Simple Analysis of Amphetamines in Human Whole Blood and Urine by Headspace Capillary Gas Chromatography with Large Volume Injection

Summary A very simple method for the analysis of methamphetamine and amphetamine in human whole blood and urine by headspace gas chromatography (GC) has been presented. It neither needs solid-phase microextraction nor cryogenic trapping devices, but only a conventional capillary GC instrument with flame ionization detection (FID). The two special points to be mentioned in this method are the in-matrix derivatization of amphetamines for vaporization and the capability of injection of as large as 5 mL of the headspace vapor into a GC instrument in the splitless mode for sensitive detection. After heating a whole blood or urine sample containing amphetamines, -methylbenzylamine (internal standard, IS) and heptafluoro-n-butyryl chloride under alkaline conditions in a 7.0-mL vial at 90 °C for 20 min, 5 mL of the headspace vapor was drawn with a glass syringe and injected into the gas chromatograph. During injection the column was at 40 °C to trap the analytes, and then the oven temperature was programmed up to 320 °C. Sharp peaks were obtained for each analyte and IS, and only a relatively small number of background impurity peaks for the whole blood and urine samples. The detection limits for each amphetamine were estimated to be 0.1 g mL^–1 for whole blood and 0.03 g mL^–1 for urine. Precision and linearity were also tested to confirm the reliability. Methamphetamine and amphetamine could be determined from whole blood and urine obtained at autopsy in three methamphetamine poisoning cases. The identity of each peak appearing in the gas chromatograms was confirmed by GC/mass spectrometry.     

Extraction-spectrophotometric determination of trace iron (II) in sea water with 2-[2-(3,5-dibromopyridyl)azo]-5-diethylaminobenzoic acid

An extraction-spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of traces of iron(II) with 2-[2-(3,5-dibromopyridyl)azo]-5-diethyl-aminobenzoic acid. The reagent forms a stable and blue 12 iron/reagent complex that can be extracted into chloroform. The apparent molar absorptivity of the iron(II) complex is 1.09 × 10⁵ 1 mol^–1 cm^–1 at 624 nm in chloroform. The reagent is relatively selective; interferences from cobalt, copper, nickel and vanadium can be removed by using dimethylglyoxime and EDTA. The method is applied to the determination of iron (II) in sea water and aluminium alloys with good precision and accuracy.     

Temperature effects on radiation induced phenomena in polytetrafluoroetylene (PTFE)-Change of G-value

Temperature dependencies on the radiation induced phenomena and G-value of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) have been studied in a temperature range 77–653 K. It is well known that main chain scission occurs very effectively below the melting temperature of PTFE (600 K). We have found in our experiments that G-value of chain scission increases significantly with increasing irradiation temperature, until 600 K. In addition to that, we have realized that crosslinking occurs by irradiation in the molten state at 613 K (Tabata, 1992; Oshima et al., 1995; Tabata et al., 1996). In the molten state, G-value of crosslinking was found to be 0.35 (number of crosslinking/100 eV absorption), as a lower limit, and the apparent G-value of chain scission is drastically reduced. Above 633 K, radiation induced crosslinking mainly occurs, however parallel thermal depolymerization or decomposition takes place to some extent.     

A novel photochemical cycloaddition of 2-alkoxy-3-cyanopyridines to 2-cyanofuran

Irradiation of a benzene solution of 2-alkoxy-3-cyanopyridines in the presence of 2-cyanofuran gave 4+4 photoadducts in good yields, and the structure was established by X-ray single crystal analysis.     

Radiation-induced oxidation of polyethylene,ethylene–butene copolymer,and ethylene–propylene copolymer

Oxygen consumption and yield of oxidation products during γ-irradiation were studied on five types of polyethylene (PE), ethylene–butene copolymer (EB), and ethylene–propylene copolymer (EPR) using gas chromatography, mass spectrography, and high-resolution NMR. Samples were irradiated in oxygen under pressure from 0 to 500 torr by ⁶⁰Co γ-rays up to 20 Mrad at 22–25°C. In enough oxygen, oxygen consumption and yield of oxidation products are independent of oxygen pressure for low-density PE, EB, and EPR. The G values of oxygen consumption were 14–18.4 for PE, 11.6 for EB at 1 × 10⁶ rad/h, and 8.3 for EPR at 2 × 10⁵ rad/h. The oxidation products determined were carboxylic acid (? CH₂? CO? OH), H₂O, CO₂, and CO. The oxygen consumption and oxidation products for PE were found to increase with increasing crystallinity.     

Isolation and structures of antibacterial binaphtho-alpha-pyrones, talaroderxines A and B, from Talaromyces derxii.

New compounds designated talaroderxines A (1) and B (2) were isolated from a new heterothallic ascomycetous fungus, Talaromyces derxii, cultivated on rice. The structures of 1a and 1b were elucidated by means of spectroscopic examination and chemical reactions. Talaroderxines A (1a) and B (1b) are atropisomers of a 6,6'-binaphtho-alpha-pyrone derivative, and have strong antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis.     

Cyclization/acylation reactions by nickel-catalyzed reactions of 1,6-ynal and 1,6-enyne derivatives with acylzirconocene chloride

NiCl₂(PPh₃)₂-catalyzed reactions of 1,6-ynal or 1,6-enyne compounds with n-nonanoylzirconocene chloride afforded stereoselectively cyclopentane derivatives or bicyclo[3.1.0] compounds by catalytic cyclization/acylation reactions, which would involve (i) the primary formation of a metallacycle followed by (ii) the transfer of an acyl group from the acylzirconocene complex (transmetalation).