Validated LC–MS/MS method for quantification of agomelatine in human plasma and its application in a pharmacokinetic study

An analytical method based on liquid–liquid extraction has been developed and validated for analysis of agomelatine in human plasma. Fluoxetine was used as an internal standard for agomelatine. A Betasil C18 (4.0 × 100 mm, 5 µm) column provided chromatographic separation of analytes followed by detection with mass spectrometry. The method involves simple isocratic chromatographic conditions and mass spectrometric detection in the positive ionization mode using an API‐4000 system. The proposed method has been validated with linear range of 0.050–8.000 ng/ml for agomelatine. The intra‐run and inter‐run precision values are within 12.12% and 9.01%, respectively, for agomelatine at the lower limit of quantification level. The overall recovery for agomelatine and fluoxetine was 67.10% and 72.96%, respectively. This validated method was used successfully for analysis of plasma samples from a pharmacokinetic study. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unfairly forgotten member of the iodocarborane family: synthesis and structural characterization of 8-iodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane, its precursors, and derivatives

8-Iodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (7) was prepared in three steps starting from decaborane-14 with 20% overall yield. In the presence of nucleophiles, compound 7 undergoes selective removal of the boron vertex in the position para to the iodine substituent to form the anionic nido-carborane 1-iodo-7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate. Capping of the corresponding dicarbollide dianion with BI(3) led to formation of the new carborane, 3,10-diiodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (15). The same dicarbollide dianion reacts with cobalt and nickel acetylacetonates in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran to form the corresponding bis(dicarbollide) complexes with excellent yields. All compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR and high-resolution mass spectroscopy. Structures of 2-iododecaborane (2), 8-iodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (7), 1-ethoxycarbonyl-8-iodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (10), cesium 1-iodo-7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate (13), 3,10-diiodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (15), and cesium 3,3'-commo-(10-iodo-1,2-dicarba-3-cobalta-closo-dodecaborane)-(10'-iodo-1',2'-dicarba-3'-cobalta-closo-dodecaborane) (16) were established by X-ray analysis of single crystals.     

Forty years of the Staebler–Wronski effect

This article describes highlights of investigations of the Staebler–Wronski effect (SWE), observed in hydrogenated amorphous silicon since its discovery. Some of the basic characteristics of SWE are discussed along with some solved and unsolved puzzles. Particular emphasis is given to a recent model based on long-range potential fluctuations caused by heterogeneities present in the films. Evidence is reviewed for the presence of several kinds of dangling-bond defects produced by light exposure (hv?>?1.3?eV) at different temperatures between 4.2 and 360?K. With exposure at lower temperature the defects become less stable, but they possess larger recombination cross-sections. Voids in the material have been identified as the location for light-induced defects most harmful to the efficiency of solar cells. Ways to eliminate them are discussed. We suggest that progress in this field was delayed by lack of sample sharing among laboratories.     

Regioselective,intramolecular oxyselenation as a route to the tetrahydrofuran units of boromycin and aplasmomycin

A substance possessing the functionality and absolute configuration of the C(1′)-C(17′) half of boromycin has bean synthesized, employing an intra-molecular oxyselenation for construction of the tetrahydrofuran moiety from an olefinic diol.     

Spin state and exchange in the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet KFeS2

We report the optical spectra and single crystal magnetic susceptibility of the one-dimensional antiferromagnet KFeS₂. Measurements have been carried out to ascertain the spin state of Fe³⁺ and the nature of the magnetic interactions in this compound. The optical spectra and magnetic susceptibility could be consistently interpreted using aS=1/2 spin ground state for the Fe³⁺ ion. The features in the optical spectra have been assigned to transitions within thed-electron manifold of the Fe³⁺ ion, and analysed in the strong field limit of the ligand field theory. The high temperature isotropic magnetic susceptibility is typical of a low-dimensional system and exhibits a broad maximum at ∼565K. The susceptibility shows a well defined transition to a three dimensionally ordered antiferromagnetic state atT _N=250 K. The intra and interchain exchange constants,J andJ′, have been evaluated from the experimental susceptibilities using the relationship between these quantities, andχ _max,T _max, andT _N for a spin 1/2 one-dimensional chain. The values areJ=−440.71 K, andJ′=53.94 K. Using these values ofJ andJ′, the susceptibility of a spin 1/2 Heisenberg chain was calculated. A non-interacting spin wave model was used belowT _N. The susceptibility in the paramagnetic region was calculated from the theoretical curves for an infiniteS=1/2 chain. The calculated susceptibility compares well with the experimental data of KFeS₂. Further support for a one-dimensional spin 1/2 model comes from the fact that the calculated perpendicular susceptibility at 0K (2.75×10⁻⁴ emu/mol) evaluated considering the zero point reduction in magnetization from spin wave theory is close to the projected value (2.7×10⁻⁴ emu/mol) obtained from the experimental data.     

Heterogeneous Pd catalysts and microwave irradiation in heck arylation

Pd metal dispersed on supports like γ-Al₂O₃, C, MgO and CaCO₃ is an efficient and recyclable catalyst in Heck arylation of several olefins. This reaction is also effective in microwave environment. IPCL Communication No. 294     

Room temperature LPG resistive sensor based on the use of a few-layer graphene/SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanocomposite

A nanocomposite consisting of a few layers of graphene (FLG) and tin dioxide (SnO₂) was prepared by ultrasound-assisted synthesis. The uniform SnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) on the FLG were characterized by X-ray diffraction in terms of lattice and phase structure. The functional groups present in the composite were analyzed by FTIR. Electron microscopy (HR-TEM and FE-SEM) was used to study the morphology. The effect of the fraction of FLG present in the nanocomposite was investigated. Sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility towards resistive sensing of liquid propane gas (LPG) was characterized by the I-V method. The sensor with 1% of FLG on SnO₂ operated at a typical voltage of 1 V performs best in giving a rapid and sensitive response even at 27 °C. This proves that the operating temperature of such sensors can be drastically decreased which is in contrast to conventional metal oxide LPG sensors.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract Schematic of a room temperature gas sensor for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is based on the use of a few-layered graphene (1 wt%)/SnO₂ nanocomposite that was deposited on an interdigitated electrode (IDEs). A sensing mechanism for LPG detection has been established.

     

Synthesis of selectively deuterated fulvenes and indenes from enediynes

A facile enediyne--> fulvene--> indene transformation provides a route to all possible isotopomers of substituted fulvenes and indenes.     

Bimetallic complexes of a potentially pentadentate,acyclic, symmetrical compartmental Schiff base ligand that provides suitable topology for an exogenous bridge

The binucleating ligand LH₃, 2,6-diformyl-p-cresol-bis(phenylthioacetyldrazone), a Schiff base condensation product of 2,6-diformyl-p-cresol and phenylthioacetyldrazide forms complexes of the [M₂ClL] type with Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II ions, which were characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, electronic spectra, molar conductance, i.r., n.m.r., e.p.r., t.g. and FAB mass spectral measurements. Sub-normal magnetic moments indicate the operation of antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal centres. The ligand and its copper complex show a pronounced fungistatic activity.     

Topological investigations of binary and ternary mixtures: excess isentropic compressibilities

The speed of sound, U_ij 1,3-dioxolane (D) in binary mixtures (ij) with benzene, cyclohexane, n-hexane or n-heptane and U_ijk for 1,3-dioxolane in ternary mixtures (ijk) with the same hydrocarbons have been measured as a function of composition at 298.15 K. The observed data have been utilised to evaluate excess isentropic compressibility of binary, (κ_s^E)_ij and ternary (κ_s^E)_ijk mixtures using density and speed of sound values of the binary and ternary mixtures. The Moelyn-Huggins concept of interaction between the molecular surfaces of the components of a binary mixture [Polymer 12 (1971) 389] has been extended to evaluate excess isentropic compressibility of the studied binary and ternary mixtures. It has been observed that κ_s^E values predicted by a graph-theoretical approach using connectivities of third degree for binary mixtures compare reasonably well with their corresponding experimental values and κ_s^E for ternary mixtures are of the same sign and order of magnitude.