, UV-Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopy as well as single crystal X-ray crystallography. The structures of 1–4 consist of [WS₄]²⁻ tetrahedra which are linked to the organic ammonium cations via N–H⋯S hydrogen bonding. The strength and number of the S⋯H interactions affect the W–S bond lengths as evidenced by distinct short and long W–S bonds. The IR spectra exhibit splitting of the W–S vibrations, which can be attributed to the distortion of the [WS₄]²⁻ tetrahedron. From a comparative study of several known tetrathiotungstates it is observed that a difference of more than 0.033 ? between the longest and shortest W–S bonds in a tetrathiotungstate will result in the splitting of the asymmetric stretching vibration of the W–S bond.     

Determination of methylmercury fluxes across the air–water and air–soil interfaces by gas chromatography with electron capture detection

A method for the determination of methylmercury (MeHg) fluxes across the air–water and air–soil interfaces was developed using an in situ chamber. The MeHg in the air coming out of the chamber was captured by a column containing sulfhydryl cotton fiber adsorbent. MeHg was then desorbed from the column by using 2 mol L^–1 HCl. The MeHg in the effluent was extracted with benzene, and determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Finally, the MeHg flux was calculated using the chamber. The method was applied to simulated experiments, and the results showed that the MeHg fluxes in the air–water system were higher than those in the air–soil–water system. The method was also successfully applied to the field measurements of an environment polluted by a chemical factory, and the results showed that the MeHg fluxes across the air–soil and air–water interfaces were 0.21–3.09 and 0.14–0.79 ng m^–2 h^–1, respectively. The method will be a useful tool in the environmental study of MeHg.     

LC-mass spectrometry analysis of N- and C-terminal boundary sequences of polypeptide fragments by limited proteolysis

Limited proteolysis is an important and widely used method for analyzing the tertiary structure and determining the domain boundaries of proteins. Here we describe a novel method for determining the N- and C-terminal boundary amino acid sequences of products derived from limited proteolysis using semi-specific and/or non-specific enzymes, with mass spectrometry as the only analytical tool. The core of this method is founded on the recognition that cleavage of proteins with non-specific proteases is not random, but patterned. Based on this recognition, we have the ability to determine the sequence of each proteolytic fragment by extracting a common association between data sets containing multiple potential sequences derived from two or more different mass spectral molecular weight measurements. Proteolytic product sequences derived from specific and non-specific enzymes can be accurately determined without resorting to the conventional time-consuming and laborious methods of SDS-PAGE and N-terminal sequencing analysis. Because of the sensitivity of mass spectrometry, multiple transient proteolysis intermediates can also be identified and analyzed by this method, which allows the ability to monitor the progression of proteolysis and thereby gain insight into protein structures.     

Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders by two-dimensional electrophoresis: identification of disease-associated polypeptides as fibrin fragments

Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples--from 347 patients with various psychiatric and neurological disorders--and subsequent silver staining revealed two additional polypeptides (Mr 40,000) in 49% of 111 schizophrenics, 46% of 43 schizoaffective patients, 36% of 41 patients with affective disorders, 43% of 28 patients with multiple sclerosis, but not in 25 patients without neurological symptomatology, nor in 9 patients with Lues, and in only 2 of 25 patients with AIDS. The two polypeptides, as detected by 2-DE, eluted after size exclusion chromatography in fractions containing proteins with Mr greater than 200,000. After 2-DE of CSF samples, enriched by gel chromatography, the polypeptides were immobilized by blotting onto glass-fiber membranes and subjected to N-terminal sequencing. Polypeptide A was identified as beta-chain remnant (beta 2), derived from plasmin cleavage of fibrin(ogen). After size exclusion chromatography, 2-DE, and Western blotting, polypeptide A and B, as well as several other spots, reacted with fibrinogen antibodies, suggesting that the polypeptides are subunits of a fibrin degradation complex.     

FORTY YEARS OF BLUE-LIGHT RESEARCH AND NO ANNIVERSARY

The status of near- UV/blue-light research is described and critically assessed. It is argued that the generally accepted proposition of flavins acting as near- UV/blue-light photoreceptors is reasonable, but that also other pigments, specifically pteridines and pterins, should be considered. In view of the fact that a receptor assay, applicable to any organism and near-UV/blue-light reaction, is not yet at hand, caution appears to be indicated as to what one can accept as a reasonable “criterion” for the involvement of any proposed photoreceptor pigment.     

Comparative study of C(2) epimerization of d-glucose and d-mannose catalyzed by water soluble organometallic complexes with nitrogen ligands

Epimerization of d-glucose and d-mannose, catalyzed by the water soluble complexes of Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Cd(II) with bisnitrogen ligands 4–7, and by Mo(VI) complexes prepared in situ from ammonium heptamolybdate (AHM) with ligands 4–9 is compared. All examined complexes exhibit lower catalytic activity than AHM: strong coordination of the ligands by both (N,O) heteroatoms to metal ions, presumably affords catalytically less active species. Some free ligands and their metal (II) complexes catalyze both C(2) epimerization and isomerization of aldoses to d-fructose.     

Nickel-Catalyzed Preparations of Functionalized Organozincs

The reaction of primary alkyl bromides or chlorides with diethylzinc in the presence of Ni(acac)(2) (5 mol %) furnishes the corresponding alkylzinc halides (X = Br, Cl) via a halogen-zinc exchange reaction. The treatment of terminal alkenes with diethylzinc (neat, 25-60 degrees C) in the presence of Ni(acac)(2) as a catalyst (1-5 mol %) and 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) affords the corresponding dialkylzincs via a hydrozincation reaction. Whereas the conversion for simple alkenes bearing a remote functionality reaches 40 to 63%, the hydrozincation of allylic, homoallylic alcohols and allylic amines proceeds very efficiently (85-95% conversion). All the zinc organometallics obtained react with various electrophiles (allylic halides, enones, acid chlorides, alkynyl halides, ethyl propiolate) after transmetalation with CuCN.2LiCl. In the presence of the chiral catalyst 12, the dialkylzincs prepared add to aldehydes with high enantioselectivity.