Singlet exciton trapping and heterofission in tetracene doped anthracene crystals

In tetracene doped anthracene, the magnetic field modulation of prompt tetracene fluorescence following excitation into the anthracene singlet manifold has been measured as a function of the magnetic field orientation and optical excitation energy. The results show that this modulation with low energy excitation is caused by singlet heterofission into one anthracene triplet exciton and one tetracene triplet. With higher excitation energies this modulation is due to both the singlet heterofission and also singlet homofission into a pair of anthracene triplet excitons. Heterofission occurs mainly from anthracene molecules next to a tetracene and competes with the singlet trapping. From the singlet trapping rate and from the magnetic modulation of tetracene prompt fluorescence the heterofission rate is estimated as ≈10^?11s^?1.     

Determination and characterization of a transition structure for water–formaldehyde addition

Quantum mechanical calculations of the geometric, energetic, electronic, and vibrational features of a transition structure for gas-phase water–formaldehyde addition (FW1?) are described, and a new transition-structure search algorithm is presented. Basis-set-dependent effects are assessed by comparisons of computed properties obtained from self-consistent field (SCF) molecular orbital (MO) calculations with STO-3G, 4-31G, and 6-31G^** basis sets in the absence of electron correlation. The results obtained suggest that STO-3G-level calculations may be sufficiently reliable for the prediction of the transition structure of FW1? and for the transition structures of related carbonyl addition reactions. Moreover, the calculated activation energy for formation of FW1? from water and formaldehyde (?44 kcal mol^?1) is very similar in all three basis sets. However, the energy of formaldehyde hydration predicted by STO-3G (? ?45 kcal mol^?1) is about three times larger than that predicted by the other two basis sets, with the activation energy for dihydroxymethane dehydration also being too large in STO-3G. Calculated force constants in all three basis sets are generally too large, leading to vibrational frequencies that are also too large. However, uniformly scaled force constants (in internal coordinates) give much better agreement with experimental frequencies, scaled 4-31G force constants being slightly superior to scaled STO-3G force constants.     

New prodrugs derived from 6-aminodopamine and 4-aminophenol as candidates for melanocyte-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (MDEPT)

Two novel tyrosinase mediated drug delivery pathways have been investigated for the selective delivery of cytotoxic units to melanocytes from urea and thiourea prodrugs. The synthesis of these prodrugs is reported, as well as oximetry data that illustrate that the targets are substrates for tyrosinase. The stability of each of the prodrugs in (i) phosphate buffer and (ii) bovine serum is discussed, and the urea prodrugs are identified as lead candidates for further studies. Finally, HPLC studies and preliminary cytotoxicity studies in a melanotic and an amelanotic cell line, that illustrate the feasibility of the approach, are presented.     

Disseminating traceability in chemical measurement: Principles of a new EURACHEM/CITAC guide

Accreditation and Quality Assurance -     

An altered mechanism of hydrolysis for a metal-complexed phosphate diester

Isotope effects in the nucleophile and in the leaving group were measured to gain information about the mechanism and transition state of the hydrolysis of methyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate complexed to a dinuclear cobalt complex. The complexed diester undergoes hydrolysis about 1011 times faster than the corresponding uncomplexed diester. The kinetic isotope effects indicate that this rate acceleration is accompanied by a change in mechanism. A large inverse 18O isotope effect in the bridging hydroxide nucleophile (0.937 +/- 0.002) suggests that nucleophilic attack occurs before the rate-determining step. Large isotope effects in the nitrophenyl leaving group (18Olg = 1.029 +/- 0.002, 15N = 1.0026 +/- 0.0002) indicate significant fission of the P-O ester bond in the transition state of the rate-determining step. The data indicate that in contrast to uncomplexed diesters, which undergo hydrolysis by a concerted mechanism, the reaction of the complexed diester likely proceeds via an addition-elimination mechanism. The rate-limiting step is expulsion of the p-nitrophenyl leaving group from the intermediate, which proceeds by a late transition state with extensive bond fission to the leaving group. This represents a substantial change in mechanism from the hydrolysis of uncomplexed aryl phosphate diesters.     

