Improved method for the determination of kynurenic acid in rat plasma by column-switching HPLC with post-column fluorescence detection

Kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous antagonist of ionotropic glutamate and α7 nicotinic receptors, was fluorometrically determined by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The HPLC system consists of two octadecyl silica (ODS) columns, both of which are connected with an anion-exchange column (trapping column). Following sample injection onto the HPLC column, KYNA was separated on the first ODS column with a mobile phase of H₂O/acetonitrile (95/5) containing 0.1% acetic acid. The peak fraction of KYNA was trapped on the anion-exchange column by changing the position of a six-port valve and then introduced into the second ODS column. Subsequently, KYNA was detected fluorometrically as a fluorescence complex formed with zinc ion which was pumped constantly. Instrumental limit of detection was approximately 0.16 nM, which corresponded to 8.0 fmol (per 50 μl injection, signal to noise ratio 3), and the limit of quantification was 0.53 nM (signal to noise ratio 10). Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were 1.1-3.9% (n = 3) and 3.0-5.3% (n = 3), respectively. The peak of KYNA in rat plasma was clearly detected by the proposed column-switching HPLC system after a facile pretreatment procedure. Intra- and inter-day relative mean errors were −1.6-1.4% (n = 3) and −2.4 to −0.4% (n = 3), respectively, with a satisfactory precision (within 5.0%). A calibration curve for the determination of KYNA showed a good linearity (r² > 0.999) in the range of 25-200 nM. The KYNA concentrations in the plasma of male Sprague-Dawley rats (8-week-old) were 44 ± 5.5 nM (mean ± S.E., n = 5). In ketamine-treated rats, which are animal models of schizophrenia, the plasma KYNA concentrations were significantly increased compared with those in the control rats (p < 0.05).     

Second harmonic generation by periodic laminar structure of nonlinear optical crystal

The phase-matched second harmonic generation by periodic structures composed of laminae of nonlinear optical crystals has been studied experimentally. It is shown that the intensity of the second harmonic is approximately proportional to the square of the number of laminae under phase-matched condition, which is satisfied over a broad frequency range by the variation of the angle of incidence when a laminar structure with a period much larger than the coherence length is used.     

Direct Transformation of Molecular Dinitrogen into Ammonia Catalyzed by Cobalt Dinitrogen Complexes Bearing Anionic PNP Pincer Ligands

The direct formation of ammonia from molecular dinitrogen under mild reaction conditions was achieved by using new cobalt dinitrogen complexes bearing an anionic PNP‐type pincer ligand. Up to 15.9 equivalents of ammonia were produced based on the amount of catalyst together with 1.0 equivalent of hydrazine (17.9 equiv of fixed nitrogen atoms).     

Synthesis and Aromaticity of Benzene-Fused Doubly N-Confused Porphyrins

A bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene(BCOD)-fused bis(dipyrromethane) derivative was reacted with methylal in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid followed by oxidation with chloranil to give a doubly N-confused phlorin derivative, which did not undergo the retro-Diels–Alder reaction extruding an ethylene molecule on heating. In contrast, a 7-tert-butoxybicyclo[2.2.1]heptadiene(7-BuOBCHD)-fused bis(dipyrromethane) yielded benzene-ring-fused doubly N-confused porphyrins by following similar reaction sequences.     

Color change (yellow \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\rightleftharpoons$\end{document} orange) of 4,6,7-tri(alkoxy-substituted aryl)-1,2,5-thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridines in the solid phase

Reversible color change of 4,6,7-tri(alkoxy-substituted phenyl)-1,2,5-thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridines 5 in the solid state was observed: on grinding, yellow crystals of 5 became an orange amorphous solid which, on heating or washing with an appropriate solvent, gave the original yellow crystals.     

Deactivation of external acid sites of H-mordenite by silica-modification in the isopropylation of biphenyl

Although extensive isomerization of 4,4'-diisopropylbiphenyl (4,4'-DIPB) occurred at 300^oC over H-mordenite, high selectivity for 4,4'-DIPB among DIPB isomers was observed over silica-modified H-mordenite. This is due to the prevention of the isomerization of 4,4'-DIPB by the deactivation of external acid sites. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Michael addition of N-isobutylidene-t-butylamine to dimethyl methoxymethylenemalonate and a new synthesis of some fused pyrazole derivatives from the adduct

N-Isobutylidenemethylamine reacted with dimethyl methoxymethylenemalonate to afford the N-alkylation product 3a exclusively. Exchanging the N-substituent of the Schiff's base from methyl to t-butyl altered the course of the reaction, allowing Michael addition to take place predominantly. The Michael adduct 4c on reaction with hydrazinoalkanols 6a,b, 6c,d and 6e gave tetrahydropyrazolo[5,1-b]oxazoles 9a,b , tetrahydro-pyrazolo[5,1-b][1,3]oxazines 9c,d and hexahydropyrazolo[5,1-b][1,3]oxazepine 9e , respectively.     

A convenient synthesis of olefins via deacylation reaction

A convenient and environmentally-friendly synthetic method of olefins via deacylation reaction is described. The reaction gives olefins by condensation of aldehydes with a variety of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate at room temperature in high yields (70-90%) in one step. The synthetic potential of this strategy can be used as an alternative procedure to the Wittig, Wittig-Horner reactions. The stereochemistry of the resulted olefins was determined by NOE experiment with correct radio frequency and X-ray analysis. The E/Z selectivity of the deacylation reaction depends on the α-substituents of the 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds.