The210Pb and137Cs profiles in sediment cores from Bay of Quinte,Lake Ontario

²¹⁰Pb,²²⁶Ra and¹³⁷Cs profiles have been measured for sediment cores from three locations in Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, Canada. Compaction of the sediment with depth of burial is taken into account in calculating recent sedimentation rates and age profiles at these locations from the excess²¹⁰Pb profiles. The rates are 1.803+0.592 cm·y^–1 (0.254±0.083 g·cm^–2·y^–1), 0.101±0.017 cm·y^–1 (0.036+0.006 g·cm^–2·y^–1), and 0.795±0.218 cm·y^–1 (0.076±0.021 g·cm^–2·y^–1). The corresponding fluxes of excess²¹⁰Pb to sediment/water interface are determined to be 1.652, 0.253, and 1.123 pCi·cm^–2·y^–1, respectively. The anomalies observed in the radionuclide concentration profiles are attributed to physical mixing. It is postulated that the significantly higher flux of²¹⁰Pb observed at one of the locations is due to inputs from Trent River which joins the Bay near this location.     

A novel tetracyclic ring system. 10H-tetrazolo[5′,1′:3,4][1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indole

The reaction of 3-hydrazino-1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indole with nitrous acid affords a novel tetracyclic ring system: 10H-tetrazolo[5′,1′:3,4][1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indole. The mode of cyclization has been discussed.     

A mild conversion of phenylpropropnoid into rare phenylbutanoids: (E)-4-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)but-1,3-diene and (E)-4-(2,4,5-trimethozypheny)but-1-ene occuring in Zingiber cassumunar

(E)-4-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)but-1,3-diene (4) and (E)-4-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)but-1-ene (6), bioactive phenylbutanoids of Zingiber cassumunar, were synthesized exclusively with trans geometry. Treatment of methylmagnesium iodide with (E)-2',4',5'-trimethoxycinnamaldehyde (2), an oxidized product of abundantly available toxic (Z)-phenylpropanoid (1) of Acorus calamus, gave (E)-4-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-2-ol (3) which upon dehydration with copper sulphate/silica gel under microwave irradiation for 3 min afforded 4 in 58% yield. Further, catalytic hydrogenation of 4 with 10% Pd/C afforded 4-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)butane (5) which upon dehydrogenation with DDQ/SiO2 afforded hypolipidemic 6 in 54% yield.     

Piperaceae alkaloids: Part IV. Structure and Synthesis of Cyclostachine A,Cyclostachine B and Cyclopiperstachine

Three new alkaloids designated as cyclostachine A (2), cyclostachine B (7) and cyclopiperstachine (10) have been isolated from Piper trichostachyon C. DC. Their structures have been derived on the basis of spectral and degradative studies and confirmed by synthesis. The ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. spectra of these compounds are discussed.     

Detection of fallout155Eu and207Bi in a210Pb-dated lake sediment core

Low-energy -ray spectrometry is used to detect fallout¹⁵⁵Eu and²⁰⁷Bi in a²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment core from McKay Lake, Ottawa, Canada. Unlike²⁰⁷Bi which is detected only in two core sections deposited in the mid 1970's,¹⁵⁵Eu is consistently detectable to mid 1960's. A comparison of corresponding¹³⁷Cs and¹⁵⁵Eu inventories in the sediment core indicates that fallout¹⁵⁵Eu derives primarily from the thermal neutron fission of²³⁵U. The derived flux of unsupported²¹⁰Pb at the sediment/water interface is in agreement with previously estimated flux of atmospheric²¹⁰Pb in the Great Lakes region.     

Studies in spiroheterocycles. Part XVII. synthesis of novel fluorine containing spiro[indole-pyranobenzopyran] and spiro[indenopyran-indole] derivatives

An elegant one-step synthesis of two novel spiro ring systems viz: spiro[3H-indole-3,4′-(2′-amino-3′-carbonitrile-[4′H]-pyrano[3,2-c]benzopyran)]-2,5′(1H)-dione8 and spiro[(2-amino-3-carbonitrile-indeno[1,2-b]pyran)-4(5H)>3′-[3H]indole]-2′,5(1′H)-diones in 80–85% yields is described. The spiro heterocycles were prepared by the reactions of fluorine containing 3-dicyanomethylene-2H-indol-2-ones with 4-hydroxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one and 1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione respectively. The synthesized compounds have been characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, ir, pmr, ¹⁹F nmr and mass spectral data.     

Electrometric end points in the oxidation of thiocyanate by permanganate. Determination of cerium

Summary Oxidation of thiocyanate by standard permanganate using electrometric end points is shown to be quantitative in 1.5–2.5N HCl medium and in the presence of ICl as catalyst. A method of estimating cerium(IV), based upon its reduction to cerium(III) by excess KSCN and potentiometric titration of the excess against KMnO₄, is also described.Sincere thanks of the author are due to Prof. S. S. Joshi for research facilities.     

Volumetric iodate method for the determination of thiocyanate

Direct titration of thiocyanate with standard potassium iodate solution is found to yield accurate results in a final hydrochloric acid concentration regulated between 1.5 and 3N. The end-point is determined either potentiometrically or with carbon tetrachloride indicator.