Direct functionalization of the cyclometalated 2-(2′-pyridyl)phenyl ligand bound to iridium(III)

Treatment of [Ir(ppy)₂(μ-Cl)]₂ and [Ir(ppy)₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (ppy = 2-(2′-pyridyl)phenyl; dtbpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine; OTf = triflate) with pyridinium tribromide in the presence of Fe powder led to isolation of [Ir(4-Br-ppy)(μ-Br)]₂ (1) and [Ir(4-Br-ppy)₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (2), respectively. Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of 2 with RB(OH)₂ afforded [Ir(4-R-ppy)₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (R = 4′-FC₆H₄ (3)), 4′-PhC₆H₄ (4), 2′-thienyl (5), 4′-C₆H₄CH₂OH (6). Treatment of 4 with B₂(pin)₂ (pin = pinacolate) afforded [Ir{4-(pin)B-ppy}₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (7). The alkynyl complexes [Ir(4-PhCC-ppy)₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (8) and [Ir{4-Me₂(OH)CC-ppy}(4-Br-ppy)(dtbpy)][OTf] (9) were prepared by cross-coupling of 2 with PhCCSnMe₃ and Me₂C(OH)CCH, respectively. Ethynylation of [Ir(fppy)₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (fppy = 5-formyl-2-(2′-pyridyl)phenyl) with Ohira’s reagent MeCOC(N₂)P(O)(OEt)₂ afforded [Ir{5-HCC-ppy}₂(dtbpy)][OTf] (10). The solid-state structures of 2, 5, 7, and 10 have been determined.     

Isolation of the components of a complex mixture by means of column switching for their enhanced detection by mass spectrometry

Mass spectral characterization of low-level impurities in drug substances and formulations may be challenging when using a validated HPLC method developed for optimal chromatographic performance. In many cases, either the mobile phase contains non-volatile additives that are deleterious to the operation of the mass spectrometer, or some of the related substances fail to ionize effectively under electrospray ionization or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization conditions. This paper describes a way to capture these low-level compounds from an analytical HPLC column using a small trapping column. Mixture components are retained on the trapping column by means of reducing the solvent strength of the eluent. Subsequent elution of trapped compounds using mobile phases more amenable to mass spectral analysis yields improved detection and characterization of low-level compounds of interest. Possible applications of peak trapping and elution include: (1) analysis of compounds separated using a mobile phase containing high concentrations of non-volatile additives, (2) analysis of organic acids separated using a low-pH mobile phase (containing trifluoroacetic acid), and (3) improving the detection limit of a low-level compound of interest through multiple collections. The peak trapping apparatus and optimization experiments are described.     

A highly reactive mononuclear Zn(II) complex for phosphodiester cleavage

The activity of a Zn(II) complex of a tetradentate, tripodal ligand for catalyzing phosphodiester cleavage is enhanced 750-fold by introducing three hydrogen bond donors to the ligand. Inhibition studies show that the Zn-aqua complex is the kinetically active form and that it binds the transition state with a formal dissociation constant of 3 x 108 M-1. The effect of these ligand modifications on the transition-state affinity is comparable to the rate acceleration provided by the metal ion itself. Overall, this mononuclear complex is more active than the most reactive dinuclear Zn(II) complexes reported to date.     

Calix[4]- and calix[5]arene-based multicavity macrocycles

Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structures of mixed triple and double calixarenes 6 and 7, obtained from the base-catalyzed condensation of calix[5]arene 1 with cone pertosylated calix[4]arene 2, are reported. VT-NMR studies on 7 are consistent with a molecular motion arising from the anti-gauche conformational interconversion of its ethylene linkages.     

Capillary electrophoretic chiral separations using cyclodextrin additives: III. Peak resolution surfaces for ibuprofen and homatropine as a function of the pH and the concentration of β-cyclodextrin

Our recent extended peak resolution equation of capillary electrophoresis has been combined with the multiple equilibria-based electrophoretic mobility model of chiral separations to describe peak resolution as a function of the composition of the background electrolyte (pH and the β-cyclodextrin concentration) and a function of the operating variables (effective portion of the applied potential, dimensionless electroosmotic flow coefficient). Using the previously determined model parameters, the resolution surfaces were calculated for a Type I chiral separation (ibuprofen), and a Type III chiral separation (homatropine). In Type I separations resolution can be obtained only over a narrow pH range in the vicinity of the pK_a value, and above a minimum value, the concentration of β-cyclodextrin plays a lesser role. In Type III separations, the pH- and β-cyclodextrin concentration-dependent resolution surface has two lobes, on which the migration order of the enantiomers is opposite. This can be an advantage in trace component analysis. In both Type I and Type III separations, peak resolution varies strongly with the dimensionless electroosmotic flow coefficient when its value is changed in the − 1 to 1 range. The loci of the pH-dependent and the β-cyclodextrin concentration-dependent resolution maxima do not shift significantly when the dimensionless electroosmotic flow coefficient is changed. This fact provides the analyst with an additional resolution enhancement tool that does not alter the selectivity of the separation. The utility of the model and its theoretical predictions has been demonstrated by comparing measured and calculated R_s values for ibuprofen and homatropine.